Salvos (A Monster Evolution LitRPG) by MelasD

Category: Original

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Female Lead, GameLit, High Fantasy, LitRPG, Magic, Non-Human lead, Portal Fantasy / Isekai, Progression, Strong Lead

Status: In-Progress

Published: 2021-04-10

Updated: 2022-07-05

Packaged: 2022-07-05 22:07:20

Warnings: Gore, Traumatising content

Chapters: 445

Words: 971,969

Publisher: www.royalroad.com

Summary:

Follow the evolution of a Demon girl as she learns to survive in a fantasy world!

The life of an Infant Demon is a bloody grind to the top. For Salvos, a curious newborn Demon with a penchant for making friends, surviving the swarms of wild Demons in the Netherworld was always going to be a difficult task. She will adapt, gain experience, and evolve to survive this hellish landscape with the help of her sole companion.

But when her companion's life is threatened by a mysterious Demon King, she'll have to do what it takes to save him. Even if it means separating from him and being tossed into an unfamiliar world with Humans, monsters, and a bright blue sky where she is scorned for being born a Demon.

However, the law of evolution is survival of the fittest, and no matter where she is, Salvos will survive.

Do note that it's a slow-paced but action-packed litrpg!

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Salvos Vol. 1 is now available as an eBook in these stores!

Salvos Vol. 1 is also available as an Audiobook on Audible!

Click here to read up to 20 chapters ahead on my patreon!

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Copyright © 2020 MelasD

PMs are for business purposes only. Do not PM me with unsolicited criticisms. Please PM me on discord if I haven’t replied to your RR PM as I rarely read RR PMs.

Art Gallery

So, I finally decided to create a gallery of all the Salvos arts I've commissioned in chronological order. It is not a chapter. Just for your guys' viewing pleasure. Also, fanarts at the bottom

WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD

Commissioned Art

By teguhsuwanda on Fiverr

By Bobo_Snofo on Twitter

By Vitaly S Alexius on RoyalRoad

By Bobo_Snofo on Twitter

By Wenart on Artstation

By dinoderpp on Instagram

By Tsurot on [email protected]

By Vitaly S Alexius on RoyalRoad

By KrazeKode on RoyalRoad

Fanart (Only two so far)

By Brack on ko-fi

By Cacaphony on Discord (Join us for the Dingventures!)

ChApTErs MuSt BE aT LEAsT 500 chArACterS LoNG

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0. Advent

Preface

Hello! I'd just like to quickly preface this by saying that while the Portal Fantasy/Isekai tag is there, this story is only technically a Portal Fantasy (notice how there is no Reincarnation tag). In fact, I'd say it's a Portal Fantasy with a double technicality. A Portal Fantasy**, if you will.

Nevertheless, I do hope you check it out. And if you didn't know, this is my first time writing a LitRPG, and my second ever story. It's inspired by the first Web Novel I read, Kumo Desu Ga, Nani Ka?, as well as others I really liked like Apotheosis of a Demon, The Wandering Inn, and Azarinth Healer.

This story is very slow paced at the start, but I assure you, it does progress! I hope you read it at least until it gets going! Anyway, that's enough rambling from me, I hope you enjoy it!

0. Advent

“The cycle of Advent has begun.”

Regnorex spoke into the nether; the Demon King turned his fiendish gaze toward the swirling sable clouds forming in the distance. His servants waited reverently for his next words, clinging onto each one as though their life depended on it.

“Genesis shall come, but only Desolation awaits them.”

He withdrew from his high balcony, returning to the grand throne that was carved in resemblance to the mortal kings he had once met and envied. Now, he laughed at the lavish wants of such short-sighted men, content with only the luxuries of life.

“The Devil will play his tricks on the fools, and the Beast shall once again feast upon the weak that invade its lands. All will be destruction. All will be death. They will learn quickly that there is only hell.”

The first of the black raindrops fell from the sky, the precipitation wetting the barren lands with life, yet corrupting the pure, white surface into a dark ooze.

Settling onto his throne, Regnorex finally addressed his servants gathered before him: the Archdemons, the Greater Demons, and even the Lesser Demons. They were all below his station. Of course they were. To them, he was their master.To them, he was their god.

“There shall be chaos. There shall be death. But there shall be survivors.”

The Demons stirred at his speech— one which he had delivered a thousand times before. Yet, they treated it with the same awe and fear they did when they first heard it.

The black torrent was now violently raging on, almost as if prefiguring what was to come. The Demon King ignored it, focusing only on what had to be done. The room darkened as the storm swept over the Netherworld, yet Regnorex’s eyes still lit ablaze in the color of the bloodied sky above.

“Find the survivors, bring them to my demesne, for all who obeys my will shall be rewarded.”

And they did. The Demons scoured the lands, searching, finding all those who survived. It was not a kindness— those who survived were the only ones who were worthy. The only ones who were special among the masses born from the Genesis.

No one would escape: they would either live under the Demon King’s rule, or die under the harsh landscape of the Netherworld.

No one.

As the Genesis came to an end and the final stage of Advent began, the dark clouds above faded away; the pools of black slowly receded into nothing. And out from the last of these pools, a survivor came into existence.

Salvos was born.

1. Rocks

1. Rocks

A sea of infinite void engulfed me; I found myself wriggling, struggling to break free of the eternal darkness. I pushed myself forward, closer and closer to the edge of the dome that encapsulated my very world.

I had thought it would be hard to break. I had expected it to be a hardened shell, tempered by the eternity of its existence. I never hoped to escape from the boundless abyss— drowning in the ocean of nothingness, forever trapped to unbirth.

And yet, I broke through the surface so easily, I didn’t even realize I was finally free. Only the words that filled my head made me realize I was finally alive.

Salvos

Species: [Infant Demon]

Subspecies: [Demon Larva] - Lvl. 1

General Skills:

[Identification] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 5

[Strength]: 5

[Endurance]: 5

[Wisdom]: 5

[Agility]: 5

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 0]

[Unused Skill Slot] x5

These words resounded not as a voice, but as a breadth of information that I intuitively knew: I did not have to be told that my name was Salvos— I was simply Salvos.

I lay there for what felt like an immortal moment, choosing not to move, choosing to revel in my existence. Finally, I opened my eyes, taking in the world around me.

Up above, darkling clouds blotched out the crimson sky. The red glow of the heavens itself came down mostly unimpeded; only a piece of it was covered by the eddying overcast that seemed to grow fainter through the passage of time.

I was floating atop an inky, black liquid; what I had thought to be a vast ocean proved now to be nothing more than a mere pool— a puddle that I couldn’t even sink myself into.

I flopped my way out of the sable water, hoping it wouldn’t open up and swallow my being back into nonexistence. My body finally reached the pure, white surface of solid ground, the black liquid dripping off my body almost too easily, returning to whence it came.

The mass of land was far more expansive than the tiny pool of my birth; I looked curiously at the world around me, seeing distant sinuous crests and jutting peaks that piqued my interest. What is that?

I had an inkling of an idea of what they could be: I could comprehend the rough concepts of these shapes, but their true nature evaded me. I was captivated by it. I was drawn towards this strange, new world I had found myself in.

I glanced one last time back at the void that had borne me, and saw nothing staring back at me. I no longer belonged to that world. Somehow, someway, I had squirmed my way out of it. And I would never go back.

—--

I dragged myself through the barren landscape, stopping every so often to investigate anything that I took a fascination to. The black clouds overhead were now nothing more than a speck in the distance, but strangely enough, the place of my birth had receded and vanished altogether.

It was gone. I was not sure why it was gone. I vaguely understood that it was possible for objects to disappear but still remain in existence. However, something told me that that was not the case here.

It mattered not to me. I continued my crawl across the chalky and rocky floor. It was not the most comfortable thing I had experienced— certainly, having no senses meant such disagreeable feelings would never be felt.

This was not something I just knew. This was something I had just learned for myself.

I did not enjoy the poking sensation that came when I was crawling over these tiny rock bits that were scattered all throughout the floor. It almost made me want to return to the puddle— simply floating as time passed was an absolute bliss, unlike this.

But I remembered the overwhelming fear I had of falling back into the abyss. It was not something I wanted. I was alive now, and I treasured that. So I made do with these minor inconveniences, choosing to bear this burden that came with life, pressing forward into the unknown.

...

I only got a little bit further before it got too much for me.

These small objects did not exactly hurt me; they did not pierce through my skin, leaving only brief indents before falling back off onto the floor. My health did not drop from this, yet I was sick and tired of navigating through this rough terrain.

I lowered my face down to one of these rocks, investigating its features and anything else that stood out to me. Surely something about it would clue me into a way to crawl over them without hurting!

I stared at the first rock, studying its every protrusion on its uneven surface. After pondering it over, I decided this rock was useless on its own— I needed a wider array of observations before a conclusion was made— and moved on to the next.

The second rock was bigger than the first, but just as haphazardly arranged in its shape. I looked over it for another indefinite period of time before looking over the third.

I was contemplating how the third was seemingly as rugged as the first and second on one side of its surface, yet completely smooth on the other, when more words suddenly filled my head.

General Skill [Identification] Level Up!

[Identification - Lvl. 1] -> [Identification - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

I jerked, immediately losing concentration as I considered the implications of what the words meant. I had… leveled a General Skill? How did I do that? I was just trying to understand a rock—

My vision snapped back at the smooth yet rugged rock I had been eyeing. Whatever nuance that made the third rock distinct from the first and second was beyond my current understanding of the world. But of course, I had Skills I could use. Skills that were supposed to aid me in accomplishing certain tasks.

I barely parsed the use for [Identification] beforehand; its purpose was not something I truly understood. Now, however, I realized it was for identifying objects. It was to give me a better grip of things that were unknown to me.

So I focused onto the rock, my eyes never leaving the specific rock I had picked out as I activated the Skill.

[Identification]!

The word flashed through my mind. Whether it was by choice or whether it came from using the Skill, I did not know. However, information flooded my head as finally, I could unfurl the mysteries behind this peculiar object.

[Rock - It is a rock.]

...was that it?

No, that couldn’t be. There had to be something more to it than that!

There was a secret here— there was a reason why it was not like the other two rocks I had seen. It was special. It had to be special.

But why did [Identification] not tell me what this secret was? It made no sense. I felt uneasy about my understanding of the Skill, doubts forming in my mind that it was what I thought it was. However, I had been certain I used it right.

Something had told me that [Identification]’s purpose was to identify things. It was the same thing that had told me what I was. It was the same thing that told me what I was capable of.

Perhaps…

I trailed off. Connections were being formed in my head. An epiphany was being made. I finally understood what I had gotten wrong.

The problem is not in the Skill itself, but in the Skill’s level!

That was the only conclusion I could come to. That was why it did not tell me more information than I had already known. If I leveled the Skill, it would surely reveal the truth behind rocks!

I turned my attention to another pile of rocks to my left. These ones were significantly smaller. They were pebbles— miniscule rocks with fine features that were hard to make out without getting extremely close to it. But that was fine. I had chosen those to investigate since I knew I could learn more from them.

I had gone through two dozen of these pebbles before the words I had been anticipating came.

General Skill [Identification] Level Up!

[Identification - Lvl. 2] -> [Identification - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 2]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

I… finally did it! And I also leveled as a [Demon Larva] thanks to the experience gained from leveling [Identification]! It was a total success!

I could distribute my Stat Points and Skill Point later. For now, I focused on what was important. I glanced at the pebble closest to me and activated my [Identification]—

[Rock - It is a rock.]

...what?

That couldn’t be right. [Identification] had just hit its second level. It should be telling me more than before, not the exact same thing. Unless…

I looked at another pebble, once again using [Identification] on it.

[Rock - It is a rock.]

No!

[Rock - It is a rock.]

No! No! No!

[Rock - It is a rock.]

Everywhere I checked— every pebble, stone, and rock I used [Identification] on— all produced the same result. It was all the same. All of them except for that third rock. The special rock.

I hadn’t checked it yet, but it had to be different. It was different. I saw it with my own eyes.

I cast my gaze back to where I had once been, but was only met by an endless sea of small pieces of rocks spread throughout the empty landscape. I couldn’t make out the rock that had me pondering over what made it different. Over what made it special.

It should be here! It has to be…

Then the realization sunk in. The bits of rock and pebbles uniformly crinkling the ground all around me were just that: rocks.

Nothing set one apart from the other. Rocks were rocks, even if there were some minute differences from one to the other. It is a rock, the words echoed in my mind.

Slowly but dejectedly, I accepted this piece of information; I had spent so much time chasing after an answer that had always been in front of me. It felt like a waste.

I crawled away from the spot I had hovered over for so long, wading through the rocks despondently. I paused.

Wait, rocks?

Yes, there were rocks all around me. Rocks that had been so meddling. Rocks that made every movement so uncomfortable.

Rocks that I didn’t even register are there anymore.

I had been moving through rocks for such an extended period of time, it was not an issue anymore. I no longer felt the pokings of the rocks on my body. It was just like the dichotomy between the cool stone surface and the strong heat radiated from all around me which I initially felt when I left my puddle, but I had gotten used to it.

I thought such an accustomance applied only to that specific circumstance. Now I understood it could apply to a wide array of things— possibly more than the two I had just experienced. So I didn't care anymore.

I happily continued my squirming through the white ground, unsure whether I should head to those small hillocks or tall mountains in the distance which my [Identification] didn’t work on for some reason, but stopped when I noticed something.

Firstly, I felt my gaze was sharper than before. It was subtle, I would not have been able to tell the difference if I didn’t spot them in the distance.

I had been musing about what I would do with my Stat Points and Skill Point. But now, all of those thoughts were gone as my attention was drawn to the bright colorful shapes moving in the otherwise desolate and plain world.

It was the others.

Just like me.

And there were a dozen of them.

2. The Others

2. The Others

I saw the others for the first time. There were many of them, all grouped together and wandering mindlessly through the empty landscape. They stood out in the white background— their vibrant colors stood out in sharp contrast to the blandness of the landscape, making them almost seem inviting. But I did not approach.

I waited in the near distance, watching to see what they would do. There were all sorts of them— most of them like me, but with slight variations in their forms. One of them had black and yellow spots on its back, despite the rest of its writhing mass of a body being red in color.

Another one had only a single eye on its face instead of the two I had, with a pair of long protrusions right above it. And another one had multiple small protrusions at the bottom of its body, wiggling and moving in a way that somehow made it faster than the rest.

It almost reminded me of the rocks wrinkling the ground— we were all the same, only slightly different. Was I then just like a rock with absolutely no individual characteristics to me? Was I not special in any way? Somehow, the very thought of that terrified me.

At first, my interest had been piqued from encountering these other creatures, but now I wanted to run away from them. I had to be different. I had to have something that differentiated myself from the others!

I was just about to flee from the group of colorful beings that looked just like me when I remembered the words that resounded in my head when I was first born. No— I wasn’t remembering the same words. It was different now, but I knew it was the words that defined me. And it was…

Salvos

Species: [Infant Demon]

Subspecies: [Demon Larva] - Lvl. 2

That was right. I had leveled up, which was why I was Level 2 now. But that wasn’t why I checked my Status. I did it because I could use it to compare myself with the others. If I used [Identification] on them, would the results be the same just like with the rocks?

I was uncertain, but I had to know. I felt my entire body quiver as I focused on the nearest of the others— the one with the colored spots patterned throughout its body. I hesitated for a moment, however went ahead with activating my Skill anyway.

[Identification]!

The words appeared in my head: the information that described the being for what it was. My entire body tensed as I processed it all—

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

I found my entire body sagging, feeling the tension that once held me disappear. This sensation, it was… relief? I wasn’t entirely sure just yet what it was, but I liked the feeling. It was nice.

This Demon— [Demon Larva]?— or whatever it was, was evidently the same Species and Subspecies as me. And yet, I was higher leveled than it. It was different from the rocks which all produced the same results. There was a distinction between myself and the others. I was not an object, but a subject— just like I thought I was. And somehow, that thought calmed me down.

Wait, that means…

I carefully approached the group of Demons that had taken notice of me and were now just staring at me; some of them had a curious look on their face, almost as if they were waiting to see what I would do, while others seemed completely uninterested and were just following whatever the group was doing.

I got closer to them and began using [Identification] on each and every single one of them. I might have been unlike a rock in that I was unique, but I was not sure if that applied to these Demons too. Perhaps they might have all been the same, which in that case, meant they were just more rocks. That was almost the conclusion I came to where I checked the first three Demons.

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

I was just about to stop using my Skill, deciding that these Demons were all the same, when I saw the Demon with the protrusions… the legs… take a step closer to me. I met that Demon’s eyes and used [Identification] on it.

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]

It was Level 3? It was higher leveled than me!

I stared at that Demon in shock and another feeling for a moment. Why was it Level 3 and I was only Level 2? That was unfair. I wanted to be Level 3 as well!

For some reason, I was discontent with being lower leveled than this Demon. I wanted to possess the same or better qualities than it— her!

She was a her.. I intuitively knew she was a her. And she was better than me.

However, she seemed to pay no mind to that fact, and was instead moving her legs, gesturing between herself and me. She... wanted me to go with them?

I glanced about at the others, again taking in their stats with [Identification]. In that group of a dozen, there were three other Demons at Level 2— the same as me— and one more at Level 3. The rest were Level 1, and apart from the one with colored spots on its back, they didn’t seem too interested in anything really.

They were just following the group. But why were they doing that?

I pondered it over for a moment, as the group began to head off, led by the other Level 3 Demon. The one with legs waited for me as I lay there, considering these questions in my mind.

Perhaps, I thought, as the Demon finally started after her companions. Perhaps they’re following the Level 3 Demons to learn how to get to that level too?

That was the only line of reasoning that made sense to me. I could not rationalize any other train of thought that would lead them to group up like that. After all, the moment I met that Demon, I immediately wanted to reach the same level as her, so it made sense that the others felt the same way!

I hurried after the group as they got further and further away. They didn’t slow down for me, even though a few noticed me trailing after them. Not that it mattered. I was still with the group until they once again gathered as a group, attracted to something new and interesting.

They huddled around something that was lying motionless on the ground, just at the foot of a small hill; I tried to see what it was, but they were blocking my vision. I had to go around them— up to an elevated position— to clearly see what they were investigating.

Was this how they leveled up? I did level up from inspecting rocks on the ground. Perhaps simply going around and poking at whatever new thing you came across was what helped you to level. Maybe the more peculiar an object it was, the more experience you gained from looking at it?

I peeked down at what the others were studying, when I realized I had been mistaken as to what it was they say. Instead of seeing a weird rock like I had imagined, I saw another [Demon Larva] lying on the ground, motionless.

The others had formed a circle around it, curiously looking on at it, but still keeping a small distance away from it. It was almost a repeat of when they had met me, except that they didn’t approach it any further. Why was it not moving? Why was it just lying there? These were questions that crossed my mind, and I was sure they held similar thoughts to these too.

Suddenly, the [Demon Larva] jerked. It straightened its body, snapping its head up as the others backed away from this sudden movement. This [Demon Larva] looked different. It was not like the ones in the group— the ones that were about my size with small variations in form. Instead, it was thicker than us, it was larger than us, and it had a longer body than us.

Noticing this fact, I had my interest piqued and I decided to inch closer to it. I got till I was about as far away from it as the others before I used [Identification] on it. The results it produced surprised me.

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]

It was Level 5? That was more than twice my level! It was 2 levels higher than the highest leveled Demon in the group!

I had to know its secret; it was so huge— almost twice my size— and so high leveled as well. I didn’t want to be Level 3 anymore— I wanted to be Level 5 if it meant I could get that big!

The others must have shared the same thought. One of the Level 3 Demons— the one with the legs— slowly stepped forward to the Level 5 [Demon Larva]. The only thing that stopped me from rushing up to it as well was a sudden thought.

It was a random thought, but I wondered to myself: why was it alone? Did it not follow any other Demon to reach its level? And did it not encounter any other Demon that wanted to follow it to reach its level?

It was these thoughts that made me a moment slower than the legged Demon to reach the large Demon. She stopped right in front of it as it loomed over her. She tilted her head slowly, and proffered one of her tiny limbs out—

And it crushed her.

In a single motion, the large Demon crushed her with its head. The Level 3 Demon— the one that had waited for me as the rest of her group left me behind— was squished in an instant. All that was left of her was a broken body with black liquid oozing out of it.

I stared in shock for a moment, still trying to process what had happened. And I wasn’t the only one. The others were as taken aback as I was. The only thing that saved us from being immediately killed as well was the change that went over the large Demon’s body.

The large Demon wriggled as it began to morph and grow bigger in size. That brief reprieve was what allowed us to finally react to this unexpected development. Three of the Level 1 Demons and one of the Level 2 Demons charged at the large Demon, throwing themselves at its body in a combined attack.

It reeled back from the hit, bruises forming on its body where it had been struck. They continued to assault its body as the others began to join in. For some reason, I was also compelled to help them fight the large Demon, but that feeling was quickly squashed as it crushed the Level 2 Demon. It swiped its body at two of the Level 1 Demons, breaking their bodies and sending them flying.

Upon seeing that, the rally against the large Demon quickly turned into a retreat; I watched as the Level 1 and Level 2 Demons that started at the large Demon in a charge scramble away from it as it crushed the last of the Demons that had attacked it.

It was too high leveled for us to take down! We were less than half its level, so of course it would be able to take us out with ease. But there was still the other Level 3 Demon, the one with the feelers on its head—

I cast my gaze around, looking for the Level 3 Demon. He was… running away? No— he wasn’t just running away, he had been running the entire time.

I must not have noticed because I was distracted, but the moment the large Demon killed the first Level 3 Demon, he turned tails and ran for it. That was why he was already disappearing into the distance while the others were still within the vicinity of the large Demon.

I panicked. I was going to be crushed too! I didn’t want to be crushed! I didn’t want to… die. I had just been born. Dying now was something I absolutely did not want!

I started after the Level 3 Demon, trying to catch up to him. But he was faster than me— barely faster, but definitely faster. I crawled alongside the other fleeing Demons as we tried to get away from the large Demon. I craned my head around as I did, just in time to see it catch and crush another Level 1 Demon.

It was faster than us too! For some reason, even with such a large body, it moved quicker than me. Why was it so fast? Why was it so strong? I didn’t know. I don’t know—

Then, as if by instinct or by deduction, I realized why it was faster than me. It had a higher [Agility] than me. That had to be it.

It had leveled up and used its Stat points to raise its [Agility]. And that was probably why it was its size too. One of its Stat points— either [Vitality] or [Strength]— was also raised to make it bigger. The large Demon was about to catch up to me when I hurriedly recalled my Stats.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 5]

[Vitality]: 5

[Strength]: 5

[Endurance]: 5

[Wisdom]: 5

[Agility]: 5

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Unused Skill Slot] x5

I had received 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill point from leveling up. I had nothing to spend my Skill Points on, so I ignored it and focused only on my Stats.

Each of my Stats already had 5 points in it, but I now had 5 more I could distribute amongst them. I had a rough idea of what each did, but only two of them would help me in the moment: [Strength] and [Agility].

If I spent my Stat Points on [Strength], perhaps I could match the attack power of the large Demon. However, that still meant it outmatched me in speed, so it would land more hits on me and kill me faster. So that was out of the question.

So I decided. [Agility] it is. I spent all 5 of my Stat Points straight into [Agility], and instantly felt an odd sensation wash over my body.

I didn’t sprout legs, per se, though I did gain small limbs that helped push me forward. I also felt lighter. My body was more slick. Like even if I didn’t use my limbs and just crawled ahead, I would still move twice as fast as I did before.

I wasted no time trying to accustom myself to my body and sped ahead. I ran past the other Demons ahead of me, feeling relief knowing that I would escape with my life. That was, until I heard the crunch that came from another Level 1 Demon being crushed by the large Demon.

I stopped in my tracks and turned around. The large Demon was catching up to the others. It was going to kill them all— none of them, except for the Level 3 Demon, were going to escape. They were all going to die.

That didn’t bother me so much. As long as I lived, why did it matter if they died? And yet, I was running from this large Demon. This large Demon that attacked and killed us for no reason. The others were running from it, fearing for their life, when they probably would have been able to take it down if they worked together from the very beginning.

In fact, one of the Level 2 Demons realized this. He realized that they could not escape, and the only chance they stood was if they banded together. He tried to rouse the others to turn around and fight. Squish. He died as the others ignored him and continued to flee.

Was I really like these other Demons, running like a coward from something I could beat? Surely I was not just a rock that the large Demon used to level up before tossing me aside like the other dozen rocks it looked at, right? And if I really wanted to reach the same level as that large Demon— if I wanted to hit Level 5… no, Level 6 like it— I shouldn’t be running away from a fight like this, should I?

So I stopped running away from this large Demon and charged back at it. It was about to crush another Demon— the one with the colorful spots in his back— when I tackled it, striking it across the face.

The large Demon turned its attention to me as I struck it with my entire body once again. This time, it took the brunt of the hit and brought its head down to squish me like it did the others. However, I skittered away from the attack, dodging it with relative ease.

I backed up as it tried a follow up attack, swiping at me from the side, trying to use its size to its advantage. I barely avoided this attack. If it had hit me there, I probably would have been squished. But I survived it, and saw a wide opening.

As the large Demon tried to reorient itself, I saw the perfect chance to strike once again. I aimed for the bruise that had already been made by the first of the others that attacked it, smashing my head down onto it.

This proved effective as it staggered from the blow, pulling itself back to try and gain some distance between myself and it. I did not let up, however. I used my new limbs to hold onto its body as backed away, continuing to hammer my head into its body.

It lurched from the repeated strikes, trying to shake me off. When it couldn’t do that, it straightened its body and brought its head up and over me. It tried to smash me, but I easily slithered away as it hurt itself. But instead of getting off the large Demon, I made my way up of it.

It twisted its body in confusion as I climbed up to its head. It was wary of attacking me now that it realized it was able to inflict damage on itself with me on it. And in that moment of uncertainty, I seized the large Demon by the head.

I wrapped my body around just below the head of the large Demon. It thrashed about to get me off it, but I simply squeezed my body tighter, using my limbs to stop myself from falling off. It spun and squirmed in a panic, but I did not let go.

I wasn’t sure how long I held that position— I wasn’t sure how much harder I tried to curl myself under its head— but eventually, there was a pop. The head of the large Demon fell limply off its body, its black blood getting all over me.

I collapsed alongside the body of the large Demon, and I lay there triumphant as the words of victory rang in my head.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 6]!

Abundant experience is awarded for defeating an enemy three times your level!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 2] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 3] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 4]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

I did it! I leveled up twice! I...

Wait, why am I only Level 4? It was Level 6, right? I beat it! It was Level 6! Shouldn’t I be Level 6 now too?!

3. Learning Experience

3. Learning Experience

Salvos

Species: [Infant Demon]

Subspecies: [Demon Larva] - Lvl. 4

General Skills:

[Identification] - Lvl. 3

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 10]

[Vitality]: 5

[Strength]: 5

[Endurance]: 5

[Wisdom]: 5

[Agility]: 10

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Unused Skill Slot] x5

I evaluated my Status after having killed the Level 6 [Demon Larva] by myself. The others— the survivors from the encounter— had left without me. None of them turned around to try and help me when I confronted the large Demon.

Not that it mattered to me; somehow I knew that if they had helped out, I would have gained less experience from killing it, which would have given me less levels too. So I actually preferred that they stayed out of the fight.

Anyway, it was not like I was happy with the amount of levels I gained in the first place. I had doubled my levels, going from Level 2 to Level 4. And while that seemed like quite the achievement at first, I still wasn’t satisfied. The large Demon was Level 6— since I killed it, shouldn’t I be at least Level 6 too?

Something told me that that wasn’t how it worked. But it should!

I might not have been as big as it, and I might not have had as many levels as it, but I killed it when the others failed or fled. The fact that I deserved more of a reward than what I got led me to conclude that the world wasn’t fair. Which was unfortunate, but it wasn’t something I was going to dwell on. Instead, I focused on my Status.

Currently, I had 3 available Skill Points and 10 available Stat Points. I still had no Skills for me to invest my Skill Points in— which confused me in more ways than one. For example, how was I supposed to gain a Skill? How was it different from a General Skill? Why couldn’t I use my Skill Points on my General Skills?

Unable to solve this mystery behind Skills, I then decided to simply look at my Stat Points for now. As I had figured out earlier, [Agility] was something that made me faster… in addition to other things I couldn’t parse right now. When I had spent all 5 of my Stat Points on [Agility], my body changed— kind of like how the large Demon’s body changed after it had leveled.

I grew these… limbs. They ran down the side of my body, not exactly forming full rows of them, but still rather numerous. It was a strange feeling, suddenly changing forms. It was something I was probably going to get used to for now, whenever I spent Stat Points.

I considered the other Stats I had: [Vitality], [Strength], [Endurance], and [Wisdom]. I could guess vaguely what each of these Stats did by themselves. There were other facets to these Stats, but I was certain [Vitality] would give me more health, [Strength] would make me stronger, [Endurance] would increase my durability, and [Wisdom]... would grow my magic power?

I puzzled over this idea of magic for a moment, until my mind drew a link between magic and the Skill Slots I had available. Apparently, magic was something every living being was capable of doing, but was aided by the Skills and General Skills they learned.

That was interesting. I had been curious about what these Skills were just a moment ago, and now knowing that having more [Wisdom] was somehow connected to them made me decide to experiment with it. For now, I was going to spend 3 of my Stat Points on [Wisdom], 2 on [Vitality], and keep the remaining 5 to figure out for later.

Immediately after using the Stat Points, my body began to quiver. It started to shift, changing in size as I grew slightly bigger. It wasn’t as drastic as a growth the large Demon went through— something told me that not only would different combinations of Stats result in different changes to the body, but the individuality of myself and the others made the changes we underwent specific to us as well.

However, while the change that came over me from increasing my [Vitality] was made apparent to me in more ways than one, I was left confused by my [Wisdom]. I did not feel smarter or anything too blatant like that. In fact, I almost thought that nothing had happened from growing my [Wisdom] for a moment.

That was until I stopped focusing on myself, and turned my attention to the world around me. After I became Level 2 from leveling in [Identification] twice, I had thought my perception of things was more sharp. And while that didn’t change this time, I felt like my vision was now piercing through some veil that I didn’t even know was there before.

There were… lines? Or something else. A thing called mana was cutting through the world. It was not doing so intrusively, but rather in a way that kept it together. It was like strings woven together and into each other to create something that was whole.

I tried to reach out and grab one of these strings, but found my physical limb simply passing over through it. It was hard to touch; I knew my body would not be able to interact with it in this simple of a way. I had to understand it more. I had to learn about them— follow these strings— to get a better grasp of what they were, so I could actually touch and move them.

So that was what I did. Very quickly, I spent the rest of my Stat Points between [Strength], [Endurance], and [Agility]. For now, I was content with my speed so I only increased it by a single point, while splitting the rest equally between [Strength] and [Endurance].

Once again, the changes from these Stats were more tangible and obvious at first, but I intuitively knew that the changes I experienced went beyond simple physical changes.

—--

I would have thought it would take a while for me to have to get used to my new, bigger body; with extra parts to me coming in the limbs as well as a longer form, it was quite a significant change to what I was before. And yet, I did not find it uncomfortable using my limbs to move through the rocky terrain.

The bits and pieces of rock sticking out of my limbs were barely a nuisance, and I could even move faster now. And while that sped up my process of simply moving, apparently moving faster somehow correlated with meeting other Demons faster. Unfortunately however, these Demons I met weren’t like the first group I had encountered.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 4] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

That was the third Demon I had seen since I defeated the large Demon, and just like the large Demon, all of these Demons attacked me mindlessly. I had approached the first one— a Level 2 Demon— because it didn’t seem too dangerous.

And while it wasn’t dangerous per se, it did try to tackle me. I didn’t have much difficulty dodging the surprise attack, although dispatching it wasn’t as quick of an endeavour. With my relatively low [Strength], I couldn’t crush it in a single blow and relied on multiple strikes to beat it.

After that, I approached the other Demons more cautiously, but still they charged at me. And while they were all lower leveled than me, they didn’t even hesitate in their attack. At first, I had considered it to be a bit of a nuisance, but after I leveled, I decided it was a good thing— in a way.

While I risked dying whenever these Demons came after me, if I defeated them I gained experience which would help me level up myself. And not only was leveling up a satisfying thing, it made me stronger.

With this strength, I could defend myself better. With this strength, I could survive!

But that was boring. There wasn’t really anything for me to do; I had tried investigating more strangely shaped rocks, but I lost interest in them far faster than before. Eventually, I turned my attention to those large rocks in the distance— those mountains.

It was strange. These tall, massive shapes became smaller as I went further away from them— they didn’t sink into the ground, but instead appeared to almost simply shrink in size. I had not traveled to one before, however after making this observation, I decided to traverse up one of the smaller hills.

I had known that a hill became larger as I approached one, but it was still such a jarring sight seeing it turn from this vague outline into this towering shape before me. Putting 2 of my Stat points into [Wisdom] and [Agility], with the last remaining point into [Strength], I scurried my way up.

I didn’t do nothing on this trek; I was being productive. I raised one of my limbs up, running it through the invisible strings of mana as I continued trying to acquaint myself with it. It wasn’t exactly telling me anything in specific, but I felt like I was learning more about it. My vision of the mana wasn’t completely clear just yet, however—

General Skill [Basic Mana Manipulation] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a General Skill!

I stopped right in my tracks as the words resounded in my head; I tilted my body, trying to figure out what just happened. I… learned a General Skill? That was right, it was still a Level 1 Skill. But that was better than nothing. Now I knew I was capable of learning General Skills— that was how I gained them.

It might not have been the exact same process for Skills, but it was probably a somewhat similar one. I lifted one of my limbs and tugged at the mana strings, and instead of just passing through nothing, I felt the barest sense of something being there.

It was a slight feeling— something that showed me nothing, while opening up endless possibilities at the same time. And it happened just as I crested the top of the hill.

I rested there, at the peak of this massive rock. I cast my gaze around the landscape, at the flatlands down below, and at the other mountains that rose above the one I was on. I was Level 5, and while it was satisfying to know that I had reached a level similar to the large Demon, it still frustrated that I was not at its level yet.

In a way, I was like this hill. Tall, but not the tallest. Not anywhere close. Something blazed within me; a decision that I came to naturally. I wanted to level— not just to Level 6 or some other arbitrary level. I wanted to keep leveling until I could not anymore.

I wasn’t sure if there was a limit, and if there was one, I did not know how high I could even go. And yet, it gave me something to do. I wanted more in my life than to simply exist. The rocks and the land— they were interesting at first, but they lost their novelty after a while. Seeing the same thing over and over again became dull over time.

So I gave myself a goal. It was my will. And when I went down the hill, back to the flat landscape, I was not just wandering aimlessly anymore. I was on the hunt. Searching for those mindless Demons that destroyed everything they saw.

And it wasn’t long before I saw the next ones ahead. I let go of the strands of mana I was holding onto the entire time— apparently [Basic Mana Manipulation] was a hard General Skill to level since it was still at Level 1— and focused on the lumbering Demon. It charged me, of course. That was what all these wild Demons did.

As for me? I leveled.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 2]!

Less experience is awarded—

4. Magic Attack

4. Magic Attack

Up until now, all of the mindless, lumbering Demons I had seen were alone. It was odd; the only time I had encountered a group of Demons had been shortly— relatively speaking— after I was born.

So based on this single observation, I came to the broad conclusion that only others like me would clump up together. And while applying that general rule too hastily might seem like a bad idea in retrospect, the logic made sense to me when I decided to approach the four Demons traveling next to each other.

Well, I knew better now.

I skittered around the large boulder as the remaining three Demons chased after me. They had caught me by surprise by attacking me when I had thought they were friendly, but I still managed to take one out.

The Demons weren’t as fast as me, although they still managed to keep up with my speed. They followed after me, whirling around the corner—

And I was not there. The Demons paused, confused at my sudden disappearance. They cast their gazes around, scanning the landscape for any signs of me to no avail. Slowly but surely, the three began to spread out, slightly further away from each other.

From atop the boulder, I leapt down at the closest Demon. I wriggled below my feet as I struck it twice with my forefront limbs. The other two Demons noticed this and tried to rush me. I pushed myself off the first Demon as something bright went off right at its antennae.

Circling around them, I easily put distance between us as they tried to tackle me. Instead, I swung my entire body around, knocking one of them back, before charging the second. The Demon struggled as I jabbed all my limbs into it, forcing its black blood out of its body. I brought my head down on it once, twice—

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy half your level!

Once I received the words in my head, I quickly pried myself off the Demon and just barely evaded a strike from its companion. Pushing it back with my limbs, I was just about to do the same thing to it when I felt a sharp shock run through my body.

I spun around and backed away as fast as I could from the Demon I had dropped on. That was… electricity? Light was flashing between its antennae, sparks dangerously dancing off the side like the splash of blood that came from being crushed. It hurts!

I warily regarded the last two Demons as they approached me. There was no coordination between them. They had no thought behind their actions. So when they charged me again, one after the other, I shoved the first one back to the other.

It did not matter which came first. What ended up happening either ways was the Demon using magic shocking the other. And in that moment where the non-magic Demon was incapacitated, I threw everything I had at the magic Demon, wrapping my body around it and crushed it.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Then it was just me and the last remaining Demon. It got back up, and I waited for it to charge me. I would have expected it to continue foolishly attacking me like it had before— as others like it had always done. But instead, it spun around and ran away.

For a moment— just a brief moment— I was left stunned. Not because I had been zapped or anything. But because it was running.

Why was it running? They never ran!

I was puzzled by this. That had never happened before; it was another thing that went against the norm established by observations I made in the past. By the time I thought to chase after it, it was already long gone.

I felt my entire body vibrate, slightly annoyed that I didn’t get the experience from defeating it. It wasn’t as high leveled as the magic Demon, but when I evaluated my status, something told me it might have given me enough experience to level up again.

Salvos

Species: [Infant Demon]

Subspecies: [Demon Larva] - Lvl. 6

General Skills:

[Identification] - Lvl. 3

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 8

[Strength]: 8

[Endurance]: 7

[Wisdom]: 12

[Agility]: 15

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 5]

[Unused Skill Slot] x5

Ever since I had decided to focus on leveling myself up, I had only gained a single level, going from Level 5 to Level 6. It wasn’t easy leveling up when everything I fought was lower leveled than me.

It didn’t bother me too much— I was still making steady progress. It was visible both in my Status as well as on my physical body: as my [Agility] increased, some of my limbs grew longer. In fact, I would have been wholly satisfied coming off this encounter in spite of letting one escape, had I not realized that one of those ‘mindless’ Demons was capable of using magic and I still was not.

That frustrated me. Perhaps I wasn’t trying hard enough? Sure, I was focusing more on fighting now than trying to do magic. But the periods of reprieve in between were all spent with my frontal limbs pointed up to the red sky, trying to touch the intangible lines of mana all around me.

I was lacking something. Every single time I raised my [Wisdom], I knew something was changing within me. However there was a component of magic that I just wasn’t grasping right.

I tried once again grabbing at the mana in my surroundings, but nothing happened. I pushed at it, pulled at it, and even tried chasing after it. Still, I wasn’t able to do magic. After I had expended my Stat Points into [Wisdom], it wasn’t working. I… stopped caring after a moment.

It was infuriating, sure. But I was close to a level up! So instead of wasting my time lying here and accomplishing nothing, I decided to mull over it as I scurried in search of a potential enemy.

It didn’t take long. At least, compared to how much time passed before I met the first group of Demons. It seemed that wherever I was was more populated than where I had been born.

When I spotted the Demon from a distance, I had almost assumed it was only a single one. Great! It was more likely to be one that would attack me, rather than approach me out of interest. And yet, when I got closer and closer to it, I soon realized it wasn’t a single Demon— but two wrapped together in a battle.

I stopped a ways away from the fight, choosing first to survey what was going on. Of course, the first thing I did was use [Identification]— which required me to get to a certain distance from the target of the Skill.

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 4]

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 6]

The higher leveled Demon was, as expected, winning the fight. It had pinned the other Demon to the ground, and was smashing its head onto… him? I paused, noting the distinction. He was certainly not an ‘it’, but a ‘him’, like how I was a ‘her’.

That was a peculiar observation. What exactly about him made him a ‘him’? I had met other ‘hims’ and ‘hers’ before, however only at the beginning, and ever since then all the other Demons I had met were ‘its’. What made the other Demons ‘its’?

It was fascinating. It was something for me to ponder about.The implications of which I had to take time to absorb and parse. And as I was busy with this revelation, the Demon continued smashing him on the head.

Was it because they were incapable of thought?

Smash.

Certainly not. The most recent Demon I had encountered thought to run away instead of fighting me once it realized it was outmatched, and it was an ‘it’.

Smash. Smash. Smash.

So clearly it could think, but an instinctual drive—

Smash.

You’re too loud! I can’t think! Can you stop?

Smash.

I snapped. I had enough of this. The other Demon had a lot of health. He probably had raised his [Vitality] incredibly high so he could take a lot of hits. He was struggling, landing a few of his own on hits back on it. But it was winning, and it was making a lot of noise.

So I finally decided to intervene. I threw it off of him, tackling it to the ground and striking it with my own limbs. I aimed for its weak spots— where it had already visibly taken damage from fighting the other Demon. And yet, it wasn’t falling.

It flailed back at me, thrashing its entire body about, before managing to pry me off it. It charged me with its head, knocking me into a daze as I staggered back away from it. That’s hard! It had a hard head— possibly having a high [Vitality] too? Whatever the case was, I was angry.

It managed to land a hit on me! No one had been able to hit me before— by themselves. Sure, it was because I decided to carelessly attack it, and sure, it was the highest leveled Demon I have seen since the large Demon. But still, it hit me!

I backed up as the Demon whiffed two swings with its body, before it tried rushing me with its head again. I went around it, going for its back and landed a quick strike on it. Once again, my limbs barely left a dent on its tough skin, less so than before since I hadn’t aimed for a bruised spot.

I could hurt it. Just barely hurt it. I couldn’t wrap my body around it and squeeze it since it was about my size, it would easily be able to throw me off it. So there was no quick way for me to defeat it. All I could do now was whittle it down with multiple strikes, until I won. Perhaps if I had a higher attack…

I dodged another charge, just barely this time, as I realized that I actually did have a way to hurt it. That was the reason I had been raising my [Wisdom]. A magical attack.

But I didn’t know how to do one. I had been trying to figure it out, but it was difficult. It was like I was paying attention to the wrong thing. To the magic around me?

That seemed wrong, didn’t it? There was no magic in the empty space filled with mana. The mana was just there, but it wasn’t magic. Instead, the magical attack created by the Demon from earlier came from within it, did it not?

I tried to think back to my previous fight; it was an intense moment, but I did pay attention to how the magic Demon created the electric shock. I saw the magic— the mana around it moving, like strings manipulated by it. And yet, it wasn’t actually coming from around it. It was coming from inside the magic Demon.

It was like the magic Demon had attached its own strings onto the lines of mana. It exerted the mana inside of it to do magic, and the mana in the surroundings only served as an assisting medium. So instead of tugging at the mana strings there, I pulled the mana from inside of me with my front limbs. And it worked.

Instantly, I felt something leaving my body and a slight exhaustion sink in. However, there was now also a power right where I concentrated the mana into. I could do magic now.

The Demon once again charged me, but this time I did not even pay attention to it. I focused on the mana, trying to shape it into something I wanted. Right now, I was frustrated. I was burning with anger against the annoying Demon as well as burning with excitement now knowing how to cast magic. I also wanted to hurt it— I wanted something with the power to penetrate its strong defenses.

And from that desire, I shaped the magical attack. Fire plumed into existence on my front two limbs, covering it with an intense heat I could feel but did not burn me. The mindless Demon did not even stop to take this in, and continued its attack. Instead of trying to go for a counterattack, I decided to be reckless once again.

I swung my two limbs forward at it as it came at me. I struck first into its head, which normally would have done nothing to stop it. But the fire blazed upon impact, and the Demon recoiled. Again, I brought my two fiery limbs down at it, and again it was hurt from the strikes.

I was actually doing damage to it! This magical attack was doing far more than I possibly could have with just my limbs alone. The Demon recognized this and tried to back up, but I was relentless.

I pressed the Demon with my new magical attack, continuously hitting it until its defenses gave in and black blood finally poured out. At that point, it had failed in trying to escape due to my significantly faster movement, and weakly tried to fight back. I took a few strikes due to how wildly I was attacking it, but it didn’t matter. I won in the end as the words filled my head.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 6]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 6] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 7]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

Skill [Basic Fire Conjuration] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

Skill [Fire Strike] Obtained!

General Skill [Basic Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 1] -> [Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

I gained two Skills and leveled up? That was amazing! Although I didn’t gain any experience from learning the second one, which was odd.

Perhaps it was because I gained the Skill from leveling? That might have been the difference between learning a Skill and obtaining one; so there was no experience to be gained from the latter.

I quickly looked over my Skills and Stats in my Status as I considered what to do next.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 5]

[Vitality]: 8

[Strength]: 8

[Endurance]: 7

[Wisdom]: 12

[Agility]: 15

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 6]

[Basic Fire Conjuration] - Lvl. 1

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 1

[Unused Skill Slot] x3

For my Stats, I put 2 Stat Points into [Vitality] and the remaining 3 into [Agility] because I was unhappy with how much damage I took from this fight. I had to be faster, and I had to be able to take more hits. If not— I would die.

I wasn’t able to take blows like that Demon had been able to, nor did I plan to do so. But I would rather not lose because I wasn’t able to survive a single blow. And I could put off raising my [Strength] and [Wisdom] for now, since I just gained these brand new Skills which would significantly alter the way I fought.

I had considered increasing my [Endurance]— I was absolutely exhausted right now, something which I commonly found myself suffering from after a fight, but even more so now that I used magic. But that was something I could raise later. I did not think I would be able to die from exhaustion.

As for my Skill Points...

The Skill names were rather self explanatory, and I had just used them for myself. But I was not exactly sure how much of a difference a Skill Point made. Was a Level 2 [Fire Strike] twice as powerful as a Level 1 [Fire Strike]? And wasn’t it possible for me to gain a more powerful Skill than [Fire Strike] in the future? For now, I simply raised both my new Skills by 1 Skill Point each, choosing to save my Skill Points once I understood my Skills more and had a wider array of them.

Satisfied, I looked back down from where I had been distractedly staring at in the sky while in thought, and found myself jumping as a pair of eyes stared back at me. The other Demon— the one that had been losing the fight prior to my intervention— was just standing in front of me. And he was not moving.

...do I fight you too?

A note from MelasD

For the next few chapters, I'll be messing with different blurbs and see which one is the best. Let me know if any of the blurbs especially stick out to you guys. Thanks for reading!

5. Not Like Me

5. Not Like me

I stared down the [Demon Larva] that I had just saved as he stood in front of me. At first I had thought he was about to attack me too, but when he did not move, I concluded that that was not the case. However, as to what he was really trying to do? I had no clue.

He had been on the verge of death before I interrupted his battle with the other Demon— the one that I recognized as an ‘it’ and not a ‘him’ or ‘her’. I still didn’t fully parse this distinction, but that did not matter at the moment. Because right now, I was trying to figure out what to do with this Demon.

It was odd— for some reason, he seemed to have recovered from his injuries rather quickly. I would have thought earlier that I would be able to defeat him with a few regular attacks, but with the way he was looking now, it would probably take more than just a [Fire Strike] to take him down.

In fact, he was not only looking better than before, he was also slightly bigger. His body appeared to be more solid. Perhaps…

I used [Identification] on him.

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]

It seemed that my musing had been right; this Demon had leveled up, which healed him somewhat from his injuries. Not only that, he had probably spent a significant amount of his Stat Points on his [Vitality], further regaining his health, as well as giving him a bigger form than before.

But how did he level? Was it because he had contributed in hurting the other Demon before I had defeated it? Was my experience shared with him because he damaged it beforehand?

I intuited that that was probably the case. And that irked me somewhat.

This Demon, who barely did anything and who I had inadvertently saved, had taken some of the precious experience I deserved from me? I had fought and struggled to gain that experience, and he reaped part of that reward? That was ridiculous!

I was irritated at him. He was simply just standing there uselessly in front of me, as if he was gloating that he was able to... to... steal from me. If I… defeated him, I’d get the experience back from him, right? That made sense, did it not?

But— something held me back; I… recognized him?

That was right. He looked slightly different now— he had limbs where he did not before. His entire body was red, which was not an unusual color; I had seen others of that color before. But the black and yellow spots on his back were what clued me into the fact that I had met him before.

He was one of the others! The ones in the first group of Demons I had met!

If I recalled correctly, he was only Level 2 back then. And now he was Level 5, after having escaped that large Demon that slaughtered the others...

Apprehension seized me, stopping me from raising my limbs at him. Wouldn’t I just be like the large Demon if I attacked him now? It attacked us without reason, other than maybe the desire to level and grow. Just like the other corybantic Demons. I did not want to be like them! I wasn’t an it. I was a she!

They were not like me!

I felt my irritation dissolve as a slight fear stopped me from doing anything to him. I took a look at his clueless face one last time before I whirled around. I’m not doing it. I started away from him. I will not do it!

With that resolve ingrained within me, I began my search for the next group of corybantic Demons to fight. As I did, I decided to test my new Skills out. First of all, I had leveled in [Basic Mana Manipulation]. It was now Level 2, which I could infer meant that I could manipulate mana better?

Sure enough, I could feel the flow of mana within and around me far better; it wasn’t the most drastic change, but it was noticeable. I decided to leave it be for now— I looked over at the first regular Skills I had. These weren’t General Skills, but Skills I gained because they came with my Subspecies? I wasn’t entirely certain, however there was a limit to how many I could have.

Right now, I had two of them. [Fire Strike] and [Basic Fire Conjuration]. I had distributed a Skill Point to each of them, and they were now both at Level 2.

[Fire Strike]. It wasn’t exactly what I used to defeat that Demon from earlier. It was similar, but while what I did was rough, simple, and differed with each hit— I could tell that this Skill was a lot more refined and consistent.

I raised a single limb, activating the Skill as I thrusted it forward. For a moment, red fire surrounded the nub I had swung, and with it came a power. A force that I knew dealt more damage than I could do just by swinging my limbs by itself. At the same time, I felt an equal amount of energy deplete from within me; the mana I had just felt surging through me earlier was less now by a small, but significant amount.

Alright, I already knew what that Skill was and could do. What I was more fascinated by was the other one— [Basic Fire Conjuration]. Judging from its name, I could extrapolate that it allowed me to conjure fire?

I had to test that out. I was almost giddy in excitement as I brought my forefront limbs out and focused. [Basic Fire Conjuration]!

I tried to create a fire. I was curious, but still reserved. So at first, I conjured a small flame. A tiny bead of crimson flame came to life between my limbs, staring up at me like a glowing eye. It reminded me of my own eyes— red, blazing.

Seeing what I had been able to create, I felt emboldened to do more. I was capable of more! I didn’t want a small fire anymore, now I wanted a big fire! One the size of me!

I felt a large chunk of mana leave my body into the surroundings, before it connected to the fire I held. The fire flared—

And my entire body sagged. I stopped in my tracks, feeling utter exhaustion set in. I could barely even hold up my limbs to keep the flames from falling onto me. And it was not even like the fire was that big. It was only about half the size of my head now, not anywhere near as large as I wanted it to be.

This was bad. I was so completely tired, I could barely even move. If I was attacked now—

Something bumped into me.

I spun around in a panic, throwing the fire at whatever had hit me. The fire simply fell to the white ground, lighting the rocky floor up for a moment before it was snuffed out. I stared at where my fire once was. This Skill was useless! I couldn’t even use it as an attack!

I stomped my limbs on where it had once been, more annoyed than anything that it had been a dud. I almost completely forgot that I had been bumped, and only remembered that happened when I saw the Demon from earlier tilting his body at me.

He had followed me. Why did he follow me? I glanced up at him curiously; was he planning on attacking me? I did not think so. Not only had I never been attacked by a Demon like him before, but he clearly did not mean to bump into me since it was so light I hadn’t even taken damage from that.

I dragged my tired body a tiny bit closer to him, and he did not move. He did not prepare to fight. He was just staring at me— at every one of my movements. I paused for a moment, considering this. Only a single logical conclusion crossed my mind.

He must be following me to learn how I became Level 7!

That had to be it. I remembered following the Level 3 Demons because I wanted to find out how they reached the level. It only made sense that he was doing the same here.

I looked at him— at his levels and his appearance— and decided that there was no harm if he followed me. So I waited there with him until I felt the exhaustion leave my body; that was something I had to deal with later. I had an inkling of an idea that I could increase the mana capacity in my body by raising my [Endurance]. But to do that, I had to level.

So once I was well rested, I turned once again, facing away from him, and continued my hunt for those wild Demons.

—--

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 6]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy half your level or less!

This wasn’t working out.

I had defeated a lot of Demons, many of them close to my level, and yet I still hadn’t leveled up yet. Normally, I would’ve probably reached Level 8 by now, and would be on the way to Level 9. But because of that Demon with the black and yellow spots following me, I was still at Level 7!

He would always rush in to attack any Demon that charged at me before I could defeat them myself. And maybe it was because he raised his [Strength] or something, but he was doing enough damage to them that I was apparently only getting ‘less experience’ from these encounters.

Of course, I was faster than him, so I would always be able to reach a Demon before him. But I would only be able to quickly defeat the lower leveled ones before he came— which made no difference since those gave me less experience anyway!

Because of this, my progress had slowed. And I really didn’t like that my progress had slowed. I needed to get rid of him somehow. But he was relentless.

Even if I moved at my top speed, trying to get away from him, he would always eventually catch up to me. And what was worse was that he realized that he had to keep up with me, so when he eventually leveled from these encounters against Demons more powerful than him, he increased his [Agility]. Now it was even harder to put distance between us!

It was almost like he was just following me to siphon free experience from the Demons I defeated.

I had been at a loss on what to do. I had contemplated maybe injuring him badly, letting me get away from him before he could catch up. But I remembered he had a lot of health. I would have to attack him for a while— and what would happen if he fought back?

These were difficult questions for me: I did not like having to think about this. So I put it off for the moment, having spotted a group of Demons in the distance. There were about five of them, and they were gathered at the foot of the small hill I had just finished cresting.

I was nearing a level up. I could tell I was almost there. So I approached them, looking to at least hit Level 8 before I decided on how to deal with the Demon following me.

However, as I got closer— close enough to use [Identification] on them— I realized these weren’t wild Demons. They were Demons like me.

He— no, that’s a she— is Level 5. She is Level 4. He is Level 6. She…yes, she’s Level 6. And he’s Level… 9?!

The highest out of all of them was even higher leveled than me. I was impressed, as well as curious. What did he do to get so high leveled? I knew now how to level unlike before, but still it struck me as odd that he was able to reach that level even with a group following him. Was there a special trick to it?

I wanted to go down there— I wanted to follow him to see what he did differently from me. But then, from my peripheral vision, I saw the Demon with black and yellow spots sidle up next to me. Then I remembered how little experience I would gain if I joined and fought alongside this group.

So I thought to leave; I thought I had no reason to approach them any further, since I was neither planning on following them or attacking them. However, as I was about to scuttle around the Demon with black and yellow spots, I realized he was looking longingly down at the group. Then I had a brilliant idea!

I had been about to go and he had begun to follow after me, but now I turned back around. I started down the hill, making sure that he came with me as I approached the group of Demons down below.

They all looked up as I arrived with him, turning to face me with slight confusion in their faces. A Demon, the highest leveled one who had a pair of odd, jagged protrusions on his head— were they horns?— stepped forward, glancing between the two of us.

I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but that did not matter. I scurried behind the Demon with black and yellow spots, ushering him forward. The horned Demon cocked his head, as his group exchanged glances with one another.

I stopped right in front of him, raising my front limbs and pointing them at my unwanted companion. Take him! He can join your group! That was what I tried to convey.

I wasn’t sure if it worked. In fact, I thought it didn’t work when the Demons at the back just stared at the Demon with black and yellow spots, unmoving. He didn’t move forward either; he just looked at me with the rest of them.

I was left frustrated, frantically gesturing at him and at the group, until the horned Demon raised one of his long, sharp limbs. He held it there until I took notice of it and stopped moving, then he slowly aimed it in the direction of the Demon with black and yellow spots.

The horned Demon made his way towards him, as I backed up, and gently rested a limb on him. He patted him on the back once, and raised a limb in the direction of his group.

My unwanted companion looked back at me hesitantly. He pointed at me, but the horned Demon just nodded in my direction— as if he understood what I had been trying to do. I eagerly copied that gesture, nodding my head in return.

Three of his Demons came forward and began to lead the Demon with black and yellow spots to the rest of his group. I continued my enthusiastic nodding, as I watched my unwanted companion join the group.

I was overcome with relief— I could finally level myself without any trouble from him. It could go back to gaining regular amounts of experience for defeating the wild Demons. I was just about to leave, when the horned Demon raised his limb again as if asking me to stop.

I was grateful for what he did for me, so I halted as he approached me. He began making weird signals with his limbs, ones that I did not understand this time. I stared at him in confusion. What does he want? I wasn’t entirely sure.

I had been trying to decipher the meaning behind his actions when he finally reached me. He brought two of his limbs up—

And he struck me.

His sharp limb cut through my skin, spraying black out at him. I jerked in pain as he drew his limbs back up, as if to attack me once again. I just barely dodged it, putting a small distance between me and him.

The Demon with black and yellow spots had been staring in horror at what had happened, when suddenly the Demons at his sides assailed him too. My gaze snapped between the horned Demon and his group of Demons, as my mind slowly registered what was happening.

They weren’t the wild Demons who attacked everything without thought. They were Demons capable of thought. They were Demons like my companion. They were Demons like me.

And they had just attacked us.

A note from MelasD

The Jungle Book's "I Wanna Be Like You" is such a good song

6. Red Fire

6. Red Fire

My body was aching; I had just been attacked, and it hurt a lot. Black liquid— blood— was pouring from the cut running down the side of my face to my body— I had been injured before, but not this badly. And worst of all, I was being attacked by Demons like me.

Why did they attack me? Was it an accident—

There was a loud thud. The Demon with black and yellow spots was knocked back by the three Demons that were next to him. This was no accident; this was done with intent. But I could not understand why they were doing this. And I didn’t even have time to try and understand it.

The horned Demon rushed at me, all of its spiky limbs lashing out at once. I evaded it, pushing myself off the ground and back with all my strength. He pressed forward, continuing slicing out in all directions as I kept my distance between him.

I was faster than him, but the way he was moving, I couldn’t get close. And I almost didn’t want to want to get close. I didn’t want to fight him! I didn’t want to fight them! I was just giving them a new companion— did they not like the Demon with black and yellow spots either?

Perhaps they knew he stole experience from others. Maybe that was why they were angry and attacking me now. But I was not like that!

I tried to get the horned Demon’s attention; I waved my limbs up and down like had done earlier, frantically nodding my head to him. He did not let up.

He swung and missed me by just a tiny bit. I was only barely able to keep him away from me. Why isn’t it working? I dodged another attack, and from the side, I saw something white flying towards me at high speeds.

A rock struck me on the face, where I had been wounded, and I recoiled. More blood spurted out, as I defensively covered the injury with my limbs. As I did, the horned Demon closed the distance and sliced at me.

I couldn’t dodge it in time, but I wasn’t completely unprepared like earlier. I managed to react by bringing one of my limbs to block the attack, and instead of being cut on my body, the limb was lopped off. I stared in horror as more blood oozed out of that nub where my limb once was.

Reflexively, I struck out. [Fire Strike]! I managed to land a hit back at the horned Demon before he could follow through with his next attack. He staggered for a moment, before recovering himself and charging at me with more vigor. Instead of using his limbs however, he lowered his head, pointing his horns in my direction, and rushed forward.

I drew myself to the side and he missed me. But another rock struck me to the side, and I turned to face where it came from. Next to where the three Demons were fighting with my companion, I saw the last Demon in their group pointing his antennae at me.

The antennae swayed, then glowed. A rock twice the size of my eyes flew up and shot out at me. This time, having seen it, I managed to evade the attack. I whirled back to the horned Demon, expecting him to follow up from this attack, but only saw him glaring at the magic Demon.

He swung one limb down, stabbing the ground, and pointed another at her. She flinched, nodded, then turned to help the other two Demons in their group fight the Demon with black and yellow spots. I looked at this, confused.

He was… ordering her to not help him? But why would he do that? He wasn’t able to hit me without her help! If he wanted to kill me so badly, he’d have her pelt me with rocks as he engaged me up close. That was unless…

He wanted the experience from defeating me all for himself.

I glanced between the horned Demon and his group. They were attacking us for experience. They weren’t mindless like the wild Demons, nor were they angry at us. They did not care that we were like them, and only saw us as an opportunity to level themselves. That— that— was ridiculous!

I felt a flash of anger burn within me. Here I was thinking they were like me, but they were not. They only cared to level. I wanted to level, but I didn’t attack them! We were different— we weren’t the same after all.

The horned Demon slashed at me, and I went under the attack. I landed a [Fire Strike] to his side, before backing away from his follow up swing. It nicked me, leaving a small cut where it touched. I wasn’t able to completely dodge it; my missing limb made me significantly slower than before.

I had come to these Demons, seeking to help them. I mean, sure, I was trying to get rid of an unwanted companion, but I had no intentions to harm them. But they saw me, and they thought only of the experience. If that was how they were going to think of me, then I was going to do the same to them!

I skittered away from the horned Demon’s subsequent attacks, glancing back at the group fighting away from us. I saw the Demon with black and yellow spots struggling as they held him down and struck him. He had a high [Vitality], but I did not think he would be able to hold out much longer.

He pushed one of the Demons off him then lashed out at the other two twice. Before he could fully right himself, rocks hit him at the side, knocking him back down. They continued beating him as he was down, squirming to get away from them.

I focused on the magic Demon, hurling rocks at the side, then back to the horned Demon. My attacks were barely hurting the horned Demon— I would have to use a lot of mana just to deal with him, let alone the others.But I had noticed something earlier. I had seen all their levels, and I realized something now. A plan quickly formed in my mind.

The horned Demon approached me, but instead of backing away, I raised my limbs. A small ball of red fire was conjured right in front of me. He paused, just for a moment, as the fire grew slightly bigger. I drew my limbs back, and he braced himself. I threw the fire as he tried to dodge to the side.

He stared as the fire limply dropped just in front of me.

I rushed the magic Demon before he could react. She glanced up as I scurried up next to her, and hit her with a [Fire Strike]. She lurched back, and I struck her with the Skill once again. Her skin changed color. It was burned where she had been hurt. But I did not let up.

One thing I had noticed earlier— even before I decided to approach the group— was that she was Level 4. And despite being barely more than half my level, she was capable of using magic. I hadn’t even been able to use magic until I was Level 6. I smashed my head on her.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 7] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 8]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

And that meant she had to have used a significant amount of her Stat Points on [Wisdom] instead of [Vitality].

I whirled around, quickly backing up and away from the horned Demon as he swung for me once again. The words I had been waiting for came, and I hurriedly distributed my Stat Points out. I raised my [Agility] by 2, my [Endurance] by 2, and my [Vitality] by 1. Then I spent the single Skill Point I gained on [Fire Strike].

I could’ve used more Skill Points on my [Fire Strike], but I decided against it, since I wasn’t entirely sure how it would affect the Skill. If it made it more powerful, it could’ve used up more mana, and that was something I couldn’t afford to waste right now.

That was why I had raised my [Endurance] instead of my [Vitality]; if I had given myself more health, I was sure some of my injuries would have been healed— perhaps even my missing limb would have grown back. But having more health wouldn’t matter if I couldn’t deal the damage necessary to beat them.

And strangely enough, raising my [Agility] shifted my body to adapt without that missing limb. Some of my limbs grew longer, more sturdy, while the others almost seemed to have sunk back inwards to my body. So even in spite of my injuries, I was able to move faster than before.

The horned Demon swung at me once again, and I managed to counter him with a [Fire Strike] to the face, followed by a regular attack. He drew back and I pressed forward. I landed another of my [Fire Strike] on him, before pulling his body up and closing all of his sharpened limbs on me.

I pulled away just in time to avoid getting caught by him, but still suffered a dozen scratches on my sides from that. If he had caught me with that, I definitely would not have survived. He dealt a lot of damage with each hit, while I was only just hurting him with each of my attacks. I had to whittle him down to beat him. But... I glanced at the fighting happening a small ways away from me. I can’t do it on my own.

I readied myself as the horned Demon prepared for another charge. We repeated the same moves as earlier, with me landing two hits on him. Then when he backed up to bait me in, I turned around and rushed to my companion's aid.

I got there as quick as I could; the three Demons were beating him as he curled up in a defensive position to protect himself. I pushed myself off the ground, landing on the back of the closest Demon I could. Immediately, I jabbed two limbs forward, hitting him with two [Fire Strikes] at once.

I managed to get one last hit in before the other two Demons whirled around to engage with me. I hopped off the Demon I had been on, and backed away as they came at me. The two Demons spread out, trying to prevent me from going around them to the Demon I had injured, and when I turned around to flee, I saw the horned Demon closing in on me too.

I was surrounded. Trapped by them. If I tried to flee, one of them would surely catch me. Then it would be me against three of them at once, and I couldn’t possibly win. My best option would be to charge either side, to fight as few of them as possible before I had to fight them all. They knew this too, so the horned Demon started forward, making his two minions wait behind me to cut off my escape.

Unfortunately, he forgot about his third minion.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 6]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

The Demon with black and yellow spots crushed the head of the fallen Demon, and immediately his body shifted. Did he get a level up? It was possible— in fact, that was what I had been hoping for.

He grew larger once again, his body more tough and his limbs more hard. I wasn’t sure what he raised, but I had hoped he used his Stat Points on his [Strength]. Because I needed him to take out at least another one of the Demons for us to win this.

While I was staring triumphantly at my companion’s new level and the two minion Demons were caught in surprise, the horned Demon took this as an opportunity to attack me. He charged me with his horns, trying to skewer me.

I backed up to dodge it, but as expected, the two minion Demons intercepted me from behind. I found one of them directly at my back, and the other a little off to the side. The horned Demon reached me—

And I threw myself to the side at the last moment. I landed right next to the other Demon at my flank, and was met with multiple blunt strikes to the face. However, I saw blood pouring out from the Demon that had been behind me as the horned Demon rammed into her with his horns instead.

I fought back with three uses of [Fire Strike], as the horned Demon pulled himself off his minion. I was down half my mana now, having used my Skills so much, and I had meant for that to at least serve as a moment’s distraction to keep him away from me. But he didn’t hesitate. He ignored his injured minion and rushed me.

I was locked in combat with this Demon in front of me. She and I would have probably fought for longer if I didn’t decide there and then to use [Fire Strike] for every single one of my attacks on her. She dropped as I felt my mana rapidly deplete.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I was completely exhausted now. I didn’t manage to dodge the horned Demon’s next attack, taking most of it head on to land my own hit on him. I backed up, blood spilling out of another wound just below my face.

I stared into the red eyes of the horned Demon, as he prepared to charge me once again. I was tired. He knew I was tired. This would be his win. If I used my [Fire Strike] again, I would truly be out of mana. And while using up my mana regularly didn’t exactly drain me of my energy— my stamina— it started to take a toll on my body when I used up too much. It made me more sluggish.

He was just about to come forward, when he suddenly stopped. Words appeared— notifications of defeating an enemy came. But it was not for me. It had resounded in his head.

The horned Demon turned slowly, to the corpse of where his last minion had been. The Demon with black and yellow spots— my companion— had finished her off, and he, having injured her, was notified of it. I didn’t receive any experience, because I hadn’t done enough damage to her. But that didn’t matter to me.

Because now, it was just him and the two of us left.

He was still looking at my companion in surprise when I threw myself onto his back. With my now-longer limbs, I was able to leap even further and higher than before. I wrapped my two front limbs around his horns, keeping me from falling off him as he struggled to get me off him. He couldn’t get a proper hit on me with his sharp limbs, although he was able to cut and scratch at me.

I brought my head down on him a few times as we squirmed around on the spot. I wasn’t sure how much damage I was doing to him, but I didn’t have to use mana for this. Then, when he had almost gotten a good grip of me on his back, my companion arrived.

He swung his blunt limbs at the horned Demon’s face twice as I followed up with my continued attacks. The horned Demon tried to fight back against him, but I wrapped enough of my limbs around the base of his to keep him from landing any proper hits. And even if he did, my companion had enough [Vitality] to survive them.

The horned Demon continued to struggle as the two of us laid into him, until finally, he couldn’t move anymore.

General Skill [Basic Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 2] -> [Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 9]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 8] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 9]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

7. Rest

7. Rest

Salvos

Species: [Infant Demon]

Subspecies: [Demon Larva] - Lvl. 9

General Skills:

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 3

[Identification] - Lvl. 3

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 11

[Strength]: 8

[Endurance]: 11

[Wisdom]: 13

[Agility]: 22

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 4]

[Basic Fire Conjuration] - Lvl. 2

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 4

[Unused Skill Slot] x3

After having spent the Skill and Stat Points I had gained from my most recent level up, I slowly straightened, satisfied. Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly feeling too adventurous with distributing them, considering the battle I had just fought— I could have died!

So looking at where I had lacked during combat, I decided to raise my [Agility], [Endurance], and [Wisdom], in addition to increasing the level of [Fire Strike]. My [Basic Fire Conjuration] did help as a distraction, but I did not think it would be useful for the time being. Maybe I would use up the Skill Points I had been saving up on it in the future, but for now, I saw no practical use for it.

Slowly, I turned to the Demon which had also been lying immobile next to me: the Demon with black and yellow spots had leveled up too. I had used [Identification] on him earlier, and saw that he was now Level 8.

Yes, he was Level 8: a single level below me. I felt that it was a bit unfair that he had gone from Level 4 to Level 8— doubling in levels— since I had saved him, while I had only gone from Level 6 to Level 9.

It was probably due to the fact that he had been mostly defeating enemies higher level than him; even if he had gained less experience because I was there, it would be subtracted from a larger experience pool than he would have gotten from fighting an enemy his level. Meanwhile, not only did I not get experience from one of the Demons in our last battle, but I got less experience because most of them were lower leveled than me.

And while I was envious of my companion’s rapid growth, I took some consolation knowing that we were both Level 2 when we had first met— before the large Demon attacked our group— and I was still higher leveled than him. Furthermore, my envy was stymied because of what had just happened.

Those Demons— that I thought had been like me— attacked us because they wanted experience. It was… like those wild Demons!

But unlike those wild Demons who were incapable of acting beyond their instinct, they did it after putting careful thought into their actions. Somehow, that made it worse to me.

So my disdain for the horned Demon and his minions made me put thoughts of levels away for now. I pushed my limbs on the ground, trying to get up—

When the Demon with black and yellow spots jerked. He raised a limb and I panicked, thinking he was about to attack me too. However, instead of swatting at me with his large limbs, he simply waved them at me.

I found myself staring at that gesture, confused. I continued getting up, but he began to sway his limbs faster. Examining his body language inquisitively, I saw him… pointing at the ground?

He was trying to tell me to stay. To not… move? But why?

Then upon closer inspection, I noticed something about his body; when he had been badly wounded earlier, most of the cuts and marks on his body were now gone. I glanced back down at myself, then noticed that most of my wounds were still there.

How was he able to recover that quickly, while I was still hurt and low on health. Sure, I had leveled and regained some of my lost health, but not a significant enough amount to close the injuries I had sustained. The Demon with black and yellow spots must have read the confusion in my face as he began shaking his limbs harder, clearly indicating the ground.

Deciding that there was no harm listening to him, I lay back down and simply stayed there. As time passed, I tried getting up twice, but each time he stopped me and forced me back down. Eventually, when I had gotten bored and was counting the rocks on the ground, I heard words appear in my head.

General Skill [Rest] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a General Skill!

I perked up excitedly. I had just gotten a General Skill! I wasn’t sure what it did at first, until I realized that half of my wounds were gone. Gradually, without me noticing, I had healed up during that period I had been motionless.

The Demon with black and yellow spots looked over at me, realizing I had finally gotten the General Skill. He must have gotten it somehow before, and was trying to get me to learn it too. I gratefully nodded my head in his direction, to which he nodded back.

Feeling a sense of… happiness within me, I lowered my body once again. While he had mostly regained his health, as evident by his fully healed body, I was still halfway there. So he waited for me to finish recovering, until finally we were ready to go.

—--

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 4]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 6]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 6]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

After I had fully recovered my health, the two of us left the foot of the hill back into the flat, white lands ahead. The moment we had put ourselves in the open, a group of wild Demons attacked us; I wasn’t even prepared for the encounter, but it happened quickly.

Because neither of us had been ready for it, we suffered more damage than I felt comfortable fighting with. So I led my companion back to another hill— one that had a flat top. I realized now that being in the open would lead to being noticed, especially with his vibrant colors, so I wanted to [Rest] up in a place we were safe.

We crested up the plateau, and after taking a quick look around at the top and seeing no one, I decided we would stay there for a bit. I had only recovered some of my health when I heard a noise.

It was an unusual sound— not especially since I didn’t often hear anything when there was no fighting. Curious at this, I listened carefully, trying to pinpoint where the sound was coming from. After a moment, I realized it was coming from over the edge across the plateau. Gesturing at my companion to follow me, I made my way over to see what it was.

He didn’t seem interested in it, although he did follow me as usual. The closer I got to the edge, the louder the noise became. And it wasn’t like the sound of fighting— it was a lot more… repetitive. There was a short interval between each time the sound was made, and it was almost always the same noise or something similar.

Peeking over the edge, I looked down at what was a narrow passage between another hill. It was a valley, and down in the valley were moving shapes. Figures, not ones I had ever seen before, were entering this valley.

I heard the noise again, and this time, not only was it clearer, but I felt something happening inside of me. As if the noise was affecting me somehow. I felt my mind whirl— as if a Skill was being used…

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension]

“Keep on moving! If you break, you will be killed!”

These words registered in my head, and unlike the words that simply appeared in my head, I was hearing them. Someone was speaking— shouting, even. And I could understand them.

I looked at the source of the voice, focusing on a large, gray figure at the front of the group. He wasn’t like any other Demon I had seen before, but I intuitively knew he was one. He only had four limbs— unlike my dozen— and only needed two of them under him to walk. He had a long head, with two crooked horns protruding out of the side. And behind him, were other Demons, ones that walked on four limbs, ones that held strange items— weapons— with them, and ones of different stature. But still, they were mostly the same— most had four limbs, and most were nearly the same height, with only some outliers. Although, even from this distance, I did notice that they all had a weird ringed object attached to them somewhere.

I was immediately drawn to these Demons. This was something new! I wanted to know what they were— I wanted to get close enough to use [Identification] on them.

However, as I placed a limb forward, I felt my companion hold me back with one of his large limbs. I angrily turned to him for stopping me, almost swinging at him in the process, but stopped when I realized he was pointing past me.

I followed it, finding my eyes landing on a second group of Demons— ones that I was more familiar with. They were [Demon Larvae], traveling together as a pack right behind the first, new group of Demons. I immediately felt my curiosity and anger disappear and felt relief that I hadn’t gone forward to investigate the Demons.

These Demons could attack me! Maybe those new Demons wouldn’t, but I knew now to be more cautious around [Demon Larvae] for they were willing to attack me even if they could think. So I held back, instead choosing to observe the interaction of this group from afar.

The Demon with the crooked horns at the front of the group continued his shouting, as they made their way through the valley.

“Keep on moving! Keep on—”

Suddenly, he was cut off as a loud piercing noise. It was very high pitched, sounding almost like a screech. Immediately, all the Demons turned their attention to the source of the noise that seemed to come from the other side of the valley. The first group of Demons seemed more alert to this sound, while the second group of Demons just looked around in confusion.

I also found myself staring down the valley. What is that noise? It continued for a moment, before being followed by more sounds. More noises. And they came at different pitches: some were deep and long, others were high and fast. Whatever was making the noise, I did not think it was only one thing.

And it wasn’t.

From the other side of the valley came pouring Demons. Wild Demons. Ones that were also new to me, but unlike the mostly uniform group of Demons, these ones were truly distinct. They came in all shapes and sizes, with very little consistency among them. Some had long, sinuous bodies with dozens of limbs, while others had bulbous bodies and only a quarter as many limbs. And mixed among them too were what I recognized to be wild [Demon Larvae].

These wild Demons charged down the valley, rushing at the Demons that had been traveling down that path. They roared, they howled, they growled, and they made all kinds of noises— none of them making any sense to me, despite my Racial Skill.

I watched as these large, terrifying Demons reached the first group of Demons. I had expected a slaughter. The wild Demons were huge. They outnumbered them. And yet, before they could even clash, I saw the Demon with crooked horns raise his two hanging limbs— his arms.

A ball of flames appeared in front of him. A massive one that shot forward, and instantly obliterated half of the coming wild Demons. Then once the explosion had gone away— when the bright light had disappeared and the reverberation through the ground had stopped— I looked up and saw something else appear in his hand.

It was a long pointed object. One that was burning, with wisps of flame coming off it. He swung this spear at the closest wild Demon, skewering it in an instant, before pulling it off and slicing another one in half. He kicked the next, before pointing his spear forward and bellowing.

“Slay these Lesser Demons!”

Behind him, the other Demons of his group yelled out and charged the remainder of the wild Demons. The ones with weapons swung their weapons, and the wild Demons died; the ones with extra limbs conjured out fire and stone, and the wild Demons died; and even the ones that were simply large— looking as though they had nothing special to them— attacked, and the wild Demons died.

It was a complete slaughter, except for the other side. The wild Lesser Demons fell in droves, only managing to bring down half a dozen of these Demons with them. And finally, when the last of the wild Demons— whether they had been Lesser Demons or Infant Demons— died, these Demons returned to the second group. The [Demon Larvae].

I paused, staring at the second group. There was less than before, even though they hadn’t taken part in the fighting. Where did the others go? I glanced around the valley, before spotting a small group of the [Demon Larvae] had broken off, and were heading for the valley’s exit.

I looked at them in confusion. They were… running? Had they been scared off by the attack of wild Demons? But they had won now, so why were they still trying to flee?

I spotted a Demon, and felt my question had been answered. Even amongst the group of [Demon Larvae] did he stand out, because I recognized him. He was only slightly different from when I had last seen him, but he still had his feelers on him.

He was the Level 3 Demon who instantly fled from the large Demon back when I had been with the others.

So he once again ran when he saw an enemy; he never wanted to fight. He was a… coward. Of course he would have taken any opportunity to escape, even if they won—

I watched as a spear shot through him, pinning him into the hill wall.

It was the fire spear the Demon with crooked horns had. He had thrown it at the coward Demon, instantly killing him. I stared in shock at this turn of events. Weren’t they on the same side? And continued to watch as he raised a hand and pointed at the rest of the fleeing group.

“I had warned you! I warned you you would be killed! Learn this lesson, the rest of you— the survivors. Know that you can not run from me!”

And a ball of fire shot out at them. It wasn’t as big as the one he conjured up against the wild Demons, but it was enough to instantly wipe out the dozen [Demon Larvae] that had been trying to flee.

I watched as the flames detonated, engulfing the Demons, killing them all before they could even leave the valley. Then I slowly turned back to the Demon with crooked horns in fear. Wha— why?!

He had killed them too easily; they didn’t even— couldn’t even— put up a fight. That meant he wasn’t gaining much experience from this. And yet, he killed them.

He walked back to the remainder of the second group of Demons, creating another spear with what I could tell was a Skill, and slamming its bottom on the hard, white ground.

“Now move! For if you break, you will be killed!”

And the [Demon Larvae] obeyed. They continued following the first group of Demons led by the Demon with crooked horns, as they made their way through the valley. I just watched this procession pass through from atop the plateau, trying to register what had happened.

Only when they finally left, did I feel the tension in my body leave, and I could slump over to the floor. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I knew that if I had carelessly decided to approach those Demons, I would have been forced into following them against my will.

I turned to my companion, the Demon with black and yellow spots, and once again nodded gratefully at him. Thank you. I tried to tell him.

He only seemed to have been terrified by what he had just witnessed; he looked at me as well, and even though neither of us could speak like the Demon with crooked horns could, I felt that we could still read each other’s thoughts.

Those Demons are dangerous. Avoid them no matter what!

8. Lesser Demon

8. Lesser Demon

It was a while before either the Demon with black and yellow spots or I dared to move; we had seen those new Demons headed by the Demon with crooked horns force other Infant Demons— those just like us— to follow them. Neither of us knew where they were being herded to, but we did not want to follow them.

Because they were dangerous.

They slaughtered the other Infant Demons that tried to escape. Wherever they were being led to, I did not think they wanted to go there. And knowing that, I decided that I did not want to go there either.

I had been tense after having watched what happened, but after those Demons left, my companion and I were able to [Rest]. So we had recovered our health and were ready to leave. However, I glanced one last time back at the valley where the wild Demons and Infant Demons were killed, resolving not to end up like them—

What’s that?

I spotted an object amidst the corpses and black blood. It stood out even amongst the colorful bodies because of what it was— glowing.

It was… a spear!

It was the spear the Demon with crooked horns created out of fire and threw!

How did he do that? I wasn’t entirely sure how he did that— probably a Skill— but I was still curious about it. Why did he use it? Was it more effective than simply swinging his hands at his enemies like I did with my limbs?

I wanted to know. So I glanced surreptitiously down either side of the valley; I saw no Demons on either side, and decided that it was safe. I wanted to know more about the spear. And maybe, if it was really special, I wanted to use it for myself.

I started forward down the hill. The Demon with black and yellow spots gave me a look— a warning look— but did not stop me; he followed me apprehensively down the side of the valley, as we struggled to crawl down the steep incline.

We were halfway down the slope when part of the ground gave way below my companion. He was too large to take the same path as me apparently, and neither of us considered that. He rolled the rest of the way, taking bits of white rocks with him before he crashed to the bottom. I had gotten out of the way just in time, but quickly scuttled over to him to check if he was fine.

He was already getting up when I reached him; I looked him once over, seeing no obvious cuts of scratches on his body. I nodded at him for confirmation that he hadn’t taken damage and he nodded back.

Having been reassured, I decided to leave him to check on the spear. It was still protruding from the rock wall, where it had skewered the Demon with the feelers. I stopped right before the body, looking it over to investigate it momentarily before I came to a conclusion.

He’s dead, I made the diagnosis.

I confirmed it with a quick use of [Identification]. It told me that it was a body. And while it did not specify whether he was dead or alive, I was fairly certain that I was right in my observation. So I turned my attention to why I had come down here— the spear.

I inspected it carefully, noting every detail I could. It was almost as if it were made of fire, except solid; specks of embers flaked off it as if it would be snuffed out over time, but after a moment of staring at it, I saw that it had not diminished in size at all. Finally, I decided to use [Identification] on it.

And for the first time, the results of the Skill surprised me.

[Spear of Flames: Medium Grade - ???]

...

What?

What was ‘???’ supposed to mean? That told me nothing!

I stared at the Spear of Flames, mildly annoyed. What secret are you hiding? I reached out to touch it, only to realize too late that I might get burnt—

And nothing happened. I wrapped one limb around the spear carefully, afraid that it might suddenly burn me despite not having done so thus far. But again, I did not feel the searing pain of fire on my limb. Realizing that I would be fine with trying to use it, I pulled at the spear to dislodge it from the wall.

My limb slipped right off.

...huh?

I wrapped two limbs around the spear and pulled at the spear again, and again, it slid right through my limbs. I… couldn’t get a proper grip on it!

I was no longer irritated now. I was confused. Perplexed. I wrapped more limbs around the spear and failed once more. I glanced up at it, peeved at my inability to use the spear. Was it somehow related to me being unable to identify it?

I eyed the spear again. Maybe if I used [Identification] again, this time it would not hide information from me.

[Identification]!

[Spear of Flames: Medium Grade - ???]

It didn’t work. But I tried again.

[Spear of Flames: Medium Grade - ???]

Again!

[Spear of Flames: Medium Grade - ???]

It should be working! Maybe if I did it one more time—

General Skill [Identification] Level Up!

[Identification - Lvl. 3] -> [Identification - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

I jerked as those words registered in my head, followed by results from the spear.

[Spear of Flames: Medium Grade Weapon - A spear made of magical flames that allows the wielder to inflict additional damage.]

Wait, what? I leveled my [Identification]! I hadn’t done that in a while, so I was completely caught off guard by it! And wait, I was— yes, I knew now what the spear did!

So my [Identification] wasn’t at the needed level to learn about its abilities; that was interesting. If I had to guess, it had something to do with the ‘Medium Grade’ label on the spear. Nevertheless, now that I knew the spear’s information, I would be able to pull it off the wall, right?

Wrong.

I failed once more to pry the spear of the wall. Why wasn’t it working? I saw the Demon swing the spear around without a problem! All he did was hold it with… his… hands.

I stared down at the nubby protrusions that were my limbs. Then I slid it along the spear’s body, feeling how little resistance my limbs were met with. I was simply unable to grasp the spear, which was why I couldn’t pull it out.

I backed away from the spear, unsure of what to do. My companion came up to me, and when I turned to him for some help, he didn’t seem like he even understood what the problem was. Well, that wasn’t any help.

I carefully considered this problem: I couldn’t pry the spear out of the wall because I couldn’t get a grip on it. So the solution would be to find a way to do so without gripping it.

Then, from where I was, I saw a way to do it. If I could push the edge of the spear that was sticking out down, I could swing its tip upwards, forcing it out of the wall!

That would work. I was certain that would work— that was simply how swinging things worked. It was using the fulcrum to pivot it upwards. So I would do it. In fact, I was just about to do it when I heard thud behind me.

My companion and I whirled around, looking in alert at what had made the sound. I didn’t see anything come from either side of the valley! How did something get here?

And my question was immediately answered as I heard another thud. And another. And another. Before finally, I saw the figure rise up from the ground— from amongst the pile of bodies and black blood.

A Demon had survived the battle— one of the wild Lesser Demons. It had stayed hidden as the other wild Demons were killed, healing up by itself. It emerged from the corpses, standing up on all four of its feet, baring hundreds of sharp teeth at us as its dark red body flared wide open threateningly.

It howled and charged us.

My first instinct was to stand my ground and fight, but my second instinct immediately called my first instinct out for its stupidity and tossed the first instinct aside.

I knew my companion wouldn’t be able to move out of the way in time, so I threw myself at him, shoving him and myself away from the Lesser Demon’s path. We just barely dodged out of the way of its attack, its sharp claws missing its mark as it sped past us.

I whirled around as it stopped itself, readying for another charge. I quickly gathered myself, using [Identification] on it as I did. The results of the Skill, however, was not something I wanted to know.

[Hellhound - Lvl. 15]

It was Level 15! The largest numerical gap between myself and an opposing Demon so far!

Sure, it wasn’t three times my level, as the first wild Demon I encountered had been. But this wasn’t even an Infant Demon anymore— it was a Lesser Demon! Somehow, I was able to intuit that that meant it was a superior kind of Demon to myself or my companion, making the gap between our levels even more wide than it appeared to be.

The [Hellhound] growled as it pawed the ground once, then came bounding at me once again. This time, I couldn’t even push my companion out of the way. It was suddenly fast. Even faster than I was now.

It struck out with its two front claws— the attack turning to a blur, moving far more quickly than it should have— barely grazing me while sinking its sharp talons into the skin of my companion. I backed up warily, reading a [Fire Strike] as I prepared for it to press me further. It, however, had other plans.

It decided that my companion who was staggering back from it was an easier target, so it lashed out at him as he tried to strike back. He landed a few hits in as the [Hellhound] as it tried to ravage his body, managing to keep it from closing its mouth on him. But it was still digging its claws into him.

Black blood sprayed all around him, even as I came rushing to his side to attack the [Hellhound] from behind. I repeatedly swung at it with [Fire Strike] before suddenly, it produced a fifth limb— a… tail— and whipped me flying back to a pile of bodies behind.

My companion managed to strike the [Hellhound] one more time, landing it cleanly across the wild Demon’s face, before it snapped its teeth around the limb. It pressed his body down to the ground and pulled with its head, tearing his limb straight off. He struggled as blood poured out of the wound, but his attacks were much weaker now. He was barely wriggling as it raised its claw up at him.

I saw this happening and realized it was about to finish him off. I leapt forward, further than I ever had, closing the distance between myself and the [Hellhound] in an instant as I crashed into it just in time. I used [Fire Strike] once again when we landed, but it struck out at me too.

My attack reached it at the same time as its attack reached me, and while it was only just hurt from my Skill, I went flying back and landed in a shower of my own blood. I was lucky. Its paw came into contact with me first so its claws couldn’t fully shear into my skin— and yet, I was already this badly injured.

I glanced up at the [Hellhound] as it got up. I could barely hurt it. My companion could barely hurt it. Neither of us could do enough damage to it to kill it. But— neither of us had to be able to do that.

I looked back at the spear, still sticking out of the rock wall. I remembered what my [Identification] had told me— it was a Medium Grade Weapon capable of doing more damage. What that meant, I wasn’t entirely certain. However it definitely did mean it would let me hurt this Lesser Demon more than I was currently able to.

But even if I pulled it out, that didn’t mean I would be able to use it. Then, I had a thought. And I realized I didn’t need to use it myself.

The [Hellhound] bounded for me once again, but I dodged to the side. It was keeping pace with me. At its current speed, it was probably as fast as me. And with the physical distance between us, it wouldn’t be able to reach me as long as I wasn’t distracted.

I had noticed earlier that it was able to increase its speed drastically. I recognized it then to be a Skill. Now, I just had to wait for it to use the Skill again.

I positioned myself in front of the spear, waiting for the sign. And I saw it. The [Hellhound] scraped its front right leg against the ground, before speeding up. It charged me. It would reach me before I could even dodge. But I didn’t have to dodge.

I simply backed up, lowering my body below the spear. The wild Demon crashed into the back edge of the spear. It went staggering back from the self inflicted blow, exacerbated by whatever effects the Spear of Flames did.

And the spear didn’t just stay rigid against the wall either. The spear tilted up from the impact, before detaching itself off the wall and flew up above me. I saw it spinning and turning as the [Hellhound] was still reeling from its injury. I took this as my chance.

I hurriedly skittered up the slope of the hill before hurling myself up after the spear. I could have missed, but I didn’t. I caught the Spear of Flames with my entire body, hugging it with all the limbs I had so it would not slip out of my grip. Then as I fell, I aimed for the Lesser Demon that was just getting up.

It looked up, seeing me fall from the sky at it. The [Hellhound] growled, baring its dangerous maw at me. And the spear went through the open mouth, skewing it whole as I fell on it.

I felt myself losing grip of the spear as I landed, rolling on the ground as the [Hellhound] exploded into a pool of black ooze. I got up triumphantly, feeling the victory rush as its defeat was vocalized in my head.

Defeated [Striker Hellhound - Lvl. 15]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 9] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 10]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 10] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 11]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

It was less experience, because I had my companion’s help in the fight against it, but I somehow knew it was still a lot more experience than I would have gotten for even defeating a Demon at my level. It showed in how I leveled not just once, but twice from this encounter.

I turned to check on my companion, and saw that he was already up and crawling towards me. I checked his level, as I usually did, and found that he had only leveled once to Level 9. He probably didn’t do enough damage to gain enough experience to level two times. And I also managed to level as much as I did because I was halfway to leveling in the first place.

So as he laid himself down to [Rest], I decided to quickly distribute my Stat Points before I noticed something. It wasn’t too blaring, but there were words hanging in the back of my head, waiting for me to spot it.

And I found myself curiously inspecting it, before I realized what it was.

[Evolution Available]

A note from MelasD

There will be a poll after this chapter comes out to pick which blurb is the best. Please vote because I don't know which blurb to choose!

Poll: Which blurb is the best?

A note from MelasD

POLL OVER

Hello everyone, this is a poll for me to finally decide and pick which blurb I'm going to stick with. Please vote for whichever blurb you like the best, or whichever blurb made you decide to pick up the story. I'm really indecisive so I can't choose for myself. Thanks for reading!

Blurb 1

Born in a world of chaos, Salvos seeks to not only distinguish herself from the others, but to survive the constant bloodshed and death all around her. She will fight, she will learn, and she will evolve as she grows up in this harsh world.

Also— she’s a Demon.

—--

Salvos is a story about action, adventure, and evolution. It follows a Demon's journey from her birth and onwards as she grows and gains experience from encountering new things through the various lenses of her life.

Blurb 2

Salvos knew she was different from the moment she was born. She was indomitable. She was curious. She was always longing for more.

When faced with adversity, she would never fold. When met with something new, she would always learn. And when she crested to the top, reaching where none had ever reached, she would never be satisfied.

But that was not why she was special. There were others in the Netherworld— other Demons amidst the mindless masses who fought like her, who thought like her, and a neverending desire like her.

And yet, she still stood apart from them. She was still special.

Why?

Because she was a survivor.

—--

Survivorship bias or survival bias is the logical error of concentrating on the people or things that made it past some selection process and overlooking those that did not, typically because of their lack of visibility. This can lead to false conclusions in several different ways. It is a form of selection bias that can lead to the false belief that the successes in a group have some special property, rather than just coincidence.

Now the question is: why do some survive where others just as capable as them fail?

Is it hard work? Is it destiny? Or is it just chance?

...does it really matter?

Salvos is a story about action, adventure, and evolution. It follows a Demon's journey from her birth and onwards as she grows and gains experience from encountering new things through the various lenses of her life.

Blurb 3

The Netherworld: a hellish landscape inhabited only by Demons, creatures born from the dark abyss. It is a place of chaos, of anarchy, and of survival. In this world, a Demon is born; she will have to fight, she will have to learn, and she will have to evolve. And perhaps, eventually, she will leave this world behind for a better place. But... is that what Salvos even wants?

The law of evolution is the survival of the fittest, and Salvos is a survivor.

—--

Salvos is a story about action, adventure, and evolution. It follows a Demon's journey from her birth and onwards as she grows and gains experience from encountering new things through the various lenses of her life.

Blurb 4

To survive the constant bloodshed and death all around her, Salvos must distinguish herself.

A newly born demon must struggle to rise above.

She will fight, she will learn, and she will evolve as she grows in this harsh world.

Will Salvos be dragged back to the cold dark world of death?

Or will she grow and become more?

—--

Salvos is a story about action, adventure, and evolution. It follows a Demon's journey from her birth and onwards as she grows and gains experience from encountering new things through the various lenses of her life.

A note from MelasD

December 12 2020:

Blurb 2 and 3 has been merged to this. A vote for either means a vote for both now:

The Netherworld: it is a hellish landscape inhabited only by Demons, creatures born from the dark abyss. It is a place of chaos, of anarchy, and of survival. In this world, a Demon is born; she will have to fight, she will have to learn, and she will have to evolve. And perhaps, eventually, she will leave this world behind for a better place. But... is that what Salvos even wants?

The law of evolution is the survival of the fittest, and Salvos is a survivor.

—--

But what is a survivor?

According to survivorship bias, it is not someone who possesses some distinct quality; those who survive may be talented and may have worked hard, but others with the same qualities are often overlooked if they fail at the same task.

It is then chance that determines the survivor, and it is in this world of chance and probability that Salvos seeks to distinguish herself from the others and be recognized as her own being.

Salvos is a story about action, adventure, and evolution. It follows a Demon's journey from her birth and onwards as she grows and gains experience from encountering new things through the various lenses of her life.

9. Evolution

9. Evolution

Salvos

Species: [Infant Demon]

Subspecies: [Demon Larva] - Lvl. 11

General Skills:

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 3

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 10]

[Vitality]: 11

[Strength]: 8

[Endurance]: 11

[Wisdom]: 13

[Agility]: 22

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 6]

[Basic Fire Conjuration] - Lvl. 2

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 4

[Unused Skill Slot] x3

I lay next to the Demon with black and yellow spots as we both restored our health slowly with [Rest]. He was healing faster than me— probably because he had gotten the General Skill before me and had already leveled it.

But that didn't matter to me. All that mattered to me was the additional option available in my mind now. The option for me to evolve.

[Evolution Available]

I sidled up to my companion before I decided to see what the option would provide me with; I didn’t want to be distracted and snuck up on when I was investigating this new intriguing thing. I had an idea as to what it would do— I was an Infant Demon now, and the [Hellhound] I had just killed was a Lesser Demon. Considering that I was now past Level 10, I assumed I now had the chance to become a Lesser Demon too.

I couldn’t wait any further— I trusted my companion to guard me as I focused on the words. Then it expanded.

Species Evolution:

[Infant Demon] -> [Lesser Demon]

Requirements for five Subspecies evolutions have been met!

It seemed that I only had a static option for my Species; I could only go from an Infant Demon to a Lesser Demon, and nothing else. However my Subspecies had various distinct evolution paths to go.

A list of options made itself available to me and I carefully studied each one.

Subspecies Evolution:

[Fiend]

A [Fiend] is a Subspecies of Demon that comes in many different forms and has a diverse set of abilities. Mostly well rounded, a [Fiend] would be able fight most foes without a significant disadvantage.

+2 to [Vitality]

+2 to [Strength]

+2 to [Endurance]

+2 to [Wisdom]

+2 to [Agility]

That was an enticing evolution for me to pick. Although it kept vague the kind of form I would take— I wondered what I would become if I picked this?

I almost chose it right away, but held back as it didn’t feel like it was describing me. It was advantageous, but there was a dissonance between the Subspecies and me. So I decided to see the other options available to me first.

[Fire Fiend]

A [Fire Fiend] is a specialized Demon Subspecies form of a [Fiend] that focuses on fire magic. A [Fire Fiend] departs from the traditional [Fiend] early on, but has the advantage of being specialized with only a minor disadvantage in other areas.

+5 to [Wisdom]

+3 to [Endurance]

+1 to [Vitality]

+1 to [Strength]

+1 to [Agility]

So this was a [Fiend], but just more suited for magic? This evolution appeared better than the last at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I thought it didn’t suit me even more. Magic was one of my main modes of combat, but I felt that this Subspecies would overemphasize it.

I moved on to the next.

[Hellhound]

A [Hellhound] is a Demon subspecies that is fast and has a ferocious way of fighting. A pack fighter, a [Hellhound] makes up for their overspecialization by relying on a group.

+5 to [Agility]

+3 to [Strength]

Bonus: 20% of [Wisdom] Stat is permanently removed and added to [Strength]

…

Absolutely not!

Losing my [Wisdom]? Relying on others? Sure, I had the Demon with black and yellow spots as my companion, but I did not want to be dependent on him for my survival. If I was ever separated from him, I would like to be able to be perfectly capable of defending myself.

Also, I had just beaten a Level 15 [Hellhound]. It did not seem too impressive to me. So I mentally placed aside this option as a ‘never’, and checked the next.

[Imp]

An [Imp] is a Subspecies of Demon that is mischievous and has a natural affinity to fire. Small and weak due to its nature as a Lesser Demon, an [Imp]’s greatest strength is their magic.

+5 to [Endurance]

+5 to [Wisdom]

I found myself feeling the same way about this as I did for the [Fire Fiend]. First of all, I did not want to only cast magic to fight. Even against the [Hellhound], my magic attack wasn’t what defeated it. It was only because I had investigated the spear earlier, did I know to use it against the wild Demon.

So far, only the [Fiend] really interested me, and even then, I was not fully convinced it was the best one for me.

I had one last evolution available which I had not yet seen; I hoped it would be a good one as I focused on it.

[Zelus Imp]

A [Zelus Imp] is a Demon Subspecies form of an [Imp], carrying the same affinity to fire, but with a greater resourcefulness due to their intelligence. Still small and weak, a [Zelus Imp] replaces their mischievousness with a zeal that drives them above situations with unlikely odds.

+5 to [Endurance]

+5 to [Wisdom]

+3 to [Agility]

That… actually described me! At least, somewhat. I did not think I was small or weak! But I was certainly capable of overcoming more powerful Demons than me— as evinced by the dead [Hellhound] lying just ahead of me.

I considered each evolution path I had once again: [Fiend], [Fire Fiend], [Hellhound], [Imp], and [Zelus Imp]. None of them seemed more suitable for me than [Zelus Imp]. And it offered me the most Stats too. So I made my decision.

I concentrated hard on the option for [Zelus Imp], then suddenly I felt my head going light. My body went numb as I slumped over on the ground, limp. I tried to get up, but all my senses were so far away from me. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think.

I was not sure how long I lay there as I grappled to get control of myself once again. Before finally, I got hold of something and pushed myself up. I bore through the invisible barrier separating me from my body, tearing my way back to consciousness.

Evolution Complete!

Species [Infant Demon] evolved to [Lesser Demon]!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] has evolved to [Zelus Imp]!

Gained 5 Stat Points!

[Endurance] +5

[Wisdom] +5

[Agility] +3

Gained 2 Skill Slots!

Gained 3 Skill Points!

Skill [Basic Fire Conjuration - Lvl. 2] becomes [Basic Fire Creation - Lvl. 1]!

Skill [Double Step] is now available.

Skill [Fire Blast] is now available.

Skill [Passive - General Tool Proficiency] is now available.

I stood up, blinking away the black liquid partially obscuring my vision; I looked down at the puddle in the silver skin I had shed, oozing with the same black liquid that was dripping off my body. Slowly, I lifted a short clawed hand up and inspected it.

I was an [Imp] now. A [Zelus Imp]. I had become something else while inside of my old body, before breaking out of it to attain this new form. This form with four limbs, that only needed two of them to stand.

I was almost like one of the Demons in the procession I had seen earlier— except much smaller. And yet, I was still bigger than I had been as a [Demon Larva]. I patted my body down, feeling the much rougher skin I now had.

I was a Lesser Demon! I finally evolved! I threw myself up in the air, pushing off the ground with my brand new feet. I hopped around excitedly, accustoming myself to my new body at the same time. I paused as I realized my companion was just staring at me.

He looked confused— almost shocked to see that I had changed. He glanced down at my old body, poking it a few times, before turning back to me. Did he… did he think that I was just killed? No, no, no, no. I waved my hand at him, pointing back at myself.

“I’m your—”

I jerked, surprising myself as I spoke for the first time. I glanced down at myself, feeling my mouth open and close, touching the side of my cheeks as I moved it. I could speak! I could now communicate with my companion with more than just gestures!

My companion backed up as I approached him, offering a hand out. I spoke slowly, trying to coax him forward to me.

“It’s me. Your companion! I'm... Salvos.”

I savored the word as I nodded at him; the Demon with black and yellow spots mimicked the movement we had learned together, and I did it once again for him to see. He stopped cowering as we nodded at each other a few more times, before he finally crawled towards me.

“See? Companion!”

He nodded one last time, finally at ease around me; I felt my lips curling up, satisfied that I hadn’t scared him off, before remembering the other words that were now hanging in the back of my head.

I had three new Skills available for me— I didn’t just obtain them, like the ones I had gotten the last time I obtained a Skill. Instead, it was just waiting for me to choose whether I wanted to actually have them or not.

Not only that, my 15 available Stat Points were just waiting for me to spend them. Very quickly, I distributed 4 to [Strength], 4 to [Vitality], 4 to [Agility], and 3 to [Wisdom]. I was content with my [Endurance] for now, and decided to focus on the other Stats which I was currently lacking in just a bit.

Then I went back to the Skills that I had available. I considered each of them carefully: [Double Step], [Fire Blast], and [Passive - General Tool Proficiency]. I could kind of infer what the first and third Skills did— [Double Step] was probably a similar Skill to what the [Hellhound] I fought used, while [Passive - General Tool Proficiency] would help me use tools better. But [Fire Blast] was… vague.

Did it mean I just sent a blast of fire out in all directions? Or was it a concentration of flames that would blast out when it came into contact with something? I wasn’t entirely sure, but considering that I had more than enough Unused Skill Slots for all these Skills, I decided to obtain them all anyway and figure it out myself.

Skill [Double Step] Obtained!

Skill [Fire Blast] Obtained!

Skill [Passive - General Tool Proficiency] Obtained!

I didn’t feel any immediate changes overcome me. It wasn’t like an evolution— or even leveling up as a [Demon Larva]. But I knew that the effects of these Skills would be made apparent later on.

I was just about to start testing out the abilities of each Skill, before I distributed my Skill Points out, when I heard the sound of moving rocks from behind me. I whirled around, facing past the body of the dead [Hellhound], to the end of the valley.

I heard a light growling noise as a figure made itself visible, entering the valley slowly, one paw after the other.

[Hellhound - Lvl. 13]

It was another one. A live one. I wasn’t sure why it was here, but I saw this as the perfect opportunity for me. I could test my Skills out on a proper opponent to determine which is the best.

I raised a hand up, indicating to my companion to stay back and continue his [Rest], as I picked up the Spear of Flames twice as tall as I was with my other hand. I stepped forward, swinging the spear around and accustoming myself to it— the Passive Skill I got really did work!

I was just about to use [Double Step] to rush at the [Hellhound], when I heard more growling. Another [Hellhound] stepped forward from behind the first, baring its teeth at me as well. Then another. And another. And another.

[Hellhound - Lvl. 10]

[Hellhound - Lvl. 11]

[Hellhound - Lvl. 10]

[Hellhound - Lvl. 12]

…

Why weren’t they stopping?!

More and more [Hellhounds] appeared from behind the first. All of them were around my level, and none as high leveled as the first. But where did they come from? This was an entire pack of them!

I stopped, glancing down at the dead [Hellhound]. The Level 15 [Striker Hellhound]. When it attacked us, it came alone despite supposedly being a Demon that relied on numbers. But what if it wasn’t alone— what if it came first by itself, and alerted its pack to come to it with a howl?

I realized that now, too late to do anything about it. The [Striker Hellhound] had called its pack to it, and we should have left before they arrived. But we didn’t.

The first [Hellhound] bounded forward at me, slashing its claws as they glowed red. I backed up, swinging the spear as I did and knocking it aside. More came forward, and in the heat of the moment, I used [Fire Blast] in hopes that it would do something to help.

And it did do something.

An arc of fire burst out at where I had pointed, knocking three of the charging [Hellhounds] back. It had repelled the first line of them, but did little else. I did not think they were heavily injured— they had just been stunned momentarily.

The first [Hellhound] gathered itself and leapt at me. Its claws sank into my shoulder, inflicting some damage. I swung back at it with my left claw, using [Fire Strike] as I did. It reeled from the hit, allowing me to follow up with a second attack.

I used [Fire Strike] on instinct as I stabbed the spear forward, and suddenly the already flaming spear was engulfed in even more flames. The tip of the weapon plunged straight through the [Hellhound], far deeper than it did before.

Defeated [Spiked Hellhound - Lvl. 13]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I blinked, surprised at how easy that was; the spear had allowed me to inflict more damage than I would be able to alone, and combined with my Skill, it finished off the [Hellhound] quickly.

Once again, my lips curled up into a grin, as I prepared for the next attack. I swatted a [Hellhound] away with a [Fire Strike] from my spear, and ran through another one. It did not die instantly, but it was injured enough for me to finish it off with a regular hit. Before I could land the blow, however, two more [Hellhounds] pounced at me from the side.

I kicked the first one off of me, but struggled to get the second one as it bit at my spear. I pointed at it, unleashing a [Fire Blast] that knocked it away, but was then clawed from behind by another [Hellhound].

I backed up as the pack of wild Demons pressed me. I swung my spear, keeping them back and used [Fire Blast] on those that dared jump in. It seemed like the perfect way to win this fight, until I realized how much damage I had already taken in such a short amount of time.

Defeated [Hellhound - Lvl. 10]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 11] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 12]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

One of my [Fire Blasts] actually managed to kill a lower leveled [Hellhound], but that was one out of over a dozen. I was getting overwhelmed from their sheer numbers. And I was already running low on mana.

I was going to lose, even with the level up. I could not win. I glanced back at my companion who was hiding behind me, having listened to me when I told him to stay back. He was still injured— he could not help me here. Our only option now was to flee— flee down the valley, out of the exit at the other side.

But I hesitated. That’s where the Demon procession went! I did not want to go after them, yet I was left with no choice. I sent another [Fire Blast] out as the [Hellhounds] tried to leap at me again, before I spent all my Stat Points on [Agility], whirled around, and ran.

I lowered a clawed hand as I passed my companion, picking him up and throwing him over my shoulders. He had been bigger than me when I was a [Demon Larva], but not anymore. I gripped him tightly with one arm wrapped around him and the other holding the spear, and quickly spoke out.

“Hold on. Don’t let go!”

I placed one foot ahead of me and used [Double Step]. Instantly, I sped up, traveling far faster than I had before. I managed to double the distance between me and the chasing [Hellhounds] by the time the Skill ended.

I felt my stamina drain as I returned to my regular speed, running as fast as I could away from our pursuers. They were slowly catching up, but if I could just get out of this valley, I’d be able to lose them in the hills and mountains on the other side.

But just before I could reach the exit, I saw a figure appear. Another wild Demon entered the valley from this side, blocking my path from escaping. It was big— nearly four times the size of me.

It places its two clawed arms down in front of it, lowering its neck and head as it opened its gaping maw to roar.

[Hellbeast - Lvl. 22]

I stared at this massive wild Demon that suddenly appeared. I was trapped. It began walking slowly forward, blocking my exit completely.

I glanced back at the bounding [Hellhounds], then forward at the lumbering [Hellbeast]. Either side was death. But one side was perhaps slower than the other.

So I pressed forward. I tried to dash past the [Hellbeast] using [Double Step] once again, but it crashed one of its massive claws down onto the ground, sending white rocks flying everywhere. I circled around the attack, but saw it ready another swing. This time, I couldn’t dodge. My Skill’s effect had worn off once more, and I couldn’t use it so soon after using it again.

I brought my spear up to parry the hit once, then twice. Each time the spear came into contact with the [Hellbeast]’s claws, I found myself reeling back, barely keeping myself from flying to the rock wall. The [Hellbeast] raised two of its claws and I helplessly raised my spear. It was going to crush me—

And the [Hellhounds] leapt onto the [Hellbeast]. Four [Hellhounds] jumped straight onto it, and began clawing and biting at it. I stared at this for a moment, almost thinking that they were helping me, before one of the [Hellhounds] bounded at me as well.

Nope, they’re just out to get everyone, I quickly surmised.

I ran the [Hellhound] through with the spear enhanced by [Fire Strike], almost instantly killing it. It tried to claw at me, still stuck on the spear. Before I could finish it off, a red limb struck it across the face, killing it for me.

Defeated [Hellhound - Lvl. 11]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I looked down at my companion who did that while still on my shoulder. And I watched his body begin to change. He must have leveled up from that— he must have known he was close to leveling up. So he went for what little experience he could get.

He would evolve and help me. But I locked eyes with him.

“No.”

My companion paused, as I knocked back another [Hellhound]. I looked over at the [Hellbeast] which crushed two of the smaller wild Demons easily.

Defeated [Hellhound - Lvl. 12]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Hellhound - Lvl. 10]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I was gaining experience from it doing all the work, but only a little bit. It would wipe out this pack of [Hellhounds], and when it was finished, it would kill us too.

“We run. We can’t fight. We will die.”

I made the decision for us. If he chose to evolve now, I would have to put him down— I couldn’t carry him with me anymore. So we had to flee.

Defeated [Hellhound - Lvl. 11]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I killed another [Hellhound], as I felt my [Double Step] make itself available for use.

I placed a foot forward, feeling more of my stamina drain as I ran away from the fighting. Some [Hellhounds] chased us, but others stayed back to fight the [Hellbeast]. I was not sure how the battle would go, however all I could focus on was surviving for now.

We ran into more Demons, of course— into more fights. But we survived.

10. Gratitude

A note from MelasD

New cover art, any thoughts on it?

10. Gratitude

Defeated [Spindly Hellhound - Lvl. 11]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Hellhound - Lvl. 13]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 12] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 13]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

…

Defeated [Gadarenes - Lvl. 14]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Bone Breaker Gadarenes - Lvl. 15]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 13] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 14]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I pried the spear off the body of the last of the [Gadarenes]. I stared at the pile of bodies— at the trail that stretched back as far as I could see. After I left the [Hellbeast] behind, the half of the [Hellhounds] that chased me attracted more Demons with their constant growling and howling.

I tried to lead them to some [Demon Larvae] I had spotted, but those were quickly defeated before they could escape. Then came a single [Fiend], which attacked both me and the [Hellhounds] without distinguishing a target. The [Hellhounds] tore it apart, giving me an opportunity to flee— until the [Gadarenes] showed up.

An entire group of them, all of them taking on different forms, attacked me. Then the [Hellhounds] caught up to me, and it was an all out battle from there, which I somehow survived. I had to thank my companion— even though he was still on my shoulder, he saved me a few times by knocking any Demons that got too close to me. And now that the fighting had finished— I had leveled twice to Level 14.

I placed my companion down, nodding to him to begin his evolution. He had leveled as well, and was now Level 11. He started to shift— his body morphing— and as he did, I started to distribute my Stat Points.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 5]

[Vitality]: 17

[Strength]: 12

[Endurance]: 18

[Wisdom]: 22

[Agility]: 34

When I leveled the first time, I spent 2 Stat Points on [Vitality] and [Endurance], and 1 on [Wisdom]. It was out of necessity. My health, stamina, and mana was running too low; if I had not done that, I wouldn’t have survived.

Now though, I was able to distribute them however I wanted. And I… still spent 2 on [Endurance]. I needed it for the future— in case I had to fight for such an extended period of time again. Then I spent 2 on [Wisdom] and 1 on [Agility].

Satisfied with that, I moved on to my Skills. I didn’t have time to decide what to expend my Skill Points on, so they were still untouched. So I had known I would have quite a few available— even still, I was shocked to see just how much that was.

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 15]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 1

[Double Step] - Lvl. 1

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 4

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 1

15 Skill Points?! How did I get that many? Last I remembered, I had 6 Skill Points!

Then I paused. I tried to think back to all the times I had leveled after getting my evolution— before that, I received 3 Skill Points for evolving, which I thought was just a one time thing. But apparently… I was getting 3 Skill Points now that I had evolved.

I was happy about that. I didn’t need to be so sparing with my Skill Points now, and could experiment more. But wait—

If I started to receive more Skill Points now that I was a Lesser Demon, did that mean I missed out on getting 2 additional Skill Points by going from Level 9 straight to Level 11? That sucked!

Oh well, I couldn’t do anything about it. Something told me that the next time I evolved wouldn’t just be ten levels from now. It felt like… I would get my next evolution somewhere around Level 40. So I made sure to keep that in mind the next time I had an evolution available.

For now, I considered the Skills I had. Four of them were at Level 1, with only [Fire Strike] at Level 4. That was a useful Skill— if not for it, I probably wouldn’t have survived. The Spear of Flames was a good weapon, but by itself it wouldn’t have done as much damage as with the Skill. I decided to figure out what to do with it last, going to the new Skills I had available.

I had tested most of the Skills I had obtained in battle, so I felt like I knew what I wanted to do with them. First was [Double Step]. I liked what it did, but the cooldown between uses made it lose some of its effectiveness. I was already faster than most Demons I met, after all. I raised it by 2 Skill Points, bringing it to Level 3 before moving to the next.

Next was [Fire Blast]. It helped me quite a lot earlier— if not for it, I wouldn’t have been able to hold off the [Hellhounds] for as long as I did. However, it didn’t do much damage, and could serve its purpose at its current level. But maybe it would increase in damage if I raised it, so I decided to raise it by 2 Skill Points, also bringing it to Level 3.

Then came [Passive - General Tool Proficiency]. It wasn’t exactly the best Skill I had, even though it let me use the spear better. But even if I didn’t have this Skill, I was pretty sure I knew how to swing the spear, just from seeing the Demon with crooked horns swing it around. So I gave it less Skill Points, only raising it to Level 2 with 1 Skill Point.

After that was [Basic Fire Creation]— the only Skill I didn’t use in battle. I could infer what it did based on its name, but I wanted to test how useful it was rather than wasting Skill Points on another useless Skill like [Basic Fire Conjuration] had been.

I brought my hands forward, trying to create a simple ball of flames. I focused— and even though I did not try to create anything too complex— I felt a significant amount of mana disappear. I had thought it was enough mana to create a ball of flames the size of my head, but when I looked down at it, all I saw was a tiny blaze floating on the palm of my hand.

I stared at it, disappointed. That… wasn’t impressive at all! It was worse than [Basic Fire Conjuration]! Why would my Skill change to that?!

I tossed the small ball of flames aside, annoyed. I had expected it to extinguish the moment it left my hand, but to my surprise, it dropped on the ground intact and rolled. I paused, looking down at the small ball of flames.

Then I quickly picked it up.

Amazing! I held it between two of my clawed fingers, inspecting it carefully. It was… a ball of flames. A solid ball of flames. It wasn’t acting like how fire normally acted at all— almost like the Spear of Flames! It was not completely solid, although it felt solid enough that my clawed finger couldn’t just pass through it. But it was fragile. I felt that if I pressed too hard on it, it would break.

I wasn’t sure what would happen when it broke, but I wasn’t going to just crush it on the palm of my hands. That was dangerous! I could burn myself if it decided to become regular fire, no longer under my control. So I decided to throw it.

Aiming at a large rock a small distance away, I hurled the small ball of flames with all my strength. It broke on impact, just as I had expected. But as I watched it break, I saw it staying solid for just a moment as it shattered into dozens of large pieces, before losing its form and turning to normal embers.

I stepped forward to the large rock, investigating the damage. It seemed that there was a slight burn from when the small ball of flames was still solid, before leaving proper scorches when it turned back to embers. That was a good Skill.

I wanted to test it out further. I tried to conjure a spear— one similar to the Spear of Flames I was carrying with me. To my disappointment, all I could create was a small spiked object, and it cost a lot of mana once again.

I decided to use 3 Skill Points on it for now, bringing it to Level 4. I liked what it did and it seemed useful. However the main reason I spent more on it was because I was hoping to possibly create my own Spear of Flames in the future.

That Skill had been the best one so far, and it made me excited to level more in the future. And now that I was done experimenting with it, I could finally go back to [Fire Strike].

I still had 7 Skill Points. 7 Skill Points I could use. I had seen how effective [Fire Strike] was combined with the Spear of Flames, let alone how useful it was by itself. And if it worked on my own fire creations— then it was best to keep it as strong as possible.

So I made a rash decision. I chose to spend all of my Skill Points onto [Fire Strike], knowing full well I couldn’t reverse it. I raised to Level 5, then Level 7, then Level 10—

And it stopped. I still had 1 Skill Point left, but I wasn’t able to use it on [Fire Strike]. But why? I checked my Skills, confused— then I saw the reason why I wasn’t able to increase it any further.

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 4

[Double Step] - Lvl. 3

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 3

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 2

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

It was ‘maxed’. It had reached its maximum level— at Level 10— and I couldn’t raise it any further. I felt my lips curling down as I realized this. I slowly raised my hand, then quickly struck forward with the Skill.

[Fire Strike]!

I watched as flames lash out along with my claws. The fire seemed almost sharper than before. And it took up less mana too. But other than that, it didn’t change much.

It was more powerful, sure. However, that was it. It didn’t cause immense destruction like that Demon with crooked horns had been able to do— it was just a stronger version of [Fire Strike]. I had thought a maxed Skill would be more significant than that.

So this was the limit of that Skill? If that was it, I could have just tried to learn a more powerful Skill and replaced [Fire Strike] with it, before maxing it out. Unless…

Intuitively, I realized that I could upgrade my Skill. Just like how [Basic Fire Conjuration] had changed to a more powerful Skill, I could also change, or even upgrade, [Fire Strike] to something else. But that required more than just spending a Skill Point on it.

It was an interesting thing to learn. I felt my annoyance disappear as I decided to keep my 1 Skill Point for the future— I didn’t know what to use it on now, and could use it later. It was not like I had to spend it immediately. With that settled, I finally turned my attention to my companion just in time to see his evolution finish.

A tall red figure emerged from the lump of flesh that had once been his body. He stood on two feet, just like me; he raised his arms inspecting them as he closed and opened them. He didn’t have any claws, although the size of his arms made me think that a hit from that would be able to do more damage than whatever my short claws were capable of inflicting.

He was over half my height taller than me, with a broad chest that was almost as wide as me if I held up both my arms to the side. His long black hair with yellow streaks swayed as he turned to face me, and his lips curled up into… a smile.

“Hello.”

I knew he was my companion. I had gone through drastic changes myself, but even still, I approached him cautiously. It was apparently different from knowing something and experiencing it myself.

“Hi…?”

He looked at how I was approaching him, then nodded his head as we did to each other. I checked him with [Identification], just to make sure one last time that he was my companion.

[Fiend - Lvl. 11]

He was still the same level as I had last remembered, so that was good. Slowly, I stepped next to him and lifted one claw to poke him with. He made a sound and I jerked back. He continued making the sound as I edged away from him, thinking that I had either hurt him or angered him. It took me a moment to realize what sound he was making.

He was laughing!

He was laughing at me for the way I was acting. I glared and pointed a clawed finger at him.

“You were the same way too!”

My companion continued to chuckle as I drew my lips down— into a frown— and huffed.

“Stop laughing!”

“Alright, alright.”

That was all he said as he straightened his body. I continued eyeing at him, slightly annoyed, as he finally stopped his laughter. Then he pointed a finger at me.

“You’re Salvos.”

“Yes I am.”

I replied matter-of-factly. I was Salvos and no one else was Salvos. That was what I had concluded the moment I was born. And I was happy to see him affirming that belief of mine by nodding in agreement.

Slowly, he jerked a finger back at himself. I cocked my head, confused by this gesture before he spoke out.

“You’re Salvos. But me? I’m Haec.”

Blinking, I slowly raised a hand and pointed at him too.

“You’re Haec?”

“Yes. My name is Haec.”

I looked at my companion— at Haec— trying to parse him. He gave me a confused look, uncertain as to why I was having difficulty understanding this. And it was not like there was much to process. He had a name— of course he had a name. I just never once considered that he had one, only referring to him as my companion.

“What’s wrong?”

He asked me the question almost worriedly. I hesitated, almost wanting not to answer it to seem stupid. But as the concern on his face grew, I forced a reply out.

“I didn’t think you had a name— I didn’t even think of giving you a name. I always just thought of you as my ‘companion’.”

I looked up at him guiltily. I wasn’t sure why I was feeling guilty— perhaps it was because I hadn’t fully recognized him as separate from me until now. I knew I would be upset if someone treated me that way. However instead of getting mad, Haec just laughed again.

“As your companion huh? That’s fitting. You are our leader, after all.”

“Leader?”

I gave him a blank stare. I knew what that word meant— a leader was someone in charge of others. Like the horned Demon or the Demon with crooked horns had been. Those were leaders. But me? I didn’t think I was a leader.

Yet, Haec seemed to disagree.

“Yes, you’re my leader. I follow you and do what you tell me to do. Then you protect me and we both level.”

That… was perfectly logical. When he put it that way, I was definitely the leader in this relationship, even if I never thought of it like that. But in the first place—

“Why did you follow me in the first place?”

I had wanted to ask him that from after I saved him from the wild Demon. In fact, I wanted to know why some Demons followed each other, even back when I first met him in the group with the others.

Haec seemed to consider the question for a moment, raising his head up to the crimson sky. He spoke slowly, choosing each word carefully.

“Because I am grateful to you— you saved me. You saved my life. So I follow you to help you in return.”

“But you followed the others too! Remember? Before we were attacked by the large Demon.”

I wasn’t sure if he understood what I was referring to; now more than ever, I was aware that my labels for everything I had encountered was my label. It was my perspective and not his. So he might not have thought of them as the others. Fortunately, it didn’t take him long to realize what I was talking about.

“Ah.”

Haec’s eyes lit up in comprehension. His face twisted, growing… somber.

“Yes, the others. I… followed them because I was born with them.”

“Wait, you were born at the same time as the others?”

He shook his head.

“No. Not all of them. But with most of them. I can’t tell you why more joined our group, but we were already a group from the start. Only you joined us by yourself.”

“Huh.”

I had no other comment on that. It seemed that I wouldn’t be able to learn why some Demons formed groups while others didn’t. I decided to just ascribe it to their natural instinct.

And it was not like they were alive anyway. So it didn’t matter; I was curious, but after so long, my curiosity was gone. But still, it seemed to bother Haec as he still had a grim look on his face. Slowly, I poked him.

“Are you ok? Why are you looking like that?”

He jerked, looking up at me.

“Oh, I was just… feeling sad.”

“Why?”

I eyed him inquisitively. Why was he sad? He seemed happy just earlier, but now he was suddenly sad. He shook his head as he answered.

“Because I was thinking of the others. They were my group— but now we aren’t anymore. They’re gone.”

I still wasn’t sure why he was sad— he told me that as if it would make sense, however I was just as lost as I had been before he replied. But he was sad and I knew he was sad. So I decided to reassure him, poking him again so he would face me, then I smiled.

“The others may be gone, but I’m still here. I’m your leader— follow me and you’ll be safe, right?”

I gestured around us, at the bodies on the ground; then picking up the Spear of Flames, I pointed past them.

“So don’t be sad, because wherever we go, we’ll be together. We’ll fight together. We’ll level together.”

I looked at Haec expectantly. I wasn’t sure if what I said would work. Perhaps it would only anger him, or make him even more sad. I wasn't even sure why I said it; why did I even care about him? But I saw him smile just slightly, and that made me feel better too.

“You’re right. As long as we’re together, we’ll be fine, right?”

I stepped backwards, walking without looking as he followed me. I wasn’t even sure where I was going— I couldn’t see ahead because my back was turned, after all. But still, I felt my smile turning into a grin.

“Of course. We’ll be fine no matter what. I’m the leader, after all. I will protect you—”

I wasn’t able to finish what I was saying and stopped. I had been interrupted, not by anything made by any Demon around us, but by the words in my head.

Now Entering [Demon King’s Domain].

A note from MelasD

Hey everyone, in this chapter called gratitude, I just want to express mine to you all for the support you've been giving me! I haven't been able to respond to most comments due to trying to focus on my upcoming finals, but I have been reading them. And I appreciate the kind words <3

11. My Companion

A note from MelasD

I'm still messing with my blurb. 1 and 3 are just far too close for me to pick one over the other definitively lmao.

11. My Companion

“Now!”

I yelled at Haec as I flung myself out of the way of the large fangs bearing down on me. My companion struck the [Arachne] on its hind legs. The giant Demon with eight jointed appendages fell, its two back legs broken by his [Crushing Blow].

I leapt up to the head of the wild Demon as all of its dozen eyes snapped towards me. It tried to lash out with a spray of a dangerous liquid that melted through even the rocks on the ground. This acid went past me as I landed on its face, slicing down at its neck with my Spear of Flames. The spear jammed halfway through before I activated [Fire Strike], allowing me to shear the rest of it off before I lost grip of the weapon.

The [Arachne] collapsed, dead.

Defeated [Succo Arachne - Lvl. 17]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 14] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 15]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I landed nimbly on my two feet, having completely accustomed myself to this body now. Black blood spilled behind me, pouring out of the decapitated Demon’s head in a deluge. I turned to Haec as he approached me.

“Did you finally level?”

“Yep!”

I replied, grinning at him. Then I narrowed my eyes.

“You leveled too!”

I pointed out. He nodded eagerly, smiling and gesturing at himself.

“I’m Level 13 now, after that last encounter.”

I folded my arms instinctively, in what I recognized was a petulant action. I saw no reason not to act that way, so I did it.

“Hey! You leveled twice while I only leveled once! And in only two encounters too? That’s unfair!”

Haec simply raised his shoulders in a shrug.

“Those [Gadarenes] were all higher leveled than me, and so was this [Arachne]. Even though we beat them together, their experience is worth more to me as I was only Level 11 and 12.”

“I know.”

I lowered my arms and picked up my spear. I spun it around and inspected it— it seemed weaker now. It was still considered a Medium Grade Weapon, yet I knew it was degrading with each use, probably as a result of it being a fully magically created weapon.

I shook my head and turned to my companion.

“I just want to level faster.”

I was still higher leveled than him, but I couldn’t help but feel slightly envious that his rate of leveling was faster than me once again; I had felt this way before, and now I felt that way again. He would probably slow down in leveling speed once he was close to my level, but for now, he would level twice for every level I gained.

“Maybe we should leave this place then?”

My companion opined, glancing at the distant mountains behind us.

“We’ve barely encountered any of those ‘wild Demons’ as you call them, since we’ve come here.”

“But we’ve barely even explored this [Demon King’s Domain]!”

I protested, waving my hands up and down. I gestured at the hillocks— the sinuous landscape— around us.

“Come on! Aren’t you curious about what makes this place different? It’s a new area— it has even got its own name!”

“I know where you’re coming from, Salvos—”

I perked up as he mentioned my name.

“—or at least, I can try to see what you mean. But look at this place.”

The two of us looked at the ground around us. At the place we were at, and at the place we had come from.

“So far, there hasn’t been anything different about this [Demon King’s Domain] and out there. It’s all the same landscape— all the same hills.”

Haec turned back to me, a worried look drawn on his face as he continued.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’ll do whatever you want to do. You’re our leader. But I don’t know— I just don’t have a good feeling about this place.”

I considered this for a moment, torn between finding what made the [Demon King’s Domain] so special that it had its own name, and going back to a place where I could level faster. I rested the butt of my spear on the ground and huffed.

“Fine.”

My companion brightened as I spoke hesitantly.

“You’re right. I just wanted to see what made this place different, but I guess so far that’s nothing. Anyway, it’s probably dangerous here. I had a feeling this might have been where that procession of Demons went— and if they find us, they’ll force us to follow them. And I don’t want that.”

Haec paused, staring at me. I cocked my head.

“What?”

“Oh— I just never considered that.”

I stared up at the Demon with black hair and yellow streaks as he shifted his feet.

“Wasn’t that why you were apprehensive of this place?”

“No. I just didn’t like it because it was… different.”

“Huh.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so I just made a noise. I turned around, picking up my spear and gestured for him to follow me.

“Come on then. Let’s just go.”

He was fain to do that, having stood there and averting his gaze from me for a bit. We left the body of the [Arachne] as we started back to the distant valley we had come from— or at least, I thought that was what that place was. Everything looked the same to me, so I wasn’t entirely sure if this was the right direction. Fortunately, the words in my head informed me that we were at least heading somewhere else.

Now Leaving [Demon King’s Domain].

I swung my spear around casually to accustom myself to using it— and also because it was fun. As I did, I began distributing my current Skill Points and Stat Points, having just leveled up again.

Alright, so I have 4 Skill Points and 5 Stat Points to use. I want to raise [Basic Fire Creation] because that’s good, so I’ll add 1 Skill Point to it. Hm, I also like [Fire Blast]— it’s useful when fighting packs of [Hellhounds] or groups of [Gadarenes], so I’ll give it 1 as well. I haven’t had a need for either [Double Step] or [Passive - General Tool Proficiency], so I’ll leave those for now. I guess I’ll just keep 2 Skill Points for later. And as for my Stat Points—

“Oh, I got a new Skill.”

I looked back at Haec as he spoke up. My companion stopped in place and I gave him an eye.

“Really? What’d you get?”

“[Passive - Tough Body]. I feel like I can take more damage now with it. And my skin feels more rough. It’s my fourth Skill— I got it from leveling up.”

“Wait, you got it from a regular level up?”

I gaped at him as he nodded slowly. He had a confused look on his face.

“Yes. What’s wrong?”

“I’ve only learned Skills or gotten them from my evolution! That’s unfair! How’d you get that?”

“I don’t know. It’s the second one I got from leveling up— the other two came from my evolution.”

I found myself frowning, but he went on.

“I’m just a [Tank Fiend]. Your Subspecies seems far more rare than mine— almost like that [Arachne] we had just killed. Perhaps that’s why you aren’t getting Skills from regular level ups? Because you’re learning them on your own, which lets you get a rarer Subspecies, which in turn gives you only the rare opportunities to get better Skills?”

I gave him a dubious look. I wasn’t sure if that fully made sense, but I accepted the explanation as I had none of my own.

“Maybe.”

He was probably telling the truth— or at least, believed that that was the truth. He did tell me he got [Tank Fiend] from his evolution, even though I only saw him as a [Fiend]. But that had been how my [Identification] had worked against those wild Demons as well. So I believed him.

He was my companion, after all.

We continued cresting up the small hill we were on as I glanced up to the sky, a thought crossing my mind.

“Hey, ever wondered what makes us different from those wild Demons?”

“Different?”

“Like are we different just because we’re different? What makes me Salvos, and what makes them… them? If it’s just instinct—”

I paused as a shadow loomed over me. I glanced up at the top of a hill, seeing a large light blue figure standing there. He was huge— twice the size of Haec, even. As large as the [Arachne] we had just killed.

The figure had straight black hair tied around the back of his head and facial hair that only ran down his chin. He was also wearing a strange piece of cloth around his legs and chest, an odd glowing ringed object around his neck, and he had on his hand a spiked weapon— a mace.

I took a step back as the figure spoke.

“Oho, what’s this? Two survivors— and Lesser Demons at that? That’s quite a feat, evolving even before the Desolation has come to an end.”

Haec backed up behind me, speaking in a warning voice.

“That Demon— I can’t see his level. What is he?”

What? I whirled around and to face the blue Demon, quickling using [Identification] on him as I raised my spear warily.

[Djinn - Lvl. 42]

I can see his level just fine? What is Haec talking about? As I glanced back at my companion, confused, the [Djinn] bellowed in laughter.

“Of course not, measly [Fiend]. I am a Greater Demon— far above your level. You can’t fathom the power I hold as opposed to you.”

Haec tensed, but I spoke reassuringly to him.

“Don’t worry. I can see his level. He’s a Level 42 [Djinn]. I— I don’t think we can fight him.”

The [Djinn] cast his gaze to me, eyeing me with sudden contempt.

“You— I see, you must’ve spent quite some time raising the level of your [Identification]. Hrmph, an unexpected ability to level. But it would only make you more valuable.”

I jabbed my spear in the direction of the Greater Demon, bringing a hand out in front of my companion as I shouted at him.

“What do you want, [Djinn]? We do not wish to fight you, and you have no reason to fight us. Even if you defeat us, the experience you gain will be meager. Leave us— we will not bother you.”

“Bother me?”

He laughed once more, this time placing his hands on his rotund belly and bending over.

“You won’t even be able to harm me if you tried. No— I have no reason to fight you either, imp. So follow me, or I will make you.”

“I'm not just an imp. I'm Salvos."

I bared my teeth dangerously, mimicking a [Hellhound].

"Where will you take us if we go with you?"

“I was on my way to a contract. So first, I’ll bring you to my lair. Then I shall bestow you to our King, Regnorex. He shall greatly reward me if you prove yourselves useful to him.”

King? As in Demon King? So he wanted to take us back to the [Demon King’s Domain]. I had my interest slightly piqued by this: I wanted to ask this Demon King what he did to get such a vast piece of land to himself.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked over at my companion as he whispered to me, panic in his voice.

“Maybe we should just listen to him, Salvos. He’s more than twice our level— and perhaps this Regnorex will be nice to us.”

I was tempted to agree, although I had a warning voice in the back of my head telling me not to, because the Greater Demon might have been with those dangerous Demons we had seen in the valley. I was still in thought when I snapped my head to the side. The [Djinn] blurred forward, suddenly towering over Haec.

“Wretch!”

The Greater Demon struck down at my companion, striking him across the chest with a fist and forcing blood out of his mouth. I stared at this, aghast.

“Haec!”

I sliced my spear at the [Djinn], but even at his size, he managed to dodge it. I ran over to Haec as the [Djinn] backed away.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m… fine. I just… agh.”

He coughed up more blood as I held him by his back. The [Djinn] simply shook his hand as he muttered.

“Hrmph, more durable than I thought.”

I glared up at him.

“Why did you do that?! We said we would go with you!”

I raised my Spear of Flame in his direction, yelling at him.

“You did. But you disrespected our King. That is a sin deserving of death. Be grateful that I only struck you once. Perhaps you shall remember to never refer to King Regnorex with familiarity.”

“You attacked us for that?

I looked at the [Djinn] disbelievingly. Then I turned back down to my companion who was struggling to stand up.

“Yes. Now come. We don’t have time to waste— I shall complete this contract quickly, and you shall present yourselves to our King.”

I slowly turned away from Haec as he got on his feet. He tried to say something, but clutched his chest as I patted him on the shoulder. Then I stared up at the [Djinn] with defiance.

“No.”

The [Djinn] narrowed his gaze. Then he sighed.

“I see.”

The Greater Demon crashed his mace to the ground, sending a plume of smoldering gas in my direction. I leapt to the side, going around it and rushing in at him. I closed the distance as fast as I could, then slashed at where he stood—

And he wasn’t there.

I whirled around as the [Djinn] appeared behind me.

“Fast, but not fast enough.”

He swept the ground with his giant mace, cracking the ground as it came at me. He was faster than me. I watched the weapon come at me, too fast for me to dodge.

[Double Step].

I just barely moved out the way in time. But the [Djinn] wasn’t finished. He charged after me, swinging his mace wildly. I tried to parry the attack with the Spear of Flames— and while the weapon absorbed most of the impact, the hit still sent me flying.

I landed at the bottom of the hill, rolling for a moment before I forced myself up. I glanced up to see the [Djinn] running down after me. I pointed and sent a [Fire Blast] at him. The Greater Demon just laughed.

“Pathetic.”

He didn’t block the attack. He let the fire burn at his skin, only leaving a slight mark on his exposed stomach. I stepped back, creating a small ball of fire and threw it at him instead. He frowned, then knocked it aside.

“A fire creation Skill? Hrmph, so a rare evolution then.”

He then reached to grab me.

“Come now, or I shall have to break your legs.”

The [Djinn]’s palms hovered over me, about to close on me. Then I stabbed it with my spear and he howled, backing up.

“What is that?!”

I spun the spear around, grinning.

“A Spear of Flame. And [Fire Strike]. Also, you talk too much.”

“Wh—”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Haec leapt on him from behind.

“[Crushing Blow]!”

The Greater Demon recoiled, staggering forward as I rushed forward at him, aiming for his eyes—

“[Burning Haze].”

An explosion of fiery smoke burst out around him, sending Haec and I flying back. I tumbled on the ground, skin flaking off from the heat. I finally came to a stop, but as I tried to stand up, the [Djinn] was there. He swung out at me once again and I tried to dodge—

And I did, but the Spear of Flames went sailing away as the mace struck it out of my hands. My eyes widened as I saw this, and before I could run to get it, he picked it up slowly.

“A Medium Grade Weapon— how did you get this?”

“As if I’ll tell you!”

I flung another small ball of fire at him, and this time he took it. He actually flinched as it broke on his chest, leaving burn marks where it struck. But other than that, he was unharmed.

“Fine.”

He gripped the spear which seemed relatively small on his hand and pointed it at me.

“If you won’t come— I’ll just kill you and take the [Fiend] instead. One is better than none.”

A ball of smoke shot out at me. I used [Double Step] to dodge to the side, but the impact still knocked me back. It felt almost physical— no, it was physical. Ash? It was ash! And it was burning off my skin!

The [Djinn] was preparing another attack. I saw it, but I was already hurt. Even when it missed, it damaged me significantly. If it actually hit me— I would die. I didn’t know what to do. I almost stood there, frozen, when a voice broke me out of my stupor.

“Run, Salvos!”

Haec leapt onto the back of the [Djinn], knocking him off balance and making the ball of ash go wide. I blinked, unsure of what to do for a moment. Then I saw the Greater Demon struggle to pull my companion off his back as my companion pointed.

“Escape! You can do it!”

I hesitated— then I obeyed.

I spun on my heels, dashing up the hill and away as fast as I could. I heard the [Djinn] shout and a loud crash as he threw Haec off his back. He tried to run after me, sending balls of ash in my direction.

But I remember. At this moment, I spent all 5 of my Stat Points on [Agility] and all 2 of my Skill Points on [Double Step]. I activated the Skill as enough time had passed, and crested the hill, escaping from the ash balls flying over my head.

I continued running even when the attacks stopped. Even when I turned around and saw no one there, I continued to run. Then finally, I stopped.

—--

I had escaped the Greater Demon’s pursuit. I wasn’t sure when he stopped chasing after me, but he did. And he had taken off with my companion— Haec.

I walked around in a daze, as though a veil were hanging over my head, and at a loss of what to do. Was [Rest] working at the speed I was moving? I didn’t really know. All I knew was that I was alone now.

Was that so bad? I had been alone for most of the time I had been alive. Even the time I had spent with Haec was minute in comparison to the time I had spent on my own.

He did save me. He helped me escape. And now he would be taken to some king— Regnorex. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad. Perhaps the Demon King would help him become a Greater Demon too. That was always a possibility, right?

But then, what would I do? That seemed simple, right? I would just level, like I had always done!

And I saw myself— an [Imp], just standing there alone. I was throwing fire at my enemies, killing them solely for their experience. Just to level up, again and again. There was nothing else to my actions. To my existence.

Was leveling all there really was to my life?

No— I had to have a better reason than that. I enjoyed leveling. Everytime I evolved, I felt more complete. But that was notme. I was already me. If I were to act only on my instinct to become something else, I would be no different from the mass of wild Demons.

I had to have some sort of discerning quality beyond my physical appearance that distinguished me as myself. I was not just another rock lying amongst an endless sea of rocks. I would not drown in my own revel that came from evolution. I had to become more than another piece of the rubble that came from the mindless breakings of life. That was why I decided not to kill Haec in the first place.

He was my companion. I didn’t really think of myself as his leader— but perhaps I had been. Whether or not that was true didn’t matter. We both agreed that we were companions, and he was the only one who ever recognized me as… me.

Salvos.

Maybe we would not always be together. Maybe something could happen in the future that would separate us. But that didn’t matter, because he had acknowledged me, I, too, would have to acknowledge him.

I slowly felt myself regaining control of my movements, no longer in a thin-stringed trance. I stepped forward and finally sheared the [Imp] in half, my claws breaking into its face as it struggled, trying to burn me. I finished the wild Demon off, and got up.

Defeated [Imp - Lvl. 20]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 15] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 16]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

With those words of victory in my head, I started back in the direction I had come from, searching for Haec.

A note from MelasD

Thank you all so much for reading! I would appreciate it at this point if you gave me a rating, a review, or an advanced review for my story, as those really help a lot! Especially advanced reviews, although regular ratings help a lot too <3

Anyway, I'mma ramble a bit so skip this if you guys aren't curious about my intentions behind the development of Salvos leading to this chapter: if you guys are curious about the very basic idea of how I conceptualized Salvos as a character in this first arc so far, it came from when I was reading Hegel's Phenomonology of Spirit for one of my political theory classes this Quarter. Specifically, his idea behind self-consciousness in the section on Lordship and Bondage:

Self-consciousness exists in itself and for itself, in that, and by the fact that it exists for another self-consciousness; that is to say, it is only by being acknowledged or “recognized”. The conception of this its unity in its duplication, of infinitude realizing itself in self-consciousness, has many sides to it and encloses within it elements of varied significance. Thus its moments must on the one hand be strictly kept apart in detailed distinctiveness, and, on the other, in this distinction must, at the same time, also be taken as not distinguished, or must always be accepted and understood in their opposite sense. This double meaning of what is distinguished lies in the nature of self-consciousness: — of its being infinite, or directly the opposite of the determinateness in which it is fixed. The detailed exposition of the notion of this spiritual unity in its duplication will bring before us the process of Recognition.

Tldr of the whole section dude wtf am i reading i hate hegel: Hegel thinks conflict comes from all conscious beings wanting to be recognized— to be treated as a subject and not an object by another. There's also the thing about the Lord being dependent on the Bondsmen who gives him their recognition so he is actually not free, blah blah blah w/e who cares

How this applies to Salvos is pretty straightforward. She's in a world where everyone treats her as a rock when she doesn't want to be a rock. A rock, like an object to be used, not a person. The wild Demons see her only as a thing to kill and evolve with, and the other intelligent Demons she met are the same. The [Djinn] doesn't call her by her name even after she introduces herself, wanting only to force her to go with him for his own advantage. The only person that offers her the recognition she— as a fully conscious being— wants, is Haec. And that was what drove her to go back for him here: to preserve the one thing that makes her distinct in a world where everything is (appears to be) the same.

Basically, she and Haec are nakama and she will protect her friends!!!!!!11

Now I don't claim to be writing a super 'deep' story or anything like that. My first 10 chapters were literally blobs fighting each other lmao. And the character growth for Salvos, if you simplify it, is just going from a potential murderhobo that only wants to level, to a not-a-murderhobo who also has one friend and doesn't just want to level. All pretty straightforward stuff. However, I just felt like giving some context behind what I intended to do with the story thus far to gauge how successful I was in executing it, before we move forward.

I also do hope my attempts at writing in a flowery-prose style towards the end wasn't horribly difficult to read. I am still very much a new writer, having only just started this whole writing gig last year! I think it was around this time last year when I dropped and stopped writing Melas (my other fic) originally when I got to chapter 7 because the pressure got to me, and the fact that I somehow came back a few months later and I'm now doing two serials at once is pretty interesting to me. Funny how things be like that.

Again, a rating or review would be greatly appreciated.

12. Two of Us

A note from MelasD

Announcement: Due to the passing of my dog and my finals, I'll be taking a week off writing. I had hoped it would only be two updates, but unfortunately my dog had to be put down yesterday at noon.

12. Two of Us

I returned to the scene where I had left Haec behind, fleeing to save my own life from the [Djinn]. The magical ash on the ground was still there, but it was vanishing— the magic holding it together diffusing back to the surroundings. My footsteps dispersed what was left of the ashes as I stepped to the small pool of black liquid at the base of the hill.

There was a trail here; the wound I had left on the Greater Demon, while not severe, drew enough blood to leave a path to follow. So I followed it, distributing my Stat and Skill Points as I did.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 5]

[Vitality]: 17

[Strength]: 12

[Endurance]: 20

[Wisdom]: 24

[Agility]: 40

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 5

[Double Step] - Lvl. 5

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 4

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 2

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

I thought about it, just barely. I had been as fast as the [Djinn] was— or maybe even slightly slower— before I raised my [Agility] as I fled. But I spent everything I had on it, and while I was probably faster now, it couldn’t hurt to raise it even more. So I spent another 2 Stat Points on it.

[Strength] was useless here. And so was [Endurance]. That left [Vitality] and [Wisdom]. Which would I spend more on?

[Vitality] seemed tempting— I was fain to raise it after having nearly died just earlier. But then I wouldn’t be able to harm the [Djinn]. And I did have a way to harm him.

[Basic Fire Creation].

It was a taxing Skill. And I couldn’t conjure up as large of a flame as I was able to with even [Basic Fire Conjuration]. Yet it could hurt the Greater Demon, even if slightly. With that in mind, I decided: I added all of my Skill Points to [Basic Fire Creation] and 2 Stat Points to my [Wisdom], leaving the last Stat Point to [Vitality].

Satisfied, I glanced back up at the terrain around me, still following the trail of blood the [Djinn] had left behind. It was more difficult to track now. But I was getting close.

Now Entering [Demon King’s Domain].

I continued my run even with the notification in my head, not even pausing slightly as the words settled in and phased out. And finally, I arrived.

The trail of blood led to an opening on the side of the hill. I stopped right outside of it, staring into the illuminated cavern; crystals of light hung on the side of the white walls, shining as bright as a fire. Taking one last look around to ensure the same trail I had been following led me into the cave, I entered it.

Now Entering [Lair: Lucerna’s Lamp].

This place was… a lair? I eyed the side of the seemingly natural walls dubiously; it definitely seemed to be smoothed out— but refined, not made. The [Djinn]— was his name Lucerna?— had appropriated this place as his own. I thought for a moment to ask him how he did that, but dismissed it quickly.

No, I told myself, materializing a small spike made of fire. All that matters now is I get Haec out of here.

Maybe we could have our own lair to ourselves in the future. But that wasn’t important at the moment. I could not lose focus. And I was glad I didn’t.

My ears perked up as I heard a distant voice echoing from the end of the tunnel. I tensed, backing up thinking that Lucerna had found me out. But then I realized he was not calling me out— he was talking to someone.

I hugged the side of the wall and crept up slowly to the end of the tunnel before it expanded into a large cave chamber. I stopped as I saw a large shadow moving just ahead of me. The shadow stopped as a booming voice spoke out.

“Yes, yes. This is certainly a weapon fitting a Greater Demon such as I. Smaller than I’m used to, but its advantages— it is terrific.”

There was a pause— a moment of silence. Then a second, more familiar voice came.

“...Salvos told me it was a ‘Medium Grade Weapon’. Doesn’t sound too ‘terrific’ to me.”

Haec. I tried to peer over the corner— to get a glance of my companion. But I moved back as the large shadow of the [Djinn] moved.

“Hrmph, perhaps to a simpleminded fool such as you.”

Lucerna harrumphed as he moved further away from me, his shadow disappearing towards the end of the cave chamber. I edged closer as he continued.

“Tell me, [Fiend]. When you pick up a rock and identify it, does it tell you the Grade of the rock? Or does it simply describe it as it is— a rock?”

I peeked over the corner and caught a glimpse of my companion, confined inside of a structure of bars made of… metal. It was a cage— a cell to hold him in. While the [Djinn]’s back was turned, I waved at my companion, getting his attention. Haec’s eyes widened as he saw me.

“No response? Maybe I’ve overestimated even your intelligence. It is expected for a newborn to be ignorant, but as undiscerning as you?”

I backed up as Lucerna dropped something heavy loudly onto the ground. He turned back to Haec, strutting up to the cage.

“Think, [Fiend]. A rock can be used as a weapon, yet it has no Grade. No— only a weapon crafted with at least a modicum of skill and mastery would be qualified as a Low Grade Weapon. A simple mass produced sword by a low leveled [Blacksmith] wouldn’t ever get a Grade.”

My companion just stared up at the Greater Demon, staying silent. Lucerna scoffed, stepping back and away from him.

“My Burning Mace has been a useful weapon. A rather powerful weapon for being Low Grade. But even compared to this—”

The [Djinn] held up the Spear of Flames, admiring it against a crystal of light.

“To think someone was capable of magically creating such a weapon. It will last till the end of the Desolation, even as it degrades to below a Low Grade Weapon by then. Is it… is it perhaps the work of an Archdemon?”

He mused to himself before shaking his head. As he did this, I finally stepped into the room and ducked behind the cover of some tall rocks.

I poked my head out briefly, getting a full view of the room for once. There was a stack of cages to the right of the room, closest to me and where Haec was being held in. To the left was where Lucerna was standing, by a large table of stone with a pile of objects strewn all over. There were clumps of small items made of gold and silver; weapons of various shapes and sizes; and… other cloth things that seemed similar to what he wore— clothes?

I ducked my head back down as the [Djinn] looked back down. I kept my head low as I slowly edged around the side to more rocks, getting close to my companion. As I did, I caught a glimpse of what was at the end of the room. There was something drawn onto the ground. A black kind of ink forming a circle with symbols within— was it blood? I couldn’t really tell. But it was there.

Haec turned to me as I stopped a few rocks away from him. I gestured at him to remain quiet as the [Djinn] walked to the end of the room. There was something on the bars of his cage— something that I could tell was preventing him from just swinging it open. I gave him a look and he pointed towards a ringed object with a glistening object on it. It was a key.

I could sense the mana emanating off it. There was something about it that made it magical. And so was there something that made the cage magical. Well, there were a lot of magical things in the room, like the circle that was on the ground. But it was my companion’s insistent nodding that made me decide that the key was necessary to open the cage.

I started to the left side of the room, still keeping low and hoping that Lucerna didn’t see me. The Greater Demon was now standing over the circle, inspecting the symbols on it. The ringed object around his neck suddenly glowed. He nodded to himself.

“Well then, let’s see what contract there is for me.”

Lucerna tapped on the object and it stopped glowing. Suddenly, the circle flashed. I felt an immense amount of mana— more than I had ever felt before— tear into the ground. Then the symbols on it shift. It spun faster and faster, the circle seemingly sinking into the ground, until finally it stopped. The circle vanished, and in its place was suddenly an image.

The [Djinn] looked down at the image and I could almost hear him frown.

“What’s this? This is the contract that I had been offered? The sacrifice that I had come back here for? Ridiculous.”

I had just reached the table and was about to grab the key when he whirled around. I caught myself, ducking back into cover just time.

“Do they really believe that such a sacrifice is worthy of me. A Greater Demon? As if being a virgin makes a woman give any more experience or mana. No— I require more. A family, at least. And even that is an offering to a Lesser Demon. Or perhaps if she were higher leveled. But alas, it was a waste of time to come here. Come, [Fiend]. You get to meet your King sooner than expected.”

I panicked as I realized the [Djinn] was heading for the key. What do I do? He could discover me. And even if he didn’t discover me, he was going to just grab Haec and leave once again. Did I attack him once he let my companion go? I didn’t think things would go differently from last time if it came down to that. Luckily for me, I didn’t need to do anything as my companion spoke out, stopping him in his tracks.

“What are you going to do to me?”

The Greater Demon paused, just before the table. Then he turned around and started back in the direction of the cage. Haec must have realized my dilemma and was trying to distract him. This was my chance!

I got up and quickly grabbed the key before disappearing back behind the rocks as Lucerna stopped right in front of the cage.

“What am I going to do to you? Are you not listening, fool? I will take you to our King. And when you meet him, make sure that you’ve learned your lesson and address him with respect. King Regnorex is sure to reward me if I bring back even a single Lesser Demon— but if you prove your worthlessness by insulting him? You will be killed on the spot, and I shall be punished too.”

My companion didn’t respond immediately, which seemed to anger the [Djinn]. The Greater Demon banged once on the cage, rocking it and knocking the stack of cages behind him onto the ground.

“Do you understand? Or will I have to make you understand again?”

“...I understand.”

“Good.”

Lucerna left my companion and went back to the stone table. The moment he did, I leapt out from behind the rocks and started to fumble at the rocks with the key. I nodded at Haec to not say a word as I tried to get him out, as the Greater Demon was angrily muttering to himself.

“Now where did I leave it? I know I left it here somewhere—”

Click.

The key turned and the door swung open. But before that could happen— as I unlocked the cage— there was a sound. A sound that alerted the [Djinn]. He whirled around as I yelled.

“What’s—”

“Run!”

I threw the flame spike I had on my hand at Lucerna, aiming for his eyes. I wasn’t sure how, but I somehow knew how to throw it in a way that made it dart through the air faster than even I could move. He blinked then reached up to cover his face. But he was too slow. He screamed in pain as the small spike pierced into his eye.

“Aggggggggggghhhh!”

Haec burst out of the cage behind me, sprinting as fast as he could for the tunnel that would lead to the exit. He had a brief head start, but even then I caught up to him quickly enough. I grabbed him by the hand and pulled him as I ran ahead, trying to make him go faster.

A ball of ash flew over our heads, exploding right before the tunnel. I stopped just in time to avoid the impact of the blast. Even if I had healed somewhat, that would have still killed me. Before I could try to continue past the cloud of smoldering ash left behind from the attack, a large mace came crashing between me and my companion.

I rolled to the side, picking myself up as fast as I could while Haec rubbed at his bloodied arms.

“You—”

The Greater Demon grabbed his stone table, lifting the entire thing with everything still on it, and flung it at me.

“You dare come to my lair and attack me? I will make you pay!”

He backed up and almost stumbled onto the image on the ground. The [Djinn] caught himself and I narrowed my eyes. But before I could do anything, the table crashed to the side of me, just barely missing me.

He wasn’t able to see well— I had blinded him in one eye. If we wanted to escape… I spun to my companion.

“Go! I’ll catch up to you!”

“But—”

Haec stopped himself. He eyed me hesitantly, but eventually nodded. He ran for the door as the [Djinn] raced to stop him. I flung another two more fire spikes at the Greater Demon, stopping him as he successfully blocked his face this time.

Lucerna angrily turned his gaze to me. His one remaining eye was bulging with hatred, almost as if it was about to explode. He brought his spear to the ground, sending a line of burning smoke at me. I jumped over it, landing amongst the scattered pile of cages.

The Greater Demon sent more balls of ash at me, but I weaved between the cages. The accumulation of ash formed a light haze where I was. I grinned as my plan began to work.

“Where are you?!”

He bellowed, stopping after he sent one last ball of ash. It exploded, but this time, not anywhere close to me. I lowered my body behind some rocks, away from the cages. He wasn’t able to see me anymore, his vision too obscured by his own ash.

I saw Haec begin to turn the corner, finally reaching the tunnel. Lucerna’s gaze snapped to this and I threw a fire spike at him. The Greater Demon jumped back, having anticipated this. Then I leapt out of my cover, running across the room to my companion’s side—

The [Djinn] grinned.

“[Burning Haze].”

Smoke burst out in all directions around him. I was thrown back as the hot smoke burned my skin. I screamed as I felt the scalding heat exacerbate the wounds I had previously suffered. I collapsed to the ground, my vision a blur and ears ringing.

I thought I heard Haec call out to me, but everything was spinning. I struggled to get to my feet but a shadow loomed over me. I looked up and saw Lucerna raising my spear at me.

“Goodbye, imp.”

I saw the ash appear and begin to form a ball. My eyes widened and I almost went straight to what my instinct told me to do. [Double Step]! Get out of the way— no, I wouldn’t be able to get far enough to avoid the impact. The blast would still reach me. And if it didn’t kill me right off, whatever came next from him would.

There was a scream from behind me. My companion was shouting and running to help me. But he would be too slow. There was nothing I could do. I would die here. At least, that was what I thought until I looked between the [Djinn]’s legs.

Behind him was the image on the ground. The circle that became a hole. It was the reason he had come back here— except he didn’t think it was worth coming back over now. And when he almost fell into it, he panicked, even for just a moment.

I glanced back up at Lucerna, the ball of ash finally finished forming. Then back at my companion who was still halfway to me. Then I made my decision.

“[Double Step]!”

I pushed myself off the ground, charging forward at the Greater Demon. I struck him across the chest with all my shoulder, throwing my entire body behind it together with my increased speed. The [Djinn] went staggering back, losing his balance as I pushed him with what little strength I had.

There was a forced exhale as his ball of ash launched to the ceiling of the cave. He stumbled as he tried to regain his footing on the edge of the circle— and I ran into him once again, this time unaided by Skill. He slipped— and fell into the hole on the floor.

I wasn’t sure if it would work. I had no idea what it would do. But as the Greater Demon went falling into the hole, the image vanished and was replaced by a void of darkness. The ring around his neck flashed as he screamed at me.

I tried to back up— to get away from the hole before it would consume me too. But suddenly a hand grabbed me by the leg. I looked down, and to my horror, I saw Lucerna clutching at my leg.

He was pulling me with him. I tried to claw at the ground— stop myself from falling with him. But he was bigger than me. He was heavier than me. And he dragged me with him.

I went falling through the hole too. I tried to claw the Greater Demon’s hands off me, but he was laughing— cackling like crazy. [Fire Strike]! [Fire Strike]! [Fire Strike]! Eventually, he lost his grip. Then from the top of the hole, I heard a voice.

“Salvos grab my hand!”

I glanced up and saw Haec reaching for me. I tried to swim out of the darkness— out of the black ocean that was closing in on me. My companion reached out for me and I reached for him—

And the circle closed.

Everything went black. There was no more light. I felt like I was being born once again, stuck in an infinite void. I tried to break out of it. I swung my arms, scratching at the surface, but nothing broke. Nothing except for the silence in my head.

Now Leaving [Lair: Lucerna’s Lamp].

Now Leaving [Demon King’s Domain].

.

.

.

Now Leaving [Nexeus: Netherworld].

After those words came, there was nothing for a moment. Just a moment.

Then I heard a crack.

Now Entering [Nexeus: Mortal Realm].

I suddenly found myself on solid ground, bent over on my hands and knees. I was staring at a circle on the floor— a black circle with some red liquid spilling by my claws. I glanced up at the [Cultist] who was spreading his arms wide in a declaration.

“Oh mighty Lucerna! Greater Demon of the Netherworld! You’ve accepted this offering, and now we implore you—”

The man paused. He looked down at me, then looked past me. He blinked.

“Wait, why are there two of you?”

…

“Did we just get two for the price of one? Awesome!”

A note from MelasD

Looking for another fiction to read? Check out Shade Touched by Zat. I'm sure most of you have already heard of it, but it's still one of the best non-human MC's and SoL fantasies in all of RoyalRoad.

Here's Lucerna's Status if you're curious:

Lucerna would've killed Salvos with one or two good hits, barring [Burning Haze] as it is a weaker AOE Skill, similar to the [Fire Blast] Salvos has, but with a wider range and even less damage (if Salvos was at his level). It's a repulsion-type Skill used as a counter against fast moving enemies to knock them away, keeping them from getting close.

Lucerna

Species: [Greater Demon]

Subspecies: [Ghastly Djinn] - Lvl. 42

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 2

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Valued Gaze] - Lvl. 3

[Lesser Enhanced Strength] - Lvl. 2

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 71

[Strength]: 52 (+5)

[Endurance]: 40

[Wisdom]: 56

[Agility]: 36

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 7]

[Advanced Ash Conjuration] - Lvl. 3

[Basic Smoke Conjuration] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Burning Haze] - Lvl. 5

[Burning Plumes] - Lvl. 8

[Sphere of Ash and Cinder] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Iron Will] - Lvl. 6

[Passive - One-handed Weapon Proficiency] - Lvl. 2

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

Thank you for reading. If you want, you can donate to my patreon and read up to 12 Chapters ahead for Salvos and get access to 10 Chapters ahead for Melas, my other fic. Also, since this is the end of an arc, a rating or review would be greatly appreciated.

Click here to join my Discord

13. Awesome!

A note from MelasD

I finished my first 15 page paper yesterday and found a lot of free time on my hands. Since I don't play games any longer and I find writing Salvos to be meditative (see author's note here if you're curious about my reasoning), I decided to just bang out a chapter.

Don't expect another chapter until friday, but don't be surprised either if one drops before then.

13. Awesome!

I stared at the group of people gathered in front of me. They were people— but not Demons like me. They had pale, fleshy skin, with dark hooded robes covering most of their body. They were… Humans.

The lead Human stepped forward and I tensed.

[Cultist - Lvl. 45]

He was high leveled. Very high leveled. And I was exhausted— my entire body ached from having fought and ran nonstop since I had first encountered the [Djinn]. I did not get a moment of rest or [Rest] at all, and my health was running dangerously low. Fortunately for me, it didn’t seem like he was about to attack me.

The [Cultist] turned around, spreading his arms wide to address the others in the room with him.

“I told you all it would work! A virgin sacrifice. Yes, yes. Demons love it. That’s why we’ve been bestowed with two of them, and not just one!”

The other Humans— all of them were [Cultists] as well, just lower leveled— nodded their heads. They spoke hushed whispers, almost as though they were chanting some sort of praise to the lead Human.

Satisfied with their reaction, he turned around and approached me. I warily raised a claw as he pointed a finger at me, then past me. I followed it to see the [Djinn], Lucerna, bent over behind me staring at something in his hand.

“Great Lucerna— and your minion [Imp]— I have given you this sacrifice and accepted the terms of our contract, now I ask you to fulfill my bidding!”

The Greater Demon didn’t respond, continuing to look down at the object in the palm of his hands. I narrowed my eyes as I realized what it was. That’s… the ring around his neck? It had been glowing early— it shone when it sucked me in together with him to this place. But now, it was broken.

The [Cultist] went on, ignorant of this, as his followers bowed down together in sick reverence.

“You see, in the town of Dawnwind, there was this girl, Lucy. She was a pretty little thing who always knew how to steal a boy’s heart, but no boy could ever get her because they’d have to get the approval of her father, the [Baker]. And if you tried and failed, well, let’s just say you won’t be getting any bread for the rest of the year, which was actually really good. You know, he made this delicious cheese bread that…”

He trailed off, blinking as he realized he had lost his audience. Even his followers were giving him looks. The man cleared his throat and quickly turned back to face the [Djinn].

“Sorry, I went on a bit of a tangent. Anyways, as I was saying, Lucy would play with the feelings of all the boys in town, and I was one of them. Luckily for me, I had been an errand boy for the [Baker] and was able to get on his good side. I eventually worked up the courage to ask for his approval and I got it. I was elated! I was going to ask Lucy out the very next day, but…”

He took a deep breath as his brows arched darkly over his eyes.

“The next day, a group of Gold Ranked adventurers passed through our town led by the ‘mighty warrior’ Nolan, and Lucy fell for him! The [Baker] didn’t approve of this relationship, but she ran away with his party instead, leaving me behind and with a broken heart. Now, mighty Lucerna, I ask of you to destroy Nolan and his band of Adventurers. Make him pay for what he did to me!”

He made this declaration, dramatically pointing at the [Djinn] behind me. I wasn’t sure why I was listening to this man’s story. Perhaps it was because I was tired and this gave me a brief reprieve. But now, Lucerna finally moved. He stood up and I jumped back. I spun around, about to make a break for it.

But the [Cultists] were blocking my path! There were over a dozen of them, all within my level range. I couldn’t just get through all of them, especially if they expected me to kill this Nolan man like I had been asked to do. However, a voice spoke out from the side.

“Wait, Chris, didn’t you tell us that we were doing all this so we could get revenge on King Hale for the unfair tax he has put on us?”

The lead man, Chris, scoffed and folded his arms.

“Come on, did you really think that would work? A Greater Demon may be powerful, but there’s no way one can destroy an entire—”

A ferocious roar cut him off from behind. Lucerna turned an angry gaze towards me, smoke billowing out of his body as he pointed.

“You— you broke it! I will— I will—”

He didn’t even finish his sentence. There was nothing left there but hate in his one open eye. He had no words left to speak— only a guttural scream left his mouth. He swung at me with the Spear of Flames, but I backed out of the way. I whirled around and dashed past Chris to leave the room.

As I had expected, the lead man moved to block my way.

“Hey, what are you doing—”

I slashed my burning claws through his chest and he recoiled. Blood poured out of the wound as he staggered back, injured by the attack. I had expected him to do something to me, but he simply shouted.

“I said, I command you to—”

An explosion of smoke interrupted him. He erected a red barrier around him, stumbling back in confusion as Lucerna charged at me. He spun in the direction of the [Djinn] and raised a pointed object at him.

“Halt!”

Once again, his words did nothing and he was left with a confused look on his face. Then in frustration, he conjured a ball of fire and threw it at the Greater Demon.

“Obey me! Your contract obligates you to listen to my commands!”

The other [Cultists] huddled up beside the lead man, chanting with their hands held together. A crack opened on the ground just in front of Lucerna, forcing him to a halt as a wall of fire burst out. Chris shouted at the rest of his followers.

“Stop the [Imp]!”

Three [Cultists] moved to block my path. Light crackled between the fingers of the first and zapped in my direction. I dodged away from this electricity, meeting the other two as they raised their swords.

[Fire Strike]! [Fire Strike]! [Fire Strike]! [Fire—

I stopped myself as I realized two of the ones blocking me were lying on the floor and bleeding, and the last was stumbling away from me, clutching at his shoulder.

They were not dead just yet; I was about to finish them off for the experience when more ran at me from behind and I sent a [Fire Blast] at them, keeping them back. I backed up, finally reaching the only exit in the room as Chris was creating another ball of fire and aiming it at me. Then the wall of fire exploded.

The Greater Demon tore through the barrier blocking his path and roared. The lead man hurriedly turned his attention to the [Djinn] as three of his followers were crushed in a single swing.

My pursuers stopped, going back to help their allies as Lucerna rampaged through the [Cultists]. I saw this as my only chance— my opportunity to escape. Using the last of my energy, I sprinted out of the room and down a winding tunnel with [Double Step]. And I continued running and running as fast as I could, even as my feet bled and my body screamed for me to stop, I continued to run.

I burst out of the cave, into a dark and cold world, escaping into a dense group of brown and green protrusions from the ground. I ran and ran until only these trees surrounded me, but I did not stop even as the words no longer filled my head. With one last [Double Step], I broke into a small opening within the forest and collapsed.

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 19]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 23]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Cult Acolyte - Lvl. 20]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Cult Leader - Lvl. 45]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 16] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 17]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 17] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 18]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Bonus Stats is awarded for the following feats:

Surviving at near death for a prolonged period of time!

+2 [Vitality]

Performing feats of strength far greater than your physical limits!

+2 [Strength]

Showing physical and magical durability even when stamina and mana are depleted!

+2 [Endurance]

“...huh.”

Then everything went black.

—--

It was an odd feeling, passing out. I had been awake ever since I was born, but for the very first time, I lost my consciousness. I didn't even know I was physically capable of doing that, but apparently I was.

So when I woke up, I was confused. Extremely confused at why everything went dark, and extremely confused at the blue sky overhead. Where was I? What happened?

It took me a moment to regain a sense of my surroundings. I last remembered leveling up— gaining additional Stat Points— and collapsing. But before that I had been…

Haec.

I jumped to my feet, glancing around for my companion. He wasn’t here, of course. He had been at the Lair— Lucerna’s Lamp. And that had been in the Demon King’s Domain, which was in the Netherworld. And I? I wasn’t in the Netherworld anymore.

I was currently in the Mortal Realm— wherever that was. And all around me were things I had never seen before; things I intuitively knew, but had never actually known about it before now. It was like seeing a rock again for the first time, except so much more.

There were trees, there was grass, there was dirt. There were clouds in the sky, and above that, a bright source of light that shone down brighter than the red sky of the Netherworld ever had— the sun. It was too much information to process all at once, so I stood there for a moment, just taking it all in.

Then I heard a sound— a rustling of the bushes. I snapped my gaze at the source of the noise, only to see tiny winged creatures flapping their wings and flying off to the sky. Birds. I felt my shoulders sag as I realized that it wasn’t the [Djinn] catching up to me.

If it had been Lucerna, I would have to run as fast as I could once again; I didn’t have a chance of defeating him as I was now. Even though I had leveled twice, I would still be less than half his levels. And that was assuming he had not leveled from slaughtering those Humans.

I slowly sat down on the dirt ground, feeling myself relax as I decided to distribute my Skill and Stat Points, since no one was actively coming after me.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 10]

[Vitality]: 20

[Strength]: 14

[Endurance]: 22

[Wisdom]: 26

[Agility]: 42

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 6]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 8

[Double Step] - Lvl. 5

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 4

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 2

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

First thing I noticed that my [Vitality], [Strength], and [Endurance] was indeed higher than it had been before; the feats I did— running, fighting at the brink of death, and overpowering the Greater Demon briefly— seemed to have been what determined the boost in Stat Points.

Regardless, I was already quite fast, so I decided to only raise my [Agility] by 3 Stat Points this time, while putting 4 into [Wisdom] to further raise my attack power. I split the remaining 3 evenly between [Vitality], [Strength], and [Endurance], deciding that it didn’t hurt to have those raised, even after their increase.

As for my Skill Points, I added 2 to [Basic Fire Creation], thinking that it would have been maxed out at Level 10, but was surprised to find that I could raise it even more. Hesitantly, I added another Skill Point to it, before adding 1 Skill Point to [Double Step] and [Fire Blast], saving the last Skill Point for any future needs.

With that settled, I got back up and looked around. I was in a strange place— a different… world? Somehow, that didn’t seem completely right, even if it was technically correct. This wasn’t the Netherworld. This wasn’t where I had been born, I could tell that much.

But even though I had no real attachment to the Netherworld itself, I still left my companion behind to himself.

This was a new world: a new place for me. And while I was curious about it— while I wanted to explore it, like I had done in the Netherworld— I had a reason to go back. So as the wind blew at my face and I took in my surroundings, I made my decision.

I need to find a way back to the Netherworld!

A note from MelasD

As always, a rating is greatly appreciated.

14.1. Wolves?

A note from MelasD

Part 2 will be up in an hour or so. No more extra chapters until Saturday. I wrote some chapters because I had the time over the weekend, now I don't have any more free time. When my Finals are over, my real and regular schedule begins.

14.1. Wolves

Find a way back to the Netherworld.

I made the decision to return to Haec— somehow find my companion who was deep inside the Demon King’s Domain. I had to cross planes to this; somehow carry out the same ritual that the [Cultists] did to bring myself and Lucerna over here. But right now, I was chasing butterflies.

“Ooo!”

I watched as the insect with brightly colored wings flitted over to a flower and rested on it for a moment. It stuck its proboscis deep within the petals until it was satisfied, before flying off to another bush. I started after it but paused as I passed by a small tree and saw something moving on the leaves.

“Looks like mini Demons!”

I observed, peering at the squishy blobs crawling over the leaf surface. These larvae were not nearly as colorful as the [Demon Larvae] I had met in the Netherworld— they were mostly green, like the color of the leaves. Was it to disguise themselves from any wild Demons? Or rather, wild butterflies that would try and kill them to level?

I wasn’t entirely sure, but it was interesting to think about. After a while of staring at these larvae crawl along, I eventually got bored and walked away. I glanced up as a white cloud covered the sun in the sky, casting a brief shadow over me as the wind blew at my face.

“Why is the sky blue? Shouldn’t it be red?”

I wondered aloud, continuing through the forest bursting with life. I had hoped my voice would attract someone— anyone— to me; perhaps they would be able to tell me the way back to the Netherworld, as I had no idea where to even start.

And it was not like making a lot of noise was dangerous. I had been careful at first to be as quiet as possible— to not attract any wild Demons to me. I didn’t know the level of the Demons in the area, and it would be bad if they were all Greater Demons that wanted to capture or kill me like Lucerna had been. However, not only have I not encountered any Demons thus far, nothing here seemed interested in attacking me.

And on the flip side, nothing here seemed interested in answering my question.

I looked back down, staring ahead through the endless thicket of trees all around me; I had no directionality— I was more lost than I had been in the Netherworld. There, everything looked the same to me so there was nothing to be confused about. But here, everything kept changing— nothing seemed the same, which made me think I was at a different place, but I couldn’t even be sure of that.

Sighing, I collapsed to the floor and spread my arms open wide. I saw a bird soaring through the sky above me— but I had no interest in it anymore. I had already chased after one until the bright blue sky became a dark blue sky, before it became a bright blue sky again. Speaking of which…

“Why does the sky keep changing colors? First it’s blue, then it’s orange, then it's blue again but darker, then it’s orange again but more red, then it’s blue again— can’t it stick to one?!”

The sky of the Netherworld never once changed its hue, even though I had been there for a long time. I had been here for a short amount of time, but it had already changed a dozen different times!

I didn’t— I couldn’t— understand this Mortal Realm. It was a complete mystery to me. And while that would be enough to pique my curiosity most of the time— and it had for a bit— I was currently looking for a way to leave this place. Maybe once I found a way to do that, I could return with Haec and properly explore and try to understand everything here.

I exhaled deeply once again, an act I knew meant I was frustrated.

“Can’t somebody help me?!”

I called out, my voice echoing through the suddenly empty forest. I looked around and saw no one approach— no one answered my call. I waited for a moment before getting up.

“Maybe this place just has no intelligent people.”

I paused, remembering the Human [Cultists] that had brought me here.

“Or maybe no one likes me.”

I corrected myself with a click of my claws. I was just about to start in a random direction, hoping that it would lead me somewhere, when I heard a sound from behind me.

It was a light sound. A very soft sound. It was like the rustling of the leaves that came whenever a strong wind came pushing at me— except, the wind was gone. I narrowed my eyes and turned around.

“Who’s there?”

I saw a slight movement from a bush— an almost glowing eye sink back into the darkness— before the leaves fell to the ground and three figures stepped out from it.

[Dark Wolf - Lvl. 18]

[Dark Wolf - Lvl. 17]

[Dark Wolf - Lvl. 23]

These creatures— these wolves— looked almost like [Hellhounds]. But they were smaller, and they had a coat of fur dark colored covering their body. They growled at me and took a step forward closer to me.

I raised my hands up defensively and spoke out.

“I don’t want to fight you. If you can speak, just tell me where I can find the Netherworld and I’ll leave you alone.”

It was probably a stupid thing to say; I had already noted these [Dark Wolves] similarities to the wild Demons back in the Netherworld. And yet, they were still not completely the same, which was why I tried to talk— wild Demons had no… sex, but these creatures did.

Nevertheless, these creatures still didn’t back down. They approached me slowly, encroaching around me from all sides. They weren’t like the wild Demons that came at me without thought— these monsters could think and coordinate. And they were all around my level or higher. This would be a dangerous fight. I might have to run if they overwhelm me—

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 18]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 17]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Hunter Dark Wolf - Lvl. 23]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

“Huh.”

I blinked as I lowered my hands.

“That was easy.”

I remarked as the magical flames left my claws, leaving a searing cut across the wolves’ corpses. I looked down at the blood on my hands— red blood— and flicked it off. Why is the blood red? I mused to myself, but dismissed the thought. Blood is blood, doesn’t matter what color it is.

It still meant I had killed a thing— or hurt them, at least— although these [Dark Wolves] were almost certainly dead. I wondered why they were so weak— in fact, I was expecting those [Cultists] to be stronger when I fought them, but even the Level 45 [Cult Leader] was hurt from a single [Fire Strike]. He seemed like the type to neglect [Vitality] in favor of [Wisdom], but still— I did not expect to damage him as much as I did.

I shrugged and continued on my way, in search of… anything, really.

14.2. Wolves?

A note from MelasD

This is part 2 of Chapter 14.

Looking for something good to read? You should check out Beneath the Dragoneye Moon by Selkie! It's updated three times a week with over 70 chapters now! It's a great isekai/adventure litrpg. The author helped me out a ton with the litrpg aspect of Salvos, and I wouldn't still be writing a litrpg if not for him. Make sure to check it out and give it a rating! There's also an ebook out on Amazon if you're interested in that!

14.2. Wolves?

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 14]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Stalker Dark Wolf - Lvl. 20]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

General Skill [Basic Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 3] -> [Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 18] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 19]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

These [Dark Wolves] won’t stop coming.

I sat on a rock, letting go of the small fire spike I had created as it dissipated into nothing. Wisps of ember were carried away by the light breeze, extinguishing whatever remained of the temporary crude weapon.

I finally leveled [Basic Mana Manipulation] again. It had been a while since it last gained a level— was it because of my use of [Basic Fire Creation]? The two seemed intrinsically tied, considering I had used the former to gain the basis of the latter. I shook my head as I decided to distribute my Skill and Stat Points.

[Available Stat Points: 5]

[Vitality]: 21

[Strength]: 15

[Endurance]: 23

[Wisdom]: 30

[Agility]: 45

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 4]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 11

[Double Step] - Lvl. 6

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 2

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

I decided to give [Endurance] and [Wisdom] 2 Stat Points each, giving the remaining 1 Stat Point to [Agility]. As for my Skill Points, I gave 1 Skill Point to both [Fire Blast] and [Passive - General Tool Proficiency].

I didn’t put as much thought into it as I usually did; these [Dark Wolves] really were not that much of a threat to my life. I might have to decide on some sort of a basic distribution for the future, when I didn’t feel like I was lacking in anything specifically. But for now, I just raised what I felt was right.

I got up from the rock, walking past the half a dozen bodies strewn all around me. It was dark now, the sun had set and it was now night. I had been encountering these [Dark Wolves] all day and only now did I level. It seemed to me that even though these monsters were far weaker than the wild Demons in the Netherworld despite being the same level, they gave out far less experience too.

It wasn’t something I was explicitly told, but something I had inferred from fighting them. If these had all been [Hellhounds] of the same level— I’d probably be Level 21 or higher by now.

But it was good that these weren’t [Hellhounds]. Even though I wasn’t gaining as much experience, I was not taking as much damage either. I had only been struck a few times in all these encounters, and none of their attacks dealt as significant damage as [Hellhounds] did. That was not to mention the [Arachne] which probably could have killed me in two hits back when I fought it, or the [Gadarenes] which were slower but stronger than the [Hellhounds].

I did take damage though; that was why I had stopped to sit for a moment. I needed to [Rest] to heal the accumulation of cuts and scratches I had taken from these [Dark Wolves]. I was once again about to start heading in a random direction when I heard a light growl.

I spun around, expecting to be pounced at, only to see a smaller, lighter wolf baring its teeth. It— she— howled in my direction, but stayed back, never once trying to attack me. I cocked my head.

[Wolf]

She… had no levels? No— she wasn’t a [Dark Wolf] either. But why couldn’t I see her levels? I wanted to approach her and ask her the question, but the moment I opened my mouth, she whimpered, turned tail, and ran away.

“Wait, don’t go—”

I paused as I heard another, louder growl coming from behind me. I whirled around and this time, I was faced with a [Dark Wolf]. He was larger than the ones I had encountered previously, and he had a keen look in his eyes that almost seemed to challenge me. He came with a dozen others, following him from behind.

[Dark Wolf - Lvl. 30]

He seemed like a leader. A pack leader. And he was furious.

His gaze glazed over the dead [Dark Wolves] surrounding me, before snapping in my direction. I tensed, raising my hands up and creating two fire spikes.

“They attacked me first. Like wild Demons!”

I tried to argue, but he didn’t care. He stepped forward and howled, raising his head up to the night sky illuminated by the dim light of the moon. His pack charged at me all at once.

I threw my two spikes at the oncoming monsters. I backed up, sending two [Fire Blasts] at once.

Defeated [Hunter Dark Wolf - Lvl. 21]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 15]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

The [Dark Wolves] encroached on me, surrounding me from all sides. They leapt at me all at once and I jumped into the air above them. I spun over the head of one of the leaping wolves and clawed its back as flames wisped off my sharp claws.

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 17]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I landed nimbly on the ground as the monsters turned, and sent another [Fire Blast] at them.

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 12]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 14]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

The rest charged me as I created another, longer sharp blade of fire. I stepped to the side and slashed my blade across the thick pelt of a [Dark Wolf]—

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 13]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

And whirled around to jam the fire dagger through the face of another.

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 15]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

One struck me from behind as another tried to jump on me. She snapped at my face as I held her maws back with my claws. I aimed at her neck. [Fire Strike]!

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 14]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I pushed the body off me as blood splashed across my face and grabbed the other [Dark Wolf] before he could pounce on me, before hurling him at another charging wolf. I threw two small balls of fire at them as they tried to get up, only killing one.

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 12]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Before I was scratched across the chest. I stumbled back as the [Dark Wolf] yanked his claws off me. I whirled around and struck it across the face without a Skill.

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 10]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

These ones were low leveled! But still, they overwhelmed me. And there was still the pack leader—

I found myself staggering forward as a black blur pounced one me. The pack leader swung two rapid shadowed claws at me. I parried the first but was knocked back by the second, black blood pouring out of the wound on my face.

The pack leader stepped forward, his last two remaining pack members behind him. One was injured with a limp, while the other had not been hurt at all. I felt my eyes burning as I created two more fire daggers.

“Is this the last of your pack?”

I asked him as I backed up while the three spread out around me.

“That’s why they’re so low leveled, isn’t it? I killed the rest of your pack.”

He didn’t respond. Of course he didn’t. He stared at me with a hate filled gaze. But I grinned.

“You shouldn’t have sent them after me in the first place. That’s why they’re all dead. And that’s why you will all be dead.”

The pack leader barked and was about to rush me with his two last pack members, when suddenly a figure burst out from the bushes. The wolf from earlier returned and pounced onto the injured [Dark Wolf]. The instant I saw this happen, I turned to the other pack member to my right.

[Double Step]!

I rushed forward, jamming both my daggers to the side of the monster’s head. She struggled for a moment, trying to bite at me, but I brought my claw one last time and finished her off. The pack leader leapt at me from behind, letting off a guttural howl.

I whirled around and knocked him back with a small ball of fire. He got up, body turning black once again as his speed increased. I didn’t need to track where he went. I sent a [Fire Blast], knocking him back and the darkness off him.

The pack leader picked himself up but I was on him in a moment. I knocked one of his shadowed claws to the side countered with my own [Fire Strike]. My claws dug into his skin but I didn’t just shear through. I closed my hands, gripping into his body as I pulled myself into him.

He landed one last hit on me, drawing blood, as I pulled myself on top of him. I grasped myself firmly on his back and produced a fire dagger with a serrated edge. I slashed the magically created weapon across his neck, cutting open his skin. It didn’t dig all the way through but that was enough. Raising my claws up, I struck it down with a [Fire Strike], tearing into the [Dark Wolf]’s neck slowly as he struggled underneath me, until finally…

Defeated [Alpha Dark Wolf - Lvl. 30]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 19] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 20]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I collapsed to the ground, exhausted and injured. I lay there for a moment, letting [Rest] take over me as the wolf that came to help me walked off from the last [Dark Wolf]’s corpse.

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 13]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I looked at her with a defiant gaze.

“Do you want to fight too, huh?”

I challenged her, but then she lowered her head and her body, almost… gratefully? I wasn’t sure how intentional the gesture was— did she even know about how Haec and I would nod at each other? I didn’t think so. But I still interpreted this action this way.

“These [Dark Wolves] were threatening you, weren’t they?”

I smiled as the wolf simply looked up to me, panting with her tongue sticking out. I nodded at her.

“Well, it’s no problem— they were attacking me too, so I beat them. That’s all. But if you could help me, do you know where I can find the way back to the Netherworld?”

She stopped panting and stood up. I was expecting her to start leading me somewhere, but she simply stared at me.

“Oh, you don’t.”

I deflated, feeling my shoulders sag. I sighed, before giving one last attempt at speaking to her.

“Do you at least know where I can find someone who does?”

She didn’t react at first. In fact, she started walking around in circles with her face to the floor— something which greatly confused me. Finally, she stopped and she turned to her left, her gaze sharpening as it faced a thinner thicket of trees. Then she howled.

“Why are you howling? Is that— can I find someone who can help me there?”

The wolf barked once, before she ran off. I stared at her as she went, then looked back at the direction she had pointed out. I shrugged.

“I don’t really have anywhere else to go, so I guess I’ll trust you. Thanks!”

I waved at her as she left and she stopped. She looked back at me once, before disappearing back into the forest. I stayed there for a moment, healing up and distributing my Stat Points and Skill Points. Finally, when I was ready, I headed into the thin thicket of trees.

A note from MelasD

An experimental fight scene. Hopefully I did it well. As always a rating is appreciated and you can read up to 12 chaps ahead on my patreon.

15.1. An Attack

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2. Finals finally over. Next part up in an hour or two.

15.1. An Attack

Salvos

Species: [Lesser Demon]

Subspecies: [Zelus Imp] - Lvl. 20

General Skills:

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 4

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 21

[Strength]: 16

[Endurance]: 26

[Wisdom]: 33

[Agility]: 48

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 11

[Double Step] - Lvl. 8

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 7

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 3

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

The sun was rising up into the sky by the time I saw the opening beyond the trees; I had fully healed after some [Rest], and had already distributed my Stat and Skill Points accordingly, before going down the way the wolf directed me in. I wasn’t sure at first if she understood me, but now that I could see the dirt path ahead, I knew she did.

I stopped right by the edge of the trees as I saw some figures moving through a road. They were [Traders]! Humans!

“How has it been two months since those invasive Dusk Wolves came to Falisfield, and not a single adventurer has taken them out yet!”

“Can’t blame them. They tore up the last two parties sent to exterminate them. [Dark Wolves], I hear. Not as dangerous as their [Shadow Wolf] evolution, but still— there has to be dozens of them around the area!”

“Silvers. Don’t they know they’ve gotta earn their pay if they wanna move up to Gold or Platinum?”

“If they’re Gold, they wouldn’t even be anywhere near our country— let alone Platinum. Most of our Gold Ranked adventurers are already hired out by the Inoria Empire and Elutra Kingdom because of their war, remember? Any adventurer with a brain would stay away from Nixa and go straight there.”

“Why’re they hiring adventurers again?”

“To protect their towns and cities from monster attacks. All their soldiers and able bodied men are at the front lines, so they have to rely on adventurers to protect their citizens.”

“Bah, of course. And it’s not like the stupid [King] is doing anything to draw them here— what’s the point of all this tax if he’s not even going to secure our roads?!”

“There, there.”

The second [Trader] leaned over and patted the shoulder of the first, as the first grumbled under his breath. I waited for a moment, following right in between the two wooden vehicles pulled by those brown animals as they trotted along at a meandering pace. When the lull in the conversation seemed like it would last, I finally decided to speak up.

“Hey!”

“Hm?”

The second [Trader] pulled his hand back from the first— who still had his face buried in his knees— and turned around. He blinked, before his face immediately paled. He failed to work his jaw as he pointed at me and hurriedly tapped the other man’s shoulder.

“D-D-D-D-D-D—”

“Do you know where I can find my way to the Netherworld?”

I eyed the second [Trader] as three quarters of his body was reaching out of his wagon, trying even harder to get the attention of the first [Trader].

“What? Huh? D-D-D-what? The Nether-what? What are you two talking about?”

The first [Trader] finally turned around, shrugging off the constant tapping of the second [Trader]. He stared at me with a narrowed gaze, then his face lit up in comprehension.

“Oh. I get what you mean now.”

I brightened as he took a deep breath.

“You mean you know where the Netherworld is?”

He screamed.

“Deeeeeeeeeeeemmmoooonnnnn!”

I jumped back, startled by the sudden shout. Was that some sort of battle cry? Was he trying to attack me? I created two fire daggers and warily raised my arms as the [Traders] jumped off the side of their wagons.

The first [Trader] was Level 16 while the second was Level 25. If they try to flank me from both sides, I’ll rush the first with [Double Step] and—

Blinking, I lowered my hands as I watched the two [Traders] scurry away on foot. They fled down the road, screaming and shouting as they abandoned their horses and carts behind.

“I knew it! That bitch has finally snapped and summoned a Demon to kill me—”

“I don’t want to die! I don’t want to fucking die—”

I was about to chase after them— I would have very easily caught up to the two. But I stopped myself as their words slowly sunk into my head.

“...did they think I was attacking them?”

That made no sense: if I had wanted to attack them, I would have just done so and they would be dead. Yet, that was the only thing that I could infer from the way they reacted and the things they said. So I was perplexed by this.

I slowly walked forward past the wagon, annoyed that the only people I met that could talk ran away from me. Then I paused and turned back to the horses just standing there.

“Do you know the way to the Netherworld?”

They just snorted and kicked some dirt with their hooves.

“Didn’t think so.”

A note from MelasD

As always, a rating would be appreciated.

15.2. An Attack

A note from MelasD

This is part 2 of 2 for Chapter 15.

Are you bored? Looking for something to read now that your Finals are over? Or do you just have spare time over the holidays? Then check out Barkept by Turkeyblock! It is from the same author who wrote Tethered, and someone who gave me some good advice when I was outling Salvos. It's a litrpg Slice of Life story with a rather interesting premise: the MC is a [Barkeeper]! Any lover of the Slice of Life genre or fans of The Wandering Inn should check it out!

15.2. An Attack

I followed the dirt road all the way down, hoping that I would run into more people. And I did. But every single one of them reacted in the same way the first two [Traders] did, which left me even more irritated.

I folded my arms, fire daggers still in hand as it did not cost me anything to keep them there— mana was expended when they were created, so I might as well have had it on me until they dissipated. Is this some sort of Human thing? Do all Humans act like this when they meet a Demon?

That wasn’t true, of course— I knew it wasn’t true myself. I had met those [Cultists], and they showed no fear towards me or even Lucerna. In fact, they were so fearless that they still kept trying to order him around when he was killing them all. But perhaps that was just an isolated incident— an… outlier?

I didn’t entirely parse this concept, but I could see it somewhat. I saw myself as an outlier too— distinct from all the other Demons I had met so far. Even Haec was not the same as me, and this applied especially to the wild Demons. Maybe that was why Humans were so scared of me: they thought I was a wild Demon.

I shook my head, deciding that the first thing I would do when I saw the next Human was explain that I wasn’t a wild Demon. Then they wouldn’t run from me and would be able to tell me how I could go back to the Netherworld.

Determined to make myself heard by the next person I saw, I hurried down the road in search of someone. That was until I saw those tall structures in the distance.

Things made of stone and wood rose up from the ground above the trees. It was a monument— no, a wall. A large wall that encircled even more structures made of stone and wood within. Buildings.

This was… a city? Or was it a town? For some reason, I wasn’t entirely certain. My intuition told me it was one or the other as the definitions weren’t so concrete.

Either way, seeing a city for the first time distracted me long enough to not notice the group of Humans gathered around the front of it.

“...and are you sure what you saw was an [Imp]? Our reports indicate that a large Demon was the one responsible for destroying Fairdale.”

“Yes, yes! It was an [Imp]! It was swinging two bloody daggers wildly as it chased after me— look there it is!”

The Human in metal armor looked up and nearly dropped his spear. He reached for it in a panic and whirled around as he shouted at more armored Humans.

“Demon! A Demon is attacking Silvergrove! Sound the alarm! Call the guild to send adventurers!”

I tried running up to the group of Humans as the [Trader] I had spooked earlier screamed and ran into the city. I waved my hands in the air as I called out to them.

“Hi! Stop shouting— I’m Salvos, an [Imp] trying to find her way back to the Netherworld. I am not a wild Demon, so you don’t need to worry. I will not attack you… why are you still shouting?!”

I narrowed my eyes and halted in my step as the man with the spear pointed it at me.

“Stay away Demon!”

[Warrior - Lvl. 28]

I tried nodding at the man to defuse the situation. I walked slowly towards him, speaking slowly.

“I will not attack you unless you attack me. So if you will just help me—”

He jabbed the spear in my direction and I parried it.

“Fine then!”

I stepped forward and dipped down under his followup strike. He backed up as other armored Humans ran to his aid. I pointed at them, sending a [Fire Blast] to keep them back. I rushed up to the [Warrior] and raised a dagger.

“[Piercing—”

[Fire Strike]. I swung the dagger down, slicing his spear in half. He recoiled as the wooden shaft splintered, before I jammed my claw through his stomach. He doubled over as I was about to finish him.

“[Power Shot]!”

I glanced up as I saw a glinting projectile zip at me. I dodged my head out of the way just in time as the arrow whizzed past my face, only slightly grazing my cheek. I easily moved out of the way of three more slower arrows as the armored men on the walls loosed shots at me.

I eyed the Human who had managed to hit me.

[Archer - Lvl. 21]

He nocked another arrow on the strings of a curved piece of wood. He pulled the bowstrings back—

And screamed as a fire dagger stuck out of his shoulder. He collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain as I knocked another armored man charging at me away, before two more tried stabbing at me. I ducked under their spears, bending forward as I noticed a glow just ahead.

[Mage - Lvl. 18]

[Double Step]. I ran straight at the woman conjuring a sphere of sparks, striking her across the face and dispersing the magical attack. She let out a guttural scream as I kicked her away, flipping through the air and landing on the back of a spearman with a [Fire Strike] infused step.

The man groaned as I got off him, grinning at how easily it had been going. There was a dozen of them and I had barely taken any damage. And now I had already taken down five of them, leaving only—

I frowned as I counted the number of Humans I was now engaged with. There weren't this many before, was there? And then I saw more coming, pouring out of the walls and the gates of the city.

[Warrior - Lvl. 15]

[Warrior - Lvl. 17]

[Warrior - Lvl. 13]

[Warrior - Lvl. 10]

[Warrior - Lvl. 12]

[Archer - Lvl. 13]

[Archer - Lvl. 11]

[Archer - Lvl. 16]

[Archer - Lvl. 13]

[Mage - Lvl. 10]

[Mage - Lvl. 12]

And that wasn’t just it either. I looked past these uniformly dressed Humans, at the small but separate groups of Humans coming over wearing vibrant clothing and armor.

“Adventurers! It’s time to protect Silvergrove! The one who kills the Demon gets 50 gold coins!”

[Warrior - Lvl. 25]

[Warrior - Lvl. 16]

[Archer - Lvl. 23]

[Mage - Lvl. 17]

[Warrior - Lvl. 14]

[Rogue - Lvl. 12]

[Archer - Lvl. 14]

[Mage - Lvl. 16]

Wha— where did all these Humans come from? There are so many of them! I created a ball of fire as my gaze warily swept over all the new enemies coming at me. Can I even win—

My thoughts were interrupted as a blast of electricity knocked me back. I staggered away from the man I was standing over, feeling my body seize up momentarily. I quickly regained control over myself as I glared at the [Mage] who did that.

[Mage - Lvl. 18]

Huh? How is she standing? Didn’t I almost kill her—

I saw the glint coming once again, and this time parried the arrow as it came at me. My gaze snapped at the Level 21 [Archer] as he rubbed at his shoulder. Why isn’t he bleeding anymore? Where is my fire dagger?

“[Piercing Blow]!”

I leapt back just in time to avoid most of the damage from the attack. The spearhead barely cut into my shoulder, but I felt more black blood pouring out of the wound than there should have been.

I looked up at the [Warrior]— the first man that I had left dying on the ground— as he drew his spear back. He held up a vial of red liquid and poured it over the back of the man I had been standing over. My eyes widened as the burn marks on the man’s skin disappeared.

“Take it easy, that’s all I can spare for now.”

I stared in horror as the man got up, almost completely uninjured, before picking up his spear and aiming at me again. I glanced around at all the Humans— at all the people I had nearly killed but were now somehow no longer injured— and had a thought.

“Hold back— it’s fast! Wait until captain Nathan gets here. He’s Level 50—”

[Double Step]!

I spun around and made a break for it.

“Don’t let it escape!”

I weaved around the arrows and spells that flew over my shoulder, grasping at the wounds I had taken. That was unfair! Why wasn’t I able to heal myself like that? And a Level 50 Human too? There was no way I would win that fight!

I scowled as I activated the speed Skill once again, easily putting more distance between me and my pursuers. I craned my neck around, watching as the last of them disappeared behind the trees, unable to keep up with me.

I only stopped running when I noticed the sky change color again; it was now orange, soon to be dark blue. I collapsed to the ground with a thud, scaring a small gray animal into some bushes away from me. I eyed the hare as it ran far away from me and sprawled myself on the dirt.

“At least you aren’t attacking me, right?”

I sighed as I felt [Rest] take over, slowly healing my injuries over time. I lay there for a moment, thinking back about the events of the day: I had been overpowered and forced to flee… again. I had to survive, so I did what I had to do. But it was annoying— having to run away from people stronger than me.

So I sat up and dug a claw into the earth.

“If they aren’t going to tell me where the Netherworld is and attack me instead— fine! I will just have to make them tell me.”

And all I had to do to achieve that was become stronger than them.

16. Not Rocks

A note from MelasD

It's the holidays! Got time to read some new stories? Ever heard of /r/redditserials? It's a subreddit hosting various web serials which you can read there! It isn't too big relative to RoyalRoad, but due to the niche of it, the quality of stories there are quite high if I have to say so myself. Here are some you should definitely check out:

This Quest is Bullshit! (Comedy, litrpg) Yep. You read that right. One of the best comedies on RoyalRoad by Nixia is also being crossposted on redditserials, so if that doesn't attest to the sub's quality, I don't know what will.

The Extramundane Emancipation of Geela, Evil Sorceress at Large (Comedy, fantasy). Speaking of comedies, here's a really good one by OpheliaCyanide you can find there! It's also available on RoyalRoad, and again, it's rather highly rated here.

Sparks of Divinity (Isekai, Reincarnation) or The Library (Isekai, Fantasy) or anything by Inorai, really. She writes good stuff.

There are tons of other good stories there. Hallowed by Rosefae. A Fractured Song by Vren. Dragon's Scion or anything by Hydrael. Magpie Wizard by DB Fassbinder. Runes and Brews by Congra. And many more!

And of course, you can read Salvos on there too, if that tickles your fancy.

Otherwise, take a look around the subreddit. All the stories there are high quality, except maybe mine!

16. Not Rocks

I wandered the forest as the colors in the sky changed; I was getting used to such a sight now. I had been fascinated by this day-night cycle at first, but now I realized how predictable it was. If there had been any variances between the amount of time it took for day or night to change— it was too minute for me to notice.

Also, I was rather preoccupied.

Defeated [Green Stag - Lvl. 24]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 20] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 21]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I retracted my claw from the monster’s back, letting go of his horns as I limply rolled away from his corpse. I lay on the grassy floor, spreading my arms wide as I started my [Rest].

This wasn’t the first monster I had killed— if he was, I wouldn’t have leveled just from defeating him. No— there was an entire herd of them which tossed me around and charged me no matter what I did. Fire? Why would they be scared of that? They ran straight through it and rammed me no matter what I did.

They were relentless. So eventually, I resorted to jumping on their backs to make them hit each other. It worked out to my favor somehow; they were not apprehensive about killing their own at all to get to me. I gained less experience from doing that, but I managed to survive and even level.

I sat up, evaluating my Skills and Stats.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 5]

[Vitality]: 21

[Strength]: 16

[Endurance]: 26

[Wisdom]: 33

[Agility]: 48

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 5]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 11

[Double Step] - Lvl. 8

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 7

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 3

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

I had thought about it for a while: distributing different Skill and Stat Points every single time became a hassle when it wasn’t absolutely necessary. So for my next few levels, all I would raise was [Endurance] by 2 Stat Points, [Wisdom] by 2 Stat Points, and [Agility] by 1 Stat Points. And as for my Skills, I would evenly split all 3 Skill Points I gained from leveling between [Basic Fire Creation], [Double Step], and [Fire Blast].

I would keep doing this until my Stat and Skill Points were needed elsewhere or for some other reason. For now, I did just that before resuming my leveling session. It wasn’t progressing as quickly as I hoped; I would have to defeat dozens of monsters around my level to even gain a single level. And if that was the only issue, I wouldn’t have cared as much, because the real problem wasn’t the danger but—

My head snapped to the side as I heard a crunch. I stared at the deer as she stepped over some twigs and fallen tree branches, breaking them with her hooves. I felt my lips drawing to a frown.

The real problem is that there’s no monsters!

When I had been in the Netherworld, wild Demons were all over the place. Wherever I went, I would eventually encounter a wild Demon or a group of them. Even when I was searching for wild Demons in the Demon King’s Doman— they were far more rare there, but still more plentiful than the monsters here.

I narrowed my eyes as I watched the deer— or [Deer]— hop over some rocks and into a thicket. Maybe I could gain experience from… But no. She had no levels, which I found to be incredibly odd. She was almost like a rock: no levels or interest to gain levels. I wondered why that was— maybe animals are just moving rocks. I paused, then looked at a tree to my left. Are trees like rocks too?

I walked up the tree, carefully inspecting it for a moment, until I felt a light drip of cold liquid fall on my back. I glanced around trying to find the source of what I thought was blood. Then I blinked as something splashed on my face, before placing a clawed finger to wipe the clear liquid away. This is… water?

Suddenly there was more water falling down on me. At first, it was only a few drops, but it quickly doubled and tripled as the sky darkened above my head, shadowed over by clouds. It was raining— water was falling at me like the wind!

At first, I tried to get closer to the source of this, curious at how water was just coming from nowhere. Then I started to find the light tapping feeling all over my body annoying, trying to find a way to get out of it. And finally, I got used to it.

I trudged through the muddying ground of the forest, searching for more monsters to fight. It was strange— once the rain started, it was almost like the forest became a different place. I didn’t see the same animals I did scurrying about when there had been no water, nor did I see the fluttering birds or skittering insects on the sky or earth before the rain had fallen.

I watched a rabbit hastily hop its way through some bushes, dancing around rocks and navigating around trees before he dove into a hole on the ground. Is he trying to get away from the rain? I decided to follow him and tried to stick my head into the hole.

I failed.

So instead, I decided to find holes that were large enough to fit me to shelter me from this rain. I did not think the rain was dangerous— I had been under it for quite a while and took no damage. But I thought that if everything in the forest was trying to hide from the rain, then monsters might have been doing the same too.

I found a cave shortly after as the downpour began to worsen; I entered the dank, dark environment and created a ball of fire to see as I called out.

“Hello? Is anyone there? If you’re Human, can you tell me where the Netherworld is? And if you're a monster, can you fight me please?”

I cast the fire light along the cavern wall, revealing a lichen stained surface that stretched out to the end of the cave; I could still hear the muffled patter of rain behind me as I saw all there was to see.

“Huh.”

It was completely empty— not only was the cave shallow, but it was devoid of any kind of animal or life beyond the moss growing on the walls. The only thing that stood out in here were the glistening gray rocks that lay lifeless, haphazardly scattered around me. I turned around to leave when I heard a single drop of water fall behind me.

I glanced back, cocking my head.

“Did… did the rocks just move?”

I doubled back into the cave, confused at what I had just seen. Rocks couldn’t move— not unless someone else picked them up and moved them. But I was fairly certain that rock over there had not been there just earlier. If these rocks could move— if something really made them different— I wanted to know. So I used [Identification] on them.

[Golem - Lvl. 25]

“Golem…? No— a monster.”

I jumped back as the pile of rocks suddenly shifted. It picked itself up and swung at me. I stared at the four limbed creature as it stood now— its two arms long enough to reach down its sides, halfway past its legs. It turned a single, glowing eye to me.

“You’re a monster, right?”

I asked one last time, just to make sure I was right; I had thought it was a rock, after all. But it didn’t really matter to me. If you were a monster, a Human, an animal, or even a rock— as long as you attacked me, I would attack you back!

The [Golem] brought its large arms over me. I rushed forward, dodging past the attack and slashed at its face. [Fire Strike]! My claws were wrapped in fire as it drew close to it and—

I stumbled back and grasped my claw in pain. That hurt! I stared up at the light scratch on the [Golem]’s face.

“Wait, are you actually a rock?”

It didn’t respond, choosing to simply swing once again at me. I ducked under the swing, this time creating a fire dagger and slashed at its body. The weapon bounced off, leaving a mark where it struck but doing no apparent damage to it.

I frowned as I backed up. I’m not hurting it. I sent a [Fire Blast] at the [Golem], knocking it away as it tried to charge me. The force from the magical attack sent it stumbling, yet it was still unhurt. Maybe if I try create a sharper dagger—

My thoughts were interrupted as I caught a glimpse of another rocky hand swinging at me. I went under the attack, spinning around with a kick that swept the second [Golem] of its feet. I held my fire dagger up and paused.

[Golem - Lvl. 21]

[Golem - Lvl. 26]

[Golem - Lvl. 18]

[Golem - Lvl. 25]

...

“Huh. There’s a lot of you.”

[Golems] surrounded me in all directions, coming from the end of the cave as well as barring the cave exit. I threw the fire dagger at one of the [Golems] and watched it leave nothing more than a small crack on its stone body. They outnumbered me. They were strong— unable to be damaged. And they lumbered forward, encroaching on me slowly.

Slowly, I thought, grinning. They were moving slowly, so even if I wasn’t able to hurt them, they weren’t able to hurt me either. So all I had to do was figure out how I was going to be able to defeat them before I tired out.

I threw fire spikes at the [Golems] as they came. I dodged their attacks and sent [Fire Blasts] their way. I made them hit each other, breaking themselves down so I could finish them off later.

I observed how their limbs would break first, discerning that the stone at the joints were thin to allow for better movement. So I targeted those. I tore their arms off with my claws; I kicked at them knees with [Fire Strike]. I made them fall and I made them break as my stamina drained.

Defeated [Stone Golem - Lvl. 19]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Stone Golem - Lvl. 22]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 21] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 22]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I tried striking at a [Golem]’s shoulder with a dagger. It took multiple hits, but eventually I shattered the joint. But that was too inefficient. So instead, I created a hard ball of fire and struck at them with that.

I lowered the fire ball I had created, instead picking up a broken limb from one of the [Golems]. I waved it at the [Golem] nearest to me, taunting it.

“This... this is a much better weapon than I can create right now.”

I swung at the [Golem] hard. Rock smashed against rock and rock broke apart. I picked up more rocks and continued swinging rocks at more rocks. More rocks fell and more rocks broke. And I had more rocks to swing and to throw.

Defeated [Stone Golem - Lvl. 26]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Stone Golem - Lvl. 15]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 22] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 23]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I glanced out the cave, noting that the rain had finally stopped, after I finished off the last of the [Golems]. They now lay dead, scattered haphazardly around me. I threw aside my impromptu weapon, seeing that it was nothing more than a crumbling piece of stone now, and sat on the rubble.

I had barely taken damage the entire fight— I was both tired physically and magically, but relatively unharmed. But I still needed [Rest]. It did not just heal my health, but it increased the regeneration of my mana and stamina too.

It was not long after the General Skill began to take effect and I had already distributed my Skill and Stat Points when I saw a shadow coming in from the cave exit. It stopped right at the front of the cave, looking over the dead [Golems] for a moment.

“I thought I heard some loud noises coming from in here—”

The figure suddenly stopped, turning to me with a wary look. He hurriedly drew a sword on his side and pointed it at me.

“Demon!”

I stood up, suddenly on guard as I used [Identification] on him.

[??? - Lvl. ???]

...uh oh.

A note from MelasD

Here's an experiment I want to try over my two weeks of break. There's no guarantee, so I won't change my schedule in my synopsis, however I will try to post a chapter 5 days a week for the next two weeks before my Classes resumes. I can't promise I'll stick to this schedule, but I'd like to test myself and see if it's possible.

As always, you can read up to 12 chapters ahead on my patreon here.

17.1. ???

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2 for Chapter 17. Part 2 will be up soon!

17.1. ???

[??? - Lvl. ???]

I stared up at the man who entered the cave as he aimed a sword in my direction. He wore a cloak with a hood over his head, which somehow seemed to shadow over most of his facial features from me. His blade gleamed in the sunlight coming from the outside as he tightly gripped the weapon with both his hands.

“You— an [Imp]? You’re the one who destroyed Fairdale! And you attacked Silvergrove, didn’t you?”

I took a step back, slowly trying to circle around him. I wasn’t going to attack him; I could not see his level, and that made me incredibly wary. I had been able to see Lucerna’s level despite the [Djinn] being almost 30 levels over me, but I couldn’t see this man’s level. That meant this man had to be extremely high leveled.

Plus he hadn’t attacked me yet, even if he was clearly being hostile. I tried to reason with him as I eyed the cave exit.

“I did not attack anyone! Nor did I destroy anything! These [Golems] attacked me first— just like those [Green Stags] and [Dark Wolves].”

The man almost jumped as I spoke, backing away from me and blocking my only path to escape. If I used [Double Step], I might have been able to get around him. This last level up brought it to its max at Level 10, leaving me with an extra unspent Skill Point to save. But if he was really higher leveled than Lucerna, I had no doubts he would be able to catch me easily. So I held back.

“You… you can talk?!”

He sputtered as he raised his sword even higher. I frowned and crossed my arms.

“Of course I can. I’ve been trying to talk to you Humans the entire time, but you keep running from me. And when I tried to get you all to tell me the way back to the Netherworld, you all attacked me!”

“Get back to the Nether— what?”

The man shook his head.

“Attacked you for no reason? You burnt Fairdale to the ground.”

I considered this for a moment, then I cocked my head.

“...what’s a Fairdale?”

His shadowed gaze stared at me, flabbergasted.

“The village to the northeast of here! You slaughtered the people! You left no one alive you monster!”

“...that wasn’t me.”

He paused, shuffling his feet for a moment as if in thought. Then he stepped forward and charged me.

“As if I’ll believe a Demon!”

My eyes widened as I saw him coming forward. I braced myself, preparing for his attack. And he swung wide.

I watched the blade miss me completely as I went around him. I struck him across the back, but my claws got caught in his cloak. The cloth material did not tear— it protected him from the attack as he stumbled back.

“Damn it.”

He spun around, thrusting his blade forward, overextending his shoulders. I ducked under the attack, before bringing a fire dagger up towards his face. He flinched and dropped his weapon as a ring on his finger flashed.

I found my fire dagger flying through the air, rebounding off a flickering aura as the light vanished. I narrowed my eyes. What is that? The man was still in a daze when I kicked him with a [Fire Strike]. Again, his ring flashed as an invisible barrier protected him. My attack still sent him staggering back before falling to the floor.

I glanced down at my claws, tapping them together as I felt a slight numbness that came from hitting too many hard things with them. I saw a glint of light from the corner of my eyes and grinned.

The man picked himself up, rubbing at the side of his head.

“Owowow—”

He yelped as I swung his sword at him. He leapt to the side as the blade only nicked the side of his cloak, unable to cut through whatever it was made of. Fine, I thought to myself as he raised both his hands defensively. I don’t have to cut it…

[Basic Mana Manipulation]. [Basic Fire Creation].

I just have to burn it.

A thin layer of fire wrapped itself around the blade of the sword. The man made a noise as he stepped back. I spun the weapon in my hand.

“If you tell me where the Netherworld is, I won’t kill you.”

“Kill me? Like you killed all the innocent people and children in Fairdale?!”

I growled.

“I don’t know what that is!”

I charged him and raised the blade up. I aimed for his head, looking to slice in in half. But as I got close, I heard him whisper to himself.

“Gotcha— [Quick Strike]!”

His fists blurred forward, suddenly appearing right in front of my face. I was reckless; I couldn’t react in time as I found the world suddenly spinning before I rolled to a stop. I got up, wiping the black blood off my cheek as I did. It wasn’t a lot of damage, but it still hurt a lot.

The man picked up his sword, wielding it once again.

“I… I’m not a violent person. I don’t even know why I’m doing this. But I can’t just let a monster like you walk freely. Too many people have already died by your hands. I will…”

He took a deep breath, composing himself before he raised his blade.

“I will stop you!”

I saw the air around the man shift. As if an invisible power suddenly pushed the wind around him back. Even though he was standing deep within the cave, his sword was now reflecting more light than it was before. In fact, it almost seemed like it was glowing.

“[H—”

“[Double Step]!”

I rushed forward, knocking the weapon off his hands, before throwing him off his feet. The impact knocked the air out of his lungs as he gasped, before I stomped on his stomach with a fiery blow. The last of the barrier surrounding him dissipated as I raised a burning claw.

“Please, I don’t want to die—”

I brought my claw down at his neck— then stopped, yelling as loud as I could.

“I did not kill anyone! I don’t know what a Silverdale is! And I just want to go back to the Netherworld!”

…

The man stared up at me with dark brown eyes, his hood having fallen to the side to reveal a head of black hair.

“...it’s Fairdale, not Silverdale.”

I sighed and kicked him in the back of the head— hard.

17.2. ???

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2 for Chapter 17.

More shoutouts for my two weeks of showing appreciation! Check them out!

Level Up Hero! by GD_Cruz. It's a Dungeon, Gamelit, Superhero fic! The author is super receptive to comments and even edits older chapters to polish up his story. Check it out if you want a nice, quick binge!

Displaced by IrateRapScallion. It's an action, adventure, fantasy that has long-ish chaps! Been on RoyalRoad for a while, and the author makes sure each chapter is edited before releasing them. Check it out if you want a nice, long binge!

17.2. ???

General Skill [Basic Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 4] -> [Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 5]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Skill [Flame Coat] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

I lowered the sword, letting the fire outlining the sword dissipate and leaned against the cave wall. I glanced out at the blue moon hanging over the night sky. I had spent a lot of time trying to learn that Skill— I wasn’t even sure if there was a Skill for that in the first place, but I had to try.

It was a convenient Skill: one that extended beyond the uses of a [Fire Strike]. It created a hungry, raging flame that covered an object— any object— without burning the object itself. But unlike a [Fire Strike] which lasted only a moment, the [Flame Coat] did not extinguish until I stopped feeding it mana.

I laid the sword down to the ground as its metal blade clinked against the floor as I evaluated my Status.

Salvos

Species: [Lesser Demon]

Subspecies: [Zelus Imp] - Lvl. 23

General Skills:

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 21

[Strength]: 16

[Endurance]: 32

[Wisdom]: 39

[Agility]: 51

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 14

[Double Step] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 10

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 3

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

I didn’t level from what I just did, but I still had 3 additional Skill Points carried over from past levels. I decided to expend 2 of them now for [Flame Coat], considering the current drain the Skill had on my mana, raising it to Level 3. Finally satisfied, I let [Rest] take over and began to heal.

The moon continued to make its way through the dark sky as time went on, until finally, the man lying next to me shifted, grousing as he got up.

“I’m… I’m alive?”

He rubbed at his eyes then stared at the palm of his hands. He opened and closed them slowly, before jumping up and throwing a fist in the air.

“I’m alive!”

“Yes you are.”

He yelped as I appeared next to him, almost falling back to the ground. He reached for something around his waist, but stopped himself when he saw my holding his sword against his neck.

“I… uh, I can negotiate.”

He raised his hands up, thumbing for something on his fingers. Then he stopped, glancing up at his hands.

“My— my ring!”

“You mean this?”

I held up the ring that had been on his finger, inspecting it under the moonlight seeping into the cave.

“A Ring of Lesser Protection— Medium Grade. Protects the user from a certain amount of damage. Recharges over time.”

The man stared at it, aghast. His jaw hung loose on his face as he tried to work it, but nothing came out.

“It seems important to you, huh?”

He gritted his teeth as I twirled the ring between my fingers playfully. He nodded.

“It’s important, yes. Please give it back to me.”

I continued twirling the ring as he watched, before I abruptly closed it within my palm.

“No. It’s mine now.”

“But—”

I pointed the sword at his face, swaying it from side to side.

“I won. I defeated you after you attacked me! I should have killed you and gotten an abundant amount of experience, but I did not! So if you want to walk out of here alive, you will tell me where the Netherworld is.”

I edged the sword dangerously close to his neck, backing the man up to the cave wall. He made a sound as the cool metal of his blade touched his neck, reflecting the light of the moon on its surface.

“I… I don’t know! I really don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

I cocked my head.

“That’s where Demons are from, right? I’ve never been there! Please, you have to believe me. Just don’t kill me.”

He closed his eyes shut as his body shook, craning his head back as far away from me as possible. I lowered the sword.

“I see. Well if you don’t know where the Netherworld is, I guess it can’t be helped, right?”

The man opened his eyes and blinked. He looked at me hesitantly as I tossed his sword aside. I didn’t need the weapon— it wasn’t anything special.

“You… believe me? You’re really letting me go?”

“Why shouldn’t I believe you? And as long as you don’t attack me again, you can leave. But if you do try to attack me again, I will kill you.”

He apprehensively picked up his sword and cloak, holding them against his chest in disbelief as he threw wary glances at me.

“G-got it. Thank you.”

I shrugged and turned around. I started out of the cave, about to leave, when the man called out to me.

“Did you really not destroy Fairdale and burn it to the ground?”

I gave him an annoyed look.

“I told you I did not. Unless ‘Fairdale’ is what you call those [Golems] or that herd of [Green Stags] or that pack of [Dark Wolves], I did not destroy it.”

The man slowly nodded.

“I was just making sure.”

He fidgeted as he threw his cloak over his shoulders and sheathed his sword in its hilt. I watched him for a moment, murmuring quietly to himself; he seemed conflicted about something, although I was not sure what. Then I began to walk away again when he suddenly called out to me.

“Wait— I think I can help you.”

I halted in my tracks, instantly spinning around.

“You can? Wait, do you mean you lied to me?”

I narrowed my eyes, considering this. He said he had been telling the truth, but was it possible that he wasn’t? Surely not, right? The man continued.

“I mean that I think I can help you get back to the Netherworld… that’s what you’re trying to do right? Return to your home?”

“To my home?”

I shook my head.

“No, I just need to return to my companion. Then maybe I’ll bring him here so we can explore this place together.”

“Return… but you won’t be killing anyone, right?”

The man paused as I was about to respond, but quickly spoke over me, clarifying himself.

“I mean, any Humans. You won’t be killing any Humans that didn’t attack you, right?”

“Yes.”

He nodded to himself, taking a deep breath.

“Then I’ll help you. I may not be able to get you back to the Netherworld myself, but I’m sure I can find a way. If you just come with me, I will help you.”

I looked at the man as he scratched the back of his head; he met my gaze with slight apprehension, but did not look away as I considered this.

“Sure.”

“And if you— wait, sure?”

“Yes, sure. Where are we going?”

I walked up to the man, stopping right beside him as he took a step back, before straightening himself.

“Oh, uh, we’re going to Hazelbury. It’s a city just a few miles to the north.”

I nodded as he pointed in a direction; he turned back to me, slowly putting a hand out.

“By the way, uh… I’m Daniel.”

He surreptitiously lowered his hand when I simply looked past it and at his face.

“Daniel? That’s your name?”

“It is. And what’s your name?”

He paused, then raised an eyebrow.

“You have a name, right?”

“Of course.”

I licked my lips as I spoke slowly.

“Salvos. I’m Salvos.”

I eagerly waited for him to repeat it, and found myself grinning when he did.

“Salvos, huh? That’s an interesting name. Not one I’m familiar with. Since we’ll be together until we get you back to the Netherworld, I guess l’ll have to get used to it.”

“It’s a goodname. It’s my name.”

“Right.”

He glanced away from me, at the forest just ahead.

“Then let’s get going, shall we?”

I nodded.

“To Hazelbury!”

I marched forward, entering the canopy of trees as I walked ahead of Daniel. Then I walked back to him, scratching the side of my head.

“...where’s north again?”

18. Hazelbury

A note from MelasD

Looking to read some lesser known fics? Check out these stories on RoyalRoad from my friends:

Memories of the Fall by Rithgard. It's a wuxia, xianxia, and action story with long chapters!

Roads Unseen by AdAstridAdAspera. It's a litrpg tragedy with a female lead!

The Riddle of Lead: Requiem of the Gun Knights by MezzoCatorce. It's a comedy with incredibly good writing!

18. Hazelbury

“The sun’s rising.”

I turned back to Daniel. The Human man had halted right behind me and began fumbling with his cloak. I glanced over at the horizon, seeing an inkling of daylight seeping into the canvas above. I cocked my head.

“Is that unusual?”

“No— I…”

He sighed, rubbing at his temples.

“Here, just put this on. It’ll be bright soon, and we don’t want anyone to see you.”

“Why not?”

I asked the question as he threw his cloak over me. I found myself wrapped in the dark cloth, its bottom edges folding into a wrinkle on the ground. I lifted an arm up, inspecting the strange material.

[Cloak of Shadows: Medium Grade Armor - A black cloak that obscures your face; it also has a resistance to cutting.]

Daniel hesitated as he pulled something out of his pocket. He muttered under his breath.

“Good thing I took a spare…”

He turned and handed a link of tiny metal rings interlocked to form a circle. It held on it a golden shell wrapped around a crimson crystalline object which seemed to shimmer even in the dark.

“If anyone sees you, they’ll probably freak out and try to kill you just like I did. Demons are not…uh, liked here in this world. So you have to lay low.”

The Human man unlinked the chain, before apprehensively proffering the necklace to me.

“W-wear this. Even with the cloak on, people can still use [Identification] to figure out you’re a Demon. This is a Necklace of Lesser Obfuscation. You can use it to hide or change either your Class or your levels.”

I quickly grabbed it off his hands and raised it up. I stared at it, then him.

“Is this why my [Identification] doesn’t work on you?! I thought you were Level 60 or something!”

“No I’m not— I’m barely your level. The reason you can’t see that’s because of my Necklace of Greater Obfuscation. It can hide and change both my Class and my levels in the eyes of others. Although if I make myself appear as a Level 50, it won’t do anything to actually make me stronger— it just dissuades low leveled bandits from attacking me.”

I nodded along, listening to the man’s explanation. That was why he was so weak! I was starting to think that I was actually stronger than even Level 60s and 70s here in the Mortal Realm— I was thinking of finding a monster of that level and fighting them! It was a good thing I knew better now.

“I see… what’s a Class by the way?”

Daniel blinked.

“You don’t know what a Class is? Wait— do you even have a Class?”

“Is it a kind of way to sort things by a common factor? Because if so, I don’t think I’ve ever done that.”

“No— not that kind of class. I mean a Class. The reason you can use Skills and stuff… you have one, right?”

I gave him a blank look.

“I don’t.”

“O-oh…”

“But I do have a Subspecies though, if you’re talking about Skills. I got three when I evolved into an [Imp], and my intuition is telling me I couldn’t have gotten my first two if I wasn’t a [Demon Larva].”

The Human man frowned as I peered at him curiously. What’s he confused about? Doesn’t he have a Subspecies? But he shook his head.

“I thought only monsters had… nevermind. Just put on that necklace. Tap on it and channel mana into it until it turns blue. It will hide your Subspecies so no one can see that you’re an [Imp].”

I followed his instructions, feeling some mana pour into it. Its color shifted, turning slowly to an azure blue that gleamed like the sky during the day. Daniel gave me a satisfied look, before turning to continue on our path through the trees. I followed after him as the vermillion glow of the sun rose ever so slowly.

The Human man said nothing, although he occasionally peeked back at me with a nervous look. I waited for him to turn back before I decided to ask him a question that I suddenly had.

“Is being a Demon bad?”

He jerked, taking a few more steps forward before stopping.

“B-bad?”

I nodded as he continued to stare at me for a moment, before he slowly answered.

“No— not bad. In fact, I don’t even think Demons are considered monsters. There aren’t any open bounties for them last I checked, though I’m not entirely sure. However, Demon summoning is outlawed in most places due to the nature of the ritual.”

“So what’s wrong if people see me?”

“I mean…”

Daniel trailed off, glancing to the side as he placed a hand right below his mouth, before finally looking back at me.

“You told me yourself, right? You were attacked in Silvergrove because Humans got scared of you. Maybe that wouldn’t have happened normally— maybe, I’m not too sure— but right now, there’s a Demon on the loose destroying villages and attacking travellers. Because of that, everyone’s on edge and I don’t think they would react too… amicably to you.”

“What does that mean?”

“I mean they’ll attack you.”

“Huh.”

I considered this, casting my gaze to the sky as I tapped my chin with a clawed finger, mimicking his previous gesture. Then I crossed my arms defiantly.

“If anyone attacks me, I’ll kill them.”

“And that’s exactly what we don’t want to happen. So far, you haven’t killed anyone, right? No Humans, just monsters?”

I nodded. That was what I had told him numerous times before!

“No Humans, no animals. Just monsters. Although I should’ve killed those Humans back in that city, but they somehow healed themselves so quickly!”

“R-right, but you don’t kill them. Which is a good thing— there is no real bounty on you, so you won’t be hunted down. If that ever happens, you’ll have all kinds of adventurers, soldiers, guardsmen— everyone coming after you. Because they think you’re bad.”

“Then I’ll just—”

He quickly spoke over me.

“And that’ll be bad because then no one can help you go back to the Netherworld, right? And you don’t want that, right?”

I paused. I definitely did not want that to happen; Haec was my companion and he recognized me as such. I had to get back to him to bring him with me.

“I guess…”

“Exactly! We want to keep anyone from attacking you so you can return to the Netherworld. Makes sense, right?”

“Right.”

“So when we get to Hazelbury, make sure you keep that hood over your head and stick close to me. Don’t leave my sight— because I’m telling you right now, you will somehow get into trouble, and you might get found out. Got it?”

I sighed as Daniel pointed a finger at me. Nodding, I felt my shoulders sag forward as I replied.

“Yes.”

He looked at me once over before lowering his arm, satisfied. I continued to follow him with the oversized cloak blocking half of my vision. He paused, suddenly having a thought.

“By the way, since I gave you my cloak and my necklace, can I have my ring back?”

I stared up at the Human man with a flat look.

“No.”

—--

“I can’t believe it’s already day. Wasn’t it evening when we fought? How long was I knocked out?”

“Not for long— after I kicked you, I thought you died so I shook you a few times and you woke up. But then you blinked, screamed, and fell unconscious.”

“...did that really happen? You’re pulling my leg, right?”

“I’m not pulling your leg. If I was, my hands would be on your leg. And yes, that really did happen.”

“Oh, well that’s embarrassing. Please don’t tell anyone about that.”

“Don’t do this, don’t do that— I might as well not do anything!”

I grumbled, walking right beside Daniel as we reached the city. He eyed me with a sidelong glance right before we reached the gates of the city and an armored man called out to us.

“You know I wasn’t actually asking you to— hey! Adventurer here. Just entering the city with my friend.”

“Adventurer, huh? You a part of the Iron Champions Company?”

“No, just an independent.”

“Then it’s 5 silver each. No company pass means you still have to pay the fee.”

“Right.”

Daniel reached into a pouch hanging around his belt, digging into it as it clinked with the sound of metal, before he pulled out a handful of glinting round objects.

“Here.”

“In you go. Come on, don’t block the way. Others are trying to leave!”

The armored man pushed Daniel into the gate as I followed behind him. He tried to reach for me— to shove me too— but I easily dodged it. I glared back at him as he scoffed, turning away from me.

“I don’t like him. He tried to attack me.”

“He’s just paid to do that— be rough with any Adventurer not part of the Iron Champions Company. It’s one of those perks signing up with them.”

“Iron Champions Company?”

“Yeah, it’s the local company adventurers. Well, I say local, but they more or less have control of all the adventurers around the area. They’re only contested by small, minor company which don’t have enough power to even challenge their authority by any substantive means.”

“...what’s an adventurer?”

Daniel stopped right next to a fountain, turning to stare at me. There was a moment of silence— except it was not silent, as the sound of splashing water filled the background. I looked back at him, cocking my head.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just have a lot of explaining to do, don’t I?”

—-

The two of us entered a building called an ‘inn’. It was apparently a place where Humans went to rest or sleep for the night, so they would not have to worry about being attacked by a monster or the weather.

“Why do you need to sleep?”

“That’s just how Humans are.”

“And so what if it’s cold?”

“We can get sick— listen, us Humans are just built differently from you, ok? These are things you don’t need to know about.”

Daniel chugged down the liquid he called an ‘ale’, before slamming it down on the wooden table. He raised the mug, swinging his hand in the air as he called at a Human woman passing by.

“You’re drinking early, aren’t you?”

“Just had a busy night.”

She refilled his mug, pouring more of the drink until the glass was filled to the brim. Then she leaned over to him, and quickly closed one of her eyes.

“How about tonight? Will you be busy then?”

The Human man shifted uncomfortably in his seat, averting his gaze from the woman.

“S-sorry, I’m… taken.”

“Aw, poor me. I would’ve liked to have been the lucky woman.”

Daniel fidgeted as she left and reached for his drink. He paused, staring at the mug for a moment, before pulling his hand back. Does he not want to drink anymore? I thought, looking at this.He sighed.

“Salvos—”

I perked up.

“That’s me!”

“Listen, when I said I would explain things to you, I didn’t mean I would explain everything. I’m telling you right now, I’m about just as clueless you are about almost everything. The only questions I can answer right now are simple questions.”

“Like about adventurers?”

He leaned back on his chair, now turning his attention to the plate of meat in front of him. He cut a small piece of this food and put it in his mouth.

“Yes— mm, this is delicious. Want some? No? Alright.”

He continued chewing on the food, cutting more and more meat off, until it finally disappeared from his plate. What’s he doing to it? Where’s it going?! I watched this happen in shock as Daniel spoke.

“Adventuring is a job. It’s… what Humans do to protect our cities from the monsters threatening it. We also do it to raid Dungeons and get rich off the loot in it— but that doesn’t matter right now. Basically, to be an adventurer is to put your life on the line to fight monsters.

“However, then there is the question: what does an adventurer have to gain from doing this? Well, the answer is simple. We get paid to do this. Whether it be by selling monster parts in the market or by taking up local monster bounties. But then what makes being an adventurer any different from being a mercenary or just some kind of monster hunter?”

I looked at him inquisitively. He waited for my response as I thought about it. Then I shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

“Figures.”

Daniel swallowed the food in his mouth and drank from a different cup full of water.

“That’s where the companiescome in.”

“The Iron Champions Company?

“That is one of the companies, yes. But a company is something anyone can start if they have enough funds. It’s a place where adventurers gather. It’s a place where you pay a membership fee— a certain amount of copper, silver, gold, whatever— every month or year to join a company. You’ll have access to things like exclusive contracts, exclusive markets, and exclusive locations.”

I listened attentively as he continued to delve further into the subject.

“Working as an adventurer requires you to sign with the Adventurers Guild. But there are probably tens of thousands— or even hundreds of thousands— of adventurers out there. Such a large organization can’t manage every single tiny detail when it comes to adventuring. So that’s where adventuring companies come in, all with their own individual perks and benefits. They make deals with the local government and form partnerships with local businesses, making big companies dominate the adventuring sphere where they’re located. And while there are commonalities amongst all companies, anyone can run their own company however they want as long as they sign with the Adventurers Guild.

“However, it’s not like you even have to be a part of a company to work with them. In fact, a significant portion of adventurers are probably independent like me. Most companies try to appeal to independents by offering them enticing jobs and prices which would draw them into joining the company. I had actually accepted a request from the Iron Champions Company to cull the population of Stamped Elks… which I now just realize you dealt with.”

“Stampede Elks?”

I stared at him, confused.

“That’s the Species name of those [Green Stags] you killed. They’re known for quickly overpopulating, which leads to large stampedes that can wipe out whole towns and villages. Very invasive. Very territorial.”

“Huh. You don’t have to worry about them anymore, I think.”

Daniel shook his head, sitting up on his seat as he finished his food.

“Thought so.”

He leaned forward, placing his arms on the table and holding his hands together right in front of his chin.

“So, that’s the basic run down of an adventurer and what an adventurer does. Any questions?”

I nodded and he sighed.

“Questions pertaining to adventuring.”

I slowly stopped nodding and scratched the side of my hooded head.

“Nope! None at all.”

“Good.”

Daniel stood up and placed a handful of coins on the table. They clattered on the wooden surface for a moment as I peered at the brown and silver items.

“And those are coins. Money. Do you know what that is?”

“I think so. They’re used as a medium to exchange stuff, right?”

“That is correct. Now come, let’s go up to my room.”

“To your room?”

I hurried after him as he started up the stairs of the inn, leaving behind the serving woman who gasped when she saw the money.

“Didn’t you say you would help me return to the Netherworld? Can we do that in your room?”

“Not now. I need to rest. Get some sleep because of the rough night. But tomorrow— when I wake up— I promise you, I will find you a way back to get back to the Netherworld.”

He placed a hand on my shoulder and slowly met my gaze. I looked back at him, seeing determination in his eyes. I frowned.

“Wait, are you asking me to do nothing until you wake up again?!”

“Uh, yes?”

I stared at him and he gulped.

“P-please don’t kill me.”

19.1. Adventurers Guild

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

19.1. Adventurers Guild

I sat cross legged, staring at the large object sitting in the corner of the room. I ran a clawed hand down its smooth sides, feeling the texture of the material from top to bottom; I was taking in every single detail I could, going over all the creases and bumps on it. I turned it around momentarily to inspect its behind, before leaning it back against the wall.

After some time passed, I took a step back and nodded to myself in satisfaction.

“Alright, this is it.”

I squinted, focusing only on the object. I visualized the object as if it were right in front of me, imagining that I was still holding it in my hands. Then I felt my entire body tense—

[Identification]!

[Cupboard - It is a piece of furniture used for storage purposes.]

…

Nothing?

Was there no level up?

I sighed, letting my body droop to the floor. I lay there for a moment, facing nothing but the wooden ceiling above. I felt my eye twitch as I heard a light snore coming from the side as I reflected on how my efforts had been in vain.

Ever since Daniel went to sleep because it was ‘a biological necessity for him as a Human’, I had been left with nothing to do in his room. He had specifically told me not to go out and interact with anyone without him, leading me to try and level my [Identification]. But despite doing everything I had previously done to level the General Skill, it simply refused to level up this time.

I glanced over to the window and out into the dark sky; it had turned from evening to night since Daniel had wrapped himself in that thin sheet of cloth on the rectangular framework of wood. He told me we would be leaving early in the morning to begin finding a way back to the Netherworld for me. And based on my experiences with previous nights, I could tell that it was going to be day soon.

So I decided to just wait the remainder of the night out, letting myself fully recover for the first time in a while.

.

.

.

General Skill [Rest] Level Up!

[Rest - Lvl. 1] -> [Rest - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

“Huh.”

—--

“We’ll be going to the Adventurers Guild today.”

Daniel told me as he put on a gambeson over his shirt. He buttoned the padded jacket firmly so it would not fall before turning to face me. I frowned.

“Wait, aren’t we supposed to be going to the Netherworld?”

“Yes, but that requires us to go to the Adventurers Guild. I told you this, Salvos, but I don’t actually know how to send you there. If there is a ritual to do it— I can’t say. So we’ll be asking the adventurers there who know more than me some questions to gather the necessary information to help you.”

I crossed my arms, feeling as a little annoyed at his explanation, but accepting it nonetheless. He grabbed a few pieces of clothing off a closet and tossed it to me.

“Here, wear this.”

I looked down at the plain dark shirt and pants, then back up at him.

“What’s this?”

“Clothes. I know you don’t need it since there isn’t… anything to see. Honestly your body is kind of like a plain ma— marble statue. Not really any features, just kind of pale. And the Cloak of Shadows would prevent anyone from seeing your body in the first place. But it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

I blinked.

“Huh?”

“Your claws are… mostly like hands of course. Those look like long, black fingernails more than anything. Maybe you should wear gloves, but I highly doubt you’ll need it as long as you don’t wave your hands around for everyone to see. Even then, it probably won’t be too much of a problem.”

I simply stared at him. He sighed.

“Just put it on.”

“Fine.”

I begrudgingly did as I was told while the Human man adjusted the necklace around his neck.

“What are you doing?”

“Changing the appearance of my Class— it’s kind of like your Subspecies, I think? It’s what you see me as when you use [Identification] on me. Right now, you won’t be able to see anything because I’ve set it to hide both my Class and levels, but if I do this, you’ll get a different result.”

I cocked my head, not fully understanding his explanation. He sighed and gestured at himself.

“Come on, just use [Identification] on me now.”

“Ok…”

I spoke slowly and did as I was told. I didn’t level the General Skill even after an entire night’s worth of using it, so I shouldn’t have gotten anything different to the non-result of yesterday. And yet, I did.

[Warrior - Lvl. 15]

I jumped, at first surprised that I got anything more than a ‘???’, before focusing on his level.

“You’re only Level 15?!”

“No, I… I just explained it to you. I’m using the Necklace of Greater Obfuscation to make it seem like I’m Level 15. I’m actually not. I’m higher leveled than that.”

“But why would you want to hide your levels?”

“Well…”

He trailed off, glancing out the window and at a building in the distance.

“You’ll see when you get there.”

“...why don’t you just tell me now?”

—--

I made Daniel explain himself as we made our way to the Adventurers Guild building in Hazelbury. After hearing his reason, I concluded that it made sense for him to want to hide his levels.

Apparently most adventuring companies were always trying to recruit new members into their group at the Adventurers Guild, and they made it a point to target people who were higher leveled than the local average. According to Daniel, this would usually result in being constantly pestered by some sort of recruiter, but sometimes, some companies would employ ‘dirty’ tactics to force the person to join them.

I wasn’t entirely sure what being dirty had anything to do with this. Maybe they sling mud and dirt at them, making them dirty? I thought to myself.

Anyway, the Iron Champions Company was one such company that did this sort of thing, and it just so happened the average level of adventurers in the area was 18, making anyone above that level a prime target for their mud-slinging harassment. And that was why Daniel told me that I ‘would see’ what he meant when I reached the guild hall. I was Level 23, and I couldn’t hide my level.

“Focus on the Class you want. I know you don’t have a Class, but just think of a [Rogue] or a [Warrior]. Then channel your thoughts along with your mana into the necklace.”

“But why? Isn’t it already hiding that I’m an [Imp]?”

Daniel quickly glanced around the busy street full of people going in all directions without attacking each other. I wanted to watch this massive procession pass through to learn how exactly such a large gathering could occur without there being a single wild Human, but he wouldn’t let me.

The Human man placed a finger on his lips.

“Don’t say that so loud— what if somebody hears you?”

I blinked.

“Huh, I never considered that.”

“It’s fine, just be quieter next time.”

He took a deep breath before continuing down the road; his voice filled my ears alongside the chatter of a hundred others from my surroundings. And what’s that…? Among this eclectic of noises, I took note of the other distinctive sounds from the bleating of the herded sheep and the whinnies of the packhorses. Why are the animals just listening to the Humans?

Questions raced through my head, but I did not vocalize them as Daniel went on; I didn't focus on what he said, instead choosing to take in everything around me. I let my very being be absorbed into this web of constant, incessant social interactions, until even the footsteps were like a clamor in my head, and I missed every single word the Human man had said.

“...and that’s why you should hide your ‘Class’.”

He finished and turned back to me. I looked at him as he waited expectantly for me to give a response. I nodded.

“I didn’t hear you, I got distracted. What were you saying?”

Sighing, Daniel rubbed at his temples.

“They might think you’re trying to hide a special Class and would try to recruit you even harder, so you should just show them a fake one instead.”

“Got it.”

I felt myself pouring mana into the Necklace of Lesser Obfuscation, thinking about the Classes he listed out; a Class was different from my Subspecies, but similar enough that I could quickly grasp the concept. The Human man had told me to be either a [Warrior] or [Rogue]. I wasn’t sure what either exactly was, but since he was a [Warrior] and I wasn’t him, I chose to ‘become’ a [Rogue] instead.

We stopped right outside the building he had pointed out as the Adventurers Guild. The main hall was open for anyone to enter, but apparently there was a private area in the back reserved only for members.

“This is it. Remember— stick close to me and don’t tell anyone anything important.”

I nodded my head slowly as he took a deep breath. Daniel pushed the door open, entering the guild as I followed behind him.

Immediately, we were met with a bustling crowd. I rubbed at my eyes as I took in the number of people squeezed into the room. And it was not like it was a tiny room either— this was one of the most spacious rooms I had ever been in. It was twice as large as Lucerna’s Lamp!

[Warrior - Lvl. 13]

[Warrior - Lvl. 17]

[Table - It is a piece of furniture with a flat top and four legs.]

[Mage - Lvl. 12]

[Archer - Lvl. 15]

[Clock - It tells the time.]

[Rogue - Lvl. 20]

[Warrior - Lvl. 16]

[Rogue - Lvl. 17]

[Counter - It is a piece of furniture that is long, flat, and fixated to the ground.]

[Mage - Lvl. 21]

[Warrior - Lvl. 18]

[Archer - Lvl. 25]

[Mirror - It is a—

But still, there were so many people. I felt my hearing block up slightly as my body had to take a moment to adjust to this; I was being inundated with far too many new things I wanted to explore at once. And I tried to use [Identification] on them all! I blinked as Daniel looked back at me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I… can’t see.”

That wasn’t exactly right, but it conveyed the necessary information. The Human man furrowed his brows.

“What do you mean? D-do you need… help or something?”

He had a worried look on his face, and I wasn’t entirely sure if that was for me. It didn’t matter though; I was scratching the side of my head in a daze when someone called out to him.

“Look who it is! It’s Daniel, back from trying to hunt those Stampede Elks! And by his empty hands, it doesn’t look like it went so well, huh?”

Daniel groused, turning to face the man who approached us. I narrowed my eyes and identified him.

[Warrior - Lvl. 26]

“What do you want, Blake?”

“Just here to see what my favorite newbie is doing. What? Still stuck at Level 15?”

“I’ll have you know I hit Level 15 a year ago when I was only 19 years old.”

“And yet, you haven’t progressed at all since then, huh?”

“The average person doesn’t reach their first advancement. I’m already almost halfway there and I’m younger than you.”

“I had a later start than you, and only people who don’t have the guts to go beyond Silver make excuses like that, Dan—”

“Don’t call me Dan…”

I wandered off, steadying myself on the sidewall as I felt myself get enraptured by my surroundings. There were so many new things to take in at once! That was a cupboard… I wasn’t interested in that anymore; I already had a good understanding of what it was and what it did. But that— what were those people doing?

I wanted to know what those people lining up in front of that counter were doing. I wanted to see what was in the room in the back. I saw a group of Humans dressed in robes in the corner, discussing something as they each flipped through a thick layer of pages bound together in a leather cover, and I wanted to know what they were talking about!

And there were so many people too, busying about and hurrying around the building. Where were they going? What were they up to? I wasn’t able to fully form these questions earlier as I was overwhelmed into a trance while I was outside, but in here, things were more enclosed and I could focus more.

I stumbled up to a glinting object, forcing me to cover my eyes as I tried to see what it was. It was… the mirror from earlier? I peered at it, curious as to what it did. I wasn’t sure if I had identified it properly, so I wanted to see what it did now. But when my head crossed the wooden border holding it in place, I jerked back as I saw a figure appear on its surface.

The figure was dressed in a black hood that was slightly too big for her. She was staring at me as I stared back at her. She raised a silvery-gray hand as I did too, and we both tapped a clawed finger onto each other. I frowned, pulling my hood slightly back to reveal the hidden figure. I stared.

That’s me! Wait— what?!

A note from MelasD

Had a bit of a brain fart. Forgot Salvos killed two Human [Cultists] in Chapter 13. I edited it so she never killed them, and only leveled due to Lucerna slaughtering them all.

Also I won't be able to read or respond to comments as much as before due to holidays and spending time with my family. But once the new year starts, I'll be back to trying to read all comments!

19.2. Adventurers Guild

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2 for Chapter 19.

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19.2. Adventurers Guild

I took a step back, aghast. Who is that? How did she become me? Surely that isn’t me, right? But she was mimicking me every movement and had the exact same things I had. Not only that, her skin complexion was no different from mine. But— was that what I looked like?

I had never seen my own face before, and was caught off guard to see that I had horns. Two small protrusions poking out of my scalp, slightly obscured by the silver-gray hair falling to my shoulders. I poked them, trying to see what they did, but found that they were simply just there, leaving a bump in my skin.

And my eyes… I narrowed them, seeing the pair of golden irises contract as my slit-like pupils expanded. It was almost glittering in the shadow of my hood, but there wasn’t an actual glow.

This was… this was me. But it wasn’t me either. It was an impostor! This was someone who had stolen what I looked like and was now pretending to be me! But even if she took my appearance, she couldn’t possibly have taken my name either, right?!

I wasn’t sure, but I instantly felt aggressive towards her. I raised my claw to attack— and paused to quickly identify her. If she’s higher leveled than me—

[Mirror - It is a glass surface used to reflect a clear image.]

I blinked. Huh, I thought, lowering my claws. I felt my tension wash away as relief flooded in, reassured that I hadn’t just had myself taken from me.

Managing to recollect myself, I remembered that Daniel had told me not to stray away from him. So I turned around and started back to the Human man who was looking around for me as the other man from earlier pestered him from behind.

“Salvos— there you are. Where did you go?”

“I was looking in the mirror.”

I did not elaborate on that, feeling slightly embarrassed that I had gotten angry at an object for doing what it was supposed to do. Daniel grabbed my hand and began pulling me out the door.

“Let’s just go—”

“Who’s this? Found yourself a girlfriend to go along with you, huh?

I looked up at the other man who stood a head above Daniel who was also a head above me. Daniel shook his head, trying to pull me to the door but I slipped out of his grasps. The other man laughed.

“Can’t even keep a girl, huh? Too bad. But I don’t blame her— no one would want to get themselves killed with you. And it’s not like you’re even actually going to try and find that Demon. You’ll just wuss out in the last second like the coward you are.”

I glanced between the two Humans as Daniel’s lips drew into a line. I turned to him.

“Is this man a companion of yours?”

Daniel continued glaring at the other man.

“He’s Blake, and no he isn't. In fact, he’s an asshole I’d rather not be associated with.”

“Ass...hole?”

Daniel sighed and just looked at me pleadingly.

“He’s just someone I can’t stand. Look— can we just leave? I should’ve known better than to come here.”

“Why not?”

I peered at him curiously, but he just took a deep breath. Blake decided to chime in, slapping Daniel’s back as he leaned closer to me.

“Because he wanted to come here and brag about trying to do jobs he can’t possibly do. That’s why he—- wait. You’re not...”

Blake narrowed his eyes, looming over me. Daniel saw this and gulped.

“Uh oh.”

The other man immediately grasped me by the shoulders.

“You’re not just a random girl! You’re a Level 23 [Rogue]! How old are you— no, wait. Why aren’t you a part of the Iron Champions Company yet? We’re looking for new recruits to join our company. We’re cheap— and we know special locations around Silvergrove and throughout all of Falisfield. Places you can go to train and level. What do you say? Want to join us and get access to a newly discovered Dungeon?”

His eyes were glinting as he spoke, suddenly far more friendly towards me. I glanced over at Daniel who was breathing a sigh of relief. I cocked my head at him.

“You don’t like this man, right?”

“I— uh, what...? Oh, yeah. I don’t like him.”

“Ok.”

I smiled at Daniel even though he couldn’t see it, then turned to Blake.

“My answer is no. I will not join your stupid company.”

Blake’s brows snapped together. He tried to pull me with him but I slipped away again. He reached for me with one hand, as the other pointed damningly at Daniel.

“Why are you with that newbie? The Iron Champions Company may not be one of the big companies, but it will be. If you join us now, you can—”

I pushed his hand aside, and finally had enough.

“I said no.”

I curled my clawed hand into a ball and jabbed it between his legs. I didn’t aim for that region on purpose— it was simply the height differential that made me do that.

But apparently it made my attack more than effective; the moment my fist plunged into his nether region, he howled and doubled over. He fell to the ground, clutching at where I had hit as he groaned in pain.

Daniel flinched, and so did a number of other Human men who saw this. I turned to him.

“Let’s go, Daniel.”

“R-right.”

He hurried after me as I left the Adventurers Guild. I heard Blake hurling a volley of words at me, which I could infer did not mean anything nice. But I ignored it.

Daniel ran up next to me as we walked down the road. He looked at me hesitantly as we continued aimlessly.

“You attacked Blake.”

He finally broke the silence by pointing out the obvious. I nodded.

“Only because he tried to force me to go with him. It reminds me of someone else, and I don’t like it.”

The Human man hesitated, glancing at me warily.

“But I thought you said you weren’t going to attack anyone.”

“I said I wouldn’t kill anyone. You didn’t say there was anything wrong with hurting them. All I did was punch him— I didn’t even use my claws.”

“I know, but you hit him in the… uh, a weak spot.”

He fidgeted as his arms moved slightly closer together at his waist. I paused, considering this.

“Huh. That’s a good thing to know.”

“Please don’t ever hit me there.”

I grinned.

“As long as you don’t give me a reason to, I won’t.”

Daniel sighed, rubbing at his forehead.

“That’s the best I’m going to get out of you, huh?”

I nodded and that was that. We continued walking for a moment longer before I finally decided to ask the question in my mind.

“So, how do I go back?”

I emphasized the last word, trying to get him to see through the subtlety of my question. He jerked, snapping his head at me.

“Oh, that.”

I gave him an annoyed look and threw my hands up in the air.

“Did you not do anything in the Adventurers Guild?!”

“I couldn’t get anything out of anyone in the Adventurers Guild because of Blake! But this was just the first stop— next up is the library. That’s a more secluded place and we could perhaps gather information. And if nothing turns up there…”

He trailed off, averting his gaze from me. There’s always another thing. I found myself getting slightly irritated that there were so many steps just to go back to the Netherworld, but coming here was so simple.

“Is that all?”

“No— there’s this place. It’s usually used for summonings, but not the kind that matters to you. And I’m not entirely sure if they can help you, and it might be dangerous.”

“If anyone attacks me—”

“You’ll kill them, right. But I’m not even sure if they will attack you. Maybe if they know what you actually are? But I don’t know

I crossed my arms, interrupting him as he blathered on.

“What is it already?”

He halted in his step and scratched the side of his head. He averted his gaze from me.

“It’s the local temple. And there are [Priests] there— which won’t be a problem unless your cover is revealed. But there’s more. There are… Spirits. They are kind of like Demons in that they are summoned into a contract.”

“So? What’s wrong with that?”

“The thing is…”

I glared at him and he hurried it up.

“If they can tell that you’re a Demon, they might attack you.”

“...huh.”

A note from MelasD

Speaking of The Wandering Inn, I just have to say that I blame pirateaba for my skewed sense of pacing. When I started off Salvos, I made it any goal to write it in a much faster pace than what I was used to with Melas. I already considered the developments of everything in the last 20 Chapters to be 'rushed' compared to Melas.

Color me surprised when I found out people think the pacing has been slow so far.

It's pirate's fault, not mine!

(P.S Try out their standalone comic! You don't have to read the main story to check it out!)

20. Temple

A note from MelasD

Here's a different kind of shoutout for this chapter:

My cover artist and good friend, Boboplushie, has recently started a twitter account. He is a fantastic artist that typically draws in an anime-inspired style, and I genuinely think you should all check him out and give him a follow here!

Here are some of his wonderful works:

Fanart of Erin Solstice, Lyonette, Mrsha, Numbtongue, Bird, and Apista from The Wandering Inn (Web serial)

Cover Art of Melas (My other fic)

Fanart of Maicraft (Vtuber)

And many more amazing arts from him! Please follow his twitter here!

20. Temple

The library was a place of books.

A lot of books.

Lots and lots of books.

I didn’t know how else to describe it— all I knew was that we once again left it with no new information on how to get me back to the Netherworld.

“I’m sorry, Salvos. I thought they would have had some information in there about it.”

“And they didn’t?”

“They did, but nothing beyond the bare basics.”

Apparently what the bare basics meant was just ‘Human summons Demon with a sacrifice, Human and Demon form contract, Demon completes contract then goes back’. It was not something I had known prior to this, but it was just so vague that I almost felt like I was no more knowledgeable now about it than before.

So we were now headed to the local temple. Daniel had explained what they were to me briefly while we were still in the library. He compared them to be Demon-like creatures— except they were not?

They came from what he called the Spirit Plane, which seemed something akin to the Netherworld for me. I asked the Human man to describe it, but he didn’t really grasp the idea either. He just knew that that was where Spirits came from— connecting to the Mortal Realm through temples.

The [Priests] of the temple maintained this connection although it wasn’t active at all times; they simply ensured that the connection was ready to be made for whenever a Spirit summoning ritual was needed for whatever reason. And apparently, some Spirits liked to stay in these temples, choosing not to return to the Spirit Plane.

And that was what worried Daniel.

“Do you think they’ll be able to see through this necklace you gave me?”

“No— but don’t you think it’s possible they can tell you’re a Demon just by looking at you?”

I stared at him, face blank.

“No.”

“But why not? Isn’t there like, some sort of intuition that tells you whether someone is a Demon or not? Wouldn’t it be the same thing for Spirits?”

I scratched the side of my head, considering this.

“I don’t think so. If a [Fiend] wore this Cloak of Shadows and hid their Subspecies, nothing would tell me that they’re a Demon and not a Human.”

“Are you sure?”

Daniel looked at me uncertainly. I nodded.

“I’m sure. Now let’s just go to the temple. I want to go back already.”

Not much time had actually passed since we began trekking through Hazelbury in search for a way to get me back to the Netherworld. The sun was still high up in the sky. And compared to the amount of time I had spent running around fighting monsters, the morning we wasted in the Adventurers Guild and library was like a small rock in a pile of large rocks.

So clearly, my drive to return to the Netherworld wasn’t the most pressing compulsion; Haec could wait for me as long as I returned eventually. He seemed capable of taking care of himself. But there was something that drove me even harder; something that made me want to get this over with as soon as possible. And it was—

I glanced around at the [Traders] and [Vendors] lining the streets, their shouts filling my ears as they tried to sell their wares; at the [Butchers] and [Hunters], carrying the meat of dead animals with them to their shops as the scent of food wafted to my nose; and at the dozens and dozens of Humans bustling about, hustling to the things they had to do. I saw all this, and I knew...

...I was already starting to get bored of the city.

—--

We stood before the structure that Daniel called the temple. The Human man hesitated for a moment, but I just walked forward and up its marble steps and into the building. He hurried behind me, stepping up beside me as we passed the tall columns that supported its large ceiling.

“Everything’s so white— it’s almost like the… place. That place I want to go to! You know?”

“Yes, Salvos. You’re about as subtle as a hammer.”

I nodded, not really understanding what that saying meant at first. Then it hit me, and I frowned. But I was too distracted by my surroundings to respond as I found my head turning at every corner, staring at the pristine, white walls of the temple. Is this made out of the same rocks in the Netherworld? I thought, starting to feel excited at the prospect of going back. If they got this from the Netherworld, then they must be able to help me go back!

I nearly jumped as a man greeted us.

“Welcome visitors. What business do you have at our humble Sanctuary of Fauna?”

I warily backed up, identifying him.

[Priest - Lvl. 31]

He was almost 10 levels higher than me! But… I narrowed my eyes. Why is his face so wrinkly?

Daniel quickly patted me in the shoulder, not-so-subtly pushing my hands down because he wasn’t a subtle person unlike me.

“Are you the head [Priest] of this temple? We’re just here to… learn more about your summoning rituals.”

“Of course, we’d be delighted to show anyone interested in the Spirits the magnificent way they’ve become connected to and a part of our world. And while I’m not the head [Priest], I do hope my service would be to your satisfaction.”

The [Priest] gestured at us to follow and we did. We walked down the halls of the temple, entering a spacious, open area with a pond on either side of it. There was flora growing out of the rocks lining the bank of the small body of water, with buzzing insects and tiny animals fluttering or scurrying around this miniature garden.

“Every temple belonging to our sect has an area reserved to let nature flow through our sacred lands. This practice was first done to preserve nature, but now it has become a place of rest. Of recovery.”

His gaze turned to a group of Human women to the left. There were seven of them in total, all of them ranging in appearance and height— one of them was a head shorter than me. They were huddled around the pond there, all dressed in simple white robes as they quietly spoke to each other. It wasn't the raucous conversation that defined the Adventurers Guild, nor was it just the demanding silence that filled the library. It almost felt… somber.

I glanced at Daniel as his brows arched darkly over his eyes.

“What’s wrong with them?”

“I… they’ve just had terrible things happen to them, alright? Sorry Salvos, but could you save your questions for later?”

I nodded, not getting why he was suddenly morose; we continued following the [Priest], entering another, smaller building across from the main temple complex. As we did, we passed by a group of [Priests] helping four men out into the garden. I would have thought nothing of this sight if two of them weren’t missing their legs and the other was missing an arm and an eye.

I wanted to question Daniel, but he had just told me not to. So I didn’t.

We walked into a large, spacious room with a blank white wall stretching around all four corners; in the center of the room, there was another body of water. But unlike the ponds outside, this one was not only large, it was also shallow.

“This, my dear visitors, is the summoning pool the Sanctuary of Fauna uses to aid us in summoning our Spirits.”

“A pool?”

Daniel stared down at his reflection on the glistening surface.

“How does that work?”

“Water is one of the most fundamental things in nature that is often overlooked, you see. Without water, life can not sustain itself. Only the Spirits are capable of thriving without it. So we use water as a medium to form an understanding— to lure in the Spirits that are most concerned with life. So we know that those that come through our portal will be our allies.”

“You say there’s a portal— how does it work?”

The [Priest] raised an eyebrow.

“You seem awfully curious about the exact details of our summoning ritual, visitor. I will oblige your question, but before that, let me ask one of my own: why do you seek this wisdom? Is there something you wish to do with it?”

“Uh, that’s…”

The Human man trailed off, glancing down at me. He looked at me expectedly, and I just shrugged. What do you want me to say? He sighed, turning back to the [Priest].

“We’re adventurers, and we’ve been meaning to take the contract to slay the Demon that has been ravaging the towns and villages in Falisfield. But as you can see— we’re not that high leveled just yet. So we were thinking that we could maybe work around fighting it. Maybe we could banish it straight back to the Netherworld…?”

He said the last part like a question, looking unsure of himself. And I was surprised too. He was… lying? That was odd. Could you really just say that you were doing something you didn’t plan on even doing?

“I’m afraid I do not believe that is even possible. You see, the very nature of Spirit summon differs from Demon summoning greatly. Not only are Demon contracts only ever short term, the one who summons the Demon does not decide whether the Demon returns to where it came from. Only the Demon decides for itself.”

The [Priest] responded to Daniel as he asked more questions. But I didn’t hear it as I considered the ramifications of what I just learned. Is… is it possible that Daniel is lying to me right now? Maybe he isn’t actually helping me return to the Netherworld! Maybe he’s tricking me to— to— to kill me for experience!

I remembered, for a moment, the horned Demon that attacked Haec and I. But I quickly fixated on something else. And what about Haec? He’s my companion, right? What if he’s lying to me too!

My thoughts were interrupted as there was a splash, followed by a ripple forming in the water surface of the pool. I glanced up as the conversation between Daniel and the [Priest] was abruptly cut off.

“Ah, Sakura.”

I stared at the four legged creature that was striding through the water slowly towards me. She looked like a wolf, but even larger. She had pink fur covered in streaks of red, and a white mane that wrapped around her neck. I cocked my head as she approached me.

[Beastkin - Lvl. 42]

Daniel warily backed up and called my name.

“Uh, Salvos.”

I just met the [Beastkin]’s gaze as she approached, prompting the Human man to add more caution in this voice.

“Salvos.”

“Salvos. That is an interesting name.”

The [Beastkin] spoke, emerging from the shallow water and stepping lithely onto solid ground. She walked around me, her elegant tail swaying from side to side as she inspected me closely, but she never once touched me. I nodded with alacrity.

“That’s my name! Do you like it?”

“I wouldn’t say I like it, but it is unique.”

Daniel had his hand on his hilt now, as he glanced between us in a panic. The [Priest] laughed.

“Don’t be afraid. This is Sakura— the guardian Spirit of our temple. She offered her services to guard it, a long time ago when it was first established. And even when the [Priest] who summoned her passed, she yet remains. That is the contract between us and Spirits.”

She walked up to him, lying on all fours in front of him. He laughed and slowly stroked her head, before bringing his hand under one of her ears. He scratched it as Sakura kicked one of her legs back and forth.

“...are you supposed to be doing that with her?”

Daniel asked apprehensively. The [Priest] stopped as the [Beastkin] got up.

“And why not? She enjoys it. If she doesn’t she would never let me near her.”

“But don’t you guys… worship the [Beastkin]? This seems like it’s overstepping a few boundaries…”

The [Priest] snorted.

“We do not worship the [Beastkin]. We believe nature is a sacred thing, just like how the Sanctum of Elements see the essence as a thing of itself. And the only Spirits that share this view with us are the [Beastkin]. So we share a kinship through this. That is all.”

“I… see.”

Daniel stared at Sakura as she nuzzled me, bringing her head very close to me. I tried to back up, realizing this, but it was too late.

“The cloak fools eyes, but not the nose. I can still smell it. The scent of ash. The smell of your blood.”

The [Beastkin] spoke softly into my ear, adding nothing more. I blinked as she pulled away, turning back to Daniel who she called.

“You speak of wanting to slay the Demon that is ravaging these lands, adventurer. But while you’re here wasting time searching for foolish tricks to play, he is out there, getting stronger.”

Daniel looked taken aback, opening his mouth to say something before slamming it shut. Sakura turned around, meeting my gaze slowly.

“The Demon shall not stop. He shall destroy all he can destroy, until he destroys everything, or he is destroyed. For no Demons that truly walk this plane will ever survive. It is only he, and no more. Until he is no more.”

The [Priest] was nodding along, rubbing his chin as the [Beastkin] spoke. But when she finished, he opened his mouth to ask a question and she ran.

She nimbly exited the building, returning to wherever she came from. The [Priest] put a hand out, calling to her.

“Sakura, wait!”

She didn’t respond. He sighed, rubbing at his temples.

“Sorry, she does that sometimes. She probably would’ve been able to answer any other questions you had better than I, but… she’s gone now. If you want, I can—”

—--

We left the temple shortly after, learning everything they could tell us. Once again, the Humans there were of no help to me. And yet, I remembered the brief conversation we had with the [Beastkin]. The one thing that stuck out to me.

It is only he, and no more.

No Demons lived in this world. Perhaps they were summoned for a contract, but only temporarily. This was everything I had just learned today.

Then it finally clicked.

“That Demon attacking your Human places— that’s Lucerna!”

“Uh, what?”

Daniel turned back to me looking perplexed. I quickly spoke, explaining what I figured out to him.

“Lucerna. He’s a [Djinn] that was summoned by some [Cultists] to… kill a king or something? I don’t exactly remember because I was tired and thinking of a way to escape. But he’s the one you guys keep talking about.”

The Human man frowned, furrowing his brows. He gave me an accusing glance, which I didn’t exactly like.

“How do you know this? And why didn’t you tell me this sooner? We could’ve told the Adventurers Guild— inform the guards to send word to other towns. Maybe even tell the Iron Champions Guild.”

“I was summoned with him. I didn’t want to go, but he dragged me with him. And I didn’t know! So what if I didn’t tell you?”

He folded his arms, snapping.

“How could you not know? And if you told me sooner, we’d have been able to raise a warning about it being a [Djinn] yesterday. Not only is that a Greater Demon which no one knew, that’s a rare one. Incredibly dangerous and dedicated to their contracts. You heard what Sakura said— it’s your fault those people are dying right now!”

I started getting annoyed. Why is he suddenly talking to me like that? I didn’t know, but I didn’t like it one bit, so I punched him below the waist.

“Oh— what the fuck!”

I stared down at him as he lay on the ground, clutching his pants. I spoke casually, ignoring his grunts of pain.

“I didn’t know there were no other Demons here. I thought there were others— you Humans kept talking about Demons, so I assumed this was like the Netherworld and there were plenty of Demons around.”

“But you knew that Demons have to be summoned here.”

This time, I was the one to cross my arms.

“And why would that mean there aren’t any Demons here?”

The Human man opened his mouth, but I cut him off, jabbing a finger in his face.

“Listen, I’m telling you now that Lucerna is the one doing all these bad things to you Humans. So you can either do something about it or shut up. Stop trying to get mad at me for no reason. I do not like it, and unlike you, I will do something about it.”

I balled my clawed hands into a fist once again, waving it in front of his face. Daniel grimaced, but slowly got up. He averted his gaze from me slowly, rubbing the back of his head.

“I… right. Sorry. I got a little heated there because...”

He trailed off. I shook my head, walking ahead of him.

“Anyway, you’re the one who keeps telling me you can bring me back to the Netherworld.”

The streets were empty here, so I spoke without hiding my voice.

“And yet, here we are still as lost as we were in the beginning. Tell me: were you lying to me when you said that?”

“No— I just didn’t think it would be this difficult, Salvos. I didn’t think that no one would be able to help us.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“So you aren’t a liar then?”

Daniel flinched at the accusation. But he met my eyes as he responded.

“I did not lie to you, Salvos.”

I peered at him carefully, trying to determine whether I believed him or not. Realizing that I had no way to discern a lie from a truth, I decided that he was telling the truth.

“Fine.”

Plus, I was already over it; lying seemed bad at first, but as long as it didn’t hurt me, I saw no reason to worry over things like lies. The Human man was walking next to me once again, no longer as riled up as he was before.

“I will help you, but we just have to do this first.”

“Do what?”

I cocked my head.

“We need to go to the Adventurers Guild. It’ll take a minute, but we need to tell them about what you know.”

I looked at him dubiously, but acquiesced.

“Then let’s hurry up and do it then. As long as we don’t have to go to five different places for the rest of the day to achieve nothing, I don’t really care.”

He nodded and we changed course. We started heading back to the Adventurers Guild, turning corners and going down streets until we were back where we started in the morning. However, instead of just entering it like we did then, we stopped right outside.

“What’s going on?”

There was a crowd gathered in front of the Adventurers Guild. A tall man turned, noticing us as we approached.

“Oh look who’s back— It’s Daniel and the bitch who hit me in the balls and ran.”

I frowned, readying myself to hit the man again. But Daniel quickly stopped me.

“What’s going on, Blake? Why’s everyone out here.”

“That’s what you get for fleeing like a coward this morning, Dan. You missed out on your chance to earn some recognition for yourself.”

Blake laughed, then stopped. He placed a hand on his chin as if in thought.

“Although… if you were there, you would’ve made a fool out of yourself. And that would’ve been hilarious to see.”

“What scene? What are you talking about?”

Daniel raised an eyebrow as Blake slowly responded.

“The stupid Demon that has been attacking small villages and travelers around Falisfield? Yeah, it’s dead. Or at least, it’s going to be dead. It attacked Maplewell— just a few miles east of here. And unfortunately for it, Hazelbury got the news as soon as it happened. A Gold Ranked team left a bit ago to exterminate it.”

A note from MelasD

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays to everyone! Sorry, haven't been able to respond as often to comments. Spending family time together during this season!

As always, you can read up to 12 chapters ahead on my patreon here.

A rating would be greatly appreciated too <3

In the spirit of giving, I hope you all follow boboplushie's twitter here! Let's get him to 100 followers!

21.1. Ashes. Lots of Ashes.

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

21.1. Ashes. Lots of Ashes.

“But why must we go to Maplewell?”

Daniel protested, following behind me. I did not turn around as I continued my march down the dirt path.

“Because he’s there. And if what Blake says is true and this ‘Gold Ranked team’ is going to kill him, then we have to stop them.”

“He? Do you mean the Greater Demon? Luc— Luci—”

“Lucerna.”

I stopped as the road split into two. I glanced back at the Human man as he too halted.

“Which way is this ‘Maplewell’?”

“I don’t know. And I don’t want to go there. What happens if the Gold Ranked team finds out you’re a Demon too? They’ll think you’re trying to aid it— him.”

He paused, narrowing his eyes.

“Wait, are you trying to help that Demon?”

“No! I don’t even like Lucerna. He tried to kill me and I couldn’t kill him.”

“Then why do you want to save him? Let the Gold Ranked team take care of him— it’s a win-win situation for us all!”

I stared at Daniel, trying to articulate my thoughts. It was not that I wanted Lucerna to live; he was a menace, and he should have died to the [Cultists]. But he was strong and he killed them all instead. Just like he would have killed me if I hadn’t fled in time. And yet...

“He’s the only one who knows how to get me back to the Netherworld. You— you Humans haven’t been any help at all. But Lucerna was the one who brought me here in the first place. He would know how to bring me back.”

“And you think he’ll just tell you?”

“He won’t, but we can make him if the Gold Ranked team defeats him. Then you guys can kill him for killing all your Human companions in Silverdale and Fairgrove!”

“It’s Silvergrove and Fairdale… are you doing that on purpose?

I shook my head, ignoring his question; I cast my gaze back to the forked path. It was getting dark again. We had spent too much time asking questions in the city about the Demon attack— again. I was starting to see a pattern here, and I was not sure if I liked it.

In the far left, above the vast canopy of trees that stretched to the horizon, I spotted a speck in the twilight sky. Billowing up to the white clouds above was a column of smoke; it blew strongly with the wind, slowly being carried higher and higher. I pointed at it.

“There— that’s smoke!”

Daniel grimaced as I excitedly ran back to him.

“That means that’s where Maplewell is. Lucerna uses smoke!”

I tried to wave him forward, gesturing for him to hurry up as he simply stood there.

“What are you doing? If we don’t hurry it up, we’re not going to make it there in time!”

The Human man hesitated, biting his lower lip. I cocked my head, confused at the way he was acting.

“I…”

He started, then stopped. I frowned.

“What? What do you want to say?”

He sighed, glancing away from the smoke and down at me.

“I don’t think that’s smoke from magic, Salvos. And I don’t think we’ll be getting the answer you want anytime soon.”

...seriously? Am I going to have to wait longer again?!

—--

We arrived at Maplewell to find it a pile of ashes. Well, the pile was specifically concentrated around the center of what once was a village. The rest of the ruined village had a small layer over it though.

“What kind of a spell did that?”

Daniel spoke, voice quivering as he pointed at the pile of ash. It rose up to my waist so it was not as high as a hill, but it was spread so wide that it was thinned out.

“Lucerna must have done that. He had a Skill that could create these big balls of ash that burnt my skin off!”

“But could it do this?”

I looked at the destruction— at the burning houses and trees all throughout. I shook my head.

“I don’t think he could have created all that ash. At least, not when we met. And I don’t think he was able to create fire too.”

Daniel glanced around, gritting his teeth.

“We need to search for survivors. There has to be someone who survived this attack.”

He started forward, covering his mouth as he stalked through the flames and smoke. I followed behind him, mimicking what he was doing, although I was unsure of what it was for.

We trudged between burnt and burning buildings, leaving a trail of footprints in the ashened floor; the fire was not raging wildly, but it tried to consume whatever it could before it would extinguish itself. Whatever Skill or magic Lucerna used to cause these flames was not a powerful one— it just so happened that no one could stop them from spreading, which made the situation what it was.

I took this all in, noting how different a place of Humans could become after a battle occurred in it; I had never seen a village before, but I had an idea based on the city.

Daniel stopped abruptly and I nearly bumped into him. I caught myself just in time and peered over his shoulder.

“What’s wrong?”

The Human man ignored me, instead choosing to bend over to the ground. He leaned over to a body on the ground, touching it slowly.

“Is he alive?”

He didn’t respond. He closed his eyes, muttering something under his breath. Then he got up and continued past the body. I glanced one last time at the body— at the small body that was flanked on both sides by two bigger bodies— and decided that I should do something as well. So I nodded at them as I would to a companion, before catching up to Daniel.

“I found someone.”

The Human man called out to me just as I reached him. He was holding a red haired woman wearing robes in his arms carefully. I identified her as he grabbed for a bottle around his belt.

[Mage - Lvl. 45]

She’s high level! I noted as he held it over her, uncorking the bottle. He poured a familiar red liquid down on her drip by drip, stopping only when she began to release a series of sharp exhales.

Her coughing died down, but she didn’t get up. He slowly laid her against the side of an intact wall. He turned to me.

“I can’t use all of my healing potion on her or I’ll run out. I’ll look for more survivors, so just wait here and watch over her.”

“Ok!”

I waved at him as he left, trying out one Human gesture I had observed while in Hazelbury. I thought I did it right— but if I did, he would have waved back. I glanced down at my hand and frowned. Do I have to do it like this? Or like this? I wiggled my hand in different ways as I waited for Daniel to return.

More time passed as the moon fully asserted itself into the sky. I watched the lingering flames around me slowly snuff out, leaving nothing but the light from up above to illuminate my surroundings. I had gotten bored of waving my hand a while ago, and was now in the process of trying to figure out how to make my fingers create that snapping sound someone in the Adventurers Guild made. All I got was a clicking sound from my claws knocking into each other.

I looked up from this arduous task as I heard a groan. The woman in robes was sitting up and rubbing her face.

“...where am I?”

“Hello!”

I greeted her enthusiastically, glad that I could finally direct my attention at something else. She jerked back, caught off guard by me.

“Wha— what’s going on? Who are you?”

“Daniel found you lying by that pile of bodies there, so he helped you get better before leaving me to look after you. I’m Salvos!”

I pointed at the corpses strewn about where she had once been as she slowly turned. She blinked a few times as her mouth hung her open. Then she jumped up, knocking ash into the air.

“That [Djinn]! Where is it? What happened?!”

She glanced around frantically, reaching for something at her side but found nothing.

“Where’s my team?!”

“Your team?”

I cocked my head inquisitively. She sputtered, pointing at herself.

“My team— Paul, Eloy, Silvia! Where are they?!”

“They’re dead..”

I whirled around, seeing Daniel walk over with a somber look on his face. He bowed his head slightly.

“I’m sorry. But your team was killed by the Greater Demon attacking this town. There are no other survivors but you.”

Her eyes widened as she took a step back. She looked like she wanted to deny it— to call Daniel a liar. But she stopped. She spoke softly as she nodded.

“I see...”

Daniel averted his gaze from the woman.

“I’m sorry, but there was nothing I could do. Maybe if Salvos and I had come an hour earlier… but no. The [Djinn] was long gone when we arrived.”

The woman took a deep breath, shaking her head.

“Right, I heard you the first time. Both your explanation and your apology. You don't have to repeat yourself."

He clenched his fists as the woman looked down at the ground, a shadow arched darkly over her eyes. I glanced between the two before pointing at Daniel.

“You did! I heard you both times too!”

The two glanced back at me as I cocked my head.

“What?”

21.2. Ashes. Lots of Ashes.

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

Want to read a polished story?

Quill Moniker, the author of They Called Me MAD and The Pen Is Mightier, has recently released a new story on Royalroad called Eyes of the Asura. It's a Superhero Progression fic which has only just started, but is looking extremely promising so far. I reckon it's worth checking out for most people who aren't looking for a huge time sink right now.

And with that, my two weeks of giving is finally over. I am incredibly grateful for all the support I've gotten for this story, and had been trying to share it around with others. I hope those of you who checked out the stories I recommended enjoyed them. This is my final shoutout, since I am well aware of how these things would lose their efficacy if I keep doing it. Maybe I'll do more in the future. But for now, that's it.

So I highly reccomend you check it out!

21.2. Ashes. Lots of Ashes.

“Is this your staff?”

“Yes— thank you. At least something survived the battle.”

We were taking shelter in one of the less damaged houses in the village. It was late, and Daniel and the woman decided we should only head back to Hazelbury in the morning. They were now huddled around a fire I helped create as only the crackling flames filled the deathly silence that hung over them after her comment.

Daniel said nothing, choosing only to poke the fire with a piece of wood. I watched as it began to burn up before he threw it in where the rest of the wood lay.

“You know, I can always just create more fire.”

I pointed out, but he did not respond. I watched him quietly sit there while the woman drew her knees in with a sigh.

“...we weren’t even supposed to be here.”

She whispered, her voice cracking with the flames.

“Our company sent us here— to Falisdale— because we heard the Iron Champions had found a Dungeon. They were trying to keep it to themselves as they always do, and we heard rumors that the monsters in there were at least Level 50. We just had to investigate whether this was true, nothing else.

“It was a simple mission. A safe mission. It was not even an adventuring job. But they assigned it to me because I had just become a Gold Rank, and they wanted me to just get used to being one. Most Silvers who are promoted to Gold act recklessly because they usually just completed a Class advancement. They think they can take on any threat, and they pay for it. I wasn’t going to be one of them— or at least, that was what I thought.

“I’m a [Summoner]. I had gone through dozens of contracts in the past with many different Spirits. But I finally got one that stuck— one that helped me reach Level 40. And then I met my team. They were always there for me. I had only known them for a few months, but I thought this was the start of something new. I thought we could overcome anything together. So when I heard about this Demon attacking small villages— I thought… I insisted…”

Daniel reached out and patted her on the shoulder as she sniffed.

“It’s not your fault.”

She looked up at him, learning forward, her face now illuminated by the firelight. I blinked as I saw drops of water streaming down from her eyes to the side of her cheeks. She was… crying? I didn’t understand it at all.

“Why are you crying?”

Her gaze snapped in my direction.

“Why am I crying? My friends are dead. My Spirits are all dead. And that Demon is still on the loose. Why would I not be crying?!”

Daniel held out a hand as she glared at me.

“Calm down. Salvos didn’t mean anything by asking you that. She’s just... eccentric.”

“Hey! I am not eccentric.”

My comment seemed to not have been heard by him as he continued talking to the woman.

“Look, miss—”

“Edithe.”

She glanced up at him, finally turning away from me. He nodded.

“Edithe then. I know you’re feeling a lot of things right now, but please don’t direct your anger towards her. Please.”

“Fine.”

She leaned back, looking up past the half collapsed ceiling and at the night’s sky.

“But I’m not angry.”

Daniel just looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

“I’m not just angry. I’m furious. I feel every single part of my soul raging against that [Djinn] that killed my friends. He was only Level 50, and yet he killed us all.”

Level 50? I thought, cocking my head. That’s not right.

“If I were just angry, I would get over it in a few hours or a day. No— I’m not angry. I want revenge. I will not stop until that fucking is Demon bent over by my feet, dying, and begging for mercy. And then I’ll watch as it chokes and drowns in its own blood while it fucking bleeds to death.”

There was a brief lull in the conversation, so I saw my chance to speak.

“But Lucerna’s only Level—”

Daniel spoke over me.

“You want revenge, I know. And you can get it in the future. For now, we should just sleep. It’s getting late, and I want us to leave as soon as possible tomorrow.”

I glanced at Daniel, taken aback. Why did he interrupt me? In fact, I didn’t think he acknowledged a single thing I had said since we came to this shelter. I was about to point that out, but then I realized something.

They were making it a point to ignore me! I wasn’t entirely sure why; it almost seemed like they were… annoyed at me? I had gotten annoyed before— I was annoyed at Daniel for not bringing me back to the Netherworld as he said he would— but I never considered that he could be annoyed at me.

But why? What did I do? I tried to reflect on my actions— narrow down which part of our interaction resulted in both the Humans getting annoyed with me. At first, I thought it was because I was asking too many questions. Daniel didn’t like that from what I remembered. He kept telling me to stop that.

Then I thought about it a moment longer, and I realized they weren’t exactly upset with me in the first place. They had already been upset before that, but I didn’t care for it. I didn’t… acknowledge the way they were feeling. But what was I even supposed to do in that situation?

I paused, and I remembered someone else. My companion, Haec, had recounted his time with the others once. He was… sad about the deaths of his original Demon companions. And I didn’t like seeing him sad, so I tried to reassure him.

Was that what I was supposed to be doing here? I glanced up at Daniel, and realized that that was what he had been trying to do all along. What I had been saying didn’t help, so he had been getting annoyed with me because of that. And Edithe might have been getting annoyed with me because I was interrupting Daniel’s attempts to reassure her. That’s it!

I clicked my claws together as the two Humans finished their conversation.

“...but with all the bodies, monsters will surely come wandering to the village. I’m not sure if I can sleep easy knowing that— if I could even sleep at all.”

“You’re right, one of us needs to keep watch.”

“I can do it!”

I jumped between Daniel and Edithe, staring at the woman then the man.

“I can keep watch.”

The Human woman folded her arms, meeting my gaze with her hazel-green eyes.

“All night? Are you being serious right now? Why should I trust you won’t fall asleep while keeping watch?”

I felt myself grinning as Daniel opened his mouth. He reached for me.

“Salvos—”

I ignored him and threw my hood back. I jerked a thumb at myself.

“I won’t fall asleep because I don't need sleep. I’m not Human, after all. See?”

Edithe screamed and swung her staff at me.

…

I dodged, of course.

A note from MelasD

Welp, I'm sick. Every winter, this happens. No matter how many layers I wear, I can't not get sick when it's cold.

Don't worry, it won't affect uploads... I think.

22. Recognition

A note from MelasD

Yes. Salvos, who has only held a proper conversation with Haec and Daniel, doesn't understand the social intricacies of a traumatized Human's irrational prejudice against all Demons.

Here's what she thinks she knows:

Salvos is Salvos, not like wild Demons and not like other Demons. Humans are scared of Demons that destroy towns. Edithe knows Salvos did not destroy the town. Therefore, since Salvos is not like wild Demons or other Demons and did not destroy the town, Edithe should not be afraid of Salvos, right? After all, that's how Daniel reacted from her point of view.

Anyway, it was supposed to be a humorous bit: Demon trying to understand and be nice to Human ends up scaring Human! I honestly didn't think the ending scene would be a big deal at all when I wrote it. However, I'm not going to change it; the web of social relations is a complex subject, and Salvos won't be able to fully understand it without making quite a few mistakes and social blunders.

22. Recognition

I stared at the fire I held in my hands as it moved. I was manipulating it— shaping it to become what I wanted it to be. The small ball of fire— like a pebble in my hand— shifted. It grew in size as I poured mana into it, feeling it drain from my body like blood flowing out from a large wound.

The magical flames first turned into a spike, then into a dagger. I narrowed my eyes as I reached the limits of what I could do with it. I tried to shape it into a blade— one as long as Daniel’s— but I couldn’t. It would not not accept the mana. Or at least, [Basic Fire Creation] wouldn’t.

So I relaxed; I dismissed the Skill as I tried to maintain the form of the fire weapon I had created. It wiggled at first, losing the stability the Skill gave it. But I knew what the feeling was like— I knew how to keep it from snuffing out in my hands. Then I slowly ran a clawed finger through it.

The tip of my claw dragged across the fire dagger, finally reaching its edge before I pulled my finger away. I watched as the tip of the weapon extended with increasing volatility. I tugged at the strings of mana, manipulating it to remain a solid. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I tried.

And the magically created weapon grew longer and longer, increasing in length until it was about half the size I wanted it to be. I stopped— not because I wanted to— but because my entire body was quivering; I was concentrating only on the spell and nothing else. If I even could stabilize it— I probably wouldn’t have been able to swing it around. But perhaps if I did this, I could level a Skill. Or perhaps I could learn a new Skill—

There was a shriek, and I jerked.

I lost control of the magic holding it together; the short blade of fire plumed out and up, lighting up my surroundings very briefly as it blazed through the air. Then it vanished.

I sighed as I turned to the source of the noise. A large, dark creature came falling from the sky. It nearly crashed into the earth, only spreading its wings open just in time to slow its landing. I stood up, readying for an attack.

The monster turned its crimson eyes to me, still a dozen paces away next to a broken down house. I cocked my head as he bared his sharp fangs, hunching over to reveal thin, long nails on either side of his wings.

[Vurat - Lvl. 16]

“Well?”

I asked him curiously, waiting to see what he would do. Slowly, he turned away from me, before abruptly grabbing a body off the ground and flying away.

“Huh.”

I had nothing else to comment about that. I wasn’t sure why he was grabbing the bodies at first, but then I remembered Daniel. He had been eating pieces of dead animals to fill himself with energy, or something. That was probably what the [Vurat] was doing— feeding.

That’s creepy, I thought, grimacing. Eating is creepy. And weird!

Later that night, more [Vurat] came, claiming the bodies of the dead strewn about the village. But none attacked me. So I didn’t attack them either.

—--

The two Humans emerged from the half collapsed house when the sun rose, bringing with it the brightness of day and an upset looking Edithe. The woman held her staff up warily when she saw me, but did not take a swing at me. Why would she? I had nearly clawed her face off when she tried it last night.

The only thing that stopped me from killing her for trying to attack me multiple times was Daniel, who convinced me that she wasn’t trying to kill me. She was shaken— or something. She had just fought Lucerna, so she might have known where he went. More than that too, she could help us defeat him if we did track him down. I needed to find him so he could tell me how to go back to the Netherworld since Daniel and the other Humans weren't able to help me anyway.

So our group of three started out of the destroyed village, heading back down the road to Hazelbury. We walked in silence for a bit as I stared around at the forest coming alive with the morning. A small, green bird with a red stripe on its head flitted down from a tree at me. I cocked my head, lifting a hand out to touch him, but he turned and flew away.

“Aw. I was just trying to say hi.”

I glanced back ahead, seeing Edithe trudging ahead as she occasionally opened her mouth and to take a deep breath.

“Sorry about last night.”

Daniel slowed down, walking beside me. I blinked, facing him as he averted his gaze slightly and spoke softly.

“Last… night?”

“About what happened with you and Edithe. I know she tried to attack you even though you were trying to help us— but that’s because you’re… a Demon, you know?”

I frowned, looking up at him.

“No, I don’t know. What do you mean?”

“I mean, you don’t really understand how… social interactions work, right?

I shrugged.

“I am curious about it, but I don’t care if I can’t understand it. It’s not like I’ll need to know it once I leave the Mortal Realm.”

“I know, it’s just…”

He hesitated, trying to think of what to say. He gave up eventually, and just muttered under his breath.

“I guess I shouldn’t have discriminated against you just because you’re a Demon.”

I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I accepted it. We continued walking for a bit as the sun creeped higher up into the sky. Then I had a thought.

“Why must we go back to Hazelbury? Aren’t we trying to find where Lucerna went?”

“If we track him down now, I don’t think we’d be able to win. Especially since Edithe would barely be able to help us without any summons— she says she knows some spells, but nothing that would be able to harm a Level 50 Greater Demon.”

I paused, considering this. Then I gave him a blank look.

“A summon?”

“Spirits.”

“Oh— like Sakura?”

“Yes. [Summoners] are a type of [Mage] that forms a contract with Spirits to fight for them. Since Spirits, like Demons, are naturally stronger than similar leveled monsters in the Mortal Realm, they would be able to fight enemies 10 levels above them and gain more experience from it. Because of this, most Spirits pair with [Summoners] higher leveled than them, to split the experience they gain from fighting together against stronger enemies.”

I raised a brow.

“Why should a [Summoner] gain any experience if it’s just the Spirits fighting for them?”

“Because [Summoners] have Skills that boost the fighting abilities of their summons. It’s a symbiotic relationship— both sides win from this arrangement.”

“What does a Spirit gain from this? I don’t understand.”

He shrugged, giving a noncommittal answer.

“They’re also given a small amount of mana each day. I don’t really know what they do with it, but it’s similar to Demon summonings, I guess?”

Edithe, who had been walking up ahead the entire time, suddenly whirled around. She snapped at Daniel, pointing a finger at him.

“A Spirit summoning is nothing like a Demon summoning.”

The Human man was taken aback. He raised a hand placatingly at her.

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Yes it is! Comparing our sacred rituals for Spirits who have fought alongside us for thousands of years with a sacrificial Demon summoning? It is nothing alike! What is wrong with you?!”

The woman accused him, her anger visible on her face. Then she directed her fury to me.

“And look at it! How could you be so friendly with that— that— thing! To even get here, it must have eaten a person just to feed its appetite! How can you be so vile to associate yourself with it?”

“Look, I just told her I would help her. She wants to get back to the Netherworld and…”

Daniel backed up, sputtering, unsure of what to say. But I folded my arms.

“I did not eat anyone to get here. That’s disgusting! I would never do that!”

She spoke simply, giving me a glare.

“You would and you did. That’s what all Demons are like. All of you are the same evil creatures that only kill and destroy.”

I narrowed my eyes, looking at her with defiance.

“I am not a Demon. I am Salvos.”

“I don’t care what your name is. To me, you’re just another monster—”

An arrow landed on the ground between us, and I lowered my claws. I blinked, staring at the projectile as it shone.

“What’s that—”

“Shit, that's—”

And it exploded.

23. Unwarranted Attack

23. Unwarranted Attack

“Good shot, Joe.”

“My name’s not Joe, boss. It’s Nazzareno.”

“I’m not pronouncing that, so you’re Joe to me.”

The Level 25 [Archer] sighed, lowering his bow as the Level 31 [Warrior] heaved a maul off his back.

“The [Mage] was able to set up a barrier in time, but you did get her. Although it seems the other two weren’t as close to the blast radius and survived.”

“It’s only a Low Grade Explosive Bolt, boss. It wouldn't have killed anyone who wasn’t standing right on it. Especially not a Level 45 [Mage].”

The man called ‘boss’ turned to another Human behind him. There were a dozen other Humans standing there, but this one was by far the largest.

“Well, all we have to do now is finish them off. Hebert— use your [Draw Attention] on the [Mage], get her to attack you while we take care of the two others. The [Rogue] might be a problem, but the [Warrior] is weak. He’ll probably try to run away once he sees us and our levels.”

“You sure, boss? She’s more than 15 levels higher than me—”

“Don’t sweat it. You just have to use it at the beginning of the battle. It’s not like it lasts longer than a couple of moments anyways. Once we kill them all, we’ll have lots of good, expensive loot to share and I’ll make sure you...”

“Wait boss!”

The [Archer] called out, pointing at the small crater where the dust of smoke had just cleared from.

“The [Rogue]— she’s gone!”

“Huh—”

[Fire Strike]!

I lashed out at the boss with a fire dagger, aiming for his chest. The Human man recoiled, trying to swing at me, but he was too slow. The blade plunged into body, drawing blood as he tried to back up. I clawed at his face, ducking under the maul as it swung over my head. He roared as he tried to grab me, but I grinned.

[Double Step].

I nimbly slipped away from his reach, putting a large gap between me and the group that had attacked us. I had waited just long enough for the Skill to make itself available for us again, before I attacked them. After all, I used it the moment Daniel gave me the warning.

The boss backed up, clutching at his wound as he grabbed for something at his belt. I knew what it was— I had made the mistake before to let it happen, so I was prepared for it this time. I flicked my wrist as the other Humans tried to gather in front of him. The dagger darted between all of them and plunged into the head of the boss as he uncorked the vial.

Defeated [Maulwielder Warrior - Lvl. 31]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

He dropped, dead. I grinned, creating another two fire daggers as the group approached me.

“You— you killed him!”

The [Archer] pointed out the obvious. He pulled an arrow out of his quiver, nocking it onto his bow. The group charged as he aimed at me—

And a bolt of lightning struck Nazzareno before he could loose it. Edithe raised her staff and shouted as Daniel ran up behind her.

“Bandits! Damn brigands, trying to capitalize on the destruction of a village? Have you no shame?!”

Her fingers sparkled with electricity as she sent a smaller bolt of lightning at the group. A [Mage] raised a small stick— a wand— and aimed in the direction of the oncoming attack.

“[Rock Wall]!”

The spell met the barrier Skill and was dispersed to its surroundings. Edithe clicked her tongue as Daniel charged ahead, running up to help me. I whirled around as a woman quickly approached me, holding a dagger in each hand.

She slashed at me with her first blade as I backed up. I swung at her as she lifted her other blade.

“[Double Stab]!”

The blade blurred as I parried the first swing, but a second hit nicked me on the shoulder. I growled, headbutting her away from me. She was fast, but not nearly as fast as me. And she was weaker than me too. I was about to follow up with another attack, but suddenly I felt compelled to turn my attention away from her.”

“[Draw Attention]. Come at me!”

I ran away from the [Rogue], heading straight at another [Warrior] as he held up a huge shield and a short sword. I dodged and ducked under the swings of the other bandits, countering them as quickly as I could. Something made me run towards the [Warrior], but I realized that I didn’t have to attack him.

I reached him eventually, running past the [Mage] and an [Archer] embroiled in a long ranged battle with Edithe. Daniel clashed into the bandits behind me as I struck at the [Warrior]. He blocked the attack with his shield. He pulled the large object back.

“[Shield blow]!”

He swung it at me as I ran stupidly at it. I went flying back, rolling on the ground. I was still lying on the ground when the [Rogue] reached me. She stabbed for my face as my body wanted to run at the [Warrior], but I grabbed her hand mid strike.

My claws dug deep into her wrists as she screamed, dropping the first blade. I pulled her with me as I ran at the [Warrior]. I threw her at him and his eyes widened. He lifted his shield.

“Jess—”

I slid under his defenses, sweeping him off his feet as he pushed the [Rogue] away. The man fell to the ground as I followed up with a [Fire Strike], aiming at his unprotected face. He yelled in pain as my claws dug into one of his eyes, half-blinding him. And as that happened, I felt his Skill’s effects wear off.

The [Rogue] tried picking herself up, but I kicked her back to the ground. She fell forward, landing flat on her face before I nailed it to the ground with a fire dagger.

Defeated [Rogue - Lvl. 27]!

Experience is awarded for—

I ignored the words as even more popped up in my head from Daniel fighting three of the bandits at once. He jabbed one of them on the chest with a [Quick Strike], knocking her back, before swinging at the other two.

“[Crescent Blade].”

His sword went down at the legs of the first, before slicing upwards at the chest of the other. The first fell to the ground, reeling from the attack, but the second managed to parry it. He fell a moment later as Daniel stabbed him through the chest.

I glanced back at the [Warrior] with the shield as he tried to pick himself up. He shook his head, reaching for his short sword before I leapt onto him. The man yelped, trying to push me off him. My claws dug on firmly into his skin as I bit at his face.

He screamed, now missing an ear and an eye. And in that moment his mouth went wide, I jammed a fire spike into his throat. He limply stopped struggling as I heard another sound in my head in addition to defeating him.

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 23] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 24]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I distributed the points as I usually did.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 21

[Strength]: 16

[Endurance]: 34

[Wisdom]: 41

[Agility]: 52

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 15

[Double Step] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 11

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 3

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 3

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Then I quickly got up and ran to help Daniel. He finished off another bandit, but was getting overwhelmed by three more as they surrounded him. He hesitated, holding up his blade as if about to use a Skill. But I charged in, pointing at the two closest to me.

“[Fire Blast]!”

One was knocked back by the Skill, while the other shouted his own.

“[Steady Stance].”

I jumped on him as he stood there, extending both my legs out as flames appeared on my toes. He took the brunt of the hit head on, but groaned in pain from the hit. He tried to swing at me, but the blade glanced off my cloak as I spun around. It ignited into flames, causing him to stumble and fall to his feet by himself.

I threw two fire spikes at him and finished him off with a [Fire Strike]. I turned to Daniel, seeing him finish off the two he was fighting. These members of the group had been slightly lower leveled than us, only reaching the low-to-mid 20s. So I was dissatisfied with the experience they gave me.

I looked up, seeing the last man getting up. He looked between me and Daniel standing over the bodies of his dead companions, mouth agape. He turned to run. I rushed after him.

“Wait, Salvos— we need to help Edithe!”

My claws dug through the back of the last man as I tore into his body. Daniel pulled back, turning and dashing to help the Human woman as she was overwhelmed by the remaining three bandits.

I picked myself up, seeing Edithe finish off a [Mage], before being struck by an arrow from an [Archer]. Another [Mage] conjured a ball of fire and hurled it at her.

“[Fireball]!”

“[Ice Shield]—”

It exploded on the barrier, sending shards of ice flying in all directions. Edithe staggered back, hurt and tired from the fighting. She had no summons— no Spirits— to help her. She could only rely on her magic, and she was injured from the initial Explosive Bolt.

I ran past Daniel, feeling my pace pick up. [Double Step]. The Skill could be used again, letting me reach the [Mage] just in time as he created another ball of fire.

“Wha—”

I flicked a small ball of fire at his face just before he sent it, causing it to shoot off to the side. I ignored him as he stumbled forward, grasping at the small burn mark on his face. The [Archer] fired an arrow at me, but I knocked it off the air with my claws. She reached for a dagger at her belt and I jabbed a clawed finger at her abdomen.

She doubled over, dropping the blade as I stood over her. I picked up the dagger and she looked up.

“No, please—”

The weapon lodged itself halfway through her neck as she sputtered. I did not bother pushing it through the rest of the way. I whirled around, dodging the flaming arrow as it whizzed past me. The [Mage] screamed as he hurled more projectiles as I ran at him.

I did not use any Skills. I did not use any magic. I was drained. But I was faster than him— I was stronger than him. He couldn’t do anything once I reached him, and he collapsed too. The last of the words rang in my head before I got up off the body.

Defeated [Fire Mage - Lvl. 26]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Archer - Lvl. 29]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 24] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 25]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Daniel slowed down, seeing that we had won. He glanced at the dead bandit bodies strewn all around us. There had been a dozen of them, and I had gotten experience for killing them all. Even if some gave less than others because I had only slightly hurt them— I still got enough to level twice.

I looked down at my exhausted and injured body, then up at Edithe. She was wounded— burned and cut all around her. Daniel was in better shape, but he was hurt too.

“That was…”

He trailed off, grimacing at the sight of the corpses. I ignored them, walking up to Edithe as she coughed. She looked up at me.

“I… you saved me—”

I punched her between the legs. The Human woman fell over, but did not scream in pain like Daniel or Blake had. I frowned, unsure why that was. Maybe it’s because I’m tired. I shook my head as she cursed.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, you Demon? What was that for?!”

I ignored her, kicking her on the stomach. She screamed as Daniel ran up to me.

“What—”

“I am Salvos. Not Lucerna, not Haec, and especially not one of those stupid, wild Demons.”

I pointed over at the bodies of the bandits and pointed at them.

“Do you see this? These people that tried to attack us? They were Humans. They were like you. They were like him.”

I glanced over at Daniel as Edithe stars, aghast at what I was doing.

“Every single Human I have met has attacked me or run from me so far. You, Daniel, these bandits, those people in Silverflower— but I do not treat you all the same. I do not approach every Human as though they would attack me. Because I recognize that you aren’t’ like a wild Demon.”

I eyed Daniel who averted his gaze, muttering ‘it’s not Silverflower’ under his breath, then looked back down at Edithe.

“If you want to treat me like some sort of object so much— like a rock among a pile of rocks— then I will do the same to you.”

I leaned over her, bringing my claws dangerously close to her face as I grabbed her by neck.

“I will use you to level. I will use you to evolve. I will kill you. I don’t care what your name is, I don’t care what you are. That’s what I will do— if I were a wild Demon.”

I pulled back, letting her go and fall back to the ground. She rubbed at her neck, staring up at me.

“...what are you saying?”

Her voice still held some of the hostility from before, but none of the strength behind it anymore.

“I’m saying that I am Salvos. I am not a Demon. I am not a monster. I am not an evil creature. So start treating me as me. Otherwise—”

I pointed a clawed finger at her, then balled it into a fist.

“I will make you.”

Daniel stared at me as I made my declaration, and Edithe slowly nodded. I did not care that it was a begrudging one— I got what I wanted. So I glanced between the two Humans, satisfied. I folded my arms.

“Good. Now let’s go to Hazelbury and get you your Spirits, find Lucerna and kill him together, then get me back to the Netherworld so we’re all happy.”

24.1. Divvying Loot

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

24.1.Divvying Loot

Salvos

Species: [Lesser Demon]

Subspecies: [Zelus Imp] - Lvl. 25

General Skills:

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 5]

[Vitality]: 21

[Strength]: 16

[Endurance]: 34

[Wisdom]: 41

[Agility]: 52

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 5]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 15

[Double Step] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 11

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 3

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 3

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

I evaluated my Status, having leveled up twice in the last battle; we had been attacked by a lot of bandits— as Edithe and Daniel called them— most of whom I managed to land a hit on before they were taken out by me or the two Humans with me. And it was not like these bandits were low leveled either.

Most of them had been in the low 20’s, with some being in the upper 20’s or even low 30’s. Furthermore, I had probably been close to another level up before the fight even began, since I had been gaining experience from training my General Skills in the lull of action since I went to Hazelbury.

Previously, I had decided to distribute my Stat Points in a way that allowed my [Wisdom] and [Endurance] to catch up with my [Agility]. However, now that they had closed the gap a little, I felt it was time to change which Stats I would raise.

First of all, I would increase the amount of Stat Points I spent on [Agility] from 1 to 2. I did not like how that [Rogue] had kept up with me in terms of speed, even if she had been distinctly weaker than me in other areas. If I could get hurt by a single [Rogue] in a fight, then I worried about what a group of [Rogues] could do to me. Perhaps she had been focusing mostly on raising her [Agility]— hence why she was rather weak— but I still didn’t like the idea of facing many of her at once.

Then I looked at myself. I had barely taken any hits in that fight, but I was still injured all over. My body felt broken, and it probably would have been more broken if I hadn’t taken out the Level 31 [Warrior] before the battle started. So I raised my [Vitality] by 2.

Finally, I used my last Stat Point on [Strength]. I didn’t have much of a reason for it— it just seemed like it was being neglected so I gave it a pity point.

With that settled, I moved on to my Skill Points. I split 3 Skill Points evenly between [Basic Fire Creation], [Fire Blast], and [Flame Coat]. Then that was done too.

…

“Are you guys done? What’s taking so long?”

I called out, looking at the Edithe and Daniel as the two were bent over the bodies of the bandits. I had taken my time to make my decisions, but they still were not finished! The Human man glanced up, grimacing as he tossed aside a bloodied pouch.

“Not yet. We still have a few more bodies to look through!”

“What’s taking so long? I’ve already spent all my Skill and Stat Points! And I’m also all healed up— see?”

“Well, maybe if you help us, we’d be done quicker.”

He retorted, before going back to what he was doing. The two Humans were rummaging through the corpses, trying to find… something? I wasn’t entirely sure.

They tried to explain it to me— that they could find loot off the bodies? And if they could find any proof of their bandit group, they could possibly claim a bounty too?

Sighing, I got up and walked up to Daniel as he rummaged through the bag of the [Maulwielder Warrior]. He lowered the sack, pulling out a glinting object from it as he held it up to the sky.

“A platinum coin, huh? These guys were rich.”

“Of course they were.”

Edithe shook her head, leaving the body of the [Mage] I had killed. She had a book under her arms as she pocketed a bracelet into her robes.

“These guys were the lowest of the lows. They were probably planning on looting what was left of Maplewell, as well as killing and robbing from the bodies of any survivors they can find. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were following the path of destruction that evil Demon left behind just to prey on easy targets.”

She hesitated, casting a glance at me.

“Uh, no offense. I didn’t mean that a-all Demons were evil…”

“I don’t care.”

I shrugged simply.

“As long as you recognize that I’m Salvos and not just a Demon, I don’t care what you think about the others.

“R-right.”

The Human woman turned to loot another body as Daniel picked up the maul lying at his feet, frowning as he inspected it.

“Hm, this is a Low Grade Weapon. I think it can sell for quite a bit… actually, is there anything you want from these bandits, Salvos?”

He turned to me, raising an eyebrow. I paused, looking over the items strewn across between the corpses.

“I don’t know. Are there any Medium Grade Weapons here?”

“Nope, sorry. Best thing here is this maul, that wand Edithe found, and these three arrows that were on the archer. All of them are Low Grade.”

I eyed the maul he was carrying with a single hand. I reached to grab it.

“You’re right! Why haven’t I gotten anything— urk... what is this?”

The Human man let go of the maul as I held it with both hands. Immediately, I almost felt my hands give way to it. I barely held it up over my chest, using all of my strength just to swing it once.

“This is heavy!”

“Ah, right.”

He scratched the back of his head.

“Seems like it’s got a weight enchantment on it without any of the countervailing enchantments to make it lighter. That’s probably why it’s Low Grade and not Medium Grade. I bet it can hit as hard as any Medium Grade maul, but it’s not anywhere near as easy to use.”

“How did you hold it so easily?”

He hesitated, biting his lower lip.

“Uh, I’m strong I guess?”

“Huh.”

I stared at Daniel for a moment, before shoving the maul back to his chest.

“Take it, I don’t want it. It’s heavy! Is there anything lighter for me to keep?”

“Uh, right.”

He glanced around, unsure.

“I didn’t know you wanted to keep something for yourself. I thought Demons— I mean, you said nothing so far. And you owned basically nothing before I met you. If I had known, I would’ve kept an eye out for anything you might want.”

“I don’t know either. I just thought I should get something since you guys are taking things for yourself.”

I paused, remembering something.

“And Lucerna owned lots of things! So I guess I should too?”

I spoke with uncertainty; I had no idea if I even wanted anything from these bandits. There were shiny objects, weirdly shaped items, and other such trinkets. But none of them interested me beyond a cursory glance. They were almost like… rocks. I just had no use for any of them.

I took the three arrows Daniel offered me.

“I’ll take these for now— just so I can have something too!”

The Human man nodded.

“Alright then. Are we ready to go?”

He turned to Edithe. The Human woman walked up to us and nodded.

“Yeah. Let’s return to Hazelbury.”

“Let’s go!”

I excitedly spoke out, pumping a hand in the air. I marched forward as the two exchanged a glance. Daniel sighed.

“Uh, Salvos, that’s not the direction to Hazelbury. That’s where we came from. Hazelbury is this way.”

I blinked.

“Oh, that’s where I meant to go... don’t look at me like that!”

24.2. Divvying Loot

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

24.2. Divvying Loot

It was evening by the time we returned to the Human city. The sun was setting over the horizon, bringing with it the brief crimson twilight that almost reminded me of the Netherworld. It wasn’t exactly the same sight, but I thought it was close enough. Maybe if I ran towards the sun during dusk or dawn, I would somehow find myself back there!

I made the suggestion to Daniel, and he nearly called me stupid. He quickly cut himself off— something which I noticed he did when speaking to me— instead making a more benign comment about my curiosity. I wondered why he did that, but did not press the issue.

I started for the Sanctuary of Fauna, but was once again called back by the two Humans with me.

“I thought we were going to get you new Spirits?”

I looked inquisitively at Edithe. She nodded, but gestured at what she had been carrying.

“We will. But first, we need to store this somewhere. I think we can keep it in my inn for now, if that’s alright with you, Daniel. It has a little bit of… a vacancy.”

She bit her lower lip as she said that. The Human man nodded.

“Of course, we’d appreciate it.”

“Then we’ll head to the temple?”

“No.”

Edithe shook her head.

“Then we go to the Adventurers Guild— report about what happened with the bandits. And what happened in Maplewell..”

She trailed off, her gaze growing more distant now. Daniel stepped in, taking over for her.

“Salvos, we’re adventurers. So we have to do these kinds of things before we can tend to our own personal needs. We need to make reports, give the guild information, and maybe rest too, before we can upgrade our gear, get new weapons, or even sell off any loot we found.”

The Human woman collected herself, facing me as we headed to her inn.

“Right, what Daniel said. And even though I’m a [Summoner], getting new Spirits isn’t at the top of my priority list. Especially when we’re in a city. As long as I get one before I leave, there isn’t any need to rush. Plus, I can use regular magic too. As good as any Level 20 [Mage]— or even better.”

She paused, glancing at me then Daniel.

“Which reminds me. How are you so strong at such a low level? I can understand why Salvos is as capable as she is at her level… but you were able to take on five of them on your own for quite a while.”

He hesitated, looking around the streets. He noticed it was empty enough, and that the people that were even here were not paying attention to us. Then he pulled the collar of his down, revealing his Necklace of Obfuscation.

“This is why.”

“Oh.”

Edithe nodded slowly. She looked like she wanted to ask more questions, but decided against it. And Daniel seemed relieved that she chose not to press him further. I observed this, wondering how the Human woman was able to tell that that was what he wanted.

We finally reached the inn, leaving behind the loot we gathered. I decided to keep my arrows with me. The two Piercing Arrows and the one Explosive Bolt were not too difficult to carry. Plus, I had also taken a quiver to sling around my back and keep them in.

When we left the inn however, Edithe still brought with her an extra bag. I wanted to peer into it, but she refused to let me take a look. She told me they weren’t her things, so she had no right to decide whether I could see them.

“If they’re not yours, whose are they?”

The Human woman’s face immediately darkened again, and this time, I tried to emulate what I noticed the two did whenever the other gave an odd reaction.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s fine…?”

Edithe glanced at me, and I tried grinning. She couldn’t see the smile though, because I was sure she would have approved of the expression if not for my cloak. Humans liked to smile, after all!

“You know, that doesn’t work as well if you sound like you’re asking a question?”

I cocked my head, to which she sighed.

“Nevermind— and these belong to my team. Their weapons, their equipment, and anything sentimental of theirs they had on them when they died. I’m giving it to the guild to send back to our company. They’ll give it back to their families.”

I eagerly listened, nodding as she explained it to me. She held up a handful of small, carved pieces of metal.

“And these badges serve as proof that they have passed.”

She gripped the objects tightly in her hand. I looked at this, turning to Daniel as he shifted uncomfortably. I glanced between the two, realizing that I might have made things worse.

We continued walking for a moment in silence. I wasn’t sure what to do— I didn’t know how to make things better. But I remembered something Edithe said in the night before.

I carefully placed a hand on the Human woman’s shoulder. She looked back at me slightly, raising a brow.

“Don’t worry. We’ll get your revenge on Lucerna. No matter what.”

I spoke in the very same way I spoke to Haec when he was sad. And while I wasn’t entirely sure if Edithe was sad, I hoped speaking in this way would also work to cheer her up. Somehow, someway, it did.

She straightened, walking with more vigor than before. She nodded as she turned away from me.

“Right. He will pay for what he did. No matter what.”

A note from MelasD

Happy New Years Eve all!

Sorry I haven't been responding to comments for the past week. I've been busy with the holidays, so I haven't been able to really comment here. Once next week comes about, I'll try to be more active!

However, if you would like to chat or contribute ideas to the story, the best place to do it would be to click here to join my Discord. Otherwise, thanks for reading <3

25. Dialogue and Preparation

25. Dialogue and Preparation

Daniel and I stood to the side, watching Edithe as she handed the bag she was carrying to the woman standing across the counter of the Adventurers Guild. The woman— a receptionist, apparently— nodded as Edithe showed her the bloodied badges she held on her hand.

The two continued conversing for a moment as a deathly silence hung over the hall of the guild; there were hushed whispers happening throughout, but nothing more than that. I stared enviously at the receptionist as she was allowed through the contents of the bag when I had not, but shortly after found myself gaping when she pulled out a long sword from the tiny bag.

What? Huh?! How did that even fit in there?! How does that work?!

I turned to Daniel to question him, but he spoke before I could.

“You know, Salvos, you took my Ring of Lesser Protection from me, right?”

I paused, registering what he said and forgetting my own queries. I slowly nodded.

“I did… why?”

I eyed him suspiciously. The last time he brought it up, he tried to take it back from me— but I wanted it! I would not give it back!

“Oh, I was just wondering why you didn’t use it during the battle against the bandits.”

“Use… it?”

I cocked my head. I raised my hand, revealing the ring hanging loosely off the edge of one of my sharp claws.

“I’m using it right now, see? It fell off during the fight, but I found it and put it back on.”

“No— that’s…”

He trailed off, scratching at his chin. He sighed.

“That’s not how you use it.”

I raised a brow.

“What do you mean? I have it on exactly as you did.”

“Look, you’ve got to put it on your fingers. You can’t just have it wedged into your nails… claws… whatever they are. The artifact’s enchantments won’t take effect and it will not protect you. So you just end up taking hits like you did and get hurt.”

I stared at the Human man as he took the ring from my hand and shoved it down his finger. A brief flicker of light ran over his body before disappearing.

“See?”

“Huh.”

I took this in slowly, trying to register what just happened and what I did wrong. So that’s why I was still badly injured after fighting those bandits! I immediately put out a hand.

“Give it to me! I want to try!”

“Don’t be so loud— here!”

He handed the Ring of Lesser Protection back to me. I quickly took it and copied what the Human man did earlier. I pushed the ring through my claws— it almost didn’t fit through the base of it— but once it touched skin, I managed to squeeze it through. Instantly, I felt a wave of mana wash over me; invisible strands of mana wrapped around me without actually touching me. My eyes widened as I held my finger up, admiring the ring in it. I made a sound.

“Woah.”

“Pretty cool, right? When I put it on for the first time, I didn’t expect to feel anything different. But now, you should be able to take any hits— physical, magical, or whatever kind of attacks there are— a good few times before you’re actually harmed. But don’t think you’re invincible just because you have it on. You can still be thrown and knocked around. It just won’t hurt you.”

“It’s amazing! Where did you get this? I want more!”

I turned excitedly to Daniel. He hesitated, shifting uncomfortably on his feet as he scratched the back of his head.

“Uh… I stole it—”

“It’s done.”

Edithe spoke softly as she walked over to us. Her face was shadowed over and her hands were balled into a fist. She took a deep breath, relaxing her body as she looked up at us.

“What were you two talking about?”

“Rings—”

“Nothing.”

I glanced over at Daniel, at first annoyed that he had cut me off. Then I paused, thinking for a moment, before realizing that he did not want me to mention what we had just been discussing. So I nodded.

“Yes, we were talking about nothing at all! We were just silently standing here next to each other.”

The Human man sighed as Edithe suppressed a grin.

“Alright then. Let’s go back, shall we?”

We headed out of the Adventurers Guild as the quiet conversations slowly grew louder and louder; by the time we exited the building, I could hear panicked voices and loud groans coming from adventurers discussing the news.

It was big news, apparently; a Gold Ranked team was not supposed to go down that easily— that was what Daniel told me. Everyone had expected the Demon attacking and destroying the villages to be slain by Edithe and her companions, but now they were expecting a lot more destruction to happen before the Demon was finally put down.

I did not understand their shock. I had known Lucerna was strong— he had killed all those [Cultists] even after Haec and I fought him together. From what I was told, an adventurer qualified for Gold Rank at around Level 40, so I could easily see how the [Djinn] was able to take out four of them by himself.

We started in the direction of Edithe’s inn, walking through the empty, night streets. It seemed so different from what it looked like during the day— I stared around curiously, taking in the dirt road and side houses for the first time. Without seeing Humans everywhere I turned, I could actually take in the details of the city.

We passed by a building that was brimming with light from the inside. There was a piece of wood that hung over the door with words written on it. I narrowed my eyes and pointed at it.

“‘Come inside for a night of fun and pleasure’. What does that mean?”

Daniel and Edithe exchanged a glance. The Human man started.

“Uh, it means… how old were you again, Salvos?”

I paused.

“How old am I?”

I frowned, considering the question. Individually, each word made sense to me— but when it was strung together into the sentence he had asked, I… I don’t get it.

Edithe saw me struggling with coming up with an answer, so she spoke up, trying to elaborate on what Daniel had said.

“Your age. He’s asking how long you have been…. alive?”

“How long have I been alive?”

I looked up at the sable dome overhead, being reminded of the darkness that was my very world before I had been born. I thought back to how much time had passed between then and now, before realizing that I never really thought about it before.

“I don’t know?”

Daniel raised an eyebrow, but Edithe simply nodded.

“I thought so.”

“You knew that she wouldn’t be able to tell us her age?”

“I expected it. All the Spirits I have had only ever measured their age when they were in the Mortal Realm. There isn’t any way to keep track of time in the Spirit Plane— no day and no night. So I assumed the Netherworld was the same.”

She turned to me and I eagerly bobbed my head up and down.

“The sky doesn’t ever change color, and there’s no sun or moon too! None of those twinkling lights— those stars— either! Just the crimson, glowing sky above.”

The Human man stared at me, shocked.

“And you’re completely fine with this? How do you not go insane if you can’t keep track of time? How do you even plan or schedule anything there?”

“Plan? Schedule?”

I gave him a blank look. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to come up with something to say, but nothing came out. I shrugged.

“If I wanted to do something, I would always just do it. My companion was always with me, so there was no need to plan anything. And I never cared about my age, so I didn’t think about it. But if you must know…”

I tried remembering all the times I saw the sky changed colors since I first woke up after escaping Lucerna.

“I’ve been in the Mortal Realm for 34 days.”

“Over a month, huh? Fairdale was found burnt to the ground around a month ago. If what you say was true and you did get summoned along with the [Djinn], then that sounds about right.”

Daniel mused, rubbing a hand on his chin.

“How does that compare to the amount of time you’ve spent in the Netherworld?”

I thought about it for a moment.

“Not long— maybe 20 times shorter?”

Edithe halted in her step as Daniel’s gaze snapped in my direction. The two stared at me, and I scratched the back of my head as Daniel often did when he was unsure.

“You mean you’re only two years old?”

“Maybe? I don’t know. It might only be 10 times shorter? When I had first been born, I felt like I spent a lot of time by myself before I met the others. And after they died, I was by myself again for a really long while. But maybe it wasn’t as long as I thought?”

Daniel sighed.

“So you’re only one years old?”

“Yes…?”

For some reason, I felt like that didn’t ameliorate anything for them.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s— nothing.”

The Human man shook his head as we continued down the road. The two remained silent as we turned a corner, finally arriving back at Edithe’s inn. I turned back to them.

“We’re here— now hurry up and sleep! We need to find Lucerna before he gets too far away!”

Daniel looked at the Human woman.

“We’ll be heading back to our inn. Do you want to meet back here tomorrow?”

She jolted, glancing up as her eyes darted between us.

“Huh? What? Oh… uh, yeah. Meet back here tomorrow.”

“What’s wrong?”

He looked at her with a furrowed brow. She chewed her lower lip, slowly mustering up a reply.

“...are we really going to do this?”

I cocked my head.

“What do you mean?”

Edithe hesitated, glancing between the two of us.

“Are we really going to face this Lucerna together? I don’t mean to doubt either of your abilities, but do you really think you’ll really be able to defeat Lucerna? Salvos, you’re only Level 25 and one or two years old. Sure, I’ve seen what you could do— you could maybe beat some Gold Ranked adventurers in a fight. But this [Djinn] we’re going after is twice your level and probably has a hundred times the combat experience you have. And as for you, Daniel…”

She paused, frowning as her eyes flickered.

“I don’t know what your real level is, although I can tell that you’re strong. But Paul is… had been… stronger than you. I don’t mean to belittle you, I’m just trying to say that he was a great [Warrior]— a Level 53 [Warrior]— and still, he was killed by the [Djinn].”

Daniel glanced over at me, then back at the Human woman.

“I… don’t actually want to do this either.”

She eyed him dubiously.

“Then why are you doing this?”

“Because I promised Salvos I would help her get back to her home because of reasons. I— how about you, Edithe? If you think we can’t beat this Lucerna, how did you think you were going to be able to beat him alone?”

Edithe stared at him, steadfast.

“Because I have to. Why else did I live when my friends did not? And if I can’t? Then I would die trying.”

“Then that’s settled then, right?”

I piped up casually.

“Daniel promised he would help me. You want to kill Lucerna. I want to get back to the Netherworld. What else is there to it?”

The two blinked, turning to face me.

“We knew all these things already, didn’t we?”

“We did. But I guess I was just trying to confirm if we really were going to do this.”

“So do you really want to find Lucerna to get your revenge?”

Edithe replied instantly.

“I do.”

I looked at Daniel.

“And do you really want to help me get back to the Netherworld for whatever reason you had and aren’t lying to me at this moment for whatever reason?”

He took a moment longer to respond, slowly registering what I said.

“Uh, no? Wait, I mean yes.”

I folded my arms, satisfied.

“Good. Then let’s get you two Humans your needed sleep, go to the temple and get Edithe her Spirits, then we go find Lucerna. Simple as that.”

The two slowly nodded as I glanced between them. Then I sighed, shaking my head as I muttered under my breath.

“You Humans are weird.”

A note from MelasD

Happy New Years all!

Here's a fun fact, Salvos spent the equivalent of a few weeks inspecting rocks. Yes. Chapter 1 was a long time of Salvos staring at rocks. If you can level [Identification] just by looking at an object for a few hours, most Humans would have already maxed out the General Skill by the time they're 10 years old.

And the Netherworld is a vast place. As a [Demon Larva] early on, Salvos certainly wasn't moving faster than an adult Human. Plus she was never in a rush to go anywhere. She would sometimes go weeks without seeing another Demon, although she would typically see a wild Demon every couple of days.

Anyway, thanks for reading. My classes resumes again next week, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to maintain this 5 chaps a week schedule. We'll see what happens, but I'll definitely try to keep it up for as long as I can.

As always, you can read up to 12 chapters ahead on my patreon here.

A rating would be greatly appreciated too <3

26.1. Spirits

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

26.1. Spirits

The next day, we met up with Edithe at the lobby of her inn in the morning as it was closer to the temple; she was dressed in different clothes from before— her bloodied and ashened white robe was now replaced with brown cloth garments. Apparently her robes were enchanted— she only used it for combat. This was considered her ‘casual’ clothing…. whatever that meant.

We started in the direction of the Sanctuary of Fauna, no longer questioning whether we would be going after Lucerna. The only thing in our mind now was how we were going to be going after him.

He was a powerful [Djinn]. Supposedly, he was now Level 50— gaining over 8 levels since I had last seen him. That was a big jump; I had gained only 8 levels during that time, and I had mostly been fighting since I arrived at the Mortal Realm.

We had to become stronger, so the first thing we were going to do was get Edithe new summons— new Spirits. We reached the white temple building as the streets began to busy itself with Human life; we caught some glances from passersby, although none of them seemed to focus on me. They all focused on Edithe because of her… level?

“It’s normal. People stare at me because I’m a Gold Ranked adventurer.”

I cocked my head, confused.

“What’s a Gold Ranked adventurer anyway? I keep hearing you guys talk about it, but no one ever told me.”

Daniel sighed, shaking his head. But Edithe just explained.

“The job of an adventurer is divided into various different ranks: Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Generally speaking, adventurers are promoted when they reach their next Class advancement. That means usually Levels 10 to 40 will be Silver, Levels 40 to 70 will be Gold, 70 to 100 will be Platinum, and 100 to 150 will be Diamond. Anyone above Level 150 is no longer ranked by the Adventurers Guild, considered to be Elites— however they are rare. Only a few dozen Humans reach that level every generation. Maybe a handful of those are adventurers.”

I looked at her curiously.

“So why are people staring at you? You’re only Gold, right? It doesn’t seem too amazing compared to any of the others ranks.”

“Because a large majority of adventurers only ever stay in Silver, Salvos. Maybe they might get Gold in their lifetime, but only when they’re twice my age or older. The same goes for non combat Classes too— in fact, it’s even worse for them. And especially in a smaller city like Hazelbury, someone my age at my level walking around is kind of noteworthy.”

I nodded slowly, following the Human woman as she guided us through the halls of the temple. The [Priest] we had met the other day was here; he saw us, then Edithe. He stepped aside as she bowed slightly at him, before we crossed through the garden.

“And your Classes are… like Subspecies, right?”

That was what I had been told by Daniel; he didn’t explain it too much in detail, but I got the gist of it.

“Yes. Us Humans don’t have a Subspecies like you Demons, Spirits, or monsters do. We just have Classes we can choose once we hit Level 10. Sometimes, people wait a few more levels to hopefully get a more specialized Class. But that would result in them having a slower start since we don’t get Stat or Skill Points until we choose a Class.”

“So you have no Classes at all until then?”

“None at all. Just Levels and General Skills. That’s it.

“Huh.”

I caught a glimpse of the girl I had seen when I was last here. She was lying on the lap of a woman, eyes closed. I narrowed my eyes and identified her.

[Human]

As it turned out, I didn’t even see her level. It was like looking at an animal— or a tree. There was no description attached either; she was just a Human according to my General Skill.

We pushed open the door to the smaller building disconnected from the main temple, finding ourselves standing in front of the summoning pool as two [Priests] were tending to it. Sakura was floating faceup on the water surface. She glanced over at us with her vulpine eyes as we entered and I nodded at her. The [Beastkin] got up and nodded my way, before leaving the room.

I smiled, happy she recognized me, before turning my attention to Edithe as showed her badge and spoke with the [Priests].

“...for Level 30 Spirits.”

One of the first [Priest] stroked the hair protruding down from his chin.

“We certainly can tune the summoning pool to do that. But this is a smaller branch in a small city, Miss. We’re not sure if you’ll even get very many options this way. Maybe if we set the lower limit to Level 25—”

“It’s fine. I’m already putting those Level 30’s in danger. I should only be accepting those that are at least Level 35, but I have no other choice.”

“If you say so.”

The two [Priests] went to either end of the summoning pool. They placed their hands on a stone tablet there, with strange symbols and markings on them. They opened their mouths, beginning a slow chant as I felt mana surging through the water.

26.2. Spirits

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

26.2. Spirits

I stared curiously at the summoning pool, almost leaning into my reflection before Daniel pulled me back.

“Careful Salvos, it might be dangerous.”

“It’s not.”

Edithe shook her head.

“These summoning pools are designed to only allow Spirits through. No mortal, monster, or Demon should be able to pass through it.”

I glanced between the two, before a shimmer of light caught my eye. I looked back at the water as a glow overcame it; lines and shapes started to form inside the summoning pool, weaving into each other and changing the surface into something more.

My eyes widened as suddenly, an image appeared where my reflection on the water had been. It was no longer just a picture of me, or even another person. Instead, I saw a location on the other side. There was a green sky, colorful trees, and…

Spirits.

The Spirits came rushing through the summoning circle. I nearly backed up, thinking they were charging in to attack us. Were they wild Spirits? I had been told Spirits and Demons were similar. If these were wild Spirits—

But they were not.

Two Spirits came through the portal, bursting out of the water and sending a small wave in my direction. I shielded my eyes and body with my cloak, before lowering it and looking up at the two floating creatures hovering above the summoning pool.

[Elemental - Lvl. 34]

[Elemental - lvl. 31]

They were both just staring at us, surveying the room as the image in the water changed again. Their bodies took the shape almost of a Human, except without a lower body to support them. The first was made out of ice— hands, face, chest, every part of her body was frozen solid— with a dozen long pointed shards sticking out of her body below where the legs should be, and wisps of ethereal smoke coming off her. The second was made out of ash and fire— his arms blazing with heat as a trail of flames shot out below his torso, while his upper body was made completely out of hardened ash.

“An [Ice Elemental] and [Fire Elemental], huh? Interesting. What’s next?”

The [Priests] poured more mana into the summoning pool as the pool glowed with the new image. This time, the water did not splash out. Instead it slowly rippled as a lumbering creature pulled itself out of the summoning pool. His body was made entirely out of wood, although he did not look like a tree.

He looked rather Human, again. Except for the four arms sticking out of his body. He towered over anyone I had seen barring Lucerna, standing a head taller than even Haec. He was not alone, however.

On his shoulder, a little creature poked its head out. She ran down the side of one of his arms, running on all fours until she reached the palm of his hand. She cocked her head at us as he slowly lowered her down.

[Yaksha - Lvl. 30]

[Sprite - Lvl. 38]

“Is that all?”

Edithe looked over at the [Priests] as they focused all their magic into the stone tablets. There was a grunt, then a sigh as they shook their heads. The [Sprite] laughed.

“That is all, lady of wisdom. No others thought it desirable to offer themselves to the task of someone at the level of you. And the [Beastkin] will not impinge on the territory of one of their own. So if you think it worth the cost, you shall have to make do with us.”

The Human woman was taken aback.

“No— I mean not offense, Spirit of magic. I just thought…”

“Spare us the titles. Pick your partners and be done with it. But be aware, we all have our stipulations.”

“Stipulations?”

She narrowed her eyes. The [Sprite] nodded, standing now on only two legs as she folded her leg-like arms together.

“The [Yaksha] has none. He will go with you if you choose him, for he is the lowest leveled of us all. The [Elementals] will not partner. Only one goes, not the other. And as for me?”

The blue skinned Spirit pointed to herself.

“I shall go alone or not go at all. So be quick and take your pick.”

Edithe blinked, glancing between them. She tried to protest.

“Wait, can’t you at least tell me your Skills? Your specializations?”

“We will, only if you choose us. That is how the contract always works, no?”

“Yes... but I never usually have this few to choose from!”

The [Sprite] shook her head, turning back to the other Spirits.

“Hurry it up, lady of wisdom. Else I grow bored and resign myself from this queue.”

Edithe bit her lower lip.

“...fine. I pick the [Yaksha] and the [Ice Elemental].”

“So you choose them. Very well. Then it is settled.”

The two Spirits she had chosen stepped forward as the other two turned back to the summoning pool. The [Fire Elemental] slowly descended back in, but the [Sprite] simply hopped off the arm of the [Yaksha], disappearing into the Spirit Plane without so much of a word.

The Human woman watched them go, almost longingly. However she shook her head, focusing on the Spirits that came forward to her. The [Mage] held a hand out, a magic circle forming on the palm of her hands. A symbol marked on the bodies of both Spirits glowed as she began to speak.

“Spirits, sign this temporary contract. Let us once again form this bond which has tied Humanity with you and your Lord for the last thousand years. Fight alongside me, Edithe Phyros, and we shall reap the rewards of battle together. This I promise you as your new master.”

The [Yaksha] bent to one knee while the [Elemental] bowed her head. Only she spoke, but she spoke for the both of them.

“We accept this contract, master.”

“Then for the next six months, we shall be allies on the battlefield. What are your names?”

“His name is Druma. Mine is Mistshard.”

“Druma, Mistshard.”

Edithe nodded, a smile drawing itself on her face. She lowered a hand as the symbols on the Spirits’ bodies stopped glowing, now filled in with another mark.

“It’s good to meet you both.”

They exchanged a glance, almost uncertain. But Edithe proffered a hand this time, not just holding it up to cast magic. Slowly, they both took it. I watched as the Human woman flinched when the icy cold hand of the [Elemental] touched her, before getting engulfed by the large hand of the [Yaksha].

We left the temple shortly after she acquired her two new Spirits. They did not follow her. Instead, returning to the summoning pool and disappearing back to the Spirit Plane.

I stared at Edithe, confused.

“Wait, why did they go back? Didn’t you come here for them?”

“I formed a contract with them, Salvos. Now, I can call them whenever I want. Well, I can only really call one of them whenever I want with [Quick Summon]. [Summon Partner] takes longer to cast— it requires preparation before a battle. But I don’t just have them with me when I’m, say, walking around the inside of a city.”

“Why can’t you just have them with you at all times?”

“Because then I’d be spending mana to keep them with me. I can probably counteract the passive drain on my mana with an hour of [Rest], but it’s still tiring to just feel your mana be sucked out of you.”

“Huh.”

The three of us were now walking through the streets of Hazelbury, having bade farewell to the [Priests] who did the summoning ritual. Daniel frowned, turning to the Human woman.

“Edithe, I know you’re the [Mage] and [Summoner] here, but why did you not choose the [Sprite]. She was the highest leveled— if we really want to fight Lucerna, she’d be more help than the other two combined.”

“You’re right. The [Sprite] was the highest leveled. She could have helped us the most against the [Djinn]... Lucerna. But she was just one. And she would level far too slowly. These two? We can still train them. Get them to level up.”

“Level them?”

He gave her a dubious look.

“And how exactly are we going to do that in a few days?”

“Perhaps not a few days. But we’re going to train as much as we can. Level up quickly.”

I turned to her excitedly.

“You know how to level quickly?”

“Yes.”

“How? Tell me!”

“We’re going to a Dungeon.”

A note from MelasD

Quick little retcon back in Chapter 19:

“Yes, but that requires us to go to the Adventurers Guild. I told you this, Salvos, but I don’t actually know how to send you there. If there is a ritual to do it— I can’t say. So we’ll be asking the adventurers there who know more than me some questions to gather the necessary information to help you.”

I crossed my arms, feeling as a little annoyed at his explanation, but accepting it nonetheless. He grabbed a few pieces of clothing off a closet and tossed it to me.

“Here, wear this.”

I looked down at the plain dark shirt and pants, then back up at him.

“What’s this?”

“Clothes. I know you don’t need it since there isn’t… anything to see. Honestly your body is kind of like a plain ma— marble statue. Not really any features, just kind of pale. And the Cloak of Shadows would prevent anyone from seeing your body in the first place. But it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

I blinked.

“Huh?”

“Your claws are… mostly like hands of course. Those look like long, black fingernails more than anything. Maybe you should wear gloves, but I highly doubt you’ll need it as long as you don’t wave your hands around for everyone to see. Even then, it probably won’t be too much of a problem.”

I simply stared at him. He sighed.

“Just put it on.”

“Fine.”

I begrudgingly did as I was told while the Human man adjusted the necklace around his neck.

“What are you doing?”

Everything in bold was added in with the retcon. I've always imagined Salvos as being clotheless, with a body that has no features really. Kind of like a Hollow in Bleach. And since she had the Cloak of Shadows, I didn't think it'd be a problem at all to have her be naked. But I gave Salvos clothes since I have gotten quite a few comments about it.

TLDR Salvos has clothes now.

Also, can you guess why I decided to make Silver the lowest rank? Hint: It's from an online game, but not any kind of MMORPG ;)

First day back in Uni, I'm already tired. Sighs.

27. Are You Evil?

27. Are You Evil?

A Dungeon.

I wasn’t exactly sure what that was; I asked questions, but I mostly glossed over everything that had been explained to me except for the first thing I had been told. And that was how fast you could level in a Dungeon.

That was amazing! I was elated! I wanted to go to one right away. If I could quickly go from Level 25 to Level 50— become a Greater Demon like Lucerna— I would surely be able to beat him on my own. But it didn’t work that way.

Daniel elaborated for me as Edithe sold off some of the loot she took off the bandits bodies.

“There’s nothing special about a Dungeon that specifically makes you level faster. There’s no bonus experience awarded for killing a monster in one versus outside of one. The only reason why it’s sought after is because it’s a place where monsters gather.”

I cocked my head questioningly.

“Why do monsters gather in a Dungeon?”

“Dungeons are simply a collection of monster Lairs, and monsters form Lairs where there is high ambient mana. They’re attracted to it. In a way, every living being is. But there’s an instinctual drive for monsters to go to it. And so there are plenty of monsters to kill in a Dungeon. To train on.”

The Human man wagged a finger as he explained. I frowned and looked up at him accusingly.

“So you go find and attack them just to level?”

“Yes— I mean, kind of? We do go out of our way to exterminate them, but it’s not because we want to level. Well, most Humans do it to level. And for the monster parts they can sell, or for the money they can earn. But it’s mostly due to the nature of how Dungeons work.”

“And that is?”

“If a Dungeon gets too big, monster hordes will form. And those can and have destroyed towns and cities in the past. So we have a need to cull their population.”

I nodded.

“I see.”

“Still trying to understand how Dungeons work? Or have you already figured it out?”

Edithe walked over, pocketing a bag of coins into her pants pocket. Daniel looked at me, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t know. Do you still have questions, Salvos?”

“Nope— actually, yes. Where can we find a Dungeon?”

I piped up excitedly. The two didn’t look at each other like I expected them too. Instead, Edithe rolled her eyes and Daniel sighed.

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out right now, right?”

“My team was sent here to do just that. The Iron Champions Company has a history of keeping a monopoly on Dungeons. In fact, their first Dungeon was the Millcliff Iron Mines, which was how they got their name. They profited off selling the iron from the [Iron Golems] while they leveled. We wanted to expose the location of this newly found Dungeon around Falisfield, but…”

The Human woman didn’t exactly clench her fist or grit her teeth as before, but she still trailed off.

“Well, you know what happened.”

“Why did you even want to do that, anyway? Does your company have something to gain from it?”

Daniel asked, raising a hand hesitantly.

“We’re the Valiant Dreamers Company. We’re kind of idealistic— it’s even in our name. We believe that even companies did not always squabble for influence or resources— such as Dungeons— it would be better for everybody. Adventurers, cities, countries. Everyone.”

“Oh. That’s very nice— uh, noble of you guys.”

“It is.”

I nodded along, listening to their conversation. I had wanted to speak up for a bit, but chose not to say anything, remembering how they didn’t like it when I interrupted them when they were speaking. But now, I saw my chance.

“Let’s ask them!”

Edithe glanced back at me.

“...pardon?”

I grinned happily underneath my hood.

“You said the Iron Champions Company knows where this Dungeon is, right?”

I received two slow nods in return.

“Then let’s ask them!”

“Uh, Salvos, I don’t think they’ll just tell us…”

Daniel spoke as he scratched the back of his head. Edithe murmured an agreement from behind him.

“Why not?”

I scoffed, shaking my head. Everyone I have questioned so far eventually answered, as long as they didn’t think I was a Demon. I had gone around Hazelbury with Daniel and spoken to a lot of people— they would always give a response, even if they didn’t know.

And according to Edithe, they knew where the Dungeon was. So they would surely tell us where it was!

“They’ll tell us, trust me. Even Blake offered to show it to me, and he was part of the Iron Champions Company, right? We just have to ask them and we’ll get our answer!”

—--

“Absolutely not.”

Blake leaned back on his chair, a scowl forming on his face. I placed one hand on the table, protesting.

“Why not? You said you would let me see your Dungeon!”

“That was before you hit me in the balls!”

The adventurer stood up, knocking his chair back to the ground; a few faces turned and stared as the tall Human man jabbed a finger in my direction.

“I should make you pay for what you did— do you really think there will be no consequences for your actions? Not only did you reject my generous offer for you to join the Iron Champions Company, you attacked me too.”

I crossed my arms, staring defiantly up at him.

“Try it.”

“Ok, Salvos. That’s enough.”

Daniel stepped in, placing a hand on my shoulder. I turned to him, an annoyed look on my face.

“Why are you defending Blake? Isn’t he the one you didn’t like?”

“Yes, but we have no reason to start a fight here. Look, people are already staring at you.”

I glanced around, seeing more faces now watching on with keen interest as Blake tried to loom over me. I was about to retort, but then I remembered how I was supposed to keep a low profile. I scowled, whirling around and stalking away from him.

“Fine.”

Daniel followed me as we joined Edithe who opted to stay out of the entire confrontation; Blake turned and resumed a conversation with a group of adventurers that had been with him, pointing in our direction as he laughed. Sighing, I looked at the Human woman.

“What do we do now?”

“That didn’t work out exactly as planned— as I thought it would. So that just means we do things the hard way.”

“And what is that?”

Edithe pushed herself off the wall of the guild, glancing between Daniel and I.

“We search for it.”

I nodded, but the Human man immediately took a step back.

“Wait, you want us to search all of Falisfield for it? You do realize that this province stretches from Silverdale to Bouldergarde, right? That’d be days just to travel between those two cities in a straight line. It would take us months to stumble upon a random Dungeon.”

“We have no other choice. At least we’ll be moving and possibly exterminating any monsters we come across, rather than just sitting in this city doing nothing. Only the Iron Champions Company has a map to the Dungeon, and they won’t share it with us. It’s far more efficient than camping out the city and following every one of their adventuring teams that goes out, hoping it’s not a mundane mission and they’re trying out the Dungeon.”

“But—”

I raised a hand, imitating Daniel earlier. The two immediately closed their mouths shut, looking over at me warily. I tilted my head, frowning.

“I’m not going to attack you, don’t react that way. I just had a question.”

“Oh, uh, go ahead and ask it then.”

I faced Edithe, slowly lowering my clawed hand as she eyed the movement.

“You said the Iron Champions Company has a map?”

“Yes.”

“To the Dungeon?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Daniel answered for her.

“They have to keep track of its location, otherwise they’ll be just as lost as we are.”

I nodded eagerly, looking between both of them.

“Then why don’t we just take the map?”

The two looked at each other, hesitation clearly written on their faces. I folded my arms. Why don’t they like this idea?

“Salvos… we can’t just do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because— listen… us Humans think it’s bad to take things that aren't yours. It’s considered stealing. It breaks the law. It’s… evil. Do you want to be evil, Salvos?”

She spoke softly, trying to convince me against my ingenious plan. I shrugged.

“Sure.”

Edithe blinked a few times.

“Didn’t you say you’re not an evil creature?”

“I am not, yes. I am Salvos.”

“But doing that would make you evil.”

“That makes sense to me.”

The Human woman was rubbing her forehead now, almost as confused— if not more confused— than I was.

“If you’re evil, wouldn’t you just be an evil creature?”

“I wouldn’t! I’d be an evil Salvos, but not an evil creature!”

“I— I see…”

“Besides, it’s not like I’d be a wild Demon if I took something that isn’t mine. They ignored the Spear of Flames even though it was right there in front of them. They don’t care about anything but leveling. They just want to use others— and me— to evolve. I don’t do that.”

It made sense to me; I didn’t understand Edithe was staring at me wide eyed, or why Daniel had his face buried in his hands. I opened my mouth to question them further, but the Human man spoke first.

“Salvos.”

He looked up, face turning serious. I cocked my head as he leaned closer, speaking at almost a whisper.

“If you want to do this, then fine. We can’t stop you. But promise me this: you won’t kill anyone no matter what happens.”

I looked at him. I met his brown eyes as they stared pleadingly at me. I nodded, smiling as I answered as truthfully as I could.

“I promise!”

—--

I wasn’t sure why the two Humans expressed as much apprehension as they did. I was fast. I was quick. I would just go into the Iron Champions Company’s building, grab the map, then go out.

It was so simple. But they complicated things even more.

They made me wait until night came before I could do any of that. They reminded me that I was not to kill anyone, to which I reassured them I wouldn’t. Normally, I would kill those who attacked me first. But I only did so to level and evolve myself, which going to a Dungeon would aid in tremendously. So I made an exception here. Then they made me wear a piece of cloth on my face— a mask— telling me not to get caught.

It was a lot of planning; I didn’t understand any of it.

I was just glad I could finally just get this over with. I climbed up a tree, reaching to the side of the building with three floors. I hung on a branch, eyeing a room through the second floor window. I slowly pulled it open, keeping quiet as I was told to by Daniel, before lowering myself in front of a desk with pieces of paper strewn across it.

Map? Any map here?

I paused, realizing I had no idea what a map looked like. I understood what they meant when they talked about maps, but I hadn’t actually seen one. It was… a diagram of the land? A diagram of the land leading to a Dungeon?

I wasn’t entirely sure. All I knew was that I didn’t see anything resembling what I thought what one would look like lying on the table.

I don’t know what it looks like or where it is. What do I do? I know!

I softly pushed the door open, looking down either end of the dark hallway. I caught a glimpse of a figure moving down the other side. I ran up to them, grabbing them from behind, quietly tripping him and pinning him to the ground.

“Wha— ha—”

“Shhh.”

I covered his mouth.

“I’m supposed to be quiet, so don’t shout. Or else.”

His eyes widened as the fire dagger slowly lowered onto his face.

“Tell me what I want, and I won’t kill you.”

He frantically nodded and I grinned. He thinks I will actually kill him! He doesn’t know that I’m lying!

“Where’s the map?”

“W-what map?”

“The map to your Dungeon. The one you guys are keeping from everyone.”

The man blinked.

“To the Silkfall’s Crevice? It’s in that room over there. First cabinet from the bottom!”

He exclaimed, but I held his mouth shut. I nodded slowly, smiling.

“Thanks.”

I got up, pushing the door open and entered the room. The man stared after me, confused.

“Wait, I can go?”

“Of course. I won’t kill you. I’m not allowed to— I lied, see?”

“Oh…”

I shook my head, feeling satisfied with myself as he immediately disappeared. What an idiot. He actually thought I was telling the truth, even when I had already let him go. In the first place, he didn’t attack me. In the second, I had no plans of killing anyone here.

I pulled open the cabinet, finding the map which I had identified as a map. I lifted it up, reading the word ‘Dungeon’ written on it before folding it under my arms. I’ve got it, now I just have to—

There was a clamoring, then footsteps rushing down the hallway.

Time to go, I don’t want to get caught.

I flung the window open and jumped outside as a few figures turned the corner. They called after me but I ignored them, quickly lowering myself down to the ground. I could see their shadows rushing down after me, but they were too slow. Far too slow. They would not catch me.

I ran off, running to the two Humans that I had left behind.

“Salvos— what’s going on?”

Edithe looked at me with panic in her eyes as I ran around the corner to the alley she had been waiting in. Daniel was with her, a nervous look on his face as the chatter coming from the Iron Champions Company building grew louder.

“Did you get caught?”

“I didn’t get caught. See?”

I gestured at myself, then held up the thing I was holding.

“And I have the map with me. Come on, let’s go!”

Shouts broke out behind me as I showed the map to them.

“Then why are they after you?”

“Because the man I asked called his companions. But it’s fine, they move slow. I outran them so they couldn’t catch me.”

Neither Humans said anything. They both just had a resigned look on their faces. Edithe placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.

“How did you deal with her by yourself before this?”

“That’s the thing: I did not.”

“Ah.”

“Yeah.”

A note from MelasD

I feel like this chapter might be a little bit contentious because of its ending. To me however, Salvos misinterpreting their words to take it literally was not her fault, but the fault of Daniel and Edithe who still don't fully understand her just yet as evinced by the conversation about being evil.

28.1. Liar Liar, I Make Fire

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

28.1. Liar Liar, I Make Fire

“You know, it’s my fault. I should have known this would have happened.”

“How could anyone have known this would happen?”

“I mean, aside from always expecting the worst outcome in any possible situation? I should’ve been more specific— I could’ve chosen my words better too.”

“True. But I thought our explanation was sufficient as well. Neither of us could have predicted this. The blame belongs to neither of us.”

“Well, I’ve known Salvos has lacked common sense for a while…”

“Hey, I heard that!”

I raised a clawed hand in the air at Daniel. He flinched, murmuring an apology.

“S-sorry. I didn’t think you’d take offense to that.”

I grinned, dismissively waving it off.

“I’m not offended. I just thought that’s how a Human would react. You guys seem to be pretty quick to get mad after all.”

“Normally, I’d defend my kind— actually, I probably wouldn’t. Humans suck. But you’re making a great point here—”

An explosion resounded behind us, cutting him off. Edithe clicked her tongue, glancing back at our pursuers. Adventurers from the Iron Champions Company chased after us, hurling magical attacks and firing arrows in our direction as we ran down the gravel road. Daniel shouted back at them.

“What are you guys, crazy?! That could’ve killed us!”

His words reached them, but their reply did not reach us; only a large variety of words I had been told were bad made it through their clamoring. He sighed.

“I can’t believe this. They might really be trying to kill us. Over a Dungeon…”

I cocked my head, confused by the dilemma.

“Why can’t we just k—”

“Because we would get in trouble for breaking the law. Also I’d rather not kill any more people unnecessarily. It’s just… too much.”

I glanced over at him, still running, but not saying a word. An arrow whizzed past my head, landing on the ground just ahead of me with a thunk. Apparently they could attack us without consequences yet we couldn’t do the same to them. It had something to do with them being the Iron Champions Company? And because I stole from them? I didn’t really know.

A ball of fire exploded above our heads and Edithe scowled. She cursed under her breath as she spun around.

“Alright, fuck this. I’ve had enough.”

“What are you—”

“[Quick Summon].”

The [Mage] that was actually a [Summoner] raised her staff above her head as a glyph formed in the air in front of her. It took shape quickly, giving off an ethereal glow as wisps of light gathered in the center of it. A few moments passed— Edithe just standing there as our pursuers closed the distance. Then a misty being shot out of the summoning circle.

The [Elemental] made of ice hovered between Edithe and the charging adventurers; her frosted arms were crossed in front of her chest as the Human woman addressed her.

“Mistshard, freeze the road but don’t hurt them. Make sure they can’t take a step without slipping and falling on their heads.”

“As you command, master.”

The Spirit spun around and flew towards the dozen-or-so people chasing after us. I watched as a beam of ice shot out of her arms, landing on the ground just ahead of them, forming a thin sheet of ice on the road. It spread out quickly, extending even to the surrounding forest. The adventurers tumbled and fell, shouting and screaming as they did, while Mistshard returned to us.

Edithe nodded.

“That’ll distract them for a while. Come on— into the trees!”

We swerved away from the road, hiding under the tall, green canopy overhead. I watched as the light from the torches carried by the adventurers slowly faded into the distance, only darkness covering us now as we escaped their pursuit.

—--

“I don’t think they’re after us anymore.”

“Good. Now we just have to be prepared for an ambush at the entrance to the Dungeon.”

“Think they will go that far?”

“Probably not. It’s not worth the effort when they can just wait for us to return to the city. Or any city around Falisfied, really. They’ve probably notified every branch of their company by now.”

I glanced between the two Humans as they put out the campfire. I frowned, realizing what was going to happen next.

“Wait— we just left the city. Are you really going to sleep now?”

Daniel smiled at me… apologetically? It clearly wasn’t one out of happiness— it had more of an apprehensive and regretful look to it, if I was studying it right.

“Sorry, Salvos. We’re Humans. Unlike you, we need sleep whether we want to or not.”

“And you’re going to make me sit here and do nothing until the sun comes up again?”

“I mean, you can try to sleep if you want. Mistshard will keep watch for us. Edithe still…”

He eyed the Human woman and she pursed her lips. Neither said anything and I folded my arms.

“Fine, maybe I will.”

He quirked an eyebrow.

“Ok… good luck.”

I watched the Human man lie down, covering himself in a thin cloth blanket. I copied his movement, turning to my side as he did and closed my eyes.

…

I sat up a while later, bored, and searched for something else to do.

28.2. Liar Liar, I Make Fire

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

28.2. Liar Liar, I Make Fire

I inspected a flower sprouting out from a bush. There were dozens of buds protruding from it, but only a single one had become a flower. I used [Identification] on it, confirming that the others had not become flowers yet. Only the one with the lilac spread wide open telling me that it was a [Flower].

I grabbed it, peering inside of the plant. I saw the way the petals folded— or could have folded— and turned to one of the buds. I gripped the closed flower with my clawed hands and pried it open.

I ripped the petals off the bud by accident, tearing it apart, and watched as my [Identification] stopped working on it.

I… I killed it…

I didn’t mean to attack it! It was just so… fragile. I thought I could turn it into a [Flower] from a [Flower Bud], but I killed it!

I stepped back, aghast. Am I a wild Demon? I looked at my clawed hands, staring at the pieces shredded pieces of petal stuck on my long nails. No— I didn’t mean to…

Then I paused, realizing I hadn’t gained any experience for the kill. I hadn’t attacked it for no reason just to evolve. I simply let my curiosity get the better of me and killed it by accident.

I shrugged.

That means I’m not a wild Demon then. Good!

I glanced up, relieved at this, and relieved at seeing the sun rise above the horizon. I looked over at Edithe and Daniel, sleeping under the hovering [Ice Elemental] as she watched over them. I shouted.

“Wake up! It’s time to go!”

The two jumped out of their beds, grabbing for their weapons.

“Wh— huh?”

“What’s going on? An attack?”

I stood in front of the two, hands on my hips like one of those women I had seen standing at the side of the streets of Hazelbury, talking in a loud voice to some shorter Humans. I grinned.

“No attack. It’s morning.”

They blinked, exchanging a glance. I simply gestured past them.

“Come on, it’s time to go! The Dungeon is waiting for us!”

Daniel sighed and Edithe rubbed at her temples.

“Salvos, the Dungeon is that way.”

“Huh.”

I turned around and corrected myself.

“Let’s go! This way to the Dungeon!”

They shook their heads, but said nothing else. Instead, they slowly got up and began packing up their things. Soon enough, we were off and headed to the Silkfall’s Crevice Dungeon.

We trudged through the foliage, eventually exiting the forest and back onto a road— a different road. Edithe led the way as we followed behind her; we had given her the map, since apparently she was the one who was most familiar with Falisfield.

Daniel had been in Hazelbury for a few months, but he did not study the geography of the area before he arrived. Meanwhile, Edithe had only been here for a month, however she actually had to learn of the different cities, towns, and places of note before she came. Learning that information was necessary for why she came here.

She glanced back at the Human man as he wiped at his forehead.

“You alright?”

“I’m fine— it’s just a little bit hot. That’s all.”

“Here, I’ll help you. Mistshard.”

The Human woman nodded at her Spirit. The [Elemental] flew closer to Daniel, before suddenly emanating a cold aura that I could feel even from where I was walking. I grasped at my shoulders, turning to the Spirit.

“That’s cold.”

“Apologies. As a Demon with an affinity to fire, I know this makes you uncomfortable. However I am not skilled or high leveled enough to concentrate my cold aura to only Daniel. I suggest you put some distance between us to get away from the cold.”

Edithe had already told Mistshard and Druma of me being a Demon; contrary to what Daniel had been afraid of, neither Spirits cared that I was a Demon. Maybe they would have if Edithe had a problem with it, but otherwise, they treated me the same way they treated Daniel.

We eventually reached a fork in the road and made a right, heading uphill to a mountain range in the distance. We continued on that path for a bit, cresting up the first hill. We found ourselves in flat ground before immediately deviating from the road, making a hard left.

“It should be somewhere here. That’s what the map says, at least.”

“Is it a cave? We should keep a lookout for any entrances if that’s the case.”

Daniel supplied the suggestion.

“No, it’s not. It’s a crevice. A hole in the ground. Just keep a lookout for it— and don’t fall into one. So watch your step.”

The Human woman didn’t exactly say my name, but I felt like she was talking to me by the way she looked over at me. I nodded, before my eyes fixated on something.

“Is that it?”

I pointed in the direction of the thin wrinkle on the ground, quite a distance away. The two Humans squinted, trying to see what I had mentioned. Edithe frowned.

“I… think it is. Good spot, Salvos. How did you catch that?”

I smiled back at her.

“My [Identification] is at Level 4. It helps me see better, I think.”

“Well, that’s not exactly how it works. But that is a high level, especially considering your age. Although I feel like I should mention that most people don’t just reveal their levels and Skills. It’s considered private information.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’ll explain it to you next time.”

Edithe turned back to the crevice as we reached it. She peeked over the edge, glancing down the dark hole. She held out a hand and sent a small ball of flame tumbling down the ravine.

“That is deep.”

She looked over at us and held up her hands.

“I don’t think any of us can make that jump. And I wasn’t exactly prepared to leave Hazelbury when we were chased out. We might have to go to a nearby town to buy some rope.”

“Rope?”

I cocked my head. I immediately protested, wanting to enter the Dungeon as soon as possible.

“Why can’t we just climb down?”

“It’s too dangerous. For me, at least. And Daniel too, maybe. If he was a higher leveled [Warrior], he could probably make it down with just his [Strength] or [Vitality] alone.”

She shook her head.

“These are risks I’d rather neither of us take. Sorry Salvos. I know you’re excited to enter a Dungeon for the first time, but our safety comes first.”

I wanted to argue even more— what if the town didn’t have rope? What if the Iron Champions Company finds us in the town? What if Lucerna dies while we’re wasting our time on getting rope? There were so many things I wanted to say, but I couldn’t say any of it because Daniel piped up.

“I have rope.”

Edithe stared at him.

“You do?”

“Yeah. In my bag right here.”

He held up his bag, pulling out a thick rope— strands of string were twisted and tied together to form it. He glanced around and walked up to a rock, beginning to tie the rope onto it.

I watched in shock as the rope kept coming out of the bag. There was so much rope! And it was all kept in that tiny bag!

“How is that possible?”

I spoke softly. Edithe looked over at me.

“How is what possible?”

“That! How does he keep all that in his bag?! What kind of magic is that?”

“Oh that?”

She laughed, putting a hand on her mouth as she did.

“You’re confused about that?”

I stared at her, feeling my face heat up a little. I wasn’t sure why, but I didn’t exactly like how she was laughing at me.

“What’s wrong?”

I eyed her with crossed arms. Edithe waved a hand, wiping a tear from her eye with the other as she replied.

“It’s nothing— you really are like a child, huh? That’s not magic. Well, what Daniel is doing isn’t magic. It’s just rope in a normal bag. All he did was roll it up so it would fit.”

Blinking, I carefully looked at how the rope slid out of the bag. Certainly it seemed like it was being unraveled as Daniel pulled it out. But—

“Then how about your bag? You were able to keep all those weapons and armor in it!”

“That’s different. That was a Bag of Holding— a storage item. It does have magic in it. But Daniel’s does not.”

I slowly nodded. Daniel pulled out the rest of the rope and finished tying it on the rock as I scratched the side of my head.

“...can I take a look at it?”

“My Bag of Holding? Sure. It’s only Low Grade. Some basic space magic. Which is actually quite difficult for [Mages] to cast at a lower level. But still Low Grade.”

I put a hand out, however Edithe glanced over at Daniel.

“I’ll show it to you later. I told you, I didn’t bring it with me because I was not prepared to leave. Come on, you want to enter the Dungeon, right? I think he’s done.”

Sure enough, the Human man called out for us a moment later. I deflated just for a moment when Edithe pulled the bag away from me, but jumped up and ran to Daniel when he said he was done.

“It’s finished? We can enter the Dungeon now?”

“Yeah. We have to be careful though. We don’t know what’s down there. I’ve heard it might be a Gold Ranked Dungeon.”

“That’s right. We need to set up camp here too, with some traps in case we need to quickly escape. And I still have to summon Druma. It’ll take a while.”

I frowned, glancing between the two Humans as more delays popped up. Then I had an idea.

“Why don’t I go down there first, then?”

Daniel raised a brow.

“It’s dangerous—”

“It’s fine, I’ll just take a look around. We want to be prepared, right? I’m fast so I can probably escape whatever is down there. I escaped Lucerna and he’s at this ‘Gold Ranked’ level, remember? I’ll just see what monsters there are and go back up.”

He hesitated, looking between me and the hole in the ground. He turned back to Edithe.

“Should we let her?”

“I don’t see why not. She’s capable of defending herself. We’re not her carers. And it’s just a quick look, right?”

Daniel sighed, looking back at me.

“Fine. But promise me you won’t attack any monster down there.”

I smiled innocently at them.

“Of course. I promise I won'tattack any monsters without a reason.”

He shook his head, walking up to the rope and held it up for me.

“Come on, I’ll lower you down.”

I jumped up, excitedly running up to it and firmly gripped it.

“Yay! Hurry it up!”

I held on tight to the rope as he slowly released it, lowering me further and further down to the crevice below. I held up a hand, creating a small ball of fire to illuminate my path. I looked up, seeing the daylight from above slowly disappear as the words flashed in my head.

Now Entering [Dungeon: Silkfall’s Crevice].

I grinned to myself. Heh, I promised I won’t attack any monsters without reason. But if a monster attacks me, I’ll have no choice but to fight back.

A note from MelasD

As expected, I got bad ratings for the last chapter. Honestly, I feel like I already know which of my patron chapters will automatically get me a bad rating.... but w/e, I've already written these chaps and I can't really change it by too much. Can only minimize what people won't like when I post it.

Anyway, as always you can read up to 12 chapters ahead on my patreon. Volume 1 of Salvos has just ended for my highest tier of patrons, so... check it out if you want.

29. Silkfall's Crevice

29. Silkfall's Crevice

Now Entering [Dungeon: Silkfall’s Crevice]

The words resounded in my mind as I was lowered further down into the dark ravine. The light of day had disappeared far above; only the ball of fire on the palm of my hand illuminated the way down.

It was not long until I could see the bottom of the crevice. The gray stone floor was littered with strange dull white objects. They were ivory? Bones. There were all kinds of them spread throughout— some vaguely resembled the size of a Human, while others seemed more like animals, or even monsters.

My feet touched the ground right next to a pile of bones with a skull stacked on top of it. I inspected it for a moment— using [Identification] to see if I could learn more about it. I was hoping to possibly figure out how a Human died and lost all their fleshy bits.

All the Skill told me was that it was a skull.

I cast my fire’s light around me, seeing the ravine sloped into a damp and dark tunnel that curved downwards. I carefully stepped over the pieces of bones strewn about, trying to remain quiet just in case whatever was in this Dungeon was far beyond my level. I would probably be able to escape anything that was even 10 levels higher than me. Maybe even 20.

I had spent a lot of Stat Points on my [Agility], I had a Skill that was perfect for running away, and I was told that Demons typically could handle creatures in the Mortal Realm that were higher leveled than them. I stepped into the tunnel, following it as it led me further down and away from the rope. I paused after the first turn, narrowing my eyes as a strange, white pattern blocked my path.

I identified it before touching it, feeling its hard and stringy texture as my finger pressed into it.

[Web - A network of fine threads formed by a kind of spider, typically to catch prey.]

I frowned as I tried to pull my hand back, realizing that it was stuck to the silky substance. I dissipated the fire I was using for light as I pulled back hard with one hand tugging on the other to free it from the spiderweb. Eventually, I broke free, although a piece of thread still clung to the tip of my finger.

What is this? Why is it so annoying?!

I brought my claw down on the spiderweb blocking my path, shearing the intricate design into pieces I tore into it. It gave way with less resistance than Human flesh, but was strong enough that it didn’t feel like I was just swinging at air. I pulled my hands back and stared at the fine threads that were stuck on my claws, clinging onto it as it draped to the floor.

Ok, I’ve had enough of this.[Flame Coat]!

Fire came to life on my hands as I felt the magic take over; it incinerated the strands of silk or whatever else kind of string it was that clung to me, before spreading to the falling web on the ground. I watched in satisfaction as the fire quickly took care of the web blocking my path, only to hear a light skittering sound above my head.

I glanced up slowly, only to see four pairs of glowing red eyes stare down at me.

[Drop Spider - Lvl. 41]

“Uh, hi—”

He dropped down at me.

The [Drop Spider] closed his eight legs shut as his body reached me. I would have been crushed under the grip of the monster had I not leapt out of the way— each of its legs were as tall as Daniel, their width the size of a thin tree trunk.

He whirled around as I created a dagger made of flames with one hand, holding up my flaming claws with the other as I tried to get a better look at him. Is he just by himself? There were no other giant spiders with him. He faced me alone, having nearly snuck up on me when I was distracted by his webs.

I growled like a [Hellhound], baring my teeth as he charged at me.

The monster reached me a moment later, moving far slower than I had expected him to move as he swung one of his thick limbs at me. I ducked under the first swing and blocked the second with my dagger. The impact of the attack nearly caused me to stumble, but I quickly gathered myself and slashed back at him.

My burning claw was empowered by a [Fire Strike] as it cut deep into the [Drop Spider]’s face. He reeled back and swung once again, but I dodged it easily. I had gauged his speed and determined he was not fast, at all.

I sent a quick [Fire Blast] to the wound on his head, forcing him back before I closed the distance and slid under him. My fire dagger sliced open the bottom of the monster, digging deep and spilling green ichor all behind me. Just as I reached the other side of the large spider and picked myself up, he slammed onto me with his entire backside.

I went flying back as an aura flickered around me, dropping my fire dagger in the process. I slid to the stop as the wall touched my back, my eyes widening as I watched the [Drop Spider] leap at me. I kicked against the wall and activated [Double Step]. I stumbled quickly under the large, falling spider. He crashed onto the rock wall as I spun around a blaze already floating on the palm of my hand.

I had remembered what the bandit [Fire Mage] did— I had seen the exploding balls of fire he had thrown. I wasn’t entirely sure if what I created her was the same thing, but I tried making one anyway. I poured a large amount of mana into the fireball as it doubled in size and danced wilder than any fire I had ever conjured, before I hurled it at the [Drop Spider].

He saw it coming, but he was not fast enough to get out of the way. The fireball exploded, shaking the tunnel and almost burning me. It had been a larger explosion than the fireball the bandit [Fire Mage] was able to create, but I was expecting the monster to shatter into a flurry of parts with the amount of mana I spent into the attack. Instead, the blast was underwhelming, only collapsing him into a sizzling corpse.

Defeated [Drop Spider - Lvl. 41]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

“...was that not even worth a level?”

I sighed, leaning against the wall. A retort made me jump and spin around in a panic.

“And you said you wouldn’t attack any monsters.”

Daniel stood behind me, a sword and torch in each of his hands as he shook his head. I scratched the back of my head.

“Uh… I lied?”

“...at least you’re honest.”

—--

Edithe came down shortly after, having not finished her summoning spell for Durma before Daniel went after me. Both Humans somehow suspected me of lying, and decided it was for the best if the Human man followed behind me after he had lowered me to the Dungeon.

“How did you know I was lying?”

I stared at him, completely in shock that he could see through my carefully selected words of deceit.

“You said you wouldn’t attack any monsters and just check things out. And, well, whenever a child promises something, they'll probably find a way to break it in a way that doesn't actually 'break it'."

A child? I narrowed my eyes. A child is the young of a species— like an infant.

I folded my arms.

“I am not a child. I am a Lesser Demon.”

Edithe stepped forward, interrupting Daniel before he could reply.

“That doesn’t matter. Demons and Spirits don’t mature like we do, so yes you’re not a child. But Salvos, the way you said it was really mischievous. Anyone would know you were lying if you speak that way.”

I cocked my head to the side.

“Am I not a good liar?”

“You aren’t. And maybe that’s for the best. Anyway, what level was that Giant Spider you fought? It’s big. Looks like it could be a second evolution form, but I just want to be sure.”

The two Humans looked at me inquisitively as we stood at the ravine amongst the piles of bones. Druma and Mistshard waited by the tunnel going further down, just in case any monsters tried to sneak up on us. I scowled, remembering the [Drop Spider]’s level.

“He was Level 41. He gave me ‘more experience’ but I didn’t even level from it. That makes no sense.”

I kicked a piece of bone and sent it flying to the other side of the ravine. It knocked over another pile of bones, causing a light echo as they crashed to the ground. Edithe placed a hand on her chin as she considered this.

“So definitely a Gold Ranked Dungeon. This will be a little bit dangerous with only just me at above Level 40. Salvos— you’re a Demon so you can probably stand up to most of the lower leveled monsters in here. But Daniel, do you think you’ll be able to survive?”

The Human man nodded as he firmly grasped his sword.

“Don’t worry about me. I can hold my own.”

“Are you sure? You have no reason to do this.”

He turned to me slightly.

“I promised her I would help her get back to her home. So far, I haven’t done anything at all to do that. Right now, finding and beating Lucerna seems to be the only way to do that. And… I wanted to get stronger too.”

I raised a brow. Huh, I completely forgot about that. I wondered for a moment why Daniel even wanted to help me in the first place. He offered me his help after I had beaten him in a fight, but I never once asked him why it would even help him if he did that. Edithe nodded.

“Alright then. Just be prepared to run if things seem like they’re going south. I don’t want to be responsible for anything that could happen to you here just because you wanted to help a Demon… uh, Salvos.”

“Is there really anything wrong with helping a Demon even if it wasn’t Salvos?”

The Human woman considered it for a moment before shrugging.

“Probably. I’m still questioning why I’m even helping her— she says she’s fine with being evil after all. But I guess our interests line up, so it works out for the both of us.”

I looked at Edithe as she glanced away, before turning to Daniel who was rubbing at his forehead. I raised a hand.

“Now can we go into the tunnel?”

“Yes, yes. We’ll go and kill some monsters now, Salvos.”

I brightened and rushed in. Daniel called out after me.

“She meant together, Salvos.”

I paused right next to Durma who gave me a curious look. I turned around and smiled sheepishly.

“Right. We’re supposed to fight together.”

Our group of five entered the wide tunnel and passed the first charred body of the [Drop Spider] that attacked me. We made sure to keep our eyes to the ceiling in case there were more, but found nothing waiting for us overhead. We continued onward for a little while, turning left at a fork in our path until we reached another thick spiderweb blocking our path.

I quickly took care of it by burning it up, but we soon came across another layer just ahead of it. I had just been about to burn it too when I noticed a few creatures about the size of my head caught and stuck on it. Daniel stopped me.

“These are… [Crimson Bats]. Level 20-ish. What do we do?”

“They’re monsters. Just kill them, Salvos. They won’t give me much experience, but a few of them would probably push you over the edge to your next level up.”

I frowned.

“But why should I kill them? They haven’t attacked me.”

“They…”

She sighed and shook her head.

“Do whatever you want.”

I glanced over at Daniel who just shrugged.

“Just burn the web, I guess. If they attack us after they’re free, we can deal with them.”

I nodded and touched the spiderweb with a burning claw. It immediately lit up and freed the [Crimson Bats]. They fell to the ground for a moment, squirming and rolling before they fluttered up.

The six monsters screeched and charged at our party—

Defeated [Crimson Bat - Lvl. 18]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Crimson Bat - Lvl. 21]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I sliced two of them in half as they reached me while Daniel ran one through with his sword. Edithe’s Spirit, Mistshard, simply froze the other three before they even got close. The monsters fell dead as we continued past them.

“That was easy.”

The Human man commented as we continued strolling through the dark tunnel illuminated by the fire on my claws and a magical ball of light Edithe conjured. Her eyes darted around as she spoke softly.

“Keep it down. And yes, that was easy. Some monsters are weaker than others even if they’re at the same level. Shade Swarmers are especially weak at their common evolutions like [Crimson Bats], relying more on a numerical superiority to overwhelm their enemies. They become dangerous at the higher levels however, and when you have to face an entire swarm of them? Even Platinum Ranked teams will perish to them without any backup.”

I frowned, looking at the blood staining my black claws.

“I didn’t level from that.”

“You’ll level soon. Probably. Look— there are more webs ahead.”

Sure enough, the tunnel curved further down into what appeared to be a solid wall of webs; I couldn’t even see through the thick, white sheet ahead of me. But even though I could not see through it, I could hear what was beyond.

Clicking. Dozens of soft clicking noises echoed from whatever was past the wall of webs. I whirled around as a click also came from my side, but it was only Edithe clicking her tongue. She had a worried look on her face.

“What’s wrong? Do you know what that is?”

She sighed, lifting up her staff as both her Spirits readied themselves ahead of us. The Human woman turned to me and spoke in a nervous voice.

“It’s a Lair. Probably belonging to the Giant Spiders. I didn’t think we’d run into one so soon. We should turn back— whatever is inside will overwhelm us.”

A note from MelasD

I just want to say thanks for all your kind words. I know I can't please everyone, and I know I'm fighting a losing battle in trying to do so. I honestly was just stressed from my first few days of classes and not having charge up front enabled for patron for the last four months, which only made me seeing my ranking drop even more disheartening than usual. Thanks again for reading <3

30.1. Screech

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

30.1. Screech

“A Lair?”

I frowned. Lucerna had a Lair. And here, in front of us, was what Edithe was calling a ‘monster Lair’.

“Yes. Lairs are where monsters lay their nest, where they claim as their dens, or where they mark their territory. The first and third scenarios become dangerous for any towns nearby because the monsters are then unusually aggressive and dangerous. But when multiple Lairs are made in the same place, a place becomes a Dungeon.”

“You told me that— if they’re bad for you Humans, let’s just go destroy it and level.”

The Human woman shook her head.

“That’s not a good idea. Giant Spider nests can get big. And if they’re all really around the same level as the one you fought, we’ll be overrun in minutes. I did not expect there to be a Lair this close to the entrance of the Dungeon. We should turn back now. Leave this Dungeon and find someplace else to level.”

“What?”

I stared at her in shock. She could not be serious! We just came here and fought a few monsters, before suddenly, we were going to leave. I hadn’t even leveled yet!

I was just about to protest when Daniel spoke up.

“I don’t think we should be too hasty. There’s still that other path we hadn’t followed.”

“You mean the tunnel that went even further down the Dungeon?”

Edithe gave him a dubious look; the Human man simply shook his head.

“It makes no sense for a Lair to be so close to the surface and not have been a problem for any of the towns nearby. This is probably just an alternate entrance to it— one that only the more adult and higher leveled Giant Spiders can leave from. I’m sure that if we go down the other tunnel, we’d find easier monsters to deal with rather than stronger ones.”

“And how do you know that?”

He shrugged.

“Just a hunch. We should at least take a look since we’re already in here.”

I quickly backed him up.

“Daniel is right! We’re already in the Dungeon! We can’t just leave now!”

“Well, technically that’s not how it works—”

I glared at him and he shut up. Why are you arguing against yourself, idiot? He was weird. Humans were weird.

Edithe glanced between the two of us before she sighed.

“Fine. We’ll take a look. But if anything happens— if there are monsters far beyond what I can handle— I will not hesitate to leave either of you here.”

She paused, fixating a look on me.

“Although I highly doubt one of you will need help to escape.”

I grinned, satisfied that we could continue exploring the Dungeon; we turned around and made our way back to where the tunnel split into two. I eagerly walked ahead of the two Humans, stepping up beside Druma who had been ordered to take the lead. They called him their ‘tank’— he was strong and had a high [Vitality] apparently.

We began our descent to a lower part of the Dungeon until eventually we saw our first Giant Spider. He was not as large as the first one I saw, and his appendages were not as thick either. Instead, he had long, spindly legs that made its body rise up to my head level.

It was secreting a thread, spinning it around a four legged creature that was the size of a wolf. But she wasn’t a wolf— she had a hairless body, and hand-like feet with sharp nails protruding out of its four finger-toes. She struggled, trying to tear herself free from the bindings.

[Weaving Spider - Lvl. 43]

[Howre - Lvl. 25]

“Huh.”

I stared at how tightly the Giant Spider was tying up the other monster, but when he heard me speak, he immediately whirled around and dropped her. He snarled and fired three needles made of silk. I stepped back, but Druma was already moving forward.

The [Yaksha] brought his hands forward, the wood on his arms suddenly extending, almost forming a shield. He blocked the incoming attack as Edithe shouted.

“Druma, keep it distracted! Mistshard, flank it from the side!”

Her Spirits did as they were told as Daniel rushed forward. I saw the Humans and Spirits begin attacking the creature, and frowned. Oh no you don’t! You won’t be keeping the experience for yourselves!

Before Daniel even reached the monster— as Mistshard released a plume of icy air at the Giant Spider— I dashed forward, faster than my legs could take me. The gray rock walls blurred around me as the Skill carried me forward, right under the face of the [Weaving Spider]. I landed a [Fire Strike] on his head before strings appeared around me.

I flipped out of the way as the threads closed in, right as Daniel reached him and sliced off one of his left legs with a Skill. Mistshard began freezing the monster’s right side as he struggled to fend off the Human man. I threw a few orbs of fire at him from a distance as Druma fired off some wood spikes of his own. Then finally, the Giant Spider fell dead.

Defeated [Weaving Spider - Lvl. 43]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 25] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 26]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

30.2. Screech

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

30.2. Screech

I distributed my Stat and Skill Points as I had last decided to do it. 2 to [Agility], 2 to [Vitality], 1 to [Strength], and my Skill Points split between Basic Fire Creation], [Fire Blast], and [Flame Coat]. Satisfied, I looked up and found Edithe glancing over at me.

“You leveled?”

I grinned.

“I did. I’m Level 26 now.”

“I can see that.”

The Human woman hesitated, looking me once over; she glanced down for a moment, noting the still-tied [Howre] squirming on the ground. Then she shook her head.

“Salvos, why didn’t you say anything? No— why did you say something, but not alert us that there was a monster ahead.”

“What do you mean?”

I cocked my head, confused.

“That monster— you made a noise. Made it aware that we were there without telling us that there was something there. If it had been higher leveled— or more dangerous— that could have gone badly for us. You’re our [Rogue]... well, a stand-in for one. You should have warned us. We weren’t ready for that at all.”

“But it hadn’t attacked us yet. Why would I have to say anything?”

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Then she paused, her eyes widening before she turned to me.

“You said something about wild Demons before, didn’t you? What… what exactly are they?”

“They’re these stupid Demons that attack me for no reason. They just want to level and evolve— which I do too— but they want nothing else. I don’t like them.”

I folded my arms as a hint of a smile appeared on Edithe’s face.

“Then these monsters are the same. They’re like wild Demons. Just think of them as that. Every single monster you see in a Dungeon is out to kill you, got it?”

“Huh.”

I considered this for a moment, glancing down at the [Howre] as she thrashed more and more violently. I looked back up and nodded slowly.

“I… that makes sense. I think I got it.”

“Good. Now—”

“Guys, we have company!”

Daniel called out to us as he raised his sword. The [Howre] was practically screeching now, but it wasn’t alone in making the noise.

Dozens of four legged creatures rushed up the stone hallway, rushing at us as they nipped at the air. They made odd-pitched sounds— ones that made me grasp at my ear. I wasn’t alone in doing so as Daniel, Edithe, and even Mistshard recoiled. The only one that didn’t react was Druma. He stepped forward once again, intercepting the monsters before they reached us.

“Damnit, Ground Cravers! A whole pack of them! We need to take out their [Howres]. Their sound magic is weak when only a few of them do it!”

She lifted up her staff and a ball of blue energy shot out into the middle of the pack. It splashed over a group of them, knocking them over and stopping their screeches. It alleviated the noise and pain in my ears. I pulled my hands back, seeing a smudge of black blood on the palm of my hands before I looked at the charging monsters.

“You guys are loud! Shut up!”

I ran into the pack, slashing and clawing at them with and without Skills. Daniel joined in after me, his longsword swinging in wide arcs and slicing up the creatures faster than even me. Apparently he had a high damage output for his level— he was strong, after all.

One of the [Howres] leapt for me. I was about to strike him midair, but then I had a thought. I focused my [Basic Fire Creation], trying to form a piece of string. It worked— it wasn’t as hard to create as a sword or even a dagger. The fire thread extended across my shoulder as I held it over my head, ducking under the monster and catching it. I tried to wrap up the [Howre] as the Giant Spider did, but had difficulty keeping it in place. Eventually I gave up and just kicked him with a few [Fire Strikes] until he died.

When I was finished, all the screeching but one stopped; the entire pack was dead.

Defeated [Howre - Lvl. 20]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Howre - Lvl. 26]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Around my level or lower, so not good for experience, I thought. I shook my head, glad that I was at least getting some experience. I hadn’t gotten any during the few days we spent in Hazelbury; I had been looking forward to this, especially since it played into getting me back to the Netherworld. It’s like… killing two wild Demons with one Spear of Flames! I made that up on the spot, feeling proud of how appropriate it was.

The screeching of a [Howre] continued for a moment. I turned around, seeing Edithe loom over the tied up female monster.

“She’s still shouting.”

I commented casually. The Human woman nodded.

“That’s how the female calls out to the males for help. Silence it, else more will come.”

I eagerly stepped forward, but Edithe stopped me. She pointed to Daniel.

“I was talking about him.”

“Wait, why can’t I do it?”

“He’s lower leveled than you. So he gets first priority when it comes to these kinds of free kills.”

I scowled.

“That makes no sense! Whoever gets the kill should get the kill! And if I get it first, then I should get the kill!”

“That’s just how us Humans do it, Salvos. You’re in a party with us now. If you really want to work with us, you can’t just do whatever you want.”

I stared defiantly at the Human woman. I did not want to listen to her— and I wasn’t going to. But Daniel stepped in between us.

“I’ll finish off this [Howre] before it calls any more of its kind to us. But we don’t really have to do it that way, right? Come on, we can alternate between Salvos and I. I’m pretty close to her level anyways.”

I looked over at him, thinking it over for a moment. Then I nodded before relenting.

“Sounds good to me.”

Edithe however, did not exactly seem pleased to hear that; she glared at Daniel, making sure to make her dissatisfaction known before she agreed.

“Fine.”

With that settled, we resumed traversing through the tunnel as it branched out once again to three different routes. We decided to stick with the path bringing us further down into the Dungeon, since it was the one we would least likely get lost in.

Edithe made sure to mark the walls with her magic every so often, just in case that happened.

We encountered a few more groups of monsters. They were mostly [Howres] or [Crimson Bats], both of which were rather low leveled. We only found five more Giant Spiders— two of them were by themselves, while the other three were actually grouped together for once. We defeated them all, although it took us some time to take out all three Giant Spiders.

Defeated [Drop Spider - Lvl. 40]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Crimson Bat - Lvl. 24]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 26] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 27]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“That’s odd.”

Daniel commented, lifting his bloodied sword from the body of the dead Shade Swarmer. We had been setting up camp in a small alcove alongside the stone wall when they attacked. They were taken care of easily as usual, having numbered in only a dozen.

“What is?”

I turned to him, not fully paying attention to what he was saying as I evaluated my Status and distributed my points as usual. Edithe lowered her staff, facing him with more attention than me.

“These monsters. They’re all so… weak.”

“Weak? These monsters are around both your levels, aren’t they?”

The Human woman raised a brow dubiously. He nodded.

“Yeah, they are. But we’re supposed to be in a Gold Ranked Dungeon, aren’t we? So far, the only monsters above Level 40 have been those Giant Spiders. And even then, they were barely above 40.”

“You’re right. This is high Silver at most.”

She agreed as she returned to the small alcove and sat down. Daniel and I followed after her as I still was focused on my Status.

“But why the complaint? If this was a full-blown Gold Ranked Dungeon, you and Salvos would be struggling a lot more.”

“We’d have leveled more too.”

“And one of you would probably have died. Be grateful, Daniel. Didn’t you say this was your first time going into a Dungeon?”

“It is. And I am grateful. I leveled twice today, which is more than what most people get to say about a month.”

He sat down on the ground, setting down his sheathed sword with a sigh. He rubbed at his temples as he spoke slowly.

“I just have a bad feeling about this. We should be prepared. There might be higher leveled and stronger monsters than just the ones we’ve seen.”

The two exchanged serious looks. A foreboding silence hung in the air for a moment, before I perked up, finally tuning into the conversation.

“Stronger monsters? That means more experience! Where can I find them?”

A note from MelasD

As always you can read up to 12 chapters ahead on my patreon.

Poll: Volume 1 Title

A note from MelasD

POLL OVER

Hello, so as per usual I am not good at coming up with these kinds of things. So, I let my patrons decide to choose between the titles I came up with for Salvos Volume 1. There were a bunch of very bad titles, some of them not receiving any votes, I think. However these ones were the ones that were the most voted on:

Salvos Volume 1: The Netherworld

Salvos Volume 1: Advent

Salvos Volume 1: Lost but Curious

Salvos Volume 1: The Beginning

Now I know these aren't the best, so if you have your own suggestions leave them in the comments below. Otherwise, vote for the one you think is best. If an option is close in votes, I'll choose the one that received more votes in the patron poll. If I see a suggestion I really like, I'll use my own discretion and pick that instead.

Next chapter on monday, of course! Poll ends before then, so vote now!

ChApTErs MuSt BE aT LEAsT 500 chArACterS LoNG

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Poll: LAST TITLE POLL

A note from MelasD

POLL OVER

Heya, sorry for the troubles again with my indecisiveness. I saw a title option in the comments of the last poll that I really like called Curious Beginnings by user EngageBook. Now I'd feel like a bit of an ass if I decided to choose this random title over the ones you voted for, so here's my final poll:

Do you guys prefer:

Curious Beginnings

Or

Lost but Curious

P.S. I won't be having anything "Demon" related in my title because of facebook ads stuff and how other authors I know ran into problems because of it.

To make up for these constant polls, here's a sneak preview for Salvos Volume 1's cover art, which goes all the way up to Chapter 40. It's a cropped image, so this isn't the full thing.

By Vitaly S. Alexius, AKA Creator of Romantically Apocalyptic

Image might look weird on mobile? Also, Salvos is standing on elevated ground. She is shorter than both Daniel and Edithe.

31.1. Grinding and Learning

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

31.1. Grinding and Learning

I listened to Daniel as he gave me a warning not to fight any monsters I couldn’t beat; he stayed up for a bit longer than Edithe to ensure that I would not get myself killed while exploring the Dungeon alone. The Human woman had already gone to sleep, so it was just me, him, Mistshard, and Druma.

I lazily heeded Daniel’s words, already aware of the consequences of facing things that were stronger than me.

“Are you even listening, Salvos?”

He gave me a questioning look as I dug at an ear.

“Not really.”

I answered honestly. The Human man pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed.

“Salvos, you—”

He paused and shook his head.

“Just don’t die, alright?”

I nodded, actually listening to him as he said that. I grinned and gave him a reassuring thumbs-up.

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

“...that’s more intimidating than anything. Your claws aren’t exactly reassuring. Don’t do that in front of any other Human please.”

“Fine.”

I crossed my arms and got up in a huff. Then I started past the two Spirits standing at the edge of the alcove. The [Yaksha] nodded at me while the [Elemental] simply watched me go. I waved at Druma as I left, going further down the stone hallway with nothing but the fire at my hand lighting the way.

Unlike the two Humans, I did not need sleep. So I suggested I delve deeper into the Dungeon while they were busy resting; Edithe had not been too open to the idea for whatever reason, but she eventually acquiesced when she realized I would do it whether she liked it or not. Meanwhile Daniel had been worried— something which I found rather interesting. Wasn’t he wary of me because I was a Demon?

That still seemed to be the case, just slightly less so now for whatever reason. I probably should ask him why in the future— I didn’t ask him now because he never likes it when I inundate him with questions.

But it was interesting, observing these two Humans interact. They were both Humans, but they were just so distinct. It almost reminded me of how different I had been to Haec. If there are different types of Humans, I wonder if there are any wild Humans? I mused quietly to myself as I strolled down the Dungeon.

I hadn’t seen any so far, but it was always a possibility, right?

It was not long before I encountered a group of Shade Swarmers— those [Crimson Bats] that littered every new area of the Dungeon. They came flying at me in a swarm, as befitted the name of their Species, but this Subspecies of theirs was apparently weak. A single [Fire Blast] knocked a handful of them off the air. They fell on the ground, burning, not dead but incapacitated long enough for me to deal with the rest that came.

They zipped and bit at me as my claws tore through the group. It was not long before I finished them all off, however apparently the sound of my fighting attracted a group of [Howres]. The three four legged creatures ran at me as they screamed their sound magic, but it was not enough to leave me reeling even if I felt my head ache with every second I heard their screech.

I pounced at the one closest to me, aiming for his mouth to stop the excruciatingly painful noise. Then I conjured fire spikes and threw them at the other two, once again trying to stop their sound magic. I took care of them as quickly as I took care of the Shade Swarmers— three of them had been as difficult to deal with as a dozen of those monster bats.

Defeated [Crimson Bat - Lvl. 19]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Howre - Lvl. 25]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

“No level.”

I sighed as I got up. I flicked away the blood on my claws as I continued my descent, alone in this supposed Gold Ranked Dungeon.

—--

I only encountered two Giant Spiders in my lone exploration of the Dungeon; the first was a [Weaving Spider] at Level 43. She was in the middle of eating some [Crimson Bats]. Gross, the thought crossed my mind as I sent a ball of fire at her.

She was far easier to kill by myself than a [Drop Spider] of a similar level. Perhaps it was because of how much weaker she was, so I didn’t actually have to get up close and take hits to hurt her.

The next Giant Spider I saw was the aforementioned [Drop Spider]. After the first time I was ambushed by one, I made sure to check the ceiling for any monsters lying in wait; I caught sight of him dangling next to a stalactite, waiting to prey on any unknowing monster or person that walked under him.

I was about to throw a fireball at him, but caught myself. First of all, it probably wouldn’t have killed him even if he didn’t dodge the slow attack. Secondly, it was a waste of mana too— I would have exhausted too much mana for an attack that wasn’t nearly worth it. So I had an idea.

I grabbed one of the Piercing Arrows from the quiver slung over my shoulder; I held it on one hand as I activated my [Basic Fire Creation] to form a fiery string, before molding a more sturdy crescent shape around it. I held up the crude fire bow, feeling that it was probably fine to use and aimed it at the [Drop Spider].

I nocked the Low Grade arrow and loosed it at the monster. He screeched and fell hard onto the ground from the attack and wriggled on the floor. I rushed him and struck at his weak underside before he could fully recover, landing a few [Fire Strikes] on him. He stopped, dead from the attacks.

I stood, triumphant from having beaten him. I looked through his corpse, searching for the arrow, only to find it was broken and lodged deep into his carapace. Maybe I shouldn’t do that too often, I thought, glancing at the remaining two arrows I had. Should save it for Lucerna.

I imagined firing one of those enchanted bolts in between the eyes of the [Djinn] as I continued scouring the Dungeon. Eventually, when I felt enough time had passed, I returned back in the direction of Edithe and Daniel.

Defeated [Howre - Lvl. 23]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Drop Spider - Lvl. 45]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 27] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 28]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 28] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 29]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos

Species: [Lesser Demon]

Subspecies: [Zelus Imp] - Lvl. 29

General Skills:

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 31

[Strength]: 21

[Endurance]: 34

[Wisdom]: 41

[Agility]: 62

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 20

[Double Step] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 16

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 8

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 3

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

I made sure to mark the walls with my claws when I went exploring the Dungeon on my own— so I wouldn’t get lost. I returned to the two Humans who had just woken up and were getting ready for the day. I greeted Mistshard but paused at Druma who was sitting and leaning against a wall.

“What’s he doing?”

I questioned the [Elemental] as she simply floated there, arms folded in front of the alcove. She turned to me as if she had just noticed I was there.

“He’s sleeping. [Yakshas] require at least an hour of sleep a day, so he’s resting while he can.”

“But you don’t have to sleep. Why does he need to do that?”

She replied icily— not in an aggressive manner, but simply in her usual, blunt voice.

“Not all Spirits can forego rest. The same with Demons. Both our Species require no sleep in our Infant stage, but the subsequent evolutions alter our bodies in ways that are typically helpful, but also detrimental in other respects. Requiring sleep is simply one such example.”

“Huh.”

I decided to choose my next evolution very carefully. I did not want to have to sleep every day like the Humans; it seemed like too much of a hindrance for any advantage to fully offset.

Daniel glanced up as I entered the alcove. He nodded at me.

“Leveled, didn’t you?”

I put up two fingers and grinned.

“Twice.”

“Good job, Salvos.”

He remarked simply, before resuming munching on his food. Edithe stared at me for a moment, not really saying anything. I sat down across from her.

“I also made sure to mark the tunnel walls. So we don’t go to where I’ve already been. I didn’t see any Lairs, but there was a one hall full of [Crimson Bats]. Too many for me to handle. I think we can clear them out together after this.”

She started, blinking at me as I smiled.

“You— oh.”

“Although they’re pretty low leveled compared to you. If you don’t want to deal with them we can just skip that room entirely.”

The Human woman finally broke out of her stupor, taking a deep breath.

“I… it’s fine, Salvos. We can clear them out together. I’m sure Druma and Mistshard would benefit from the experience too.”

She hesitated, chewing her lower lip as I simply sat there.

“Uh, good job…”

I nodded back at her, and sprawled on the ground, letting [Rest] take over me. When the two Humans were finally ready, I had enough of my health, mana, and stamina to continue fighting through the Dungeon.

31.2. Grinding and Learning

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

31.2. Grinding and Learning

The alcove became our temporary place of stay while in the Dungeon. We— well, the Humans— would leave and return to the alcove every day as we explored and mapped out the Dungeon. Daniel had brought with him a piece of paper to draw out our routes on, which slowed our progress at first, but proved to be helpful later on.

Every night— or we thought it was night— Edithe and Daniel would rest in the alcove as I went out to level on my own. Even though I had been consistently doing this, it seemed that the gains I got in terms of experience and levels were quickly decreasing due to a number of reasons. The main one being how we encountered less and less Giant Spiders as time went on.

Defeated [Howre - Lvl. 27]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I shook my head, walking away from the dead monsters all around me. No levels today. I was Level 32 now, after a week of training in the Dungeon nonstop. I had maxed my [Flame Coat] at Level 10, now having a surplus of 3 Skill Points up from 2.

It was tiring, and I had nearly died on multiple occasions. The only thing that saved me was my party— that was what the two Humans had been calling us— and my increased [Vitality]. I was incredibly glad I focused on raising it just before entering the Dungeon, because I definitely would have died if not for that. The Ring of Lesser Protection had absorbed all the hits it could and was now recharging slowly. Supposedly, it would take a week before I could use it again unless I had a magic tool to directly pour mana into it; however, Daniel said it would probably be usable again soon since we were a Dungeon with plenty of ambient mana to speed up its process.

I stalked through the tunnels, returning to the little alcove with Druma and Mistshard standing guard over. The two Spirits were now Level 36 and 33 respectively, leveling far slower than me since I started at a lower level than them. Edithe had only gained a single level, and I still wasn’t sure what level Daniel was due to his Necklace of Obfuscation.

I found the Human man awake when I entered the alcove, sitting by the campfire and writing on a leatherbound book. He didn’t turn to me, even when I walked up next to him and peered over his shoulders.

“What’s this?”

Daniel jumped and whirled around.

“Salvos, don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“Sorry. I thought you noticed me but weren’t saying anything.”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize. Just don’t do that again please.”

He exhaled deeply, a hand on his chest and his book slammed shut. I nodded.

“Good. I wasn’t actually sorry. I only said it because I assumed that was what you Humans would say in that situation.”

“You… wait— no. When did you come back? You usually return only a few hours from now.”

I raised my shoulders in a shrug.

“I was bored of killing monsters that couldn’t fight back. They attack me, but they can barely hurt me. Not like the Giant Spiders.”

I almost felt like a wild Demon when I actively searched for a small group of [Howres] or [Crimson Bats] to kill. Sure, they would charge at me almost mindlessly. But I was just so much stronger than them I had no reason to even fight them in the first place. Maybe if there were more of them that they would actually be a threat I wouldn’t have felt that way. However the groups I found were all small. So I came back early for tonight.

“I see…”

Daniel scooched away from me, holding his book close to himself. He waited, but I said nothing more. Eventually, he lifted the book back up and continued scribbling away on its paper. I turned away from him and stared at the campfire.

I watched the way the small flame danced in its little area; the way it flickered and snapped even without a wind to push it about. It seemed so weak. So I touched it.

“W-what are you doing, Salvos?”

I glanced up at the Human man as I felt a prickling sensation come over my finger. It was hot— burning, even. But not as much as other flames I had felt before. Daniel blinked.

“Do you have some sort of heat resistance or something?”

“Maybe.”

“You don’t have a Skill for it?”

“Nope.”

I answered simply as I pulled my finger back. It started to hurt— it was burning me after all. The Human man murmured to himself.

“Hm, I guess it would make sense for a Demon to be more resilient to fire. But no resistance Skills? Or are you trying to gain one…”

I cocked my head, not really understanding what he said. I was only testing the heat of the flame; I wanted my [Basic Fire Creation] to get stronger— to produce deadlier fires. That was the only reason why I did it.

Daniel muttered a ‘nevermind’ under his breath before he continued writing on his book, making sure its plain cover was facing me. I just stared at him for a moment, until he put the book down and raised a brow.

“Uh, did you need something?”

“No. I was just thinking.”

I said nothing more and he gave me a confused look.

“...what were you thinking about?”

“You tried to kill me when we first met. You thought I was Lucerna. But after you found out that I was trying to go back to the Netherworld, you offered to help me. You’re still helping me, even now. Why?”

He paused. He slowly lowered his book down, placing it on the stone floor as he drew his knees to his chest. He hugged them tight as he spoke softly, his gaze boring into the red flames.

“You really ask the most annoying questions, don’t you?”

I cocked my head again but he turned to me. I met his hesitant brown eyes with very own curiosity, waiting for his answer to come out.

“At first, I had thought you were the Demon that destroyed Fairdale. The one who killed the innocent men, women, and children living there. I don’t know why, but at the time, I felt obligated to stop you. Even though you were higher leveled than me, I thought I could beat you. I tried to beat you.

“But I did not. I tried and failed to stop you, the destroyer of Fairdale. Even when you said you weren’t the one to do all that, I didn’t believe you. I mean, Demons are supposed to be evil creatures, right? You’re supposed to lie, cheat, and trick Humans to get what you want. Then— you spared me.

“You spared me. I thought I was going to die, but I lived. It made me realize you were telling the truth. That you really wanted to return to the Netherworld. And… I guess I empathize with that. The desire— the longing— to return to your home. So I decided to help you do just that.”

Daniel finished, slowly averting his gaze from me. He stared down at the palm of his hands as he softy repeated himself.

“To return home.”

There was a moment of silence; only the crackling of the campfire made any noise in the quiet Dungeon tunnel. Then I nodded.

“Huh.”

The Human man blinked. He turned to me and frowned.

“Is that all you have to say— no more questions? Nothing?”

“Nope.”

I shook my head simply. He sighed and leaned back on the rock wall.

“And here I thought you were going to prod me even more. Honestly I wasn't sure whether I could answer any more questions.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t care.”

“That kind of hurts, you know? I just poured out a lot of my personal thoughts for you, and your reply is that you don’t care.”

I shrugged nonchalantly.

“You answered my question. I’m satisfied.”

I replied bluntly; I was pretty sure I was supposed to be more delicate in my response here. However, Daniel clearly didn’t want to share more than he already did, so I thought this was the appropriate reaction. Maybe not. Humans are weird!

“That’s for the best, I guess.”

Daniel reached for his book.

“Also—”

I spoke up, remembering something else Humans said when someone did something for them.

“Thanks.”

“Oh, uh, no problem.”

32. Monster Lair

32. Monster Lair

“It’s a nest.”

“Don’t you mean it’s a Lair?”

“Same thing, different meanings.”

“And what’s the difference?”

I looked curiously at Edithe. The Human woman did not retort. She did not flinch when she faced me. Although she did hesitate a little.

“Nests are dangerous. Lairs aren’t necessarily so.”

“Huh.”

I grinned.

“Then I guess we should fight everything inside!”

“As expected.”

Daniel spoke up from behind me. I frowned, turning back to him.

“What does that mean?”

“You’re not as unpredictable as I initially thought.”

“And is that a bad thing?”

I peered at him with a raised brow; he smiled back at me. He replied in a cheerful tone, almost reminiscent of the way I spoke.

“Nope.”

I nodded slowly, not sure what to think of that. I had been observing the two Humans and how they acted for a while, but now they were starting to… change. They were more at ease with me? Which seemed like a good thing at first, until I realized I wasn’t sure how to interpret their reactions or words any longer.

“Good. Now let’s take care of this nest.”

I opted for dealing with what was ahead of us.

Now Entering [Lair: Shade Swarmers Nest].

“That’s a lot of them. We draw them out, funnel them through the exit!”

Edithe stepped back as Mistshard began preparing dozens of small ice spikes with her magic. The [Summoner] turned to Druma as the [Yaksha] positioned himself by the entryway.

“[Boost Stat: Vitality]. Pull back if they overwhelm you— I see some evolved forms there!”

Sure enough, flying amongst the swirling red mass in the cavern hall ahead were some different colored bats. [Azure Bats]. I had only seen one in the time we had been in the Dungeon, and she had been Level 41.

I readied myself for the incoming swarm, activating [Flame Coat] on my cloak as well as slipping on the fully-charged Ring of Lesser Protection onto my finger. Daniel stood next to the Druma with his sword drawn as Edithe raised her staff.

“Fireball.”

The explosion blew apart the first wave, before the second was frozen solid by Mistshard. The third was met by the two men standing in front as I stood behind them, cutting down those that slipped through.

Supposedly, this nest would have been dangerous to nearby Human settlements if it was allowed to grow in size. As it was currently, it was quite small. And yet, there were over a hundred of them flying and zipping all around us in this cave.

[Fire Blasts] took down groups of weaker [Crimson Bats], but the [Azure Bats] proved to be the real difficulty with exterminating this nest. One of them came down at me, clawing at my face with a feral rage. I struck back, but she was quick. Faster than even I was.

However I was stronger than her. All I had to do was touch her once, and it was over. I grabbed her by the wing and flung her to the ground. I stamped a [Fire Strike]-powered foot onto her body before I tore her apart.

Then more Shade Swarmers came, more [Crimson Bats] died, and the last of the [Azure Bats] fell to their death.

Defeated [Crimson Bat - Lvl. 16]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels under you!

…

Defeated [Azure Bat - Lvl. 44]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Cleared [Lair: Shade Swarmers Nest]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 32] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 33]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Over a hundred monsters lay dead on the floor all around me, and yet I only gained a single level. Each [Crimson Bat] already gave me less experience due to our level difference, but that was exacerbated even more by my party’s help.

Only the [Azure Bats] and clearing the Lair truly helped me in reaching my next level, however there were only a few dozen of them. So I only leveled once.

I evaluated my Status and found both my [Vitality] and [Strength] to have finally reached a decent amount. An amount that I was satisfied with. So I decided to return to divvying my Stat Points evenly between [Wisdom] and [Endurance], sparing the last for [Agility].

I split my 3 Skill Points between [Basic Fire Creation], [Passive - General Tool Proficiency], and [Fire Blast]— the last of which I finally maxed out at Level 20. For the future, I was going to add 2 Skill Points to [Basic Fire Creation] and only 1 Skill Point for my passive Skill. It was thanks to that Skill I was able to use my fire bow, even if I could only hit still targets.

With that finished, I turned back to Edithe who I found entering the Lair which was no longer a ‘Lair’. The words that had hung in my head indicating it was one disappeared. Now it was just any other cave chamber connected to the Dungeon tunnel.

“What are you doing?”

I called out to her as she glanced about. She paused as she caught sight of a group of stalagmites in the corner. She rushed over to it as I followed behind her, before Daniel decided to join us. He was clearly confused too.

The Human woman made a sound.

“Aha! There is it.”

“Did you find something?”

“Is it more monsters?”

I added excitedly, standing on the tip of my toes as I tried to glance over her shoulder. Edithe shook her head as she gestured at the strange white objects lying next to a pile of worn out items.

“Eggs. A lot of them. And some loot too— they must’ve stolen it off the corpses that fell to the crevice.”

“Oh, I can store them in my, uh, Bag of Hol... but eggs?”

The Human man furrowed his brows. He frowned as he looked at the dozens of round shapes resting on the rocks.

“Bats don’t lay eggs.”

“They don’t?”

Edithe blinked, then shook her head.

“Well it doesn’t matter. These aren’t bats. They’re Shade Swarmers. And they lay eggs. I’ll burn them once we grab everything valuable here.”

I watched as the two Humans began grabbing for the pile; they tossed some of the items aside while putting others inside of Daniel’s bag. He held it close to himself as he did so, picking up a rusted hammer with a scowl. He was about to throw it aside when I stopped him.

“I want that.”

I pointed at it. He paused, staring at the hammer then at me.

“It’s just a regular hammer used for building. Why do you want it?”

“Because I want it!”

I snatched the hammer off his hands as he shrugged.

“Sure.”

I scurried off to the side while the Humans did their thing— I waited for them as I inspected the hammer with keen interest. It was small. The wooden handle rested easily on the palm of my hand, and the head was not too heavy. It was… exactly what I needed!

I raised my other hand and activated [Basic Fire Creation] with a grin.

—--

Edithe stared at the fire hammer I was holding up and blinked.

“You made that?”

“I did! Now I can use something other than a fire dagger to fight!”

The Human woman rubbed at her temples as Daniel glanced between the two of us.

“Why are you sighing, Edithe?”

“Come on, Daniel. Don’t you recognize that? It’s a creation Skill.”

I turned to her.

“What’s wrong with a creation Skill?”

“There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just… very rare. For a [Mage] without a creation Skill to learn any kind of creation magic, it would take years. Decades even. It’s no wonder you’re so strong, Salvos, even for a Demon.”

I perked up at the praise, twirling the hammer in my hand with my tool Skill as I giggled.

“Of course! I’m not just a Demon, after all! I’m Salvos!”

Daniel grinned.

“Starting to warm up to her, are you Edithe? I didn’t expect you to compliment a Demon.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

The Human woman scoffed, turning away from me. Not that I noticed. I was busy smiling with my chin raised as I marched down the tunnel ahead.

“I was just pointing out how dangerous Salvos is. Nothing more.”

“So you haven’t changed your mind about her yet? Even after fighting alongside her. Even after she helped save your life against those bandits?”

“We’re only allies of circumstance, Daniel. That is all. Our enemy is Lucerna, and we will work together until he is dead. Then we’ll probably never see or speak to each other ever again.”

I stopped midstep, halting my alacrity as I had a thought. I heard Daniel sigh as I turned slowly. Then I looked at Edithe.

“What?”

She had an uncomfortable look on her face. I cocked my head.

“Why?”

“Huh?”

I paused, trying to figure out the question I had in my head; I never thought about it when I first met her, just like I had with Daniel. But now, for whatever reason, I was curious.

“Why do you want to kill Lucerna?”

The Human woman drew her lips to a thin line as her face twisted. She hesitated, then spoke simply.

“I told you, didn’t I? It’s for revenge.”

“But why?”

“Why what? Why do I want revenge?”

I nodded. Edithe took in an exasperated breath as she realized what I was asking her. I wasn’t even sure why I wanted to know the answer to this. However, after observing her— as I had observed Daniel— I had to know.

“Why do you want anything, Salvos? Why do you want to level? Why do you want to go back to the Netherworld?”

I replied instantly.

“I want to level because with each level, I become more complete. I want to go back to the Netherworld because my companion is there, and I don’t want to lose him.”

She took a step back, not expecting me to answer so quickly. She was about to retort, but stopped herself. She stood there for a moment, not saying anything as I stared at her with a tilted head. Eventually, she spoke softly.

“That [Djinn]... Lucerna… killed my friends. My Spirits. My partners. And yet, I lived. Even though we faced him together, I survived.”

Edithe cast her gaze up to the ceiling, a morose look passing through her face.

“I couldn’t protect them. They protected me— Paul saved me. He loved me, and he died for me. Then I froze up. I couldn’t do anything. And Hana took me away as that Demon overwhelmed us. As it slaughtered the rest of them, then finally Hana herself.”

Each word she spoke was mixed with grief and regret; the bitter look on her face was only directed at herself, and no one else.

“It was my fault we lost. It was my fault they died. And yet, I am the only one still here. If I can’t avenge my friends— if I can’t stop that Demon’s rampage— then what reason did I have to live?”

I slowly took this in. I said nothing, remembering Daniel’s annoyance at my reaction to him. I simply listened.

“Why else did I have to live?”

Silence hung over our party as we walked down the tunnel, only the footsteps echoing against the rock walls made any sound. We quietly continued through the Dungeon, sadness on Edithe’s face, a longing look on Daniel’s, and a thoughtful expression written on mine as I parsed this information.

Humans were weird.

And interesting.

A note from MelasD

Big announcement soon.

"Salvos: Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings" NOW LIVE ON AMAZON KINDLE! (Read up to Chapter 40 for $2.99!)

A note from MelasD

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT TIME!

(PLEASE READ: chapter updates will NOT be affected by this AND NEITHER will old chapters be taken away. EVERYTHING REMAINS THE SAME. New chapter will be out tomorrow as per usual.)

Salvos: Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings (A LitRPG Evolution Story)!

Hello everyone!

I know most of you won't care for this, but I am very excited to announce that Salvos: Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings is now available to you in the Kindle eBook store! The book goes up to Chapter 40, so if you want to read ahead for only $2.99, do consider buying it and leaving an amazon review. You don't need to buy it to leave a review, but do consider it because IT'S MY FIRST TIME EVER PUBLISHING! I have worked so hard over the last month to get this out there. and I'm glad that it's finally done!

I've gone against pretty much all the best advice of all the best authors I know by publishing it not on KDP Select/Unlimited when I can't guarantee sales. But it's a gambit. Like in chess. Going wide will allow me to reach new audiences. I've even spent $700 on the cover art alone, and am pretty much spending everything I have ever made on patreon so far on getting it out there. I don't even plan on making a huge profit on sales from this, which is why I've chosen to price the book at $2.99, the bare minimum for Amazon's second royalties program. I would just like the story to do well and reach as much of an audience as possible.

So please, consider buying the story or leaving it a review on amazon. I would genuinely appreciate it so very much <3

You can check it out by clicking here.

P.S, My amazon author name is a pen name, not my real name.

ChApTErs MuSt BE aT LEAsT 500 chArACterS LoNG

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A note from MelasD

To elaborate since there's confusion in the comments:

As I said, I didn't sign up for KDP Select which requires exclusivity. Going wide with self publishing (not Amazon exclusive) is a big risk. Everyone has told me that going wide is not a good idea, especially for my first ever published book. But I do not want to be Amazon exclusive and I signed with regular ole' KDP (not Select), which is why you can still read all the chapters here on RR free of charge!

33. Led into a Trap

33. Led into a Trap

We strode in silence through the dark, stone tunnel lit only by the fire hammer I held; our party of three— five including the Spirits— walked deeper and deeper into the Dungeon. I was rather used to the quiet, having not even been able to speak until relatively recently.

But apparently the lack of noise made Humans uncomfortable. I noticed how Edithe and Daniel looked— they warily glanced around, their gazes darting to every shadowed corner not illuminated by my flame. I tried being considerate of how Humans acted and said nothing after the Human woman told me her reasoning for wanting revenge. But I was bored now!

“So… want to clear another Lair?”

I spoke up, ending the veil of silence hanging over our heads. The two Humans exchanged a glance as I continued.

“That Shade Swarmers Lair gave me more experience. It helped me level! I want to level some more before we face Lucerna. This Dungeon isn’t as fast as you made it out to be!”

“We never said it would be fast, Salvos. We just said it would be faster than hunting every rampaging monster outside of Dungeons. And besides, you’ve already leveled plenty since coming here.”

I scowled and crossed my arms.

“It’s not enough. Lucerna leveled 8 times from when I last saw him to when he attacked Maplewell. He is leveling far faster than me, even at a higher level. We need to get stronger.”

I wasn’t going to get beaten up and thrown around like the first two times I fought him; I refused to lose this time. Mostly because I needed to beat him to tell me what I wanted to know.

“What do you suggest, then?”

Daniel gave me a hesitant, but not doubting, look.

“We’ve already cleared out probably half of the Dungeon. The Shade Swarmers Lair is gone, and we don’t know where the Ground Cravers are coming from. They’re probably burrowed in a little hole somewhere, hiding away. And the Giant Spiders aren’t exactly showing themselves to us en masse.”

“But they are.”

I grinned as Edithe’s eyes widened.

“Wait, you’re not saying…”

“We attack their Lair.”

I spoke simply. The two Humans didn’t seem to get it though as they gave me confused looks.

“Salvos— those monsters are far above our level. It’s not just two or three Giant Spiders like we’ve been encountering. But hundreds. It’s a Lair— just like a Shade Swarmers nest— it probably has a hundred of those Level 40 [Weaving Spiders] or [Drop Spiders]... each. We can’t fight that, let alone the hundreds of babies or lower leveled Subspecies in there.”

“We don’t have to fight them all though.”

“What do you mean?”

I remembered the [Hellhounds] chasing Haec and I. I recalled how the pack would split off when other wild Demons showed up. How some would just stray away. And how others would simply give up.

It was the same principle here; there was no reason to draw the wrath of the entire Lair of Giant Spiders. All we had to do was get some of them.

I smiled.

“Daniel, Edithe, Mistshard, Druma— wait, you can’t speak… just nod or shake your head— how fast do you think I am?”

The four of them considered this as I explained the strategy I had in mind. They were apprehensive; they pointed out the flaws in it. But they went with it. Because they knew it was the best chance we got at outleveling Lucerna.

—--

I walked past the destroyed spiderwebs. The ones I had torn and burned no longer barred my path. I approached the last remaining layer of the white substance, covering a hole in the wall that held behind it a monster’s nest.

Slowly, I created the fiery weapon in my one hand as I walked up to the final web. It was thick; it had been woven over itself again and again, making it difficult to even cut through. But I did not need to cut it.

I brought a clawed finger to the spiderweb and activated [Flame Coat]. I tapped its surface and it burned, the silky excrement of the Giant Spiders quickly fading away with the flames that ran through it. I readied myself, preparing for a wave of Giant Spiders to come at me. But none came.

I watched as the solid veil disappeared, revealing what was behind it. Stretching down into a pit was the Lair of the Giant Spiders. It was not just a single chamber with a nest somewhere hidden away. The entire Lair was a nest, with floor after floor made of webs descending to the bottommost layer of the Dungeon.

Instantly, all eyes in the floors nearest to me snapped in my direction. Giant Spiders— those of the Subspecies I had seen and hadn’t seen— immediately swarmed in my direction. There were dozens of them. Some were as low as Level 10, while others were close to Level 50. They were all too much for us to handle, and yet, it was not all of them.

Those further down the Lair did not react; they did not follow their fellow Giant Spiders in their charge because they did not see what they were charging at. So they lay dormant as only a few dozen Giant Spiders came my way.

I immediately backed up, putting as much distance from myself and the hole in the wall as possible. The Giant Spiders quickly began funneling through it, chasing after me as I raised my weapon. I nocked the Explosive Bolt onto the fire bow and released it at the first wave.

The enchanted munition blasted apart the lower leveled monsters, and even killed a Level 40 [Weaving Spider]. But that was only seven out of all those that came. I hurled a crudely made fireball at them before spinning around and running as fast as I could.

The highest leveled of the Giant Spiders closed the distance, reaching me before long, but I grinned and used [Double Step] to widen the gap once more as I turned the first corner. The stone walls blurred around me as I focused only on staying alive. My feet carried me away from the monsters as the slowest of them disappeared from my line of sight, leaving only the fastest of them on my tail as I entered the large cave room.

A [Drop Spider] leapt at me as I whirled around. I sent a [Fire Blast] at him, which only bounced off his carapace—

Then a large wooden limb struck him down midair. He fell to the ground as a thin layer of ice spread throughout his body. He tried getting up, breaking himself free, only to be met by a sword slicing off his head.

“More are coming! Focus on the highest leveled ones first!”

I shouted at my party as I created fire spikes to throw at an angry [Weaving Spider]. Out of the dozens of Giant Spiders that initially pursued me, only a dozen remained. Many of them were higher leveled than me, but compared to earlier, this was a much fairer fight. It was maybe even lopsided in our favor as unlike the monsters, we worked and coordinated with each other.

I saved Daniel from a [Weaving Spider]’s threads, only to be protected from a group of lower leveled Giant Spiders by Mistshard. Edithe stayed behind Druma who worked with her to easily dispatch any monster that approached them, as I rushed in and out of the groups of Giant Spiders.

Eventually, we killed them all.

Defeated [Weaving Spider - Lvl. 40]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Skittering Spider - Lvl. 21]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels under you!

I didn’t level from the fight, although I noticed Daniel was unusually quiet for a few moments after the battle ended. Edithe wiped the beads of water forming on her forehead as she exhaled.

“That was… a crazy plan. I can’t believe it actually worked.”

I gave the Human woman a triumphant look as she turned to me.

“I told you. I’m fast.”

“And apparently mad.”

Then she paused, as if remembering something.

“But I guess I’m mad too for even agreeing with that plan. And it’s not too different from what my team would have suggested.”

“What would they have suggested?”

Daniel finally joined in the conversation as he was finished with distributing his Stat and Skill Points. Edithe had a thoughtful look on her face.

“Eloy was a [Geomancer], and Silvia a [Rogue]. They would have probably suggested the same thing Salvos did, but instead of fighting them head on once the Giant Spiders reached this room, we would drop them down a pit. And attack them as they tried to clamber up with magic and projectiles. Paul would have complained that he barely got any kills, but deep down he would be glad that no one got hurt.”

“What about Hana?”

I cocked my head. A small smile slipped onto Edithe’s face as she remembered her Spirit.

“Hana would have been ecstatic about the plan. She would get to kill so many monsters— gain so many levels— and barely be in danger. She would have wanted us to do it again and again for weeks, until the experience each Giant Spider gave her was a pittance, and only then would she want to leave the Dungeon.”

The Human woman paused as her face twisted. But before the grim look could spread any further, I spoke up.

“I like Hana. She seems nice.”

Edithe glanced up, the shadow disappearing off the arches of her brow; her lips relaxing as it released the frown it had been holding in.

“She was very nice indeed.”

I nodded eagerly.

“And smart. We should do just that. We fight, again!”

I turned around to provoke more Giant Spiders into chasing after us, but Daniel and Edithe grabbed me by my shoulders and pulled me back.

“You do that—”

“— but only after we [Rest], alright?”

I sighed, letting them take me.

“Fine.”

—--

We repeated the strategy twice more that day, before retiring to the same alcove as before for the night. I did not go out and do any exploration of my own, instead choosing to relax in the camp. I chatted with Daniel and Edithe before they went to sleep, then stayed up to keep watch.

The two Spirits were not here, having been sent back to the Spirit Plane by Edithe with [Return Summon]. Other than the initial few nights we spent in the Dungeon, only Mistshard had remained summoned for the night; the Human woman found it too taxing to keep Druma around when we were not exploring the Dungeon. And after the exhausting fights we had earlier, she couldn’t maintain Mistshard’s mana supply either tonight. So for the first time since I met her, Edithe was trusting me to keep watch as she slept.

I didn’t mind it too much. I hadn’t planned to go out on my own, so this gave me something to do. Plus, I could distribute my Stat and Skill Points from hitting Level 34 in the meantime. Eventually however, the two Humans woke up. Edithe re-summoned her Spirits, and we were off to fight more Giant Spiders for another day.

“You know, each time we do this, it becomes more dangerous, right?”

The Human woman commented as we prepared ourselves in the same room as before. We were at the bottom of the crevice— the place that had been littered with Human and animal bones. It was now also littered with dead Giant Spider bodies.

“Why is that?”

I inquisitively turned to Edithe as I waited for her explanation. Apparently, monsters were not exactly mindless— they would adapt to such traps over time. She said that many adventurers would try a trick too many times, only for it to backfire eventually. So the use of this strategy should be limited.

“But you said Hana would do it as many times as possible!”

“I did not say we would have listened to her though. Honestly Salvos, as much as I like the idea of gaining a dozen levels from doing this, it is not sustainable. I suggest we only try this for another two more days before we leave this Dungeon. It is not a Gold Ranked Dungeon like my company had thought. High Silver, but not Gold.”

Certainly, other than the Giant Spiders, this Dungeon did not feel dangerous. At least, compared to the Netherworld whenever I was attacked by wild Demons— I nearly died many times! But I survived.

And now I was going once again to a potentially deadly situation. I walked up to the hole in the wall— the spiderweb concealing the Lair now gone. I peered through it, expecting to draw the attention of dozens of Giant Spiders at once again—

But nothing came.

I looked around, realizing that there were no Giant Spiders on the webbed floor closest to me. Even the ceiling above was empty of any [Drop Spiders]. Their intricate webbing was clear, with only the egg sacs left behind.

I glanced further back down as I heard a clamoring from below. It sounded indistinct at first— like an array of noise joined together to make something incomprehensible. However I quickly recognized what it was.

It’s the sound of fighting.

Down, past the layers of webs closest to me, I saw figures moving. Hundreds of Giant Spiders were swarming at something at the bottommost area of their Lair. No, not something. Some things.

There were long, undulating creatures mixed with the fighting below. They were fast— they skittered around and through the mass of Giant Spiders, sending clumps of them flying to the air. I leaned closer and narrowed my eyes, trying to get a glimpse of what it was that was assailing this Lair.

Then I felt something hit me from behind. A small rock dropped from the ceiling, bouncing off the back of my head and to the monsters below.

I glanced up, confused as to what made it fall. And the stone wall above burst open. Elongated creatures with segmented bodies came pouring through the earth, raining down onto the sea of Giant Spiders. They charged at the faraway monsters, streaming down the walls— before pausing.

These monsters caught a glimpse of a closer target. Something that was not a Giant Spider, but as much as a target as they were.

I stepped back, eyes widening as I identified these new monsters.

[Junior Centinel - Lvl. 56]

[Junior Centinel - Lvl. 53]

[Junior Centinel - Lvl. 61]

The ones closest to me— the ones running down the walls— turned. And they rushed me.

A note from MelasD

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Salvos: Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings (A LitRPG Evolution Story)!

34. Centinels

34. Centinels

The Centinels came at me fast.

I immediately spun around and used [Double Step] to put as much distance between myself and the high leveled monsters as possible. Perhaps if it were only a single one, I would have tried to fight him. However, there were too many for me to handle.

Over a dozen Level 50 to 60 monsters pursued me down the stone hallway. These creatures moved at incredibly fast speeds, nearly catching up to me more than once. Some of them had some kind of speed Skill— their mandibles nicking the back of my cloak as it lit up in flames.

I turned a corner and saw the opening up ahead. Daniel, Edithe, Mistshard, and Druma were lying in wait there, but even with their help it wouldn’t have been enough to win. I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted as loud as I could.

“Run! Get out of the Dungeon! There’s too many of them!”

A head peeked around the corner; Daniel blinked as he took in the elongated monsters with dozens of dark segmented parts of their body, and a hundred horn-like crimson legs. These Centinels almost reminded me of the horned Demon— only they had a far longer and larger body, with terrifying mandibles the size of my forearm that threatened to shear me in two with each snap.

The Human man paled. He whirled around and yelled at the rest of our party to flee.

“Centinels! [Junior Centinels]— we can’t take them! Shit—”

He made a break for the rope still dangling down the crevice from above. But it was a long way up. And these monsters could climb up walls.

I burst into the room just in time to see Mistshard grabbing Edithe and flying up and away, while Druma waited for me by the rope. My mind raced with my body as I formed the only plan I could at the moment.

“Druma, carry me and climb as fast as you can!”

The [Yaksha] paused, looking at me for a moment. He might have been conflicted, because he wasn’t ordered to listen to me by his master. And yet, his life probably took precedence over all else.

So the tree-like creature grabbed hold of the rope and stayed just a moment longer as Daniel climbed further up, casting a quick, hesitant glance at the two of us. But he continued the moment he saw the Centinels come scuttling out of the tunnel.

I leapt onto Druma’s back and he immediately began climbing as fast as he could. The first of the Centinels reached us a moment later, jumping up after us as we ascended. My [Fire Blast] knocked them back onto the ground.

The others skittered out of the way as they landed, wriggling on their backs for a moment before righting themselves. The monsters glanced up at us, seeing our party make our escape. Then they charged up the walls.

I looked around me; Daniel was pulling himself up the ropes as fast as he could. He could not help— he had no ranged attacks. Mistshard on the other hand, had magic. But she was distracted.

“Just fly! I’ll keep them off you!”

Edithe yelled as the [Elemental] carried her by her shoulders, slowly flying upwards. Mistshard was capable of flight, but it was more of a hover— she could not speed up and out of the Dungeon.

The Human woman aimed her staff at the closest Centinel scurrying up the rock wall and unleashed a streak of electricity. The monster stopped, falling down as his entire body writhed and wriggled, the discharge running through his body. Then he picked himself up and continued his pursuit.

It was up to Edithe and I to hold these Centinels off. No one else could do anything.

I clung onto Druma’s back, blasting flames at the closest ones leaping off the walls for us. The [Fire Blast] barely singed the shell of the Centinels, but it was enough to keep them back.

I watched as a cluster of them gathered together and ran up the wall parallel to us. They were trying to attack us as a group, so my magic wouldn’t be able to knock them all back. I created a ball of fire and flung it at the Centinels before they had the chance to even jump in our direction.

The Centinels fell. Some of them broke their shells. Blood leaked out and oozed onto the floor below. But they picked themselves up and ran back up after us.

“They won’t stop coming! What do we do?!”

Daniel shouted down at us right as we saw light leaking down from above. We were close to the top of the pit. The Dungeon was behind us entirely.

Now Leaving [Dungeon: Silkfall’s Crevice].

Yet, the Centinels came; they charged mindlessly at us, never giving up no matter what we did.

“If these monsters attack a nearby town— hundreds of people are going to be killed!”

Edithe launched a volley of ice arrows at a weakened Centinel. I saw his shell crack— I watched him bleed as he ran through the hail without a care in the world but to kill us. He threw himself at the Human woman—

And my fire arrow struck him middair. The bolt was weak, but it hit the exposed part of his body. Then the Centinel fell.

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 56]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

He splattered onto the ground, no shell left to protect him from the fall. I grinned, looking around at skittering Centinels.

“We don’t have to run. We can fight!”

Daniel pulled himself up to the top of the crevice. He looked down at me dubiously for a moment, then his eyes widened as he realized my plan. Edithe saw it too. She had Mistshard set her down across the hole in the ground from Daniel. The [Elemental] simply hovered above.

“Knock them down! Every time they reach the surface, send them tumbling back down to their Dungeon! They will fall and die, or they will give up! Either way, we will win!”

The Humans nodded as I hopped off Druma, landing on solid ground with a momentary stumble. I righted myself and glanced down the crevice— into the Dungeon— as the monsters came skittering up the walls after us.

I grinned and sent a [Fire Blast] down at the closest one. He fell, but no notification came. The next came quickly after, and again I did the same thing.

More Centinels came— too much for me to handle— but Daniel stepped up next to me, carrying a large rock on his hands. He hurled it at a Centinels face, knocking it loose off the walls and down back into the Dungeon.

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 54]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I exchanged a glance with Daniel. He gave me a reassuring smile and ran for more rocks to throw. I sent blasts of flame down the hole— occasional fireballs needed to knock down a group of them— while Daniel supported me with his rocks. Edithe, Mistshard, and Druma stood on their edge of the crevice doing the same thing. Although it seemed like the two Spirits were doing most of the work. Edithe seemed exhausted, having to boost her two summons as well as directly participating in the combat.

A few times, a Centinel would scurry past the [Fire Blasts] and the rocks we threw on them, blurring at high speeds upwards. They would breach out of the Dungeon, pulling themselves up onto the surface. But we were prepared for that. A [Fire Strike] kick or a [Quick Strike] from Daniel would knock them off balance enough for us to throw them back into the crevice.

The Centinels continued their mindless endeavour as time passed, before eventually, they stopped. Whether they all perished or they gave up didn’t matter. We won.

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 61]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 55]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 34] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 35]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I sprawled myself onto the ground with a triumphant sigh. Over a dozen kills and over 20 levels above me but only a single level, huh? It wasn’t the best gains I had gotten in the Dungeon. However it felt good to level so soon after a previous level up just the day before.

So I didn’t let it bother me.

Daniel panted in relief, letting his sword dig into the ground next to me.

“That was dangerous.”

“But good for experience.”

I straightened and shot him a smirk. The Human man shook his head, murmuring under his breath.

“Not if we died.”

“We didn’t die.”

Edithe spoke simply as she strode over to us; Mistshard and Druma were gone— the Human woman unable to sustain them after the battle was over. It took a bit of time for her to use the [Return Summon] Skill, but now it was done and she took a seat next to me in our makeshift camp from weeks ago.

“The experience was rewarding, however we didn’t do it just for that.”

She nodded at me.

“Thanks to your quick thinking, Salvos, we were able to take out those Centinels here and now. If they had reached even a city like Hazelbury— there would have been a lot of innocent lives lost before they would be taken down.”

“Huh.”

I looked at her, then at the broken body of one of the few Centinels that crested to the top.

“Are they that dangerous?”

“Anything above Level 50 is dangerous. Even those Giant Spiders we’ve been fighting are dangerous to any of the nearby towns. That’s why it’s wrong for the Iron Champions Company to keep a Dungeon such as this hidden. And Centinels too?”

Edithe sighed and rubbed at her temples.

“They’re especially dangerous because they can dig through the ground. They’ll just go under the city walls and attack anything they see. If there really is a nest or a Lair of them down in the Dungeon— we need to return to Hazelbury and notify the authorities. These may only be Juniors, but Seniors wouldn’t even have to dig under a wall to get through it.”

I nodded.

“Dangerous then.”

“Right.”

“There’s probably a Lair, I think. There were a lot of them— they were attacking the Giant Spiders. Dozens of them.”

“Then all the more reason we should return to Hazelbury as soon as possible. Come on.”

Edithe hauled her sack over her shoulder and looked over at us expectantly. Daniel sighed, gathering his things.

“Why didn’t they burrow through the earth? I mean, you said they can do that, right?”

“I’m not really sure—”

“They wouldn’t.”

I spoke simply. The two Humans exchanged a glance as we started away from the Dungeon. Daniel raised an eyebrow.

“Why not?”

“Because they’re stupid. I saw the way they acted. Other monsters— like the Giant Spiders— they would only protect their territory. Most would give up chasing me after a while. But these Centinels? None gave up. They didn’t think whether a dozen of them breaking away from the rest to attack me was worth it for them. They just saw me and wanted to kill me. Like wild Demons.”

Edithe smiled.

“You really have a thing against these ‘wild Demons’, don’t you?”

I folded my arms across my chest.

“Of course! They’re mindless Demons! They just want to kill me! I have no reason to like them.”

The Human woman nodded. Then she lightly placed her hand on my head.

“Well, Salvos, it’s a good thing you aren’t like them, aren’t you?”

I paused, staring up at the Human woman, then at Daniel. They both looked at me with a soft face— completely different from when I first met either of them. And I felt as if they were finally looking at me.

Slowly, I smiled.

“Yep!”

—-

“—and that’s why you came to hate wild Demons?”

“Yes! She was just there one moment, then it crushed her!”

“...the Netherworld sounds like an incredibly harsh place. Why do you even want to go back there?”

Daniel turned to me, his brows were creased and a grimace plastered onto his face.

“Because Haec is there.”

I spoke simply. Daniel blinked, but Edithe just laughed.

“You know, Salvos, you’re actually quite simple aren’t you?”

“Hey!”

I looked over at the Human woman with a glare, however she didn’t blanche. She didn’t step back in fear or wariness. Instead, she just waved a hand off lightly.

“It’s not a bad thing, really. Honestly, us Humans are often so complicated, it gets really tiring sometimes.”

“Yeah, you can say that again.”

Daniel muttered with a sigh. I glanced between the two Humans, my lips curled up as I shook my head.

“I agree. You Humans are weird! But that’s not really a bad thing.”

“You think?”

The Human man eyed me dubiously. I nodded eagerly.

“You’re not like rocks at all.”

“I… don’t even know where to start with that.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t hate us. You’re going to be around lots of us again soon. Come on, Hazelbury is just up ahead.”

We continued walking up the dirt road; neither Mistshard nor Druma were with us since Edithe had no reason to summon them. The three of us had been traveling at a slower pace than it took us to get to the Dungeon, and after a few days, we had finally arrived, cresting up the tall hill a few miles from the city.

I stopped as the two halted midstep. Edithe’s eyes bulged out of their sockets while Daniel just stared in shock at the sight before us. I blinked as I took in the state of Hazelbury.

The gates of the city lay broken, the walls covered in ash. Smoke billowed up from the city ahead.

So as the sun rose from the horizon, my companions and I returned to Hazelbury only to find the city had been attacked.

By Lucerna.

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35.1. Blame

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

35.1. Blame

Hazelbury had been attacked.

The gates had been destroyed— the iron bars were torn open by some great force. And following it into the city was destruction.

The city did not lay in ruins as Maplewell did, however the once bustling settlement was now empty. People hid in their homes, staying away from the streets. Houses and buildings were burning or burnt down, having suffered tremendous damage in various parts of the city. Parts of the tall city walls were collapsed, and Human guards mixed with adventurers manned the battlements with extreme wariness.

“Halt! Who goes there!”

One of them yelled out. Edithe raised her hand, flashing a gleaming yellow badge.

“Adventurers! Gold Ranked! I— what happened here?”

She looked around, her eyes wide and filled with shock. Her gaze paused on the layer of ash spread across the rubble and a dark look came over her face.

“Our city was attacked. The Demon— the one has been rampaging across Falisfield. It came here. It did all this.”

“No way…”

Daniel breathed, glancing at the havoc that had been wrought. My eyes flashed as I whispered a name.

“Lucerna.”

The Human man turned to me, sputtering as he did.

“But— but— wasn’t it— he— only Level 50?”

“He must have grown stronger. Just like we did.”

I spoke simply. I called out to the guards as they let us through the gates.

“What level was he?”

“Level 60. He came through this wing of the walls. Took out all the guards in the area. Then proceeded to ravage the city for an hour before fleeing.”

“And where did he go?”

The guard shook his head.

“Somewhere south. But you shouldn’t pursue the Demon. I don’t think even a Gold Ranked team can take it out now. We need Platinums. Or a small army.”

I nodded at him before I turned to enter the city. I walked alongside my two companions, only a deathly silence held between us.

I looked around, staring at the ash covered rooftops. The burnt houses. And buildings crushed and trampled under the [Djinn]’s wrath. Edithe murmured softly.

“Level 60…”

Her gaze darkened. Daniel just stared, face unmoving. I looked at the two, not understanding them at all.

I had expected this; since I heard about Lucerna from Edithe in Maplewell, I realized the [Djinn] was leveling at a faster pace than me. Despite being higher leveled than me in the first place, he was able to grow at a rate I couldn’t even match.

Now, however, it was different. Since Maplewell, he had grown by 10 levels, while I had grown by 13. I was outleveling him now, and that was a good thing. I still couldn’t possibly beat him alone, however with Edithe, Daniel, Mistshard, and Druma’s help, I believed it was now something we could do.

We just had to find him first.

My companions and I continued making our way to the Adventurers Guild. They had to make their report— share the location of Silkfall’s Crevice and of the Centinels lying beneath the earth. However the dour mood held by the two Humans only worsened when they entered the guild hall.

“Look who returned.”

Blake stood up from his table, rising a head taller than all the others in the guild. He pointed a finger in our direction as faces spun our way.

“It’s the thieves that robbed from us and ran away.”

Daniel scowled.

“What do you want, Blake? We don’t have time to deal with your crap today.”

“Oh, but you do. It’s because of you three that our city is in this state.”

“Cut the bullshit. How exactly are we responsible for what happened here? It’s like you said, we were busy ‘running’. We weren’t even in Hazelbury when this happened.”

The tall man smiled— it was not a kind smile. Something about it was different; I saw his lips quivering while he spoke, as if something within him was waiting to burst out.

“Well, you weren’t. But because you stole from us and made the Iron Champions Company chase after you, only half of our adventurers were in Hazelbury when that destroyer attacked the city. We tried to come back— however it was too late.”

His eyes flashed as he continued, gesturing at the adventurers surrounding us.

“It’s because of you their friends and teammates are dead!”

Edithe paled as the words sunk in. Daniel’s mouth hung open, his jaw looking like it wanted to fall from his face.

I glanced around and finally noticed the tension in the air; the adventurers here were upset. They reminded me of Edithe when I had first met her— burning with anger and needing something to spread it to. And as of this moment, it seemed like they wanted to burn us.

I took a wary step back, slowly raising my claws. Then I paused. I shouldn’t fight them, I thought, my eyes trailing off to my two companions. But how do I…

My eyes widened as I had an idea. I grinned and walked up to Blake. The tall looked down at me with a dark gaze as the glares of the other adventurers bore into me. I kept my hood up, adjusting it slightly as I nodded at him. Then I turned to the nearby receptionist.

“Hey.”

The Human woman sat up in a panic. She quickly sputtered a reply.

“Y— yes? Did you need something?”

I smiled cheerfully beneath my Cloak of Shadows. They couldn’t see my face but I didn’t care. I simply spoke as loudly as I could.

“We’d like to report the location of a Dungeon the Iron Champions Company has been hiding. It’s a Gold Rank Dungeon called the Silkfall’s Crevice— it holds many dangerous monsters like Giant Spiders and Shade Swarmers. It even has a Centinel Lair with many many many Level 60 [Junior Centinels]. Very dangerous stuff. If they get out and attack a city, it’ll be real bad, right?”

Heads snapped in the direction of Blake as he blinked. The receptionist slowly worked her mouth.

“I… it’ll be very bad. A Gold Rank Dungeon? Are you sure about this? Where’s it at?”

I pointed vaguely in a direction.

“I think… there. And there are many towns near it!”

I exclaimed as I spread my arms out wide. A few murmurs broke out as adventurers spoke to each other.

“The Iron Champions Company kept the Dungeon a secret. If Edithe, Daniel, and I hadn’t killed them, they would have destroyed it all! So many people would have died because they wanted to keep the experience and levels for themselves.”

I wasn’t lying— although I wasn’t averse to lying in this situation.

“Uh, of course. That is rather… alarming. To think there’d be such a dangerous Dungeon close by. But it’s not something the guild can just accept without proof. If you can tell us its exact location and not just a direction—”

“Sure!”

I turned to Edithe and gestured at the receptionist. The Human woman blinked, glancing around at the far less hostile guild— many were now glaring at Blake whose face was bulging with veins.

‘Right.”

She quickly reached into her bag and produced the map we had stolen from the Iron Champions Company. The receptionist accepted, studying it for a moment before nodding.

“We’ll send a member of the guild to confirm this. But if this is true… well, it’s not exactly illegal to keep the location of Dungeons secret. But it’s irresponsible, especially if they weren’t guarding it themselves.”

“They weren’t. It’s a newly discovered one— they’ve been using it to get new recruits and nothing more.”

Edithe explained. The receptionist sighed.

“Then once we get this checked out, the guild will have to send an official letter to the Iron Champions Company, urging them to take better precautions and at least share such information with us.... not like it’ll do anything.”

I watched as the map was rolled up and handed to another receptionist. I looked over at Daniel and Edithe, then at the others in the room. They no longer had their attention on us, which was exactly what I wanted.

I was just about to turn triumphantly to Daniel as he walked over to us when a voice cut through the crowd at us.

“You!”

35.2. Blame

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

35.2. Blame

Blake stormed past a group of Silver Ranked adventurers. He knocked one aside, spilling a drink as he angrily approached me. I cocked my head.

“Me?”

“You’re the one that broke into our company building for the map, weren’t you? I knew it. I shouldn’t have told you about the Dungeon. Damnit. Damn you!”

He stared at me with bloodshot eyes. I shrugged.

“I did. And?”

“You— and?!”

The tall man lowered his hand to a mace at his waist. I narrowed my eyes and spoke a single word.

“Don’t.”

He hesitated, his hand hovering over the weapon. There was a tense silence between us; he was only Level 27. He did not level even once since I last saw him. I would have killed him easily then, and it was no different now. However I knew that my companions wouldn’t like it, so I gave him one warning.

Adventurers looked on from where they sat as this confrontation happened. Then, before Blake could make a decision, a noise stopped him. A loud dong broke everyone from their stupor. Another one resounded and instantly, the once-still adventurers burst into action, rushing out of the doors of the guild.

Blinking, I watched the Adventurers Guild empty out as Blake clicked his tongue.

“If the town guards weren’t so overwhelmed right now, I would have you three arrested on the spot.”

He stalked out of the hall, following the stream of people pouring away. I turned to Edithe as she frowned.

“Two bells.”

“What does that mean?”

I looked up at her inquisitively. She shook her head and raised her staff.

“It means there’s a monster horde approaching the city. Hazelbury is under attack.”

—--

Apparently, monsters came to cities when they were vulnerable. They weren’t entirely mindless like wild Demons— or at least, most of them weren’t. They would often know when something or someone was too dangerous to attack. And most of the time, cities, with their vast population of Humans, were something they avoided as certain death.

However, after Lucerna’s attack on Hazelbury, Humans hid in their homes. They did not wander about as busily as they did before I left for the Dungeon. I noticed this, and so did the monsters.

So a horde of them came for the weakened city. Stampede Elks— hundreds of them.

“Didn’t you say you took care of them when I first met you?”

“I killed only a few dozen. There weren’t this many in that group I fought.”

“So a different herd then. Well, it’s a good thing I didn’t end up doing the job. I would have died!”

“Maybe back then you would have. Now, I think you can deal with a hundred of them just fine.”

“I… am not as confident in me as you are.”

I shook my head, turning back to a figure standing behind the walls. Edithe was chanting quietly to herself as an intricate glowing circle formed on the ground before her. I sighed as she continued her summoning Skill.

“Is she not done yet? Look— the adventures and guards are already approaching the monsters!”

Sure enough, a group of Humans sallied forth from the city to engage the Stampede Elks before they reached the city walls. They could jump high. If they reached the city, they would be able to go over the defenses and attack the civilians living within.

Not that I cared about that. I just saw the chance of gaining experience in fighting these monsters.

“You know, you don’t have to wait for us, right? You can just go and help fend them off.”

“Really?”

I brightened and immediately stuck one foot over the crenellations of the walls. Daniel hesitated, looking back at Edithe then at me.

“Yeah, I think you’ll be fine. As long as you don’t expose yourself or kill any Humans—”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I spoke in the same slang he did and waved a hand dismissively.

“Don’t do this, Salvos. Don’t do that. I know by now! I won’t get in trouble, promise! Now if you’ll excuse me.”

I hopped off the city walls, landing nimbly on my two feet before running to join the battle. I didn’t even wait to finish hearing Daniel speak. I knew what he wanted from me by now… probably.

I dashed into the fighting— the group of Humans already locked in combat with the monsters. I leapt straight into the first Stampede Elk I saw. My claws tore into his body, quickly killing him as the words appeared in my head.

I spun and sliced apart another group of [Green Stags]. They collapsed before the fallen Human guard before them. He stared at me for a moment, before fumbling for his weapon and picking himself up.

I continued on, clawing at groups and groups of the low leveled monsters. I heard a familiar voice bellow. I glanced slightly to my right, only to see Blake and a group of adventurers surrounding a larger and different colored Stampede Elk.

They backed up as the monster charged them, sending magic and arrows at the Level 41 [Charge Deer]. They dodged out of the way in time and surrounded the monster. After continuing their barrage of attacks on the [Charge Deer], they finally killed it.

However, before they could relax, another [Charge Deer] burst out from the group of Stampede Elks. Before they could even brace themselves however, I threw myself onto the oncoming monster. I clung onto his back as I ripped into him with a few [Fire Strikes] mixed with regular hits. The [Charge Deer] tried to fling me off, but I held on until he fell dead.

Defeated [Charge Deer - Lvl. 43]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I got off the corpse of the monster and smirked in the direction of Blake. I saw him looking at me with wide eyes before I spun around and ran into more fighting. Most of the monsters here were lower leveled than me; only the [Charge Deers] seemed to be an actual threat. But they were rare enough that I could deal with them without a problem.

Defeated [Green Stag - Lvl. 18]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

...

Defeated [Charge Deer - Lvl. 40]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

It wasn’t much experience, but it was more than doing nothing in the city.

A note from MelasD

Want to read ahead but can't afford patreon? Read the next five chapters ahead up to chapter 40 on Amazon kindle right now for only $2.99!

Click here to buy it, and please don't forget to leave a review! Amazon reviews require no word minimum, so you can just write a quick sentence about it! It would really really really help me out!

Salvos: Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings (A LitRPG Evolution Story)!

If you can't buy the eBook or don't have time to write an Amazon review, I would greatly appreciate it if you could just leave a rating for the story so far here on RR. It would take just a second, but I would really appreciate it as I've been getting quite a few bad ratings lately!

36.1. City Under Attack

36.1. City Under Attack

For the next week, Daniel, Edithe, and I helped Hazelbury fend off waves and waves of monster hordes. They didn’t attack the city every day, however it was frequent enough that it kept us busy in between trying to gather information on Lucerna’s location and abilities. The experience gained wasn’t nearly comparable with what we gained in the Dungeon, however it was at least something.

In fact, it was thanks to fighting a pack of angry Stonedomed Beetles, Mistshard was able to reach her evolution. She became a Greater Spirit after having reached Level 40, her body morphing into that of a large four-winged bird, becoming slightly bigger than her almost-Human form of before. Her feathers were icy— prickly to touch— although they looked just like snow. Or at least, that was what Daniel told me.

I knew what snow was. I didn’t need him to explain the concept to me. However, even though I could comprehend what it was, I couldn’t visualize it. Despite the Human man’s best attempts at giving me a vivid description of what it was, I just couldn’t see it. All I knew was that snow was white, soft, and wet— only the first of which resembled Mistshard’s new form.

Realizing how close I was to becoming a Greater Demon however, I spent more time fighting the hordes of monsters than helping my two Human companions walk around the city and talk to people. It was only when a small group of Dusk Wolves attacked the city— something the city guards should have been able to handle themselves from their walls— did I finally level.

I ran out of the broken city gates, ignoring the cries of a few Humans standing on the walls with their bows calling for me to go back. I intercepted the mere ten monsters as they were felled by arrows from afar, although they still insisted on taking the city.

Two [Fire Strikes] instantly brought down the injured [Alpha Dark Wolf] before his pack surrounded me. They came at me from all sides, leaping at me at once. A [Fire Blast] knocked a few back while I easily dispatched the ones that avoided the attack.

I spun around, slicing the monsters into pieces, and was finished before the group of spear-wielding Human guards even reached me.

Defeated [Alpha Dark Wolf - Lvl. 34]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Dark Wolf - Lvl. 16]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] Level Up!

[Zelus Imp - Lvl. 35] -> [Zelus Imp - Lvl. 36]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I grinned victoriously at the notification, and casually strode past the group of staring Humans. They couldn’t see my face, of course. However, they did recognize me from my participation in all the battles in the last week.

“Did you see that? She took out the whole pack.... by herself.”

“She has to be a Gold Rank, at least. There’s no way any Silver would be able to do that— let alone dare to do that.”

“But she’s only Level 36!”

“She might have a special Class. Or she got an advancement at an earlier level.”

“Is that even possible—”

I simply nodded in their direction, immediately shutting them up. I frowned. I didn’t ask you to stop talking about me. I quite enjoyed hearing their chatter, even if I knew it was all untrue.

I continued past the group and entered the city, no longer interested in their conversation as it abruptly shifted to dealing with the dead Dusk Wolves. I focused on managing my Status instead, specifically my Skill Points.

I had, of course, spent my Stat Points mostly between [Wisdom] and [Endurance], leaving the remainder to [Agility]. Things became interesting however, when I got to my Skills. Because with this most recent level up, I finally maxed my [Basic Fire Creation].

I wasn’t really sure what I was expecting. I thought something would happen once it got to Level 30. However, that didn’t happen. What happened was what usually happened when I maxed out a Skill.

I could no longer raise its level.

That was it.

Salvos

Species: [Lesser Demon]

Subspecies: [Zelus Imp] - Lvl. 36

General Skills:

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 37

[Strength]: 24

[Endurance]: 42

[Wisdom]: 49

[Agility]: 72

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Double Step] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 7

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

I tried messing with the Skill as I walked through the city. There weren’t very many people about, however those that were around stared as I formed various weapons with my red fire. I could even create a fire sword now, although it consumed too much mana for it to be useful currently. I could always just use a regular sword after all.

“There you are.”

I turned around and glanced up at Daniel as he stopped right behind me. He was panting, bent over and catching his breath.

“Oh hey. I was just going to return to the inn. You don’t have to worry, I was not going to cause any trouble!”

I paused.

“...unless Blake wants to try something. Then I wouldn’t mind getting into trouble. But I won’t be the one causing it.”

The Human man sighed, not bothering to respond to that.

“You ran off the moment you heard the city was being attacked. I was just worried about you, that’s all.”

“It was just a bunch of Dusk Wolves. I took care of them easily.”

I grinned, but he couldn’t see it.

“Well, I’m glad you’re safe. But come on. We were just about to head to the temple.”

“The temple? You mean the Fauna one, right?”

“Yes, the Sanctuary of Fauna.”

I cocked my head.

“Why’re we going there?”

“That was the last place Lucerna attacked. Before he was forced to escape Hazelbury. Edithe thinks we might find some clues about his goals or where he went there. Then we can pursue him.”

36.2. City Under Attack

36.2. City Under Attack

“Leveled again?”

Edithe raised a brow. I nodded eagerly as I identified my companions.

[Mage - Level 49]

[Warrior - Level 20]

“Hey!”

I frowned, turning to Daniel.

“You still have your necklace block your real level.”

“Yeah. And I’m not going to turn it off anytime soon. So you’ll have to deal with seeing me this way.”

I crossed my arms and stomped a foot down petulantly.

“How would I know if you’ve passed me in levels then?”

“You won’t. That’s the point.”

He smirked as I glared at him. Edithe rolled her eyes.

“Don’t encourage her, Daniel.”

Then she turned to me.

“And Salvos, don’t do that.”

“Why? I see Humans do it all the time!”

“Children do it. You’ve said it yourself, didn’t you? You’re not a child.”

“I…”

I scowled.

“Fine.”

We entered the damaged temple building as its sturdy pillars held up the remains of the half collapsed roof above. Rubble and ash littered the front entrance, however that seemed to be where most of the destruction had been kept to. Lucerna was fought back here. The [Priests], while noncombatants, were able to band together with adventurers and guards to force him to flee.

And it was not just them. They also had the help of—

“Sakura!”

I ran up to the [Beastkin]. She limply stood up, turning to me as I approached. I paused right before her, staring at the stump where her foot was supposed to be.

“What happened?”

“It seems you have been busy since we last met, Salvos.”

I nodded.

“I have been. We went to a Dungeon— fought Centinels and Giant Spiders. But nevermind that. What’s wrong with your leg?”

The wolf-like creature stood up. Even without her front left leg, she was able to stand without a problem; it might have impeded her movements if she were running or fighting, but it didn’t seem to bother her currently.

“I underestimated the [Djinn]. I thought he had been hurt, overwhelmed by the sheer combined force of hundreds of Humans and myself. However I was wrong. I foolishly pursued him, and paid the price.”

She raised what remained of her leg and shook her head, her white mane still as majestic as before despite her current look.

“But can’t you restore it? Use one of those red liquids Humans use?”

There had been a few times in the Dungeon when Daniel had to share his bottles with me. However he was hesitant, since he didn’t bring much with him.

“Healing potions are not cure-alls, Salvos. They mend open wounds, and they may even reattach some body parts, but they will not bring back lost limbs. And they are expensive. [Alchemists] require extremely rare ingredients to create them. It is cheaper to get a [Mage] capable of healing spells to fix you than to pay an [Alchemist] to suit every single guard in the city with one. And unfortunately, the city guards did not think it was best to waste their resources on me.”

“So they only sent someone to heal you?”

“No.”

Sakura replied softly.

“They left me as is.”

“What?”

I stared at the [Beastkin], aghast. Why would they do that? She helped them chase Lucerna away! But… why wouldn’t they do that either?

I paused, considering why I even thought it was awful the Humans didn’t help Sakura; by the sounds of it, it was the most logical thing for them to do. It was like if I still had my Spear of Flames and gave it to a random Demon instead of Haec— it made no sense.

Still, I didn’t like that they left Sakura in her injured state.

“I recovered on my own, through [Rest] and time. I will never be able to fight the same again, but it matters not. My only job is to guard this temple, and if that means I die doing so, then I will do it.”

“I… see.”

I nodded slowly.

“Well, I’m glad to see that you’re alive.”

“Indeed. Now what is it you need of me?”

Sakura tilted her head and her gaze bore into me. I blinked, glancing between my Human companions and the [Beastkin], before remembering why we came here.

“Right. We were, uh, wondering about Lucerna...”

“The [Djinn]. Is there anything you can tell us about him?”

Edithe took up after me.

“Where was he headed? What were his Skills? And was he really Level 60?”

“To answer your first question: I do not know. As for his Skills, you must have seen them yourself when your team fought him, no? He uses ash and smoke— he can conjure deadly balls of ash that would kill any Human below Level 40 in an instant. He summons pillars of ash that come crashing to the ground, causing immense destruction. And he flees in a mist of smoke, disappearing within the shroud he creates.”

The Human woman nodded along. Daniel piped up.

“Isn’t that the same Skills you mentioned, Edithe?”

“It is. So he hasn’t gained any new Skills since. That’s good for us. We know what to expect.”

I shook my head.

“No— I never saw him use half of those Skills you mentioned when I fought him. And I fought him twice. Those Skills of his… they’re new. He might have been inexperienced with them when he first fought you. We can’t expect him to fight the same way.”

Sakura looked at me, then at the two Humans.

“Salvos is correct. He is dangerous, do not take him lightly. That was the mistake I made.”

She paused for a moment before finishing.

“And yes, he was Level 60 when I last saw him. But he might be higher now. Be wary.”

“We will.”

Edithe answered firmly, her voice full of resolve.

“We just need to know where he went. So we can put a stop to him before he causes too much destruction and death.”

“It is too late. He is already the Destroyer. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be stopped. As we speak, the king of Nixa is calling his lords to mobilize their armies. The people are unhappy. Unrest is at an all time high. And now a crisis has struck his largest province. He will act. The [Djinn] will die. All that remains to be seen is who will slay him and when.”

“Then tell us where Lucerna went. You had to have found out what he wanted from fighting him, right?”

The Human woman gave her a pleading look. But Sakura simply lowered her head.

“I know not where he went, but I know what he wants.”

“And what does he want?”

I peered at Sakura as she faced me. Lucerna had gone on a rampage since he was summoned to the Mortal Realm. He didn't listen to the [Cultists], even though they were the ones who brought him here. Instead, he slaughtered them in a rage. He attacked every town, village, and city he came across, leaving behind rubble and ash. He had to have a goal. He had to have a reason for doing all this. But what was it?

The [Beastkin] opened her mouth—

And was interrupted by a [Priest] running down the halls of the temple.

“Move aside! Urgent message received from… wait, you’re adventurers aren’t you?”

The man stopped right before us. He was the one who showed Daniel and I around the temple when we first came here. We slowly nodded as he sighed in relief.

“Good. Then you can relay this message for me to the Adventurers Guild.”

“Message?”

I cocked my head. The [Priest] nodded as he passed me a piece of paper with something written on it.

“It’s an official missive from the Sanctuary of Fauna’s branch in Silvergrove. The [Djinn] was spotted from their walls 15 minutes ago. It is currently trying to breach the gates.”

I looked at the pale, wrinkled face of the older man, then down at the letter in my hand. He spoke at the same time as I read the message on it.

“Silvergrove is under attack.”

A note from MelasD

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Also, thank you all for your support. Your support with the eBook has really blow me away, so thank you <3

37. Race to Silvergrove

37. Race to Silvergrove

Silvergrove was under attack.

It was a city around 30 miles to the southeast of Hazelbury. I wasn’t exactly sure how far a mile was, nor was I sure where southeast was, but I knew that meant he was close by. It would, however, take a few hours for us to reach the city if we went now. Or at least, with Daniel and Edithe’s running speeds.

Again, I wasn’t exactly sure how long ‘a few hours’ was, but I knew that it was far too long. By the time we arrived, Lucerna would be gone or dead. Apparently the king of Nixa himself would be riding out himself with his most elite bodyguards to slay the Demon destroying his lands. The capital city of Nightsveil was a little bit further away, at the other side of the Falisfield province. So we only had a short period of time to reach Silvergrove and face Lucerna ourselves before my only chance of going back to the Netherworld is gone.

For good.

That meant we had to get to the city as soon as possible, which was why Daniel and I were at a stable. It was a place with a lot of horses, and a Human managing said horses. Currently, we were waiting for the Human to return from the back with his four fastest horses. I spoke hurriedly to Daniel.

“Can we hurry up?”

“We are, Salvos. That’s why we’re getting horses. The stablemaster is getting his best ones right now. He’s a Level 35 [Beast Tamer], so they’ll be faster than even you.”

I raised an eyebrow dubiously.

“Are you sure about that?”

I glanced over at a nearby horse and narrowed my eyes. The animal whinnied and stomped a foot on the ground, huffing air out of his nose.

[Race Horse - Lvl. 12]

“You’re only Level 12. I can beat you.”

The Human man sighed.

“In a fight, sure. But horses are fast, and with a Class, they’ll be even faster.”

I turned back to Daniel and gave him a confused look.

“How does he have a Class, anyway? I’ve never seen an animal with a Class before.”

“I told you. The stablemaster has a [Beast Tamer] Class. On their own, animals don’t generally have the sapience or drive to level up. Most never hit Level 10 in their lives, and those that do don’t bother to accept the Classes given to them. But a [Beast Tamer] can train an animal, level it up, and even urge it to receive a Class. Of course, even the highest leveled [Beast Masters] can’t raise the level of their animals to equal theirs.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you don’t need such high leveled horses.”

The stablemaster spoke up as he returned to us with a single horse in tow behind him. I looked at the Level 13 horse as she softly whinnied, then back him.

“Unfortunately, Betty here, and Chase over there are all the horses I can lend you. They’re the fastest ones I have. There are Shirley and Johnson, but they’re [Pack Horses], they can’t help you out.”

“But we need at least three. Are you sure you can’t get us another? We’ll pay. We’ve got the gold for it.”

Daniel looked at the elderly man pleadingly.

“I’m sorry, but my Class has its limits. I can only train so many animals to even this level. I can get you a regular horse, but he’ll not be able to keep up with these two.”

“But—”

“It’s fine.”

I looked at the [Beast Tamer] and nodded reassuringly.

“Two is enough.”

“But Salvos—”

“It’s fine.”

I placed my hand lightly on Daniel’s shoulder. I tilted my hood up slightly and met his gaze; I spoke softly but resolutely.

“I can outrun a horse, trust me.”

He hesitated, glancing between me and the stablemaster. He opened his mouth—

“Please, is there any other [Beast Tamers] around Hazelbury that can help us?”

“Wait— why don’t you trust me?!”

—--

“Unfortunately, we could only get two horses Edithe.”

The Human woman looked up from the summoning circle, wiping sweat off her forehead. She furrowed her brows.

“Only two? But Druma can’t possibly share a seat with one of us. He’s too heavy. And the three of us won’t be able to fit on only a single saddle.”

Mistshard wasn’t here. The [Ice Elemental]— or rather, the [Winged Elemental of Frost] now— would eventually freeze the back of a horse if she rode on one for too long, even if she weakened her natural cold aura. It was not something she could disable completely.

And since Edithe only had a single [Quick Summon] a day, she could call the [Elemental] out when arrive in Silvergrove. It would have taken too much time to cast [Summon Partner] twice once we arrived there.

“And Druma will be getting his own horse. Salvos is going to be running there.”

I nodded eagerly beside Daniel and pointed a clawed thumb at myself.

“That’s right! I’ll get there even before Chase or Betty does.”

The two horses didn’t visibly react, but I was certain that was because they didn’t believe me. We’ll see who’s the fastest one here, I thought, giving Chase a sidelong glance. [Race Horse]? More like [Slow Horse] once I win!

“I…”

Edithe sighed resignedly.

“Fine.”

I blinked.

“Huh. I expected you to be more against it. Even Daniel argued for a whole minute before we came back here.”

“I just know how to choose my battles wisely. And—”

The Human woman walked up to Betty, saddling herself on the horse and proffering a hand to Daniel.

“There’s a more important battle awaiting me in Silvergrove.”

Her gaze was steady. Even as she helped the Human man up, her eyes did not break from the city gates ahead. He murmured from his seat behind her.

“Are you sure Druma can ride a horse?”

“He can. I asked.”

“That’s a really useful skill for him to know.”

She shrugged, uncaring.

“He’s a Spirit. A [Yaksha] to be exact. Most of them can’t speak, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t incredibly intelligent and resourceful.”

I looked over at Druma inquisitively, seeing him easily— with more flourish than even Edithe— get on Chase. The horse did not exactly strain from him, but it was quite obvious that Druma was not exactly an easy person to carry.

I made sure everyone was ready, looking over my companions. Then I smiled.

“Alright then, now let’s see who’s faster.”

“...don’t you mean save Silvergrove? Or kill Lucerna?”

“Oh, that too.”

—--

I ran alongside the two horses as they galloped down the dirt road, heading southeast of Hazelbury. I kept pace with them as we traveled quickly across Falisfield, past an almost familiar dirt road closer and closer to Silvergrove.

I could see the smoke rising up in the sky as the horizon turned blood-red at the dawn of dusk. Night was falling soon, and only the stars and moon would illuminate our path from then on out. But we were looking to arrive in the attacked city before then.

I looked over at my companions as they quietly rode on their horses; it was not unusual to see Druma remain silent, however hearing no chatter coming from the Humans stood out to me. Even when we had just found Edithe in Maplewell, she and Daniel actually engaged in some conversation. Now, a deathly silence held them and nothing else.

I decided not to break this tense atmosphere, recognizing that they preferred we didn’t speak. This was an important moment for Edithe— she had lost her previous companions to Lucerna, and I could tell she was afraid it would happen again when we met him. And Daniel was nervous. I did not know why, but he seemed nervous to me.

So I focused on only one thing: running slightly faster than Chase and Betty.

At the very beginning, I had used [Double Step] to speed ahead of the two horses. However, that led them to activate their own Skills and reach me. Then they began to get tired, and Edithe told me to stop.

I just had to be satisfied with barely beating them in this race. I could keep up this pace for quite a while, after all.

We continued on until we came across a group of felled trees. There was a plume of smoke, but it was coming from something to the side. A carriage lay broken and burnt off the road. Bodies were strewn all around it— Humans and horses both dead, having tried to escape whatever it was that attacked them. Ash covered the ground, and I knew it was Lucerna who had done this.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Edithe spoke softly, not even glancing at the destruction caused by the Greater Demon. We went around the minor obstacle, finally able to fully see Silvergrove now. Now that I had a good view of it, I finally realized that the billowing smoke I had seen earlier came not just from the city, but the forest around it too.

Destroyed caravans made up the path leading to the city; Humans and animals were all indiscriminately killed and buried under piles of ashes. The fire from a burning cart had spread to the nearby trees, setting it ablaze. Animals had tried to escape the forest fire, and they too were slaughtered by Lucerna.

I caught a glimpse of a group of dead gray animals. Wolves. An entire pack of them. They were all killed, except for a single one I recognized. I stopped for a moment, letting Betty and Chase pass me. The wolf limply stood up and looked at me. I looked into her amber canine eyes before nodding.

“Don’t worry. Once I make him tell me how to return to the Netherworld, I’ll kill him.”

She made no sound; she just stared at me as I ran off towards Silvergrove. My destination lay just ahead, at the burning city with Humans streaming out of its gates. All I had to do now was defeat Lucerna.

I knew I would beat him. If not for my confidence in how much I had grown or in my newfound companions, then for the simple fact that I knew what he wanted. Sakura had told me his goal— she hadn’t told me the reason behind it, but it was all I needed to know.

The reason why Lucerna had destroyed so many towns and cities— the reason he had killed so many people— and the reason why he had called forth the fury of the king of Nixa was simple:

He wants to die.

So I decided that I would be the one to do it for him.

38. Reunion

38. Reunion

“Wait here.”

I spoke softly to Chase and Betty— both of whom I beat in the race to Silvergrove— as they were being tied to a tree. We had stopped just outside of the walls of the city, and were now preparing to enter it.

“[Quick Summon].”

Edithe raised her staff, and Mistshard came to her side. The [Elemental] flapped her wings as she hovered just above her master. I turned to the damaged but still standing gates, then to a hole in the city walls a bit aways from it; a few Humans ran through it, stumbling across the rubble as they fled the city. The Human woman stepped up beside me.

“The gate here is still up. Seems like Lucerna decided to go around and force his way in there.”

“Why would he do that?”

Daniel frowned. I looked over at him, remembering the last time I had come to this city.

“I think it’s because of all the adventurers. There were a lot of them— more than Hazelbury— too many for him to handle all at once. So he went around.”

That would have allowed him to get in the middle of a crowd of non combat Class Humans, making the adventurers and guards hesitant to attack him; if I knew one thing about Humans after being around them for so long, it was that they mostly didn’t like killing each other. Mostly, I thought, thinking back to the bandits.

Then Lucerna would have been able to eliminate the adventurers slowly, while causing havoc and damage, gaining experience from killing those who can’t fight back.

“And why do you know that?”

“That’s what I would’ve done.”

The two Humans stared at me. I shrugged.

“They attacked me when I first came here. And this was the only place I knew where Humans gathered. So I had thought of coming back eventually.”

“I… am not even going to comment on that.”

Daniel shook his head, turning back to the collapsed wall. He unsheathed his gleaming sword.

“Come on, before he causes any more destruction. Let’s put a stop to his rampage.”

Edithe whispered softly under her breath, grasping tightly at her company’s badge.

“This is it. I will avenge you guys. I promise.”

I stepped forward, creating two daggers made of fire. I simply grinned as I walked ahead of my two companions. We entered the city as a group of Humans ran past us in a hurry. I took in the surroundings of Silvergrove— once, it had been bustling with life. Now the city lay empty. Smoke rose up from various places in the distance, and the orange glow of the sunset was only accentuated by the flames spreading wildly unhindered through the city.

“He’s stronger than us, you know?”

I spoke bluntly. My companions all faced me. Daniel to my left, Edithe and her Spirits to my right. I looked over at the still-standing gates— chains hung loosely down to the side of the portcullis. I shook my head.

“He’s higher leveled than us. He’s more experienced than us. He’s killed more than us.”

I turned around, meeting their gazes steadily.

“However, levels aren’t all that matters. They aren’t the most important thing ever. Maybe to wild Demons— but not to me.”

Daniel nodded slowly while Edithe’s face relaxed a little.

“We’ll take him down, just as we did the Centinels, and just as we did the Giant Spiders.”

“Right.”

“Of course.”

I smiled, glancing back at the long metallic chain lying next to the damaged gates. Just as I took down that large Demon too. Levels only matter so much.

—--

“Captain!”

“Get back, guardsman!”

A man adorned in thick metal armor shouted. He pushed the guardsman back, stumbling away from the ball of ash that exploded at his back. His enchanted platemail took the brunt of the hit, however judging by the damage it had taken, this wasn’t the first time he had been struck by the [Djinn]’s deadly Skills.

The Greater Demon roared as he charged the two Humans, but another voice resounded from the side.

“Loose!”

Arrows pelted the Greater Demon’s back, temporarily drawing his attention away from the captain and the guard as they stumbled to the side. A group of adventurers intercepted Lucerna before he could clash with the squad of archers.

“Captain Nathan, sir! Are you alright?”

“What are you doing here? I’ve ordered all Level 20 combatants not to approach the Demon. You’ll only die and give it experience to grow.”

“I know, sir. I’ve brought you this— the last of the healing potions from the west gate.”

Nathan chewed his lower lip for a moment, staring at the leather bag held out by the rather young looking Human man. Then he quickly accepted it, taking a gulp of the healing potion as it closed his most grievous wounds, and nodded.

“Thanks. I— what’s your name?”

“Cai, sir.”

“Cai, you did a good thing today. But this is the only time you’ll ever break from your orders, got it?”

“Yes, sir—”

“Watch out!”

A streak of hot smoke came rushing at the two Humans as they conversed. Nathan’s eyes widened as he saw it coming. He grabbed Cai and pulled him out of the way just in time. However, just as they were getting up, there was a scream. An adventurer went flying as the archers ran back in terror.

The [Djinn] raised his fiery spear, summoning a gray column from the twilight sky. The archers cried out in pain as they were engulfed in the burning ash, before they were quickly silenced. Nathan stared as the last of the adventurers spun around, broken and fleeing the battle.

“Damn those Silver Ranks. Cai, you get out of here right now—”

He paused, blinking as suddenly all the Greater Demon saw was him and the guard. He cursed.

“Go!”

The captain raised his sword.

“[Threefold Slice]!”

His blade suddenly extended, turning into three silvery lines as the Greater Demon reached them. The guard scrambled back as the Skill struck true.

The [Djinn] bled, black blood pouring out of the wounds left behind. Nathan parried the strike from the fiery spear, but was knocked back from the impact. He tried to get up, however he was too slow. The [Djinn] spoke softly with raised hands.

“[Pillar of—”

“No—”

Nathan cried out. Then he stared as a glinting arrow cut through the air, suddenly jutting out of the Greater Demon’s chest.

“Lucerna!”

I shouted from a nearby roof. I lowered my fire bow, letting it dissipate as I created a fire spike on each hand instead.

“Long time no see! You’re still missing that eye, huh?”

I threw the small projectiles at him. He took the hits, pointing my Spear of Flames at me.

“Imp, you shall die here! [Sphere of Ash and Cinder]!”

I leapt out of the way just in time for the gray ball to wipe out all the tiles on the roof, replacing it with a layer of scalding ash. I’m faster than him now. I grinned.

I landed on the street just ahead of Lucerna. I spread my arms out wide as the two Humans behind him got up.

“Come on! You couldn’t kill me twice. What makes you think that you can now just because you’re Level—”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Level 68! Woah, you’ve been leveling a lot, huh?”

The gap between us had widened— what had been a 25-26 numerical difference between us was now 32. He certainly had been staying busy, considering all the towns and cities he had attacked and all the people he slaughtered. And yet, when he had been more than double my levels in the past, he was no longer even twice mine now. Easier fight than the large Demon, I tried to reassure myself.

Lucerna stared at me, his eye burning with the same smoldering flames behind him. He pulled the arrow off his chest, releasing a deluge of blood from the open wound. His fury rampaged with him, destroying the city even when he stood unmoving. Why was he so mad? Didn’t he want to die—

“Take this!”

The Human in plate armor swung at the [Djinn]’s feet as the other guard got up and ran off. I blinked.

“What are you doing?!”

He yelled as he brought his blade down at the Demon more than twice his height once again. Lucerna took a step back and swiped at his face. Nathan stumbled back, clutching at his bleeding head as his helmet was knocked off.

The Greater Demon towered over him and raised the Spear of Flames.

“Die, pest.”

[Double Step]!

The world spun around me as I sped up— everything became a glowing orange blur, except for the shiny armored man in front of me. I grabbed him and pulled him out of the way from Lucerna’s killing blow.

The [Djinn] whirled up to face me in shock. I had completely blown past him in terms of speed. I had been a short distance away, and yet, I managed to move past him before he could even lower his hand. It was with a Skill, of course, but still he realized how much I had grown. I grinned as I saw his eye flash. He opened his mouth—

“Die you evil monster!”

Ice and lightning crashed down onto the Greater Demon. Edithe and Mistshard came down an alley, hurling their combined magic at Lucerna all at once. The attacks sent him flying through a nearby building, collapsing the burning wooden structure down on him.

My ears perked up as a voice drew me away from the fighting.

“You— you saved me.”

I stared down at the Human man.

[Warrior - Lvl. 50]

He was one of the highest leveled Humans I have seen so far. However— and maybe it was because he was already injured when I got here— I wasn’t too impressed with him. Daniel can probably take him.

I ignored what he said, instead taking the bag of potions off him.

“I’ll be taking this.”

“...what?”

“Now get out of here. You’ll only be in the way.”

“But—”

“Do you want to help him level?”

I eyed him and he hesitated. He looked back at the volley of magical projectiles Mistshard and Edithe flung at Lucerna.

“Remember me, you Demon?! You killed my friends! You killed them all! But you failed to kill me, and now you’ll pay for that—”

Then he looked back at me.

“I-I’ll rally the remaining guards. And I’ll come back. It is my duty to protect Silvergrove, but I thank you for your help…”

He looked at me expectantly; I gave him a confused look for a moment, then I realized what he was asking from me.

“Salvos. My name is Salvos.”

“Then I thank you, Miss Salvos. For saving my life.”

I nodded once at him, watching him turn, following in the direction of the other Human guard. Then I glanced down at the bag on my hand. I tossed aside the now-empty quiver, no longer needing to carry it around, and slung the bag of healing potions around my shoulder.

I hope I don’t have to use all this. The thought crossed my mind just in time to watch an ash explosion repel the attacks coming from Mistshard and the panting Edithe. Debris and rubble were knocked into the air as Lucerna got up. He roared in anger, his booming voice sounding nothing like it had been when I first met him.

He dodged the hail of ice Mistshard threw at him, quickly circling around the building and rushing at the alley. Just as he reached the mouth of the alley, a figure burst out of the corner and grappled at him. Druma, the large four armed [Yaksha], held the Greater Demon back for a moment, long enough for a figure to drop down from the roof.

“[Crescent Blade]!”

Daniel’s sword curved as it slashed across Lucerna’s face. He screamed in agony, stumbling away with Druma as Edithe and Mistshard continued their barrage on his back.

I sprinted up at the large Greater Demon as he pushed the [Yaksha] away from him. He blocked a blast of magic from Edithe with his Spear of Flames, but was too slow to react to me as I jumped up at his face. I raked a burning clawed hand across his cheek, just below his one good eye as I flew past him.

Lucerna took a swing at me and missed. I landed on the ground a bit aways from him, rolling to a stop as I spun back around. I took a moment to look at the burn mark on his face. The last time I fought him, I was barely able to hurt him with a [Fire Strike], but now, just look at him. He had felt that, and he didn’t like it one bit.

The [Djinn] pointed at me. I saw smoke begin to appear from the tip of his fingers, but before anything could happen, Daniel swung at him from behind once again. Lucerna took the first hit and parried the second. He kicked the Human away just in time to have Druma on his back once again.

He grasped for the [Yaksha] clinging onto his shoulder while Edithe and Mistshard ran up to his open front, continuing their assault on him from closer now. Daniel picked himself up and rushed the Demon, cutting at the thick legs with his blade. I ran around Lucerna, creating multiple small balls of fire on the tip of each of my fingers, tossing it at his exposed and already injured parts wherever I could.

We surrounded the Greater Demon. A Demon far more powerful and larger than each one of us individually. Once, I had been part of a group that fought against a Demon just like that. Yet, none of us worked together— we could have defeated it, but instead we fled to save our own lives. Those who fought, fought alone, and they died as a result.

I was the only one who fought that survived. And I knew from watching that we could have all lived if we had only cooperated. Just as my companions and I were doing here. We were overwhelming Lucerna. He could barely fight back.

Perhaps things back then could have gone differently, but unfortunately, it didn’t. Now though, it would go differently. I had not been stronger than the large Demon then, but I had been faster than it just as I was faster than this large Demon now. In fact, I was faster than I have ever been. We would beat this large Demon together, and none of us would die—

“[Smoldering Return]!”

Lucerna screamed, and the ground beneath him exploded. Ash and smoke burst out, knocking all of us back at once.

Mistshard and Edithe lay coughing on the ground, on the other side of the street from me, while Daniel had been thrown back into an alley from the attack. Druma was the most hurt by it, his body burnt and charred from the attack as he flew and crashed onto the roof of a small house.

I slowly picked myself up, mostly unhurt. I had been far enough away that I was the least affected by the Skill. Plus, my Ring of Lesser Protection took some of the impact for me. I narrowed my eyes, looking at the hulking figure standing within the smoke.

A single glowing eye stared back at me; it was then I realized that I was not the only one who had grown since we last met. Lucerna might not have become too much faster, but that just meant he spent his Stat Points on something else.

The Skill he just used sent back everything we threw at him back to us in the form of ash and cinder. He had taken all the hits on purpose. He could tell it was not nearly enough to kill him. And I knew now it had been his [Vitality].

I stared at the wounds covering his body, then back up at his face as the smoke cleared away. Lucerna grinned savagely.

“[Pillar of Eruption].”

I stared as a cloud of molten ash gathered above me. Then I watched as everything came crashing down.

A note from MelasD

Now that I've let the novelty of the new cover art settle for a bit, I'm going to do a poll on which cover art should I use as the "main" one for the story.  It will be up in a few hours, but I hope you guys vote on it!

Poll: Cover Art

A note from MelasD

POLL OVER

Hello again!

This is going to be a quick little poll on which cover art I should use for my story considering that I have three different onces for RR right now. I am actually quite uncertain whether the cover art should be something I just update every single time a new Volume starts or Salvos gets a new evolution. But well, that's something I'll leave for the future. For now, which of these three cover arts do you guys like the best? And I mean what do you like, not what do you think will give spoilers or etcetera. Because let's face it, a lot of book covers and movie posters give spoilers so that doesn't really matter.

Do keep in mind that they will be much lower quality when seen on the RR page since they'd be scaled down and even cropped to fit their specifications perfectly.

Option 1:

Option 2:

Option 3:

The poll will be over in a week so vote now!

39. Lament of Lucerna

39. Lament of Lucerna

Hot, burning ash came falling down on me. It was molten— almost liquid— and it poured down like rain. The column crashed down as I activated [Double Step], throwing myself into a nearby building. The wooden roof of the house immediately burst into flames, the weakened structure already on the brink of collapse from the weight of the ash.

Drips of the molten ash seeped through the ceiling, sliding off an invisible barrier on my shoulder. I grimaced. It felt hot, even through the magical aura protecting me. However, I had to get a move on. I glanced out the broken window and saw Lucerna aiming a finger at me.

Smoke shot out in a plume straight in my direction. It had enough force to break through what was left of the window, and nearly struck me. I moved out of the way in time, hurriedly tossing myself out of the building as it finally collapsed under all the damage it had taken.

I exploded out of the falling structure just in time to see the [Djinn] barring my path. He turned a single eye towards me.

“Die!”

He brought down my Spear of Flames, aiming for my head. I rolled under the attack and swiped at his legs with two [Fire Strikes]. He roared as I went under his legs, whirling back around to stab him with a fire hammer I just created—

“[Burning Haze].”

An explosion of smoke sent me flying back. I caught a glimpse of my Ring of Lesser Protection flickering, the barrier acting as a second skin momentarily overwhelmed and letting some of the smoldering gas through. It burned parts of my body, although it wasn’t as bad as I remembered it back when I fought Lucerna the last time.

My clothes were set on fire, but it quickly snuffed out as I rolled on the ground to a stop. I glanced up at the [Djinn], aiming a clawed finger at him as he loomed over me. [Fire Blast]!

The streak of flames knocked him off balance for just a moment, long enough for me to hurriedly put some distance between the two of us. I felt the ring on my finger, sensing the little amount of mana it had left. Only a few more hits, then I’ll be fully exposed.

I whirled around as Lucerna charged me, sprinting down the street and turning a corner. Balls of ash flew over my shoulder, the [Djinn] screaming in a rage as they missed. Once I was around the corner, I took a moment to grab a healing potion from my bag and chugged it. I frowned at the taste, but ignored it and watched as the burns on my body vanished.

So it really does work, huh? I mused to myself as I heard the approaching heavy footfalls. I readied two fire daggers as Lucerna followed right after me—

And an ice beam blasted him back. Mistshard flew over the [Djinn], sending large icicles down at him. His gaze snapped up and he took a swing at the [Elemental]. He missed and bellowed as she led him further down another street.

I sighed in relief, watching the Greater Demon crash into a building while chasing Mistshard. However I did not get to rest for long. Edithe stumbled down the street towards me, helping Druma hobble over my way.

“Salvos. He’s hurt— he needs a healing potion, now!”

I nodded and quickly threw two vials of red liquid their way. The Human woman caught the first and immediately handed it to her summon. She took the next, but she didn’t drink it. Instead, she pocketed it.

“I have my own.”

“Right.”

“That was a powerful Skill.”

I commented simply.

“It is. Let’s hope he won’t be able to use it again anytime soon.”

I looked over at Edithe as I created orbs of fire and tossed it at Lucerna, still being distracted by the bird-like Spirit in the distance.

“He won’t. If he could, he’d have used it immediately.”

“Right.”

“Where’s Daniel?”

One of the small fire orbs knocked the [Djinn]’s head back. He whirled around and glared at me, only to be met by a blast of wind by Edithe.

“I don’t know. Go find him, see if he’s hurt. You’ve got the potions, I’ll hold this Demon off in the meanwhile.”

“You sure?”

I glanced back at the Human woman. She wasn’t even looking at me. All I saw there was a hate filled gaze pointed in the direction of Lucerna. I nodded.

“Alright. We’ll be back soon. Stick to the plan!”

“I know.”

I quickly scrambled out of the way as a roar resounded at us. Lucerna had been barreling at me, until a ball of fire exploded on his face.

“I’m your target here! Come at me and die!”

She screamed, drawing the attention of the Greater Demon with a volley of magical projectiles as I ran back in the direction I had come from. My footsteps marked itself on the ash layering the brick road, leaving a trail for Lucerna to follow me from. However, I wasn’t concerned about that. What I needed at the moment was to find my other Human companion.

I returned to the epicenter of the explosion that had blasted apart the ground. I looked around, searching for where Daniel could have gone. I heard a groan as he peeked out of an alleyway.

“Daniel!”

I ran up to him, pausing right in front of him and staring at the blood pouring down his side. His gambeson had been torn open, exposing a large wound to the left of his abdomen.

“Got… a bit… too close…”

He gasped, nearly falling to the floor. I caught him from falling, steadying him back up.

“Smashed all my potions… damn Demon…”

“Here!”

I handed him my bag of healing potions. He quickly dug one up and poured it over himself. I watched the wounds on his body stitch itself close as his breathing relaxed.

“Man, it’s such a good thing these things exist. I’d be dead many times over otherwise.”

“I know.”

There was an explosion. I glanced back at where Edithe had been fighting. Smoke and ash now filled the air— but not the same kind that had been unleashed earlier. It was a regular [Burning Haze] blast.

“Come on. I can finally use [Double Step] again.”

We returned to the scene of the battle. Lucerna was cut and wounded all over, but Mistshard was flying away. She had picked up Edithe and was fleeing as Druma ran under them. The Greater Demon had been pursuing them until we arrived. He turned to me and screamed.

“This is all your fault!”

A plume of smoke shot out my way. I stepped out of the way as the Human man raised his sword to block it. The gas was split in half, cut from the blade he swung down. The [Djinn] ran up to us as we readied ourselves for his charge.

He tried to rush at me, but Daniel intercepted him. The Human man parried a hit from his spear as I stepped forward, striking a fiery fist at his nether region. Lucerna barely flinched and I scowled. Doesn’t work on him, huh? Should’ve expected it.

I went under a kick as Daniel sliced at his abdomen. It barely grazed his skin, spilling no blood and only revealing the black insides of the Greater Demon. I threw two flaming daggers at his face, aiming for his one remaining eye, but he blocked it. Daniel stabbed at his kneecaps—

And Lucerna grabbed the sword mid strike. He picked Daniel up by the hand and flung him into a blazing fire. I watched him disappear amongst the flames as the Greater Demon turned to me.

“Just you and I now. No more [Fiend]. No more Humans.”

He grinned savagely down at me as I stared back up at him with a single dagger.

“What are you doing to do about it?”

I ran.

“Come back here, coward!”

The [Djinn] pursued me as I made a break for it. I spun around city corners as he chased after me, the gray and orange landscape melding into one jumbled mess in my eyes with only the blue Demon clearly defined in this blurry world. Twice, he nearly caught up to me using his [Spheres of Ash and Cinder] to cut me off. The first time, I evaded him with a [Double Step] into a nearby alley. The second time however, I wasn’t so lucky.

I still couldn’t use the Skill. I whirled around, sending a [Fire Blast] at his face, aiming for his eye. He ducked under it and punched me. I was sent reeling back as a flash filled my vision— the aura of protection around finally dissipated.

I raised my fire dagger up and struck twice at the Greater Demon’s legs. He ignored it and brought the Spear of Flames down at me. I tried to deflect the hit, but it still knocked me back. I stumbled and managed to parry the next one as well. However, I didn’t see the kick coming.

I found my back against a broken wall, screaming in pain at me as I turned my dizzy head up. I saw the city walls just in the near distance. It was only up ahead, standing next to the gate we had passed. I tried to get up, however Lucerna loomed over me. I’m so close—

I rolled away from the strike that collapsed the rest of the wall. I flicked fire spikes at the one eye of the [Djinn] while backing up, however he simply raised a single hand to cover his face as he pressed forward. [Fire Blasts] bounced harmlessly off his skin, and even the fire orbs left nothing more than a scorched mark on him.

My fire weapons would not be able to deal much more damage than that. He laughed at me as he stepped forward. He swung and I jumped back. I need to be able to hurt him. I need my fire to be hotter!

I pointed a finger at him while backing up, sending a wave of flames at him, not a [Fire Blast] but created by [Basic Fire Creation]. The fire deterred him more than anything else I had thrown at him. But still, it did not bring him down. It only slowed him.

“You can’t kill me. No Skill or magic of yours can even harm me. You are too weak!”

I found myself only empowered by his words. I poured everything I could into the flames at once, feeling it burn more and more. The red fire shifted. It morphed, changing colors. It turned into a more focused flame— glowing with a contrasting pale blue to the orange surroundings.

It was hot now. I could feel the heat emanating off my own flames. And yet, it didn’t even stop Lucerna. He came forward still, a mad smile spread across his face. When he got close enough, an explosion of smoke knocked me back as the [Djinn] pointed to the sky.

“Your Skill is on cooldown. You won’t be able to escape this this time. [Pillar of Er—”

“I won’t let you take any more innocent lives!”

Daniel yelled as he ran up to the Greater Demon from behind. Wisps of energy flowed through him as he pushed Lucerna, knocking him off balance. His eyes widened as a brilliant glow engulfed the Human man’s sword.

“What is this—”

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

My companion’s blade arced up. It cut deep into the flesh of the [Djinn], spilling more blood than I had seen from any other attack before. The shining sword grew longer, even going as far as to slice off half of Lucerna’s right shoulder.

He stepped back, dropping the Spear of Flames and grasping at his limply hanging arm. Daniel stumbled forward, panting with labored breath. The Human man raised his sword once again and stepped into the Demon’s guard.

“[Q—”

“You wretch!”

Lucerna kicked Daniel, sending him flying back into the air. I watched as my companion crashed into the rubble of the city walls. The [Djinn] aimed at him.

“[Pillar of Eruption].”

“No!”

I shouted, throwing myself at the Greater Demon. I used as much force as I could to make him miss. It must have worked, since the column of molten ash crashed into the city walls next to Daniel. I grappled onto him, holding on as he tried to pull me from his back.

I struggled to cling on, scratching at his skin, while he stumbled just in front of the city gates. I felt his entire body tense, and I knew what to expect. I threw myself off him as the explosion of smoke came, propelling me even further.

I felt the searing pain covering my entire body. It scalded me— even if it was one of his weaker Skills, the level difference made it that much more painful. I held back a scream as I grabbed what I was aiming for just as I landed.

He whirled around as I grinned, holding up the Spear of Flames. He opened his eyes wide.

“Catch this!”

I threw it as hard as I could at him. The Greater Demon raised his good arm, blocking his face as he tried to duck. It came fast, and pierced through his good hand. Blood splattered on his one eye as he tried to blink it away.

Lucerna screamed, looking down at his bloodied palm. His gaze snapped back up at me, but I was no longer there. [Double Step] had brought me right under him, and he turned back down just in time to see me jumping up with a clawed [Fire Strike] to his eye.

“Agggggggggh!”

He staggered back as I landed back onto the ground lithely. I avoided the large bumbling Demon’s footsteps, quickly going around him and grabbing for the chains hanging loosely off the gates.

I picked it up, avoiding one of Lucerna’s wild swings as I hopped onto his back. He grasped for me while I climbed further up onto him, eventually reaching his neck. I tugged at the chain even more, pulling the portcullis up and giving me more to work with. I wrapped the iron links around his neck once, twice—

And I leapt off the Greater Demon’s back as he exploded in a haze once again. I pulled the chains with me, setting aflame the metal closest to his neck aflame with [Flame Coat]. Lucerna couldn’t grab the chains with his stabbed hand, as the spear still protruded from it. So he raised his limp arm, reaching for the chains. He flinched as he came into contact with it, but still he pulled.

I felt my entire body almost fly in his direction with his first tug. But before he could pull harder, I tossed the chains at the two figures waiting atop the crenellations on the city walls. Druma and Daniel caught the chain mid air and together, they pulled at the chain holding Lucerna.

The large Demon was lifted off his feet. He hung off the ground, pulled by my two strong companions on one end, and the city gates itself on the other. I watched him struggle, like I was a Giant Spider and he was the prey tied in my strings.

Mistshard flew down from the city walls, carrying Edithe with her. The Human woman was let down next to me, giving me a nod.

“Took a bit, especially after Daniel took a bad hit. But we got them up there. Now all that’s left is…”

She glanced over at Mistshard. I nodded back.

“Aim for his joints. They’re the most vulnerable spots, even if your opponent is made out of rocks. Especially his right shoulder— it's weak.”

“Got it.”

Mistshard readied her beam of ice as Edithe raised her staff to her face. She closed her eyes, and whispered softly.

“[Borrow Skill: Mistshard].”

The Human woman and the [Elemental] aimed at the struggling Lucerna. He raised his right arm, trying to pry the Spear of Flames from his left palm. Dual beams of ice shot out at him, freezing over the limp shoulder.

He screamed in pain as all movement was lost on that hand. He tried to melt the ice off with a smoldering gas, but the two continued their assault. I created a fire hammer with the last of my mana, waiting for the moment the ice completely took the threads of skin holding his arm onto his body. There!

I threw the hammer as hard as I could at the ice. It shattered, and off came Lucerna’s right arm with it. He screamed and roared, exploding into gas, then ash as he dangled there. But none of his Skills reached us.

He couldn’t tear the chain off him. He couldn’t even close his one remaining hand with the Spear of Flames sticking out of it. All he could do was swing and shout, wasting all his Skills as we waited. Until finally, there was a snap.

Lucerna stopped moving. He stopped struggling. His body was just there, hanging. Then Daniel and Druma let go, and it fell onto the ground with a loud thud. I finally sighed, releasing the breath I didn’t even know I had been holding.

I glanced over at my exhausted companions, letting a small smile slip onto my face. Then it slipped off as I remembered what I came here to do. Slowly, I walked up to Lucerna.

I stared down at the fallen Greater Demon. He was dying. Somehow, he was still alive. Of course— with his [Vitality], even this wasn’t enough to completely finish him. But he could no longer move his body— it was far too broken. Edithe stepped up beside me as I grasped his neck with my clawed hand.

“Tell me how to get back to the Netherworld, and I will give you what you want.”

He did not look back at me. Both his eyes were gone. And yet, I could still feel his gaze boring into me, as if he was scrutinizing my every movement. He said nothing for a long time, even after I repeated the question. Finally, when I lowered his head, he spoke.

“To return to the Netherworld, you need… a summoning collar.”

“A summoning collar?”

I cocked my head, confused for a moment. The [Djinn] smiled.

“Yes. A summoning collar. It is a gift my King bestows to all his loyal followers. It was what allowed me to come to the Mortal Realm numerous times. However—”

He spat, and black blood landed on my face. I wiped it off, frowning.

“You broke it! You came with me when only one can travel through the planes of the Nexeus with it! You destroyed our only hopes of returning to the Netherworld!”

I blinked, slowly registering his words as he broke into laughter.

“That’s right. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to return! And knowing that you will suffer and die here in the Mortal Realm— and that knowledge will continue to bring me joy, even in death! Now end it. Finish me as you promised, imp! And when you join me in death, I’ll be waiting—”

“Shut up.”

Edithe spoke sharply, cutting him off. A lance of ice went down his throat. He convulsed, struggling to lift up his one remaining arm, but he couldn’t even move. The Human woman stared at him for a moment, watching him bleed and die.

Finally, after Lucerna stopped moving, she turned to me as if she was about to say something, but stopped. I continued staring, opening and closing my eyes in rapid succession as I tried to process what just happened. I turned to Daniel who had just arrived behind me. He had a dark look on his face.

“He’s lying, right?”

I glanced between my two Human companions. Neither spoke up.

“He was lying, wasn’t he? I mean, why would he be telling the truth? There has to be a way to return.”

They remained silent as my voice grew more frantic. And yet, there were no reassuring words. There was nothing I had come to expect from Humans from them.

“But… what about Haec? He’s still in the Netherworld! I can’t just leave him alone— he’s my companion!”

“I… I’m sorry, Salvos.”

Daniel steadied me. He met my gaze, and I knew it was true. Lucerna did not lie. He had relished in his words. He had embraced death, knowing that it would come. I—

I can’t return to the Netherworld.

A note from MelasD

Climax over. Epilogue for V1 next chapter. There will be a slightly lengthy Author's Notes there detailing my thoughts on Volume 1 as a whole.

40. Survivor (End of Volume 1)

40. Survivor

Skill [Passive - Blue Flames] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

Defeated [Ghastly Djinn (Destroyer) - Lvl. 68]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the Title Destroyer!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Experience is awarded for saving the city of Silvergrove!

More experience is awarded for liberating the province of Falisfield from the Destroyer’s rampage!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 36] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 37]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 37] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 38]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 38] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 39]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

[Zelus Imp – Lvl. 39] -> [Zelus Imp – Lvl. 40]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos

Species: [Lesser Demon]

Subspecies: [Zelus Imp] - Lvl. 40

General Skills:

[Basic Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 37

[Strength]: 24

[Endurance]: 50

[Wisdom]: 57

[Agility]: 76

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 12]

[Basic Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Double Step] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Blast] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - General Tool Proficiency] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Evolution Available]

[Titles Available]

Species Evolution:

[Lesser Demon] -> [Greater Demon]

Requirements for five Subspecies evolutions have been met!

Subspecies Evolution:

[Changeling]

A [Changeling] is a Subspecies of Demon that uses deceit and trickery to fool enemies. As a natural Greater Demon, [Changelings] are rare and powerful, able to change their forms to that of other Demons as part of their natural abilities.

+5 to [Strength]

+5 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Agility]

+3 to [Vitality]

+3 to [Endurance]

[Fiend of Infernos]

A [Fiend of Infernos] is a [Fiend] that aspires to master fire magic. Fighting with a storm of flames, a [Fiend of Infernos] has become one with fire and is thus more resilient to it.

+8 to [Wisdom]

+7 to [Endurance]

+1 to [Vitality]

+1 to [Strength]

+1 to [Agility]

[Midday Changeling]

A [Midday Changeling] is a [Changeling] that has interacted a great amount with mortals, asking many questions about their ways. Curious and adaptive, a [Midday Changeling] may not be as powerful as a [Changeling], but they are just as dangerous due to their cunning mind. They are able to change their forms to that of mortals to live amongst them, or kill them if necessary.

+6 to [Wisdom]

+3 to [Vitality]

+3 to [Strength]

+3 to [Endurance]

+3 to [Agility]

[Succubus]

A [Succubus] is a Greater Demon that tends to use wit and intelligence to solve their problems, although they typically have strong magic too. [Succubus] are only female, and can make minor adjustments to their biology as they see fit.

+8 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Endurance]

+2 to [Vitality]

+2 to [Agility]

+1 to [Strength]

[Valefor Hellhound]

A [Valefor Hellhound] is one of the rarest forms a [Hellhound] can take. Fast above all else, a [Valefor Hellhound] uses their sharp claws to rip apart their enemies. While four legged, they are able to walk on just two if need be, however it would inhibit their speed and movement greatly.

+10 to [Agility]

+5 to [Strength]

+5 to [Endurance]

+1 to [Vitality]

+1 to [Wisdom]

Titles for Great Feats:

Requirements for two Titles have been met!

Titles:

(Death of the Destroyer)

You have slain the one called the Destroyer in battle! You have proven yourself and succeeded where many others have failed, defeating one with a Title where you have none! Your abilities are thus made even more exceptional!

+5 to [Vitality]

+5 to [Strength]

+5 to [Endurance]

+5 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Agility]

(Savior of Falisfield)

You have liberated Nixa’s largest province of Falisfield from a rampaging Greater Demon! You have saved the city of Silvergrove from falling, and avenged all those who have been killed in the destruction! You are a hero in the people’s eyes!

+3 to [Vitality]

+5 to [Strength]

+5 to [Endurance]

+3 to [Wisdom]

+3 to [Agility]

Ever since I came to the Mortal Realm, I had been fruitlessly trying to find my way back to the Netherworld. I was worried about Haec— my companion. I feared that he would be lost without me. That a wild Demon would kill him now that he was alone.

So I tried my hardest to return; I spoke to everyone who would speak to me, I inquired wherever I could. But none could produce an answer I wanted.

It was then not unexpected now to hear that I wouldn’t be able to make it back; Edithe reassured me that there had to be another way, and Daniel promised he would continue to help me. However, as I focused on my Subspecies evolution and Titles, I knew only one thing: I was going to be stuck in the Mortal Realm for a while.

There was nothing I could do about it. I was not sure how long it would take me to return to the Netherworld— to my companion. I just had to trust that Haec was capable of fending for himself. He had been considered to be special by Lucerna, after all. It only made sense that he would then be able to survive without my help.

For now, I did not focus on what could possibly have happened. Instead, I reveled in the moment. Edithe, Daniel, Druma, Mistshard, and I walked out of the city gates with Lucerna’s body in tow. The surviving guards stared at the corpse, then at us.

For a moment, no one spoke a word. Then, the Level 50 [Warrior] guard I saw earlier opened his mouth.

“These brave adventurers have saved Silvergrove! The Destroyer is dead!”

Guards, adventurers, and civilians broke out into a cheer. Some hugged each other in relief, while others jumped up in the air. Only a few collapsed to the ground, with tears streaming out of their eyes.

I looked around at all the Humans. They all recognized me. They saw me, even when I had my hood up. It was such a cathartic feeling, one that curled my lips up.

I glanced at these celebrating Humans. They had all been terrified of Lucerna. Mostly because he had been terrorizing them and killing their people, but also because he was a Demon. I didn’t know why, but apparently Demons weren’t liked by Humans even when they weren’t destroying everything.

So I was now stranded in a place where I would be in constant danger. It was a place where even would have eventually fell even if I hadn’t intervened. Lucerna, a Greater Demon that was stronger than me. A Level 68 [Djinn] that outpaced even my leveling speed.

He was strong, and yet he died here. In this Mortal Realm that I was now left in, I would have to do whatever it took to survive. I was not as strong as Lucerna. But Lucerna made foolish choices. He wanted to die.

I would not do the same. I was Salvos, not Lucerna. I would make decisions that would increase my odds of survival. Being higher leveled may not guarantee survival as evinced by him, however it would increase my chances. There would never be a perfect chance of surviving, but that was the same as it had been in the Netherworld. The Mortal Realm was no different in that sense, every day was a risk in both. And just like in the Netherworld— until I returned to the Netherworld— I knew that I...

Evolution Complete!

[Lesser Demon] -> [Greater Demon]

Subspecies [Zelus Imp] has evolved to [Midday Changeling]!

Gained 10 Stat Points!

[Wisdom] +6

[Vitality] +3

[Strength] +3

[Endurance] +3

[Agility] +3

Gained 2 Skill Slots!

Gained 3 Skill Points!

General Skill [Basic Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 5] becomes [Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 1]!

General Skill [Racial Skill: Mortal Form - Lvl. 1] Obtained!

Skill [Basic Fire Creation - Lvl. 30] becomes [Advanced Fire Creation - Lvl. 1]!

Skill [Double Step - Lvl. 10] becomes [Self Haste - Lvl. 1]!

Skill [Fire Blast - Lvl. 20] becomes [Scorching Wave - Lvl. 1]!

Skill [Passive - General Tool Proficiency - Lvl. 10] becomes [Passive - Weapon Mastery - Lvl. 1]!

Skill [Charge of Embers] is now available.

Skill [Fiery Hail] is now available.

Skill [Ignition] is now available.

Skill [Passive - Deadly Instincts] is now available.

Title Gained!

(Death of the Destroyer)

[Vitality] (+5)

[Strength] (+5)

[Endurance] (+5)

[Wisdom] (+5)

[Agility] (+5)

General Skill [Title Skill: Zealous Call] Obtained!

I will survive!

End of Volume 1.

Author's Note:

I hope you all enjoyed Volume 1 of Salvos. I often worry about how well I execute my climaxes, especially considering how the first major climax I had for my other story, Melas, resulted in a almost 10 0.5 stars in a few days and a drop in rankings from 300 to 600 at the time. I feel like while both Melas and Salvos are different stories with different themes and different characters, I did manage to execute Volume 1 of Salvos better than Book 1 of Melas. I'm not entirely certain whether that's true, but that's personally how I feel about it.

Also, I somehow managed to maintain this 5 chaps a week schedule even with another web serial and school. Especially school. Man it's difficult. Honestly, am pretty exhausted most days, but I did it! Hopefully it keeps up.

Onto the actual contents of Volume 1... well, first of all the support for the eBook version has blown me away. We haven't hit my goal just yet, but we're close! So thank you all for that.

V1 has went kind of differently from how I first planned out the story back when I wrote Chapter 0. Back then, I planned for both Salvos and Haec to be isekai'd to the Mortal Realm together, and what would have happened was quite a different story, with Haec and Salvos killing Lucerna during the fight with the [Cultists]. But I decided to go a different route starting around Chapter 5-ish.

As for this chapter: the [Midday Changeling] evolution is vaguely inspired by Lady Midday. That's pretty much all I have to say on it right now.

Anyway, now that Volume 1 is over, I would like to ask once again for anyone who hasn't rated the story to possibly leave a rating. If you'd like to write a review or an advanced review, or if you've already written a review, I hope you'd be willing to update it and I would genuinely appreciate it as well. I am so close to reaching the seccond page of Best Rated on RR, and while there is no achievement for it, being there would genuinely blow me away since this is my second ever story. Also, it would most definitely help new people discover the story XD

Thank you all for reading <3

41. Daniel's Dilemma (Start of Volume 2)

A note from MelasD

EARLY CHAPTER TODAY!

All your kind words for Volume 1 has honestly blown me away. Thank you all so much <3

...you guys will hate me for this chapter LOL

41. Daniel's Dilemma

Daniel blinked his bleary brown eyes as beams from the sun seeped into the room through the blinds of the window. He got up with a sigh, clutching at the invisible wound on his side. He wasn’t hurt— no, there was only the vague feeling of an injury there.

The black haired man had been burned, bruised, and cut up by the Greater Demon called Lucerna, and yet, with healing potions he was now left without so much of a scratch. Well, at least physically he was fine. Mentally speaking, he wasn’t really sure how he felt. Sure, he was ok now, but wasn’t he on the cusp of death just yesterday?

It was a strange thing to think about— it was something that sometimes kept him up. He had never thought that it would ever be possible to recover from that much blood loss. And yet, he continued fighting. He had been able to pick himself up from the rubble and rocks with a nearly broken body, and healed himself completely with the last of the healing potions Salvos had given him. Then Mistshard picked him up, carrying him to the battlements where Druma was already at.

After that, everything had been a blur. They managed to catch Lucerna in their trap, strangling him until his neck or spine broke. Daniel wasn’t even sure if Demon’s had spines, but something happened to paralyze the [Djinn]. With that, Edithe finally got her revenge, and Salvos her answer:

She can’t return to the Netherworld.

The young man remembered seeing her face when she heard that. He had never seen her look so shocked since he met her; even as he got out of bed, he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about seeing her in the common room of the inn.

He packed his things and got dressed as worrying thoughts raced through his mind. Will she still be broken up about it? Will she be even more confused than before? Will she be lost, without a clue on what to do? Or will she…

Daniel hesitated, chewing his lowering lip as he considered the last possibility.

Will she hate you, for lying to her? You promised her, after all. You said you would help bring her back to the Netherworld, and now she thinks it’s impossible. She might even kill you—

He shook his head and pushed the door to his room open. That wouldn’t happen; Salvos was not the kind of Demon— or uh, person— to attack someone unprovoked. She had made it extremely clear. Daniel tried to reassure himself as he walked down the stairs. And yet, the thought remained: what if Salvos went mad? What if she had some kind of Demon instincts within her that suddenly took over? What if those ‘wild Demons’ she talked about were really the true forms of a Demon, and he would come down to find a bloodied inn—

“Took you long enough!”

Salvos marched up to the young man and jabbed a finger at his chest. He blinked as he looked her over.

“How long do you Humans need to sleep? Seriously, the sun is already high up in the sky! You must have slept for, uh… 200 hours!”

“That’s… I don’t think there’s that many hours in a day, Salvos.”

Edithe sighed as she walked up to the two. The red haired [Summoner] dressed in her usual robes placed a hand on the Demon’s shoulder and lowered it.

“Give us a break. And don’t be so loud. I know the innkeeper is out right now, but what if someone passing by hears us?”

“Don’t worry. They won’t suspect a thing.”

Salvos grinned and twirled around. The cloak that used to loosely hang over her shoulder was now almost a proper fit to her body, its hood no longer masking her face too. Daniel just stared at her as she turned to a stop.

“I look just like a Human now, see? You think so too, right Daniel? Uh… Daniel?”

She cocked her head and Daniel blinked. He quickly turned his gaze to the wooden floorboards as he felt his face burn up.

“Yeah… you do.”

Previously, Salvos had an impish look to her. She had been short, not even up to his shoulders at five foot two inches. Her skin was pale— almost like that of a dead body, which was hardly her most inhuman feature. She lacked any… parts, for the most part. She had no chest, and nothing below her waist. It had reminded him of the most simple and plain mannequins, ones that only had the vague shape of a woman— he thought she had been more androgynous than anything. And that was everything about her that had even seemed ‘Human’.

Seeing her clearly back then, it was unmistakable she was a Demon. Two small horns had protruded from her gray-silver hair. Her face had been rather rotund, without much of a jawline under her sharp teeth. And while her black nail-like claws were not that terrifyingly long and usually hidden under her cloak, Daniel had seen what they could do and he didn’t want any of it.

But now, after her recent evolution, he was staring at a Human woman standing on a pair of long, sculpted legs letting the top of her head reach past his chin. Her waist was tapered, curving up to a slim figure that would draw all eyes— male or female— to it out of lust or envy. She had her arms folded across her chest, which now had the men’s shirt wrapping around it tighter than the loose garments of before.

Her golden eyes were enchanting, almost like there was something magical to it— in fact, there probably was something magical to it. Her chin was sharper too, like a sleek steel knife after it had been delicately washed and polished. When she curled her fuschia-pink lips up, Daniel could almost see his own reflection on her mirror-like pearly whites. And he only saw himself gawking.

Salvos no longer had anything about her that screamed ‘Demon’. Her hands were normal— she had no claws, no sharp nails. She even now had a pale-olive skin complexion that matched how alive she normally carried herself.

Daniel caught himself as she nodded, eagerly turning to Edithe.

“See? I told you.”

Edithe simply gave Daniel a judging look which he tried to ignore. He failed, feeling the embarrassment take over. Fortunately for him, Salvos didn’t pick up on this, instead spinning around and heading out of the inn.

“Come on, Betty and Chase are waiting for us! I can’t wait to race them back to Hazelbury and beat them again. I’m much faster now, you know?”

The two exchanged a glance. Daniel shook her head and Edithe just rubbed the bridge of her nose. She hasn’t changed at all, huh? He followed after her, scratching the back of his head.

“You know, Salvos, since we don’t need either Druma or Mistshard to be with us now, you can just always ride on the horse with us.”

“With me.”

Edithe shot him a sharp look and he blushed.

“I didn’t mean it like that, but yeah. You’ve already proved yourself faster than them, right?”

“Huh. I didn’t think of that.”

Salvos paused, thoughtfully tapping a hand on her chin. The three continued down the busy streets of Silvergrove. People were up and about, already trying to rebuild their city from the destruction caused by Lucerna’s attack.

A few faces turned to them, pointing and whispering to each other. However, none approached them, which Daniel was grateful for. He wasn’t really someone who could handle too much attention, although Salvos seemed to be the opposite.

She noticed the hushed conversation and nodded in the direction of a group of carpenters. Immediately, they quietened. Salvos scowled, before turning back as she heard a chuckle.

“What?”

Edithe suppressed an amused look.

“Nothing.”

Salvos raised a brow but said nothing more. They finally reached the stable holding their horses and saddled on to leave the city. There would be no celebrations today— there had already been plenty on the days before. But now, they needed to go back to Hazelbury… mostly to return the horses they borrowed from a stable in the other city. And once they were back in Hazelbury—

Daniel frowned, looking over at Salvos.

“So, uh… what will you be doing now?”

She glanced back over at him, seating behind Edithe.

“What do you mean?”

“You know, you can’t… go back to the Netherworld, right? So what will you be doing?”

Salvos blinked a few times, registering his words.

“I can’t go back? Why not?”

“Lucerna said you can’t. He said you needed a summoning collar, and you don’t have one. So…”

He trailed off, wondering if he made it awkward. Why did you have to bring that up? Moron! However, Salvos didn’t seem offended by it. Instead, she scoffed.

“If Lucerna says I can’t go back without one of those summoning collar thingies, then I just have to get one, don’t I?”

“I… I don’t think it’ll be that simple.”

She shrugged and turned away from him.

“I didn’t say it will be simple. I said I just have to do it. I like this place— the Mortal Realm. But I need to return to the Netherworld. Haec is there. He can wait a little longer, but not forever.”

“And Haec is…”

“My companion.”

Salvos spoke simply, as if that told him was supposed to tell him everything he needed to know. And maybe Salvos thought it was enough— that this ‘Haec’ was reason enough to try so hard to go back to the Netherworld. But honestly, was there a need for a deep reason to want to go back home?

Daniel didn’t think so. In fact, he thought he understood how Salvos felt. She might not see it in the same way he does, but the fact of the matter was that the Netherworld is her home. Of course she would want to go back. He smiled.

“Well, it’s probably going to be difficult is all I’m saying. But I made you a promise, and I’m going to keep it.”

Salvos nodded as if she hadn’t expected him to say anything otherwise. And maybe for her, it seemed that way. He told her he would help her, and he had done so thus far— why would he suddenly change his mind?

That was something she was going to have to learn about Humans— or well, mortals— from spending more time in the Mortal Realm. But for now, Daniel would help her in her quest to go back home.

It was not for any particular reason. He just understood the feeling— he could empathize with her. The longing to return to where you belonged was something he knew all too well.

After all, he was a [Hero] from another world.

A note from MelasD

This chapter was dedicated to everyone who ever asked me what Salvos looks like. Now, thanks to Daniel, you know ;)

Anyway, onto the real Author's Note:

First off, I'd just like to get it out of the way that I am very much aware of how most readers of monster evolution stories hate it when their monster MC essentially just becomes a Human. Do keep that in mind when reading through Volume 2, which, I estimate will be longer than Volume 1. Even before I wrote Volume 1, I had that consideration in mind. That's all I'll say on the matter.

Also, there will be a poll soon regarding whether Salvos deserves RR's portal fantasy/isekai tag, since Salvos was portaled to the Mortal Realm, and Daniel was isekai'd to the Nexeus. It will be my last poll in a while, I promise. I need to be more decisive in my decision-making. But I appreciate all your feedback <3

Finally, it's my midterms week, so I can't guarantee 5 chapters this week. I will try for it, however the only thing I can promise is at least 3 chapters this week.

Next chapter we're back to Salvos.

Thanks for reading as always, and have a good day!

42. Journey Back

A note from MelasD

Just a reminder that chapter 41 is the start of Volume 2!

42. Journey Back

I sat just behind Edithe on the back of Betty, the Level 13 [Traveler Horse], as we rode to Hazelbury. I felt the wind blowing at my face— my now longer hair flowing with the wind. I was in my Human form now. I had evolved and become a Greater Demon. My Subspecies was now a [Midday Changeling]. I had chosen it because it was the best Subspecies to help me blend in and survive while I was stuck here in the Mortal Realm.

Everything felt different. This body felt different. It was bigger than my previous, yet it was somehow more lithe. I slowly glanced down at myself, clenching my fist as I took in this new feeling. I softly closed my eyes, curling my lips while leaning back. This body, this new form—

I hate it! It sucks! I feel so weak!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 40

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 1

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 10]

[Vitality]: 40 (+5) (-7)

[Strength]: 27 (+5) (-7)

[Endurance]: 53 (+5) (-7)

[Wisdom]: 63 (+5) (-2)

[Agility]: 79 (+5) (-7)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 15]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 1

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 1

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 1

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

I had so many new Skills. My Status was almost completely different now, with a Title that provided me with additional Stats and even a General Skill. However, I was stuck in this Human form which severely inhibited me!

Not only did it just take away most of the benefits I got from my Title, I didn’t even have claws anymore! What am I supposed to do now? Punch people?! That’s stupid!

I sighed and slumped over onto Edithe’s back. The Human woman turned back slightly and raised an eyebrow.

“Is something wrong, Salvos?”

“I don’t want to be a Human anymore…”

I murmured under my breath. Daniel looked over at me from his horse before quickly darting his eyes away. He hesitated.

“Wh— why not?”

“Because it sucks. Everything about it sucks. I don’t have my claws, I don’t have my horns. I don’t even look like myself anymore. And... why do I even have these things on me?”

The Human man immediately averted his gaze as I gestured down. Edithe laughed, shaking her head.

“Salvos, you have to understand it’s necessary for your own protection. Demons are treated as… monsters, I guess. Sure, not everyone will immediately attack you if they see you as a Demon, especially if you’re higher leveled than them, but still, what happens if they do?”

I scoffed, replying simply.

“I’ll fight back and kill them, of course.”

“Then you’ll get in trouble with the authorities. And there’ll be a lot of complications because of that. Trust me, it’s better for you to stay like this, at least while in the cities.”

I narrowed my eyes hopped off Betty, landing on the dirt road as the two continued on for a moment longer. They whirled around, giving me a confused look.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

“We aren’t in one of your Human cities anymore, right? I’m going to change back.”

“Wait—”

I ignored the two as they protested. I focused on the General Skill [Racial Skill: Mortal Form] and deactivated it. Immediately, I felt my body growing and turning whiter. The ground suddenly shrunk below me as I felt my clothes tighten around my body— except for my chest, it actually became looser there. My hair didn’t recede, instead growing even longer than before.

There was a cracking sound, like that of rocks being broken on each other, as one last ripple went through my now lanky body. Two horns sprouted from my head— and they weren’t just small protrusions peeking out of my hair. These were long, crooked horns. Almost like the one that Demon who made the Spear of Flames had back in the Netherworld.

My arms were much longer now too, nearly falling down to my knees when standing upright. Which was harder to do now; my body felt like it didn’t want to be straight. I looked down at my clawed hands— my white hands— and smiled. Sharp. Sharper than as an [Imp]. I turned to Daniel who I was now taller than even, and shot him a thumbs up.

“See? I feel much better already.”

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 10]

[Vitality]: 40 (+5)

[Strength]: 27 (+5)

[Endurance]: 53 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 63 (+5)

[Agility]: 79 (+5)

No more of those… debuffs. I felt satisfied at that. However, I noticed that both Daniel and Edithe visibly paled. I folded my arms.

“What’s wrong? Are you two really scared by this? Come on, I’m still Salvos! You weren’t afraid of me back when I was a [Zelus Imp]!”

The Human man swallowed, exchanging a look with Edithe.

“We know, uh, that. But this is just a bit… much.”

I frowned.

“You weren’t scared of Lucerna.”

“Lucerna wasn’t as terrifying as you.”

He muttered, facing away from me again. I brightened at that.

“Really? You think so?”

“That’s… not a good thing, Salvos.”

Edithe pointed out with a sigh.

“Not for you Humans, maybe. But I like it. I’m sure even those [Hellhounds] would think twice about messing with me!”

I paused, looking up. If they can even think at all, I added in my head. I spun around, feeling my cloak get swept up by the wind as I spread my clawed hands out wide.

“This is who I am. Maybe being a Human is better for whatever reason, but it’s not me. I don’t like it—”

I turned to a stop and stared. A family of three stared back at me. A Human man, a Human woman, and a Human child. They stood on the dirt path coming from Hazelbury, eyes wide open in shock. I hesitated, then waved a clawed hand.

“Uh, hi…?”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Demon! Another Demon is attacking our country!”

The woman screamed and the man shouted. The child cried as her parents picked her up and ran away. I grinned nervously, turning back to my two Human companions.

“...maybe this wasn’t a good idea.”

“You think?”

…

“Did I mention I can only change my form every hour?”

Edithe sighed and Daniel just smacked his forehead.

—--

We waited out until I could transform to a Human again by hiding deep in the forest, away from any Human life. Edithe chastised me for a moment, mulling over having to deal with any possible repercussions from this. I didn’t see why it mattered— this wasn’t the first time I had been seen by Humans. As far as Silvergrove and Hazelbury knew, a wild [Imp] was still running around somewhere in Falisfield, plotting something completely and totally evil.

And perhaps they were right. I might be planning something evil. However, I wasn’t an [Imp] anymore, so actually they’d still be wrong.

During this hour wait, I decided to finally spend my available Stat and Skill Points, while figuring out what my evolution entailed. The first thing I did was distribute 5 Stat Points to [Agility], because it couldn’t hurt to be even faster than I already was. Then I spent 2 on [Endurance], 2 on [Vitality], and the remaining 1 on [Strength].

For now, I neglected my [Wisdom]. My Subspecies evolution had given me quite a nice boost to it, and it being in my Mortal Form didn’t decrease it as much as the rest.

As for my Skills, I had to figure out what each did. [Advanced Fire Creation] seemed rather self explanatory, so I just dumped 4 Skill Points straight into it. The new Skill I gained while fighting Lucerna— [Passive - Blue Flames]— seemed to drastically increase the damage of my fire magic, while only draining a little bit more mana than usual.

I raised a hand, watching the bright blue wisps coalesce, forming a fire the shape of a raindrop on the palm of my hand. It did not flow with the wind like my regular flames had— instead, it seemed to almost hold still, like a solid rock bracing against a strong force pushing it. I grinned, thinking of how powerful this new Skill was, and added 4 Skill Points to it. That left me with 7 more to spend.

I moved on to see [Passive - Weapon Mastery] would do. I turned the blue flame into a deadly fire longsword. It no longer took all my focus to create a weapon longer than a dagger now— I held up the glowing blade in one hand and swung it around. I frowned as I realized this was hardly different to [Passive - General Tool Proficiency]. Sure, I could swing the weapon better than before, but… not that good.

I only gave it no Skill Points.

After that disappointment, I didn’t really have high expectations for my remaining two newly changed Skills. And sure enough, [Scorching Wave] didn’t seem any different from [Fire Blast]. The only difference between the former and the latter being how I could change the intensity of the attack depending on the mana I poured into it, and how the flames came out as a wave and not a quick blast that lasted only a few moments. Decent, I thought. A better use of mana than doing the same with [Advanced Fire Creation].

I left [Scorching Wave] at Level 2 for now, seeing no reason to spend more on it. Next up was [Self Haste]. I activated the Skill without expecting much from it, and was surprised to immediately feel it take over me. It was as if the world suddenly became slower.

I slowly lifted a clawed finger up, only for it to snap straight into position in an instant. I glanced around, realizing how much slower Daniel and Edithe were moving. The two spoke with slurred speech, like they had a few days ago after we defeated Lucerna and they drank a lot of that ‘alcohol’ liquid.

I walked up to them at a casual pace, however they jumped when I suddenly appeared by their side.

“Salvos! Don’t run at us like that.”

“Is there a problem?”

The two looked at me and I grinned.

“Nopethere’snoproblemIjustusedthisSkillcalled[SelfHaste]andapparentlyitmakes—”

Daniel blinked.

“Woah, slow down there. Could you repeat what you said?”

The Human woman narrowed her eyes as I nodded eagerly.

“OfcourseIsaidthatthisnewSkillIgotmakeseverything—”

“I don’t understand what she’s saying at all. Do you?”

“Not a word.”

I frowned, annoyed. I waved a clawed hand at them and pointed at myself.

“Justwatchthis!”

I dashed forward, running as fast as I could to a nearby tree. I whirled around, talking excitedly as wind blew at my face while my feet carried me forward, closing half the distance to my target in an instant.

“Everythingissomuchslowernow— aw.”

I stumbled to a halt.

“It ran out.”

Daniel just stared at me in shock.

“Wha… what was that?”

He sputtered, turning to Edithe. She looked at me for a moment, then shut her eyes.

“It’s a [Haste] Skill. Very rare. Even rarer than the potions and spells that can imitate its effects.”

The Human woman shook her head as I walked back up to them, arms widespread.

“Did you see? That was amazing right?!”

“Yes, Salvos. That’s actually amazing.”

She nodded, and I felt my lips curling up. I turned to Daniel who averted his gaze.

“Uh, can you not smile at me like that? It’s terrifying.”

I crossed my arms and glared at him. It only made him look away from me more. I sighed, deciding to do him a favor as I felt enough time had finally passed for me to use [Racial Skill: Mortal Form] again.

A ripple ran through my body, and a few moments later, I appeared Human again.

“It was not as much of a speed boost as with [Double Step]. But it seems to last longer than it— and also affects more than just my running speed. I like it.”

I quickly spent 2 Skill Points on it, saving the rest for my two potential new Skills. I was about to choose the Skills I had available to obtain, when Edithe smiled.

“Well, it seems like you had your fun. And you’ve managed to test out a few new Skills. Now it’s time for us to actually go back to Hazelbury.”

“Why the rush? Can’t we stay here for a bit longer?”

I turned to the Human woman, giving her what I recognized was a childish pout. I had seen Human children use this to convince their parents to give them what they wanted. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me.

“Well, other than the fact that it’s getting dark and I don’t want to camp out in the woods when we can easily sleep in a nice inn—”

She looked me over once, then glanced over at Daniel. The Human man nodded and he faced me.

“Salvos, we’ve been discussing it with each other for a few days, but... what do you think of becoming an adventurer?”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day! :)

43.1. Adventurer

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

43.1. Adventurer

“Salvos, we’ve been discussing it with each other for a few days, but... what do you think of becoming an adventurer?”

The Human man spoke slowly and nervously, unsure of his own words. Daniel looked back at Edithe for some support, and she nodded in affirmation.

“We know you might be… averse to this idea. You don’t have plans to remain in this realm after all. And being around adventurers all the time might be dangerous to you, since you’re a Demon. However we think it’s currently what’s best for you.”

I blinked, glancing between the two Humans as Daniel took over for Edithe once again.

“You can earn actual money for yourself while fighting monsters. It’s actually really good for you, since you can do what you enjoy the most— leveling— while giving yourself the opportunity to live a comfortable life while stuck here. It’s not really any massive obligation, so I think you should at least consider this.”

The two exchanged another hesitant look as I considered this. I saw Daniel open his mouth slowly.

“Sure.”

“Of course, you don’t have to make your decision now— wait, sure?”

I grinned.

“Yes, sure. That sounds interesting! I want to be an adventurer!”

“But… it could be dangerous for you, Salvos.”

“I don’t really know how your Subspecies works, but if someone can see through your [Racial Skill: Mortal Form - Human], they could expose you!”

“And?”

I cocked my head.

“And if that happens, they could try and get you killed—”

I gave him a look and he snapped his mouth shut.

“...ah, right.”

I shook my head, looking first at Edithe then at Daniel.

“I know you think being an adventurer is dangerous and all, for whatever reasons, and maybe it is. However, I survived in the Mortal Realm so far as an [Imp]. Back then, I couldn’t even disguise myself as one of you Humans who keep attacking me for my looks, but now I can. Furthermore, the dangers here are nothing compared to the ones I faced in the Netherworld. You think it’s bad here because a few Humans might want to kill me? Almost every single Demon I met in the Netherworld tried to kill me. Yet, I survived. And most of all—”

I spun around, facing away from the two. I raised a hand, pointing it forward and up at the sky as a grin spread across my face.

“I want to do it! Do I need any other reason?”

I paused, letting my words sink it for the two. Then I had a thought.

“Plus, weren’t you two the ones trying to make me become an adventurer?”

—--

“We weren’t against the idea of you being an adventurer, Salvos. We just wanted to make sure you knew the consequences and dangers of being one.”

“I know about danger. I know about adventurers. I think it’s simple enough.”

I crossed my arms and stared at Daniel. He sighed, shaking his head.

“Maybe you know each individually. But Salvos, sometimes you can be quite… impulsive. Immature. As in, make bad decisions that could have potentially devastating effects.”

“I don’t do that.”

“You don’t?”

Edithe looked at me with a blank face. She gestured behind her— at the road leading out of Hazelbury— then at my clothing.

“Explain what happened earlier with that family. And explain your clothes— if these hadn’t been too big for you, you’d be walking around naked right now.”

I scoffed, keeping my head up and my gaze away from the Human woman’s judging look as the three of us strolled into the Adventurers Guild of Hazelbury.

“So what? I’ve scared Humans multiple times before, and it’s never turned out bad. Plus, what’s wrong with being naked?”

The two Humans exchanged a glance. Daniel raised a hand defensively.

“I’m not going to explain it to her. You’re both women— you do it.”

Edithe did not grace him with a retort. Instead, she led me straight past the sea of staring adventurers and to the receptionist. I tried to catch what the Humans were saying— they were whispering and pointing at us— but unfortunately I could only make out a few nonsensical words.

“...defeated the [Djinn].”

“...no way, how did...”

“...it’s that bitch—”

I glanced over at the voice that said that. I saw Blake— the tall adventurer from the local Iron Champions Company— sitting over at a table towards the edge of the room, surrounded by a group of adventurers dressed in similar clothing as him. They all wore the same crest on their chest— a sword and a pickaxe crossed together.

I frowned as I considered his remark. A bitch? I am not a female dog. I’m a Demon! I wanted to pull away from Edithe and confront him, however the Human woman’s grip did not let up. She stopped me right in front of the receptionist.

“Hi.”

She placed a few silver coins on the counter and gestured over at me.

“I’d like to register her as an adventurer, please.”

The receptionist blinked, glancing between me and Edithe. She squinted as she looked at me— was she identifying me?— then smiled slowly.

“Of course. And will you be signing with us as a part of any company, or would you prefer to be independent?”

I cocked my head.

“Uh…”

“Independent.”

Edithe spoke over me before I could decide. I decided to go with it, although the receptionist seemed insistent on me joining a company.

“Are you certain? Joining a company comes with many benefits. For example, the fee to sign up as an adventurer would be halved, since most companies will take up the cost for you. And—”

She leaned across the counter, eyeing Blake and his group with a sidelong glance before whispering.

“You don’t have to join the Iron Champions Company. As long as you have a member of a company— any company— to vouch for your recruitment, we’d cut the price upfront and bill the company instead. Like, say, the Valiant Dreamers Company?”

The receptionist gave Edithe a look. However my companion shook her head.

“I’m already paying the fee for her. And if she wants to join my company, she can do so in the future. For now, she should experience what it’s like to be an independent adventurer first, before she decides on joining any company.”

“Suit yourself. Let me just fill out these documents— your name is Salvos, correct?”

“That’s me! I’m Salvos!”

I grinned at the receptionist and jerked a thumb at myself. Edithe quickly lowered my hand and spoke quietly into my ear.

“You said you’re not immature, right? Don’t be so loud. I’d rather us not draw anymore attention to ourselves than we’re already getting.”

“Why not?”

I looked at her, confused. I like the attention. But apparently she didn’t, and she didn’t seem like she wanted to explain why it was bad. So I just obliged.

“Fine.”

“Thanks.”

I turned back to the receptionist who was now scribbling on a piece of paper and smiled normally, speaking softly this time.

“I am Salvos, and as my companion said, I would prefer not to be a part of a company.”

“Uh… right.”

She raised a brow and gave me a weird look. I shot my companion a wink, to which she simply pinched the bridge of her nose. Did I do something wrong? I spoke as proper as I could! I heard Daniel sigh, muttering under his breath behind me.

“...sounded like a robot…”

I wanted to ask him what that even was, but the receptionist was already proffering a piece of paper.

“Just sign here, and you’ll be set.”

“Alright.”

I picked up the pen— and frowned.

“How do I… sign this?”

I trailed off, giving Edithe a pleading look. I heard an adventurer sitting close by guffaw and spill his drink on the floor. The Human woman just closed her eyes and pinched her nose harder. Before either she or the receptionist could respond, a voice interrupted them.

“So these are the heroes of Silvergrove, huh?”

43.2. Adventurer

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

43.2. Adventurer

“So these are the heroes of Silvergrove, huh?”

A man that had been sitting at Blake’s table got up and strutted over to us. His companions immediately followed after him, keeping a small distance behind from him as they made their approach.

“Equipment seems rather mediocre— shabby, even. Levels are decent, but nothing particularly impressive. I’m surprised you three managed to take out that so-called Destroyer that rampaged through Falisfield.”

The receptionist shrunk in her desk as he came to a stop just before us. He wore the same clothing that Blake and the others wore, however it was different somehow. It seemed more… decorated? As in he had jewels adorned into parts of his vest, and the crest on his chest had a helmet added in between the pickaxe and the sword. He produced a gleaming silver badge and smiled.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Salvos. I’m Stephen, a Platinum Rank adventurer from the Iron Champions Company.”

I blinked and identified him.

[??? - Lvl. ???]

Does he have a Necklace of Obfuscation too? No— I didn’t see anything hanging around his neck. I had a feeling his level was just too high for me to see.

“I had heard about the havoc this Greater Demon had been causing to my home province, so I rushed back as quickly as I could. But it seems I arrived a little too late, since I came back to hear only the singing of praises for the three adventurers that slayed the [Djinn].”

He brought a hand forward with a smile and I stared at it. It took me a moment to remember Edithe’s lesson on Human courtesy and how you should always shake an outstretched hand, but I quickly recovered and took it.

“Hi, I’m Salvos.”

“...I know.”

Stephen’s lips twitched as he brought his hand back after we shook. He gestured at us, then back at the group behind him— adventurers who I assumed were part of his company with Blake.

“I’ve heard many things about you, Miss Salvos. Nothing good, really. That you’re rather brutish and prone to violence, causing trouble in the guild even though you weren’t— and still aren’t— an adventurer. Especially your unpleasant run-ins with some of my… company members.”

He gave Blake a sharp look at the tall adventurer flinched.

“However, I’d like to confirm such things myself: are any of these rumors true? Did you, perhaps, hit my friend here in a rather demeaning place when you two first met?”

I nodded and replied simply.

“I did.”

Stephen quirked an eyebrow, looking me over.

“And why exactly did you do such a thing?”

“He deserved it, that’s why.”

“Hm, perhaps.”

The Platinum Ranked adventurer turned around, evaluating Blake who blanched at the offhand remark from him. Then he faced me.

“Such things are possible. I do admit that our criteria for accepting new members aren’t very strict. However, I’ve heard other things about you too. For example, you broke into our company building here in Hazelbury and stole a rather important resource to us and distributed it to the public. Is that true?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but Edithe stepped in front of me and brought an arm out.

“Alright, cut it out. What do you want?”

“Hrmph, Miss… Edithe, was it? Gold Rank adventurer from that annoying Valiant Dreamers Company. I take it that that theft was your doing then?”

“So what if it is? Hoarding the location of dangerous Dungeons is not something the guild likes.”

“But it isn’t banned by the guild either, is it not?”

He chuckled as Edithe just glared at him. At this point, Daniel thought to join in.

“Just because it’s allowed, doesn’t mean it’s right.”

“And the knight in shining armordecides to step in to save his ladies. Tell me, Mister Daniel, how many people do you think you’re fooling with that artifact of yours? Or did you think hiding your level also hides that Necklace of Obfuscation hanging around your neck?”

Blake’s eyes widened and Daniel clenched his fist.

“Leave us alone. We’re just minding our own business.”

“Ah, but your business is my business, you see?”

Stephen walked around Daniel and Edithe and approached me with a smile. He gestured at me before turning back to the two.

“What you have here is someone special. Someone extremely rare. Or did you think no one noticed how she has doubled her level in the span of two months since she first came here?”

A susurration broke out in the crowd of adventurers watching this scene; Edithe grimaced and Daniel glanced around with a frown. Stephen continued, ignoring either of their reactions.

“Of course, leveling at such speeds is only possible in the lower levels. However, to do so requires a level of risk and talent, something which over 99% of adventurers at even Gold lack. So I’d like to offer this deal to you, Miss Salvos: join the Iron Champions Company, and not only will all your past transgressions to us be forgiven, but you’ll have access to all resources we can offer. Locations of Dungeons, Medium Grade and even High Grade equipment, and even the best mentors anyone can offer. It will all be free, specifically for you, as long as you decide to join our company here and now.”

I stared at the Human man, blinking as he went on.

“It is a generous offer, Miss Salvos. Something we don’t give everyone. We’d be treating you as we would a Platinum Rank, despite you having only just reached Gold. It’d be wise to accept this if you truly wish to reach such high levels in no time. Additionally, if there’s anything you might want, we’ll be able to pool together our vast resources to help you get it. We might not be one of the Honorable Companies, but I’d say we’re getting close to their size.”

“In your dreams. The Iron Champions Company is nowhere near large enough to stand amongst those three—”

“Was I talking to you?”

Stephen spoke over Edithe and gave her a dark look. She flinched, instinctively raising her staff. He did nothing else, turning back to face me.

“So Miss Salvos, what about it? Will you join us?”

I looked at Stephen’s outstretched hand, before directing my gaze over his shoulder. Edithe was chewing her lower lip, and Daniel had nothing to offer me either: both seemed resigned, unable to say anything.

I turned back to the Platinum Rank adventurer. If I join the Iron Champions Company, I’d be able to level faster. And maybe I can make them find a way to reach the Netherworld. There was almost no downside to this offer; everything about it seemed right to me.

So I smiled, raising my hand and accepting the proffered handshake by Stephen. Daniel sighed, and Edithe averted her gaze. Stephen was smirking, while Blake had a look of terror on his face. I opened my mouth—

“No.”

“...pardon?”

Stephen lowered his hand as I brought my hands back to my hips. I spoke again, slower this time.

“I said no.”

“Uh, but you took my hand—”

“Because it’s common courtesy to do so, of course. However, I do not want to join your company.”

The Platinum Ranked adventurer slowly blinked. He sputtered in indignation.

“But why? You have only things to gain from joining us! I am literally offering to give you a VIP treatment that only the closest friends of our founders get. What sane reason could you give to reject such a deal?!”

I shrugged.

“My companions don’t like you, and I don’t like you either. Also, I’d probably have to leave them if I joined your company. I don’t want that.”

He opened his mouth in fury— then slowly closed it. He shook his head, resting his forehead on the palm of his hand.

“I should’ve known you would say this from the way I saw you act. You’re like a child. A petulant, bratty child.”

“I am not a child. I am a Gr—”

Daniel and Edithe snapped their gazes to me. I quickly corrected myself mid word.

“Grown woman!”

Stephen stared at me as I shook a fist at him. He just sighed.

“Alas, such potential is wasted on a fool such as you. Unfortunate.”

He turned around and began to stalk off. However, he paused right at the edge of earshot distance and craned his neck fractionally to face us.

“You will regret this decision, Miss Salvos. And as for you, Miss Edithe. Your Valiant Dreamers Company will get what’s coming for them. Or did you really think our company will take all your interference in stride?”

Edithe grit her teeth, biting back a reply. Then the Platinum Rank adventurer and his group left the guild hall. And all that was left was silence.

…

“So, uh, how do I sign again?”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading, and stay safe!

44. Weird Human Things

44. Weird Human Things

With Daniel’s help, I managed to scribble my name down on the piece of paper the receptionist of the Adventurer’s Guild slid over to me. The hall remained deathly quiet after Stephen left, and there was not even a snicker from the closest adventurers tracking my every move.

I should probably worry about that. What if they try to steal my name? I huddled over my signature as I handed it back to the receptionist.

She looked it over a few times before nodding.

“Alright, you’re all set. We’ll just get your guild badge ready, and you’ll be good to go.”

“Guild badge?”

I cocked my head. The receptionist produced something from behind the counter.

“It’s what we use to identify your Rank. Whether you’re Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Diamond. Elites— those above Level 150— use the same badge as a Diamond, but they’re usually famous enough that they don’t even need an adventurer’s badge in the first place.”

“And I am…”

I gave her an expectant look. She gestured at the yellow stripes at the edge of the metal badge.

“You’re a Gold Rank.”

“Aw, only?”

My shoulders sagged. I immediately straightened however, remembering that Edithe told me to behave proper.

“Well, I guess I just have to get to Level 70 quickly. That’s what Platinum is, right?”

The receptionist gave me a weird look.

“Uh, yeah.”

I nodded and accepted the badge gratefully. I muttered a ‘thanks’— once again keeping to my proper behavior— and hurriedly turned back to Edithe and Daniel. The two were still distractedly staring after Stephen, even though he had left quite a while ago.

“Look!”

I presented my badge to the two. I had expected them to step back, aghast. Shocked. Blown away by my high Rank despite having just become an adventurer. Neither one batted an eye.

“Ah, you’re finished.”

Edithe commented as she glanced out the door of the guild one last time; I scowled, although she didn’t notice it.

“Well, it’s about time we return to our inns. We’ve had a long day of travel, and after that last encounter, I don’t think I want to be staying around the Adventurers Guild in Hazelbury for the next few days. Or weeks.”

We made our way out of the guild hall, tracked only by the prying eyes of a few curious individuals. I nodded at one, and they all immediately spun away, pretending to be preoccupied with something else. Daniel spoke thoughtfully.

“Yeah, that guy just gives me bad vibes. Think he’ll try something?”

“Not immediately.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think he has something planned but it’s not anytime soon. We’ll just have to wait and see. It’s not like we can do anything about it anyway.”

“Right…”

The Human man trailed off as we came to a stop a few streets away from the Adventurers Guild. He glanced over at me and scratched the back of his head.

“You know, I’m surprised you were so composed throughout that, Salvos.”

I cocked my head, confused. He elaborated.

“I expected you to punch him in the balls or something. Honestly, that would have been quite the sight to see.”

I stepped back and stared at him with wide eyes.

“What? No! Are you serious?”

The two Humans gave me a look as I raised my hands defensively.

“He would’ve killed me. Why would I do such a thing?!”

“Ah…”

“So you do have common sense, huh?”

Edithe remarked with a raised brow.

“It’s a survival sense. I’m not going to fight a Demon a hundred levels above me. I’ll die!”

“Don’t you frequently fight monsters higher leveled than you?”

Daniel looked at me dubiously. I scoffed and crossed my arms.

“Only if it seems like I can beat them. If I attacked every single monster or wild Demon stronger than me, I’d be dead right now— in fact, when those Centinels attacked us in that Silkfall’s Crevice Dungeon, the first thing I did was run!”

Daniel simply shrugged while Edithe laughed.

“It was a joke, Salvos. Don’t take it so seriously.”

“...how does that work? You were saying I’m dumb enough to get myself killed!”

“There is a truth to it. It’s not the whole truth, but an exaggeration of it. That’s how jokes work.”

“Huh.”

I paused, considering this. Jokes— humor. Another curious thing about Humans. I had seen Haec, my companion, laugh once; he found how I acted to be funny. It felt demeaning at the time, but perhaps he didn’t mean it that way. Just like how Edithe and Daniel meant no harm in their words now.

“Anyway, it’s about time we split off. Salvos, you’ll be staying with me again tonight.”

“Wait, why?”

I peered at Edithe, perplexed. She glanced over at Daniel who flushed, although neither exchanged any words. She sighed.

“We don’t want you to have any accidents. You’re still not used to a Human body, and I’d rather you not strip yourself naked or do anything compromising to yourself until you learn how to take care of yourself fully as a Human.”

“I’m not even a Human though. This is just my Mortal Form. I’m not a real mortal.I don’t even have to eat or sleep like you two.”

I put in happily; Edithe shook her head.

“But you have at least one Human feature— or well, a pair… listen, we’ll have to talk about things eventually. But in private, with just the two of us. For now, you’ll also be staying with me since we’ll be going shopping tomorrow.”

“Shopping?”

“Yes. These clothes you’re wearing are Daniel’s right? They’re still too loose for you. We need to get something that fits you better.”

“Oh, that sounds interesting. Let’s do it!”

—--

“I hate this.”

I scowled as the Human woman— not Edithe— wrapped the tight piece of garment around me. She pulled it back as now Edithe peeked in through the curtains.

“How’s it fit?”

“Oh, dear, it fits perfectly. I don’t know why she hates it.”

“Because it’s too tight!”

I threw my hands up in the air. The woman— a tailor and the owner of the shop we were in— jerked back, not expecting the sudden move.

“Please, keep your hands down. There are many sharp needles here, we wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself on one now do we?”

“They can’t hurt me…”

I murmured under my breath as I grudgingly crossed my arms across my chest; it was not just me saying the opposite of her out of annoyance— I really couldn’t be hurt by such small needles. My [Vitality] was too high for that. Not unless someone else with high [Strength], like Daniel, jammed them onto me. But even then, it would just be a little bit painful and nothing else.

“How about this?”

The tailor lifted up a single frilly piece of clothing and held it over my body. It was not like the clothes Daniel had provided me which had two parts to it— this could cover me entirely by itself. Edithe frowned and placed a hand on her chin.

“It looks good but… I don’t think she’d want that.”

“I think she’d look perfect in a dress.”

“Unfortunately, Salvos is an adventurer. A [Rogue] at that. It’d be inconvenient to wear such restrictive clothing.”

“Oh please, I’ve seen [Rogues] run across rooftops dressed in more restrictive clothing than this.”

“Well… Salvos isn’t your typical [Rogue], alright?”

Edithe gave the tailor a pleading look. The tailor huffed, turning around.

“Fine. We’ll get this lady here some [Rogue] clothes. Although I don’t see why anyone would like those types of clothing. They’re always so dark and broody looking...”

Eventually, the tailor came back with a pair of shirt and pants that fit me better; it was still tight. I preferred Daniel’s loose clothing. But maybe that was because I was used to wearing them. Whatever the case was, I left the shop with Edithe with my shoulders slumped.

“Ugh, this is terrible…”

“Don’t be so down, Salvos. You look good. Stand tall and proud.”

“How can I stand tall and proud when these annoying shoes are so tight?”

I gestured at the brown shoes at my feet. I could barely even move my toes!

“I think it’s a good thing, really. You aren’t running around barefoot anymore like some kind of… I don’t know, weird barefoot runner?”

“Then how about these clothes then? They’re like a Giant Spider’s strings! They’re tying me down!”

“Don’t let them tie you down. How can you be caught by some low leveled Giant Spider? You’re Salvos, aren’t you? The Savior of Falisfield!”

The Human woman giggled as I shot her a look.

“Hey! You got that Title too. And I told you, I didn’t accept it.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m still mad that I didn’t get the Title Death of the Destroyer. Technically speaking, I was the one who finished off Lucerna, the Destroyer.”

“But I made the plan.”

“Your plan was just to tie him up by the neck. There was no real substance to it.”

“It worked against the large Demon.”

“Which was Level 6 as you said. Hardly the same thing as a Level 68.”

“Well, uh… it worked, didn’t it?”

“That it did.”

Edithe smiled as she led me down the street into a restaurant. We took a seat at a corner table, and she ordered some food for herself as I gave her a judging look. While waiting for the food to arrive, I finally decided to inquire on what was in my mind.

“Where’s Daniel? I haven’t seen him all day.”

“He’s busy dealing with selling the loot we got from Silvergrove. Remember when the city let us pick out from that pile of items? We can’t use everything we picked out, but we can certainly sell them.”

After we saved the city from Lucerna, they threw a feast— which I didn’t attend because of how disgusted I was by it… also because I was evolving— to celebrate. They gave us a lot of rewards, but there honestly wasn’t anything of use for me. The only thing I had wanted was my Spear of Flames that Lucerna stole back, however it had dissipated shortly after we killed him because it had run out of mana from overuse.

I was still kind of upset about that.

A Human woman came back with some food, placing the food at the table. I pushed the ones closest to me away towards Edithe; she watched me do it with a smile.

“You really hate food, huh?”

“It’s just so weird. What do you even do with it?”

“We eat it for energy. It helps us survive.”

“That makes no sense.”

Edithe shrugged, leaning back on her chair as she took a bite of meat.

“You’re a Demon, not a mortal like us. So you wouldn’t know. But try it, at least. It’s delicious.”

I hesitated, eyeing the steak she was eating; I slowly reached out, grabbing the fork and quickly put a piece of it into my mouth. I immediately grimaced and spit it out.

“Gross!”

Edithe stood up.

“Salvos! Don’t do that!”

“But it’s disgusting!”

“You—”

The Human woman cut herself off and sat back down. She softened her gaze as she faced me, speaking slower this time.

“You can’t just spit something out because you think it’s disgusting.”

“Why not?”

I cocked my head. She hesitated, chewing her lower lip for a moment before she continued.

“Because… people will then think you’re disgusting. You don’t want that, right? To be like food to you.”

I found myself nodding as she explained the logic to me; it made other Humans think lowly of you— which might not seem like it mattered, but it did if I wanted to pretend to be a Human well. After Edithe finished her explanation, she quickly added that I shouldn’t take off my clothes in front of Human men too.

Then she quickly changed subjects.

“Still, Salvos, I think you have to learn to pretend to eat. It’s not really normal for a Human— or any species for that matter, be it the Elves, Cyclops, Dwarves, or even Kobolds— to go without eating. Well, there are rumors that at the higher levels you can forego food. And great [Mages] can learn spells to feed themselves without meat. But still… you’re only Level 40.”

“I’m only Level 40 right now.”

I corrected her. She waved a hand dismissively.

“Doesn’t change the fact that you’re Level 40, and if you’re around other people, they’ll think you’re weird for not eating.”

I considered this for a moment.

“Wait, why would I be around other—”

“Hey.”

A voice interrupted me. Edithe and I glanced up as two men approached our table. The first one— the one that spoke— smiled and put out a hand.

“Would you ladies mind if we joined you?”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading, you sexy, beautiful peeps!

45.1. Emotions and Stuff

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

45.1. Emotions and Stuff

“Would you ladies mind if we joined you?”

A tall, lanky man asked as his shorter, more rotund companion followed behind him. Edithe glanced up at them, not even batting an eyelash.

“Apologies, but we are rather preoccupied with ourselves.”

“Oh, come on. I see that you’re both adventurers too. Can’t you spare some time for us fine gentlemen?”

I narrowed my eyes. Adventurers? I quickly identified them.

[Mage - Lvl. 27]

[Archer - Lvl. 24]

I blinked. ‘Too’...? What do they mean by ‘too’...? They’re so weak! I opened my mouth and raised a finger, but Edithe stopped me. She gave me a telling smile before simply shaking her head at them.

“Unfortunately, we are busy.”

“Let your lady friend speak— what do you say?”

He turned to me, ignoring the red haired woman as her smile disappeared off her face. He leaned closer to me.

“If you can convince your friend to join us, we’ll treat you both to a fancy restaurant not in this dull part of Hazelbury. Just give us a chance.”

He spoke with a wink and a grin, holding out a hand. I cocked my head.

“Huh?”

“There’s no need to be coy with us. We have the gold, don’t worry.”

“No. I don’t get what you’re saying at all.”

The man blinked.

“Uh, excuse me?”

I nodded, standing up.

“How are you going to ‘treat’ us to a restaurant? Don’t you eat in a restaurant, not get eaten by the restaurant? Plus, you’re both low leveled. Even if you try to force feed us to a restaurant, we won’t let you.”

I raised a hand menacingly.

“Not without a fight.”

He stared at me. Edithe smacked her forehead. The man turned to his shorter companion.

“What is she on about?”

“I don’t know man. We should just leave. I told you it’s not worth it.”

“But look at them, how can you pass up this chance?”

The lanky man looked back over to me. He reached out and lowered my hand, tugging me with him.

“It’ll just be a quick meal. We can find a place to stay after if you want—”

Edithe finally stood up. She placed a hand on the table quickly but gently, fixating them with a gaze that slowly turned to a glare.

“Excuse me, boys— no, not gentlemen, because gentlemen introduce themselves first— my friend and I are not in the mood to deal with either of you. I’ve tried turning you down nicely, but now I will have to ask you to leave.”

“Oh, how scary. I like my women strong.”

“You should be scared of Salvos, not me.”

He blinked.

“Wait, isn’t that—”

I punched the man in the nether region. He screamed— it was a high pitched scream, losing all of the deepness to his voice. He doubled over, letting go of my right hand. I grabbed his arm before it could fall limply to the ground and pulled him up into the air.

He hovered there for a moment, before I slammed back down to the table.

The lanky man groaned on the now splintered wood, with food and drinks covering him. Heads snapped to us and his companion stepped back. I turned to the other man.

“You want to try it too, huh? I will not let you treat me to a restaurant!”

“H-h-what?”

He paused for a second to give me a confused look, then the sound of a food slopping to his companion’s face drew his attention. He stared at the state of his companion then me.

He ran.

Other Humans in the room turned to stare at us. An angry man burst out of the back, screaming and yelling at me.

“What is going on?! Someone call the guards!”

A person scrambled for the door, shouting for the Human guardsmen attention. A patrol of armed men and women came in, weapons drawn and aimed at me as I tensed. Then the man leading them paused.

“Aren’t you… the Savior of Falisfield? The one who slew the Destroyer?”

I eyed his weapon, lowering my hands slowly.

“Yes.”

“Hm, I only caught a glimpse of you back when you helped defend our city... you’re a bit taller than I remembered. But that doesn’t matter right now— why would you attack a random Silver?”

I shrugged as the lanky man groaned on the floor, wiping the sludge of disgusting food off his head.

“He wanted to feed me to a building!”

Edithe burst out laughing.

—--

“So how did you think a restaurant was going to eat you?”

“I don’t know— it could be a building monster? A wild building? No one ever told me that rocks can attack you, but they can!”

“That’s a fair point, I guess.”

Edithe chuckled, wiping tears out of her eyes. She had explained the situation to the guards, telling them that the two Human men were ‘harassing’ us. However, due to my overreaction we were fined quite a bit of money— two gold coins.

I wasn’t sure how much that was worth, but it was apparently worth a lot.

“I probably should have stopped you, to be honest. I feel a little bit bad. But I just wanted to see what you would do and how you would react.”

“And you found it humorous?”

“It’s nice seeing assholes get what they deserve. Sure, he was only ‘bothering’ us. However, we’re both over 10 levels above him. Imagine if it was two poor Level 15 adventurers here— what would he have done?”

I thought about it for a moment, then shrugged.

“I don’t care.”

“Well, let’s just say he’d have been more insistent. So I’m glad I let you have at him.”

The two of us strolled down the streets of Hazelbury; she was still hungry— having not had enough to eat. We stopped by a small wooden box and she bought some food on sticks from the man inside of it.

“These market street vendors are always so good. Do you want some?”

She grabbed a chicken wing and scrunched into it, gesturing at another one still on the stick. I grimaced.

“You eat a lot.”

“Hey, are you calling me fat?”

Edithe laughed and I cocked my head. She waved a hand off.

“And before you take me literally and say ‘no I am not’, it was a joke.”

“Huh.”

The red haired woman continued chewing into her food as we just walked and talked.

“These are good, but honestly they can’t compare to the street food you can find in a Cyclops city. Those are phenomenal.”

“A… Cyclops city?”

“Well, I say cities, but they’re more like small settlements? Only the coastal ones even get as big as Hazelbury. Cyclops don’t live in very dense populations. And to add to it, many of them travel and leave their homes.”

She turned her gaze up, sighing wistfully.

“I was in Ajih— one of their bigger cities. I had these squishy white things on sticks. They called it fishballs, I think. You should try it— and with the sauce too. It was so delicious.”

I grimaced, imagining the thought of biting a small white rock with some black ooze over it. No— never. Edithe just smiled at my reaction.

45.2. Emotions and Stuff

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

45.2. Emotions and Stuff

“What are we even doing, anyway?”

I turned to her half an hour later. We were now passing by street merchants— [Traders]— people selling their wares and goods, shouting and clamoring to be heard over all the noise.

“What do you mean?”

The Human glanced back at me, holding a necklace up around her neck.

“Does this look good?”

“That looks like a red rock wrapped in metal.”

“It’s a ruby pendant. But do you like the way it matches my hair?”

Edithe raised the jewel up slightly, putting it just next to her fiery locks. I nodded slowly.

“I… yes. I think it looks kind of… nice?”

I wasn’t really sure how to articulate it, however I thought it was pleasing to the eye. She grinned, turning back to the merchant.

“I’ll take it.”

She returned to me moments later and looked at me inquisitively.

“So, what were you saying again, Salvos?”

“What are we doing? We’ve just been walking around doing… nothing.”

“What do you mean? We are doing something.”

“Which is?”

“Relaxing. Spending a girl’s day out.”

Edithe paused as I cocked my head, confused. She averted her gaze slightly.

“Plus, I’ve got to teach you a few things about being a girl.”

—--

“Guys like those two earlier are quite common. Many men think that just because we’re women, they can push us around. You can’t let them do that.”

“Of course— if they push me, I’ll punch them back!”

“No. Not that kind of pushing. It’s the kind where they make you do what they want to do. You’ve got to stand your ground and do what you want instead.”

I cocked my head.

“Huh.”

She sighed.

“I can see how this is kind of confusing for you. Of course it is. But you’ve got to know how to protect yourself as a girl. Not as an adventurer and not as a fighter. As a Human woman.”

“But I’m not a Human woman.”

“Still, I’d rather you not do something stupid or something you’ll regret in the future. You probably won’t ever care for it— this is more for my own conscience, I guess.”

Edithe mused to herself as we sat on the edge of a fountain. I could feel some light droplets trickling onto my face from the constant splashing of the water. Nodding, I smiled.

“I think I can understand what you’re saying. It’s like Lucerna— when I met him, he was trying to make Haec and I do what he wanted us to do. He didn’t care for what we wanted at all!”

“That’s… not exactly right. But close enough.”

She giggled. Not annoyed, not angry. She seemed happy— she was enjoying herself. I looked at this and… I felt my lips curling up. I found myself laughing with her, not really sure what she found so humorous or entertaining, but finding it nonetheless.

After a moment longer of just staying there, relaxing, Edithe spoke up.

“So, Salvos, what will you be doing?”

“What will I be doing?”

“Yes. You can’t really get to where you want to go for the foreseeable future. So, what now?”

I didn’t even think to respond.

“I’ll level, of course.”

Edithe shook her head, muttering under her breath.

“I don’t know why I expected anything else.”

I grinned and she chuckled.

“Well, if you really do want to level, there’s still the Silkfall’s Crevice Dungeon. It’s not that far, and it’s a place you already know. It won’t be too dangerous for you, plus it's still a good place for you to earn levels.”

I nodded slowly as she continued.

“I’ve spoken around. Talked to adventurers. It seems like that while not a lot of adventurers are swarming to tackle this newfound Dungeon, a few high Silvers are trying their luck. You could probably team up with them if it gets too dangerous.”

I raised my head up and down— and stopped.

“But why would I team up with them when I’m with you, Daniel, Mistshard, and Druma?”

The Human woman sighed. She looked over at me as her gaze shadowed over. She chewed her lip hesitantly, but eventually spoke out.

“Salvos… I’ll be leaving in a few days.”

“Leaving?”

I cocked my head.

“To return to my company. The Valiant Dreamers. I’ve already accomplished what I was sent here to do by them— and more. But now, with the Iron Champions Company threatening us— or at least, Stephen did— I need to go back. Tell them about what happened with him. Just in case the company really tries something.”

I stared at her, not really processing what she was saying.

“I wasn’t really sure how to tell you this. Honestly, telling it to Daniel was pretty easy. We’re both adventurers, so he simply took it as it is. But you? I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”

“Wait— but why?”

I blurted out, mind racing. She’s leaving? Aren’t we companions? Why does she have to go?

“Why can’t you stay?”

“I told you. I’m needed back home. And my team… is dead. I have to go back. Talk to their families. Their friends. And we need to grieve. Together.”

I opened my mouth and Edithe hugged me. I flinched, reflexively reaching out to push her back. Then I stopped, slowly embracing her.

“I’m sorry, Salvos. I know it’s sudden. And I know you wouldn’t want to come with me. It’s more weird Human stuff you can’t possibly understand. But I have to go. Return home.”

“Let me follow you!”

I sputtered, not even knowing what I was saying. Edithe cocked her head.

“Are you sure about that? It’ll be full of boring Human stuff. We won’t be fighting, or leveling, or doing anything in particular. There’ll be lots of sleeping and lots of eating. I don’t think you’d like that.”

“I… uh, nevermind.”

I slowly deflated. She sighed, grinning.

“Thought so.”

Slowly, the Human woman let go of me. I spoke up first.

“I… good luck.”

Edithe blinked. I hesitated, but managed to continue.

“Going back… it’s tough. Takes a long time. So, good luck.”

She looked at me, perplexed. Then her eyes widened, and a reassuring smile formed on her face.

“It’s not like your whole ordeal. It’s very simple. I’ll be back in less than a month, don’t worry.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. I’m more worried about you anyway. Just focus on yourself. Don’t jump into a Lair of Centinels because you think you can take them all. If there’s a Level 70 or 100 Centinel— they can get dangerous.”

I lifted an arm up.

“I’ll only do it if I know I can take them.”

“That does not inspire any confidence in me, but I do trust you. So I’ll take your word for it.”

I smiled. But I still felt uneasy.

“When will I see you again?”

“Whenever you want, Salvos. Just come visit me at the Valiant Dreamers headquarters at Viechester. It’s a large city west of here in the Sunmere Republic— not the Capital, since that’s where the Rising Veterans are located.”

“The Sunmere Republic?”

“Yes. Salvos— you’ve only been in the Mortal Realm for a few months. And you’ve mostly stayed around Falisfield. But this place is much bigger than you can imagine. Go explore it, and find a way back to your friend. We’ll meet again in the future, I promise.”

I nodded, looking at the red haired woman one more time. She had the pendant she bought around her neck— and it really did suit her. She shook her head and chuckled.

“Anyway, that’s enough of that for now. It’s not like I’ll be leaving immediately. It’s still a few days. I need to go to the temple and send a relay message back first…”

—--

And yet, a few days came quickly. It passed like the wind carried by the breeze— not like an unmoving, static rock. It came and went, and so did Edithe.

Daniel and I bade her farewell. She left through the gates of Hazelbury with Mistshard by her side. I had already spoken to Druma— the [Yaksha] hadn’t evolved yet, but he was close. I hoped he would be a Greater Spirit the next time I saw him.

And as for [Elemental]— she nodded my way and I nodded back. That was more than enough for the two of us.

I watched as Edithe’s figure disappeared as the night did with the sunrise; she waved at us on the back of a horse, until she was no longer in view. I stayed there by the gates until it was noon, and Daniel returned to usher me away.

“She’s gone, Salvos. Come on, let’s go.”

“For now.”

I spoke softly, following the Human man as he led me away from the city gates and the staring guards.

“But I’ll meet her again. Just like how I’ll meet Haec again. I know it.”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

46. Gold Rank

46. Gold Rank

“Absolutely not!”

“But why?”

I stared at the Human man as he vehemently refused me; he stamped his foot to the ground, not budging even as I gave him a pleading look.

“The last time we went to the Dungeon, I almost died— multiple times. And then again with Lucerna.”

“And?”

I stared at him, blank faced. Daniel sighed, rubbing his temples.

“I need a break. I can’t deal with fighting and almost dying on a daily basis. Besides, you had already gotten your evolution, but I still haven’t got my Class advancement. I just have a little bit more to go— I was thinking of doing simple, easy jobs around Hazelbury until I become Gold Ranked.”

I narrowed my eyes, trying to identify him. Nope, only Level 30 to me. He was still hiding his levels— although I had no idea why he would even do that at this point. Most people knew he was one of the ones involved in saving Silvergrove. So why pretend he was weaker than he actually was?

“Well if you have only a little bit more to go, let’s go to the Silkfall’s Crevice Dungeon then! You’ll hit 40 in no time!”

“I just told you—”

He shook his head.

“Listen, Salvos, if I go with you to the Dungeon, I won’t be able to research more about Demons and the Netherworld. I know you’re excited to fight and level, but if you and I are both out there, how will you ever go back?”

“Uh…”

I tilted my head back.

“I’ll… summon Haec here instead?”

“He doesn’t have a summoning collar.”

Daniel spoke simply. I grimaced. Right, I told him that, didn’t I? I threw my hands up in the air.

“Then I’ll summon another Demon here and steal their collar!”

I nodded affirmatively to myself. That’ll work. I can just take two of those collars and put one on. Then I’ll go back and give Haec the other collar. We’ll be able to come and go from the Mortal Realm whenever we want together! I thought it was a good plan. Daniel however, wasn’t as enthused about it as me.

“That’s not a bad idea, but the problem remains: how are you going to do that if you don’t even know how a Demon summoning ritual works?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

“Exactly.”

“Fine.”

I scowled, crossing my arms.

“If you don’t want to go with me, then stay here! But you better not be gone when I come back, alright?”

“I’m not going anywhere— I did promise you I’ll help you, remember?”

“First Haec, then Edithe. And now you too. All my companions keep leaving me!”

I murmured under my breath as I turned to leave. Daniel watched me go. Just as I reached the door however, he called out.

“It’s something you’ll have to learn, Salvos. People come and go— even if you don’t want them to leave.”

I turned around, eyeing the Human man standing there. His gaze was longing— facing something that wasn’t there. I jabbed a finger in his direction.

“Well too bad for you, I’ll be leaving you behind! I’ll be Level 100 when I come back next month!”

“...that’s not going to happen.”

“We’ll see.”

I grinned and threw the door to our room open. I was staying with him once again ever since Edithe left; although she made sure to tell me a list of things I should and shouldn’t do in front of him. And for whatever reason, Daniel profusely begged me to listen to her instructions with utmost care.

But now, I didn’t have to worry about that any longer. Because I was not going to see him as well— for a little bit. It was only until I returned from the Dungeon, satisfied with whatever gains I could get from it. That was one of two reasons for my insistence to go.

The other reason was… well, it was what impelled me to want to go now.

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 4]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 5

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 2

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 3

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 1

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

[Charge of Embers]. [Fiery Hail]. [Ignition]. [Passive - Deadly Instincts].

Let’s test out my new Skills!

—--

I ran down the streets of Hazelbury, dodging and weaving through the crowd of Humans that filled it. There were gasps, there were curses, and there were shouts. But I ignored them, and eventually reached the gates of the city. Too bad for you! I need to get used to moving in these clothes!

I dashed past the group of onlooking guards stationed there; a few of them called out to me, recognizing me from when I fought alongside them to protect the city from the hordes of monsters that came after Lucerna attacked. Well, they recognized my cloak billowing behind me. It was dark— black. Not that notable. However, I was certain my speed and level was.

“Ho, Salvos! Good luck on your journey!”

“Off to save another town in danger, eh?”

I simply nodded back at them, feeling my boots impact the ground with a thudding sound. It was uncomfortable— restrictive. But I would get used to it. Like I got used to wading through the ocean of rocks in the Netherworld.

I continued speeding past travelers, [Traders], and other Humans on horseback as they came for or left the city of Hazelbury. I was supposed to be heading to Silkfall’s Crevice, which was… from what Daniel told me, in the mountain right next to Bouldergarde. Unfortunately, I didn’t know where Bouldergarde was.

“Hey!”

I stopped right in front of a family of three.

“Wha—”

The father jumped as the mother stepped protectively in front of the child.

“What do you want?”

“Wait, don’t I know you?”

I squinted, forgetting my question for a moment. Then I shrugged.

“Actually, nevermind. Do you know the way to Bouldergarde?”

The father blinked.

“Uh, yes. It’s on the other side of Falisfield. About… 50 miles?”

He pointed in a vague direction. I nodded.

“Thanks!”

“Wait, before you go you’re a Gold Ranked adventurer, aren’t you?”

I paused mid step and turned back to them, brightening.

“How did you know?”

“Oh, uh, because you’re Level 40. So I just assumed you were.”

I grinned at them and pointed a finger back at myself.

“Well, I am Gold Rank. My name is Salvos, nice to meet you!”

“Salvos— as in one of the three adventurers who defeated that ghastly fiend rampaging through the country?”

I nodded excitedly. The child’s eyes widened, staring at me in amazement. I felt my lips curl up as she pulled away from her mother and up to me.

“You’re the one that saved us!”

“I am?”

“Yes! That scary Demon was attacking our city, and you defeated it!”

The mother walked up to the child, pulling her back slightly away from me.

“Now, don’t be rude. But yes, we couldn’t evacuate in time because it was all so sudden. And we heard you fighting. We weren’t there when you beat it, but we were close. We only came out when we heard the cheers— then we knew it was over.”

The father nodded, bowing his head slightly.

“Thank you, for saving us.”

I grinned.

“Of course!”

I wanted him to continue praising me, however his face turned serious.

“I’m sorry to ask you for so much, even after all you’ve done for us, but we spotted another Demon— a Greater Demon, just like the last one— somewhere between Silvergrove and Hazelbury. We went back to Silvergrove to report it, and they sent out an alert. If you see it, please, don’t let another disaster happen again.”

“Please, Miss Salvos.”

The girl tugged at my arm. I cocked my head. Another Greater Demon? Why would I attack one for no reason? But… since they’re asking me to.

“Sure!”

Then maybe I could steal his or her collar and use it to go back. It would save me some time. I stood there, chatting with the family for a while longer, until I noticed that the sun was now high up in the sky.

“Oh! It’s noon! I have to go now. I’d like to get to Bouldergarde before it’s dark.”

I started to leave. Don’t want to get lost. Everything looks the same when there’s no light! I thought to myself. The father smiled and waved at me.

“Thank you, again. And for spending the time to talk with us. Stay safe, and good luck on your journey!”

I waved back, now resuming my run to Bouldergarde. A while later, I realized I forgot where the father said the city was and that I was lost.

—--

“Hey, is that Bouldergarde?”

I called out to a group of [Traders] as they passed me on the road. I pointed at the city in the distance, and they turned to face it.

“Nope, sorry Miss. This is Silvergrove.”

“Silver...grove?!”

I stared at him, aghast. Isn’t that on the other side of Falisfield?! I sighed, looking over at the sun as it made its way down the sky, on its way to the horizon.

“Do you know which road takes me to Bouldergarde?”

I looked at the [Traders] pleadingly. One of them nodded and handed me a map.

“You just got to follow these lines here. It’ll take you straight to the city.”

“I see… thanks!”

I was about to continue on my way when another [Trader] spoke out.

“Actually Miss, you’re a Gold Rank adventurer, aren’t you?”

“Yep! I’m Salvos.”

“Salvos? Oh, you’re the one who killed that [Djinn] that attacked Silvergrove. We just heard a lot about you, you see.”

“Really? People are talking about me?”

I perked up, thinking about what they could be saying. The [Trader] however, interrupted my imagination.

“They were. You know, it’s still kind of dangerous around these parts. We hear talks about more Demons. Tell you what— you don’t need to pay for the map if you just help escort us to Cliffglen.”

I wrinkled a brow.

“...pay you? Escort you?”

“The map would’ve cost 8 silver. It’s quite detailed. But if you just come with us for a little bit, we’ll give it to you for free.”

“I…”

I hesitated, glancing down at where Bouldergarde was marked on the map. Then I looked back up at the [Traders]. I can just run away. They won’t be able to catch me. But no— Edithe told me that stealing should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. It would make me get in trouble, which could cascade into me getting in trouble for being a Demon and dying to a lot of angry Humans.

The [Trader] continued.

“It’s not that far, just to the next town over. Promise!”

I sighed.

“Sure.”

—--

“Is this Bouldergarde?!”

I came to a stop right in front of a man dressed in armor. He looked like a city guard, although they weren’t as well equipped as the ones in Hazelbury were. He jerked, straightening when I appeared and rubbing his eyes.

“Hu— what? Oh this? Yeah, this is Bouldergarde. What do you want? Passing through or looking to stay in the city?”

“Oh, finally! And neither of those. I just want to go to the Dungeon.”

“The Dungeon— you mean the new one? Silkfall’s Crevice? It’s right up that hill over there.”

The guard pointed at the lumbering mountain in the distance, plastered over the dark sky. A road went up the slope, leading to a small crest before it continued further up.

“But are you sure you want to go there? It’s a Gold Rank Dungeon, Miss. It’s not a place for someone like you—”

His eyes widened as he pointed at me.

“Wait, Level 40? You’re a Gold Rank adventurer?!”

I looked at him— then at the direction of the Dungeon. I smiled back his way.

“Nope!”

“But you’re Level 40, aren’t you? And you’re going to the Dungeon! If you could—”

“Nope!”

I spoke over the man, still smiling. The man blinked, slowly lowering his arm.

“I… uh, see. I must be mistaken.”

“You are!”

I helpfully added. The man shyly scratched the back of his head.

“Well, uh, good luck with the Dungeon, I guess.”

“Thanks!”

I waved at him once, then spun around and dashed up the road. I found myself standing on flat ground quickly enough, and broke off from the road in the direction of where I remembered the Dungeon to be. But it was night now. The sun had set. And I realized… I was lost again.

That was, until I saw the smoke rising in the distance. Bright light shone and illuminated the night sky from below. I felt relief was through me as I saw what it was. A camp— a large one, with a few dozen Humans. But it was not just located at any random part of the hill.

It was right next to Silkfall’s Crevice.

Finally, I’m here.

A note from MelasD

I've been thinking about rebranding for a while, and I finally decided to do it. You can still call me Delta since the D in "MelasD" stands for Delta. Or whatever you want. I don't really care. I needed a username without numbers and this was the best I could think of.

47.1. New and Familiar

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

47.1. New and familiar

I strolled into the camp set up around the large crack running through the ground that was the Dungeon. It was Silkfall’s Crevice. A Gold Rank Dungeon. And here were the adventurers who dared to challenge it.

Dozens of rugged, tough Humans clumped together in their own small grounds, around their own campfires, and feasting on their own food. But they were all here for the same reason— the same goal. They were the only ones who had the gall, who had the courage, who had the strength to face the threats inside the Dungeon…

Why is everyone so weak?!

[Warrior - Lvl. 24]

[Mage - Lvl. 29]

[Warrior - Lvl. 21]

[Rogue - Lvl. 30]

[Archer - Lvl. 19]

…

I stared at those who have gathered here, and I found myself especially unimpressed. Isn’t this a Gold Rank Dungeon? Aren’t these Humans Silvers? I thought for a moment. Then I remembered how I had only been around Level 20 when I first entered Silkfall’s Crevice. Maybe they’re strong, we’ll see.

It was not like levels or power really even mattered to me; I was here to test out my new Skills, and gain some levels while I was at it. It was exciting— I couldn’t wait to jump straight into the Dungeon. In fact, I waltzed past all the adventurers, ignoring the closest faces that turned to identify me before hurriedly whispering to their teammates.

I stopped just before the hole in the ground, about to jump in. Isn’t that dangerous? I thought for a moment. Then I shrugged. I’ll just climb then. I stepped forward—

“Oi!”

A loud, booming voice called out to me. I whirled around and saw a group of three approach me. I cocked my head as they approached, led by a bulky man at the fore.

The man leading them was not a Human. He had dark green skin and no hair, with four thick arms and two legs. His large jaw bit over his upper lip, revealing two sharp teeth protruding from his mouth. I narrowed my eyes as he turned a single eye towards me. He’s… a Cyclops.

He looked me over as I identified him and his two companions.

[Warrior - Lvl. 51]

[Mage - Lvl. 46]

[Archer - Lvl. 47]

The [Mage] and the [Archer] were both Humans— one was a man, the other a woman. These adventurers were Gold Rank. The first ones I had ever seen outside of Edithe.

The Cyclops loomed over me, his two companions standing behind him with their arms folded. They focused their calculating gaze over me— as if they were trying to pry me open with their eyes open.

I took a single step back, readying a clawed hand, only to realize I had no claws. Would a [Fire Strike] work that well as a punch? I wasn’t entirely sure. And that's what I came here to find out. I just hadn’t expected it to happen even before I entered the Dungeon.

The tall, one-eyed man folded his arm and released a loud grunt. He opened his mouth as I tensed… and spoke softly.

“I apologize for that. I didn’t mean to shout and scare you. I just panicked when I saw what you were doing.”

His voice was gentle— almost like how I imagined a delicate flower would sound like. If I could hold his voice, I was sure I would snap it in half by accident.

“What was I doing?”

I gave him an inquisitive look. Panic? Why would he panic? He didn’t elaborate, however, instead giving me a wide, crooked smile.

“Miss— if I may call you that— I see that you’re a Gold Rank adventurer. I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors of Silkfall’s Crevice not actually being a Gold Rank Dungeon, with its threat level being blown out of proportion. But I can assure you that it is dangerous down there. If you were hoping to scout ahead of your team, I suggest you wait for them. And if you don’t have a team and were hoping to level by yourself…”

He turned back to his two companions and nodded at them. The Human woman nodded back, but the Human man had his arm crossed across his chest with his staff in hand and refused to meet the gaze of the Cyclops.

“I have a spot in my team open. It’ll mean that we’ll have to split our experience even more than before, but I’d rather you not go down there by yourself and get hurt.”

I blinked.

“But I won’t get hurt.”

The Cyclops frowned, rubbing his chin.

“That’s very unlikely—”

“Hah.”

The Human man scoffed, shaking his head. He glanced over at the Cyclops then at the [Mage].

“I told you two we shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just another newbie Gold who thinks they can take anything now that they’re Level 40. I say just leave her. Let her learn the lesson that hard way.”

“Lesson?”

I gave him a confused look. The Human man sneered.

“Of course. The lesson that every arrogant Silver gets when they first get their Gold badge— that being Gold doesn’t mean shit. You may be stronger than a majority of adventurers, but you’re still weaker than 90% of the monsters out there.”

“Zack!”

The Human woman looked at him, horrified. He shrugged.

“What? It’s true. Let her go down there and get herself killed. If she’s lucky, she might only get maimed and lose an arm.”

“But that doesn’t mean you had to say anything!”

“Jaakko’s wasting his time if he thinks this conversation would go any different than it did with that team of high Silvers that went down there alone last week. They should’ve cooperated with the other teams and formed an expedition— but no. They were almost Gold, and this was their chance at glory. See where they’re at now.”

The Cyclops, Jaakko, frowned and rubbed his chin. He looked at Zack, choosing not to speak sharply, but to keep his cool voice from before.

“I understand your concerns… but that is no reason to disrespect the dead, or disrespect this young lady to her face.”

He turned back to me and bowed his head.

“I apologize for my teammate’s harsh words. But please, I urge you to consider working with us. It would only benefit the both of us.”

Zack snorted.

“She’s not going to change her mind—”

“Sure!”

I piped up cheerfully. The Human man blinked.

“Uh, what?”

I continued as he gave me a blank gaze.

“I’ve never met a Cyclops before, and you three are kind of interesting. I don’t mind going with you down to the Dungeon.”

Jaakko sighed, placing a hand on his chest in relief. Zack continued blinking as the Human woman smiled my way.

“See? Maybe if you weren’t such a jerk all the time, things wouldn’t be so difficult.”

“I… but…”

He turned to her.

“Helen, you didn’t actually think she would change her mind so easily, did you? Noone ever does that!”

“Only because you can’t keep your mouth shut.”

“But she told us she would go down there and not get hurt!”

“But I won’t get hurt.”

I spoke simply, interrupting the two. They paused, turning to me with a confused look. Even Jaakko blinked this time— his single eye closing and opening slower than a Human’s would.

“What?”

“Look at that— she still thinks this Dungeon isn’t dangerous!”

“It is dangerous.”

I nodded.

“But for you. Not for me. So if you want to join me, let’s go. Because we’re going down there right now.”

…

“Ok, I changed my mind. She isn’t just some arrogant new Gold Rank. She’s just stupid or insane.”

47.2. New and Familiar

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

47.2. New and Familiar

Now entering [Dungeon: Silkfall’s Crevice].

I hopped off the ladder and landed on solid ground, followed right after by the three adventurers I had just met. The Human man, Zack, was the last one to come down. He walked right past me, ignoring me and murmuring under his breath.

“This is so stupid. Why do we have to go in now at this hour? We already spent four hours down here this afternoon...”

I cocked my head. Why would you even go back up? I thought, not understanding his complaints. I initially was under the impression that none of the adventurers above had ventured into the Dungeon yet, but apparently they all had gone in at least once. It was just that they went in very quickly and went out.

“Don’t mind him. He’s just grumpy because he didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

A female voice spoke out. I turned and saw the [Archer] standing there, her bow already out. She smiled at me, proffering a hand.

“Helen. Sorry we didn’t get to properly introduce ourselves.”

I smiled back.

“It’s fine. I’m Salvos.”

“Salvos? Hm, I could’ve sworn I’ve heard that name before. Oh well, that jerk [Mage] over there is Zack. And our team leader here is Jaakko, as I’m sure you’ve already surmised.”

“Greetings.”

Jaakko nodded my way. Meanwhile, Zack was off in the distance, flipping through the pages of a book and mumbling to himself. Helen sighed.

“Anyway, I hope we didn’t come off as too imposing earlier. Jaakko is usually very reserved and cool headed— which is why he’s our leader— but he worries about others a little too much.”

“So… you three are Gold Ranks?”

I looked over at them curiously. Then I focused on the large green man.

“And you're a Cyclops.”

“Indeed.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen a Cyclops. In fact, I only heard about your kind a week ago.”

Jaakko wrinkled a brow.

“My kind may not be as common as you Humans, especially here in the eastern part of the continent where Humans are plentiful. But we do travel around. I am surprised to hear that you’ve never even heard of us until recently.”

I nodded eagerly. I peered at him, leaning closer.

“I have a lot of questions. I know nothing about Cyclops’ at all!”

“Are we going in or what?”

Zack called back to us, standing at the sole tunnel leading further down the Dungeon; Helen sighed and shook her head.

“Yes, we are. Come on, let’s walk and talk so he doesn’t get agitated any further.”

The four of us started making our way through Silkfall’s Crevice— the dim hallway illuminated by the torch Jaakko was carrying. I had offered to create a fire, but they told me to save my mana.

“So, do you guys need to eat? Do you need to sleep? Do you have Classes as well or something else?”

I began listing off the questions in my head as we walked through the familiar Dungeon; I had been here before, and I was expecting to see a fork in the tunnel soon.

“That is… a lot of questions all at once. But unfortunately, I only have a simple answer to all of them: yes.”

“Yes?”

I cocked my head.

“Indeed. Us Cyclops’ are no different from you Humans. I apologize that I cannot give you a more interesting response.”

“Aw… it’s fine. I was just curious.”

If he had a Subspecies instead of a Class, I wanted to press him more to learn about how exactly it actually worked; being around Humans for so long, I learned that there was quite a detailed understanding on how Classes and their advancements functioned.

I had other questions for him. However, before I could ask them, Zack— who had been walking ahead— halted. He raised a hand and backed up.

“Wait— look! Our barricade’s been breached.”

I glanced over at what he was pointing at— down the hallway, there was a split just as I had expected. One of the tunnels led further down the Dungeon, while the other was a straight line to the Lair of Giant Spiders. Built in front of the tunnel leading to the Lair were wood and stone, now smashed and broken into pieces. Helen cursed.

“Damn. Think the Centinels did it?”

“It must have been. Giant Spiders are very territorial. They wouldn’t just break a barrier for their Lair without a reason. Either some Centinels forced a group of them to flee, or the Centinels themselves destroyed it.”

I inspected the damage done to the wood and stone now lying on the ground; it hadn’t been smashed past— or rather, it hadn’t just been smashed through. It was cut up then it was burrowed through.

“The Centinels definitely did this.”

I spoke up simply. The [Mage] turned back and frowned.

“And how would you know that?”

“Because Centinels have a hundred sharp legs while Giant Spiders have blunt, thick legs. It doesn’t matter that they didn’t destroy it though. It’s been opened and now they’re coming.”

I pointed into the tunnel as dozens of red eyes appeared in the darkness. The quick sounds of skittering filled the moist air as suddenly, a swarm of Giant Spiders came rushing down at us. Helen, Jaakko, and Zack immediately backed up and raised their weapons.

The Cyclops quickly spat out orders.

“Helen, use your Explosive Bolts before they get close! Zack, form a partial barrier to funnel them through. I will focus on the stronger ones that reach us.”

“Got it!”

Helen grabbed three arrows and nocked it onto her bow immediately. Zack raised his book and aimed a finger at the earth just ahead as the first Giant Spider reached us..

“Fuck! I knew we shouldn’t have come here—”

I rushed the monster as my entire body lit up, blazing with an intense blue flame that raged around me.

Defeated [Drop Spider - Lvl. 43]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I got up and off the first dead Giant Spider as the three adventurers stared. I looked down at the dissipating flames and grinned.

“So, that’s what [Charge of Embers] does, huh? Not bad. Kind of like if [Double Step] was combined with [Fire Strike].”

The dozens of Giant Spiders stopped for only a second as their watched their companion died, before they resumed their descent upon us.

“One more Skill Slot. Now which of my other Skills should I try out on you?”

48. Testing Out Skills

48. Testing Out Skills

Zack stared at the silver haired woman as she struck down the first Giant Spider. Her body had been engulfed in flames for a moment as she dashed forward, then it was gone and the monster was dead.

She was quick. The Gold Rank adventurer had seen Level 50 [Rogues] before, and she outpaced even them. How the fuck did she do that? Was it a special Skill? Perhaps she had gotten lucky during her Class advancement and gained a higher leveled Skill.

That certainly seemed to be the case since she wasn’t activating it again. Zack clicked his tongue, instead focusing on his list of spells. I’m not a damn [Barrier Mage]. I don’t have any Skills for that! But that didn’t mean he couldn’t cast a spell that did something similar.

“Rock Wall!”

Zack pointed past the silver haired woman and the ground shot up, cutting off part of the tunnel’s entrance.

“Don’t be stupid and get back here! You’ve already shown off, now there’s no need to get yourself killed!”

He shouted at her as his teammates readied themselves for the impending horde of Giant Spiders. The silver haired woman turned fractionally back towards him, giving him an uncaring look. Why are you just standing there, idiot?! Then suddenly, as the monsters drew closer, she smiled.

“[Fiery Hail].”

Dozens of sparks suddenly came to existence above her silver hair. The blue flames took the shape of spikes, each about a few inches in length. It rained down at the Giant Spiders, striking down the lower leveled monsters before they even came close.

“Huh.”

That was all she said. The burning blue projectiles bounced off the carapace of the Level 40 as they approached, ignoring the attack and funneling through the narrow path left for them. Three Explosive Bolts blew apart the first group, and Helen nocked another arrow onto her fancy bow.

“They’re coming through!”

Jaakko marched forward and drew a large scythe-like weapon, engaging the next wave as they came through. Meanwhile, the silver haired woman remained standing there, unperturbed by nearing Giant Spiders. What is she doing? Get out of the way—

The first [Drop Spider] leapt at her, and Zack cursed, realizing that he hadn’t been doing his job either. He had been too distracted by her weird antics. He aimed a finger at the falling Giant Spider but he was too slow. It snapped its massive limbs shut—

And she dodged out of the way with a single step. The silver haired woman brought a hand up and punched the large monster with a fiery blow. It flew against the stone wall, its carapace cracking with the force of the hit.

With a frown, she glanced down at the palm of her hand.

“Punching sucks.”

Then she conjured a fiery hammer and tossed it at the downed Giant Spider. It reeled back as it tried to get up, but the silver haired woman was over it in a second. She raised a leg up as wisps of flame danced around her foot before crushing its head.

Zack’s eyes widened. That was… fire creation magic? How— a Skill?!

The silver haired woman straightened then seemingly began to mull over something. Her gaze wandered off as she muttered to herself.

“...should I? It isn’t even as good as…. actually let me test it.”

She turned to the gap where the Giant Spiders were crawling out of as Jaakko backed up, having taken two down but was cut up as well. She called out to him.

“Jaakko, move out of the way!”

The Cyclops looked at her for a second, then nodded and ran back to Helen. The [Archer] hesitated, eyeing the silver haired woman hesitantly.

“What are you trying to do, Salvos?”

Wait, Salvos…?

“Testing out which Skill is better.”

The silver haired woman raised an arm and released a wave of scorching blue flames down the tunnel. The Giant Spiders slowed as the wave burned them, and unlike with the previous hail of fire, none of the lower leveled monsters survived this time. Only the [Weaving Spiders] and [Drop Spiders] survived, but they didn’t come off unscathed.

Two [Weaving Spiders] dropped dead as the flames continued burning them, until the foremost [Drop Spider] reached her. It struck out at her with its long limbs. She stepped back, evading and countering the monster with a single movement.

Her kick was once again covered in the blue embers, and it sent the [Drop Spider] back onto another Giant Spider skittering along the walls. Two more [Weaving Spiders] shot threads out at her, but two long fire daggers appeared by her side and she snapped it at them as she leapt over the attack.

The silver haired woman rushed forward at the two [Weaving Spiders] as her daggers landed on their carapace, creating a flaming longsword before slicing their front legs off. They fell and she finished them off quickly.

“I think I prefer a spear.”

The weapon changed as Zack blinked, morphing into a longer pointed shape as three Giant Spiders came at her at once. That’s not just a creation Skill, how is she doing that so easily?!

She swung wide, knocking two back and running the third through completely with the fire spear. Then she hopped over the other two, releasing another wave of flames at them, incinerating them and finishing them off before landing on the one on the wall and jamming the weapon through its head.

She landed nimbly back onto the ground with a smile and she flourished the spear behind her back. The last Giant Spider— the one she had kicked at first— hobbled over to her as she cocked her head.

“Your companions are dead, are you really going to try this?”

She spoke to the monster as if it could understand her. And perhaps it could— because she was a monster. She had to be a monster. How could she not be?

Zack was not that far off in his assessment.

Unfortunately for the Giant Spider, it either didn’t understand the silver haired woman, or it didn’t care. It readied for an attack—

And Jaakko tossed a heavy chain around its neck, dragging it to him. He brought his scythe-like weapon down once, twice— and the Giant Spider stopped struggling. Salvos blinked.

“Woah.”

She glanced between the Cyclops and the kusarigama.

“I want that.”

That weapon was so cool!

It had heavy chains protruding out of the bottom of its hilt, letting Jaakko tie up the Giant Spider when he attacked! If I had a weapon like that when I fought against Lucerna— with maybe even longer chains— we wouldn’t have had to lead him all the way to the city gates to beat him!

The hilt was about the size of my arm— which was quite long for me, but not too much for the Cyclops man since he was about Haec’s height— and the protruding curve blade at the top was just as long. I eagerly ran up to him, eyes glittering as I took a look at his weapon. It was a kusarigama, and I wanted it!

“You want it?”

Jaakko gave me a curious look and I nodded.

“I’m not going to take yours, since stealing is something I should avoid doing apparently. But I can make my own… I think.”

I brought a hand out and began to concentrate, creating fire and molding it to the outline of the weapon. However, just as the flames stopped being a nebulous blob and started to take the shape of the kusarigama, a voice broke my focus and the fire dissipated.

“You!”

I glanced back as Zack walked up to me, eyes wide. He paused, as if realizing something. Then he took a step back and spoke softer.

“You’re… Salvos?”

“I’m Salvos!”

I happily agreed with him.

“As in the Salvos, Savior of Falisfield?!”

“Yep.”

“You know her?”

Helen interjected, blinking. The Human man turned to her, opening and closing his mouth slowly.

“Yes! How can you not recognize that Title?! She was the one who killed the Demon ravaging these lands!”

I found myself grinning at the sudden shift in personality in him. Recognize me more! Praise me more! I thought with my chin up. Helen just shrugged.

“I don’t really pay attention to the news.”

“How about you?”

Zack whirled around to the Cyclops man.

“Did you know who Salvos was?!”

“Yes.”

Jaakko replied without hesitation. Zack paused, blinking.

“The moment she introduced herself to me, I knew who she was.”

“Wha… why didn’t you say anything?!”

The Human man sputtered.

“I saw no reason to. She may be the Savior of Falisfield, but working together as a team is still the best option.”

“You could’ve at least told me who she was! I…”

Zack looked back at me and I cocked my head. He bowed.

“I apologize Miss Salvos for my disrespectful comments earlier. I had misjudged you, and for that, I’m sorry.”

“Uh… ok?”

He was being dismissive of me, however I did not think he did anything disrespectful. If I didn’t like the way he was acting, I would have made it known by punching him at least once. He didn’t even try to attack me! Why is he apologizing?

I shook my head, glancing down the corridor that didn’t lead us to the Lair of the Giant Spiders.

“Let’s just continue.”

I still had two other Skills to try out. And I wasn’t particularly pleased with what I currently had. [Charge of Embers] was fine, but it had a long cool down as [Double Step] did. Its biggest advantage was that it was much stronger than a [Fire Strike] so I might keep it. Meanwhile, [Fiery Hail] was just bad.

I probably was going to replace it.

—--

We descended further into the Dungeon and I had the chance to use my two new Skills twice more, before I finally decided to replace [Fiery Hail]. It only proved most effective against groups of lower leveled enemies, and even then, I could just use [Scorching Wave] to achieve the same effect.

Curious as to what the passive did, I chose to test out [Passive - Deadly Instincts] instead. The moment I removed [Fiery Hail], I felt the Skill vanish entirely. So, I can’t just remove a Skill and add it back if I decide I actually like it. That was good to know.

The moment [Passive - Deadly Instincts] activated, I felt my vision and hearing grow sharper. Nothing was louder and nothing was clearer than before, so I wasn’t really sure what it did. However, the moment we came across a group of Ground Cravers appeared, I realized its use.

Without even thinking, I knew to go straight for the [Howres] with their deadly sound magic; I dashed forward, taking them out with a single strike each. And it wasn’t just because of the level difference, something compelled me to go for the areas that I knew were vulnerable but couldn’t exactly make the decision to aim for at the moment.

We wiped out the monsters in moments, because they were so low leveled.

“I think that’s enough for tonight. “

Jaakko spoke softly, turning to his two companions. Zack and Helen agreed, but I simply nodded.

“Go ahead and go back. I still want to continue.”

I wanted to see just how good this Skill, so I wouldn’t retire just yet. However, the Cyclops man frowned.

“Salvos, I know you’re powerful, however everyone needs to eat and rest. Come, you can return tomorrow. Let’s go back up to camp.”

I blinked. I forgot about that! I chewed my lower lip as I tried to think up an excuse.

“I, uh, have food with me. I can just sleep down here. So don’t worry!”

“Food? You don’t even have a bag on you…”

Zack pointed out. I blinked.

That’s right! I wanted to smack my forehead like Edithe often did. What do I do? I didn’t want to go back just yet, but I couldn’t think of an excuse. Maybe if I just start running very fast they won’t be able to catch up to me.

His eyes widened.

“Unless—”

He glanced over at me, his eyes focusing on my necklace. I covered it and stepped back, and he immediately averted his gaze.

“Sorry— that’s not what I was looking at. I… is that a dimensional storage item? A Necklace of Keeping?”

“...yes?”

“I see. I’m sorry for asking.”

Zack turned back to his companions and nodded their way.

“I think she’ll be fine. If she has such a High Grade Item, she would surely have some protections on her too. I was… wrong to assume she wouldn’t survive down here on her own. But the same isn’t true for us.”

“Wait, you think we should just leave her here?!”

Helen snapped at him.

“Of course! That’s what she wants.”

“But…”

“If Salvos insists on staying, then we can’t force her back. Come, Helen, Zack. We shall return to the camp.”

Jaakko nodded at me and I smiled back.

“I’ll be fine! Plus, I want to take a look at your weapon some more. I still can’t create a kusarigama with fire!”

The way it was designed made it difficult to replicate; it took too much mana for me to make the chains exactly as it was supposed to be. They were heavy— dense. The best I could do was just create the upper half of it— the sickle.

The Cyclops man bade me farewell and turned to leave. Zack was right behind him, although he stopped for just a moment to bow and apologize to me one more time. Helen was last to go, hesitating as she glanced back at me.

“...don’t die.”

I gave her a thumbs up— something I was told by Daniel was meant to reassure people.

“I won’t.”

Then they were gone, and it was just me left in the Dungeon. I sighed as the information that had been building up from earlier finally came pouring out as I evaluated my Status.

Defeated [Drop Spider - Lvl. 45]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Howre - Lvl. 29]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 40] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 41]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 41

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 1

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 5]

[Vitality]: 42 (+5) (-7)

[Strength]: 28 (+5) (-7)

[Endurance]: 55 (+5) (-7)

[Wisdom]: 63 (+5) (-2)

[Agility]: 84 (+5) (-7)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 7]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 5

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 1

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Flame Coat] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 2

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 3

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 1

I was surprised I had even gained a single level from all that fighting; it was probably because of all the Giant Spiders I had killed at the beginning. But still, fighting these lower leveled monsters was not going to help me level too much. I had to find the Centinels to do that.

For now, I spent 3 Stat Points on [Agility] and the remaining 2 on [Endurance]. I left my Skill Points alone, since I still had [Ignition] to test out, and I was not sure if I wanted to remove [Charge of Embers] for it— I was definitely going to keep [Passive - Deadly Instincts].

I focused on the one Skill I still hadn’t tested that I could test. I hadn’t tried it out because I wasn’t sure what it did and if it would be harmful to those nearby. But now that the three Gold Rank adventurers were gone, I was going to try out a [Zealous Call].

I opened my mouth to speak— but something told me that was wrong. I closed my mouth slowly, trying to figure out what I was supposed to do. I had to make a sound? I had to infuse the Skill into a specific kind of noise.

But I wasn’t sure what. I shrugged and decided to just shout.

“Zealous Call!”

Nothing happened. Or rather, the shout sent an echo going down the tunnel, but I knew the Skill failed to work.

“Huh.”

I started walking forward as my shout continued echoing in the distance. Then I stopped. I felt the ground shake slightly. The earth trembled, as if something was moving it— as if something was moving inside of it.

I jumped back as the ground shot upwards.

Centinels? I thought excitedly.

And dozens of Ground Cravers came pouring out. The low leveled monsters turned to me, angry that someone had interrupted their sleep, and began blaring their sound magic in my direction. I grimaced as the magic took effect, but still rushed them—

But suddenly, a louder, more piercing screech came over me. It made me fall to my knees and cover my ears. Then from out of the hole came a larger, more terrifying looking [Howre]. She had four legs, of course, and a long snouty mouth.

The only difference between her and the others was that she was bigger. And her magic was far more powerful.

[Queen Howre - Lvl. 61]

“...huh.”

A note from MelasD

Sorry if I've been very unresponsive recently, I have been extra busy.

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49. Ignition

49. Ignition

The collective of [Howres] erupted into a scream, sending their sound magic straight at me. I reeled back, clasping at my ears as a ripple went over my body. My Ring of Lesser Protection held out for a moment— just long enough for me to send a [Scorching Wave] at the [Queen Howre].

She halted her sound magic, letting me gather myself long enough to dash forward with a [Charge of Embers]. My attack knocked her off balance, but before I could follow up with [Fire Strike], the defenses from the ring dissipated— the sound magic from the [Howres] too overwhelming. I fell back to the ground and their queen dug back into the earth.

Why didn’t I go for them first? I thought, directing another wave of blue flames at them. My… [Passive - Deadly Instincts] made me go for her first. It must have recognized her as the bigger threat— perhaps if her sound magic had penetrated my ring’s magical aura, it would have hurt me. A lot.

The screeching of the [Howres] turned to cries as I easily took care of a dozen in a moment. But I felt the ground rumble once again before the [Queen Howre] popped back out of the earth. More Ground Cravers came with her— not just the sound magic variants, but a few sent bits of stone flying at me.

Another [Scorching Wave] swept over the monsters as the [Queen Howre] readied another scream. But as she opened her mouth, the world slowed. [Self Haste] activated, and I sped up towards the giant monster.

The sound magic blared and I found myself grimacing midstep, stumbling and ducking under a large clawed hand. Fire daggers appeared in both my hands and I tossed the first at her open mouth. The magic stopped coming and I leapt in the air, landing on her face and plunging the dagger as it shifted into a longsword into the side of her snout.

The [Queen Howre] screamed— this time in pain— and shook me off her. I landed lithely on the ground, leaving my weapon behind as she disappeared back underground. And in that brief reprieve, my body shifted.

A ripple ran through my body, arms growing longer and claws forming on my fingers. There was a crackle of pops as my back lengthened, then turned slightly crooked while horns sprouted from the side of my head. I heard a tear— although I ignored it, instead waiting for where the monster would come from next.

The ground ahead cracked, and in an instant I was looming over the [Queen Howre]. Her eyes widened as she saw me— her accompanying group of Ground Cravers screeching the moment they saw me— but I shrugged off the attack. Two [Fire Strikes] tore into her body, before she grabbed both my arms and held them to the side.

I pushed forward, trying to overpower her as wisps of flames flicked off my claws, but she was stronger than me. I felt myself giving ground, ears bleeding as the [Howres] continued their screaming. I scowled, taking a step back—

Then my back straightened and my mouth opened wide. Dozens of sharp teeth crunched down onto the face of the [Queen Howre]. She screeched, letting go of me before I sent her flying back with a fiery kick. I glanced down at the remaining [Howres] and incinerated them once and for all.

Then as the [Queen Howre] began to burrow back into the ground, the gray world around me blurred a bright blue. I reached the monster in an instant, tackling her with [Charge of Embers] and following her as she tried to escape.

Now Entering [Lair: Hole of Ground Cravers].

We both popped out over a narrow open space, not too far off from where I had been walking. So this is why you came, huh? I thought, jabbing a clawed hand into her open mouth before she could scream her sound magic again.

I pushed her off me and she fell to the ground with a hard crash. [Self Haste] had run out before I used [Charge of Embers], so everything was moving normally now. And yet, the [Queen Howre] picked herself up slowly— too slowly.

I landed on the ground just ahead of her, crouching with my hands pressed on the floor. I cocked my head as I saw the monster back up, covering something behind her.

“What are you doing?”

The [Queen Howre] didn’t respond. Instead, I heard a dozen tiny screams— no, cries. I stood up straight and tried to peer around her shoulder from where I stood. I saw tiny figures, squirming and wailing as the [Queen Howre] stood over them.

“Are those… your infants? Infant Ground Cravers?”

She just stared at me. Her eyes fixed to whatever little movement I made. I sighed.

“When I shouted, I wasn’t trying to attack your Lair. You were the one that came at me first.”

What would Edithe have done in this situation? Probably kill the [Queen Howre]. Humans don’t like monsters very much. But I wasn’t a Human— especially with the way I was currently. I like this form, but…

I glanced down at my white figure. My clothes had been ripped apart by the transformation. They weren’t completely gone— however I didn’t think Daniel or Edithe would have approved of it regardless.

“I really want the experience, you know? But I came here to test out my Skills more than anything. Levels— evolving— while nice, isn’t everything. So if you really want, I’ll just leave you and your infants alone, ok?”

The [Queen Howre] eyed me cautiously. She tilted her head as if she was considering what I saw. Then she opened her mouth—

And more sound magic blared. I reeled back for a moment before clicking my teeth.

“Fine!”

I dashed forward on all four, dodging the sound magic as it came at me. I leapt to the side and pushed myself off the wall before landing on the [Queen Howre]. She screamed— then stopped as my claws dug into her throat.

The large monster struggled, trying to pry me off her, but I continued tearing into her. Until finally, she stopped moving.

Defeated [Howre - Lvl. 24]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

…

Defeated [Queen Howre - Lvl. 61]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Cleared [Lair: Hole of Ground Cravers]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 41] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 42]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 42] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 43]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

The infant Ground Cravers continued their wailing while I spent my Stat Points as I did before— 3 for [Agility] and 2 for [Endurance] with each level. I looked over my Skill Points, unsure of what to do. I still wanted to see what [Ignition] did, but [Charge of Embers] was useful.

The only thing I could think of replacing was [Flame Coat]. And that wasn’t because it wasn’t a good Skill per se, but something told me that [Ignition] was a similar Skill to it.

It was then I made a rash decision. I replaced [Flame Coat] with [Ignition], permanently losing the former Skill. I lifted a hand and spoke softly.

“[Ignition].”

And an aura of flames engulfed me. The brilliant blue fire lit up the dark room, covering me entirely. It was like a [Flame Coat] except… I don’t need to anchor the flames on something.

My body was the anchor, and it did not burn me nor my clothes. I let the fire dissipate and tried concentrating it onto my dark cloak. Unfortunately, it did not work. So I can’t set other things on fire anymore, but I can set myself on fire. Considering that most of what I did with [Flame Coat] was just lighting my clothes on fire to protect myself, it seemed like a good trade off. Especially when I was not in my Mortal Form.

I glanced down at the tattered clothing— at my Demonic self. And I sighed.

“Now I’ve got to wait an hour to do anything else.”

Helen wasn’t sure why she found herself worrying about the silver haired girl from yesterday. According to both Jaakko and Zack, she was famous?

The [Archer] wasn’t really sure. She did not keep up with current events. However, she had seen what Salvos could do, and she could definitely hold her own in the Dungeon. So why was Helen worried?

Perhaps it was because Salvos was young. She might have been high leveled— she might have even had a rare Class. But that only made Helen more worried. That will only make her more reckless. And one mistake can cost any Gold Rank their life. A thought crossed her mind, but she shook it away.

So Helen had insisted to her team that they left for the Dungeon as soon as they woke up the next day. And much to Zack’s chagrin, they were back down in Silkfall’s Crevice as the sun was rising.

“I don’t get you, Helen. Salvos— uh, I mean Miss Salvos is a veteran adventurer. I’m sure she knows what she’s doing when she says she can take care of herself.”

“But you don’t know that, Zack. You saw how she acted yesterday— she’s kind of… naive? Innocent. I think she might have lived a sheltered life.”

“Are you saying she’s a noble?”

Jaakko spoke up, the first time during the entire argument on the way down the Dungeon.

“I am not too aware of your Human customs, but I have been taught by my people that your nobility tends to be… strict with their children.”

Helen chewed her lower lip.

“Maybe… look, I’m not saying anything. I don’t want to speculate on her background— we just met, after all.”

Zack harrumphed.

“What do you suggest we do then? We can’t babysit a runaway noble girl the entire time— especially one as capable as her. We’ve got to get to Elutra, remember? We signed a contract. I don’t even know why we stopped by this stupid Dungeon in the first place.”

The Cyclops frowned, looking at the haughty brown haired [Mage].

“You know as well as I do that we can’t leave until we confirm whether there is a Centinels Lair.”

“That’s right.”

Helen grimaced. If there really is a Centinels Lair like the rumor says… I just hope Salvos doesn’t stumble into one. The [Archer] sighed, finding herself twiddling with her blonde bangs falling down the side of her face. She clicked her tongue and caught herself. Stupid bad habits, she thought, readjusting the band keeping her hair tied together in a bun. Even after two decades of adventuring, you still do this.

The group of Gold Ranked adventurers continued their descent in silence… apart from Zack’s occasional complaints. Helen however, no longer indulged him. It was a few hours of walking and fighting off the small groups of Giant Spiders until they came across anything else.

“Do you hear that?”

Helen turned to her teammates. Both exchanged a look.

“No.”

“We don’t have your [Enhanced Hearing] Skill, Helen. What do you hear?”

“It sounds like… fighting. Up ahead!”

Could it be Salvos? Helen wasn’t sure. But she found herself dashing forward, both relieved and worried for the silver haired girl.

Jaakko and Zack were a step behind her, and that might have been a good thing. Because when Helen turned the corner, she found herself staring. For a moment. Then her face turned red as she spun around back to the two men right behind her.

“Stop! Stop where you are!”

The Cyclops stopped in his tracks, but the dumb [Mage] walked a few more steps forward while blinking.

“What?”

Before he could turn the corner, Helen whipped out her bow and nocked an arrow. She pointed it at him, glaring.

“I said stop!”

“Woah, alright! Calm down, Helen.”

He backed up, raising his hands placatingly. Helen herself had her back to what she saw, her cheeks still burning at the sight. She didn’t even turn around when the familiar voice called out.

“Helen? Is that you? And Jaakko and Zack too.”

“Salvos— yes, it’s us!”

“Oh, good. Uh… can I borrow some clothes?”

The blonde woman sighed, slowly turning around. Zack’s eyes widened and he backed up even more, face turning red as he realized what was just around the corner.

“Yes. I have a spare.”

Helen cast a sidelong glance back at Zack, muttering under her breath.

“And you wonder why I was worried…”

“I think I see your point now, yes.”

A note from MelasD

I HAVE A PROBLEM. As you can see, I've uh, commissioned a new cover. I repeat: it's been two months since Salvos came to RR, and I've commissioned four different covers now.

I need to stop.

Anyway, it's pretty cool and depicts Salvos in the background and Salvos in her Mortal Form in the foreground (No, Salvos does not have a Demon form, she's literally just a Demon).

By the wonderful Boboplushie | Pixiv | Twitter | Ko-fi

I, uh... spend a bit too much money on art LOL

Once again, if you donate to my patreon here, for only $5 you can read up to 10 chapters ahead! And there are other tiers too!

As always, thanks for reading and stay safe!

50. Hardest Hurdle

50. Hardest Hurdle

For the next few weeks, I continued testing out my new Skills while exploring the Dungeon with Helen, Jaakko, and Zack. We mostly encountered Giant Spiders alongside the stray Ground Cravers or surviving Shade Swarmer, but other than that we found no Centinels or anything else at least 10 levels above me.

As such, I only leveled once. My Stats was split as I had already planned, but as for my Skill Points, I finally made my decision. With 16 points total, I first spent 2 on [Self Haste], 2 on [Charge of Embers], 2 on [Ignition], and 2 on [Passive - Deadly Instincts]. Then I split 6 points between [Advanced Fire Creation] and [Scorching Wave], leaving 2 Skill Points for me to save.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 44

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 1

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 42 (+5) (-7)

[Strength]: 28 (+5) (-7)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5) (-7)

[Wisdom]: 63 (+5) (-2)

[Agility]: 96 (+5) (-7)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 8

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 3

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 3

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 5

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 3

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 1

For now, I left [Passive - Weapon Mastery] alone, seeing no reason why I needed to improve it. Perhaps if I managed to create a kusarigama, I would need it. But my [Advanced Fire Creation] was too low leveled to successfully do it.

Or perhaps it’s my [Advanced Mana Manipulation], I mused to myself as I followed the three Gold Ranks out of Silkfall’s Crevice.

As per Edithe’s advice, I had to pretend I was a Human; I couldn’t just wander around the Dungeon aimlessly by myself else I would arouse suspicion. She had been adamant I prioritize my safety— and I was rather invested in my own survival as well. So I had to occasionally go up with Jaakko and his companions.

Unfortunately, I was not prepared for the horrors that awaited me above.

“Uh… do I have to eat this?”

I stared down at the bowl of soup and into my own reflection. I was wide eyed, mouth open, and more or less in shock from being handed the food by Helen. The Human woman blinked.

“Is something wrong with it?”

I looked up at her, then at Zack who was giving me an intense stare. I hesitated, chewing my lower lip.

“N-no. It’s fine.”

I slowly lifted up the spoon. This is for your own sake, I tried lying to myself. Somehow, someway, I managed to down the entire bowl. I was grimacing the entire time, and I heard Zack mutter to himself at one point.

“...she’s definitely a noble…”

Helen bonked him on the head with the wooden ladle before smiling widely at me as I finished the soup. I handed the empty bowl back to her, mustering up a smile in return.

“I-I finished it.”

“Of course.”

I relaxed as I saw her take the bowl away. Then immediately tensed up when she brought over a plate full of meat.

“I know that appetizer wasn’t too appetizing, so I made sure to choose some of the fresher cuts of meat for the main course.”

I blinked.

“...main course?”

The blonde Human nodded.

“Yep. Just a single bowl of soup isn’t enough to fill anybody. Especially after spending a whole day down in the Dungeon. Don’t worry about manners and all that— eat up. I promise you it’s good.”

I glanced at Helen, then at Zack and Jaakko both digging into their own individual plates. I sighed.

“...thanks.”

Later that night, I snuck out of the camp and hurled everything I ate.

—--

“So, if you don’t mind me asking, where are you from… Miss Salvos?”

“Just Salvos is fine.”

I nodded at Zack with a smile. The [Mage] was sitting on a rock, wiping some sweat off his brows while Jaakko and Helen were sifting through the six Human corpses we had found in this small cave room. Apparently a group of Silver Ranked adventurers must have thought this was a good alcove to rest, not expecting to be attacked by a dozen [Drop Spiders] at once.

The four of us took care of the monsters fairly easily, especially since we were prepared for an ambush when we came into the room; I could have taken them all on my own, but I decided to share some experience instead.

“I came from Hazelbury. It’s somewhere… north from here?”

I tested my memory, and it seemed it was right since the [Mage] didn’t visibly react.

“Hazelbury, huh? We’ll have to pass through it eventually. Last I heard, it was an average sized city. Not too big, so I guess there could be a few nobles living there.”

He seemed to be talking to himself more than to me.

“And you were born there— and not Neros, the Capital?”

I shook my head.

“I was born neither in Neros nor Hazelbury. I was born somewhere… else.”

I cringed, realizing I should have just gone along with it. Zack however, seemed to accept this.

“An illegitimate child then. I see, I see. And you managed to take out a [Queen Howre] on your own, or so you claimed. Interesting.”

“We’re done.”

Helen called over to us. She walked over, holding a handful of badges on her hand. Behind her, Jaakko had some crests with him too.

“These guys were definitely the adventurers we spoke to a few weeks ago. They’re from the Iron Champions Company— we’ll need to report it to the next Adventurers Guild we pass through.”

The Cyclops man nodded.

“It is truly an unfortunate end. I wish their souls rest well.”

He closed his eyes, bowing his head in the direction of the corpses. Zack got up and brushed off his robes. He opened his mouth but before he could say anything, Helen spoke over him.

“Don’t say anything insensitive, Zack.”

“I was not going to.”

He sighed, shaking his head. He glanced over at the corpses, his lips twisting before turning away.

“I was going to say that since we can’t give them a proper burial, closure for their families is the best we can do. I’m glad we found them, at least. I thought they’d have been eaten up by Centinels.”

“It’s quite odd, actually. We haven’t run into any Centinels since we came here. Maybe the rumors really weren’t true.”

“Rumors?”

I cocked my head. Helen nodded.

“The Adventurers Guild supplied us with information about this Dungeon— that it might have a Lair of Centinels in it. It was nothing confirmed, but it gave the people of Bouldergarde enough of a scare that we decided to investigate it ourselves.”

“If there really are Centinels in this Dungeon… well, let’s just say the Iron Champions Company will be coming out of this with more than just a slap on the wrist from King Hale. He gives them a lot of passes, but Centinels? They’re dangerous.”

“Are they really that bad?”

I gave Zack an inquisitive look. The [Mage] coughed into the palm of his hand.

“Yes. They’re one of the few swarm monsters around the central continent that aren’t just weak. They’re like the Exodutae that plague the Dwarves off the eastern coast of the continent. Each Centinel is strong, and it is not unusual for one to reach above Level 70. They’re rare, sure. But it’s common enough that cities have been wiped out because they’re unknowingly built near a Centinel Lair.”

“Huh.”

I considered this for a moment, tilting my head up. Then I looked back over at the three Gold Ranks.

“Well, it is not a rumor.”

“Pardon?”

“The Centinels— they’re actually in this Dungeon.”

Zack and Helen exchanged a glance.

“What do you mean, Miss— uh, Salvos?”

“I mean that I’ve seen them myself. I saw them coming— dropping onto the Giant Spiders.”

“You’ve been to this Dungeon before?”

The [Archer] gave me a worried look. I simply smiled.

“That’s why I returned here. To fight the Centinels. They were Level 50 to 60— I don’t know if they got up to over 70. But they definitely were here.”

Zack furrowed his brows.

“Didn’t you say you just reached Level 40? You mean to tell me you fought Level 60 monsters while you were Level 30?”

I nodded eagerly.

“Yep!”

He sighed, rubbing at his temples.

“Well, I guess I should’ve expected it.”

Jaakko stepped forward, frowning.

“You said the Centinels were attacking the Giant Spiders— did you mean they were invading their Lair?”

“That’s what they were doing. Why?”

The Cyclops man scratched his oversized chin and folded one hand across his chest.

“I see. So it’s a Lair war?”

“A Lair war?”

I cocked my head and he nodded.

“Yes. That’s what happens when multiple monster Lairs are formed too close to each other. They will encroach on each other’s territory. And when that happens, they’ll get into a Lair war.”

“If this is true, then that means the only thing that has been stopping the Centinels from spreading out and leaving the Dungeon are the Giant Spiders. However, this is also an opportunity for us.”

Helen glanced over at me, an idea written on her face. I blinked, realizing what she was thinking. I stood up raising a hand.

“You want us to help the Giant Spiders!”

…

I got a blank stare from the three of them.

“Uh, no.”

“Oh.”

“I mean, in a way? I just thought about using them as bait.”

I scowled, crossing my arms.

“Same thing.”

—--

We didn’t immediately head to the Giant Spiders Lair. Jaakko told us we not only needed to prepare, but we also had to return the badges they found. I decided to follow them to the city, resolving on buying myself a few healing potions of my own.

Daniel had given me some gold before I left. I looked down at the 30 glimmering yellow coins, then at the cost of a potion. Huh, that’s expensive.

I ended up only leaving with three before I met up with Helen by the city gates. She had a grim look on her face as Jaakko was talking to a man in armor— a city guard that looked vaguely familiar. The Human man broke down, crying, as Jaakko patted his shoulder.

“Where’s Zack?”

I spoke to her, breaking her from her stupor. She blinked a few times, then shook her head.

“He’s getting some extra protection. The local temple gives [Blessings of Lesser Protection] for a 25 gold, and we've got some extra coins from the Dungeon so…”

I nodded.

“He wants to increase his chance of survival.”

“Right.”

Eventually, Zack returned and we were ready to leave. We went back to the Dungeon and crossed through the camp with only a simple warning to the Silvers there: we were going to face Centinels. It was a warning for them just in case Centinels broke out— so they would be prepared to fight.

Then we entered the Dungeon and came up close to the Lair of the Giant Spiders. There were no sounds of fighting— instead, all we heard were the usual clicking of the monsters. We then set up a small camp and a barricade behind us, with a way for us to quickly pass through, before lying in wait.

We waited, listening. Each of us took turns watching the hole in the wall, just in case a Giant Spider or Centinel came out, but none came. A whole entire day went by with nothing happening, until suddenly, we heard the sounds of clicking rapidly increase in the Lair.

I slowly approached the entrance to the Lair and peered over. Then just as before, the walls of the Lair— the ceiling, the sides, the ground— burst open. Centinels came pouring down on the Giant Spiders, swarming them from every possible angle.

The Centinels were back.

A note from MelasD

One more midterm on Tuesday. Then I should be able to relax for a little bit and fix up all the typos in V2.

Thanks for reading and have another wonderful weekend :)

Once again, if you donate to my patreon here, for $5 you can read up to 10 chapters ahead! And there are other tiers too!

51. Centinels Camp

A note from MelasD

Thank you all so much for 5,000 followers! For that, you guys get an early chapter today :D

I know this is a bit late, but to show my gratitude, I'd like to give some shoutouts for a week again. Starting with RavensDagger's newest fiction, The Agartha Loop. He has also written many other well known stories such as Cinnamon Bun, Dead Tired, and Stray Cat's Strut. So that should speak for itself.

Another story on RoyalRoad which I'd like to give a shoutout to is Romantically Apocalyptic by Vitaly S. Alexius. It's honestly really well done, with wonderful art and really good humor. He's really underrated on RoyalRoad, and is so close to hitting 1,000 followers, so I do hope you all give it a chance and follow it!

51. Centinels Camp

The Centinels— the long creatures with a hundred spiky legs and a hard shell— came pouring down at the Giant Spiders. They came in various sizes, however all of them were far larger than me. I watched as one Level 65 Centinel fell onto a [Weaving Spider] and killed her with a single bite of the mandibles.

I watched this go on for a little bit, making sure I was away from the view of any Centinels nearby. Helen scooted over next to me, lying prone as I was with her bow laid out in front of her.

“You don’t have to worry too much about their sight. They can’t see very well. I mean, they can probably see us if we stand up and wave our hands in the air— but otherwise, they won’t be able to see us here.”

“The tunnels.”

I pointed out at one of the holes where the Centinels were streaming out of.

“How do we get there?”

“I’ve got this, don’t worry.”

The [Archer] pulled out a thick arrow and tied a piece of rope onto it. She nocked her bow and loosed the bolt across the Lair, landing it right inside the narrow passageway.

“Alright. Now let’s hope no more Centinels come that way.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

Zack stepped forward and aimed a finger at the tunnel ahead. The earth just beyond the arrow shifted, before closing completely.

“We’ll at least have a moment to react if one decides to burrow out of there again. Now come, let’s go.”

I was the first to step out once the Centinels stopped droppin from the ceiling. They were mixed with the Giant Spiders now, fighting a Lair war down below. Hundreds of Giant Spiders and dozens of Centinels, mixed up into a mass of monsters tearing each other apart— that was what I saw when I peered down below.

I glanced up and waited for a moment. Then another flurry of Centinels came falling or sccurrying down while I backed up back into the wall. I waited for them to pass before looking out once again.

“I think it’s clear.”

“I’ll keep a lookout for you.”

Helen nodded, resting a hand on my shoulder. I grabbed onto the rope and began climbing over to the other side. I kept an eye down at the fighting and another at the ceiling; I did not want to be knocked off by a falling Centinel and land amid the pit of fighting. I’ll definitely die, I thought, a nervous sweat falling down my shoulder.

Now Entering [Lair: Giant Spiders Nest].

I made it across without any problems and waved back at the three Gold Ranks. Next up was Jaakko. The Cyclops man took longer than me to cross, but he eventually made it too. Then came Zack.

The [Mage] was halfway through to our side when the ceiling burst open once again. Centinels came down at the Giant Spiders once more and I heard him curse.

“Fuck.”

Helen immediately loosed three bolts at the ones falling past him, snapping at him with their mandibles. Those were knocked aside without much of an issue. One came close to biting the Human man, but he sent a gust of wind to blow it away midfall.

The problematic Centinels were the ones scurrying down the walls. They first came for the rope, thinking to go for Zack. But when they got closer to the hole, they saw us. Jaakko and I readied ourselves. The Cyclops man tossed his kusarigama at the closest one and tugged at his chains, lifting the monster off the wall and flinging it down into the Giant Spiders Lair.

I sent a [Scorching Wave] across the rock wall, burning the other Centinels that made their approach and slowing them. Helen couldn’t help us, dealing with her own— albeit far more easily than us since she could knock them off from a distance.

Jaakko threw his kusarigama, continuing to pry them off the walls and hurling them off the pit. In spite of this, five Centinels reached us from above. I stopped my [Scorching Wave] and conjured two fire hammers— one on each hand.

The first Centinel lashed out at me, his entire body whipping forward as his arms tried to snap shut on me. I kicked him with a [Fire Strike], knocking him back before slamming both hammers together on the face of another Centinel. The monster squirmed, its armor crushed as it reeled back. But it didn’t die from the attack. I clicked my tongue and flipped over another Centinel that tried to come at me from the side.

The Cyclops man engaged the other two, being backed up against the magically made wall Zack had put up.

I tossed one hammer down at the Centinel’s head I smashed, keeping it back as I struck out at the one closing in on me with two [Fire Strikes]. I ducked under his mandibles, throwing a punch up at his underbelly as I pushed off the ground with all my strength.

The Centinel tried to grab me with his spiky legs, but my body burst into flames. [Ignition]. The blue flames burned him and he reeled back. My body sped up as [Self Haste] activated alongside it. I landed a hard hit of the hammer on a weakened part of his shell, breaking it before I dug in with a [Fire Strike] induced punch.

Green blood sprayed out as a screeching sound came from the monster’s mandibles. He struggled in my hands before I jabbed two more [Fire Strikes] into him and he fell, dead.

The other two Centinels came at me from behind, skittering on the ground and the side of the wall. But they seemed so slow. Back when I was Level 30, they were much faster than me. I could only flee from them with [Double Step]. But now they were so slow—

The one on the ceiling— the one with the smashed armor— blurred, suddenly matching my speed as he fell down at me. My eyes widened but my body moved without thought. Instinct took over me as a sickle made of blue flames appeared on my hand.

I leapt up at the oncoming Centinel and sliced his head clean off— his armor too broken to block the attack. It didn’t take me long to dispose of the last Centinel before I turned to Jaakko. The Cyclops man had managed to defeat his two Centinels, but he had been injured. His arm was cut up bad, blood pouring down his shoulder.

He chugged down a healing potion and the wounds slowly closed up. Zack finished his climb and Helen followed shortly after— all the Centinels having been defeated all knocked off down into the Lair.

“Not even a scratch, Salvos. You’re really something else.”

The Human [Mage] sighed, wiping the sweat off his brow. I shrugged.

“If I let them hit me, I’d be in a lot worse shape than Jaakko.”

“I guess. Still, I’ve never seen a Level 40 [Rogue] move as fast as you do. If I couldn’t see your level, I’d have assumed you were 50— 60 even.”

I grinned, flipping the fire hammer on my hand.

“Maybe I’m just strong. Or you’re just weak.”

“Hey!”

He scowled and Helen laughed. She patted him on the back.

“Come on, [Weak Mage]. At least pull your weight and bring that wall you put up down.”

“If you guys are so strong, why not just do it yourself.”

Zack muttered under his breath as he began casting his spell.

—--

We walked down the tunnel the Centinels made, going up then down then left then right. There were a lot of twists and turns— I felt my head starting to go dizzy after a while. So instead of thinking of all the different ways we were going, I focused on my Status and the notifications I had gotten— and I kept getting.

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 61]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

...

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 65]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 44] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 45]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Overall, I had gotten a dozen kill notifications. Only the first three were the ones I knew I killed. The others must have been the ones I burnt before they fell to the Lair of Giant Spiders. More experience for me! Thanks Giant Spiders!

Even though I killed three of them by myself in addition to that, I had only gained a single level. They somehow gave less experience than the [Queen Howre], although considering the [Queen Howre] was much stronger than them, maybe that made sense.

I raised both [Advanced Fire Creation] and [Passive - Deadly Instincts] by 1 Skill Points. The latter really helped me in that fight there, so I made sure to pay particular attention to it. Then just for this level, I gave my [Agility] 4 Stat Points, rounding it up to 100, before giving the remaining 1 for [Vitality].

Now Entering [Lair: Centinels Camp].

Just as I finished dealing with my Status, we arrived. The tunnel opened up to a larger cavern, one filled with many unmoving figures along the walls.

“Centinels. [Younger Centinels]. Only around Level 20.”

“They’re sleeping.”

I observed with narrow eyes. So monsters need sleep too, huh? I shook my head, disappointed in them. Zack shook his head.

“Doesn’t matter. In fact, this is better for us. Let’s exterminate them now.”

Jaakko nodded and drew his kusarigama. Helen prepared a few Explosive Bolts and the [Mage] began preparing a spell. I cocked my head.

“Wait— what’s that?”

I pointed a hand at a slowly moving figure. A [Younger Centinel] was crawling along the walls, wide awake and moving amongst his brethren. He opened his mandibles and I expected him to screech—

But the [Younger Centinel] simply chomped down at another Centinel. He killed the other one in his sleep before moving onto the next.

I saw more [Younger Centinels] doing the same thing, realizing that not all of them were asleep. Some of them didn’t even bother attacking the sleeping ones, going straight for each other without discrimination.

“They’re... killing each other?”

The blonde woman’s eyes widened. Zack and Jaakko watched on in horror while I simply narrowed my gaze. I opened my mouth, voice uncaring as I spoke one word.

“Wild.”

Then a [Scorching Wave] washed over the Centinels. Those that were asleep fell before they could even wake up, while the ones that were awake tried to come at me. They screamed and died before they could even get close, my blue flames too much for them to handle.

The Gold Ranks managed to blink themselves out of their stupor to aid me in the extermination of the mindless monsters. Even when we were clearly attacking them and wiping them out en masse, some Centinels still went for each other, trying to tear each other apart.

We took care of the [Younger Centinels] in what I felt was only 30 minutes, getting hundreds of kills with little effort. It was even easier than the time I attacked a Shade Swarmer’s Lair because unlike the Centinels, the [Crimson Bats] never tried to kill each other.

Defeated [Younger Centinel – Lvl. 31]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

...

Defeated [Younger Centinel – Lvl. 19]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels below you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I didn’t gain a level, although I did feel like I was already close to another level up from such a simple task. Zack sighed.

“No one told me that clearing a Centinels Lair was such a simple task.”

“We’re not done just yet. Come, we have to find the eggs. Destroy them before they hatch hundreds more of these creatures.”

Jaakko spoke simply, marching forward as we hurried to match his pace. I looked over at Helen, raising a brow.

“You three never fought Centinels before?”

“We never cleared a Lair before. Centinels are a pest— well, that’s not really the right way to say it. They’re a frequent threat to civilization and settlements. So we’ve had to deal with them before.”

“I see.”

I nodded slowly, glancing down at the burnt corpses lying on the floor. Most of the [Younger Centinels] had only been the size of my arm or leg. They were certainly far smaller than their [Junior Centinel] evolution, but they did vary in size despite all being the same Subspecies.

It almost reminded me of the wild Demons in the Netherworld. None of them looked the same— every one of them was unique. And yet, they killed each other. They killed the others. And they tried to kill me and my companion.

What if there was a Centinel amongst these that was like Haec and I? That thought sent a shudder down my spine. I wasn’t sure why I reacted that way or why it mattered to me— but I felt bothered by it somehow.

“There.”

Jaakko pointed his kusarigama in the direction of a pile of round purple objects against the cavern wall. We walked up to the eggs and I inspected them.

My [Identification] told me they were eggs.

“Now this is the part where we get attacked by some Level 70 [Older Centinel], right?”

“You read too much books, Zack. That’s not going to happen.”

Helen snorted, shaking her head. The Human [Mage] raised an eyebrow.

“Too many books. And I’m just being cautious. What if there are higher leveled evolutions in here, huh? Or if we’re in the middle of destroying their nest and the ones attacking the Giant Spiders come back and we get trapped?”

“Then let’s get a hurry on—”

I conjured up a ball of bright blue flames and tossed it at the pile of eggs. The purple objects exploded and whatever remained was caught on fire. I clapped my hands together and turned to the three Gold Ranks with a bright smile.

“Done.”

Cleared [Lair: Centinels Camp]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 45] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 46]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“Well, that was anticlimactic.”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading and stay safe :D

Once again, if you donate to my patreon here, for $5 you can read up to 10 chapters ahead! And there are other tiers too!

52. Expanding Vocab— Uh... Inventory?

A note from MelasD

Looking for an unconventional RoyalRoad story? Why not check out Futa Monster Girl Trainer? It's by SJ Reaver, and while the title may make it seem like it's not for everyone, you can look at the various quality stories the author has written in the past and decide for yourself.

Another story you should definitely check out is Beneath the Dragoneye Moons. It's great. I've mentioned it before, but I'll mention it again. Because that's just how good of a job Selkie does.

52. Expanding Vocab— Uh... Inventory?

The blue flames turned red as they continued to burn the eggs of the Centinels in the background. We did not leave just yet, instead choosing to scour the Lair for just a little longer to see if there are any hidden eggs.

“While a few dozen [Newborn Centinels] won’t be much of a problem, we just have to make sure we aren’t overlooking a hundred.”

“But we’ve already cleared the Lair— I can’t even tell that we’re in a Lair anymore!”

“Of course, Salvos. But we just have to be sure.”

Jaakko explained the logic to me while we did our search. I glanced over at the other side of the cavernous room— at the burrowed holes that littered the rock wall.

“What about the [Junior Centinels] that aren’t here? Won’t they be a problem?”

“They will be a pest, yes. But with only a few left to fight the Giant Spiders, the latter will win out eventually.”

I scowled, crossing my arms.

“But that’d be a waste of good experience!”

The Cyclops man paused, rubbing at his chin. His lips peeled back, revealing the rest of his sharp teeth hidden within as he mulled over a thought.

“If you… wish to join in the Lair war right now, I will not stop you, Salvos. I have seen your abilities— seen how fast you’ve been able to level. I trust in your capacity to take care of yourself for an hour.”

I blinked for a moment, processing what he said. Then my eyes widened and my lips curled up into a smile.

“Really, Jaakko?”

I glanced excitedly down one of the pitch black tunnels before turning my gaze back to him. Attacking dozens of Centinels while they were embroiled in a fight against the Giant Spiders would certainly be much easier than taking them on all by myself. And if anything went bad, I would always be able to run away. With both [Self Haste] and [Charge of Embers]— the latter of which was an attack Skill, but could be reappropriated for fleeing— I’d be able to escape with ease.

“As long as you don’t draw a horde of monsters to us, yes.”

Jaakko smiled at me reassuringly. I felt my feet bouncing under me as I whirled around to leave. I paused midstep, glancing back at him for a moment. I remembered something from a few days ago— a gesture Edithe showed me.

I quickly ran back and hugged him from behind, much to his surprise.

“I promise I won’t get you three killed!”

“That is… yes, I’ll take your word for it.”

I nodded at him then ran off, waving at Helen and Zack goodbye. I would be back in an hour— which was not even that long— before we would head off. I crawled through the same tunnel we came through, heading back to the Giant Spiders Nest.

Sounds of fighting slowly filled my ears as I returned to where Jaakko and I defeated those [Junior Centinels] from earlier. I peeked over the hole hanging high atop the Lair and glanced down below.

Now Entering [Lair: Giant Spiders Nest].

Hundreds of Giant Spiders were mixed with dozens upon dozens of Centinels— both sides had their dead scattered all across the various levels of the long pit filled with a dozen webbed layers and floors.

I narrowed my eyes as I saw the monsters closest to me; they were clumped together along the walls just a short distance from me. However, I couldn’t walk on the walls. If I tried to attack them, I would fall!

So I thought for a moment. How was I to join in the fighting without dropping down to the bottom of the pit and get caught in the large battle there? I just needed a ranged weapon!

I created a fire bow in one hand and focused on creating an arrow in my other. It took me a moment to emulate the feeling of an arrow, however it wasn’t really that complex. Even a fire dagger was simpler to make than it.

Slowly, I nocked the fire arrow and loosed it at the closest Centinel to me. I aimed for his eye and missed. The flames bounced off his shell, doing nothing more than draw his attention for a moment. I frowned and considered this. So that’s not going to kill them.

The distracted Centinel was swarmed by a group of Giant Spiders and killed shortly after, but I received no experience for it. Is it no experience, or too little experience to matter? I mused momentarily before shifting my focus on what I could do.

[Advanced Mana Manipulation]. [Advanced Fire Creation].

I created another fire arrow and looked at it. I could do so much more than just make this sharp object. I remembered the Piercing Arrows and Explosive Bolts I had. I couldn’t exactly create those with my Skill, however I could try to create something similar.

I focused on refining the fire arrow I held in the palm of my hand. I poured more mana into it, keeping it stable as it grew brighter and wilder. Then the corybantic flames calmed. It began to exude a sizzling sound as it vibrated on the spot. And I gasped, exhausted.

That took a lot from me. I hope this works.

I once again nocked the arrow— the Blazing Bolt— and aimed at a Centinel skittering along the walls. I released it, and it shot straight towards the monster. It pierced his shell and knocked him off into an angry [Drop Spider] which bludgeoned him to death.

“Huh.”

I smirked and turned my gaze to my free hand.

“Another one.”

I repeated the same process, draining quite a lot of mana from me with each Blazing Bolt I created. They all produced the same effect— they cracked the armor of the Centinels, piercing into their body— sending them into the Giant Spiders.

It was tiring and it took a while. However, it had a dual effect. Firing down at the Centinels allowed me to gain some experience from a safe distance, but it also drew the attention from the ones close enough to reach me.

I fought those head on, defeating them by myself and gaining more experience than I would have if I simply damaged them before they were killed.

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 67]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

...

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 61]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

General Skill [Basic Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 1] -> [Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 46] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 47]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I leaned back against the wall, panting and puffing as I watched the last of the Centinels flee from the Lair of Giant Spiders. There had been dozens— maybe even over a hundred— but now only a few remained. They were routed, fully and completely defeated by the combined efforts of myself and the hundreds of Giant Spiders.

However, it was not like the Giant Spiders made off with no casualties. More than half of their nest had been wiped out by the Centinels. I glanced down at the survivors and smiled at them.

“Hey, thanks for the help!”

I called out, waving. The monsters didn’t respond. They didn’t react. But they didn’t swarm me either, like they often would in the past. I was about to take a seat and [Rest] when a voice drew my attention from behind.

“Who are you talking to, Salvos?”

Helen walked up to me, followed by Jaakko and Zack. The three looked the same as when I had last seen them. Good, so the fleeing Centinels didn’t attack them. I waved a hand off dismissively.

“The Giant Spiders. We beat all the Centinels.”

Zack’s eyes widened.

“You killed all of them?!”

“Well, I didn’t do it by myself. And not all of them. A few escaped and burrowed through the walls.”

I paused, tilting my head up slightly.

“Is that bad?”

“It’s not bad, Salvos. You did a good job. It’s impossible to wipe out every single rat in an infestation, however we did our duty and did out best. As you have seen, Centinels aren’t very intelligent. They wouldn’t even realize their Lair had been destroyed and search for something else to kill. Then they would die slowly by the other monsters in the Dungeon.”

Jaakko spoke reassuringly. I hesitated, twirling my thumbs.

“Uh… about that. I don’t think there’s very many monsters left in Silkfall’s Crevice.”

“And there aren’t very many Centinels left. There’s no need to worry.”

He smiled and rested a hand on my shoulder. I nodded, then turned to Helen as she peered down into the Giant Spiders Lair.

“So, how are we going to cross through? Won’t they be a problem.”

“They won’t. I helped them, so they won’t attack us.”

She exchanged a glance with Zack.

“Salvos, I don’t think they know that. Giant Spiders aren’t very… intelligent.”

I scowled, crossing my arms.

“Then why are they just leaving us be, huh? And they’re much smarter than Centinels.”

“That’s true, but…”

She trailed off, not meeting my gaze. I watched as she gave Zack a pleading look and he just shrugged. Jaakko stepped forward, nodding at me then Helen.

“Salvos is right. Maybe not for the right reasons, however the Giant Spiders won’t attack us. Not with how their Lair is currently. They’ll be busy repairing— patching up the holes made by the Centinels with their webs. This is our chance to pass through.”

The Human [Archer] opened her mouth before looking over at me. I stared back at her, arms still folded, and she sighed.

“Alright. I didn’t mean to argue with you, Salvos. Just… let’s just go.”

Now Leaving [Lair: Giant Spiders Nest].

The three of them went and I followed from a distance, sulking. Zack walked ahead of me, muttering under his breath.

“I told you she has to be a noble. Who else would believe that monsters can think.”

“Shut up. She can hear you. And yes, some monsters can think.”

“Not Giant Spiders though—”

“I said be quiet!”

She punched him on the arm and he yelped; I continued walking behind them after we made it past the Giant Spiders Lair. I glanced back at it one last time before turning the corner and saw a [Weaving Spider] hop up and begin unfurling a thick web where the hole had been. I waved back at her slightly, and she paused to stare for a moment, before continuing her work.

They know, see?

I reassured myself, smiling. Then finally, we left the Dungeon too.

Now Leaving [Dungeon: Silkfall’s Crevice].

It was night by the time we found ourselves back at the camp set up just outside of the Dungeon; most of the Silvers were mulling about, eating their dinners or sleeping. Boring, I thought, meeting the eyes of a young Human man.

He immediately glanced away as his companions laughed at him. I waited behind the three Gold Ranks, still not talking while they had a discussion.

“Are you sure we should be leaving the Giant Spiders alone?”

“They aren’t like Centinels. They do not overbreed nor do they actively seek to destroy settlements.”

“What about the Silvers? It’ll be dangerous to them.”

“Now they’ll actually be able to face the Dungeon without worry of Centinels, and the Giant Spiders are barely above 40 at the highest. I’d say Silkfall’s Crevice is now only a high Silver Ranked Dungeon.”

“But…”

“You worry too much, Helen. That is one of your best attributes, but you need to know when not to interfere.”

Helen sighed, rubbing at her temples.

“You’re right.”

She murmured before turning to me.

“What about you, Salvos? What will you be doing now?”

“I believe she’ll be going back to Hazelbury, since that’s where she’s from.”

Zack spoke up simply. The blonde woman wrinkled a brow.

“Hazelbury? Isn’t that one of the cities we’ll be passing through up north?”

“Yes, and…? Wait, don’t tell me—”

“Salvos.”

Helen walked up to me and grabbed me by the hand. I cocked my head, confused.

“Huh?”

“Let us escort you back to your city. We’re heading in the same direction as you, and we’ll be able to have a proper goodbye there.”

“Come on, Helen. You’ve already seen her fight— don’t you realize she can take care of herself?”

Zack protested. He turned to the Cyclops man who was rubbing at his chin.

“If that is what Helen wants, and Salvos doesn’t disagree, I don’t see why that’d be a problem.”

The [Mage] groaned, smacking his forehead.

I looked at this and thought about it for a moment. I wasn’t really in any rush to return. And I needed to take a better look at Jaakko’s kusarigama if I wanted to emulate it better with my [Advanced Fire Creation]— especially after [Advanced Mana Manipulation] leveled up. I may be able to make it now. But most important of all...

“Do you know the way to Hazelbury?”

I glanced up at Helen. She blinked.

“...yes? Do you know the way there?”

“Nope!”

I spoke simply. Zack sighed and Jaakko smiled.

“Then it’s settled then. We’ll be in the company of each other for a little while longer.”

The [Mage] grumbled, walking past me as the grin on my face began to slip.

“We better not make any more unnecessary detours. We have a contract to fulfill!”

The Cyclops man followed after him and Helen laughed as she patted his back. My eyes widened, realizing that I had made a tactical blunder.

“Wait— are you going to sleep?!”

“Uh, yes?”

I opened my mouth and raised a hand. Then I lowered my hand slowly, remembering a word that fit this situation perfectly as I sighed.

“Fuck.”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading, and have a nice day!

53.1. Escort

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

53.1. Escort

Overall, I had not only accustomed myself to my Skills quite nicely during the time I spent clearing out Silkfall’s Crevice, I also made off with more levels than I expected. The Centinels provided me with a lot of experience as expected, while the surprise encounters such as with the [Queen Howre] and clearing her Lair added only to it.

Satisfied with my [Agility] and [Endurance] for now— especially with both [Self Haste] and [Charge of Embers]— I decided to split my Stat Points between [Vitality], [Strength], and [Wisdom]. For my Skills however, I focused on my [Passive - Deadly Instincts] while raising both [Blue Flames] and [Advanced Fire Creation] because those were my most useful Skills as of right now.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 47

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 2

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 47 (+5) (-7)

[Strength]: 32 (+5) (-7)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5) (-7)

[Wisdom]: 65 (+5) (-2)

[Agility]: 100 (+5) (-7)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 11

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 3

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 3

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 5

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 7

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 6

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 1

Honestly, I had expected the trip back from Silkfall’s Crevice to take a while— I had seen how Human [Traders] walked. They were slow. Fortunately for me, it didn’t take us long to get to Hazelbury. The three Gold Ranks proved to be faster than those [Traders] much to my relief. Sure, it took longer than it would have if I had gone off on my own... but at least I didn’t get lost!

I was also lucky that I wasn’t the only one rushing for us to get a move on; Zack was all too happy to push his companions to speed up their pace, considering they had to do a job in the Elutra Kingdom. We traveled for three days before we finally saw the city approaching in the distance.

I felt my lips curl up into a smile as I realized I was finally going to see Daniel again. I wonder if he’s finally reached Level 40? I thought, tilting my head up towards the orange twilight sky. Probably not. I shrugged and marched on.

We walked past the grassy green fields surrounding the Human city, down the brown dirt path leading up to its gates as the landscape lost its tints with the setting of the sun. The guard waved us through after each of us had to pay an entrance fee— I was out of gold and almost couldn’t get it, but Helen paid it off for me.

“Thank you.”

I spoke courteously, glad that I decided to have gone with them— that she offered to accompany me here. I would have been stuck outside of the city with no way to get in if I went back on my own!

Well, I probably would have just snuck in. However, that would have been a hassle which would end with Daniel lecturing me over something stupid.

“It’s fine. You don’t have to pay me back, it’s only a few silver.”

Helen waved a hand off and I cocked my head. Pay… you back? The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind; I assumed that I wouldn’t have had to give her anything from the start. Huh.

I still had a lot to learn about Humans.

“So, where are you staying, Salvos?”

She glanced back at me as we waded our way through the busy street— I caught a glimpse of a few people looking my way before I faced her.

“Where am I… staying?”

Zack groaned as his shoulders sagged.

“Don’t tell me you don’t know where you’re staying either.”

“I do!”

I threw my hands up in protest. I looked around the busy street, trying to pick out any familiar looking buildings. It’s a building with about three floors… a lobby… a lot of people going in and out… very busy— I perked up and snapped a hand out.

“There!”

The three Gold Ranks turned and stared at the building I pointed out. Helen’s face grew beet red and Zack burst out laughing. Even Jaakko couldn’t suppress a light smile.

“There? You’re staying there?!”

“Uh… I think? What’s wrong with that place?”

“That’s a brothel. Not a place you’d be staying at.”

I frowned and crossed my arms.

“And how would you know that?”

“I think you should just drop the act, Salvos. There’s no shame in admitting you don’t know something.”

Helen spoke placatingly. Zack snorted.

“Except that she doesn’t know anything— ouch.”

She punched him on the shoulder.

“Shut up!”

“I’m right, aren’t I?”

“Who cares.”

The blonde woman turned to me, offering a smile.

“We’ll help you find where you’re staying, but first we need to get an inn of our own. So just come with us for a little longer, ok?”

“Sure.”

—--

We found an inn shortly after— it was in a different part of Hazelbury. The buildings here weren’t the same dull wooden ones I was used to seeing. They were decorated and colorful, full of life. Carriages passed through the cobbled streets, the clopping of the hooves muffling as we entered the large inn, light now filling my vision.

“Woah.”

I blinked, staring around the gilded hall.

“This is nice.”

“You like it? This is one of the best inns in the city, apparently. And I believe it. You can tell by those lamps right there— see? Enchanted and powered entirely through magic.”

“Huh.”

I walked up to one of the lamps sitting right beside a hallway that led further into the building. It had a long, thin body that was as tall as I was, with a gleaming golden light held at the top. I saw the intricate ways the lines of mana wove itself into the runes etched on the surface of the crystal orb.

I identified it and continued trying to decipher the symbols and how it emitted magic.

“It’s actually quite a simple artifact— most [Enchanters] can craft it. But it’s expensive. So… she’s not even listening to me, is she?”

“Definitely not.”

I heard a sigh.

“Just stay here, Salvos. We’ll talk to the [Innkeeper] and get you your own room. Then we’ll be back.”

“Why do we have to pay for her room?”

“She doesn’t have any money.”

“That doesn’t mean we have to. And she’s not a child— she’s a runaway noble who survived this long by herself.”

“You don’t know that.”

“But it’s true that she doesn’t need us to babysit her—”

“It doesn’t matter, Helen, Zack. Helen wants to pay out of her own pocket and it is her own decision to do so. Unless she’s asking you to…”

The voices trailed off as the three Gold Ranks slowly left me, going to the counter at the other side of the large room.

I continued my inspection of the magical object, perplexed and amazed by how it worked. Can I make something like this with [Advanced Fire Creation]? Perhaps in the future— for now, I had to focus on making a kusarigama first. I wasn’t sure how much time I spent looking at it— if it was a long time at all— but eventually…

General Skill [Identification] Level Up!

[Identification - Lvl. 4] -> [Identification - Lvl. 5]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

I jerked back, blinking.

“Huh.”

That hadn’t happened in a while. I didn’t expect to get it from identifying something for a few minutes after having identified hundreds of things before, but I guess it was because I identified hundreds of things before…? I shook my head, glancing around the room.

Now where did Helen and the others go again?

I started in a vague direction, passing by the hallway that led further into the inn when a figure turned the corner. The figure almost stumbled into me, but I moved out of the way just in time.

“Sorry— wait, Salvos?”

53.2. Escort

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

Check out Ithalon: The Glass Cannon by Origin the Creator. It's an underrated fic with so many chapters that deserves some recognition!

Or if you'd like a bigger fiction, with some wonderful Slice of Life elements and a non human MC, check out Shade Touched! The MC in it is adorable, and will (probably) never get a Human form, if that's what you're looking for.

53.2. Escort

“Sorry— wait, Salvos?”

I blinked.

“Daniel? What are you doing here.”

The black haired Human man stared at me for a moment. He rubbed at his eyes before looking me over once again.

“You are Salvos.”

“Hello. That’s me.”

His eyes widened in shock as he just stood there. I cocked my head, confused.

“I’ve been waiting for you for— I thought you died out there! Didn’t you say you just wanted to test out your Skills a little bit?”

“I did. It went great!”

I smiled, giving him a reassuring nod. He paused, opening his mouth. Then he sighed and grabbed my arm.

“Well, it’s a good thing you’re here. There’s a job I signed us both up for— an escort mission. They wanted Gold Ranks, and we’ll be heading in the same direction, so might as well earn some gold while we can. The only reason they even waited for us is because we’re kinda well known in the area since… y’know? And there's been rumors of another Greater Demon in the area after you… y’know?”

“No, I do not know.”

He sighed, shaking his head.

“Come on, you don’t need to sleep, right? Let’s go now before they just—”

“Hold it right there.”

Daniel blinked, turning to the voice. He immediately paled, backing up.

“Woah, wait— what’s going on?”

My companion let go of me and raised both his hands; Helen did not lower the bow however, keeping it trained on his chest.

“Who are you and what are you doing with Salvos?”

“I’m just taking her to meet with— wait, you know her?”

“Yes. And you? What is your relationship with her?”

“She’s my—”

“We’re companions!”

I piped up, grinning. Helen blinked and Daniel’s face turned red.

“Oh, uh… sorry, I had no idea that you were her…”

The Human man’s face burned furiously as he waved his hands over his face.

“She means friends. We’re friends!”

“Ah…”

Helen slowly lowered her bow, putting the arrow back in her quiver. Daniel sighed in relief as two more figures approached from behind the [Archer].

“Is there trouble, Helen?”

“No, it was just a misunderstanding.”

“I see you’ve made a few new friends while you were gone, Salvos.”

Daniel turned to me, raising a brow. I nodded.

“Yep! Daniel, this is Helen, Jaakko, and Zack. Helen, Jaako, and Zack, this is Daniel.”

“Daniel?”

Zack blinked.

“You’re one of the others who saved Silvergrove, aren’t you? I didn’t expect you to be Level 50. Although, you look kind of familiar…”

I glanced at Daniel. Level 50? He’s not—

[Warrior - Lvl. 51]

“Huh.”

It took me a moment to catch on, but he was disguising his levels to be higher than it actually was. Why is he doing that though? The Human man noticed my confusion and quickly leaned in to whisper.

“I have to look stronger than I actually am because of our job. Since it’s just the two of us and all.”

He turned back to the three Gold Ranks.

“Sorry— Zack, right? I don’t believe we’ve met before. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s a pleasure to make the acquaintance of you too. Tell me, are you her bodyguard or her steward?”

“Uh…”

“He thinks I’m a noble or something.”

I quickly whispered to Daniel. He sighed.

“Well, you certainly do come off as sheltered as one.”

“Hey!”

“Don’t feign offense, I know you don’t know what that means.”

“But I can tell it’s meant to be an insult.”

I crossed my arms and glared at him. He ignored it, instead going over to greet the other two. They shook hands and Helen profusely apologized.

“Sorry again, for what happened earlier. Salvos seems kind of… so I thought you were…”

“It’s fine, I know what you mean.”

They both shared a light chuckle. Then the smile vanished from Daniel’s face, being replaced by a nervous trickle running down his face as he spoke to Jaakko.

“Uh, hi, Mr Jaakko.”

“Please, just Jaakko is fine.”

He seemed rather intimidated by the Cyclops man— and that made no sense, considering that he was higher leveled than Jaakko. But Humans acted weirdly all the time, especially Daniel. So I didn’t question it.

“Where are you staying, Daniel? We couldn’t get a room in this inn because it’s fully booked— apparently some noble booked out all the available rooms for themselves.”

“Oh, I’m staying at a cheap inn on the other side of the city. I won’t actually be staying the night, but I think you might be able to get a room here since the person who—”

“So this is the Gold Ranked team you promised me, Daniel?”

A loud voice interrupted him as a rather young looking Human woman walked over to us accompanied by armored guards. Her high heels clacked against the marble floor with each step as her long, dark frilly dress trailed behind her. She had her long pink hair tied into what resembled a horsetail, reaching down to her waist.

Helen, Zack, Jaako, and I blinked as she placed her hands on her hips and nodded.

“Well, it seems like I didn’t waste my time waiting for you to deliver, after all. Come on, we leave now.”

The three Gold Ranks— actually, two since Jaakko cocked his shead— immediately erupted into a flurry of protests, demanding an explanation from the woman. Daniel rubbed at his temples as I turned to him.

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Saffron Merryster, third daughter and fifth child of Nixa’s Merryster Dukedom. And she’s who we’ll be escorting further up north to Warrington.”

…

“Huh, so that’s a noble.”

A note from MelasD

So because of some irl things, upload schedule may be erratic over the next few days. I will try to keep it consistent, but we'll see. I might have to fly back home due to personal issues, so yeah. I'll try to build a backlog today once I'm done with my paper, but I can't guarantee anything for sure.

Thanks for reading :D

54.1. Noble

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

54.1. Noble

There was a discussion— an argument amongst the Humans and the single Cyclops man as they protested the sudden decision imposed on them. Zack turned to Daniel accusingly, but Jaakko spoke over them calmly. He drew the attention of the noble, Saffron Merryster. The pink haired Human woman said a number, and all arguments ceased.

An hour later, I found myself sitting on the back of a horse, riding with Daniel as we followed a gilded carriage make its way down a gravel road. We weren’t the only ones following it— Helen, Jaakko, and Zack had their own horses too. And there were a few other riders dressed in full plate armor, escorting the coach from the side.

They were Saffron’s bodyguards, donning the sigil of their family’s house. I had never seen anything resembling the symbol before, but apparently it was supposed to be a vulture. To me, it just looked like a big bird.

We travelled at a relatively fast and steady pace, the twinkling dots in the broad night sky turning into lines as our horse galloped to keep up with the magically enchanted carriage. The whispering of the trees from the hushed breeze turned into a howl as we blew straight into the wind; only the dinning of the hooves could drown out this suffocating noise. But I was used to such a feeling. I glanced down at the horse.

“I’m faster than you.”

I spoke simply, poking at his side. Daniel turned around and opened his mouth. He paused, thinking for a moment. Then he sighed.

“I’m not even going to comment on that.”

I grinned.

“Because it’s true!”

I continued blithely swaying from side to side on the back of the horse as we made our approach to the dimly lit town just ahead.

“You know, I like her.”

“Uh, pardon?”

He blinked, looking back at me as the horse slowed.

“What do you mean by… like?”

“She only had to say one thing and you Humans immediately listened to her. I want to be able to do that. I want to be a noble!”

“Ah.”

He quickly faced the front, focusing once again on riding.

“Well, I don’t think you can be a noble, Salvos. That’s something you have to be born into. And as we both know, you’re not… even… y’know?”

“But I can pretend, can’t I? I’m pretending to be a Human [Rogue] right now!”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Why not? Look— listen.”

I cleared my throat and raised my chin. With a hand on my chin and my back straight, I spoke haughtily.

“Cease your rowdy squabbling. I, Salvos Merryster, will pay you 10 platinum coins to bring me to the city of Warrington right this moment.”

“That’s… not bad, actually. But you can’t just use someone else’s family name and pass it off as your own. You’ll have to provide proof for that. Also— you don’t have 10 platinum coins.”

I waved a hand dismissively.

“That was just an example, I can just make up one of my own. And if they demand payment, I’ll just run off!”

“And if they come after you?”

“I’ll kill them, of course.”

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply. He glanced back at me with a single pleading eye.

“Please, Salvos. Don’t try something like that. Ever.”

“Fine.”

I scowled, crossing my arms.

…

“You’re lying, aren’t you?”

I failed to suppress a grin.

“Yep!”

—--

We reached the town soon after. It was not Warrington— that city was still another four days ride from where we were. This was a town close to Hazelbury. Saffron had been in a rush to leave, having delayed her stay there due to the news of a Greater Demon running amok in Falisfield.

This town was apparently outside of Falisfield, which was why she wanted to get here as soon as possible.

“Goodness gracious, this inn is rancid. And you’re certain this is the best around?”

“Apologies, Lady Saffron. This establishment may be of poor quality, but it is the highest one that this town can provide.”

Her servant, a Human man named Matthew, bowed his head and spoke apologetically.

“Well, it is certainly better than staying in that cramped city, worrying over threats that might not actually exist. Honestly, it was suffocating hearing you worry on and on about that mysterious Demon that hasn’t actually done anything.”

“Apologies, Lady Saffron—”

Saffron walked past me as a cloying scent wafted to me. I wrinkled my nose.

“What is that smell?”

“Salvos—”

“Are you speaking to me, adventurer?”

The noble stopped a few feet ahead of me. She craned her neck back, turning an assessing eye to me.

“No, I was asking Daniel. But if you can tell me too, I’d appreciate it.”

I smiled innocently at her; she frowned.

“If you must know, it is the scent of my perfume. Alchemically made— not your cheap, ordinary market bought perfume commoners tend to use.”

“Huh.”

I cocked my head.

“It’s a bit strong, but I like it. Smells far better than blood and dead bodies.”

“You…”

Saffron trailed off, wrinkling a brow. She took a few steps towards us and Daniel gulped. He opened his mouth, but the inchoate sound forming in his throat was cut off as she spoke.

“You’re the [Rogue] that killed that Greater Demon, the [Djinn], aren’t you?”

“I am! My name is Salvos.”

I nodded with alacrity. The noble huffed.

“I am aware. I have heard your name mentioned numerous times since I passed through Silvergrove. And you have a fire creation Skill, don’t you?”

She folded her arms, her frilly sleeves laced with golden lines scrunching together.

“Salvos, I don’t think you should just tell people—”

“I do!”

“I see then.”

Saffron tilted her head back, placing a hand on her lip. Her lips curled up as her red eyes stared out the window at the moon.

“Thank you for being honest with me, unlike your friend with his trinket there.”

Daniel winced, covering the necklace around his neck.

“Y-you knew?”

She laughed, turning around and beginning to take her leave as Helen, Jaakko, and Zack returned from the nearby stable and entered the common room of the inn. The [Archer] glanced at me then at the noble.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing is wrong. However, I will be borrowing your friend here. Tomorrow, Salvos, you will be riding with me.”

Helen blinked.

“Wait, why?”

“I want her to show me her Skill.”

Saffron replied dismissively, walking up the steps to the rooms above. The Gold Ranks just stared, confused.

“Uh, what just happened?”

“I don’t know. But I like her.”

Then they stared at me. Daniel sighed.

“She doesn’t mean it like that.”

54.2. Noble

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

Interested in reading a cool Sci-Fi Isekai with a Strong Lead? Check out Magnus by Vowron Prime! It's good, I guarantee it. So go read it!

Also check out The Saga of a Lazy but Hungry Giantess! I can't lie and say that I totally was going to give him a shoutout originally, because I wasn't. I had this slot reserved for another fic, but I pushed them back for the next chapter since he left me a very nice review a while back and mentioned it when he joined my discord server.

Yes, I'm quite active on my discord too! Although as a part of my rebranding process, I'll be changing discords very soon! One with bots! But alas it has been delayed because of what I mentioend in 53.2's author's notes. But it'll still be happening! Eventually!

One more day of shoutouts, then shoutout week is over!

52.2. Noble

I sat inside the velvet coach, brows furrowed and a bead of sweat dripping down the side of my head as I focused on the flames held in my hand. Saffron had welcomed into her carriage the next morning, just as she said she would, and requested me to demonstrate the capabilities of my fire creation Skill to her.

She sat across from me, with Matthew by her side as she leaned over and peered into the morphing blue flames.

“And you’re saying this is an advanced version of the Skill?”

“Yep. It’s [Advanced Fire Creation]. Pretty amazing, right?”

I remembered how terrible [Basic Fire Conjuration] had been— the fact that I was able to now create the delicate shape of a flower with fire attested to the name of the Skill.

“Interesting. So you must have a rare Class then.”

“I… uh, do?”

I cocked my head, unsure of how to answer the question. Saffron smiled, tapping a hand on her lips.

“I apologize if I’m prying. It’s just uncommon for a [Mage] even to get such a rare Skill, you see. And yet, you’re a [Rogue] who has one. A hybrid Class may not be too uncommon, but considering all these factors combined… well, let’s just say that you certainly live up to your reputation.”

“Do that many people talk about me?”

“Perhaps only in Nixa. More so in Falisfield, however. You’re celebrated as a local hero for ending the Destroyer’s rampage. I, myself, am grateful for your actions. It is thanks to you I could finally leave the Nightsveil, the Capital, and begin my journey to Shedos.”

“Shedos?”

I gave the noble an inquisitive glance. She elaborated.

“It’s a country northeast of Nixa, past Elutra and neighbouring the Eastern Kingdoms. It’s relatively unknown, apart from its famous Mavos Academy, which I’m sure you've heard of.”

I shook my head. An academy? That’s a place to… study? Train? Receive education. I rubbed my head, confused.

“Nope.”

“Hm. Well, perhaps I underestimated the education of a commoner. Nevertheless, it is an academy located off the coast of Shedos. Famous for its world class [Mages]. A prestigious institution, it only accepts students above Level 40, and after four years of education, most graduates leave the academy at Level 70.”

“Four years to get to Level 70?”

I narrowed my eyes. That’s so… slow!

“It is fast, is it not?”

“Uh… yeah!”

I lied, trying to keep a straight face. I looked at the pinked haired noble, identifying her once again. I frowned.

“Wait, you said that [Mages] there have to be at least Level 40. Aren’t you only at Level 35?”

“Indeed.”

Saffron smiled slyly. For the first time in the entire ride, Matthew made a sound. He coughed into a hand, looking at her.

“Apologies, Lady Saffron. But I believe this is not something you should be talking about.”

“It’s fine.”

She waved a hand, turning away from him. She looked over at me with eager eyes.

“I thought you wouldn’t notice. See, Mavos Academy doesn’t just admit Level 40 students. No, their criteria is that you have to at least have reached your first Class advancement. That way, you’ll already be specialized enough that they don’t have to teach you the fundamentals, instead refining what you already know while teaching you new things.”

“But I thought your Class only advances at Level 40!”

She leaned back, a satisfied look on her face.

“Perhaps that’s what the common folk tout. But the truth is, if you meet a certain set of requirements, you can reach your first advancement early as I did.”

I blinked. Is this true for Demons and their evolutions too? As far as I could tell, it probably was.

“And what are these requirements? Do they also apply to the next advancements?”

I leaned forward, sitting on the edge of my seat until my face was next to hers. Matthew cleared his throat again.

“Apologies, Lady Saffron—”

“I know, I know.”

Saffron sighed. She put a single finger out and slowly pushed my face back.

“Personal space. And no. I will not tell you the answer to those questions. I’ve already told you enough. Now come. As unrefined as your fundamental control over magic is, the Skill makes up for most of your wasted mana use.”

“But I have [Advanced Mana Manipulation]!”

I protested, defending myself. She scoffed, haughtily raising her head.

“If a Skill is all it takes to learn something, then there’d be no reason to go to an academy to learn. Your fire creation Skill, while certainly special, is not the greatest thing in existence considering I can just learn fire creation magic. And maybe, I’ll get a Skill for it in my next advancement myself— or before then.”

“You can do that?”

I blinked. Isn’t that how I learned [Basic Fire Conjuration] in the first place? It just got upgraded when I evolved. But I did not use any Skill to use my first magic attacks. And I did not use a Skill to learn how to manipulate mana— I gained most of those Skills only after the fact.

“Yes, why else would I be interested in your magic? Show me what you can and cannot do.”

I did just that; I made weapons made of fire, from swords to bows. I showed her my Blazing Bolts, and she actually praised me for it. However, when it came to the kusarigama, she began to lecture me for not being competent enough with my Skill.

“A [Mage] at your level and with the Skill should be able to make a kusarigama. That’s a complex weapon, yes. But it’s only a regular weapon, no? It’s not even a Low Grade weapon like your Blazing Bolts are.”

“I am not a [Mage].”

I crossed my arms, scowling.

“Maybe that’s the problem. Or maybe you don’t quite understand how that Cyclops weapon works well enough to recreate it. Hrmph. Could you try making the fire chains heavier?”

I did as I was told, however the weapon lost form. The mana diffused to the surroundings and I felt my body sag as a slight exhaustion take hold of me. Saffron made a dissatisfied sound. Matthew once again cleared his throat.

“Apologies, Lady Saffron, but that’s not a very lady-like noise for you to make. And I do not believe it is recommended you experiment magic while in the carriage. Need I remind you the enchantments on the vehicle are expensive, and your father will not appreciate having to repair any such damages possibly inflicted on it.”

“Yes, Matthew.”

She sighed, shaking her head. I looked at the rather odd looking Human man with his gray hair and wrinkles. Then I turned back to Saffron.

“Is that all that he can say? ‘Apologies, Lady Saffron’.”

“Sometimes, I think it is. He’s my butler— he’s supposed to watch over me and mind my manners for me. But it gets annoying quite often.”

Matthew said nothing, seemingly satisfied by the fact that I wasn’t trying to make something I could not with my Skill anymore. I continued showing the noble the extent of my Skill, until she lost interest in it and began asking me other questions.

“You’re quite young yourself, aren’t you? What are you doing being an adventurer at your age.”

“I have to make money— to survive!”

I answered simply with a nod. She raised an eyebrow, unamused by my curt response.

“While that logic seems to be counterintuitive, I will not question it. Instead, I will ask you this: why do you do something you do not enjoy?”

“I don’t enjoy being an adventurer?”

“Yes. You said it yourself, didn’t you? You dislike the stench of death and blood.”

I remembered the conversation from yesterday, sniffing as I realized that Saffron was no longer wearing her perfume.

“I don’t actually dislike it. It’s just… smelly? And your perfume had a different smell than I am used. But you’re not using it. You smell like—”

The carriage jolted, and suddenly came to a halt. The noble fell forward into my arms as I caught her. Matthew protectively covered her with his body as I helped her back to her seat.

“What was that? What is going on?!”

She threw the door of the carriage open and I followed behind her as she marched out, Matthew already ahead of her.

There was an explosion as Helen loosed an arrow. I heard the sound of a chain flying through the air as Jaakko uncharacteristically bellowed, and Zack fumbled on the ground for his book. Daniel was ahead, alongside the other Merryster bodyguards and already engaged with something coming out of the trees.

“Monster attack!”

A voice shouted as the first creature landed on top of the carriage. Saffron paled as the monster snarled.

[Rancer Mite - Lvl. 51].

A note from MelasD

I'll have a relatively important poll about my patreon coming up soon. It's non-binding, and it's for my own use only to make some decisions which might or might not screw me over. But I feel like it's best for everyone involved. However, I implore you to please answer honestly. I'm not asking you to donate to me or to do anything else but to answer honestly. That's it.

Thanks for reading!

Important Patreon Poll (Please Respond Honestly)

So, after some experiences I had with a patron last month who accidentally patron'd to me for $10, I've been considering this for a while, but basically I want to consolidate my patreon tiers to only $5 for all advance chapters. First however, I have to ask: are you more likely to donate to my patreon if I lower my tiers for advance chapters to only a single $5 tier?

I've kind of realized that having a $10 tier as my main tier on patreon is kind of... expensive for most folks. Like I'm not going to name names, but I was told that a $10 was best for making money as an author. And while it's good for me, I've come to realize that considering the climate of today, with the whole pandemic and lockdown and everything, it costs... a lot. Sure, it'd be better for me, like look at some authors on RoyalRoad doing that. But I just kind of feel bad about it. And after speaking with my patrons, they kind of agree with my reasoning.

However, I am also afraid of compromising my own financial situation if I decide to do this. So I need to hear your honest responses to this poll. This is a non-binding poll, of course. And it's for my own personal use so the results will be hidden. But please answer honestly.

I can't lie and say this isn't motivated by my own selfishness. I think it was pirateaba who initially told me not to have multiple tiers for advance chapters as it would split readership, but I did not listen and realize now I should have listened. Also, it will be less work for me having to give out different rewards for different tiers on patreon because man, that eats up a lot of my time since patreon sucks.

Currently, my patreon has 17 chapters (soon to be 20) for $10 and 10 chapters for $5. However, if I make this change, it would be all 17 chapters (soon to be 20) ahead for only $5, and maybe I might give Side Story chapters for my $10 patrons as a reward. But the question for me, however, is it worth it to make the change?

Hence, this poll. It feels very awkward for me to make since it feels like I'm asking people to donate when I'm not, but I'd rather not screw myself over because I felt bad about something for a month.

If you vote 'yes' but your financial situation changes tomorrow or next week, don't feel obligated to follow through with what you said. I just ask for your honesty so I can make a good judgement moving forward on what to do.

55.1. Crest

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

Looking for a chill adventure without much struggle and some sudden strength gains with progressive development? Check out Rise of the Weakest Summoner by Saileri!

And if you'd like an Anti-Hero Lead Dungeon isekai, check out The World-ruling Dungeon by DarkGodEM!

55.1. Crest

The [Rancer Mite] loomed over us, her large round body about half the size of the carriage, and her weight creaking the wood and metal of the horse drawn vehicle. She stood up, straightening her hunched back as she snarled.

Saffron backed up and Matthew put a hand out, covering his lady. The monster leapt—

And a [Fire Strike] sent the [Rancer Mite] flying back towards a tree. The wooden trunk snapped and she rolled to a stop. I slowly drew my open hand back, wincing as I shook the pain off my fingers.

Right, I don’t have claws.

I created two fire daggers, one on each hand, readying myself for the next attack from the monster. However, instead of charging us again, the [Rancer Mite] threw herself back into the forest and disappeared.

I slowly lowered my weapons.

“Huh.”

Another explosion resounded in the background and I whirled around; Helen blasted apart a small thicket with an enchanted bolt, sending three [Rancer Mites] hopping out and into the road. The [Archer] drew another three bolts, nocking it onto her bow and aiming at the closest monster.

Her arrows flashed and something came over them. She loosed the bolts and they split off— each bolt glowing and finding their way to each of the [Rancer Mites]. They struck through, digging themselves into the hard shell of the monsters. They screeched— and leapt back into the forest.

“They’re tough! They’re not supposed to be swarm monsters. Why are there so many of them?”

Zack shouted, conjuring a ball of wind and shooting it out into the trees. The air burst out into slicing blades of wind that cut apart the trees in the surrounding area. The sounds of falling trees boomed around me as I narrowed my eyes. They retreat when they’re hurt. And yet, they insist on attacking us.

I ran forward, leaving Saffron and Matthew behind. The butler cursed, calling me back. But I ignored him.

I found Daniel amidst the fighting— a [Rancer Mite] was on him, her mandibles biting and gnawing on his blade. I kicked the monster with a [Fire Strike], before jabbing both my daggers down onto her side. I heard a crack as her shell broke open. She tried to close her sharpened limbs on me when Daniel sliced her head clean off.

“Thanks—”

“There is a Lair nearby.”

I spoke simply, turning to face him. He blinked and glanced off towards the trees.

“Yeah, I think so too.”

“No— I know there’s a Lair nearby. These [Rancer Mites]— well, they look like weird spiders. And those Giant Spiders back in Silkfall’s Crevice only attack people intruding into their Lair!”

“So you believe it’s the same thing here? That we’re riding past their Lair so they got mad?”

I nodded and he frowned. He placed a hand on his chin, considering this. Our eyes met and a thought crossed through both our minds. He opened his mouth and I grinned.

“That means we have to—”

“—go and destroy their Lair!”

“...wait, that wasn’t what I was going to suggest at all.”

I cocked my head.

“What do you suggest we do then?”

“Uh, run away? Go around their Lair? I don’t know— there’s too many of them and we’re supposed to be protecting our client.”

“Oh, we’re supposed to do that?”

“Yeah. Wait, if you’re here…”

He glanced back at where Saffron had been and sighed in relief. Jaakko was standing over the noble, fighting beside Matthew as [Rancer Mites] leapt around them.

“I feel like you might’ve lost us some points by just leaving her there. Whatever, now we just have to get out of this mess.”

“I’m not the one who brought us into this mess!”

I scowled, sending a [Scorching Wave] into the air at some [Rancer Mites]. A few dropped, alive, but on the ground and writhing in pain. Saffron’s bodyguards rushed in and finished them off.

“Also— I want the experience!”

“I’m sorry, Salvos. But our job comes first. Guys, you need to get a move on! Get as far away from the forest as possible! They’ll leave you alone if you leave! We’ll hold them off for a moment until we can follow after you!”

Helen, Zack, and Jaakko immediately burst into action. The Cyclops man escorted the terrified noble back into her carriage and ordered the driver to move as he sat in the front. Matthew accompanied Saffron in as they took off, while the other bodyguards jumped back to their horses and began galloping away.

The [Rancer Mites] threw themselves straight at the carriage and the horse riders even as Daniel, Helen, Zack, and I stayed back for a moment to hold them off. One of the monsters nearly knocked the carriage over, throwing herself straight at it.

“Why are they still attacking them?”

Helen screamed, drawing another arrow. Unlike the last few ones she had been firing, this one was enchanted. It struck the back shell of a [Rancer Mite] attacking the carriage, and immediately the monster fell.

The [Rancer Mite] did not die— did not writhe in pain— but simply fell straight to the ground, like a heavy weight was on his back.

Daniel brought his blade down and the air rippled as something cut a [Rancer Mite] in half. He wasn’t even standing close to the monster. He whirled back to me, panting.

“This isn’t working, Salvos!”

“Of course not! You’re going straight to their Lair!”

“What? But we’re just continuing down the road—”

His eyes widened as the realization hit him. I cocked my head.

“Their Lair is down the road.”

The Human man muttered a curse as I happily shot a [Rancer Mite] down with a Blazing Bolt. The carriage was rapidly traveling down the road now, almost out of sign from us. I was aiming another Blazing Bolt onto my fire bow when he turned to me.

“Salvos— you’re fast, aren’t you? Can you catch up with the Saffron before they drive straight to the Lair and tell them to go off road?”

I paused, slowly lowering my weapon. Then the flames dissipated as I grinned.

“Of course!”

The moment the words left my mouth, the world slowed. [Self Haste]. I didn’t wait for his reply as I dashed forward, ducking under a leaping [Rancer Mite] as she threw herself at Zack. Another tried jumping straight at me, but I easily sidestepped the attack, never losing my footing as I barreled forward towards the carriage.

The carriage sped up as Jaakko tossed his kusarigama at a [Rancer Mite] on the vehicle’s wheel, knocking off the monster, and I frowned.

[Charge of Embers].

In an instant, I found myself just behind the moving carriage as it picked up its pace to escape a pursuing group of [Rancer Mites]. These monsters barred my path, chasing the tails of the coach with their clicks and shrieks.

I threw myself into the air, flying over them and burning them with a wave of hissing blue flames. The fire kept me in the air for just a moment longer, and I landed lightly on the roof of the carriage.

“Hello!”

Jaakko glanced back at me.

“Salvos, what are you doing?”

“I’m here to tell you to turn the carriage!”

“But why? If we turn back, they’ll only be angered even further.”

“No, not turn back— turn into the trees! You’re heading straight to their Lair!”

The Cyclops man blinked his single eye. Then he nodded.

“How astute. Very well.”

He spoke to the carriage driver who gave him an incredulous look. However, when the carriage hit another bump thanks to an angry [Rancer Mites], he made his choice to listen and swerved the carriage into the forest. And it was just in time.

Up ahead of us, I saw dozens of black figures waiting at a spot in the road. They looked like the [Rancer Mites], but smaller. And they covered the dirt road, the trees, and… the broken down wagons and carts ahead.

Corpses were strewn about, some of them being munched on by the smallest variants of the [Rancer Mites]. I grimaced as I saw one turn his head towards me with his open mouth. Gross. Eating is gross!

The carriage began to run into hits and bumps, the already rocky ride becoming even rockier as we made our way under the thick tree canopy. Saffron’s bodyguards followed right behind us while Daniel, Helen, and Zack were a little slower. But the monsters calmed. They began to back away from us, leaving us alone one by one until none remained.

And we were free to make the rest of our trip to Warrington.

55.2. Crest

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

Here's a shoutout to one of the authors who has helped me out a lot since I first began taking writing seriously last year:

Check out Spark of Divinity by Inorai. It's a female lead isekai with a heavy focus on mythos and the supernatural. There'll be mentions of gods from the Greek Pantheon and other things which will draw you into the story. I highly reccommend you check it out!

55.2. Crest

Defeated [Rancer Mite – Lvl. 51]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Rancer Mite – Lvl. 49]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 47] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 48]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“That was terrible!”

Saffron spoke in a panicked voice to her butler, losing all of the elegance in her speech from earlier.

“Those vile monsters nearly got me! How could you allow this to happen, Matthew?!”

“Apologies, Lady Saffron. We were not made aware of any monster Lairs in the road to Warrington.”

“Made aware?! You should have investigated the matter yourself rather than rely on some foolish townspeople's information—”

“Huh.”

I cocked my head and Daniel turned to me, still bent over and cleaning his boots with a towel.

“What do you find so interesting this time, Salvos?”

“Nothing. I’m just surprised Saffron was so scared. I thought she was supposed to be a noble.”

He blinked and glanced over at the angry woman. Her pink hair was now a mess, almost as if it was lit on fire and burning behind her while she reprimanded her servants, pointing at the damage done to the previously gilded coach. He shrugged.

“I guess that’s how nobles are. I think? If anything doesn’t go their way, they get impatient. Angry. Or scared. Saffron being no different isn’t much of a surprise to me.”

“But she—”

I snapped my mouth shut. But she has an advanced Class! I wanted to say it, but I remembered how Matthew reacted when she shared it to me. Is this… a secret? I decided that it was, and chose not to share it.

Instead, I quickly ‘corrected’ myself.

“But she’s Level 35 and a noble! Wouldn’t she have gotten some [Mage] training in an academy like Mavos Academy even if she’s not met their level criteria, or something?”

“That’s… oddly specific.”

I lied flawlessly. And I heard a snort from behind. Zack walked up to us, dusting down his untainted robes as the shouting in the background slowly stopped.

“First of all, she isn’t a student of Mavos Academy. Only those above Level 40 can be admitted to the institution. Secondly, even if she was one, I’m not surprised she reacted that way to a fight. [Mages] trained in these academies usually never experience true battles. Everything is simulated, there is always a safety net, and they always prance about the theories of how things should work without knowing how anything actually does work.”

“I’m assuming you don’t have a high opinion of these [Mage] academies.”

Daniel straightened and flopped the towel over his shoulder. Zack crossed his arms.

“Indeed. But don’t assume it’s because I was rejected from one— no, I was invited by Mavos Academy on a scholarship basis for being such an excellent practitioner of magic at a young age. They recognized my talent for hitting Level 40 before I turned 25, although I turned them down. And yet, here you are, a Level 50 [Warrior] who’s ostensibly younger than me, accompanying Salvos who is also a rather talented fighter herself.”

“I’d say she’s even more talented than me, but what are you getting at, Zack?”

“Nothing. I’ve just heard… rumors. From my client up in the Elutra Kingdom.”

My companion froze the moment he heard the country’s name. He kept his face steeled.

“...what kind of rumors?”

“Rumors of… a certain wanted man. And a runaway princess. Both disappearing at roughly the same time.”

Zack’s eyes slowly turned to me. I blinked. Princess… that’s a kind of noble! I frowned and lifted a hand, interrupting the two’s standoff.

“I am not a princess— I am not even a noble! I wouldn’t want to be a noble!”

Especially not after that display by Saffron earlier— I would rather be not Salvos if that was what a noble Salvos would act like!

Zack shook his head and Zack sighed, although neither man seemed to release their tense postures.

“There goes all subtlety and insinuations, huh? I'd like to believe you, Salvos. But I can’t just take your word for it either.”

“What are you going to do, Zack?”

Daniel narrowed his eyes. The [Mage] shrugged.

“Nothing. Just something I’ll be keeping in mind.”

He turned and returned to his team. Helen had been sorting what arrows she had left on her quiver, but she now realized that Zack had been with us. They exchanged a few words and she punched him in the arm, annoyed. She came over to apologize a moment later and that was that. But I realized after how Daniel was acting more… stiff around the Gold Ranks.

—--

We continued our journey to Warrington, with me in the carriage once again and a quiet Matthew by my side this time. Saffron and I continued our chat from before— the noble pretending that she hadn’t just lost her cool earlier.

The day after we arrived at the city, just after we left the inn, she sent Matthew to report to the local guards about the monster Lair obstructing the road. And while he was gone, Daniel and I began bidding our farewells to everyone.

“We told Saffron that we’ll only be going this far. You three are going to Elutra for a job, right?”

“Yes. Since we’ll be heading the same direction anyway, we’ll continue escorting Saffron at least part way through her journey. She’s offering to pay us more to protect her, after what just happened.”

Helen hesitated, glancing back at her teammates as they waited next to the carriage with the other bodyguards.

“Sorry about Zack earlier. I know he said some weird things, but he’s just… like that sometimes, you know?”

I shook my head.

“No, I don’t know.”

She laughed, nodding.

“Neither do I. But I’ve still got to apologize on his behalf.”

“You should apologize to Daniel instead. He’s been acting weird since then.”

Daniel frowned. He was standing right next to me.

“What?”

“It’s true!”

“She’s right. I have to apologize to you.”

Helen turned to my companion.

“Sorry for what Zack said, if any of it offended you.”

“It’s fine. It’s understandable that he’d be curious about us since… Salvos is Salvos, and I’m not the most conspicuous individual either— even if I try to be…”

He muttered the last part softly to himself.

“I did not take offense. So don’t worry about it.”

He smiled at Helen and she smiled back.

“It was short, but it was good meeting both of you. But that’s how it is with us adventurers, right? Many passing encounters are part of the adventure.”

Daniel hesitated, but slowly he nodded.

“It is.”

We shook hands and she turned away. Helen paused, as if she wanted to say something. But a figure brushed past her and spoke out.

“Salvos.”

Saffron stopped just in front of me. She cast a quick glance at Daniel and nodded his way before turning back to me.

“I’ve spoken to every single one of my bodyguards, and they all told me the same thing.”

“And that is?”

I cocked my head.

“It was your quick thinking that saved our life. You discerned that it was not just a defensive attack from monsters protecting their Lair, but that their Lair was just up ahead on the road. I’d be dead now if not for you.”

I shrugged. The first was rather obvious— I was sure someone would have made that realization if they weren’t caught up in the sudden battle. But the second… [Passive - Deadly Instincts], so you can also tell whether I’m wandering straight to a monster Lair, huh? That Skill was proving more and more useful with each passing day.

Saffron suddenly bowed and Daniel blinked. I stared down at the pinked haired noble.

“For saving my life, I would like to offer you my gratitude.”

She offered me something held in her hand. I stared at the crystal object— a symbol of a vulture was ingrained onto it.

“This is the crest my family gives to our allies. Call on if you ever have any favor to ask of me.”

“Call on it?”

I took the crest with a hand and stared at it. I squinted as I noticed the strands of mana running through the air curve as it came into contact with it.

“It’s enchanted?”

“It is indeed.”

“How do I use it?”

Saffron raised her head, offering me a sly smile.

“It is something you will have to figure out on your own. Maybe you might even level up your mana manipulation that way.”

She straightened, adjusting her posture and carrying herself with the same poise as before. She no longer seemed like the scared girl I had seen just before, but was now the regal noble I had originally met.

“It was a pleasure to have met you.”

Saffron twirled around gracefully, returning to the coach where she came from. Helen paused for just a moment, but realized the pinked haired noble was already about to leave. She waved goodbye at me and quickly left.

Daniel and I waved back at the group as they began to leave the city— Matthew returning just in time. Was she trying to leave him behind? Probably.

Once they were gone, my companion looked down at me, a longing gaze still fixed on my face. He scratched the back of his head, speaking slowly.

“I know it must feel weird, huh? Meeting people for the first time and suddenly they’re gone. First your Demon friend, then Edithe, and now these guys. But it’s… normal, I guess? You might get used to it, you might now. I know I’m still not fully used to it— the reality of life.”

I continued staring, unmoving. Daniel hesitated.

“Salvos, I know you’re— Salvos?”

I blinked and glanced back at him.

“Huh, oh what? You were talking to me?”

“Yeah, I… is something on your mind?”

I paused, tapping a finger on my lip as I considered this for a moment. Then I grinned.

“I changed my mind. I want to be a noble again! You must now refer to me as Princess Salvos!”

…

“No.”

“Aw.”

A note from MelasD

I will be posting a full update about my patreon changes in a bit. I've decided to risk it, after talking to my patrons. Once I wake up (probably won't be awake when this is up since I slept at 5am the night before and it's 5am once again as of the time I'm scheduling this draft) I'll make all the changes necessary.

Happy Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year/Spring Festival all! Gonna be eating good tonight.

Announcement: Patreon Update (Follow up to the poll)

This will be the last of these kind of posts for a long while! Please bear with me one last time!

So, following yesterday's poll and having more chats with my patrons, I've finally decided to make the change so that all 17 (soon to be 20) advance chapters will be available to the $5 tier on my patreon. It's honestly a bit expensive, especially considering the economic climate of today. One of the main reasons why I'm honestly apprehensive and might not go to Law School despite being accepted is the job hunt that will have to come after. And I'm sure many people feel the same way about the world today.

Hence why I'm trying to make these changes.

The changes made will thus be this: my current $10 tier will be mostly there only for those who want to support me, its only reward will be the occasional Side Story chapters that may or may not include characters like H*ec or S*ffron. My main tier will then be the $5 tier with all advance chapters I've written accessible there.

I will be trying to give out as many bonus and extra chapters before the end fo the month too to make up for all these update and poll posts. I can't promise anything, but I'll be flying soon so I'll be able to write without any distractions.

However, if I do end up screwing myself over financially, I apologize, but I'll have no choice but to revert these changes I'd like to make before next month. I am still quite young and in Uni, so I hope it's understandable that I'm a bit nervous about doing this whole writing thing.

Do consider checking out my patreon here if you'd like to read 17 chapters (soon to be 20) ahead for $5.

I know most people won't and will never patron, but I appreciate your support regardless. As always, thanks for reading and stay safe!

MelasD, also known as Delta.

56. Human

A note from MelasD

Honestly, I just realized how little I promote my other fic here on Salvos. I have done three weeks of shoutouts total, 2 weeks in December and a 1 week last week, with dozens of fics mentioned, but I've only mentioned Melas like once or twice.

Anyway, it was never like Melas was the most popular story, and as a result of that, I've gone ahead and made a decision which may or may not get more eyes turned its way. That's right, I've gone ahead and did it. I've published Melas into Amazon's Kindle Unlimited as a sort pseudo test to at least dip my foot into the water once. (This does not affect Salvos nor will it ever affect Salvos as I promised I will not make it exclusive to KU and I intend to keep it. I am still a little upset about that however, since I made that move so I would NOT get review bombed, but since some people didn't bother reading the announcement, I got review bombed anyway. So like, what was the point of doing that? I could be on the first page of Best Rated now if not for that. And Especially considering how I easily could have made $5k+ in January alone on KU with my launch even before I mentioned it on RR or was given a shoutout by pirateaba... which could've ended up in $10k... you may not believe me, but just take a look at Shirtaloon who is making the move to KU from RR despite making $17k on patreon. Or look at Macronomicon who has abandoned all his other RR fics to work purely on A:GS. I saw this sentiment with my post about publishing, but many people just don't understand how big of a money maker  KU is.)

I'm incredibly nervous about this decision. And while I will not ask anyone here to check it out or buy it, especially considering how Melas only gained 30 followers over the course of four to five months. But I'd like to ask anyone out there who has Kindle Unlimited to possibly check it out and give it a download. The downloads do not monterarily benefit me at all considering that Kindle Unlimited works by page reads. However, each download will gain me more exposure and helps me to possibly breach a new audience, which is my goal with this move.

Again, this does not matter to most of you, like at all. Especially for those of you who have read up to the end of Book 2. Only Book 1 is is currently in Kindle Unlimited, which means only chapters 6-38 will be gone from RoyalRoad. I do hope you guys check it out. It would sincerely help me regain some lost motivation which I've been struggling with Melas if I could gain a new audience base to support me.

Melas Book One: Bound and Broken

If I can even get 50 additional download, or a couple more sales, I might even be able to break ABSR 10,000, which would really help out a lot since that's when people start eyeing Amazon stuff.

And with YA and Portal Fantasy's both being such saturated genres, I do hope to at least break the surface of the water with this, even if it doesn't skyrocket.

56. Human

The reason we had come to Warrington was not something I had known until we finally arrived; Daniel didn’t have the time to talk to me privately during the entirety of our journey. Not only were we escorting Saffron alongside Helen, Zack, and Jaakko— Saffron had also whisked me into her coach for most of the journey.

Now, however, he explained why we were here.

“I hadn’t just been idle while you were in the Dungeon. The first thing I did was find out more information about any possible [Cultists] in the area— while Demon summonings are illegal, they’re not really in the priority list for most countries, so information on them would usually be hard to find. However, after being hit hard by a rampaging Demon, pretty much every city in Nixa has been on a lookout for [Cultist] activity.”

“I suppose that is one such outcome, yes.”

I nodded along as he continued.

“Apparently, there have been rumors of a cult in the towns outlying Warrington. The city guards have investigated these rumors, and while nothing has turned up for them, they’ve had an open call for adventurers to take up the job too. But since most adventurers currently in Nixa are Silvers…”

“They haven’t been answering the call.”

I made the ingenious deduction. He pretended that it was nothing special and resumed his inane chatter.

“That’s why I thought it was best for us to investigate it. Not only would we be making some money— which, considering our limited funds, is something we should be focusing on right now. But we’d also be helping you possibly find a way back. I thought it was fortunate that you were taking so long to return at first, since it gave me time to level and advance my Class. However, now I’m not sure if there’s anything left to investigate. If some reckless Silver Ranked team decided to take the job—”

“Oh, worry not Daniel. It is very much expected of the common folk to revel in their mediocrity. If they actually—”

“Alright, you can stop now, Salvos.”

He spoke over me and put a hand up. I stared at him, appalled.

“It’s Princess Salvos to you, peasant!”

“Where did you even learn to talk like that— nevermind. Salvos, I’m trying to help you out here. Can you be serious for just one minute?”

“Fine!”

I scowled and sat down with my arms folded. Daniel opened his mouth to continue, then paused. He looked at me, just sitting there.

My Human companion pinched the bridge of his nose.

“And I was not being literal when I said ‘one minute’. You can stop counting down the seconds in your head now.”

I groaned and threw my hands up in the air.

“Then what do you mean by that?!”

“I’m asking you to focus, Salvos. We’re here in Warrington to investigate [Cultists]. You know, the people who can get you back to the Netherworld?”

“I know…”

Sighing, I picked myself up. The two of us were sharing a room once again— we were no longer in the inn Saffron had provided us. That was apparently too expensive for Daniel to afford; he said it was because I had spent a quarter of his gold in a single transaction. Then he murmured to himself about how ‘he should have expected it’, and how ‘he only had himself to blame’.

“So, we’re going to go find these [Cultists] or something?”

I waited expectantly for Daniel by the door. The Human man started after me, blinking.

“Man, you walk fast.”

“I’m not a man. I’m Salvos.”

“I know, I know. You’ve got to stop taking me so literally, Salvos.”

I grinned and waved a hand dismissively.

“It’s more fun that way!”

Daniel paused mid step and stared at me. He rubbed at his ears, slowly registering what I said. His eyes widened.

“...are you being serious right now? Have you been messing with me this whole time?!”

I smiled and turned, leaving him behind in the room speechless.

—--

“Didn’t you say we’re going to be searching for [Cultists]?”

“Mm, I did.”

“So why are we just sitting here and doing nothing?!”

A few heads turned and stared at our table, some with less-than-kind faces. I ignored them, instead glaring at Daniel with crossed arms. The Human man glanced up from his food, still chewing as I waited impatiently for him to respond.

He took his time before finally swallowing down what was in his mouth— apparently talking with your mouth full was considered bad manners according to him, but I hadn’t seen very many people adhering to that supposed rule.

“I have to eat, Salvos. We’ve been over this a thousand times.”

“No we haven’t.”

He snorted, wiping his mouth with a napkin. Ignoring me, he raised a hand and waved down one of the barmaids. A brown haired woman came over and took his plate.

“Done with your food already? Is your girlfriend not getting anything?”

Daniel blinked and glanced at me. His face turned a slight shade of red as he brought a hand up.

“Ah, she’s not my…”

“I’m not his girlfriend!”

I helpfully put out with a smile. The Human woman perked up and Daniel deflated.

“I know it’s true, but you don’t have to say it so cheerfully.”

“But that’s what you said the last time someone asked you that.”

I cocked my head, confused. He sighed and jerked back as the barmaid leaned forward further.

“So, you’re single then. My name’s Lucy, what’s yours?”

“Uh, no, I-I’m actually ta—”

“His name’s Daniel!”

Daniel glared at me and I just cocked my head even further.

“What?”

“Nothing. Yes, my name is Daniel. But sorry, I’m not available.”

“Aw. That’s unfortunate. But I guess girls are always fawning over Gold Ranks like you, huh?”

“...you can say that again.”

“But I had a Gold Rank as a boyfriend once. He dumped me, of course. When he found another ‘prettier’ girl. At least you’re loyal.”

The Human woman— Lucy— smiled at him. I frowned. Wait… Daniel just shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Oh, uh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, well, I always knew Nolan would do that. But it didn’t hurt any less when it actually happened, you know?”

“Right… you know, we have to get—”

I snapped my fingers and pointed at the barmaid.

“You!”

She blinked as I stood up.

“I know you!”

“You do? I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve ever met before.”

“No— we’ve never met. I’ve heard about you though. That Human… Chris talked about you!”

“Chris? Wait… you mean from back in Dawnwind? That Chris?”

“I think so?”

Lucy rested her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her arm. Daniel scooched back as she sighed wistfully.

“Oh, Chris was such a sweetheart. How did you meet him? Was he still in Dawnwind? And he talked about me?”

“Yep. He—”

I snapped my mouth shut, realizing what I was just about to say. Chris was one of the [Cultists] who summoned me to the Mortal Realm. He went on a tirade about some Gold Rank named Nolan coming to his town and taking a Lucy from him. He wanted Lucerna and I to kill Nolan for that!

Even though I wasn’t particularly familiar with the complexities of Human social relationships, I was fairly certain that wasn’t something I was supposed to be saying. I opened my mouth slowly.

“We… didn’t meet in Dawnwind. But he talked about you— about how… brown your hair is!”

Daniel gave me a weird look but Lucy just sighed even harder.

“Honestly, I liked Chris. I knew I shouldn’t have left him. But I didn’t want to do what my dad told me to, you know? So, I made a dumb decision to leave. Now I probably can’t go back. How’s he doing now?”

“He’s doing great!”

Better than he was just before Lucerna killed him.

“I’d love to get back together with him. I wonder if he feels the same…”

Lucy’s eyes just glazed over as she melted onto the table. Daniel cleared his throat and stood up.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Ms Lucy. But Salvos and I have got to go now.”

He started out of the inn and glanced back at me as I hesitated back at the table.

“You coming, Salvos?”

“Yes… wait.”

I looked back at Lucy, feeling uncertain whether I should say anything. I took a deep breath and just spoke up.

“Chris said… that he felt the same. Ok, I have to go. Bye!”

I hurried after Daniel as the barmaid sat up, blinking. Then the two of us exited the building out into the busy afternoon streets of Warrington. I slowly walked behind my Human companion as we made our way to the Adventurers Guild, finally ready to investigate the rumors of [Cultists].

Daniel paused and I nearly bumped into him.

“...you were lying, weren’t you?”

I stared at his back, then I shrugged.

“Yep.”

“I hope you didn’t hide anything bad.”

“Nope… at least, I don’t think so? Chris was… a [Cultist].”

I whispered the last part. He nodded understandingly.

“I thought it’d be something like that.”

The two of us continued walking on quietly, rounding a corner just before the Guild.

“You know, Salvos, lately you’ve been a lot more… Human.”

I blinked, slowly processing his words. Then I frowned.

“I am not a Human. I’m Salvos!”

“I know— and I didn’t mean it in a bad way. It’s a good thing, honestly. You’re a lot more… empathetic.”

“Why do Humans have to be empathetic? Why can’t I just be an empathetic Salvos.”

I gave him a questioning stare. He shrugged.

“I’m telling you, I didn’t mean to put down your identity. It’s a compliment.”

He walked ahead, entering the Adventurers Guild. I watched after him for a moment, then I murmured under my breath.

“Well… I don’t think I like that compliment.”

And I wasn’t sure why I felt that way.

—--

The receptionist at the Adventurers Guild wasn’t very helpful. We were redirected to find more information about [Cultists] from the city guards. So we left that building and entered another building— this time, we got what we needed.

“Yes. Just northeast from here, there have been talks about travellers going missing. And a few scared folks are saying it’s because of [Cultists]. They’re kidnapping people to sacrifice for another summoning. A big one.”

The guard captain sighed, rubbing at his forehead. Daniel placed a hand on his chin.

“Do you really think these rumors hold any credence?”

“I don’t know. As far as I know, these are regular monster attacks. People go missing all the time. Can’t differentiate if it’s done by monsters or some crazy Humans.”

“Well, I guess that’s for us to have to figure out, huh Salvos?”

My Human companion turned to me and I nodded. The guard captain just sat back onto his chair, scratching the back of his head.

“I didn’t expect the saviors of Silvergrove themselves to come here and investigate these rumors. Man am I lucky. Do you two have like a [Demon Slayer] Class or something?”

I furrowed my brows.

“Why would we have [Demon Slayer] Classes?”

“I dunno. Just thought you were like dedicated Demon hunters or something.”

Daniel and I exchanged a glance and he shrugged. I shook my head, turning to leave the room without a word. My Human companion quickly muttered a ‘thank you’ then followed after me.

“Is something wrong, Salvos?”

He asked me after we left the city. I sighed.

“Nothing. I… if I didn’t look like a Human right now, you Humans would hate me, huh?”

“Uh… yeah, I think that was established on day one.”

“Well, I don’t think I like that!”

“Why not?”

The Human man stared at me, perplexed. I shrugged.

“It’s nothing. Let’s just go find these [Cultists].”

I couldn’t wait to meet another Haec again.

A note from MelasD

I just got my FIRST EVER Salvos fanart, which is a scene from the last chapter! It's honestly so amazing and flattering. It's genuinely making me smile.

Here is "Call Me Princess" by Brack

Thanks for reading and stay safe out there y'all!

57. Breaking In

A note from MelasD

This chapter is chock full of references.

Here's a shoutout in my non shoutout week: read The Wandering Inn if you want to experience the longest single English work of fiction ever. It's a modern day epic in the classical sense.

57. Breaking In

I wasn’t really sure where northeast was. According to Daniel, if you walked to the sun as it rose and broke off to the left, you would be heading southeast. He even showed me a magic compass that pointed north.

“Apparently, compasses can only work by magic. And it doesn’t matter how far south you go— the method of following the sun always works. Because the world is… flat?”

I nodded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Yep.”

“But it can’t be flat.”

The Human man spoke flatly. I cocked my head.

“Why not?”

“Because then how would physics work? How would you be standing here, and be planted onto the ground? How would the sun revolve around the sky? What are the stars then?”

“I don’t know.”

I shrugged. He wagged a finger as the two of us continued trudging down the dirt road.

“Exactly. So the world isn’t flat.”

“But why?”

“I just told you— look, do you see that? The sky is blue. Do you know why? Because the light from the sun is scattered through the world, but blue light bounces off air best. So it becomes blue.”

“Huh.”

I paused, tilting my head up.

“Then why is the sky in the Netherworld red?”

“That’s because—”

He paused, furrowing his brows. Daniel frowned, bringing his hand to his chin.

“You’re right. Why is the Netherworld red and always glowing?”

“I don’t know.”

The Human man contemplated this for a moment. Then he threw his hands up in the air.

“That doesn’t matter! It’s magic or something, alright? Look, the world just isn’t flat.”

“Huh. I just realized I don’t actually care.”

“Haaa…”

Daniel pressed his fingers onto his temples, massaging it slowly. The two of us continued walking in silence; it was only when we encountered more Human travellers did one of us speak.

“Hello—”

“Hey!”

I waved a hand in the air, shouting over him. Daniel grimaced and covered his ear.

“You don’t have to yell.”

“You don’t have to be so annoying.”

“Uh, that’s… unwarranted?”

I stuck my tongue out at him before running ahead. My Human companion stared after me, confused for a moment, then he hurried after me as I reached the [Traders].

“Have any of you Humans heard anything about [Cultists] around here lately?”

An elderly looking Human man turned to face me. He wrinkled a brow and stroked his bushy beard.

“I don’t believe I have. How about you, Smith?”

“I concur, John. I have not heard anything about [Cultists] around these parts.”

“Oh…”

I deflated. Daniel caught up to me, speaking in an exasperated voice.

“What’s with that, Salvos? Don’t you remember what Edithe said about being childish? You’re not—”

“Oh!”

Smith snapped a finger.

“Actually, I do remember hearing about such a thing.”

“Really?”

I perked up and Daniel blinked. The elderly [Trader] continued.

“Yes, why I do remember such a thing. It was… about a Demon, was it not?”

“That’s right, Smith! Young lady, you best be careful if you’re heading to Falisfield. I heard about a Demon summoned by [Cultists] rampagining there. Although… wasn’t the Demon slain just a month ago?”

“Hrm, I do believe that’s the case, John. It seems like our age is finally getting to us, huh old fellow?”

“Wait, so have you heard anything else— anything about [Cultists] here?”

I stared at them. They shook their heads.

“Apologies, young Miss. You can ask around in Stanlow. It’s just down this road.”

I sighed and dejectedly walked past them, heading to the town. Daniel quickly thanked the two and ran after me. He followed me for a little bit before speaking up.

“Is something wrong, Salvos?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’ve been acting weird all day. Are you… upset that Helen, Saffron, and Jaakko left?”

“What about Zack?”

I raised an eyebrow.

“What about him?”

I shrugged.

“I don’t know. They left— and sure that’s annoying that everyone keeps leaving. But, well… what do they even think about me?”

Daniel paused midstep. He stared as me and I turned around, flustered.

“What?”

“You’re starting to grow up.”

“Huh?”

He grinned.

“You’re actually caring what others think about you! You’re no longer the selfish, bratty, only-cares-about-herself Demon I met a few months ago. You’ve changed.”

I shrunk back defensively.

“That’s not what I meant!”

The Human man shook his head and chuckled while I tried to explain myself.

“It’s… Humans like you and Edithe. You two are my companions for a reason. You recognize me. And Mistshard and Druma too— Sakura’s nice. But Helen, Zack, Jaakko, and Saffron. It wasn’t the same.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, Salvos. Don’t worry too much about it. You’re still young—”

“I’m a Greater Demon.”

I corrected him with a cross look. He waved a hand dismissively.

“Anyways, next time don’t run off by yourself. It’s dangerous.”

“They were [Traders].”

“Yes, but some people have Second Classes. Or they might be using a Necklace of Obfuscation like me. You never know what level someone actually is— so it’s better for us to stay safe and stick together. They might have been the [Cultists] responsible for the disappearances, after all.”

Daniel and I continued on to Stanlow together. He was convinced that I was growing up or maturing or whatever weird evolving process Humans went through without leveling. But I knew that wasn’t right.

Something made me upset, and I was not sure how to express it— or even make sense of it. However, I had been uneasy. I knew what made me uneasy. It was what Daniel told me earlier.

You’ve been a lot more… Human.

—--

Stanlow was not a large town by any means; it was about the size of Maplewell, if I had to guess. Even though Maplewell had been burnt to the ground when I got there, I could still see the rough outline of it.

Daniel took the lead in asking questions this time— he said I was a bit too upfront about it. Even though we were supposed to be here as Gold Rank adventurers, we had to be subtle.

“We don’t know who these [Cultists] are. If the townspeople here are the ones responsible for all the disappearances— who knows what they might try to do to us in our sleeps.”

“But I don’t sleep.”

“...good point. Still, just follow my lead.”

I nodded as Daniel brought me to an inn in the center of town. It wasn’t very crowded. Even the Adventurers Guild back in Silvergrove— as sparsely occupied as it had been, since many had died to Lucerna— had more Humans in it than the inn.

The [Innkeeper] greeted us with a smile. He uncrossed his burly arms and heartily slammed a mug of ale onto the bar counter.

“Welcome! My name is Eren, and welcome to the Traveller’s Inn!”

“What a cliche name.”

Daniel murmured. He quickly steeled himself and walked up to the man, gladly accepting the drink and offering his own coins. The [Innkeeper], Eren, just chuckled.

“Don’t worry, it’s on the house.”

He picked up another mug and began wiping it down with a piece of cloth. He glanced between both Daniel and I.

“So, what brings you two Gold Rank adventurers to our small town? Let me guess: you’re here about the kidnappings?”

Daniel spat out his drink and I turned to face him. I gave him a judging look.

“So much for subtlety.”

“I forgot people can do that, alright?”

He sighed, pulling up a high stool. I sat down next to him as he spoke with resignation.

“Yes, we’re Gold Ranks here on that job. Why, have others been showing up?”

“Nope! You’re the first ones I’ve seen. But some guards from Warrington dropped by just the other week, asking us questions about the mysterious disappearances. I couldn’t help them, but they didn’t seem like they even wanted to do the job. I assumed they would just delegate it to adventurers after that, and seems like I was right.”

“Lazy government workers… things are the same everywhere, huh?”

Daniel shook his head and leaned on the counter. The [Innkeeper] glanced over at me, raising his mug.

“Want a drink to, young lady?”

I grimaced.

“Gross. No.”

“Your loss.”

Eren sat the mug down and wiped his hand down with a wet towel. He placed his hands on the counter and leaned over.

“So, what can I do for you?”

“Uh… do you know anything about these rumors then?”

“Nope!”

He beamed happily at Daniel. My companion stared at him, then at my expectant look.

“...this is like dealing with another Salvos. Alright, if you want to say something so bad, go ahead.”

I grinned and turned to the [Innkeeper]. Eren gave me a curious look as I spread my arms on the counter, outside of his.

“Demons.”

“Don’t know anything.”

“[Cultists]?”

“No clue.”

“Kidnappings.”

“Heard some things, but don’t know anything about it.”

“Angry Humans!”

Eren paused. He folded his arms, ruminating over my statement for a moment.

“Well, if that’s what you’re looking for, I know that Mr Joseph living at the edge of town has been having money problems since his wife left him for some Gold Rank adventurer a few years back. Last I heard, he’s gotten into trouble with debt collectors since he hasn’t been able to support himself or his daughter.”

“Think they might be responsible for the disappearance?”

I raised a brow and he nodded.

“Possibly. I think it’s worth checking out.”

“Alright. Thanks! Come on, Daniel.”

I got up and nodded back at the [Innkeeper]. He smiled, waving at us as we left the inn. We turned a street from the Traveller’s Inn and Daniel stopped. He stared at me.

“...how the fuck did that work?”

—--

After asking for directions, we found ourselves outside of a ramshackle hut right at the edge of town. Apparently, this Joseph Human had grown reclusive and more and more agitated ever since he borrowed gold from some shady individuals.

I was not sure how people who gave shade from the sunlight were involved in this, and Daniel just sighed when I asked him.

The Human man instead just knocked on the creaky wooden door and called out.

“Hello? Is this a Mr Joseph’s house?”

Silence. There was no response. I frowned.

“Didn’t the people we asked say that he doesn’t usually leave his home?”

“Yeah, but he could be out in the nearby forest or something. Doesn’t mean they have to be lying. Let’s just knock again.”

I shrugged.

“I didn’t say they were.”

Daniel rapped on the door once more, calling out with the same words as before; there was nothing. I tapped a foot impatiently on the ground and shouted.

“We’re Gold Ranks! We hear you’ve been having trouble with shades or something! Can you open up?”

“You didn’t have to yell.”

I shook my head, ignoring him as he rubbed at an ear. Suddenly, I heard the sounds of muffled footsteps. It was slow and steady— as if someone had just gotten up from their chair and was coming over now. The wooden boards underneath their feet croaked softly as Daniel and I waited for the door to open.

The piece of wood barring out paths swung open fractionally. A head poked out, staring at us with suspicious eyes.

“W-what do you two want?”

A Human man— Joseph— gave us a wary look. Daniel gave him a disarming smile.

“There’s no need to be afraid. As my friend here said, we’re Gold Ranks. We’re just here to investigate the mysterious disappearances that have been reported around the area.”

“Disappearances? I don’t know anything about those.”

“Of course. We’re not blaming you for anything, Mr Joseph. But we’ve heard that you’ve run into some… unruly folks? People who are trying to extort you.”

I narrowed my eyes as I watched Joseph bite his lower lip. Humans do that when they’re nervous, I noted. I glanced at Daniel and he seemed to notice it too. Joseph spat at us.

“What kind of accusations is this? Me? Mixed up with debt collectors? Hah, give me a break!”

He slammed the door shut— but I caught it and pushed it open.

“Listen here, you’re obviously lying and we’re not stupid. If these people are bad for you, why not just tell us?”

“Tell you? Are you mad? It’s because—”

There was a loud crash from behind the house. I blinked and looked over at the source of the noise. A figure had jumped out of the second floor of the house, carrying a smaller figure over their arms. Daniel’s eyes widened and he reached for his sword.

“Salvos— that’s… his daughter? A kidnapping!”

I cocked my head.

“You think that’s a [Cultist]?”

For a moment, the running figure was close enough for my [Identification] to work on them. They were a [Rogue], I was fairly certain of it. But Daniel just dashed forward.

“It doesn’t matter—”

A hand grabbed him from behind. Joseph tried to pull him back.

“Let them take Rachel! If you bring her back— they’ll come back for more! Let them go!”

Daniel stared for a moment. He was caught off guard, and he had a shocked look come over his face. Then slowly, his brows arched darkly above his eyes. He clenched a fist— and punched the other Human man. Joseph fell to the ground, limp. He was unconscious.

My companion turned to me.

“Salvos. We need to go after that person. But don’t stop them or kill them— just follow them, alright? Can you do that?”

I turned my gaze to the disappearing figure in the distance. They were fast, and they had a big lead on me. They were only getting further and further away with each passing moment.

I nodded, shooting him a grin.

“Easy.”

A note from MelasD

So, for the next few weeks, I will be upping my post schedule for my patreon to 6 chapters a week as opposed to the 5 chapters for public (not like that hasn't already been the case since the beginning of February). If you're interested in this change, you can check out my patreon here and read 17 chapters ahead and 6 chaps a week.

Thanks for reading as always, and sweet dreams <3

58. Cultists

A note from MelasD

Another early chapter for you guys on RoyalRoad!

58. Cultists

I dashed through the woods feeling the wind brush past my face; I ran past bushes and trees, ducking under branches and leapt over logs. I watched as the single figure ahead continued their pace, glancing back occasionally at me.

I dropped another small ball made of fire— smoke rose from the ground as it touched the fallen leaves crinkling the ground, yet they didn’t catch on fire. They simply burned, the heat from the fire orb incinerating the withered plants. Daniel can see these, right? They were quite bright, so they would be hard to miss.

I turned my gaze back at the figure just in time to see a hail of needles flying my way.

“Huh.”

[Self Haste]. The rain of metal slowed and I leapt from tree to tree, using the thick trunks as cover from the attack. I ran out from a thicket—

And my eyes widened. A single black object hovered in the air above me.

[Bomb - It explodes.].

It exploded.

The figure paused for a moment, waiting for the smoke to clear up. They saw the crater— the burning and falling trees. They scoffed and turned around, continuing their run back to their hideout.

I watched him go from the top of a tree. I shrugged. I guess I’ll just follow him like this.

He was slow. A Level 43 [Rogue]. I could take my time.

—--

“Is this the place?”

Daniel asked, raising a brow as he walked up to my side.

“Yep! I followed the [Rogue] here. He entered that cave there. I think this might be where the [Cultists] hideout is.”

“Well, we don’t know if these are [Cultists] or just some brigands.”

“But [Cultists] like caves!”

“So do bandits.”

I crossed my arms and huffed.

“I think I’m right though.”

“I’m just saying, we’ll have to see first.”

The Human man got up, drawing his sword. I created a sickle and a dagger on each hand, both glowing brilliantly in the night. He eyed my weapons.

“With those… subtlety might not be an option here.”

“Was it ever an option with you, Mr noisy [Warrior]?”

I grinned, spinning the sickle and flicking the dagger in the air. I almost didn’t catch it. Huh, maybe I should start raising [Passive - Weapon Mastery]. I could use two daggers just fine— I could use a sickle on its own just fine. But wielding two non-complementary weapons?

I let the dagger disappear.

“You’re getting mouthy recently.”

“Mouthy Salvos. But that doesn't mean I’m a Human.”

I walked off ahead of him and he sighed, following after me.

“Is that what’s been bothering you, that comment? I didn’t mean anything it, Salvos—”

“Oi! Who goes there!”

The two of us strolled up to the cave as a group of masked Humans carrying various weapons blocked our way. One Human at the front raised a large spiked mace.

“What are you, Gold Ranks here to investigate us? It’s already too late—”

“If you’re wondering whether I liked it? Of course not. Being a Human is limiting. Most of my Title’s buffs are gone! And I still can’t get [Zealous Call] to work.”

“[Zealous Call]? You mean you got a Title Skill?”

“Hey, we’re talking to you—”

I snorted, crossing one arm as I waved the sickle in the air.

“Didn’t you?”

“No— my Title is pretty generic, I think. I thought only Kings and the like got Title Skills.”

“If you’re not going to listen, just die!”

The man with the mace yelled. He swung it down at me but I just stepped to the left. The weapon shone and it crashed into the ground, knocking up dust into the air. By the time the dust settled, he lay dead on the floor.

“Damn those bastards—”

I brought my sickle up and sliced off an arm. There was a scream as Daniel swung his sword wide and three Humans fell back.

“Kings get Titles? I wonder if there’s a Princess Title too.”

“Well, it’s not usually just ‘King’. The Titles tend to be King of the Harvest or King of War. I’m not really sure about princes or princesses. It’s kind of rare, but there are a few Barons and Duke type Titles too.”

He grunted as a blue blade of energy shot out from his sword and blasted five of them apart. I threw my weapon and it struck down two more charging enemies, before I sent a [Scorching Wave] out.

“Huh. Also, see how noisy you are? I’m far quieter.”

“Oh, shut up. Your mouth is the loudest thing here.”

My flames stopped pouring out and Daniel brought up his longsword to his back. The last of the Humans attacking us lay dead on the floor— a few ran, but I easily took them out with a few fire daggers to the back.

“They were mostly around Level 30. I can’t believe we were this weak just before we fought Luccerna.”

“A 10 level difference is a lot. And it’s not like we weren’t already taking on enemies above our levels when we were at Level 30. You’re a Demon— a special Demon— and I’m… well, special too.”

I raised a brow dubiously.

“No, really?”

“I should’ve expected that response. You’re like a child learning about sarcasm for the first time.”

“I’m not a child. I’m Salvos, a Greater Demon.”

—--

The two of us continued into the cave, fighting the angry Humans as they tried to stop us. Most of them didn’t even have combat Classes; about half of those we had just killed were [Cultists], which confirmed my suspicions.

“I told you they were [Cultists].”

“And I didn’t say otherwise. I was just putting the possibility of them being something else out there.”

“Well, you were wrong.”

Another [Scorching Wave] blasted apart a group of angry [Cultists]. Their very own fireballs and [Fireballs] were destroyed by my blue flames before it reached us. The smoke cleared up and suddenly a hail of needles came flying at us.

My eyes widened as they multiplied midair.

“[Steadfast Stance].”

Daniel called out and readied himself. I spun around, letting my Cloak of Shadows take the hit. The needles bounced off my cloak and bounced off Daniel’s skin.

I glanced over at him.

“Since when could you do that?”

“Since I got my Class evolution. I have… a good Class, alright?”

I shrugged and dashed forward. I saw the [Rogue] up ahead, face no longer obscured revealing an older looking man. He was standing behind a group of archers as they drew their arrows back and loosed. He shouted.

“You’re too late! The ritual has already begun! This is the first of many, and soon our King shall—”

[Charge of Embers].

I sped past the flying arrows and appeared on top of the [Rogue]. He stumbled back from the attack and managed to parry my first swing. He blocked the second too, but the third nicked his wrist, forcing him to drop his weapon. My fourth swing took off his head.

Defeated [Cult Acolyte - Lvl. 32]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

…

Defeated [Needlemaster Rogue - Lvl. 43]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 48] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 49]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“Oo, I leveled up.”

I turned back to Daniel as he finished off the archers behind me. He glanced up with an indifferent look on his face.

“Ah, congratulations.”

I cocked my head.

“Thank… you?”

“What are you confused for?”

“Is it normal to congratulate others for leveling?”

I stared at him curiously. He shrugged.

“Dunno. I just said it out of habit, I guess. Let’s continue.”

“Alright.”

…

“So, what do you think [Zealous Call] does?”

“It sounds like it would make you excited or something.”

“Do you know how I can use it?”

“Have you tried saying its name—”

“Already did that.”

“Ah. Then no clue.”

We both walked until we reached the end of the stone corridor, finding ourselves in a large cavernous room. There, we saw a large group of [Cultists] gathered together in a circle.

“That’s a lot of [Cultists]. Far more than when Lucerna and I were summoned.”

“And they’re high leveled too. Think there might be a conspiracy?”

“They are obviously planning something.”

“No— I mean… nevermind.”

I narrowed my eyes as I saw a pile of bodies in the corner of the room; they were white, almost as if they were drained off blood. There was a large summoning circle etched onto the floor— it was made from some red ink.

In the center of the circle lay a small figure. A girl. She was tied up, unmoving, as a man stood over her. Daniel snapped his gaze at me.

“Salvos— the girl. Save her!”

I blinked.

“Why—”

“Just do it!”

I nodded and activated [Self Haste]. I ran forward as a line of [Cultists] stepped up to intercept me. I let my sickle dissipate as I focused on creating another two objects on each hand— a bow and arrow.

I leapt over the file of Humans barring my path, flipping over a volley of magical spells and arrows from the angry [Cultists]. I nocked the bow midair and aimed at the [Cultist] standing in the circle. He brought a crooked dagger up above his head as he began chanting.

“Oh great [Fiends] of the Netherworld, heed my call. We have offered many sacrifices to you, and let this be the last. Send a Greater Demon to aid us in your King’s cause. The Mortal Realm shall—”

The arrow stuck itself through the Human man’s head. He screamed, stumbling back. He reached for his head and pulled out the lodge bolt— it had barely pierced through his skull. High [Vitality] then, huh? At around Level 60 too. Can’t kill him easily.

A [Scorching Wave] kept me afloat for a moment longer, boosting me past the bulk of the [Cultists] while Daniel ran into them. He swung his sword and a bright light came over it. Half of them vanished in an instant.

I landed lithely amongst a group of armed Humans and easily dispatched them with a few [Fire Strikes]. Then I activated [Ignition], setting my body ablaze— the flames not eating at my clothes— and ran past the rest towards the fumbling head [Cultist].

I reached him a moment later before he could plunge the crooked dagger into the little girl. I grabbed her, letting my flames over my body dissipate, before easily dodging an angry punch from him. He was slow. A [Fire Strike] powered kick sent him flying back before I ran back at Daniel.

Dozens of [Cultists] lay dead at his feet as he continued cutting through the ones ahead of him. With me charging their flanks, the rest were easily put down by us and I found myself standing beside Daniel.

“Put her down here. I’ll cut the ropes.”

I nodded and placed the Human girl by his feet. Daniel freed her before quickly placing a hand on her neck.

“She’s breathing. Still alive. Do you have any Low Grade healing potions? Mine are all High Grade. Just want to make sure she’s fine.”

I produced one from a small satchel on my side and he took it, pouring it down the girl’s throat. Then he took a quick swig of it and handed it back to me.

“You don’t need any?”

“They were too slow. I was only hit a few times, but not enough to break my Ring of Lesser Protection. Good thing too— if the protective aura broke, I’d need to find a Dungeon to recharge it quickly. Unless it’ll take another week before I can use it again.”

“There are tools for that, you know? Some [Enchanters] or [Runesmiths] have magic tools that can restore all of an artifact's uses in a few minutes.”

“Let’s buy it then!”

“We don’t have the gold.”

“I mean after we finish off the last of the [Cultists].”

“Yeah. Speaking of which…”

The two of us glanced over at the remaining Humans in the room. There were only four of them left— one being the head [Cultist] who was glaring at us with bloodshot eyes. He jabbed a finger angrily at us.

“You— you did all this! You ruined everything!”

“How so?”

I cocked my head.

“We had planned this for months.Ever since he gave us what we needed to complete the ritual. We had a Greater Demon right at our grasps. Now it’s ruined.”

“Huh.”

I tilted my head back as Daniel raised his sword dangerously.

“We’ve stopped your plans, [Cultists]. I don’t know what you wanted to do, but you shall not kill any more innocent lives!”

I could see his face burn red as he gave his speech; I patted him on the shoulder and pulled his arm back.

“Uh, Salvos… what are you doing?”

“Me? Well, he said he wanted a Greater Demon, no?”

My Human companion furrowed his brows.

“Wait, you don’t mean—”

“I’m going to give him one.”

I stepped forward and my body twisted. My back cracked as it grew longer, growing more hunched. I found my arms touching the floor as I walked forward, and heard my clothes— barring my Cloak of Shadows— ripping and tearing. Two long crooked horns protruded from my head as my hands returned back to the nostalgic sensation of having claws.

My face longer and I grinned, baring my sharp teeth at the terrified [Cultists].

“You’re—”

I took out my Necklace of Obfuscation and my satchel, tossing it back to Daniel.

“A [Changeling]. Yes, I’m a Greater Demon.”

I spoke out in a soft, gravelly voice— each sentence ended followed by a sharp, piercing whistling sound. And I could tell my speech was slightly distorted.

A [Cultist]— a Level 26 Human woman— took a step back and bumped into the head [Cultist]. She turned to him with a pale face.

“What do we do?”

He stabbed her with the crooked knife.

“Oh, Demon King Regnorex, we beseech you, send us one of your great [Fiends]! Help us slay this traitorous Demon for your wonderful cause!”

“Salvos— he’s completing the summoning ritual. Stop him!”

I glanced back at Daniel as the summoning circle— the blood drawn pentagram filled with sigils and symbols— began to glow. I smiled.

“No.”

My Human companion stared at me for a moment, in shock. Then he realized what I was doing.

“Oh. Right. Well, let’s hope whoever gets summoned isn’t too powerful.”

I stood there, back in an arch, as I waited for the summoning to finish. The empty ground at the center of the summoning circle began to glow, and a name appeared there.

“Yes! Yes! Ignavare, great [Fiend] of the Netherworld, come and destroy this traitor!”

Then there was a flash. The glowing stopped. A thin veil of smoke hung over the air around the summoning circle for a moment, and a figure stepped forward.

I grinned savagely and stood up as Daniel readied himself.

[Fiend - Lvl. 52]

A note from MelasD

I hope the pacing isn't too wonky. I don't really understand how pacing works lmao

Once again, you can read up to 17 chapters ahead on my patreon here with a schedule of SIX chapters a week as opposed to five chapters a week for public, for the next few weeks.

Thanks for reading, I love you.

59. Ignavare

59. Ignavare

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon]

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 49

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 2

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 51 (+5)

[Strength]: 36 (+5)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 67 (+5)

[Agility]: 100 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 13

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 3

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 3

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 5

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 6

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 9

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 6

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 2

I stared down the Level 52 [Fiend] standing before me. Ignavare was his name— and he had a summoning collar wrapped around his hand. That’s what I want. He also had orange-green skin and black hair, with a single horn with a spiral design protruding from his head. He turned two uncaring green eyes towards me and snorted.

“Human, have you really summoned me to fight another one of my kind? Even if it is a [Changeling], it’s still one that’s lower leveled than me even. And I am not your ordinary [Fiend].”

“Well, I am not your ordinary [Changeling] either.”

I bared my teeth menacingly at him; he shook his head, facing the head [Cultist].

“I was under the impression that this summoning was for another reason. Otherwise, I never would have come here for such mere pittance of an offering.”

The [Cultists] paled.

“No— great Ignavare, we’ve gathered you a sacrifice of blood and bodies. Here lies a hundred dead people, all for your use!”

“A hundred Humans, all ranging from having no Classes to being low leveled. Only five of them were above Level 20. And one was above Level 30. Yet, I did not even gain the full experience from her. Hrmph, I stand by my words. A mere pittance.”

“I-I apologize, great Ignavare. Please forgive us. He did not tell us—”

“Then you have fallen for his tricks. Our King will not forgive you for such foolishness when he warned you of the dangers of working with him.”

“B-but our King sent him—”

“Hey!”

I called out, waving a hand to grab their attention. The [Fiend] gave me a sidelong glance and the [Cultists] readied their weapons.

“Are you going to keep talking, or are we going to fight?”

“Uh, Salvos, why didn’t we just attack them while they were talking?”

“Why didn’t you do that?”

“...point.”

I shrugged, looking away from Daniel as I stood upright and pointed a finger at the [Fiend].

“I am not a wild Demon, and I have no reason to attack you at this moment. However, I do want your summoning collar. Plus, that Human is asking you to fight us. So, that could change real quick.”

“Oh, she doesn’t have a summoning collar. How did she get here if not through the gifts of my King?”

Ignavare took a step forward, peering at me curiously; he was not too tall, unlike Haec, and he was shorter than me. But he was still taller than Daniel.

The [Fiend] glanced over at the head [Cultist], causing him to jump. He spoke out in a quivering voice, almost backing away from Ignavare.

“I-I’m not sure. But she has to be a traitor to our cause, right? All Demons who don’t obey our King are traitors!”

“No.”

The head [Cultist] blinked as Ignavare shook his head nonchalantly. He flicked his hand through his black hair, almost playing with it between his fingers.

“The wild Demons of the Netherworld bow to no one. And our King has no interest in raising those cattle. Even still— you’re not a wild Demon, huh?”

His gaze bore into me as I readied myself. My body burst into flames and Daniel’s sword gleamed with an iridescent light. The [Fiend] stepped forward and his collar suddenly started to shimmer.

“Very well, then I shall accept your contract and dispose of this [Changeling]. Now, show me what tricks you have. Will you transform into a [Hellbeast]— if you’ve seen one— or are you going to play tricks on me and turn into a [Fiend] too? I must warn you, none of it will work on me...”

“Do you want to take care of the [Fiend]? I’ll deal with the [Cultists] for you.”

I glanced back at my Human companion who was giving me an eye.

“Absolutely not. Help me if I’m struggling.”

“Ah. I thought you would want to fight him yourself.”

“What am I, stupid? I don’t want to die. Sure, getting more experience is fine but—”

Ignavare lashed out at us— I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from him, but I certainly didn’t expect his entire form to sink into his own shadow. Daniel rushed forward, charging at the [Cultists] as they braced for him, while I leapt in the air and clung onto the side of the cavern wall.

I watched as the shadow rushed up the wall after me before a dark arm poked out of it. I kicked off the rock wall just in time to avoid a black blade swinging for my neck. What kind of magic is this, shadow creation?

I landed back on the ground with a heavy thud as I faced the shadow, now on the side of the cavernous room. Ignavare slowly rose out from the shadow, standing perpendicular to the wall before pointing a finger at me.

“[Darkling Toll].”

Behind me, Daniel cringed, although I didn’t see it.I watched as the ground around me began to fade and a mist of shadow form around me. It happened so fast— but I was faster.

[Charge of Embers].

I was on the [Fiend] in an instant— I struck him across the chest and he recoiled back. The ground where I stood burst out into some physical darkness, however I was no longer there. I raised a clawed hand to land another hit on him— a [Fire Strike]— but he hopped off the side of the wall and landed on the ground. I jumped after him, only to find myself striking a dome of darkness.

“[Dome of Shadows].”

Daniel groaned loudly, and this time I heard him. I glanced up at my Human companion.

“Do you need help—”

“[Harrowing Dusk].”

A blast of orange black sent me flying back, extinguishing the flames around my body. I saw flicker— and felt my body curling up in pain as the Ring of Lesser Protection gave out to the attack.

“Salvos!”

“Hrmph. More durable than I thought.”

I picked myself up, looking over at Daniel who kicked a [Cultist] into the rock wall.

“I thought you needed help! Why did you make that sound!”

I growled at him while still keeping my focus on the [Fiend] ahead of me.

“I, uh—”

The head [Cultist] grappled him from behind and he stumbled forward; I ignored that, bounding forward at Ignavare as spikes made of darkness formed around him. He’s not fast, and he can use a lot of magic— so high [Wisdom] then. Maybe [Endurance] too. Probably low [Vitality]. I quickly surmised what I could as I dodged the hail of shadow projectiles.

I leapt up into the air and pounced on him. I lashed at him with [Fire Strikes], digging my claws into his body and tearing off his skin. He screamed and pushed my hands off— strong. I tried to nip at him, however he crossed his arms while holding me back. His forearms were held against my neck, keeping me from biting onto him.

I paused. Then I opened my mouth.

[Scorching Wave].

“Gahhhhhhh!”

He screamed and kicked me off. I stumbled back while the [Fiend] grasped at his face— he was only slightly burned. My Skill was not the strongest I had. But he still turned two hate-filled eyes towards me.

I dashed forward at him—

And he sunk back into the shadows. So, he has a cooldown for that Skill then? I just need to wait a little more for—

I watched as the shadow zipped through the ground away from me. I sent another [Scorching Wave] at him, however the fire just harmlessly splashed off the earth floor.

“Huh.”

I created a bow and nocked a Blazing Bolt onto it.

“How about this then?”

I panted, feeling exhaustion begin to set in. I loosed the arrow and it blast the ground open; Ignavare was tossed out of his shadow and out into the air, his body burnt and bloodied. However, he was still alive.

I charged at him as he held out a hand, creating an axe made of shadows. I brought a [Fire Strike] down at him. He parried the attack— and my eyes widened as I took a glimpse of the weapon. In that moment of distraction, dark spikes rained down on me from above.

“Urk—”

The dark spikes pierced my arms and shoulders as I shelled up, before Ignavare sliced his axe up at my head. I stepped back, barely dodging the first swing, and managed to create a fire sickle just in time to block the second.

“What’s wrong, [Changeling]? I heard your kind was strong. But I’m not impressed so far. Why not try changing into something more powerful!”

He grunted and swung hard hard, shattering my weapon. I stumbled back as he walked forward, swinging the axe wildly with one hand as he cast magical attacks with the other. I managed to dodge most of them, but some nicked me, drawing blood. I backed up even more while he continued his assault.

“Come on! Show me what you can do!”

I stepped back and paused as a wave of darkness came at me. I stared as the attack came—

Now— [Self Haste]!

I ran around the attack, using all four of my limbs to propel myself as quickly as possible. The [Fiend] screamed, redirecting his dark spikes at me, but they were too slow.

I reached him a moment later as fire came to life in one of my hands. He swung his axe down at me, but I caught it with what I created. It was not a sword, a sickle, a dagger, or a spear. I created something simple— chains.

I wrapped the fire chains around the axe handle and pulled it away from Ignavare. The weapon was ripped out of his palms, forcing him to stumble forward into my [Fire Strike] fist. His head snapped back and he spat out a tooth.

“Was that a punch? That barely hurt—”

I sliced his head off with a swing of his axe.

Defeated [Abaddon Shade Fiend - Lvl. 52]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 49] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 50]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

His head dropped to the ground as I dropped the shadow axe down to the ground, too tired to carry it any longer. I collapsed to the ground, panting and heaving.

I heard shouts— terrified screams— then the smashing and breaking of rocks with a few groans. Footsteps approached me and a voice called out for me.

“Salvos!”

“Daniel… that was difficult. Why didn’t you help me?”

“Why didn’t you help me?”

“I’m too tired. And in a lot of pain. I need to [Rest].”

“He barely cut you. Why are you overreacting like this.”

Daniel stopped just in front of me and crossed his arms. I scowled.

“His magic— it’s better than mine. He was able to create a Medium Grade Weapon. See?”

I pointed at the shadow axe and my Human companion squinted. It was already dissipating— unlike the Spear of Flames that didn’t need to be fed mana constantly to maintain its form, this weapon disappeared without a mana source.

“How did you know it was a Medium Grade Weapon? Did you identify it in the middle of fighting?”

“[Deadly Instincts] told me to check. It warned me the weapon was dangerous.”

“So, he was some kind of [Mage]?”

I shook my head.

“No. He was an [Abaddon Shade Fiend]. Probably specializes in magic, which was why he can create such a powerful weapon. But he was physically strong too. That meant he had a low [Vitality] though, kind of like me. And I almost died!”

Daniel sighed, shaking his head. He grabbed my bag and took out my second healing potion from it.

“Sorry I couldn’t help you, but I was preoccupied. Here.”

He splashed it on me and I gratefully accepted it, feeling the most of the wounds all over my body recover slowly.

“Thanks.”

“It was a tough fight. But now, you’ve got what you want.”

I glanced past the vanishing axe at the dead [Fiend]. I nodded.

“Can you help take it for me?”

“Ugh, fine.”

I watched as the Human man slowly walked over to grab the summoning collar as I relaxed. Finally, I can see Haec again. It was a nice thought— a happy thought. One which felt particularly cathartic, especially if I ignored how it would probably take me Mortal Realm years to even find him again in the Netherworld.

Daniel reached for the summoning collar on Ignavare’s wrist—

And it shone. His entire body glowed an ethereal gray; the ground around him lit up as a thin cloak of mist grew around the body. I shouted at Daniel.

“Stop it!”

“W-what?”

My companion panicked and grabbed hold of the body, but it didn’t matter. The body vanished, and the collar was gone along with it. Even the head of Ignavare had been whisked away.

“Why? Why?! Why did that happen?”

“Holy shit— I thought it would take me to the Netherworld.”

I got up and grabbed Daniel by the shoulders. He backed up, face turning white as I glared at him.

“But why didn’t it take you? It grabbed me— it brought me to the Mortal Realm!”

“I… I don’t know. I think some sort of failsafe mechanism was activated?”

I stared, aghast at where the body had been. I got up onto one knee, eyes wide open.

“Daniel…”

“Salvos— I don’t think I did anything! I swear!”

I turned my gaze to him— he had been pale, a bit scared. But his face softened once he saw the expression I had on.

“Are… you alright?”

“I was so close. I could’ve gone back— what went wrong?”

The two of us stood there, unmoving. My Human companion averted his gaze, slowly chewing his lips. There was a silence. He opened his mouth and took a step forward—

“I—”

And a small voice interrupted him.

“Uh…”

The two of us glanced over at the side. A figure stood there, looking at us curiously. The Human girl blinked.

“...who are you?”

A note from MelasD

So, I've just been added to TopWebFiction! I will not ask for this too often, maybe once a month or something, but I would really appreciate it if you could please go on there and vote. It takes less than 10 secconds, and it would genuinely help me a lot <3

http://topwebfiction.com/listings/salvos/

60.1. Rachel

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

60.1. Rachel

“...who are you?”

Daniel and I stared at the Human child standing off to the side with her head tilted to the side; she had dirty brown hair and amber eyes. Her one-piece smock was tattered and bloodied— it might have been pretty sky blue once, but now the color had faded and mixed into a ugly dark gray.

She was the girl we had saved from the [Cultists]— the one who had almost been sacrificed. We had given her a healing potion when she was unconscious before our fight with Ignavare, and now she was awake. I exchanged a glance with Daniel before he stepped forward.

“Hi, uh, don’t be afraid. We’re here to help you— adventurers. Gold Ranks, see?”

He quickly produced a badge and showed it to the girl. He tried smiling reassuringly while approaching her. The girl did not move away.

“Where’s daddy?”

“Your father—”

My Human companion paused, grimacing as his face darkened. The girl peered at him with a puzzled expression before I slowly walked past him. He blinked and reached out for me.

“Wait, Salvos—”

“Are you talking about Joseph?”

I stopped just in front of her and bent over. I cocked my head and she mirrored the gesture.

“...I think so.”

“He gave you to these [Cultists]. He didn’t want you anymore.”

“Oh.”

She blinked, then slowly lowered her gaze.

“I see.”

Daniel hurried over with a worried look on his face.

“Salvos, I don’t think you should be imposing yourself onto her. You might scare her.”

I glanced back at him and frowned. I opened my mouth.

“Why shouldn’t I—”

“Miss.”

The girl spoke over me, looking back up.

“You’re… a monster?”

I couldn’t tell if she was asking me a question or making an observation. I shook my head.

“I’m not a monster. I’m Salvos.”

“Salvos? Is that a type of monster?”

“No, that’s my name.”

“I see.”

The girl spoke softly and nodded. I slowly brought my face closer to her.

“What’s your name?”

“Rachel.”

“That’s a nice name.”

“Thank you.”

She said nothing else for a moment; I thought that compliment would have made her feel better, however she didn’t visibly react. The girl looked over at Daniel who was still standing off to the side, then back at me.

“Will you eat me, Ms Salvos?”

“Why would I eat you?”

“That’s what monsters do.”

“I am not a monster. I am Salvos.”

“I see.”

“I don’t think this is going anywhere.”

My Human companion spoke up as he stepped beside me. He got down on one knee and brought a hand out to Rachel.”

“Hi, I’m Daniel. Salvos here isn’t a monster, and neither of us are going to harm you. We’re here to save you.”

“Save me?”

She stared at him, unblinking.

“Like a [Hero]?”

Daniel hesitated, nearly lowering his proffered hand. However, he steeled himself and gave her a smile.

“Yes. Like a [Hero].”

“I see.”

Rachel slowly accepted his hand and held onto it;

“I’m sure you're hungry. And we’ll find you a place where you can eat without… anything distracting.”

He glanced around at the corpses scattered around the large cavernous room before looking back at the Human girl. She nodded and followed him as he ushered her away. As he slowly walked away, he turned to me.

“In the meantime, Salvos, you can tie up the [Cultists] over there.”

“You didn’t kill them?”

I looked over at the collapsed bodies. Two of them lay there, unconscious, while the third— the head [Cultist]— had been smashed into the wall and was now stuck there.

“No, I… let some of them live. Just in case we needed…”

He averted his gaze, looking over at the summoning circle. I made the connection a moment later and nodded.

“Sacrifices.”

“Yeah…”

“And once you’re done with that— I have some spare clothes too. It’s a bit too big for you, but it should work for now.”

I cocked my head. His face turned red as he murmured.

“After your transform back to your Mortal Form. You’ll need clothes— honestly, I don’t know why we haven’t bought you your own spares. Or enchanted clothing.”

I shrugged.

“I don’t see what the problem is.”

“Well, I do! Just please, wear some clothes when you change back.”

“Why can’t I just stay like this?”

“For her sake.”

He gestured at Rachel who was now hugging his legs and staring at me with an odd look on her face. I couldn’t tell if she was suddenly scared or curious— but it seemed that she now fully realized that I wasn’t Human.

I scowled, sighing.

“Fine.”

—--

The ropes Daniel gave me were apparently enchanted with some sort of durability spell— it was the same rope he used to get us down to Silkfall’s Crevice. So even the head [Cultist] wouldn’t have been able to rip himself free.

I tied them up and tossed the three surviving [Cultists] into another room in the cave complex. Then, after turning back to my Mortal Form and dressing myself in his baggy clothing, I found Daniel investigating the rest of the cave— he was in a large room full of bones jutting out of the earth like broken teeth.

He surmised that this place had been a Lair for monsters once. Judging by the broken carapace and chitin, he thought it might even have been home to the [Rancer Mites] that had attacked us on the way to Warrington.

There were a few other rooms— ones filled with books and rolls of paper. They were banned books apparently, things [Cultists] used to cast their magic and summon Demons. I quickly grabbed one of them and began flipping through it, trying to figure out how the rituals worked.

After we were finished scouring the rest of the cave, we returned to Rachel who was holed up in a room with a few beds strewn about. She did not jump up and run to Daniel, nor did she give me anything more than a confused look. The girl simply blinked and pointed at me.

“Are you… Ms Salvos?”

I nodded.

“Yes, and you’re Rachel!”

“I see.”

She said nothing else as Daniel produced some food for her; she accepted it and ate quietly by herself while I wrinkled my nose in disgust to the side.

“Gross.”

Rachel paused and glanced over at me.

“Do you not like food, Ms Salvos?”

“No, I find it disgusting.”

“Do you like eating Humans then, Ms Salvos?”

I grimaced and crossed my arms.

“Absolutely not— I’ve tried. They don’t taste nice.”

“I see.”

Rachel nodded and went back to eating the bits of meat she had been given. I shook my head, carrying the stack of books we found from the cult and placing them down next to a bed. Then I looked back and found Daniel staring at me.

“You what?”

“What?”

I cocked my head. He rubbed at his temples and walked off to the side.

“When did you even try to eat a Human before?”

“Oh, just now.”

He stumbled forward and caught himself. He sighed with resignation.

“I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that.”

I shrugged.

“I wasn’t in my Mortal Form and I was curious, ok?”

60.2. Rachel

60.2. Rachel

...it is the summoning collar of a Demon that lets them cross to our plane, the Mortal Realm, from the Netherworld and back; it is the same summoning collar that binds them to the sacrifices made by the [Cultist] to form a contract. Only Demons with a collar bestowed to them by our King can make this trip or go back— those who can do so without it are rare exceptions.

However, if a Demon comes to the Mortal Realm and decides the sacrifice isn’t worthy, no contract will be formed and they’ll be able to return to the Netherworld as they please. They will not be able to leave their summoning circle until such a contract is formed, kept back by the magical link between the summoning circles and summoning collars.

I leafed through the large tome, reading its contents slowly as I tried to figure out how these Demon summoning rituals worked. Lots of long and big words. Maybe I should try speaking like that!

I had tried speaking with the surviving [Cultists] and making them tell me how I could do one, but they refused to speak. And Daniel did not let me force it out of them, citing something about how ‘torture’ is ‘unethical’ even if it can be aruged that ‘killing’ is ‘necessary’.

I did not care enough to argue with him since I realized these books kept by the [Cultists] had all the information I needed. I simply read through it, letting him deal with stupid things like ‘feeding the prisoners’ so they ‘wouldn’t starve’.

I put down the book I had read through the night and started a new one, more focused on the sacrificial part of the summoning rituals.

Demons come to the Mortal Realm for the same reason as Spirits: to harvest mana and experience. And that is why Humans, as a master of mana, are considered the best sacrifices for a Demon in a ritual. No other sapient species— not the Elves or the Kobolds— are born with as much inherent magical potential as a Human. The highest natural Stat of a Human is their [Wisdom], and it is because their [Wisdom] that Demons prefer Humans to be used in their rituals.

Of course, monsters known for their magic would suffice too. A Mindreaper or a Behulder would offer more mana than even a great [Mage] would. But the difference in experience awarded from sapient beings and mindless monsters would counteract any additional mana offered in sacrificing a monster. Furthermore, due to the sacrificial nature of the rituals, the experience awarded from their deaths would not be lessened by any level differentials between Demon and Human.

It is, therefore, more practical to sacrifice a dozen low leveled Humans than to sacrifice a single high leveled Mindreaper—

So, if I wanted to carry out a summoning ritual, the best sacrifice would always be a Human. Good thing we have three Humans tied up in the other room. Daniel was open to the idea of using them for me to summon a low leveled Demon so I could just rip their summoning collars off them to return, but he wanted it to be done in a ‘humane’ manner where they were asleep and it was done quickly.

However, having dozens of Humans sacrificed all at once would be impractical in any scenario, and it would be even more difficult if it were a large amount of monsters that were being sacrificed. To commence a ritual without such impracticalities, [Cultists] would have to have all but one sacrifice killed beforehand, and mix their blood and mana signature into the ink used to create the summoning circle.

This will allow a Demon to…

“What are you reading?”

I glanced up and saw Rachel peering at me; the Human girl had been staying with us over these past few days while I went over everything I needed to prepare for a Demon summoning ritual. I wasn’t going to just give up, after all.

“I’m reading.”

She paused, tilting her head up to the ceiling for a moment to consider this. I had expected her to respond with an ‘I see’, but instead she came back with another question.

“What are you reading?”

Slowly, I raised the book up and gestured for her to come closer. She stepped forward and sat down next to me on the bed as I showed her the contents of the tome.

“I’m reading about how to sacrifice Humans to summon Demons into the Mortal Realm.”

“Aren’t you already a Demon, Ms Salvos?”

“Yes I am.”

“So, why do you want to summon another Demon?”

I cocked my head and she mirrored the gesture. I spoke simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Because my companion is stuck in the Netherworld.”

Rachel cocked her head even further. She spoke softly.

“Are you lonely?”

Blinking, I furrowed my brows.

“No, why would I be lonely?”

“Because you’re a Demon. There aren’t many Demons here in the Mortal Realm. At least, that was what mommy told me when I was young. Before she left daddy and called him one of them. Since there are no Demons here, I thought you’d be lonely.”

I crossed my arms and huffed.

“Well, I am not lonely. I have Human and Spirit companions here too! Like Daniel! And they all know that I’m a Demon, so it’s fine.”

“Where are your other companions then, Ms Salvos?”

She looked at me inquisitively— it was not meant to be an attack, just a question. However, I couldn’t help but hesitate before responding to her.

“They’re… not here right now. But I know other Humans too! Like Helen and Saffron! They aren’t my companions, but they’re… my friends? I think.”

“Do they know that you’re a Demon?”

I stared at Rachel for a moment, then I deflated.

“No.”

I sighed, slumping back onto the thin mattress. Rachel just looked at me with her big copper-colored eyes. She was curious, and maybe slightly afraid— still not processing that her father had left her. Daniel had told me that it was apparently a big deal for a Human to have their parents leave them.

I never had any parents so I didn’t get it.

“But so what? They know that I’m Salvos! That’s all that matters, right?”

I threw my hands in the air and sat back upright. I looked at Rachel for confirmation, but she simply stared back at me.

“I don’t think so, Ms Salvos. Many people knew my name— they knew who I was and who daddy was— but I don’t think they cared. I’ve been gone… missing… with you and Mr Daniel for a while, but before that, daddy didn’t let me go out for a long time. He kept me at home and no one came to see me.”

I watched as the Human girl brought a small hand up and fixed her gaze onto it. Her voice cracked as she spoke, sniffling and struggling to get the words out, but she managed to compose herself by the end.

I caught a glint of light from Rachel’s eyes— there was water forming at the edge of her eyelids, above the dark circles underneath her eyes. They did not stream down her face like I had expected them to, but instead a single blink sent a tiny splash in all directions before she lowered her hand.

She was so… delicate. I realized that one wrong word now could break her, just like a flower. She wasn’t a rock that was hard and sturdy— I didn’t need to target her joins to shatter like as I would with a Golem. I had to be careful with her.

I did not know why, but I slowly lowered myself to meet her gaze and offered her a reassuring smile— one that almost reminded me of Edithe.

“I… don’t know what the other Humans in your village are like, but they sound stupid. How can they not see you? You’re like a flower! A pretty flower! Anyone would spot you poking out of the bushes! It makes me want to pluck you!”

Rachel paused, eyeing me with an odd look. I grinned and grabbed her by the shoulders, helping her up.

“Um, Ms Salvos, what are you doing—”

“I’m bored. I’ve been doing nothing but reading for a week! I have this General Skill— a Title Skill— I want to learn. Come on, let’s go outside and try it out.”

I took a step forward, pulling her with me. The little girl blinked and followed me, slightly confused. I stopped for a moment and glanced back at her with a smile.

“Also, stop calling me ‘Ms’ Salvos. I’m Salvos. If you want to call me anything, call me Princess Salvos!”

“...p-princess Salvos?”

“No— not just a princess. Princess Salvos! With a Title and all!”

“I-I see. Princess Salvos… I—”

Rachel closed her mouth, hesitating. Then she shut her eyes and spoke out louder than she had ever spoken before.

“I think you’re weird!”

I laughed and she giggled, following me.

“Well, I think you Humans are weird too!”

Daniel had been feeding the head [Cultist]— or well, trying to feed him since he refused to eat— when he heard an odd noise coming from the stone corridor that led out of the cave. He frowned and grabbed his sword.

What’s that sound, he thought hurrying out of the cave, attackers? More [Cultists]?

He paused mid step as light from the evening sun shone down on him and stared at the chaotic scene ahead. He saw two girls— one young woman and a child— laughing and shouting at each other as they ran around just outside of the mouth of the cave.

Salvos pointed at Rachel as she ran from the little girl.

“Zealous Call!”

“Didn’t work!”

The young man looked on as the scene continued. Salvos easily avoided the little girl as she tried grabbing for her legs, calling out once more.

“Oh yeah, how about this? Title Skill: Zealous Call!”

“Nope! You’re stupid! You don’t even know how your Skill works!”

“Hey! I’m trying!”

The young woman paused, placing her hands on her hips, and was immediately pounced on by Rachel.

“I caught you! You’re so slow!”

“No— I caught you!”

Salvos grabbed the girl, and pulled her up into the air. Rachel squirmed and laughed as she was spun around by the young woman. Rachel— the girl that had almost been sacrificed by [Cultists] just a week before. The same girl that had been abandoned by both her parents.

Daniel had tried everything to get her to even just smile, but she refused. She barely even spoke to him. And now, here she was playing with Salvos, happily beaming and giggling as they rolled on the dirt together in a hug.

“If someone catches you or annoys you, make sure you punch them like this—”

The young man from Earth shook his head, a smile plastered on his face as he turned around and entered the cave.

Just like her, huh? Except, a little more childish.

A note from MelasD

This will be the last public chapter of the week, however, if you want to read more, you can check out my patreon will will have another additional chapter as it currently has a schedule of six chapters a week as opposed to the public of five! In addition to that, you get to read 17 chapters ahead! Check it out here.

Thanks for reading, and to everyone out there, have a lovely weekend :)

61. Double Battle

61. Double Battle

“Alright, I think this is it.”

I got up and wiped the black ink off my hands onto my shirt. Daniel scowled, sighing.

“That was my favorite shirt…”

I ignored him, instead beholding my wonderful creation in its full glory; what lay before me was made with my heart and soul. Also my desire to finally get this over with.

“Summoning circle done! And I did it all by myself.”

“I mean, it’s not like I had to go back to Warrington and buy some ink for you…”

He murmured under his breath. I looked back at him standing off to the side with Rachel by his side. I cocked my head.

“But you didn’t want to help me make this.”

I spoke simply; he opened his mouth, then stopped himself. Slowly, Daniel scratched the back of his head.

“Sorry. I’m just, uh, a little bit grumpy. About what’s going to happen.”

He glanced off to the side at the unconscious Human man lying in the corner of the room. He was the head [Cultist]— around Level 60. And I was going to sacrifice him to summon a Demon.

Apparently, Daniel didn’t like it. He was fine with killing people who were in the process of doing bad things, but he became apprehensive when it came to killing them after the fact. I tried prodding him for his reasoning, however he couldn’t articulate anything that made sense. So, he was going to take Rachel and wait just outside of the cave for me to finish the ritual.

“Also—”

Daniel paused right before the tunnel leading out of this [Cultist] lair that wasn’t actually a Lair.

“When I was in Warrington, I asked around for orphanages and temples— any place willing to take Rachel in. And I think I found a place for her to stay. Where she’ll have good people caring for her.”

I blinked and the girl tilted her head.

“A place to take her in?”

“Yes— to give her a loving home and good food. To keep her safe.”

“But why can’t I stay with Salvos? She can give me all that and more! She’s a Princess, after all!”

Rachel tugged at the Human man’s sleeves; he sighed, rubbing at his temples.

“I’m telling you Rachel, she’s not actually a Princess. Or even a princess.”

I stared on as she pouted. Daniel looked at me pleadingly.

“Salvos, if you tell her it’s fine—”

“Don’t worry about it!”

I spoke over him and waved a hand dismissively. Daniel blinked and Rachel stared at me, aghast.

“I didn’t expect you to accept it so easily.”

“But Salvos!”

I hesitated, looking at the little girl as she tried to pry herself from Daniel’s grasps. Nodding, I gave her a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry about it now. We’ll figure it out later, alright?”

My Human companion sighed. He picked Rachel up and hefted the squirming girl over his shoulder.

“Should’ve known. Fine. We’ll talk later. Come on, Rachel.”

She groaned, but stopped wriggling; I glanced one last time back at the two as they left the room before turning my attention to the task at hand. Time to do this!

I picked up the sacrifice and placed him in the middle of the summoning circle; I held up the sacrificial dagger and closed my eyes. He has high [Vitality], this will take a moment. I brought it down as I remembered the process necessary for summoning Demons.

The most important thing— and the reason why I was using a high leveled Human— was the level of the sacrifice; I could probably summon a Level 40 or 50 Greater Demon with this Level 60 Human man. However, that was not a good idea for me considering I wanted to fight whoever I was going to summon.

So, I was not going to summon a single high leveled Demon. Instead, I was going to summon multiple low leveled Demons. There was an important caveat in summoning rituals that I was surprised to find out, and that was: uncontracted Demons could return to the Netherworld at will.

I prepared myself for that, then, by choosing to summon multiple Demons. Ones that I knew weren’t fast or strong, and only had the advantage of numbers over others.

The sacrificial dagger finally did its job as the [Cultist] convulsed. Stepping back, I tossed the blade aside and began to transform. Daniel had given me rather loose fitting clothes, so it wouldn’t tear so easily.

There was a rip, and my clothes partially tore, but it was not shredded like my own clothes had been after I fought Ignavare.

I watched the summoning circle glow a deep red, and the Demons I had chosen finally appeared. Their names magically etched themselves around the center of the ritual, but I ignored it. Because they were all the same thing.

Legion.

More specifically, they were [Lesser Legions]. Because they were Greater Demons. It was odd— they didn’t exist as individuals. They were all… the same? The books I read was very vague about how it worked, however when I saw them make their entrance, I felt like I understood what it meant.

A dozen pink creatures appeared before me. They weren’t tall— they stood on two short, stubby legs up to my waist. They had long, bulky arms with square shaped fists at the end, and a weird rectangular-like protrusion on their face. That was… their nose? I had seen an animal with a face like that before— I believed it was called a pig!

The Legions glanced around the room, looking for the one who summoned them. Their heads turned in the same direction, and they all stopped at me at the same time. They raised their hands and spoke with the same voice.

“You. Greater Demon. What have you done with the girl who summoned us?”

I cocked my head innocently.

“Whoever could you be talking about?”

“The Human who had been standing there—”

They paused. They didn’t speak entirely in sync, so their words slowly cut off one after another. But they all said the same thing, and they all made the same realization. Then they broke out into a babble of different and repeating voices.

“[Changeling]! She mimicked a Human.”

“She’s given us a fake contract!”

“[Changeling]!”

“We’ve been deceived!”

“She mimicked a Human.”

“She’s given us a face contract!”

“We’ve been—”

I dashed with my [Charge of Embers] at the nearest [Legion]. His eyes widened as I came close, but before I could claw my way through him, he vanished. I clicked my tongue, finding my claws shearing through nothing but smoke.

I glanced around and saw a second [Legion] disappear. Then a third. And a fourth—

I thought if there was a group of them, I could get at least one killed before they left. However, it seemed returning to the Netherworld wasn’t as much of a task as coming to the Mortal Realm. My plan was quickly falling apart.

But I had a backup plan.

I took a deep breath and bared my teeth, emitting an ear piercing sound. The remaining [Lesser Legions] paused and focused their gazes on me. This was the main reason why Daniel took Rachel out of the cave. It was because…

[Title Skill: Zealous Call].

The Legions all charged at me in a frenzy. I braced myself, hoping that the two Humans were far enough away that they didn’t hear the shrieking growl I had just made. I first used it on Rachel… by accident.

We had been playing outside while Daniel was in Warrington, and I was only pretending to use the Title Skill on her. But she pounced on me, forcing an odd grunt from me. And that was when she started hitting me. I was caught off guard— I almost sliced her head off!

But a moment later, she stopped.

I couldn’t use it again for the whole day. But when I tested it again— this time, on the [Cultists]— I counted the time that passed and knew it lasted for only ten seconds.

So, I had ten seconds to restrain these Legions. To kill them and grab their collars. I grinned, activating [Self Haste]. I only need five!

A [Scorching Wave] blasted three [Lesser Legions] back before I leapt onto another and chomped on his head with a [Fire Strike]. I tossed the body aside and clawed the next two closest to me.

Facing the last running mindlessly at me, I created a pair of sickles and threw it at them. They fell—

Defeated [Lesser Legion - Lvl. 21]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

…

Defeated [Lesser Legion - Lvl. 27]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

And the last of the Legions lay dead at my feet. They had all been around Level 20 to 30. So they didn’t give much experience at all.

However, I looked at the glinting bits of metal attached to each Lesser Demon. Exactly what I need. I quickly glanced up down the tunnel Daniel and Rachel had gone down. I hope neither heard me use the Skill. They probably were far enough that they didn’t.

I bent over to grab the nearest summoning collar from the body of a dead [Legion]. Then I hesitated. When Daniel did this… I touched the collar with a clawed finger—

And the body vanished.

“Huh.”

I knew that was going to happen, but it still shocked me to see how quickly the summoning collar brought the dead [Legion] back to the Netherworld. How about if I do this.

I tried using a fire sickle to pry the collar off the body of another, but the same thing happened. I crossed my arms, frustrated. Five more bodies. Five more tries.

I decided to try a different method this time. Rather than directly touch the collar, I picked up a body of a [Legion]. And he vanished.

I threw my hands up in the air, exasperated.

“Why isn’t it letting me take off the collars!”

“Because it’s designed that way. As long as anything disturbs the body of a dead Demon, the summoning collar will activate and send itself and the body back to Regnorex.”

“Regnorex?”

“The Demon King.”

“Huh.”

I tapped a finger on my chin. If it’s designed that way, how am I supposed to— I paused and glanced over at Daniel.

“Wait, how do you know…”

I jumped back and raised my claws menacingly.

“Who are you? Why do you sound like Daniel?!”

A red man stood before me; he had long black hair falling down to his shoulders and a pointed goatee on his chin. Twirling a fork-like spear— a pitchfork— he approached me with two black horse-like legs.

[??? - ???]

I backed up, evaluating him. He had a pair of horns pointed straight up and no clothes, revealing a thin but sculpted body. Fluttering his eyelashes, he smiled and sent a shudder down my spine. His eyes— where are they?

A pair of endless voids stared back at me, uncaring, unfeeling, like the feeling of nonexistence before I had been born.

“Whoever could you be talking about?”

I jerked back, hearing my own voice speak to me.

“Wha— how?!”

“Wha— how?!”

He mimicked me once again. I grit my teeth, hunching over and placing both my claws on the ground. Why is he here? Is he… a Demon? But no, more importantly—

“You! Why are you stealing my voice? Who are you?!”

“You! Why are you stealing my voice? Who are you?!”

I growled and the ‘Demon’ laughed. There was a shift in his voice— slowly, the texture of his voice grew more rough, but the pitch stayed the same high it had been when he spoke like me. He shook his head, wiping a nonexistent tear from his eyes.

“That’s hilarious. Honestly, I hoped you would take longer to notice I was there, but that confusion? Then that scared look on your face? And your reaction after that— steal your voice? That was still quite entertaining. So I applaud you, Salvos. Just for that, I’ll let you live.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“You heard me. I was going to kill you for killing good old John over there. But it seems like you’re interesting, so I changed my mind.”

I stared at the ‘Demon’ as he waved a hand dismissively.

“...who?”

He gestured at the [Cultist] I had sacrificed to summon the Legions. He paused and stroked his goatee.

“John! Or was it Jacob? He was funny. He thought that Regnorex actually cared about what he was trying to do. Isn’t that funny?”

He giggled to himself as I just looked on, unsure of what to say. I worked my mouth slowly.

“I… uh, who are you? Do you work for… Regnorex? The Demon King?”

“Oh, now that’s hilarious! Hah!”

The ‘Demon’ guffawed and doubled over. His pitchfork disappeared and he grasped at his stomach.

“Me? Working for that boy? Funny! You’re just like Johncob, aren’t you?”

“...thanks?”

I wasn’t really sure what to say. He sighed wistfully.

“Anyways, this was fun. But I have to go now. Oh, and I’ll be taking these with me.”

He wagged his finger and the remaining collars broke off from the dead [Lesser Legions]. It took me a moment to process this, but then I raised a clawed hand.

“Hey! Those are mine!”

“No, theseare mine. And as I said, trying to grab is a waste of time. You’ll have just failed another four times and disappointed yourself. This way, I’ll just take them and you won’t be sad, see?”

I narrowed my eyes.

“No, I don’t see. Give it back!”

I ran forward and grabbed for the summoning collars. They were hovering in the air above him. But as I got close to them, they simply moved out of the way.

“Tsk, I told you you can’t—”

I leapt in the air, activating [Self Haste] and [Charge of Embers]. I aimed for the nearest summoning collar and grabbed it from whatever it was holding it up. I grinned, holding up my prize.

“I got it—”

And suddenly, I found myself face down on the ground. I tried to get up, but a foot was keeping me down. I heard a sigh as my [Deadly Instincts] screamed in my ears. You’re going to die!

“I told you, you can’t have them. These are mine.”

He emphasized the last word as he clinked his finger against the collar I had grabbed, now in the palm of his hands. I craned my neck back, staring terrified at him.

“W-who are you?”

He smiled and slowly lifted his leg from me. I stopped up, rubbing at my back, but not standing full in front of the ‘Demon’. He cocked his head.

“Oh, I’m nobody special. But if you really want to know, I’m known as the Devil.”

“The Devil…?”

“Wait, you don’t know who I am? That sucks.”

I slowly lowered my head.

“I-I’m sorry for attacking you Mr Devil. But can I please have one of the summoning collars. I need it, please.”

“So you can go back and find your friend, right?”

I blinked.

“How did you—”

“Sorry, but no. Anyways, you have more pressing things to worry about beyond going back to the Netherworld or getting one of these summoning collars.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, don’t you know? Your friends outside— yeah, they’re in trouble. Anyways, I’ll go now. Tata.”

The Devil turned around and the world around him warped. He did not dissipate into a poof of smoke, but instead his body twisted until he was gone. I stared at where he had been.

“Wait, Daniel’s in trouble…?”

Daniel placed a hand over Rachel as she clung to his leg, making a soft whimpering sound. He held his long sword in his other hand and glanced at trees around him. His eyes darted to the side and he bellowed.

“Show yourselves!”

The figures moved through the trees. They were fast and quiet. Shadows that moved through the darkness. The young man felt his grip tightening around the hilt of his blade.

If he had been the only one here, he could have made a dash for the cave. Call Salvos for help. But he wasn’t. Rachel was here too, and he had to protect her. If he ran, they would have killed her. So slowly, he patted the girl on the head.

“It’s alright. You’re going to be alright.”

She sniffled, saying nothing. It wasn’t exactly a lie, what he said; he knew it was true— it would be true— as long as he did not leave her alone. Because these weren’t random bandits attacking them. He knew who they were and what they were after.

No, it was not Salvos they were after. And they certainly weren’t after Rachel. They were here for one person and one person only.

They were here for him.

A note from MelasD

Just to clear up any confusion, the Devil was mentioned back in Chapter 0 by Regnorex.

You can now read up to 18 chapters ahead of public with an update schedule of 6 chapters a week as opposed to the 5 chapters a week for public on my patreon here!

Thanks for reading y'all!

62. Bounty Hunters

A note from MelasD

Short chapter because when I wrote this for patrons, I was kind of super swamped with Uni work.

Also, to clarify, the Devil last chapter is not Lucifer or Satan from Christianity or any religion that they're referenced. Just like the Beast (also mentioned in chapter 0) is not the Beast from the Book of Revelations.

Nor is an [Arachne] the same Arachne from Roman Mythology. Nor is a Gadarene/Legion the same Gerasene Demon that claimed "We are Legion" in the Bible. Nor is the 'Valefor' in [Valefor Hellhound] the Duke of Hell from the Lesser Keys of Solomon...

I think/hope you get the idea. The whole entrance statement he made was a callback to chapter 0, since he was mentioned then, not a whole "I'm actually Satan" shtick.

62. Bounty Hunters

The gray-brown stone walls of the tunnel turned blurred around me as I hurried my way out of the cave. I wasn’t sure why I was rushing— I didn’t know what I was running into. But that ‘Demon’— the Devil— told me that Daniel and Rachel were in trouble.

So, I moved. Impelled by my desires to save my companions, my feet quickly pushed off the ground and propelled me forward.

I turned a corner, then another corner, and I finally found myself entering the outside world; light blinded my vision momentarily, but I quickly acclimated to what I was seeing. To what I was hearing.

There was fighting. The Devil had been right. Someone was attacking my companions. No— not someone, someones.

Multiple shadow figures darted out of the trees, leaping around and at Daniel. He blocked their attacks, swinging wildly back at his attackers to keep them back. His sword shone for a moment and a blade of white light shot out, slicing one of his attackers in half.

He stumbled, panting from whatever energy that Skill took out of him. In that moment, a [Rogue] kicked him from behind. Losing his balance, Daniel fell to the ground and dropped his weapon. Rachel screamed and rushed to his side, but the [Rogue] was already on him.

The [Rogue]— a masked figure dressed in a dark hooded robe— raised a double bladed dagger—

And pounced on him from behind. I tore into him with [Fire Strike] after [Fire Strike]. My claws dug into his skin as I bit and scratched him. He struggled, trying to push me off, but he was too weak.

I knocked away his haladie and pinned both his arms down. I opened my mouth wide and aimed for his neck. But [Deadly Instincts] told me not to go for the kill. Instead, I kicked myself off the ground and bounded away back to Daniel and Rachel. Not too soon after, a hail of ice spears rained down where I had been, killing the [Rogue] without so much of a scream.

Defeated [Harkening Hunter - Lvl. 53]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

They… don’t care about their companions? It reminded me of the horned Demon— the one who attacked Haec and I back when we were still Infant Demons. Not wild or mindless, but calculating.

“Salvos!”

Rachel ran up to me and hugged my leg; she did not even hesitate despite seeing me outside of my Mortal Form. Daniel lurched up, holding his longsword with one hand and grasping his shoulder with another.

“What’s going on? Who are these people?”

“Bounty hunters. And from the looks of it, they’re the Harrowed Vindicators.”

“The Harrowed Vindicators?”

I cocked my head. A [Mage] landed next to the dead [Rogue] and a [Warrior] walked up behind her with a saber in hand. Another appeared behind us— an [Archer]— but he did nothing but stand there. They all wore dark hooded robes with a sigil of a red hand on it, but their faces were obscured. Cloak of Shadows?

Before Daniel could respond, the [Mage] pointed a finger at the [Rogue] and he stood up. I blinked and the Human man hissed.

“[Necromancer]! Salvos— take care of her!”

“Sure!”

I bounded after the [Mage] but a glint caught my eye. A volley of glowing arrows came flying at me— the [Archer] loosed bolt after bolt. I weaved through the incoming projectiles, hopping and leaping before clashing with the [Warrior].

The arrows halted as I heard a loud grunt come from Daniel. But I couldn’t turn around, suddenly flanked by an undead [Rogue]. The [Warrior] and undead [Rogue] lashed out at me— but I burst into flames.

The [Warrior] simply stumbled back, however the undead [Rogue] screeched. Huh, it doesn’t like fire. I sent a scorching wave at the undead [Rogue]. The [Mage] spoke a quick word and the ground before the [Rogue] shot up, protecting it from the attack.

In that moment, I threw myself onto the [Warrior] with the saber. He thrusted his blade forward, striking my shoulder. My Ring of Lesser Protection had been depleted, so it pierced through my skin with little resistance. And if that wasn’t painful enough, I felt another five cuts appear on my body— in places he didn’t even come close to touching. A Skill?

I lashed back at him, but he nimbly stepped away from the attack. His saber began to glow red and he swung it, sending a blade of red energy in my direction. Now a spell?

I dodged the attack and avoided a lightning bolt from the [Mage]. The [Rogue] was now locked in combat with Daniel, alongside the injured [Archer]. If Daniel can hurt them, I can too!

I swung and missed the [Warrior] as he backed up. I stupidly lashed out one more time, but he quickly countered it with a stab— and I moved out of the way from the slow attack.

“Wha—”

[Self Haste].

I grabbed his arm mid strike and clawed his face, tearing off his hood. The [Warrior] convulsed as I chomped down on his neck. He was dead before the [Mage] could react.

A [Warrior] should be strong and durable, not fast and using magic.

Defeated [Arcane Spellsword - Lvl. 48]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I turned my attention to the [Mage] now. She spoke a single word and the undead [Rogue] came back to her side. I expected the two of them to attack me. But instead, she spun around and began attacking Daniel while her minion charged me.

He had been fast— I saw him sneak up on Daniel from behind when I first burst out of the cave. But as an undead… he no longer had any Skills.

It took me a few moments to finish off the undead [Rogue] before I continued on to the [Mage]— the [Necromancer]. Daniel finally struck down the [Archer], turning his attention to her as well.

The two of us surrounded her— all her companions now dead. She glanced between us, then spoke the first word since she first appeared.

“Oh my. A [Hero] and a Demon working together. How… ironic.”

“A [Hero]?”

I cocked my head and I heard Rachel gasp. Daniel grit his teeth and aimed his sword at her.

“What do you want from me, bounty hunter? If the Elutra Kingdom sent you, go back and tell them I would rather die than go back there.”

“The Elutra Kingdom?”

The [Mage] cackled.

“No, we were not sent to bring you anywhere. We were sent to kill you.”

The Human man’s eyes widened. He slowly lowered his sword and worked his jaw.

“...what? Why would they—”

“Don’t you understand? We weren’t sent by your summoners! We were sent by those you were summoned to fight against! And we will never stop coming until our contract is complete!”

The [Mage] brought two hands up and I readied for whatever magic she had. What I wasn’t prepared for however, was the [Mage] combusting into green flames. I ran forward to strike her down— in case it was a trick. But the notification resounded in my head as her clothes flopped to the ground and burned.

Defeated [Reanimated Harkening Hunter - Lvl. 53]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating a reanimated enemy!

Defeated [Necromancer - Lvl. 61]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

General Skill [Basic Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form - Lvl. 1] -> [Racial Skill: Mortal Form - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 50] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 51]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I scowled and kicked the ashen remains of the [Necromancer].

“She killed herself so we would get less experience!”

I shook my head, turning back to Daniel.

“Can you believe that—”

I paused mid step, realizing how Rachel was staring at the Human man. At the dark look on his face. The girl squeaked.

“Mr Daniel… are you really a [Hero]?”

“I—”

He glanced down at Rachel, then up at me. Sighing, he nodded.

“Salvos. I never wanted to tell you this, but… I am a [Hero].”

The little girl gasped again, and I stared at him. He slowly averted his gaze as I opened my mouth.

“Uh… I knew that?”

...

“Wait, what? For real?”

“For real!”

A note from MelasD

Hi, I'm MelasD, and I have an art addiction.

Salvos and Salvos drawn in chibi form, commissioned by Wenart!

Someone needs to stop me from spending money on art, because I CAN'T STOP.

But seriously though, I hope you like the style of it. The left picture captures smug Salvos and the right picture captures cute Salvos. She looks like a pokemon there, d'aw. Don't worry that she'll probably try eating your body after she kills you, and of course, spit it out cause eating is disgusting.

Anyway, you can once again now read up to 18 chapters ahead of public as opposed to the 17 last week, with an update schedule of 6 chapters a week as opposed to the 5 chapters a week for public on my patreon here for only $5!

Thanks for reading and have a happy day!

63. Revealing Secrets

63. Revealing Secrets

“So, you heard me shout the name of my Skill while fighting Lucerna and surmised that I was a [Hero], huh?”

I nodded as the fire crackled between us.

“I didn’t know there was a [Hero] Class— not until Rachel mentioned it the other day.”

“Rachel…”

Daniel glanced over at the sleeping girl. Night had fallen, I was back in my Mortal Form, and we were back in the cave now. After the battle finished, she began excitedly asking him a bunch of questions. As he calmed her down, I went through the corpses of the bounty hunter and distributed my Stat and Skill Points.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 51

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 2

[Identification] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 55 (+5) (-6)

[Strength]: 40 (+5) (-6)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5) (-6)

[Wisdom]: 69 (+5) (-1)

[Agility]: 100 (+5) (-6)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 15

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 3

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 3

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 5

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 8

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 12

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 6

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 2

It seemed that with the leveling of my [Racial Skill: Mortal Form], the debuff to my Stats was less now. That means I just need to level it more— but why did I level it when I wasn’t in my Mortal Form?

That perplexed me. Maybe it required an equal use of both being myself and being in my Mortal Form, and since I had mostly been pretending to be Human, it couldn’t level.

Whatever the case was, I gladly accepted the level to the General Skill. Other than that, I raised my [Strength], [Vitality], [Wisdom], [Advanced Fire Creation], [Passive - Blue Flames], and [Self Haste].

Something inside the fire cracked and small bits of embers and ash burst out. Daniel poked a stick through the fire as his piece of meat continued to roast next to the flames.

“You know I can just create more fire, right?”

“Oh, right. It’s… habit.”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter, I guess.”

I gave him a weird look and he glanced off to the side. Maybe when everyone is asleep I should just revert from my Mortal Form. That way I can level it faster!

“Aren’t you going to… ask anything?”

Daniel spoke up, interrupting my thoughts. I blinked and looked up at him.

“About what?”

I cocked my head. He waved his hands in the air, exasperated.

“About everything? Did you not hear what Rachel said? What she asked me about?”

“No. I wasn’t really paying attention.”

The Human man sighed, rubbing at his temples. He opened his mouth— stopped. Then changed his mind and decided to speak up again.

“Salvos.”

“That’s me!”

“Listen to me carefully. I am a [Hero].”

“Yes you are.”

I nodded and took a deep breath. He met my haze and continued slowly.

“That means, Salvos, that I come from another world.”

I blinked.

“Huh—”

“No, don’t ‘huh’ me!”

Daniel shot up to his feet and I stared at him, confused. He gesticulated, trying to show me something with his hands, but it ended up not making any sense.

“I’m not just from a different plane in this world. I’m not from the Nexeus at all, Salvos. I’m from another world. A place called—”

He spoke a word and I rubbed my ear.

“Can you say that again?”

“I said, I’m from a place called—”

“One more time.”

“Earth.”

He slowly sat down.

“I’m from a place called—”

He repeated himself. I furrowed my brows. Huh, that’s confusing. He’s speaking two different languages in one sentence! I couldn’t parse it when he spoke like that.

“So… you’re from this place. What’s wrong with it?”

The Human man slumped over and sighed deeply.

“Of course you wouldn't get it. Salvos— my world is nothing like this world. It’s literally completely different. I… never had to fight to survive. I was forced to kill for the very first time when I came here.”

“And?”

He shook his head.

“Nevermind. I just wanted to vent to someone, I guess. Just talk about how ridiculous my situation is.”

“You talked to Rachel, didn’t you?”

“She’s a child. But I guess the same can be said from you. I’m sorry for bringing this up with you.”

I frowned and crossed my arms.

“I am not! I’m a Greater Demon! I can listen and talk, see?”

“Are you actually going to take this conversation seriously?”

I nodded and grinned.

“Of course!”

Daniel sighed again. Harder.

“I’m going to trust you, Salvos. So, I come from another world. This world is very different from mine, and I never did anything of… just any of this, back in my world. But when I came here— when I was summoned here— I was suddenly made into a [Hero].”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Wait, you mean you weren’t a [Hero] before you came?”

“No. My world is different, as I said. We don’t have Classes. We don’t have Subspecies. No Demons. No monsters. None of that— at least, not in the way it works in the Nexeus.”

Daniel shook his head and began to continue.

“[Heroes] don’t come to this world naturally, Salvos. They have to be summoned from another world. The Class is only bestowed through those circumstances. So all the [Heroes] of the past— the God King Alexander, the Oracle of Light Melissa, or even the Quisling Zacharius— they came from different worlds that aren’t the Nexeus itself.”

I nodded. I don’t know any of those people, I thought. But I said nothing, instead listening to the Human man speak.

“I don’t know if they came from where I came from. But they came from somewhere else. Just like me. Each [Hero] in history has gone about to do great things— Alexander united all of the Human lands and reigned as king for a long time, repelling the first two Great Kobold Invasions and even subjugating the then Laerob Elves— for a period of time.

“Melissa was known to be the first and only follower of the Fairy Queen herself. And her task was to destroy any and every temple that worshipped Fairies— which is why there aren’t any Fairy temples now. And Zacharius was summoned to slay an evil [Necromancer]... but he joined her instead, hence his nickname.

“All these people— all the things they’ve done— I can’t do any of it. I am just an ordinary person. I… can barely even handle tragedy without running away. It made me dream of escaping to another world where I’m some kind of hero. But I never actually thought it would happen. And when it did… I ran away. Again.”

Daniel weakly raised hand and stared at it; his eyes looked hollow. Empty. I was confused, not really understanding anything he was saying. But I knew one thing.

“You’re upset.”

He snorted.

“Of course I am. I don’t want any of these responsibilities. I don’t want… this.”

The Human man gestured at his blood stained clothes— at the invisible scars on his body, healed by the last of my potions. He sighed and I gave him a puzzled look.

“When I came here, I was told I was fighting for a good cause— the Elutra Kingdom was being encroached on by the Inoria Empire. They characterized them as evil. Some sort of evil empire versus a good kingdom scenario. I had attractive women fawning for me. I had more strength than I ever had. More money than I ever had. And more popularity than I ever had.

“Then I fought my first battle. I killed my first person, and I was horrified. But they forced me to fight again, and again. I kept killing and killing even when I didn’t want to. It was all for the sake of the kingdom. For the women. For the gold. But it was all politics.

“The women didn’t care for me. They saw me as a tool to use. The gold given to me was taken from the poor with high taxes. And finally, the cause of the war? The evil Inoria Empire? It was never evil in the first place— the Elutra Kingdom assassinated one of their dukes as he was visiting their country. So they went to war. And it was then I realized everything I had been fighting for was fake. So I ran.”

Daniel chuckled— it was not a hearty chuckle, but one that seemed almost ironic. As if the subject of the joke was himself.

“And now I’m here, and it seems people want to kill me now. That no matter where I run to, life always catches up.”

“The Harrowed Vindicators.”

He nodded, his brows arching darkly over his eyes.

“A notorious underworld group— I had only heard about them in passing, but I recognized their symbol. They mostly do jobs like assassinations or kidnappings. I thought the Elutra Kingdom hired them to bring me back, but… it seems they’re out for me, huh? ”

“But we killed them, didn’t we?”

I lightly tapped a finger on my chin. There was a pop— and Daniel scowled. He picked up his burnt skewered meat, now charred and blackened.

“It’s not that simple. Beyond just being merciless and taking up cruel jobs, they also don’t stop until the job is done. It doesn’t matter if the Elutra Kingdom is trying to tie up loose ends or if someone else is after me. They’ll keep sending their assassins and bounty hunters until they exhaust every member they have.”

He spoke bitterly. I shrugged.

“Then we just kill them whenever they come after you. I don’t see what the problem is.”

“They have Level 100 members, Salvos. You don’t actually expect to kill them all, do you?”

I shook my head.

“No. But what else are we going to do about it?”

“I… I can run. I can go into hiding. Maybe go to the Beastmen plains. Or the Rainforests of Monsters. At least there, I’ll be safe from their assassins.”

“And then what?”

I asked him with a dubious glance.

“You run, they find you, and you’ll be alone. Then you’ll die. But if you stay with me, we can kill them together. Makes sense, right?”

“I don’t want to drag you into my problems, Salvos—”

“You’re not dragging me into anything.”

I spoke simply, crossing my arms.

“When Haec was in trouble— when Lucerna kidnapped him— I went back for him. I’m not just going to let you deal with this on your own. But I’m also not going to follow you to some forest and hide.”

“But you’ll—”

“I said: I’m not going to hide.”

I cut him off and stared defiantly at him. My gaze bore into him and he averted his eyes. He worked his jaw, trying to muster up something to say. I sighed.

“You’re from another world, Daniel? That’s nice. You’re a [Hero]? That’s great! But beyond that, you’re my Human companion. You’ve helped me with getting back to the Netherworld, right? And you’ve never asked for anything in return, like money or favors that other Humans want. So I’ll protect you.”

It was a promise. Just like with Haec back then. I still had to get back to him, however I wasn’t going to forsake Daniel either.

I gave him a reassuring smile and waved a hand dismissively.

“If any of those Harrowed Vindicators come after you again, we can fight them, together.”

Daniel stared at me, mouth wide open. He tried to speak, but nothing came out. Lowering his gaze, he turned to where Rachel was lying.

“But what about her? We can’t involve her with this.”

I hesitated. Then I sighed.

“We’ll bring her to that orphanage you were talking about, alright?”

I liked her. But she couldn’t fight like Daniel. She didn’t even have a Class— when I identified her, all I saw was [Human]. That meant she wasn’t Level 10 yet. Or if she was, she still hadn’t accepted a Class since that was when one got their first Class options.

“Right.”

Daniel stood up, tossing his burnt food aside; he looked at me and I cocked my head. The Human man quickly averted his gaze and scratched the back of his head.

“T-thanks, Salvos. For what you said. And for saving me earlier.”

I laughed, standing up and stretching too.

“Don’t worry about it. I told you, you’re my companion.”

I paused, tilting my head up.

“And besides, you don’t have to thank me for saving your life. I only knew you were in trouble because the Devil told me.

He nodded.

“Right— wait, what?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? Some ‘Demon’ calling himself the Devil attacked me while I was trying to get a summoning collar… Daniel? Why are you giving me that look? I told you that, right?”

A note from MelasD

I haven't asked for this in a while, but a rating would be very much appreciated. Especially since my ranking has kinda dropped recently lmao

Tyvm4reading.

64. Harrowed Vindicators

64. Harrowed Vindicators

“Why didn’t you tell me you were attacked?”

“I, uh, didn’t have the time?”

“And by a powerful Demon too? What was he called— the Devil?”

“Yep. He had red skin, horse-like legs, a pair of horns, and used a pitchfork—”

“Wait, are you talking about S—”

“...who?”

“I said are you talking about S——n”

“I don’t understand you when you keep switching language mid sentence! Stick with one!”

Daniel sighed and shook his head.

“Nevermind. Probably not him. And we’ll deal with that tomorrow. I’m tired.”

And so, another week went by as Daniel, Rachel, and I stayed in the cave, continuing the same activities we did before, but a little more vigilant. I conducted another two summoning rituals— both were at a far smaller scale than the one with the head [Cultist].

The first attempt brought an [Imp]. She saw me and immediately fled, before I could even use [Title Skill: Zealous Call] on her. The second summoning went much better; I summoned a [Fiend] that I managed to apprehend before he could flee. However, not only was I unable to procure the summoning collar from him the entire time he was unconscious, he attacked me when he woke up, forcing me to kill him.

Then I tried and failed to take the summoning collar from his corpse.

His body vanished. And my last hopes of going back to the Netherworld disappeared with it. For now, I thought, sighing.

Honestly, after the revelation about Daniel the day before, I couldn’t help but be worried about leaving him here either. So many people to care about, so troublesome. Daniel and Haec. Both were my companions. And it was not like Edithe leaving— I knew she was fine.

The Netherworld however, was a dangerous place, even for Haec. And these Harrowed Vindicators were actively hunting Daniel down. For now, I did what I could and helped the one I could.

I met Daniel and Rachel outside; the two had already packed everything they had while I did a clean sweep of everything the [Cultists] hideout. I took everything I found important and left everything else in the cave. Then I sent a Fireball and collapsed it.

“When did you learn to do that?”

“Unlike you Humans who are always idle at night, I’ve been busy doing things whenever you sleep.”

“That’s because we need sleep.”

“Not my problem.”

I shrugged; I spent most nights reading through whatever books or grimoires I could outside of my Mortal Form. And because of that, I learned a Human spell that I could conjure without even using a Skill.

But while it was useful— the fact that it exploded would help with fighting swarm monsters— it was not very strong. I tested it out, and I was pretty sure it did only half as much damage as a [Scorching Wave].

And if I tried to pour more mana into the spell, it would either destabilize and blow up on me, or it would cause only a little bit larger of an explosion. The cost effectiveness of casting it just wasn’t there!

I grumbled nonverbally to myself as we started to make our way back to Warrington. Daniel glanced over at me, and Rachel peered over from beside him.

“Is something wrong, Salvos?”

“Nope.”

“Hm, ok.”

The two went back to facing the front, walking hand in hand under the canopy of trees. Sunlight seeped through the cracks in the leaves— the intermingling foliage not thick enough to blot out the sun. It was a peaceful walk.

I heard the merry chirping of birds in the distance. Even the buzzing of the insects and flies were audible to my ears; I caught sight of a small, brown four legged animal with a single horn protruding from his head. But he quickly scampered off into a bush, rustling its branches as he made his escape from my prying gaze.

The light whistling of the wind brushed against my ears; I brought a hand up and brushed my hair back— my dangling bangs blown to tickle my fluttering eyelashes. I smiled, waving at an inquisitive squirrel sitting atop a tree as it snacked on a nut—

“Why are you with Daniel and not me, Rachel? I thought you were my subject!”

The Human man jumped but Rachel simply cocked her head.

“Wha—”

“Because he’s so cool! He protected me from those scary bad guys! And he’s from another world too!”

Daniel blinked, glancing between us. Then he sighed as I emphatically pointed a finger at myself.

“I helped protect you from the Shadow Vindicators as well! And I’m also from another… uh, not from the Mortal Realm!”

“But he’s a [Hero]! You’re just a Princess—”

“She’s not actually a Princess. Or princess for that matter.”

Rachel ignored him, giving me a sorrowful look.

“There are very many princesses and queens. But there’s no other [Hero] but Daniel.”

“Aw.”

I threw my hands up in the air.

“Then what if I told you I was a [Hero] too?”

“You’d be a liar.”

“Why?!”

“Because you’re a Demon.”

The little girl shook her head, scoffing. She wagged a finger as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Everyone knows Demons can’t be [Heroes].”

“...that’s where you draw the line?”

Daniel gave her a blank look. She spun around to him and hugged his leg.

“That’s why I’ll be sad that Mr Daniel is leaving me. I could always summon another Demon…”

“No, don’t do that. You’ll go to jail.”

He sighed, rubbing at his temples. Slowly, he bent over until his gaze was level with Rachel.

“Rachel, you’ll be safe with these people. You can’t stay with us. It’s dangerous. But promise me when you leave us that you won’t tell anyone about me being a [Hero], alright? Or Salvos being a Demon for that matter.”

“But— if you tell everyone, they’ll surely like you! They’ll help you with those evil guys chasing after you! And Salvos—”

She glanced at me and I perked up.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine if I tell a few people that she's a Demon. She can run very fast after all.”

“Wait, no—”

Daniel began to protest. But I grinned, raising my chin.

“Hehe. Of course! I can outrun anyone who chases after me.”

“I don’t think that’s what you should be focusing on here.”

The Human man smacked his forehead, however I was too focused on the praises she sung for me.

“Well, fine. I guess I can forgive your betrayal to Daniel’s side since you think so highly of me.”

“Even if you got mad at me, Mr Daniel will protect me.”

“Oh really?”

I stopped walking and turned to face him. Daniel paused mid step, hesitating. We stared at each other for a moment— the air was still. A silence hung over us as I crossed my arms.

He stepped back and shook his head.

“No way. I’ll die.”

“Aw, you gave up too easily!”

“But Mr Daniel—”

“But Mr Daniel, you’re a [Hero]!”

“And what’s that supposed to mean? I’m not immune to death just because I’m a [Hero]. I mean, maybe if I had [Plot Armor] as a Skill…”

“[Heroes] are supposed to kill Demons… right?”

“Why are you asking me, I don’t know it works.”

“Don’t look at me either—”

“Fools.”

A muffled voice spoke softly. The hooded figure turned to his companions— all of four of them dressed in the same shadowy cloak he was wearing. They all bore masks, and while you could see their levels, that was the point. It was intimidation.

The hooded figure shook his head.

“To think that Ashul fell to those three idiots. It seems she was far weaker than even I thought.”

One of the cloaked figures— one of the ones standing furthest away from him— spoke up.

“But Ven, perhaps we shouldn’t underestimate our opponents. One is a [Hero] after all—”

“Silence.”

Ven locked his gaze back onto his quarry, eyeing them from this distance through the thicket of trees. The [Hero], Daniel. That was who they were hired to kill. It was an open order, so anyone could take it. However, any and every information about him had to be reported back to the rest of the Harrowed Vindicators.

The three figures walked behind some trees for a moment. And it was then, Ven decided it was time to make their move.

“Target the girls. Force the [Hero] to intercede on their behalf. Then when he’s distracted, we kill him.”

His five companions nodded, drawing their weapons and spells, preparing for this ambush. They just had to wait for the three targets to walk through the small grove, then they would strike—

“I don’t think I’m the one that needs protecting.”

Ven turned around and screamed. A burning clawed hand raked through his chest, sending him back towards a tree. He caught himself from crashing through the thick wooden trunk, but his attacker— a feral four legged monster— bounded onto him a moment later.

Its body was lit ablaze, and the attack tore through the last of his magical protections. A Skill— how? He pushed himself off the monster, landing a few dozen feet away from it while bloodied and bleeding. The monster halted in its tracks as his companions surrounded it.

It glanced around at the five members of the Harrowed Vindicators. One of the assassins launched a blast of ice at it, and another loosed multiple Nadren Zudo bolts at it.

The monster suddenly blurred, escaping the incoming projectiles and bounding back into the trees. Ven whirled around, searching for where the monster went, before his eyes widened.

Slowly, his world began to split in half. His vision darkened and severed. Nothing but a grunt left his lips as he fell, dead.

“Alright. Leader down.”

Daniel hefted his sword back and up as Salvos landed next to him.

“Just five more lackies to go.”

“Aw, you stole my kill!”

“This is not a video game, Salvos. There’s no such thing as stealing someone else's kill.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Right.”

“Is Rachel safe?”

“Hopefully. But after we deal with them she will definitely be.”

That man— whoever he was— had been Level 65. He was quite high leveled, however he had been a [Rogue]. So he wasn’t really the most durable individual. Coupled that with the fact that I had hurt him quite badly through a surprise attack, it was no wonder Daniel’s Skill could finish him off.

I raised a clawed hand menacingly at the remaining Harrowed Vindicators, letting out a small growl.

“You— you scared all the animals away.”

“I think we should be more concerned with them trying to kill me than how they disturbed the natural habitat of a crown horned squirrel rat or whatever.”

“That’s a thing?”

“No. It’s a joke.”

“Huh. Well, I like animals a lot, ok?”

Daniel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He gestured vaguely at the assassins before us.

“Can we not do this? Not in front of them.”

“What’s wrong?”

I glanced over at the five cloaked figures standing there and staring at us. I waved a hand dismissively.

“You don’t actually think they’ll take this moment to attack us—”

One of the cloaked figures stepped forward and whipped out a pair of chains with spike metal balls on their ends. He tossed one of them straight at me and I ducked out of the way. I grabbed the chain and yanked it, pulling him towards me.

As the [Warrior] came flying, the [Mage] and [Archer] stepped into action, both preparing a glowing attack. Daniel deflected the attacks while I struck the [Warrior] with a clawed [Fire Strike] to the face. His mask broke but I found myself hitting rock-hard skin.

He spun his chains around me, however I hopped out of the way and landed a quick kick on him before flipping next to Daniel. I glanced up at Daniel who was now being targeted by both long ranged assassins, and the two [Rogues].

“Duck!”

I yelled and sent a [Scorching Wave] at the [Rogues]. They stepped back while the fire splashed above my companion. I ran past him, speaking quickly as I activated [Self Haste].

“Switch!”

“Got it.”

Daniel ran at the [Warrior] while I charged the two [Rogues]. I created a pair of fire daggers and flung them at the first, while rushing at the next. I bounded on him, tearing into his body before the expected spells and arrows came.

I leapt out of the way just in time for attacks to kill the assassin. They really don’t care about their companions at all, do they?

I spun past a throwing dagger flicked at me by the [Rogue] as he turned and ran at Daniel. He can handle two. I’ll take care of the [Mage] and [Archer].

A [Charge of Embers] sent me straight between the two assassins. The [Mage] was lower leveled, and I bit into his face. The [Archer] loosed arrow after arrow at me— some nicked me. A few even rocked me back. But I picked up the limply fighting back [Mage] and used him as a shield.

The arrows pierced his body and he stopped moving. Then it was just the [Archer] and I. I swiped a claw at her and she leapt back. It was like the wind itself swept her off her feet and landed her a dozen paces away from me. I growled, about to charge at her, when I heard Daniel scream.

“Salvos!”

I glanced over at the Human man. What? Does he really need help—

Then I spotted the injured [Warrior] holding Daniel back with his chains. And as that happened, the [Rogue] was off running the distance. Running towards—

“Rachel! They’re going to use her as a hostage!”

My eyes widened. And I was distracted for a moment. An arrow struck me on my shoulder, causing me to stumble back. I glared back at the [Archer], then turned to the [Rogue].

Rachel.

I bounded after him as the [Archer] loosed more arrows at me.

A note from MelasD

Two things:

Firstly, because of Uni, I have been very behind on edits lately. So, I've decided to simply hire a proofreader for my Amazon version of the story. I can't keep up with all the typo comments I get every chapter, and I can't fix the last 15 chapters of typos I've missed since it would eat up too much of my time which I don't have. I apologize for anyone who has ever left a typo comment, but I will probably never get to it.

Secondly, I know I said last week that I'll rarely ask for votes on TopWebFiction, but I was convinced by friends and authors to ask at least once a week since being on that site is honestly really helpful. Thanks to you guys, I managed to get to #1 there for a whole 7 days! I'd honestly appreciate it a lot if you helped me reclaim that spot. It really doesn't take that long to vote, at all, and it would also help me a lot.

Please vote here! It only takes a few seconds!

Otherwise, THanks for raeding!

65. Eye for an Eye

65. Eye for an Eye

Arrows exploded all around me. These enchanted bolts were bursting into flames, lighting, and ice as they flew over my head or landed behind my back.

One landed right ahead of me, shooting up dirt and debris up in my way. I covered my face as I ran through the tempest of magic and earth. But I could not lose track of where I was going.

I saw the [Rogue] running ahead. He was sprinting full speed in a vague direction— was it to Rachel? I had no idea where Rachel was. Nor did I know how he could track her down. But he probably had Skill for that. These were assassins, after all.

…

I actually didn’t know much about assassins. But from the context Daniel gave me, some kind of [Tracking] Skill didn’t seem too far fetched.

So I hurried after the [Rogue]. Even as my [Self Haste] finally ran out, I bounded forward on all fours, passing by trees and barreling through thickets to stop him from hurting Rachel. The arrows stopped firing for a moment, and I thought Daniel had bought me a brief reprieve. However, I suddenly found myself being pulled back by chains— the [Warrior] had thrown his morning star at me.

The metal almost wrapped around me. I threw myself to the side just in time to dodge it— but I wasn’t fast enough. The chains caught my cloak, pulling me back as I grunted. I watched the [Rogue] get further and further away. And I was being held back by… by… this stupid cloak!

Rip.

I tore the cloak, shredding it in half on the spiked ball head of the morning star. I glanced back one last time at the [Warrior], sending a growl his way. Then I turned back and chased after the [Rogue].

He was getting away from me again; however, I had already used [Self Haste] to close the distance. And now, I was close enough.

[Title Skill: Zealous Call].

Both the [Rogue] and the [Warrior] immediately spun to face me. The soft growl, emitted like a high pitched shriek, called them to me for a few moments. And it was just a few moments. They came at me bearing the rage of a Greater Demon stranded in the Mortal Realm. Of a [Djinn] that had nothing else left to live for but destruction and revenge.

I gladly embraced that hatred and faced them head on. The [Warrior] flung his morning star, and once again the chains extended. I flipped over it and crashed into the charging [Rogue].

He whipped out five daggers on each hand, stabbing and cutting into my body. I grimaced and tore the weapons from his hand. I clawed his face and dug into his chest. I felt the heavy morning star strike my back and I nearly doubled over. I glared back at the [Warrior] and bared my teeth.

The [Warrior] glared back— a hate filled gaze plastered onto his face. Then he blinked. And he whirled around and ran. Effect wore off, huh?

It was fine. I had the [Rogue] apprehended. I just had to trust Daniel to handle himself; I held the assassin down as he tried wriggling out of my claws. I activated [Ignition] and my entire body was lit ablaze.

He recoiled, although he didn’t scream. Daggers shot out from under his feet and he cut at my leg. I winced, however I took the pain and headbutted him. His mask broke, then with a final [Fire Strike], I finished him off.

“You alright, Salvos?”

I picked myself up as [Ignition] ran out— it drained too much of my mana, even if it was useful. I slowly limped and turned to Daniel. I nodded slowly.

“Yes. He just cut deep into my leg.”

“That was dangerous. You shouldn’t have taken both of them at once. Your Ring of—”

“I took care of them, didn’t I? It’s fine that its protection was gone when we ran in. But you noticed it too didn’t you? Everything suddenly became quiet too quickly. Then my [Deadly Instincts] screamed danger to me. And we took out their highest leveled member.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

I sighed and reached into my bag. Out of healing potions— gave my last to Daniel a while back. I hobbled over next to him as I went over the kill notifications.

Defeated [Wiremaster Assassin - Lvl. 65]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Hail Sniper - Lvl. 62]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

No level, huh? I lowered my head, disappointed. But it should have been expected since I had just leveled up. Wait—

I turned to Daniel as his eyes widened.

“You didn’t—”

“—take care of the [Warrior]?”

The two of us stared at each other for a moment. Then there was the clanging of chains. And a voice broke us from our stupor.

[Warrior - Lvl. 61]

“No.”

“Let me go!”

Rachel squeaked as the last remaining Harrowed Vindicator held her by the neck. He had her chained by the legs with the extending metal links of his morning star. She struggled, but he lowered the spiked ball of his weapon against her face. She paused and eyed the weapon.

Daniel tightly gripped the hilt of his blade, although he didn’t lift it. He spoke through grit teeth.

“What do you want?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

The [Warrior] tilted his head to the side. I narrowed my eyes, ready to activate [Self Haste] whenever it made itself ready. I thought Daniel speaking would stall him, but—

“Kill yourself. And the Demon too. Do it or she dies.”

My companion’s eyes widened and his long sword almost dropped from his hand. But he caught it and shook his head.

“No. I’ll kill myself. But Salvos gets to go.”

I glanced over at him.

“What? Daniel—”

“There’s no other choice, Salvos.”

He turned to me with an apprehensive look. Sweat was dripping off the side of his head— mixed with the blood from fighting. He tried to smile.

“T-take care of Rachel.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but the assassin snapped and smashed his morning star to the ground next to him.

“Did I say this was a negotiation? No— both of you end your lives. Now!”

Daniel’s eyes widened and I growled, getting on all fours. [Self Haste] isn’t ready yet, but [Charge of Embers]... if I hit Rachel—

“Three!”

“Wait—”

“Two!”

“No...”

Daniel spoke helplessly as I got ready to leap forward. The assassin raised his morning star and started to speak.

“O—”

“Hyah!”

Rachel punched the [Warrior] in his nether region. He didn’t double over, nor did he scream. But he was caught by surprise. He let go of her for a moment, and that was enough for me.

“[Charge of Embers].”

I pounced on the Harrowed Vindicator, knocking his morning star off his hands. The two of us went flying through a tree as Daniel caught Rachel. I grabbed him by the arm and struck him across the face. The assassin screamed— and kicked me back.

I went rolling back to Daniel and Rachel. The Human man now had his sword drawn and ready for the assassin to come forward. I stood up—- on one feet and two hands since I couldn’t really feel my last leg any longer— and stared defiantly back at the [Warrior].

He looked between us, then at his fallen morning star to my left. He shook his head.

“It seems I lost this battle.”

“You have.”

I spoke simply.

“And don’t you dare kill yourself so we’ll get less experience!”

“Why ever would I do that?”

The [Warrior] tilted his head— his gaze behind his mask piercing into Daniel.

“Not when I can flee and tell my superiors of what happened here. I will be punished, but…”

He trailed off and Daniel took a step forward. My Human companion raised his sword dangerously against the assassin.

“What are you talking about? Doesn’t your organization punish you with death?”

“No. Not if I brought back something valuable to them. And I did.”

The Harrowed Vindicator smiled, slowly taking off his mask. What was hidden behind it was a decrepit old Human man— his skin was wrinkled and dark, and he stared at us with bloodshot eyes. He broke out into a maniac laugh, his crooked teeth looking like the rustling of the leaves during a storm.

“But everyone you care and love for will never be safe, [Hero]! You can never have friends, not without fear of losing them! You should’ve listened to me and ended your life there and then!”

[Self Haste]. I leapt after the assassin, but he jumped back. I pressed forward, ignoring the pain in my leg. His eyes widened as I clawed at his face— no mask protecting it any longer— and he kicked at me.

My claws dug into his left eye right as his legs came into contact with my abdomen. I was sent flying back once again, and as the world spun around me, I heard a blood curdling scream.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh!”

The spinning came to a stop anad the screaming went further and further away. I stared up at the orange sky for a moment, unmoving. Then I glanced up as Daniel and Rachel rushed to my side.

“Salvos, are you ok?!”

“Salvos—”

I saw the assassin now in the distance, hopping on the trees and whimpering as he made his escape. I just stared at him as he escaped. Slowly, Daniel spoke up.

“Hey, are you…alright?”

He trailed off, giving me a concerned look. I looked between him and the worried little girl.

I sighed.

“I should’ve gone for the neck.”

—--

“Here.”

Daniel handed me a bottle of a strange yellow liquid. I glanced up at him and cocked my head.

“I don’t drink.”

“It’s not for drinking. It’s a stamina potion.”

“A stamina potion?”

“Yeah, it’s like a healing potion or mana potion. But for your stamina.”

“Huh.”

I accepted the bottle and looked it over. Then I slowly uncorked it and drank it. I grimaced. It tasted terrible! But I chugged more anyway, because I hadn’t spent enough time for [Rest] to help me recover fully. When I felt more energized, I let my lips leave the bottle.

“Gross.”

“I agree for once.”

He chuckled and sat next to me. I was in my Mortal Form. And it was night now— the sun had set and we hadn’t reached Warrington just yet. So we were camping out in the dark forest.

“How’s Rachel?”

“She’s fine. She’s sleeping now.”

“That’s good.”

I commented simply. Daniel had given her some healing potion— he had given the same to the both of us too. It was only a single vial, but it was enough for all of us. Apparently that was how effective a High Grade healing potion. I wanted one for myself, but apparently he was running out.

The two of us said nothing more as we sat before the crackling campfire. He gave me a wary look for a moment, then mumbled something himself and produced a leatherbound book. He began scribbling something into it and I peered at him.

“That’s… your book? Your secret book.”

“Right. It’s… a diary.”

”A diary?”

“Yeah, it’s a place for me to store my thoughts. I don’t write on it everyday, but if something notable happens I just… vent into it, I guess.”

“Huh. Can I see what you’ve written?”

I tried to peek over his shoulder, but he quickly closed the book and averted his gaze.

“Uh, sorry. It’s private.”

“Oh, ok.”

I sat back down to face the fire, and he nodded.

“Thanks.”

He slowly placed his diary back into his bag, then he glanced over at me. I turned back to him.

“Is something the matter?”

“I— uh, no. But your clothes. It’s… torn.”

“It’s not that bad.”

I looked down at the tattered shirt and pants. It still covered most of my body. It just had holes and rips in some places.

“It’s been like this for a few days.”

“But you’ve had your cloak to cover half of it. And that’s now… torn too.”

He pointed out the obvious. Nodding, I groused and crossed my arms.

“That annoying [Warrior]— it’s because of him my Cloak of Shadows is like this. And he almost hurt Rachel too! I can’t believe I let him escape!”

I was so close too! But at the end of the fight, I was tired so I couldn’t think properly. And for some reason, [Passive - Deadly Instinct] didn’t work. I speculated it was because my stamina was low— and after drinking some stamina potion, I was starting to think that was the case.

“I was so close to killing him. If only I went for his head. And not his eyes…”

“You did good, Salvos. You’re the reason Rachel is alive. You’re the reason I’m alive.”

“But I want to kill him! He tried to make you kill yourself!”

Daniel paused.

“...an eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s… just a saying. About revenge. I mean, I’m not sure if I entirely agree with it. But I don’t think trying to hurt others just because they hurt you is a good thing.”

“You were fine when Edithe wanted revenge.”

He shrugged helplessly.

“I didn’t really know her then. And I didn’t want to piss her off.”

I scoffed and crossed my arms, turning away from him. He sighed, then paused.

“Wait. I have...”

“Hm?”

I turned back to Daniel and saw him hesitate. Then he shook his head.

“One second.”

He reached into his bag once again and rummaged through it. I watched him look through it for a moment, when I noticed a small spike of mana coming from something on his hand. What was—

“Here. For saving my life.”

Daniel pulled out a piece of long sleeved garment. It was mainly black, with some blue decorated onto it. I blinked as he handed it to me.

“This. It’s a jacket.”

“A jacket?”

I took it in my hands and identified it.

“It’s mine. And it’s usually what you wear when you’re cold, but this is special—”

“What?”

I jumped up and held the jacket with trembling hands. I stared at Daniel, working my jaw.

“This—”

“Yep. It’s a Unique Grade item.”

“Wha— how?!”

“Because it’s from another world.”

I stared at the jacket and identified it again.

[Blue Jacket: Unique Grade Item - A jacket made from another world. Other than being a designer brand that cost Daniel an exorbitant amount of money, it’s nothing special.]

“Oh. It’s nothing special.”

“That was before it got enchanted.”

I lowered the jacket and faced the Human man.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s Unique Grade. First thing that means is that no one but the wearer can identify it. And secondly, even if it's worthless, the nobility in the Elutra Kingdom were captivated by it. So they gathered the best [Enchanters] in the country and had them give it a single enchantment.”

“And that is?”

I gave him a curious look.

“It repairs itself.”

“Huh.”

Daniel smiled and waved a hand.

“It doesn’t repair instantly. But when it was ripped in half and burnt, I found it back intact the next day.”

“That’s… amazing!”

I pounced on Daniel and hugged him.

“Thank you! You’re giving it to me, right? Right?”

“Wait, Salvos—”

He quickly pushed me off him and covered his face with one hand.

“Too close. Personal space, remember? And yes, I’m giving it to you. So if you lose your clothes… like you usually do… you’ll still have something to wear.”

I grinned and repeated myself.

“Thank you!”

I threw the jacket around my shoulder. I felt my torn Cloak of Shadows get in the way, so I tossed it over the Blue Jacket. I twirled around and inspected myself.

“What do you think?”

“Oh, uh, I-I think you look great.”

Daniel stumbled over his words and I giggled.

“I have a Unique Grade Item now.”

I continued giggling and laughing by myself until my Human companion raised a hand and gestured for me to sit back down.

“Alright, Salvos. That’s enough. Or you’ll wake Rachel.”

I plopped myself back to the ground with a smile. Then the smile vanished as I glanced over at the girl sleeping soundlessly by the campfire.

“Daniel.”

“What is it?”

“We need to talk about Rachel.”

He had been emphatically covering his face with one hand the entire time, but now he slowly straightened and blinked.

“Ah. About that.”

I nodded.

“She’s in danger.”

“Right. The Harrowed Vindicators aren’t afraid of hurting innocent bystanders to get what they want. Even if they are children.”

“We can’t leave her alone.”

“No.”

Daniel spoke, undeterred. I protested.

“But they’ll come after her!”

“That’s exactly why we can’t drag her into this. If we bring her to Warrington and find her a home there—”

“They’ll still come after her.”

I met the Human man’s gaze; he hesitated, slowly clenching his fists.

“But she’ll be in more danger with us…”

“I know.”

I sighed, leaning back against a tree trunk and casting my gaze up to the starry night sky. Daniel spoke softly.

“She was scared for you, you know? After the fight, when I was treating her, she kept asking me about you.”

“Really?”

I turned to him in surprise and raised a brow.

“Yeah, really. I don’t think… she likes fighting. She grew up in a violent home, apparently.”

I shrugged.

“We have no choice but to fight.”

“Right.”

I liked Rachel— she was fun! And I didn’t want anything bad to happen to her. I knew Daniel thought the same, however he was wrong in thinking she’ll be safe if we left her alone. Haec is still in danger in the Netherworld just because Lucerna and I aren’t there anymore.

“If… if we bring her with us…”

“She’ll still be in danger too.”

I agreed with him. So what we needed to do was bring her with us to some place safe. A safe place where we did not necessarily have to separate ourselves from her. A place I could meet her again, as a companion.

I paused and my eyes widened as I had an idea. I turned to Daniel with alacrity.

“But she doesn’t have to be in danger. Not if there are others— other high leveled people— to keep her safe while we weren’t there. Then it would be fine.”

“What are you talking about Salvos? What high leveled people would put themselves in danger to help us or a single little girl—”

Daniel stopped himself, making the same realization I did. I smiled, speaking the name of one of my companions.

“Edithe.”

Slowly, I stood up and spread my arms wide.

“And the Valiant Dreamers Company.”

A note from MelasD

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66. Princess

66. Princess

The three of us arrived in Warrington the next afternoon. Unimpeded by assassins from the Harrowed Vindicators, we reached the city without any problems. When we walked through the gates, a guard stopped us and looked us over.

“You are… the adventurers that went to investigate the [Cultists] in the towns northeast from here, right?”

“Uh, what seems to be the problem—”

“We are!”

I answered without hesitation; Daniel glanced over at me and stared. He opened his mouth, but resignedly sighed.

“Right, we are.”

“Hrmph, well, the captain has been awaiting your return. He told us that you should report to him in the eastern barracks of the city. Tell him what you found out.”

“We don’t have to go there immediately, do we?”

My Human companion glanced down at himself. His clothes were torn and bloodied— mine was too, however my Blue Jacket covered it all up.

“Because, uh, we’d rather not present ourselves to your captain dressed like this.”

“He didn’t say when. Just told me to deliver you the message.”

“I see, thanks.”

He nodded at the guard and started to walk off. I followed after him— leading Rachel by the hand— and slowed once I was next to him.

“You were upset.”

I pointed out.

“No, I wasn’t upset by what you did, Salvos. Just would’ve preferred if you weren’t so open about who we are.”

“Why not?”

I cocked my head. While I was getting better at reading Humans and their emotions, there was still a lot about them I had yet to learn about.

“Because we’re being hunted right now. We don’t know how far the reach of the Harrowed Vindicators stretches. If they have some influence in Warrington— and that was some kind of trap to get us arrested…”

“Hu—”

Daniel shot me a glance.

“Please don’t say ‘huh’.”

“...hm.”

Sighing, he rubbed at his temples.

“I’m just telling you, Salvos. We have to be a little more careful next time, ok?”

“Sure!”

“I agree with Princess Salvos!”

Rachel piped up from next to me; I grinned and triumphantly held up her hand— she chose to walk with me over Daniel this time— and showed it to the Human man.

“My subject and I will be careful. So there’s no need to worry! As long as you follow me, you’ll never be in trouble, right Rachel? It was because I taught you how to punch an annoying person, grumpy Daniel is still alive.”

She happily nodded her head with me.

“I’m telling you, she’s not even a… nevermind. Just don’t teach her to punch me down there, and we’ll be solid.”

“But we are solid. See?”

I tapped my hand, showing how my skin took the impact of my finger. Then I cocked my head and Rachel copied me.

“You know that’s not what I meant. And can we be serious for a moment? We have other things to discuss.”

“Like what?”

“The Devil.”

We were passing through a busy market with voices drowning out any single conversation from being heard, yet Daniel spoke in a hushed whisper. He faced me with a dark look; his eyes were shadowed over, fear and worry written all over his body.

“If this person… is actually able to beat you just like that. And appear anytime he wants. What if he comes back for you— like when you’re trying to collect summoning collars again.”

I huffed and waved a hand off.

“He told me he liked me. He found me funny! So he wouldn’t kill me.”

“You don’t actually believe that, do you?”

“...nope.”

Daniel gave me a judging look but I just shrugged.

“Anyone can die at any time. So why worry about someone who can just teleport behind me and cut off my head before I can even react? It’s fine!”

“I know… I’m just thinking about what you said last night, you know?”

“About the Valiant Dreamers Company?”

He nodded.

“Yeah, they may be good people and good fighters— according to Edithe— but that’s exactly why I don’t want to give them too much trouble. If they get targeted by both Demons and the Harrowed Vindicators because of us… I don’t want that.”

“Well, if you really want, I can get Saffron to help us—”

I began to reach into my bag, but Daniel grabbed my hand and stopped me. He gave me a pleading look.

“Please don’t. Once again, we don’t know who they’re affiliated with. And I don’t know if we can trust a noble.”

I frowned.

“But she’s nice!”

I protested as I walked next to him— then slowly felt something lightly tugging at my hand and came to a stop. I turned to face Rachel who was standing still. Her arm was extended, pulling me back.

The little girl’s gaze slowly spun around the busy market. She went from stall to stall, looking at shops and food stands, her eyes bulging and her mouth watering. I bent over next to her and peered past her shoulder.

“Do you want something, Rachel?”

She jumped and faced me.

“Me? I— no.”

Rachel’s gaze slid off my face and to the ground. She spoke shyly as she shuffled her feet.

“I-it’s just my first time in a big city. Daddy… never brought me to one, but mommy would always tell me stories about it. And there’s so many things that she talked about here. I was just… awed. That’s all.”

“Do you want anything?”

I gave her a curious look. She backed up and waved her hands in the air.

“No, no, no! It’s fine! I was just looking. We can continue!”

I exchanged a glance with Daniel and he gave me simply wrinkled his brows. I spun back to her and gave her a thumbs up.

“I told you, I’m a Princess. I’ll get you whatever you want.”

Rachel slowly perked up. Her eyes widened and she stared at me with those orange-yellow irises of hers. She hesitated for a moment, but eventually spoke up in a squeak.

“Then— then I want that!”

The little girl pointed at a doll being displayed at the front of a small shop set up on the side of the street. I beamed back at her, nodding.

“Of course!”

Then I turned around.

“Daniel, can you get that for her?”

“You… haaa…”

The Human man shook his head.

“You can’t even buy her a cheap doll and yet you call yourself a Princess…”

“Listen! From what you told me, Princesses get people to do things for them!”

“I mean, fair. But you can't just make promises you aren’t able to deliver on.”

“But I can deliver on it. I’ll just ask you to buy it, see?”

“You’re lucky the [Cultists] had some spare money for us. Otherwise, we’d be broke right now.”

“Didn’t we just get paid by Saffron?”

“We used the coins to buy healing potions, remember?”

“Huh.”

The three of us went to the stall and bought the doll from the shopkeep. Rachel jumped up in the air and spun with it. She stared into its black button eyes, rustled its curly blonde hair, and fluffed its purple dress. Then she hugged it.

“I’m going to name you Princess!”

I blinked and Daniel snickered.

“Hey! Wait—”

“Regret your decision now, Salvos?”

I scowled and crossed my arms. But Rachel did not even notice me, continuing to play with Princess, waving her in the air.

“Hmph! It’s fine, but I’m sure she knows who the real princess here is. Since I am the one who bought it for her, after all.”

“I’m sure she does.”

The girl giggled, twirling the doll around and stopped. She sniffed the air as a scent wafted its way to us. Her stomach rumbled and her face turned red.

“I, um—”

Rachel looked over at us but did not say anything. I realized what was going on too late; Daniel smiled and stepped forward, bending down to meet her gaze.

“What’s wrong, are you hungry?”

She nodded slowly and Daniel beamed.

“Well, that’s alright. Come on, thanks to Princess Salvos, you can have anything and everything you want to eat here in the market. Don’t be afraid to just point out any food stand you think looks yummy and you can have it.”

I stared on, aghast, as the two conspired about having food. I caught Daniel glancing back at me with a wicked face, reveling in his vengeance against me. I jabbed a finger accusingly at him.

“Whatever happened to an eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind?”

He shrugged.

“I’m not G——i.”

…

“Who?”

—--

After spending the whole day walking up and down the market of Warrington, Rachel left the street fully satisfied, hugging Princess and patting her tummy. Meanwhile Daniel and I glared at each other, both of us swearing to settle this grudge match at a later date.

For now, we found our way to the captain that had called us to the guard barracks back during the afternoon. It was now evening, and while Daniel was not too ecstatic to make a report despite not getting any rest, he was almost out of money and we were supposed to get paid for our mission.

The guards led us to a small office located on the second floor of the building; there, the three of us entered the room and found the same Human man from before.

“You’ve returned. And with a… friend. I take it this means you’ve found something?”

“Yeah. We found the hideout of the [Cultists].”

He nodded grimly. Daniel opened his mouth to continue, but the captain raised a hand and cut him off.

“Please spare me the details. I… don’t want to know what kind of atrocities they committed.”

His eyes stayed off of Rachel— even though we had bought her new clothes, she was still dirty and slightly bloodied from the fight with the assassins.

“I just want to know if they’ve been taken care of and where my men can find proof of this.”

“Right.”

Daniel walked up to the captain's desk and began pointing out on a map the rough location of the cave from the town where the Traveller’s Inn was located.

“There’s a collapsed cave there. You won’t be able to find much evidence since a lot of things were destroyed in the fighting—”

He was lying.

“However, if you go to the town here, you’ll find a man who goes by the name of Joseph. The people there know about him— or you can ask about him from an innkeeper named Eren— they’ll lead you to him. He worked with the [Cultists] and even gave his own daughter up to pay off his debts to them.”

“I see.”

The guard captain nodded and smiled gratefully.

“Thank you.”

Daniel stepped back and raised a brow.

“So, where’s our payment?”

“Your payment… yes.”

“Is something the matter?”

I turned to my Human companion while Rachel continued to play with Princess behind me. He folded his arms.

“I just realized we never negotiated payment for this job.”

“That you didn’t.”

The guard captain stood up and reached for something at his waist. Daniel and I tensed, however, he just produced a small bag.

“This.”

I blinked.

“What is it?”

“50 gold for the investigation and destruction of a cult. It’s your reward.”

I saw the glittering coins sticking out of the pouch and grinned. I walked up to accept it.

“Thanks—”

But Daniel interrupted me.

“Isn’t that too little?”

Cocking my head, I paused as the guard captain lowered his hands. My Human companion stepped past me and placed his hands on the wooden desk.

“I believe I just explained to you— we not only helped find this cult that has been disturbing the peace of your city and the surrounding towns, but we destroyed it and killed the Greater Demon they summoned. Don’t you think that should be worth more than 50 gold? It’s 5 platinum— I can go to the Adventurers Guild and do five easy Gold Rank jobs for that much.”

The guard captain opened his mouth, slowly bobbing it as he struggled to find his voice.

“I-I’m sorry.”

He finally mustered up.

“Pardon?”

Daniel blinked and I just glanced between the two with a puzzled look.

“I said I’m sorry. But I can’t pay you more than that. This was never a job put up by the lord of Warrington. He isn’t even in the city right now! I put up the job myself— and you’re right, I omitted the payment from the contract. Because this was all I could gather. I dipped into our city’s budget and my entire savings for this.”

The guard captain bowed and my Human companion took a step back.

“I—”

“Please.”

He pleaded with a shaky voice.

“I can’t offer you anything else. I am sorry.”

Daniel stared at the guard captain— at the wrinkled man with gray hair as his body trembled and shook. Then he clicked his tongue.

“...keep it.”

The [Hero] turned around and began to leave. The guard captain stared, eyes wide and jaw hanging as he walked out of the room.

“Come on, Salvos, Rachel.”

The little girl hurried after him— and stopped.

“But Salvos isn’t coming.”

Daniel glanced back at me as I stood in the center of the room, head tilted up facing the ceiling. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Uh, Salvos, what are you doing? Let’s go—”

“I don’t want to.”

He stared at me.

“What?”

“Not yet, at least.”

I turned back to the guard captain and pointed at him.

“You.”

He nearly jumped back as I spoke out.

“Y-yes?”

“You can’t pay us because you don’t have the money, right?”

“I-I can! I have 50 gold right here—”

“But according to Daniel, that is not enough.”

I looked back at my companion for confirmation and he slowly nodded. I beamed and pointed back at him.

“And you. You don’t want to accept the gold because you’d feel bad or something or another.”

“What are you getting at, Salvos?”

He narrowed his eyes as I clapped my hands together happily.

“Then why don’t we just come to a compromise?”

“A… compromise?”

The two Human men spoke at the same time. This time, they were the ones that were puzzled. However, I just explained myself.

“So if he can’t pay us enough in coins and we can’t accept it because Daniel is too uptight, why don’t we just get paid another way?”

The guard captain hesitantly raised his hand.

“W-what is this ‘another way’ of payment you speak of?”

“Easy.”

I leaned forward in his desk, right until my face was before his. And I smiled happily.

“Give us a carriage.”

“A… what?!”

He sputtered, spit flying past my face.

“Our city doesn’t own any carriages— every carriage we have available is owned by the lord! We can't possibly give you what isn’t ours!”

“You don’t have to give it to us.”

I leaned back and snorted.

“You just have to lend it to us. Let us use your carriages to go somewhere. Then we’ll return it. That’s it.”

“But the lord would never permit—”

“He doesn’t have to know, does he? After all, he’s not even in Warrington right now as you said.”

“I…”

The guard captain trailed off and slowly sat back down. He’s starting to get it. I smirked and turned back to Daniel. I knew I had to explain myself to him too.

My companion frowned.

“Salvos, what are you—”

“We’re going to the Sunmere Republic. To Viechester.”

“You don’t mean…”

His eyes widened and I nodded.

“We’re going straight to the Valiant Dreamers Company.”

He looked at me with dubious eyes.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Well, I think it is. You don’t have any better plans, do you? Or are you just going to worry over unseen enemies as we wander about aimlessly with a target in our backs.”

“I…”

Daniel sighed.

“You could’ve at least given me more time to think about it.”

“Fine. You can think about it. In the meantime, I’ll ask Rachel what she thinks.”

I walked over to the girl holding the doll to her chest and she cocked her head. I placed my chin between the palm of my hands and met her gaze.

“Want to ride on a fancy carriage with me? We’ll all be like princesses.”

Her eyes sparkled and she danced on both legs.

“Yay! I want to be like a princess with Salvos and Princess!”

I turned back to Daniel.

“Now it’s your choice.”

I smiled. He shook his head, muttering under his breath.

“You’ve really gotten good at this whole people thing, huh?”

“I’m still learning!”

I happily supplied. He inhaled deeply and acquiesced.

“Fine. Next time however, please give me more of a heads up. I’m not good with things like this so suddenly.”

“Will do.”

I shot him a thumbs up and turned back to the guard captain. I placed my hands on my hips as he scratched his beard.

“Viechester… the Sunmere Republic. Certainly that’s not too far away. With a good driver and well-trained horses by a [Beast Tamer]... a fast carriage should be able to go there and back in two weeks. The lord might return by then, however..”

I raised an eyebrow.

“So, what about it?”

The guard captain nodded.

“For the saviors of Silvergrove, and now the saviors of Warrington? I’d gladly take the risk.”

I exhaled deeply, releasing a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Then I was pounced at by Rachel from behind— she hugged me tightly with Princess still held around her arms.

“Yay! Thank you Salvos! We’re going to be princesses!”

I hugged her back and laughed.

“I told you, I’m already a Princess!”

…

“...don’t they realize that a lowly lord’s carriage is nothing compared to what a princess would ride—”

“No, don’t tell them.”

A note from MelasD

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67. Road Trip

67. Road Trip

“Are you… Miss Salvos and Miss Rachel?”

“It’s Princess Salvos and princess Rachel.”

I spoke haughtily as I walked forward, chin up and back straight. Rachel strutted alongside me, her nose held high and a light smile plastered on her face.

“And princess Princess too!”

I eyed the doll in her hand with a disdainful look and huffed.

“Very well, and princess Princess too.”

The carriage driver raised a brow and slowly nodded.

“Uh, right. Well, just hop on in and we’ll be good to go…?”

He seemed uncertain— unsure of his station. Of course he would be; when faced with such majesty, one couldn’t help but tremble in awe before my presence!

Rachel and I entered the coach as our servant stopped and began conversing with the carriage driver.

“Yeah, I’m not with them. Yes, Daniel— thanks for doing this. I know it was a favor from the guard captain, but we really appreciate it...”

The two Human men paused and eyed us with envious looks from the outside. Daniel sighed wistfully, shaking his head— obviously entranced by the rich garments I adorned.

“Right, I know they’re a bit dirty, but we’re a bit low on money right now. We’ll try not to leave a mess. Thanks.”

With that said, our servant finally decided to step into the carriage and join us. He sunk into the seat opposite Rachel and I, his presence actually shrinking from being before us. Averting his gaze in reverence, he spoke softly.

“Salvos, you’re embarrassing.”

“Wha—”

I sputtered and leaned forward.

“What did I do?”

“The way you were acting. That’s going a little bit too far.”

“What do you mean? I was just behaving the way a Princess would!”

“But you’re not a Princess. And you’re being rude to the carriage driver. It was kind of embarrassing.”

Daniel sighed again, rubbing at his temples. I protested as the carriage began to get moving.

“I didn’t do anything Rachel wasn’t doing. Why am I the embarrassing one?!”

“Rachel is a child. You’re a Greater Demon. There’s a difference.”

I harrumphed and crossed my arms.

“At least I’m not being a grumpy Human man.”

“I’m not being grumpy— just look at yourself, Salvos.”

I glanced down at my regal dress: the tattered cloak, the torn and cut pants, and the Blue Jacket that did not exist anywhere else in this world. I shrugged.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“You look like a beggar.”

I pouted and turned my head to the side, facing away from Daniel.

“Hmph, it is expected of the common folk to lack the same pristine taste of the nobility. I think I look wonderful.”

“You don’t even understand how fashion here works.”

“Neither do you!”

I pointed an accusing finger at him. He opened his mouth to retort, but bit back his tongue. I grinned triumphantly.

“See, you know I’m right—”

Something cut me off. I felt a light tug and turned to face the little girl staring up at me with wet eyes.

“Salvos… Mr Daniel… please don’t fight. I-I’m sorry—”

Rachel sniffled, wiping at her face with her doll. I blinked and Daniel bit his lower lip.

“We— we weren’t actually mad at each other, Rachel. Look, it’s fine.”

He reached over and patted her on the shoulder. Rachel sniffed, but more tears ran down her cheeks; her face was entirely red, and snot and saliva was eeking out of her nose and mouth. I grimaced, however Daniel whispered to me.

“Salvos, help me comfort her!”

“What do I do? I don’t know what to do!”

“Just… do something!”

I hesitated. And then picked Rachel up and hugged her. I said nothing, just holding her crying continued. Daniel opened his mouth but I placed a finger on my lip.

“Sh.”

He slowly nodded and sat back down. The carriage ran into a bump as we finally left Warrington, and I continued to hug Rachel for a while longer. I wasn’t really sure what I was doing. This was what Edithe did to me to make me feel better when she told me she was going to leave. It made me feel better for some reason, and for some reason now, I wanted to make the girl feel better too.

And eventually, she did. Rachel stopped crying and began giggling when I took Princess from her.

“She’s mine now!”

“Stop! The Demon has taken Princess! Do something, [Hero]!”

“Wait, you want me to join in?”

I laughed, holding the doll up to the ceiling of the coach.

“Of course… if you dare.”

I gave him a dangerous smile and he gulped. It was meant to be a joke, however he quickly looked out the window of the carriage and firmly planted himself onto his seat.

“I’m good here, thanks.”

—--

The ride was fun, with Rachel and I playing with each other, and Daniel and I engaging in some harmless jokes. In other words, it was relatively uneventful, and one week flew by before I knew it.

“We’re here.”

I glanced out the window, staring ahead at the city before us. Rachel was excitedly trying to sneak a peek behind me, however I was blocking her way since she took Princess back from me.

“Let me see!”

“There’s nothing for you to see. It looks just like any other city.”

Indeed, the Sunmere Republic had been no different from Nixa. When we crossed the border, I was expecting some kind of change of landscape, or a change to the sky. However, the sun remained up above, the night was still dark, and the stars remained twinkling, unmoving in dome overhead.

“I still want to see!”

Rachel protested, crossing her arms with a pout. I sighed and picked her up.

“Fine, if you want to see the city— here!”

“Woah.”

The walls of Viechester lay ahead of us— a pristine, white barrier that separated the settlement inside from the world of monsters beyond. I saw nothing special about it, and yet both Rachel and Daniel gaped at the sight before us.

“What’s so ‘woah’ about it?”

“That’s… banclite.”

“Ban...clite?”

I cocked my head and Daniel turned back to me, nodding.

“A rare mineral found only in the Motharis Mountain Range in the Human Lands. It’s like marble in its texture, but stone in how durable it is. But most importantly, it has powerful anti magic properties. Meaning that having a wall built out of it renders any magical siege nearly useless. Even a Level 100 [Mage] would have some difficulty tearing down that wall.”

“What about 150? Would a Level 150 [Mage] be able to destroy it easily?”

“I mean… probably?”

I shrugged.

“Then I just have to be Level 150 then.”

“You… haa… you say that like it’s so easy, but knowing you you’ll actually go about and do it.”

He slumped back into his seat and Rachel had me move her around to get a better view of the city.

“You’ve been keeping up with my leveling, Daniel, haven’t you? Even if I weren’t in my Mortal Form, I don’t think I’d be able to beat you in a fight very easily.”

“But I have a General Skill. A cheat Skill, I guess, since I’m a [Hero].”

“And that is?”

I quirked an eyebrow. He gave me a helpless look.

“[Hero’s Skill: Bonus Experience]. Everything I do grants me slightly more experience than it would a normal person. It’s… really not fair.”

I stared at Daniel for a moment. Then I raised an angry fist and waved it at him.

“You can say that again!”

“Hey— I can’t see, move me to the left.”

I did as Rachel told me, and turned back to my Human companion with a glare.

“So you’re saying that you can be leveling faster than me if you work harder to level up, but instead you choose to spend every night sleeping instead of fighting?!”

“That’s… I still need sleep.”

“But you still could outlevel me and you don’t!”

“...how do you know I haven’t outleveled you?

I narrowed my eyes and identified the grinning man.

[Warrior - Lvl. 10]

I scowled.

“Good point.”

Daniel shook his head and cast his gaze out the window.

“I know I can do so much more with my Class, Salvos. It’s just that… sometimes, when I try to do something right, things just go horribly wrong. Like when I met you for the first time.”

“You attacked me!”

I happily pointed it out.

“R-right. And I made a dumb mistake. Sure, terrible things happen without me doing anything either, like with Lucerna. However, I was the reason tens of thousands of lives in the Elutra Kingdom were made worse. I don’t want to be responsible for something like that again.”

I nodded slowly, deciding that this was not the time to openly speak my mind. Rachel continued admiring the city as the carriage rolled its way through the open gates. Daniel remained solemn for a moment longer as I finally decided on what to say.

“So, what do you want to do, Daniel?”

“What do I… want to do?”

He repeated after me dumbly. I cocked my head.

“What is it that you want?”

“That’s…”

He hesitated, then he mustered up a chuckle.

“That’s oddly philosophical for you.”

I shrugged and cast his gaze down to the palm of his hands. He stared at it and spoke with resignation.

“I don’t really know what I want. They expect you to know everything you want to do in life by the time you’re 18 years old, and I’m 20, but— I’m just lost.”

“You’re lost?”

“I don’t know what I want to do. I guess, if you’re talking about the near future, I’ll be helping you get back to your home. Then after that… who knows?”

I nodded slowly.

“I see.”

There was a lull in the conversation as we went through the gates without being stopped— apparently, traveling was not as difficult in the Sunmere Republic. Then Daniel spoke up, meeting my gaze.

“What about you, Salvos?”

“Me?”

“What do you want to do… with your life, I guess? Any goals, aspirations?”

I beamed and answered instantly.

“I want to find Haec. I want to be with my companions, and maybe make more companions. I want people to recognize me. I want to continue to be Salvos. And I want to level more and more!”

He blinked. Then he laughed.

“I shouldn’t have expected anything else from you. Honestly.”

He shook his head and smacked his forehead. I grinned as he sighed.

“But why do you want to level, Salvos? Is it something… ingrained within you? An instinct? Or do you have an actual reasoning behind it.”

I actually had to pause to answer his question. I tilted my head back and thought over his question carefully. Then the words came out from my mouth slowly, thoughtfully.

“Right now, I’m Salvos. But I’m… incomplete. I’m not the Salvos I can be.”

“You’re not the Salvos you can be? Sorry, I’m not really getting it.”

Rachel exclaimed and pointed at a group of well dressed adventurers marching down the streets of Viechester. I elaborated.

“I am Salvos, but I can become a more complete Salvos if I level and evolve. I can feel it— whenever I change, whenever I level, whenever I evolve— I become more… complete.”

“So, it’s an instinctual desire then?”

Daniel gave me a curious look. I simply shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t think… it might be the System having an affect on you, do you? To make you think that way. To want to level.”

“The System?”

“The world.”

He quickly corrected himself.

“Or the voice in your head that isn’t actually yours but is there. From when you level.”

“I don’t think the words that appear in my mind aren’t mine. They’re as much mine as my thoughts are.”

“But… don’t you think it’s strange that the world is intruding on your head? That when something happens, it’s received in your mind?”

“No.”

I spoke simply, giving Daniel a puzzled look.

“I don’t get how it’s different from touching a rock and feeling its texture. You feel it with your hand, but your mind perceives it too, right?”

The [Hero] from another world paused. He rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes.

“I… never thought about it like that. I guess it’s like a new sense. A… sixth sense? But still, I just find it kind of… like what if it’s making you want to level. That it messes with your mind to feel that way.”

The coach rolled to the stop and Rachel excitedly jumped in my arms. I plopped her down back next to me as she spoke excitedly about exploring Viechester. I turned to Daniel and grinned.

“Maybe? But that’s who I am, and I wouldn’t be Salvos if I didn’t want to be more Salvos!”

“Now that, I agree with.”

A note from MelasD

Thank you all for your wonderful birthday wishes <3

And once again, thank you all for reading.

68. Viechester

68. Viechester

“Bye! Thanks for the ride!”

I waved at the carriage as it rolled down the street, having dropped us off at the Adventurers Guild of Viechester. Rachel was ogling the city around us— everywhere we turned, we could see the high walls of the city surrounding us. The white banclite rose up to at least 50 feet, standing taller than any city wall I had seen before.

In fact, this city was large; it was nothing like Silvergrove or Hazelbury. If Rachel had been captivated by Warrington, a small city on the border of Nixa, she was mesmerized by what Viechester had to offer.

“Woah…”

She gasped as her gaze glazed over the scenery around us. I couldn’t help but be impressed too.

“I didn’t know Humans lived in such large cities. If Lucerna had attacked this place…”

“He would have died.”

Daniel finished my sentence for me. I nodded, tapping a finger on my chin.

“I wonder why he never attacked a place like this. Didn’t he want to die?”

“He probably wasn’t fully resigned just yet. Sometimes, people feel like they want something, but they can’t fully commit to doing it just yet. If he really wanted to die, he would’ve just… you know?”

“No, I don’t know.”

I turned to the Human man with a confused look.

“What do you mean?”

He stumbled over his words.

“You know… if he really wanted to die, he’d just have… d-done it himself.”

Blinking, I slowly registered the implications of his words; then I took a step back and stared at Daniel, horrified.

“Why would you do that?!”

“I don’t know— can we change topics?”

“Look at that! Look at that!”

Rachel piped up over us, hopping up and down excitedly. We turned to her as she pointed at a Human woman waving a small wooden stick— a wand— in the air. Suddenly, a smokey white bird poofed into existence and took off into the sky. Then it circled back and disappeared into a tall, black hat.

“How is she doing that?”

The little girl faced with wide eyes. I scratched the side of my head.

“Uh, magic?”

“More specifically, illusion magic.”

Daniel added from the side.

“She’s a street performer. She’s casting simple prestidigitation kind of spells to do that— nothing above our levels.”

I identified the street performer and found her to only be at Level 18.

“Huh.”

“Yeah, look, you can see a few other [Mages] and some [Rogues] showing off tricks down that street too.”

He gestured at another road, full of busy pedestrians crossing through as other Humans lined up the sides, performing different kinds of flashy and dazzling tricks. A [Rogue] juggled half a dozen daggers, an [Archer] shot an apple mid air, and a [Warrior] carried a huge rock.

Not all of them were impressive— many passersby didn’t even give them a second look. It mostly drew looks from the children. And Rachel was especially locked to the scene before us. I was staring too, until I noticed this.

I crossed my arms and loudly harrumphed.

“I can do that too. It’s nothing amazing.”

“Yes, but you’re Salvos.”

She spoke simply, giving me an uncaring glance. I threw my hands in the air.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, is she wrong though?”

“Well, no— but… I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. I am Salvos.”

Daniel laughed and Rachel tugged at his shirt, pointing at a food stand.

“Can I… can I have that?”

“But we don’t have enough…”

The girl instantly deflated and nodded understandingly.

“Oh, I see… I’m sorry for bothering you Mr Daniel.”

He glanced at her, then at the judging look I was giving him. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Let’s get that real quick. Then we’ll go to the Adventurers Guild, alright?”

“Yay! Thank you!”

Rachel beamed and we headed over to the stall. And when we left it, she was munching on a piece of burnt fish stabbed through by a wooden stick. I ignored that and faced Daniel.

“Why are there so many street performers here? I don’t think I ever saw one before.”

“That’s because it’s banned in Nixa. They find it hard to tax and regulate these street performers because of the way they earn their coins. So they don’t allow it.”

“But it’s allowed here?”

I raised a brow, perplexed. He shrugged.

“The Sunmere Republic doesn’t think it’s a bad thing. I don’t know, never been here before. Everything I know comes from what I was forced to learn when I… came here.”

Daniel pushed the door of the Adventurers Guild open, letting Rachel and I into the large hall. A few faces turned to us, and I raised my chin, expecting to hear some shocked reactions. I was a Gold Rank adventurer after all!

But other than a few nudges and a few glances, there was no reaction.

Blinking, I took a good look around the room and realized that we weren’t the only Gold Ranks around. In fact, there were some that were even higher leveled than me! And they were the ones getting all the attention in the room.

I frowned as Daniel walked by me with Rachel by his side, chewing on bits of food.

“Something wrong, Salvos?”

“It’s nothing.”

I grumbled and marched forward.

“Let’s ask them about Edithe.”

He exchanged a glance with Rachel but she pulled away from him and hurried after me.

I sourly walked up to the receptionists desk with Rachel now by my side, holding my hand. The receptionist— a young Human man with an odd object made of glass rested on his nose and clinging onto both his ears… glasses— looked up and almost through me.

“Name?”

“I am Salvos.”

“Salvos, I don’t believe you’re local to this guild, are you?”

“Nope. I came from Warrington, but before that I was from Silvergrove and Hazelbury.”

“Right, so you’re not a local then.”

The receptionist spoke bluntly and I scowled. He doesn’t even know my name! Everyone around Falisfield knew my name!

“Adventurer’s badge?”

“Here.”

I produced my Gold Rank badge and he nodded, scribbling onto a piece of paper. I waited for a reaction, but none came.

“...aren’t you going to say anything?”

“No, why would I?”

He looked up at me with a bored face. I scowled.

“Alright Miss Salvos, what do you need from Viechester’s Adventurers Guild?”

“...”

I said nothing, completely demoralized and defeated by the dismissive attitude of the guild. Daniel stepped up behind me, taking over.

“My companion and I were looking for a local company. Or… it’s a rather big one, but it’s located here. I believe it’s called the Valiant Dreamers Company.”

“If you’re looking to sign with the Valiant Dreamers Company, I don’t believe they’re holding an admission test today. And don’t bother trying to haggle Baris to let you in just because you two are Golds. He won’t do it.”

“Baris?”

I cocked my head and turned to Daniel. He shrugged.

“Probably someone from the company— look, Sir, we’re not trying to join the Valiant Dreamers Company. We just have a friend who’s part of the company, and we’re looking to find her.”

“Her name’s Edithe! She has red hair, about as tall as me! But she isn’t me, of course.”

I happily supplied, raising a hand. Rachel copied my gesture, holding up the now-empty wooden stick.

“Uh huh.”

The receptionist made a sound and strummed his finger on the table.

“Very well then. If you want to get to the Valiant Dreamers Company, it’s a rather large warehouse located in the western part of the city. Once you go out of the door, turn right and head straight past the city square till you’re halfway to the gate. You can ask for better directions when you’re there.”

“Thank you.”

Daniel nodded gratefully at him. Then my Human companion paused and glanced over at a bulletin board to the side as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

“By the way, are there any, uh, open jobs I can take a look at?”

“Sure. These are the ones we have for the week. But they’re mostly minor tasks, would a Gold Rank like you even need to do this job?”

He laughed nervously and I quickly led Rachel out of the guild.

“Well, reasons…”

—--

The three of us walked through the busy streets of Viechester. Rachel was enamored by the street performers and other displays of the city, such as a magical fountain that spewed colorful water in the air.

I stopped to stare at it too, analyzing the way the strands of mana in the air were interrupted by some magical sphere within it. Whatever magic enchanted it was not efficient— it did not draw any mana from the surroundings at all!

Saffron’s basic lessons on mana theory really are helpful, I mused, turning to Daniel.

He was leafing through the pamphlets and pieces of paper we had been given by the receptionist. Apparently the jobs he had taken were ordinary jobs— something that was meant to be done by new Silver Ranks.

“So, we have a gathering job that requires us to head over to the nearby forest and pick out some zorth mushrooms, an extermination job for giant rats in the sewers, or a simple day guard job where we patrol the nearby roads for any monsters. What do you think?”

“They all sound boring!”

I answered truthfully. Daniel didn’t even blink.

“I know you think they’re boring, but these are part of their weekly jobs, Salvos. It’s good to make some quick money, especially since we have none right now. As opposed to taking a… I don’t know, a job that requires us to go to the Plaguelands and retrieve the Sacred Sceptre of Nhirad.”

My eyes twinkled and I turned excitedly to him.

“That sounds interesting! Can we do that?”

“No.”

He spoke simply.

“That’s a job for Diamonds. Certainly not for us.”

“Aw…”

I deflated, but I knew when things were too hard for me to do. It would be like if I were an Infant Demon all over again and I decided to attack a Greater Demon. I most definitely would die.

“I guess we can look for those mushrooms…”

“I’d have thought you’d prefer to exterminate the giant rats.”

I wrinkled a brow.

“Why would I do that? They wouldn’t give me much experience, and fighting them would be boring. But these zorth mushrooms— I wonder what’s so special about them.”

I cast my gaze to the sky, trying to imagine what these mushrooms were like. I had seen mushrooms before, especially when in the Silkfall’s Crevice Dungeon, and they came in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Is this a big one? Or is it small? Or does it at first seem like a bunch of small little ones gathered together but is actually a very big one?

“They’re just mushrooms. A common ingredient used by [Alchemists]. Very good absorbents of mana.”

“Huh.”

Being told what it was took out all the fun behind it. I shrugged.

“Then can we just live without money?”

“No, we can’t. We wouldn’t survive without food or shelter.”

“But I can!”

Daniel ignored that comment as we rounded a corner. He stopped as we came face to face with a large warehouse building. It was fenced in on all sides by brick walls, however I noted a disruption in the flow of mana going through its perimeter.

I wanted to walk up to it and touched it, but Daniel led me to a metal gate instead. It was not as big as the gates on the walls of the city, but it was about twice my current height.

Two Humans stood there. One was a brown haired woman with her hair tied into a ponytail, while the other was a bald man dressed in dark clothing that revealed his abdomen.

[Mage - Lvl. 58]

[Rogue - Lvl. 61]

“Halt.”

The bald man called out, stepping forward.

“Access to this building is authorized only for members of the Valiant Dreamers Company. Produce your guild pass or be turned away.”

He gave us a menacing stare— a glare. And Daniel and I exchanged a look. Rachel quickly hid behind me, hugging Princess tightly as she peered out the side of my legs slightly to see what was going on. Daniel opened his mouth to speak, however the brown haired woman elbowed him and pushed him aside.

“Why do you have to be so rude, Ian— can’t you see they have a child with them? Hey! Sorry for my friend. And you, little girl, don’t be afraid. He may look scary, but he’s actually a really nice guy.”

Rachel peeked out a little more, but stayed silent. She did not look scared, however her eyes were almost expressionless— it reminded me of the first time I met her. The [Mage] realized she wasn’t going to get a response from her and cleared her throat.

“So, are you new recruits or adventurers looking to join the company? Sorry, we don’t recognize your faces, and we’ve been a bit on edge lately.”

“Oh, we’re not part of your company.”

I replied honestly. She nodded, as if she expected it.

“I see, I see. Well, if you’re new recruits looking to join us, we’re not currently holding any admission tests. We’ve had… problems. We used to hold them every two weeks, as I’m sure you’ve heard, but things have been… happening.”

The bald man, Ian, grunted from behind her.

“Trouble. And I dislike trouble. If there’s trouble, I stab it.”

“Hey, me too!”

I nodded respectfully at him.

“Well, sometimes I cut them too. Or slice at them. But stabbing is very effective as well.”

He just stared at me, not saying anything. The brown haired woman cleared her throat and gave me an uncertain look.

“So, uh, unfortunately we’re going to have to turn you away. Sorry.”

“Oh, but we’re not here to join your company.”

“You’re not?”

The [Mage] frowned and the [Rogue] tensed.

“Then why are you here?”

I opened my mouth— but Daniel spoke over me, pushing me back.

“We’re here to meet with a friend of ours. She’s with your company. A Gold Rank.”

The brown haired woman gave us a dubious look, narrowing her eyes.

“And who exactly is your friend?”

Daniel began to reply.

“Her name is—”

“Edithe!”

I shouted over him, stepping forward. My other Human companion was talking to a man as they strolled out of the building beyond the gate.

The [Mage] and the [Rogue] blinked, turning back to face the red haired woman. Before either of them could speak however, I ran past them and hurled myself over the gates. I rushed forward and leapt at Edithe.

“It’s been so long! It’s me, do you remember me?”

“...Salvos?”

The Human woman blinked as I threw my hands around her. I kept my arms wrapped around my companion, clinging onto her for a few passing moments while her eyes widened. Then, as if she realized what was finally happening, Edithe slowly hugged me back and smiled.

"How have you been?"

A note from MelasD

TFW you just got paid but you're already spending money on more arts. Coming soon: a character sheet for Salvos :)

Also, daily reminder that Finals suck.

You can once again now read up to 19 chapters ahead of public as opposed to the 18 last week, with an update schedule of 6 chapters a week as opposed to the 5 chapters a week for public on my patreon here for only $5!

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69. Cringe

A note from MelasD

69? Haha, funny number nice— jk is CRINGE

*dab dab dab*

YEET

...I'm stressed, can you tell?

69. Cringe

I held Edithe in my arms for a moment longer. In the past, before I had evolved, I probably would have only reached up to her neck on my tip toes. However now, I rested my chin lightly over her shoulder— since we were close to the same height, it was not difficult at all.

“I’ve been good!

I beamed and finally let her go. Edithe stepped back, returning my smile.

“Seems like you’ve been busy. You’re already at Level 51. Just a few more levels and you’ll be past me too.”

I placed my hands on my hips and raised my chin.

“Of course! I’m Salvos, and I haven’t been idle since we last saw each other.”

“And Daniel is with you too. He’s leveled quite a bit as well… wait, who’s that girl?”

I glanced back at past the gates— past the two adventurers that had been standing guard trying to open it in a panic— and at Rachel.

“Oh her? She’s Rachel! A girl we saved from some [Cultists] that had been trying to summon a Greater Demon near Warrington.”

“Sounds like you have quite the adventurer, huh?”

I nodded my head eagerly.

“We did—”

A sound interrupted me. The gates swung wide and the two adventurers rushed in with their weapons drawn. Then the door to the building burst open and more adventurers poured out, all prepared to fight. I blinked as they surrounded me.

But before anything could happen, the Human man that had been with Edithe tapped a wooden stick— a cane— on the ground, drawing our attention.

“Excuse me, Miss… Salvos, but you’re trespassing on the property of the Valiant Dreamers Company. I do recognize that you’re Edithe’s friend, but I must ask that you do not climb over our gates, triggering our barrier runes by tearing through them, and sending everyone inside into a panic, just to meet her.”

I stared at him for a moment, then at Edithe.

“Uh… did I do something bad for Humans?”

“Other than what Baris just said? Not really.”

“Oh good.”

Edithe laughed.

“I was being sarcastic, but I’m sure you know that.”

I grinned and hugged her again. The man, Baris, sighed.

—--

Daniel, Rachel, and I found ourselves led to a room somewhere in the building with Edithe at first, just chatting, catching up. After quickly reprimanding Ian and the other girl, Paige, for not stopping me, Baris had to get an [Enchanter] to repair the runes built along the walls, so he was not with us. However, he said he would come to speak with us when that was finished.

“So you felt something blocking your way as you climbed over the gates, but you just went through anyway?”

“It was a little bit uncomfortable, but I was so excited to finally meet you again that I ignored it!”

“You should be a bit more conscious about these kinds of things in the future. The barrier set up was never meant to be a deadly one since we’re in the city— however, if you had been trying to break into our training base a few miles out… it could’ve been dangerous for you.”

I shrugged, leaning back next to Rachel who was snacking on some nuts.

“I’m sure I’d have been fine. I noticed the one here wasn’t bad! And I have a Ring of Lesser Protection, see?”

I lifted up my finger and showed it to Edithe. The red haired woman shook her head.

“I know you have one— but still. You worry me with how reckless you are sometimes.”

I laughed and scratched the back of my head; Daniel muttered under his breath as he sipped from a cup of a yellow drink— tea.

“Imagine what it’s like looking after her nonstop by myself since you left.”

“Indeed— which reminds me, has Daniel done or said anything weird to you, Salvos?”

He nearly spit out his drink while Edithe gave me a questioning glance. The Human man opened his mouth, but I spoke over him, tapping at my chin.

“I don’t think so? If you’re talking about the things you told me to watch out for from men, Daniel hasn’t tried any of it at all!”

“Good, good. It seems like you really were trustworthy after all.”

Edithe shot him a teasing grin and he just sighed.

“Can’t believe you thought that lowly of me.”

“Better safe than sorry— anyway, so you found this girl while trying to find Salvos a way back to the Netherworld, correct?”

I nodded as Rachel stopped munching on the food and glanced up. She saw Edithe looking at her and sidled over to my side, grabbing my arms and giving the red haired woman a wary look.

I patted the girl on the head and smiled.

“Edithe’s fine, she’s my companion. Don’t be scared. And yes, we were hunting some [Cultists] and we found her. She was going to be used as a sacrifice to summon that Demon!”

“Ignavare, right?”

“Yep! And he was strong. But not as strong as me. I killed him myself and leveled up!”

“Of course you did.”

Edithe shook her head with a smile. She then turned her gaze to the girl by my side and leaned over the table.

“And Salvos saved you, didn’t she?”

Rachel gave her a curt nod, but otherwise said nothing. Daniel spoke apologetically to Edithe.

“Sorry, I think she’s a bit shy with strangers. She had a rough life, even before she was taken by the [Cultists].”

“That’s understandable. It must’ve been hard on you, huh? I’m sorry you went through that.”

Edithe turned to Rachel with a sad look. It was almost empathetic. As if she understood how the girl felt.

Daniel nodded and took a deep breath.

“Yeah, actually, she’s the reason why we’re here too.”

“What do you mean?”

The Human man hesitated, but opened his mouth to explain himself— when the door shot open. Baris finally arrived, dragging in another man— a younger man with the same blonde hair and blue eyes as him— into the room.

“Hadrian, I’m warning you— if you don’t speak with our guests, I’ll make you fill out all of the company’s accounts for the next year by yourself.”

“But dad, you know I can’t do that! I can barely even count to ten, let alone deal with all that stuff!”

“Then shut up and do your job!”

The younger man, Hadrian, was thrown by Baris onto the couch. He landed right next to Edithe, with his arms and legs sprawled wide. He paused, blinking as Rachel, Daniel, and I stared at him.

His gaze paused right on me while Baris folded his arms and sat down next to the man. The older man opened his mouth to speak, but Hadrian interrupted him.

“This is my—”

“Oh, I do apologize for the mess I’ve presented myself in. It seems father failed to inform me that one of the adventurers visiting my company was of the upper class. My name is Hadrian, and I am the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company. We are truly honored by your presence, Miss, ah, I mean lady…?”

He stood up and slicked his hair back. Bowing before me, he dropped to one knee and held a hand out. Daniel blinked then sat up in protest. Edithe smacked her forehead and Baris frowned.

I grinned.

“Hehe, so you recognize that I am a noble then? Well, I’m not just any noble. I’m Princess Salvos—”

“No she’s not. And don’t try that with her. All you’ll do is encourage her even more.”

Daniel spoke over me and eyed him. However, the blonde man cast a dismissive glance to my Human companion and huffed.

“Ah, a jealous rival. But I do apologize, Sir, I wasn’t talking to you but the lovely lady here.”

“That’s enough, Hadrian. Sit down and show some respect to our guests. And you.”

Baris glanced over at me.

“Do not lie to people you’ve come to request help for. It will only hurt your cause, even if it is a good one.”

I scowled and crossed my arms, sinking back to the couch as the older man proceeded to glare at his son. Hadrian shrugged helplessly.

“I apologize if I mistook her beauty as a sign of a noble heritage. It was my mistake, father—”

“Alright, that’s enough from you. Sit down before you embarrass yourself further.”

Baris spoke with finality in his voice. The younger man took a seat with a scowl. Edithe sighed and rubbed her temples.

“Alright, now that Hadrian has humiliated both himself and the company, may I begin, Baris?”

“Yes. You said that these three were here seeking help from the Valiant Dreamers Company?”

“They are. And in fact, both Daniel and Salvos are the ones I’ve told you about.”

“You’ve told them about us?”

Daniel raised an eyebrow dubiously. She nodded and glanced over at him, then me.

“They’re both adventurers who were only Silvers when I first met them, and yet they’re both Gold now in such a short amount of time. They have potential. And Salvos is the one who wants to find a way to the Netherworld, because her friend is stuck there.”

I blinked.

“Wait—”

“I know your friend was kidnapped by a Greater Demon, right Salvos? He was dragged into the Netherworld and you couldn’t stop it from taking him. So that’s why you’re interested in finding a way there to save him.”

The red haired woman gave me a look and I slowly nodded, picking up on her cue.

“That’s right. My friend is stuck in the Netherworld, and I want to get back to him.”

I didn’t necessarily lie, however, I certainly wasn’t telling the whole truth. Edithe smiled, turning to Baris and Hadrian.

“And that’s why I’ve been asking around about it— doing research.”

“Hm, I see. But I don’t believe that’s why they're here now, correct? Otherwise, you’d have been informed of their coming.”

“No. I am not aware of why they are here. Or why that child, Rachel, is with them.”

Daniel nodded, taking it as his turn to speak up.

“We came here because… we’ve run into a little bit of trouble. We rescued Rachel while we were hunting [Cultists], as Salvos mentioned earlier, and unfortunately, we’ve also run into some other issues that puts her in a lot of danger from being associated with us.”

“What kind of issues?”

Hadrian asked, first time talking since he sat back down. His face was more serious now, however, he still made sure to shoot me a wink after he asked his question.

I cocked my head. Is he trying to get me to lie about something too, like Edithe was?

“It’s a rather problematic one, but we’ve heard good things about the Valiant Dreamers Company. That you guys are good people. That you care about helping the weak, and that you have the strength to stand up to those hurting them. Is that correct?”

“Yes, we do.”

Hadrian smiled, this time focusing only on Daniel.

“It seems like you have a dire problem. How can we help?”

“We’re being hunted by the Harrowed Vindicators.”

My Human companion admitted. Rachel glanced up at him, her face contorting at the name, while Edithe, Hadrian, and Baris blinked. The older man started, working his jaw.

“You mean the underworld group notorious for assassinations and kidnappings?”

Daniel nodded grimly.

“That’s the one.”

None of them had anything to say— they took a moment to process this information. Hadrian crossed his arms and furrowed his brows while Baris scratched at a stubble on his chin. Daniel continued.

“We’re not asking you to help us. But please look after Rachel. We think they might target her to get to us. She wasn’t involved in this at all— and only got involved because we saved her.”

“What happened while I was gone?”

Edithe sighed, shaking her head. The older man tilted his head up and spoke to his son.

“Hadrian, as the head of the Valiant Dreamers Company and an adventurer yourself, I’m sure you’re aware of the terrible reputation the Harrowed Vindicators have, yes?”

“Indeed, father. I am very much aware of their reputation and how they stoop to dirty tricks to achieve their goals.”

Daniel bit his lower lip as he glanced over at me. I gave him a shrug back.

“I can take care of Rachel myself, you know? I’ll just beat up those assassins like I did last time.”

The girl nodded eagerly and clung to my arm, but before he could retort, Baris resumed his monologue.

“Hadrian, you remember the reason why I started this company three decades ago, do you? I made sure to drill it into your head when I had you take over. Or don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten.”

“Of course not, father.”

The younger man— the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company— stood tall and proud. He fluttered his eyelashes, a smirk spreading across his face as he bellowed in a deep voice.

“We are the Valiant Dreamers Company: when the world is bleak and unjust, we shall fight for those who are oppressed. We will keep on dreaming, with a valor that will triumph over any evil that stands in our path!”

He turned to me reassuringly.

“Do not worry, Princess Salvos, we shall keep Rachel safe with us, even if assassins, Demons, or even Kobolds siege us, we will not waver!”

I jumped up and turned to Rachel excitedly. She gave me a blank look. Then I turned to Daniel— and he was cringing. Edithe had her face buried in her hands, and Baris was pinching the bridge of his nose. I blinked.

“Uh, am I not supposed to be excited about this?”

“No, Salvos…”

Edithe sighed.

“He’s just embarrassing, but yes, we’ll protect Rachel.”

The red haired woman— my other Human companion— smiled at the little girl.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take care of you.”

Rachel peered over my side, apprehension still written all over her face. However, she was more relaxed than before now. I nodded at her.

“Edithe is a good person. She’s very kind.”

The girl slowly sat back, but not begrudgingly. She spoke softly.

“...ok.”

“It’s settled then. Rachel will stay here, right?”

“She will.”

Baris spoke as he stood up.

“My son may have been too… excited, with the way he said it. But we are certainly not like those companies which put only their own interests over all else. I am aware you've encountered the Iron Champions Company before, and I assure you, we are nothing like them.”

“Those guys sucked! And Stephen is scary!”

“Well, I have heard of this Stephen from Edithe. And while my son here may not seem all that reliable, he certainly can take on a measly Platinum.”

I blinked and identified the two blonde Humans. First the father, then the son.

[Mage - Lvl. 81]

[??? - ???]

“Huh. Both of you are high leveled.”

Hadrian flashed me a grin, but it disappeared as he was smacked over the head by Baris. The older man began reprimanding him for the way he was acting as Daniel watched on, a scowl plastered on his face.

He almost looked… jealous. I shrugged and turned to Rachel. But she was patting the Human man on the shoulder.

“It’s ok… he’s a weirdo.”

She whispered softly. I was about to ask what was so odd about Hadrian that kept garnering this reaction from everyone else when Edithe tapped me on the shoulder.

“Salvos.”

“That’s me!”

“It is you. And I’m sure Mistshard and Druma would want to see you again too.”

She laughed as I brightened.

“They do?”

“Of course they do. But I’m a little busy today, got to run errands and stuff. So, tomorrow, you and Daniel should meet me at the Sanctum of Elements— it’s the flashy temple close to the city square. I’ll be there with Druma and Mistshard at around noon.”

I opened my mouth, but Edithe leaned over my shoulder, whispering quietly to me.

“I’ve got some information to tell you about the Netherworld.”

A note from MelasD

Hiya! I'd like to ask you all to maybe please vote for me on TopWebFiction again. I didn't manage to get back to first last time around, and it would really help me out a lot of if you vote for my story! It literally takes a few seconds, and I only ask for it once a week. If only a tenth of you reading this votes, I'd very easily be first place!

Please vote here.

Anyway, thanks for reading as always and don't die!

Also, daily reminder that Finals suck.

70. Summoning Ritual

70. Summoning Ritual

Daniel and I were given our own rooms to stay by the Valiant Dreamers Company, with permission from Hadrian. Rachel was going to be staying in Edithe’s room since she volunteered to take care of the girl once we left. She had to get used to not being around us. However, she was rather shy around the red haired woman, and mostly hung around my room for that day.

But it was fine since we weren’t in any rush to leave.

On the day after, Rachel was introduced to other members of the company such as Ian, the [Rogue] who had been guarding the gates, or Paige, the [Mage] that had been with him. Daniel and I left her with them to head down to the city’s sewers for the job he had taken from the Adventurers Guild.

I wanted to collect the zorth mushrooms. But because we were meeting with Edithe in the afternoon, there was apparently no time for that. Gathering jobs would take up a whole day to even be worth the effort put into it.

It was a boring task— killing these weird, big creatures. These giant rats looked kind of like Ground Cravers, except they scurried around on all fours while making these squeaking noises. They were very aggressive though, so I had no qualms with fighting them. I was pretty sure they were even less intelligent than wild Demons.

I got no levels from them, however it wasn’t a completely worthless excursion. Not only did Daniel make the money he so desperately wanted, I was able to test out and experiment with my magic during the time we spent down in the sewers. Strumming my fingers across the strands of mana that were in the air, I tried to create a kusarigama.

I knew I could create a sickle, and I knew I could create chains. But they had to be weighted properly. There was a heavy ball at the end of Jaakko’s kusarigama— I could almost remember the feeling of holding it and his sickle. But when I conjured it up myself, the feeling was all wrong.

I threw the fiery chains but the weighted ball sunk straight to the ground. It wasn’t that I didn’t toss it hard enough, it just wasn’t counterbalanced right. I frowned and experimented with it— however, I couldn’t figure it out in the end. But there was something else that came from it…

General Skill [Advanced Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 2] -> [Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Maybe I need [Weapon Mastery] to be at a higher level to create a kusarigama. One thing I realized from raising that Passive was how it made me intrinsically understand how each weapon worked better. And while Saffron had told me my mana control was still unrefined, it didn’t feel like the whole reason why I couldn’t create more complex weapons.

It was something I lacked. And when I brought it up to Daniel, he shrugged.

“Probably education. You’re uneducated, so you don’t understand how it works, I guess.”

“Hey! Are you calling me stupid?”

“That’s not what I meant— but I do think you’re pretty dumb.”

He grinned and I scowled, crossing my arms. The two of us had just left the sewers and got paid in the Adventurers Guild. Now we were heading our way to the Sanctum of Elements.

“Well, I think you’re weak! Aren’t you supposed to be a [H—”

“Alright! Alright! I take it back. Don’t say that out loud, please.”

Daniel gave me a pleading look. I smirked and raised my chin.

“Don’t say what out loud? You mean the fact that you’re a [H—”

“Salvos! You’re being a real Demon right now, aren’t you?”

“Hey!”

“Two can play at that game, you know?”

The two of us exchanged quips all the way until we reached the temple. The moment we arrived, we stopped a [Priest] dressed in luxurious blue robes with golden linings. The elderly Human man blinked.

“Ah, you must be Edithe’s friends. She told us that you’d be arriving here.”

“You know her?”

He smiled.

“Of course. Young Edithe has been coming to this temple ever since she was a little street rat running around and causing trouble.”

Daniel and I exchanged a glance. The [Priest] extended a hand.

“I’m William. It’s good to meet you.”

“I’m Salvos!”

I snatched his hand before Daniel could take it. My Human companion sighed and shook his hand after.

“I’m Daniel. Apologies if she’s a bit rude— she wasn’t really educated on manners when she was a child.”

I glared at Daniel but he ignored it. William laughed.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ve dealt with far more bratty children in my time. Come, I’ll bring you to your friend.”

He began leading us through the gilded halls of the temple; it was unlike the Sanctuary of Fauna with its plain, white walls that reminded me of the dull Netherworld. It was decorated— there were statues and paintings lined along the walls, and the walls themselves were colorful too. White, yellow, brass. Vibrant colors that almost shone down at me like the magical lamps that illuminated an iridescent glow.

“So, you know Edithe?”

Daniel asked, turning to the [Priest] as he continued ahead of us.

“Indeed I do. I’ve known her for many years. I’ve seen her at her lowest, and I’ve seen her at her highest. She is almost like a daughter to me.”

“Almost like a daughter… what about her real parents?”

My Human companion almost hesitated, but he spoke up anyway. I cocked my head, confused at why he would ask the question.

“Yes, the girl never knew her father. And her mother had been a prostitute, working hard to provide for her. Unfortunately, because of that line of work, her mother frequently got sick and had to stay at the temple to recover.”

“Couldn’t she just use healing potions or [Rest]?”

I piped up, raising a brow.

“No. Ailments and illnesses can only be remedied by medicine or cure spells.”

“Cure spells?”

“Yes, the magic which us [Priests] specialize in. We are not [Mage Healers] who can fix a broken arm, but we are able to tend to the sick and weak. Not all of us, of course— but by the nature of our Class, we are not combatants. Not even specialists in magic. Simply supporters. Helpers. Hence why we help cities relay [Short Range Messages] between cities and towns where our temples reside.”

“And you helped Edithe’s mother?”

Daniel was the one to speak. William shook his head.

“We did what we could.”

“I see…”

My Human companion trailed off. I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant— did that mean her mother died? That was what it meant, right? But it didn’t seem appropriate to ask, so I said nothing.

We passed through various hallways until we found ourselves in a large room— one that reminded me of the summoning room I first met Sakura in back in Hazelbury. But unlike the simple layout of a circular building with a circular pool in the middle, this room was almost octagonal. It had jagged edges around its perimeters that divided its walls into eight sides, and up above hung a domed roof. One that let light leak in from the sun above.

It was made entirely of glass, but it was not the transparent ones I was used to seeing in inns and shops. The glass was… tinted. It was stained in various different colors from blue, to red, to green, to yellow. Rays of sunlight streamed down through these different lenses, coloring the summoning pool in the same hue as the glass ceiling.

Edithe stood there, just before the summoning pool. She had Mistshard hovering above her, and Druma further behind, standing in a wet mess. The [Elemental] and the [Yaksha] both turned as Daniel and I entered the room.

“Edithe! Druma! Mistshard!”

I exclaimed, running forward. I hugged Druma as the four armed Spirit glanced down at me with curious eyes. Then I tried to jump at Mistshard but she flew out of the way.

“Hello, Salvos. It has been a while. It seems you have surpassed even my level.”

I blinked and identified the Greater Spirit.

“You’re right— you’re only Level 45! And Druma is Level 41! But I was already higher leveled than him the last time we met. But wait… why do you look the same?”

“He is waiting to get better evolutions. Without any direct threats or dangerous battles to be fought, he thought it wise to get an evolution that suits him rather than settling for what appears best at the moment.”

“You can do that?”

I stared at Mistshard, aghast. Edithe patted me on the shoulder, smiling.

“Of course. It’s the same with how our Classes work. You don’t get a new Class choice with every level after you’re first given the chance to advance, however if you continue meeting requirements you will be given more and more options.”

“Then what’s stopping you from just doing that until you get the perfect Subs— I mean, Class?”

I glanced at the [Priest] standing to the side then turned back to Edithe.

“A lot of people do, but a lot of people don’t either.”

“Why not?”

“Because if you’re a Level 45 [Warrior] who hasn’t advanced his Class yet, you’ll probably be very easily killed by a Level 40 [Warrior] who has a bad advancement. That’s just how it is.”

“Huh.”

I nodded slowly. The red haired woman stepped back and waved at Daniel, quickly greeting him. Then she faced William and lowered her head.

“Thank you for your help.”

“Of course, Edithe. Anything for you.”

He smiled kindly at her and took a step back.

“I take it you wish to have some privacy now?”

“Yes, please.”

The [Priest] receded back into the hallway we came from. His footfalls disappearing as he vanished from view. Then it was just me, Daniel, Edithe, Mistshard, and Druma. I found my lips curling up as I glanced between my familiar companions.

The red haired woman nodded.

“So, I’ve done quite a bit of research on [Cultists], Demon summonings, and the Netherworld since I’ve returned to Viechester— oh, also don’t worry about speaking your mind here. William is trustworthy, and he assured me no one will eavesdrop on us here.”

“You know how to get me back to the Netherworld?”

I piped up excitedly. She shook her head.

“Not exactly.”

She turned around and walked up to the summoning pool. She ran a hand through the water, disrupting the water’s surface.

“Do you see this? The lines inscribed onto the ground beneath.”

“I can see trace outlines of a ritual circle. Why?”

“It’s a result of space magic. It’s in the same vein as dimensional magic. But dimensional simply reshapes the world around us— like creating a Bag of Holding. Meanwhile, space magic alters its very essence. It lets you do things like teleport from one place to another, send messages to far away locations, or even open a hole through the world itself.”

“Like a summoning ritual.”

Daniel spoke softly. I raised my brow at the way he said it, but Edithe didn’t even blink.

“Yes. Like a summoning ritual. And while the Spirit Plane, the Netherworld, and the Mortal Realm all exist within the same world— the Nexeus— they do not exist within the same… level. Or plane. And a summoning ritual temporarily bridges the gap between the Mortal Realm and either two.”

“What do you mean?”

I frowned, a little bit perplexed. She explained.

“I think an easy way to understand this is to think of the world as a house. In this house, there is a first floor, a second floor, and a third floor. Let’s say the Netherworld is the first floor, the Mortal Realm is the second floor, and the Spirit Plane is the third floor. And let’s say you’re on the first floor, Daniel and I are on the second floor, and Mistshard and Druma are on the third floor. However, there is no stairway that connects any of the floors. How do we meet each other?”

“You dig a hole!”

I raised a hand, grinning. Edithe paused.

“I guess you could dig a hole. Or in more practical terms, build a stairway between the floors. Unfortunately, in this scenario, none of us are good enough at earth magic to build a stairway between the floors. And let’s say only someone who is good at earth magic is able to do that. Then what do we do?”

“Uh, I don’t know.”

“You get someone who is good at earth magic.”

She replied simply. Slowly, I began nodding.

“That is, every time we try to create a stairway between floors— or in other words, carry out a summoning ritual— we are borrowing someone else’s earth magic— or space magic. In the case of the Spirits, the one who does this is the Spirit Lord, and for Demons, it’s the Demon King.

“I don’t know this arrangement came to be for Demons, but for Spirits it has been this way since ten thousand years ago, when the Immortal King Alexander made a pact with the Spirit Lord to connect our planes, permanently making Humans and Spirits allies. Of course, they weren’t able to create a permanent portal between the Mortal Realm and the Spirit Plane, not that they wanted one either.

“So whenever a summoning ritual is done, we simply tap into the Spirit Lord’s power, pouring our own magic into executing it on our side so that Spirits are able to come here. But ultimately most of the magic comes from the Spirit Lord himself, otherwise each Spirit summoning would be far more costly to us than it otherwise is.”

I crossed my arms and tapped a finger on my chin.

“More costly than it otherwise is?”

“Seems like you picked up on it.”

Edithe pulled her hand back from the summoning pool as water dripped off her fingertips and onto the marble ground.

“Yes, it becomes more costly to us than it otherwise is. Meaning, we can do it by ourselves. Just that it isn’t easy. You told me yesterday that you weren’t able to grab the summoning collars off the dead Demons, right?”

“I tried! But that stupid Devil didn’t let me.”

I paused, glancing around the room. I quickly corrected myself, just in case.

“I mean Mr Devil didn’t let me.”

“Right. You met… the Devil.”

“Do you know him?”

“I’ve never heard of him until I started researching Demons and [Cultists]. But there’s not much information on him. Not like the information there is about the Demon King.”

“Regnorex.”

“Right, him.”

Edithe walked up to me and looked me over.“Thing is, Salvos, you don’t need those summoning collars to make your way back to the Netherworld— you don’t need the help of the Demon King to do it. You can do it on your own if you master space magic.”

“And how do I do that?”

She took a deep breath.

“To master space magic to the extent you can cross back and forth between the Netherworld and the Mortal Realm? I’d say it’d take you… a hundred years.”

“A hundred years?”

I sputtered. I glanced down at my hands and began counting my fingers.

“One… two… three… that’d be forever!”

“Right. But unfortunately, that’s how it is when it comes to learning a magic your Class is not specialized in. For every level of a [Mage] you want to equal without actually having the Class, you need a year of training.”

“So I have to be a Level 100 [Space Mage] to be able to do that?!”

“Correct.”

“But I can’t even be a [Mage]... I have to… I have to… wait a hundred years to see Haec again?”

I looked up at Edithe, eyes wide. She smiled.

“You have to study for a hundred years. But that is only one way to do it.”

“What other way is there?”

I faced her desperately. Edithe spoke a single word.

“Fairies.”

I blinked and she raised a finger.

“Fairies. The only of the Spirits that never joined the pact the Spirit Lord made with Humans. They say it’s because they’re loyal only to the Fairy Queen, and she refused to partake in it. But despite not being part of this pact— despite not being able to be summoned to the Mortal Realm by Humans— Fairies still appear and roam around this plane.”

“But… how?”

“Because of their magic.”

Mistshard spoke up, floating down next to Edithe. I looked up at the [Elemental] as she continued.

“I know very little about the nature of Fairies— anything beyond their name and existence has always eluded me. But not to my brothers and sisters. I have asked them, and they tell me of the magic that Fairies wield— the very same space magic that only powerful Human [Mages] can use. But Fairies are not inherently beings of space magic, so why can they use it?”

“I don’t know!”

“And that’s exactly what you have to ask them.”

Edithe nodded at me.

“Is it because the Fairy Queen lends them her power? Or is it a special spell or some kind of cheat Skill? You have to figure it out by asking them.”

“How do I even find them?”

I spread my arms around the room.

“I don’t even know where they are!”

“But I do.”

Mistshard spoke simply. Edithe nodded.

“And she told me. I can tell you right now too where they are, but that is only the second option for you to take.”

“Only the second option?”

“Yes, there is a third option for you to go back to the Netherworld.”

“And what is that?”

I blinked and she inhaled deeply, placing a hand on the ruby pendant hanging around her neck.

“The third option is for me to change my Class. Restart from Level 10. Lose all the progress I have ever made and train to become a Level 100 [Space Mage]. Or hit Level 100 and unlock my second Class, and then train to become a Level 100 [Space Mage]. Both will take time. A lot of time. Although the second one will take even longer. And while I’m more apprehensive about doing it the first way, if that’s what you want, I’ll do it.”

I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, Daniel jerked and furrowed his brows.

“You can’t be serious, Edithe. If you do that, you’ll lose all the Skills, Stats, and everything you’ve ever worked for until now. You can’t just revert back to being Classless. That’s insane!”

“I’ll still keep my General Skills. And I’ll only lose the Stats I gained from leveling up. I won’t lose everything.”

“Still, why would you do that?”

“To help Salvos, of course. When I swore revenge against that [Djinn] for killing my friends, I had never expected to accomplish that task. I assumed I would die trying. Or it would at least take me a long time to do it. That’s why my contract with Mistshard and Druma had been for six months. But in only two months, she helped me grow stronger and get my revenge.”

Edithe closed her eyes and slowly bowed her head at me.

“That’s why I’m willing to do it for you, Salvos.”

“But—”

“Wait.”

I blinked, glancing between the two arguing Humans.

“You can do that?”

“Yes. I just have to get a high leveled [Priest]— a [Bishop] to do it for me. They have a Skill for that. With the consent of an individual, they can help anyone go back to when they were Level 10, before they picked out their first Class. It’s a kind of chance to restart. People who fought in wars and suffered great trauma tend to be the ones who request for this. But if you want, Salvos, I’ll do it.”

Edithe stared at me with determined eyes. The same hazel-green eyes that used to look at me with hate. She was really willing to do this for me. She was willing to lose her Class as a Level 55 [Summoner] for me.

Daniel opened his mouth— but I was the one to speak.

“No.”

I shook my head and placed my hands on my hips. Edithe tried to say something, but I didn’t want to hear it.

“No, Edithe. I will not ask you to do that for me.”

“Why not? I know it sounds bad, but I just have to work hard and—”

“That’s not it.”

I spoke insistently, planting my feet on the ground. I looked at Edithe— then I looked at Mistshard and Druma.

“First of all, if you do that, you’ll be very weak. Who will protect Rachel if not you? You volunteered to keep her safe, right?”

“I did, but—”

“Secondly.”

I cut her off.

“If you lose your Class, Druma and Mistshard won’t be able to stay in the Mortal Realm. They’ll be forced to go back. Then two more of my companions will be gone again! I’ll be trading one for two! I don’t want that!”

Edithe worked her mouth. She looked over at the two Spirits but neither said a word. Then I finished.

“And lastly!”

I inhaled deeply and closed my eyes.

“I don’t want to wait that long! I’ll just find Fairies now— it’s faster!”

I opened my eyes and saw myself in the reflection of the red jewel resting just above her chest. I met Edithe’s gaze and waited. The Human woman’s eyes darkened.

Then she laughed.

“Honestly, I don’t know why I tried to take this so seriously. I should have known that would be the main reason why you’d be against it.”

“Hey! It’s only one of three reasons why!”

Edithe wiped a single tear from her eye— was that from laughing?

“Fine. I guess I’ll tell you where you can find some Fairies to speak to. But be aware, they aren’t always so… nice. And it’s a dangerous place.”

“If it’s dangerous, I’ll just have to level up and then I can go there!”

I happily opined. The red haired woman— my companion— nodded.

“Well, I do wonder about that. The place where you have to go is up in the Motharis Mountain Range. It’s just north of Viechester, actually. You can’t see it from here, but it’s not that far off. With how fast you travel, Salvos, I don’t think it’ll take more than a week for you to get there.”

“Wait, Edithe, you don’t expect us to search the entire mountain range for Fairies, right? It’s over a thousand miles long!”

Daniel protested. She shook her head.

“No. The place you’ll be going isn’t some unknown spot in the mountain. You can actually get a map to the exact location of it from the Valiant Dreamers Company. It’s called the Brilsum Ruins—”

Edithe hesitated, glancing between both the Human man and I. She sighed, rubbing at her temples.

“And it’s also a Platinum Rank Dungeon.”

A note from MelasD

Almost 4,000 words. Longest chapter yet, I think.

Anyway, Finals actually suck. Like, I'm not memeing. It has completely killed my backlog of chapters. I will try my best to get all the patreon chapters up this weekend, but, if you want to read up to Chapter 87 right now, you can donate to my patreon here.

Or, as always, join my discord here.

Thanks for reading!

Side Story 1: Survival of the Fittest

A note from MelasD

This is a Side Story chapter. It is the first and only Side Story chapter that will be made public.

Side Story 1: Survival of the Fittest

NYEVETII was scared.

She did not know what being scared meant, or what that feeling even was. But she knew she was scared when she reached the edge of the world.

A dark abyss threatened to swallow her— it pulled at her forever. Her being was tugged, then pressed. She wanted this moment to end, yet it continued.

Her thoughts were clouded in fear. She pleaded for some sort of reprieve. And after an eternity passed, she got it.

—--

Nyevetii woke up to the sound of splashing. She had been… not alive? And now she was.

Existence came and took her like a strong current, pushing her into the waterfall of red against her will. She did not know where she was, just that darkling clouds loomed over her in her little puddle.

The storm continued, a pattering of black precipitation flooding the white landscape around her. The sea built up— the vast ocean of darkness that held her grew bloated. Until finally, she managed to wriggle her way to land.

Nyevetii

Species: [Infant Demon]

Subspecies: [Demon Larva] - Lvl. 1

General Skills:

[Identification] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 5

[Strength]: 5

[Endurance]: 5

[Wisdom]: 5

[Agility]: 5

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 0]

[Unused Skill Slot] x5

I am… Nyevetii, she thought to herself. That was… her name! I am Nyevetii!

She excitedly flopped out of the sable water, unsure of what everything else in her head meant, but happy to be herself anyway. The black raindrops covered her body, still falling, but slowly fading. It did not bother Nyevetii. This place— wherever she was— was far better than the place she had been before!

Nyevetii glanced around, finally deciding to take in her surroundings when she spotted the first of the others. Slowly making their way out of the same dark water that held her were a myriad of oddly shaped creatures. They looked like writhing masses of flesh, of different colors but roughly the same oval shape.

She found herself curiously crawling her way towards them. As the first drew itself to land, Nyevetii couldn’t help herself but approach it. She peered at it— peered at it curiously.

It stared back up at her, confused. It had peculiar green eyes and a dark blue body. It did not move when Nyevetii looked at it. Only when she turned away did it pull itself ashore, following her.

Nyevetii moved on from the dark blue thing to a more vibrant, yellow thing with black streaks running through its body. Again, she looked at it casually, and again the thing stopped moving. She moved on after a moment, to the next of the things!

How strange, why are they acting like this?

She wasn’t entirely sure what these things were, although she really wanted to find out. And she eventually got her answer, right as she went up to one of the things with only a single eye. She inspected it, trying to parse what it was—

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

Nyevetii jerked back. What? She backed up as the thing— the [Demon Larva]— hauled itself onto the land, undeterred by her presence unlike the others. Watching it make its way up to her, Nyevetii paused to think for a moment. They’re… like me?

She tried to look down at herself— she tried to see what she looked like. And sure enough, her body was just like theirs. She was a [Demon Larva] too.

They were like her. She was like them.

Casting her gaze around, she saw more and more of these things— these creatures like her— pop out of the dark water. They were being birthed, just like her, and had the same Subspecies as her.

Something swelled up inside of Nyevetii. She felt a shiver run through her body— the feeling, the knowing that something else was like her…

It made her excited!

Nyevetii danced around the shore of the black sea, identifying each and every other Demon that made its way up. Each time, she took their information with the same previous excitement, and each time, they produced the same results.

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]

And yet, this did not deter Nyevetii in the slightest. She was happy— excited! She had thought that she would return to being alone in that void of nothingness, but now she was free from it and surrounded by others just like her!

This was a wonderful place!

—--

General Skill [Identification] Level Up!

[Identification - Lvl. 1] -> [Identification - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Identification] Level Up!

[Identification - Lvl. 2] -> [Identification - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Identification] Level Up!

[Identification - Lvl. 3] -> [Identification - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 1] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 2]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 2] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

Nyevetii wasn’t sure how much time had passed since the others gathered around her, puzzled by her excited demeanour. But she identified each and every one of them, earning her two whole levels in both her Subspecies and her General Skill!

She distributed her Stats without much thought, and somehow became more. She stretched out the nub-like protrusions that she had just grown as the others gathered around her, mesmerized by the sudden change to her being.

Trying to explain how she leveled without words, she eventually helped a few of them reach a higher level, although most remained stuck at Level 1. Then their journey began!

They travelled through the tumulous landscape, wandering around with the same excitement she felt, surely! The rain continued— until it didn’t. And the rocks pricked at her skin… until she got used to it.

There wasn’t much to see, much to explore. But when she saw something new, she felt the excitement within her return. Apparently, they weren’t the only [Demon Larvae] in this world!

She encountered more— one of them was Level 3, just like her!

It had been scared. Afraid of her. But when she approached it, reaching one of her limbs out. It slowly relaxed.

It grew out of the rock it was hiding under, and followed her along with the rest of her group. And they pressed on!

Another [Demon Larva], one with light red skin, milled about in the hazy, white sea. But when Nyevetii approached it, it was drawn to her. It followed her, just like everyone else!

There were many others. Of all kinds of shapes and colors. One of them nearly blended in with the white, its silver color too similar to the pure background!

Nyevetii found herself cheerfully approaching each new [Demon Larva] she encountered. They always joined her. They always followed her. It was such a wonderful world, after all.

This place… is paradise! Nyevetii thought to herself as she made her way towards the base of a hill, the other [Demon Larvae] following behind her. There, a large figure blocked the way. At first she had thought it was a rock. But as she got a closer look, she realized it was another [Demon Larva]— Level 5!

It was a welcome surprise.

Nyevetii scuttled up to it without a second thought. After all, why would she think twice about doing what she had done a dozen times before? This was just another [Demon Larva].

It would look back at her as she peers into it, until eventually deciding to join her too! In her journey through this great place. Unlike that terrible place she had been before. The place where she was alone— where time seemed to last for an eternity and a moment at the same time.

She raised a limb and offered it to the large Demon, happy thoughts flying through her head. Her head lost in the sky as the large Demon raised its head. This place was so unlike where she had been before. There were so many things here for her, and it was so wonderful, she would never go back!

Squish.

VULGUS watched as the Level 3 Demon was crushed by the Level 5 Demon. He did not move at first, perplexed at what just happened. What happened to her…? Then a Demon next to him moved— a Level 2 Demon.

She charged with an intensity that drew him forward. Just like how the Level 3 Demon had drawn him from the dark water when he had been about to pull himself ashore. The dark blue skin of Vulgus stood out in the red sky as he threw himself at the Level 5 Demon.

His attack bruised at its skin, leaving marks and swellings. Another two Demons, Level 1 Demons, joined them. The combined attacks of the three pushed the Level 5 Demon back.

The Level 2 Demon rushed forward, radiating an anger that did not need to be said. Her emotions could be felt by Vulgus. And that fueled him. It made him mad too!

And she was crushed.

The Level 5 Demon swiped at Vulgus, battering his body. He flew through the air once more, but this time, nothing more than a broken mess.

The dark blue Demon was squashed and left for dead a moment after.

IGNOM knew the large Demon was trouble the moment he saw it. He wasn’t a fool. He had encountered its kind before. Back when he was with his own companions.

They had been slaughtered, and he somehow escaped then. Only to run into the foolishly chipper Level 3 Demon that suicided into the large Demon. Perhaps he should have felt a sense of loss over her death. But right now, all he could think was to save himself.

He turned and ran. And that was the right move.

Four other foolish Demons attacked the large Demon, only to be killed in mere moments while the rest stared on in shock. Then the shock that held them broke, and they made for a break for it as well.

However, Ignom was a ways ahead of them. And he left them all behind, letting the large Demon slaughter the rest. He had to live. They didn’t matter.

Not to him.

—--

Ignom ran and ran and ran. Not just from the large Demon, but from the other wild Demons he would encounter. They would assail him— assail a group he was in. And the group would always try to fight back.

Foolish, he thought.

Fleeing once more, Ignom escaped death for another moment. There was no use fighting back against these wild Demons. Especially not the [Hellhounds] that tore apart [Demon Larvae] like they were nothing.

Unfortunately, those [Hellhounds] proved to be enemies he couldn’t run from.

They chased after him and caught him with ease. They began ripping and tearing into his body as he curled up, desperately trying to escape death. That was until they were all blown apart— incinerated by flames that did not touch him.

A figure loomed over him. A blue Demon with a crooked horn. Ignom tried to identify him, but couldn’t.

All Ignom knew was that the Demon with crooked horns spoke a word and he was seized. Several pairs of hands carried him and threw him to a group of [Demon Larvae]. But unlike the other groups of [Demon Larvae] he had been a part of, he realized that these ones were like him. Not foolish.

Afraid.

—--

Ignom was herded alongside the other [Demon Larvae], not knowing where they were being brought to. However, he stayed in line, the words of the Demon with crooked horns gripping him with fear.

“Keep on moving! If you break, you will be killed!”

Or at least, that was until the other [Hellhounds], [Hellbeasts], and wild Demons showed up. A swarm of them attacked their procession, and Ignom knew what would happen next. They would be overwhelmed— there were so many of them, they came like a wave.

Ignom watched hesitantly at first as the wild Demons charged. But when it became clear they were outnumbered, he did what he would usually do. The smart thing.

He ran.

Ignom broke and fled, along with a number of other [Demon Larvae]. Not foolish, he thought, confirming his assessment from before.

He made the right decision, the only intelligent choice, and ran from the horde of wild Demons. They would be overwhelmed and slaughtered, after all. That was what always happened. Or at least, that had been the deluded thoughts of Ignom.

Then reality hit him like a spear. It pierced through his skin and skewered him to a wall. His vision turned black, like the blood that poured out of his dying corpse. Confusion had taken him for a moment, but a voice broke him from it, making him realize that in the end, he had been the fool.

“I had warned you! I warned you you would be killed! Learn this lesson, the rest of you—”

TABURAS did not understand.

She had wandered the world aimlessly— her birth was not accompanied by any others. She saw rocks and black pools forming, and understood not how the rocks were made or why the dark rain fell.

Everything made little sense until she encountered the other Demons like her. And while she perceived their existence, she did not know why they existed. Nor why she existed in the first place.

That was, until she saw the large Demon. At first, she had been surprised. When the Level 3 Demon was squished, she did not know what to do. It was out of the ordinary. Such a thing had never occurred before.

But after fleeing and running into more Demons. More of her kind. Now she understood.

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 1]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 2] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 3]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 3] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 4]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!

[Demon Larva - Lvl. 4] -> [Demon Larva - Lvl. 5]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!

Taburas saw Demons killing each other, and so she followed. With each level she gained, she felt more complete. With each Demon she killed, she reveled in pleasure.

Life had a simple meaning, and it was to simply kill and kill and kill and kill—

And she never once thought that an enemy would be too strong for her.

“What’s this? Another wild Demon?”

The blast of ice from the tall, green Demon sent her flying back. She tried to get up, but realized her entire body had gone numb. It was supposed to be painful— every other time she had been hurt, she had been in pain. Yet, her body felt nothing.

The other Demon— a gangly red one with a pair of wings— laughed.

“Of course it’s another wild Demon. Did you really think finding any survivors after the Advent would be so easy? You should’ve joined me in hunting for them before the Desolation came.”

“As if a Lesser Demon like me would survive that. Whatever, let’s just finish her off and go—”

Taburas struggled to get up. She glared up at the two Demons, not even registering her as a threat. Her instincts drove her forward— or was it what she learned from watching how the Netherworld worked? The ideas instilled in her by her surroundings.

She did not know.

But she pushed forward and everything went dark.

HAEC wondered why the others had to die. Why did his group have to be slaughtered. It was a thought that sat in the back of his mind as he fled from death.

He had been useless. Helpless to face the large Demon. And he ran like a coward.

That pained him for some reason. It made him feel… worthless. Like he had no reason to live. He grappled with that feeling, trying to survive. He fought the wild Demons he could— escaped the fights he wouldn’t possibly win.

But still, he found himself lost. Without a goal. Eventually face to face with the harsh reality that he, too, would die.

He had been resting at the bottom of a hill when the wild Demon jumped him. He did not know where it came from, just that it struck him from behind. His [Vitality] was high, but this wild Demon was higher leveled than him.

It clung onto him, smashing him as he struggled to break free. He tried to push it off, however it held on and smashed him again. And again. And again.

Why?

The single thought crossed his mind.

Why do I even have to live?

He wanted the question to be answered, but there was nothing to answer it for him. So eventually, he stopped struggling. He accepted that he would die, just like the others. He let his vision grow dark and the cold take over him.

His life ended here— snuffed out and put to rest.

.

.

.

Then there was fire.

A blaze of hope lit up inside him as he watched a silver Demon come and defeat the wild Demon. She stood over him, the red sky shining down on her— the wisps of flames around her fading slightly, but she was victorious.

The wild Demon lay dead.

And Haec found a reason to live.

Author's Note:

3,000 words.

So, I had this very cool idea in my head for the first Side Story, and... it was a lot harder to write than I thought.

Perhaps it's because this was my first time writing Tragedy. I'm not really sure how to write a tragic short story, so I felt like it fell a little bit flat. However, I'm not going to dwell on it. The only way I can improve my writing is to write more and experiment in different genres. This was a completely new genre to me, and I tried my hardest to write it well.

Anyway, these kinds of Side Stories will not be common. Future Side Stories will mostly follow the typical side character POV type thing, including characters like Haec, Saffron, etc. This is supposed to be the Side Story for last month, and I know I'm a little bit late, however I am unfortunately a tiny bit busy between Uni, Melas, Salvos, and having a life outside of it all.

That means there'll be another Side Story for this month, however, unlike this Side Story, it will only be available to the $10 tier. That's right, this is the first and only Side Story that will be made public. As mentioned before, my patreon tiers have changed and it is now as follows:

$1 - General Support, no reward but my gratitude.

$5 - Access to 19 Salvos chapters ahead on patreon, soon to be 20.

$10 - Access to Side Story chapters and lore stuff.

$20, $50, $69 - Vanity tier and a chance to contribute to the story in a significant way.

If any of this appeals to you, I do hope you consider supporting me on patreon. I am currently a full time student working as a full time author too, and I would really like to make writing my job after I finish Uni (soon this year) instead of going to Law School to become a Lawyer. Because I'll be honest, I have heard a lot of horror stories from Lawyers I know, and I'd rather not... deal with that.

So consider supporting me here: https://www.patreon.com/MelasD

I hope you enjoyed it, and let me know what you think! This was meant to be a Tragedy, provide a bit of backstory on Haec, and explore the Netherworld even more since I really liked writing about that place and the Demons in it!

The meaning of the names behind some of the characters here were quite obvious, but some are less so. Can you guess all of them?

71. Minor Harassments

71. Minor Harassments

“And it’s also a Platinum Rank Dungeon.”

Edithe looked at me with serious eyes. Her brows arched darkly over her forehead. There was a moment of silence— no sounds filled the room except for the beating of Mistshard’s wings as she flitted in the air above the Human woman.

I glanced at Daniel and he slowly nodded. I smiled, turning back to Edithe.

“Tell me where.”

She sighed.

“I knew you would say that. It’s going to be dangerous, Salvos. I know you’re Level 51, and you’re a Demon, but fighting monsters 20 levels above you— and not just swarm monsters like Giant Spiders or Shade Swarmers at that— is dangerous. This won’t be like our excursion into Silkfall’s Crevice. You could actually almost lose your life.”

“I know.”

I scoffed, shaking my head as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I pointed a thumb at myself.

“I grew up in the Netherworld, Edithe. And every passing moment in that place was a threat to my life. Every wild Demon I saw? They almost killed me. I would have to lie in the same spot with Haec for what’s the equivalent of the Mortal Realm’s days before [Rest] could even let me move again.”

Edithe blinked.

“Are you serious?”

“Yep. I didn’t realize how much time passed at first. Everything was so new to me— moments passed like it was nothing. But now. Now that I’ve spent time in the Mortal Realm…”

I paused, staring between my companions all gathered in the room as my remained curled up.

“I realize that time is precious. That’s why I will go to the Brilsum Ruins. I will find these Fairies. And I will make them tell me how I can travel between planes. Teach me their secret Skill or spell or whatever.”

“So you’re doing this for your Demon friend. Haec?”

“And for you and Rachel too.”

The Human woman gave me an odd look; I simply explained my reasoning.

“Ever since we killed Lucerna, my leveling has slowed. And Daniel? I don’t know about him. But I’m pretty sure he’s not anywhere closer to being stronger than me—”

“That’s true. But I’m not insane like you.”

“However, if I go to this Platinum Rank Dungeon— if I level just like I did before we fought Lucerna— I’ll be stronger. More powerful. Maybe I might even get my next evolution… I’m not sure what I’ll become then. But I will be able to fight and defeat any of those Harrowed Vindicators that will come after you.”

Her eyes slowly widened. I spoke definitively, doing my best to reassure her. She glanced down at the marble floor and opened her mouth.

“You don’t have to worry so much about me, Salvos. I’m a Gold Rank adventurer too, you know?”

“I know, I know. But I care about you. As do I care about Mistshard, Druma, and Rachel.”

“What about me?”

Daniel piped up from the side. I gave him a stinky eye.

“Huh? Who are you again?”

“Ok, I was just asking for that.”

“Shouldn’t have called me stupid!”

I grinned his way. He sighed and Edithe laughed. I laughed with her as Daniel crossed his arms with a scowl.

“Are you on her side now? Aren’t we both Humans here?”

“Well, yes, but Salvos and I are both women.”

“So gender is more important than Species then? Alright, fine! Druma, back me up!”

The [Yaksha] cocked his head, confused by what was going on. I giggled and walked up to Daniel, hugging him from behind. He backed up, sputtering.

“What are you—”

“I was joking.”

I spoke simply, patting him on the back. Then I let go of him before he would get mad and push me off.

“I care about you a lot too.”

He averted his gaze and covered his face.

“T-thanks.”

I turned back to Edithe, smiling happily at her.

“So, don’t worry about us. Just give us a map. We’ll go to this Platinum Dungeon and be back as soon as we can.”

The Human woman shook her head, huffing.

“It’s not like you’ll listen to me if I tell you not to go, will you?”

“Nope!”

I cheerfully rebuked her.

“And here I thought I was going to be losing my Class and breaking my contract with Druma and Mistshard today. Alright you two, you can return to the Spirit Plane. I’ll call upon you later.”

Druma stood up, nodding and stepped into the summoning pool. Edithe raised a hand and mana coalesced around her fingertips. I watched as a large strand of mana was pulled— and the pool began to glow.

“Don’t you need a [Priest] to do that?”

“Only to start a summoning ritual. Sending them back is far easier.”

Mistshard flapped her wings, slowly descending down next to the [Yaksha]. I waved at them.

“Bye Druma! Bye Mistshard! See you next time!”

“Goodbye, Salvos. I will miss your presence until then.”

The summoning pool shone brighter— and an image appeared on the other side. The two sunk through the water and suddenly they were no longer here. A moment later, the image vanished.

Edithe took a step back and clapped her hands together.

“Well then, let’s go back to the Valiant Dreamers Company, shall we?”

“Yay! I’m going to be leveling again!”

I turned excitedly to Daniel. For whatever reason, he was not happy about it as I was.

“Yay… more near death experiences.”

“At least it’s better than a death experience!”

“Well, yes. Because I’d be dead.”

—--

Edithe, Daniel, and I left the Sanctum of Elements after briefly speaking with William. The [Priest] smiled kindly at the Human woman and spoke with her as Daniel and I descended down the steps of the temple.

“I’m glad you’ve found more people who care about you.”

“Thank you.”

“After you came back— when you told me about Paul and Hana…”

“It’s alright.”

She cut him off.

“I’m fine now. Thank you, William.”

The red haired woman nodded at him and he paused. Slowly, he bowed his head.

Then we were off. We passed through the city square, heading back in the direction of the Valiant Dreamers Company. Until we weren’t.

I saw the building— the same warehouse that we left in the morning, which even had Ian and Paige guarding out front— but we didn’t enter it.

“Hey, Paige! Have you seen Baris?”

“He’s at the training grounds. Left just an hour ago. Are you looking for that map you mentioned this morning?”

Edithe nodded.

“We are. Does he have it?”

“Brought it back with him from the Adventurers Guild, but since you weren’t here he brought it with him so he wouldn’t lose it. Those damn assholes came back again today, you know?”

“They did?”

“Tried harassing us, but Ian chased them off. Bunch of Silver Ranks. What even is the Iron Champions Company doing sending such idiots to mess with us?”

I blinked and turned to Edithe.

“What’s happening with the Iron Champions Company?”

“Nothing in particular. Just some harassment. A bit of vandalism and theft. Nothing too bad.”

I stared at her for a moment. She tried to brush it off, but I still picked up on it.

“Is this because of what I did— because I stole that map?”

Edithe hesitated, chewing her lower lip. I gave her a worried look and she sighed.

“It is. But it’s not your fault. The Iron Champions Company and the Valiant Dreamers Company have never gotten along. And don’t forget, the reason why I was in Hazelbury was to do exactly what you ended up doing. Just with a little more subtlety.”

She grinned and I scowled, throwing my hands up.

“You didn’t specify!”

“Well, you know better now, at least.”

“I do! I think…”

“That does not inspire any confidence in me.”

Ediothe laughed as I hesitated. She patted my shoulder.

“It’s fine. The Iron Champions Company won’t try anything else. They’re just trying to intimidate us, that’s all.”

“Yeah! Nothing more than a couple of low levels trying to make some extra silver has come to bother us!”

Paige raised an arm, grinning. Edithe nodded.

“There you have it.”

“If you say so…”

We continued past the warehouse— the Valiant Dreamers Company’s headquarters— and made our way out of the city. I turned to the red haired woman, raising an eyebrow.

“Where are we going?”

“To our training grounds. It’s just outside of the city— that’s where the bulk of our lower leveled members are.”

“The receptionist at the Adventurers Guild did mention something like that.”

Daniel mused out loud.

“We’re a big company. Spread out across multiple countries, although we’re biggest here in the Sunmere Republic. And especially here in Viechester— we get a lot of new recruits every year.”

“Huh.”

I nodded slowly as we trudged up a hill. We soon arrived at a large complex— no, it was more than just a single complex. There were multiple different buildings of different shapes and sizes. One was a long rectangular shaped building with quite a few people going in and out of it— probably where they slept since Humans loved sleeping— and another appeared to be the main structure in the training grounds.

“Is everyone here part of the company? Because there are a lot of Humans. This is like a small village!”

“In a sense, yes. Half of the people here are trainees. They aren’t exactly part of the company yet— not until they graduate.”

“So this is like an academy?”

“Kind of. But not really. Anyway, once you graduate, you become a full, true member of the company. And that’s it— we’re not very hierarchical. All members are dreamers.”

“More sleeping.”

I groaned. Edithe chuckled and led us through her company’s training grounds. Quite a few gazes turned to us as we made our way through— some young looking Humans pointed, and others whispered. It wasn’t adoration, however. More simply people pointing out a rare sight.

Like if I picked up a black rock instead of a gray rock.

“The other half are mostly people hired to work here. To cook, clean, and maintain the training grounds. And the rest are volunteers from the company.”

“You guys don’t get paid to do this?”

“We don’t get paid to do a lot of things, Daniel.”

“Ah, right. I forgot that was your whole shtick.”

“It’s more than just a shtick. It’s a principle. If we all just live for the sake of ourselves and our own advancements, we’d be no different from the Iron Champions Company.”

“You really dislike them, don’t you?”

“I used to only dislike them a little bit. Now though— after their constant minor harassments— I dislike them a lot more.”

“Of course.”

Edithe shrugged and entered the main building, followed by Daniel. I was a step behind them, taking a moment to observe some people swinging at each other out on the other side in a field.

“Why are they attacking each other? Are they enemies?”

“They’re sparring, Salvos. Training each other to be stronger.”

The Human woman replied.

“Huh. Why would they do that when they can just level?”

“It helps train General Skills. And sometimes you might gain an additional Stat bonus. But also, it’s the whole concept of bad advancements I told you about. People do this to level safely or meet better Class advancement requirements without putting themselves in danger.”

“Oh! Then they can become some kind of [Super Warrior]!”

“In a way, yes. We also have books— records— on what kind General Skills or Class build would lead to certain better Classes. But they’re hard. So it takes time.”

My gaze glazed around the large hall— it was some kind of dining room mixed with a hall— and stopped at a Human who was staring at me rather intensely. I cocked my head at him, and he quickly turned away. What’s with him?

“I wasn’t really a part of the Valiant Dreamers Company— or at least in any meaningful way— until I became Gold. So because of that, I didn’t have a good Class advancement. Honestly, a part of me had been hoping you accepted my third offer earlier.”

“For you to revert back to a Classless Level 10?”

“It would have let me get better advancements. Right now, I’m not really anything special… not compared to you and Daniel.”

The Human man blinked and raised his hand defensively.

“I’m not special either, Edithe. Salvos is, but certainly not me.”

She snorted.

“Learn some humility and just accept the compliment, will you? Anyway, we’re here. Baris is over there talking with some of the trainees.”

I saw the old, blonde man standing on some elevated platform— a stage— as he spoke loudly to a group of Level 10 to 20 adventurers. They listened to his words as he lectured them on the values of the company and how they should always strive to uphold them.

“...and I know many of you are young, and unfortunately, life will trample over you one day. It may be now, or it may be decades from now. But—”

“Let’s spar while waiting!”

I suggested to Daniel who was grabbing a piece of bread from a nearby table that had food strewn all over it for anyone to take. He gave me a blank look.

“Absolutely not.”

“Baris is giving a speech, but he’ll be done soon. Plus, you’ll draw too much of a commotion. Just wait a moment and we can grab that map for you.”

Edithe chewed on a mouthful of food as I grimaced.

“Fine! But I won’t eat!”

“You sure? It’s delicious.”

She held up a grilled piece of meat stuck onto a wooden stick. I turned away and stepped back.

“No— oops.”

I bumped into a man passing by. He had been carrying a tray with drinks on it and almost spilled it. Somehow, he caught it midair and glanced back up at me.

“S-sorry.”

“No, that was my fault… wait aren’t you—”

He quickly looked up and murmured another apology before hurrying off. I blinked.

“Huh.”

“What’s wrong, Salvos?”

“That man just now, does he work here?”

“Not sure. Seems like a helper. Why?”

“He was giving me a weird look earlier.”

Edithe frowned and Daniel’s gaze snapped at me from the apple he was eyeing.

“What? Are you saying he’s a creep? Did he try to touch you?”

She walked up to me and gave me a worried look. I narrowed my eyes as there was a light applause in the background.

“...and don’t forget to dream on!”

“No, it was a strange look. It seemed like he was… trying to identify me. But why would he do that?”

He had only been Level 13. In a non combat Class at that. However, he seemed wary of me. Or was he aware of me?

Daniel’s eyes widened.

“You don’t think he’s part of the Harrowed Vindicators, do you?”

Edithe frowned.

“Not a chance. Not only is an Obfuscation artifact like that expensive, we only get new hires around the same time we get new trainees. But we haven’t gotten any new trainees since the Iron Champions Company began ramping up their petty thefts and—”

There was a thud, followed by a scream. Voices of panic quickly spread throughout the hall. Edithe gasped as she turned to see the source of the noise.

Baris lay collapsed on the ground. Someone shouted for a [Healing Mage]. The man from earlier ran across the room, heading for the exit.

All was chaos. Everything was moving so quickly. There was not enough time to register what happened.

And I activated [Self Haste].

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72. Caught!

72. Caught!

Baris lay collapsed on the ground with a spilled drink next to him as he clasped at his neck. He was turning and writhing while someone shouted for a [Healing Mage]. Another hurried over with a potion, calling and pointing at a quick moving figure running through the room.

The man from earlier— the ‘Level 13 non combatant’— was speeding through the room. He hopped over tables and chairs with ease, moving past the low leveled adventurers as if they were moving in some kind of slowed state.

Daniel reached for his sword and Edithe raised a hand. But they, too, were very slow. In fact, the man, whoever he was, was not moving very fast either.

After all, I had activated [Self Haste].

So, he’s not that much higher leveled than me, huh? He had to have been hiding his true Class and levels. And while he was ‘quick’, he either did not specialize in speed, or his level was close to mine. That means not much experience, but…

I glanced over at my Human companions. They were speaking! Not as fast as they usually did. But I already knew what they were going to say.

[Deadly Instincts] did not inform me of what they were going to tell me; it did not make me prescient, and it mostly helped me out in combat situations such as alerting me of threats or vital spots to target. However, I had gotten used to being around Humans. So I knew they were going to ask me to stop the man.

And I did!

[Charge of Embers] sent me flying forward— even faster than I could with [Self Haste] alone. I brought my right hand out, trying to strike him with my arm to catch him. However, just mere moments before I reached the man, his eyes widened and he turned fractionally back to face me.

I swung— and missed. He went under the attack and I narrowed my eyes. A Skill? It had activated at the last second, allowing him to move out of the way at insane speeds even I couldn’t match. However… can you do it again?

The blue flames covering my body vanished and I spun around, sweeping at the man’s legs. He hopped over it, trying to stumble forward and away from me. A kind of diamond shaped dagger appeared on his right hand as he glanced my way.

But he did not expect to see burning chains swinging for his head.

The man managed to move out of the way in time to not get tangled in the magically created bindings, however I twisted it and pulled down at his hand. The chains caught his dagger and pulled it from him, disarming him before he could strike me.

Then, just as he pulled away to flee, a bolt of lightning zapped him in the back. The man staggered right into a long sword’s slash. The weapon was caught in his clothes— it was enchanted— but still it tore open and left a gash across his chest.

He jumped back from Daniel’s followup attack and dodged another spell from Edithe. And I kicked him.

I was on him in moments, [Self Haste] still active, letting me wrestle him onto the ground and knock another dagger off his hand. Then as I created my own fire dagger, he produced another dagger, and it was then my [Passive - Deadly Instincts] blared in my head.

He was so close— the tip of the blade so near to me— it could nick me even if I was stronger than him. And if it touched me…

Baris groaned in the background as I exploded into flames. [Ignition] burned the man as he tried to stab me. But whatever it was that had been on his dagger no longer worked. The flames burned it off.

I brought my own weapon down. Once, twice—

And he stopped moving. I frowned.

Defeated [Poisonviper Assassin - Lvl. 55]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

“Huh.”

That was not enough to kill him. Did he… I stood up, stepping away from the body. Daniel walked up to my side as Edithe tried to calm the crowd of onlookers— the adventurers here were all low leveled. And the sight of a corpse sent a few reeling back.

“An assassin… think he was part of the Harrowed Vindicators?”

“I don’t know.”

I shook my head.

“But he killed himself.”

“What?”

I nodded as Daniel stared at me.

“He didn’t want to be caught. He did not even want to fight. And the moment I got him… he stopped struggling.”

The Human man looked down at the dead assassin and frowned. The [Poisonviper Rogue] had been struck by lightning, burned, and cut multiple times. Yet, his eyes were rolled back— his head hanging crooked as his mouth foamed open.

“He poisoned himself.”

Daniel observed and I agreed.

“The Harrowed Vindicators did not do that. And they would have no reason to attack Baris.”

“Then who do you think did this?”

Edithe spoke up from behind me. The red haired woman was breathing relatively heavily— she hadn’t done much, but she had a panicked look on her face, constantly casting glances at Baris who was now receiving treatment from someone.

“The Iron Champions Company.”

I replied simply. She bit her lower lip, clenching her fists.

“And why do you think it is them?”

I tilted my head up, remembering Stephen. The threat the Platinum Rank had given. He reminded me so much of the horned Demon— way back when I was still trying to get rid of Haec. So… ruthless.

The only concern there was for his own interests. Even if it meant acting like a wild Demon. That was it.

“Because that’s how they are.”

That was all I said. Edithe and Daniel somehow understood what I meant; I thought they would be weird and be confused, but they accepted it.

—--

“Dad!”

Hadrian burst into the room, speaking hurriedly as he glanced at the bed Baris was lying in. Daniel, Edithe, and I were standing in a corner as a [Healing Mage] tended to the older blonde man.

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company rushed to the side of his father, not even glancing so much at the three of us. The [Healing Mage] held him back.

“He’s alive, but sleeping. Don’t touch him, or you’ll wake him up. He needs the rest now.”

“What happened? Who did this?”

He whirled around and turned to Edithe. The red haired woman hesitated.

“An assassin. We don’t know who did it, but we think it might be the Iron Champions Company.”

“The Iron Champions Company? Are they insane— are they trying to start a war with our company?”

“A war? You can’t be serious, Hadrian.”

Edithe sputtered, stepping forward.

“You know what happens when adventuring companies go to war, right?”

“It’s nothing compared to a war between nations. We do not attack civilians, and only target their members. Take their jobs. Run them to the ground.”

“But innocent people will still get hurt. Or do you think a fight between two companies of our size won’t affect anyone uninvolved? Baris wouldn’t want this.”

Hadrian clicked his tongue and turned away. Neither adventurers said anything. I cocked my head, facing Daniel to ask a question. But before I could say anything, there was a cough.

A voice croaked as a rustle accompanied it.

“D-don’t talk about me as if I’ve already died, brat.”

Hadrian blinked and all faces turned to Baris. He sat up, coughing into a hand. The [Healing Mage] spoke hurriedly.

“Sir, you shouldn’t be overexerting yourself—”

“I’m fine. I know what I can and cannot do.”

“I-I… yes.”

The older blonde man shook his head, coughing once more. He took in a pained breath and sighed.

“What’s this about a war, huh?”

He looked at Edithe and she blinked.

“I, uh, didn’t suggest that. It was Hadrian.”

“Yeah, dad, I think you mixed us up.”

“Well, my age must be getting to me. But if that’s the case, then Edithe is right. Do not go to war with the Iron Champions Company. You know what happened when the Forsaken Company and the Remembered Order Company fought each other.”

Hadrian hesitated.

“But—”

“My word is final, boy. You may be in charge right now, but I take care of everything else. If you go to war, I will die right here.”

“Dad!”

The younger blonde man sputtered, but Baris just laughed.

“And it’s not like you have proof either, do you?”

“We don’t… but the assassin—”

“What happened to him?”

He shook his head, and turned to me.

“You apprehended the assassin, didn’t you? I saw— you moved fast.”

“I did!”

I exclaimed, happy that my actions were recognized. Even though I had preemptively acted knowing that Daniel and Edithe would ask me to do something, neither praised me.

“How did you see me? I thought you were hurt!”

“Bah, I was caught off guard. I realized a moment too late that the drink was poisoned. I spat some out, but it took effect quickly. I’m guessing the assassin didn’t plan to give as much of a dosage as he did.”

I tapped a finger on my chin, remembering how I accidentally bumped into him.

“He probably did. He messed up, didn’t he?”

“Pretty bad. This is a slow working poison. The kind used to get around [Passive - Poison Resistance]. So it’s a good thing he botched his attempt. Where is he now?”

“He killed himself. We didn’t catch him, however I got this though!”

I held up a necklace. It was similar to the necklace I had around my neck. Except, it was even better.

[Necklace of Greater Obfuscation: High Grade - Used to disguise Classes, Levels, and even Subspecies or Species from most appraisals.]

I was pretty sure this was what Daniel had.

“It’s probably very expensive.”

“Hrmph. May I see it?”

Baris grunted, rubbing his chin as I handed it to him.

“You can’t keep it though. It’s mine.”

“Of course.”

He nodded without much of a reaction. He flipped it around and eyed an inscription at the back of it. His lips curled up.

“Ah, there it is.”

“What is that?”

I peered over his shoulder, moving past the [Healing Mage] who tried to pull me back. Hadrian stepped behind me too.

“Dad, what’s wrong?”

“This is certainly the work of the Iron Champions Company. They’re a gaudy bunch. Very arrogant. And they like to mark their creations— after all, that was how they rose to fame.”

“That’s—”

“Their mark. See? Three stripes, like bars of iron. For all the goods and artifacts they produce, they inscribe it somewhere onto it.”

“Then this is enough proof, isn’t it?”

Hadrian glanced down at his father.

“This isn’t just any ordinary item. It’s expensive. And it’s not something they’d normally produce. This proves it was them.”

“And what are you going to do?”

The older man raised a brow.

“Edithe is right. We can’t go to war with them.”

“But we can’t just sit idly by after they did this.”

“And we aren’t. We just have to hit back where it hurts—”

Baris coughed and spat out some blood. Hadrian called out in a panic, but the [Healing Mage] was on the older man in an instant.

“This is why I said not to overexert yourself…”

The [Healing Mage] sighed. Baris coughed again,

“Urk, this poison is still in my system. Only Gabriel will know how to get it out.”

“Gabriel?”

I inquired with a curious look. Edithe nodded at me.

“Our company’s highest leveled [Alchemist]. But he’s not here right now. He went to the Motharis Mountain Range, didn’t he? To gather ingredients.”

“Yes. He always had terrible timing, urk—”

Baris collapsed onto the bed and the [Healing Mage] quickly began casting a spell.

“I can’t remove poison. That’s not my specialty.”

“Then we just need to send someone to get Gabriel back.”

Hadrian spoke through gritted teeth.

“If we get Ian or Paige… but then who’d be protecting our headquarters. If the Iron Champions Company decides to try something else—”

“We can do it.”

Daniel cut him off. The blonde man blinked, taken aback. And I was too.

“Wait— what?”

“Think about it, Salvos. We were planning to go to the Motharis Mountain Range, weren’t we? And they’re helping us already, aren’t they? We need to pay them back somehow. This is how.”

“But we don’t even know who this Gabriel is, or where he’s at!”

I protested. Edithe stepped up.

“Neither do we. But we have [Rogues] and [Mages] specialized in tracking. We just have to find him and protect the trackers. We don’t even have to bring him back ourselves. He can protect them and head back with them once we’ve found him.”

“Wait, don’t tell me you want to do this too? I know Daniel is weird, but not you too!”

“This my company, Salvos. I—”

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Baris interrupted her, craning his neck up. She turned to him with a surprised face.

“Baris—”

“Didn’t you make a promise to your friends?”

“What?”

Blinking, Edithe turned to ask. She pointed at herself.

“I did?”

“Yes. You told them you were going to protect the girl, weren’t you? Rachel.”

“I…”

She trailed off. I nodded eagerly.

“Exactly! And I need to go find some Fairies! So we definitely can’t do this!”

“But it’s the right thing to do, Salvos.”

Daniel spoke up from the side. I stared at him, sputtering.

“But why?”

He shrugged.

“Because that’s just how I am. I don’t just act out of my own selfish self interest. And you don’t too, do you?”

I hesitated. I glanced down at the lying old man, then at Edithe who wore a worried look on her face. Hadrian was nothing like the man I met just yesterday now, instead clenching his jaw as he held his head in his hands.

I’m not a wild Demon, am I? I was not ruthless. And neither was I going to only serve my self interest if it meant being mindlessly tied to what I wanted. I sighed.

“Fine, we’ll do it.”

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73. Going on a Trip

73. Going on a Trip

“He won’t fully recover until he gets an antidote made to directly counteract the poison in his bloodstream. Even with his levels and his Skills aiding him, it’s a losing battle.”

“But you’re a [Healing Mage], aren’t you? Can’t you do anything about it?”

“Best I can do is delay the inevitable. And one way I can do that is by ensuring he doesn’t force himself too much like he did yesterday.”

“So, what you’re saying is that all we can do right now is wait for Gabriel to return and cure him?”

The two Human men craned their necks in my direction, giving me a quick glance. The [Healing Mage], Stannis, nodded.

“Yes.”

That was all he said. He let the words sink in, leaving Hadrian alone by himself as he took his leave and exited the room. Daniel and I were waiting off to the side— we were once again outside of Viechester, at the Valiant Dreamers Company’s training grounds located a few miles away from the city.

Hadrian had sent for us— he wanted to check on his father one last time before we embarked on our job. And that was to head to the Motharis Mountain Range with trackers from their company to find a high leveled [Alchemist] named Gabriel who was gathering ingredients there.

Supposedly, it was convenient for us to do this because we were heading to a Dungeon deep in the mountain range in the first place. But from my point of view it only made it inconvenient!

Sure, I could understand Daniel’s argument when he told me we had to do something that went beyond serving our own self interests— especially since the Valiant Dreamers Company had opted to help us with protecting Rachel. I also could somewhat see what he meant when he said it was the right thing to do.

But it was anything but convenient!

We weren’t even sure where this Gabriel was, so we had no idea if he was on the way to the Brilsum Ruins— our destination— or far off in the opposite direction! We just knew he was somewhere in the Motharis Mountain Range. Which was a large expanse of land that stretched a thousand miles!

I did not fully comprehend its size, but I knew I couldn’t run the entire way without resting. So that had to be pretty long, right?

Hadrian approached Daniel and I after the [Healing Mage] left, rubbing his temples as he sighed.

“I still can’t believe this happened.”

“You did not expect the Iron Champions Company to do this?”

I cocked my head and he nodded.

“I did not— and neither did my father. We were always opposed to them, however to think they would target Baris… they want war.”

“And you won’t give it to them.”

I spoke simply, remembering the conversation from yesterday.

“We will not.”

Hadrian glanced between me and my companion— we were both dressed to leave, although we still had to return to the city to say our goodbyes to Edithe and Rachel. The blonde man was apprehensive.

“Ms Salvos, Mr Daniel—“

“I’m Salvos. Or Princess Salvos. There’s no in between.”

“Right. Salvos. I am putting my trust in you two to save my father. We’ll have a [Mage] specialized in scrying spells to accompany you to track Gabriel down. And a [Hunter] too. Honestly, it would be a lot easier if we just had a high leveled [Scryer], but the best ones we have in the Eastern Kingdoms, helping out the Remembered Order Company. It would take a relay of [Short Range Messages] that takes days to get there, and they’ll be too far too effectively pinpoint Gabriel’s location in a way that is more effective than if you just go now.”

Hadrian aired a lot of information at once. Daniel blinked and I simply gave the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company a blank stare. He glanced between us and shook his head.

“Sorry. Been very stressed lately. Just know that you’re doing us a massive favor by doing this. We’re incredibly short handed right now and we can’t just spare our Gold Ranks by sending them to the Motharis Mountain Range. The Valiant Dreamers Company will be in your debt for this.”

He bowed deeply and Daniel placed a hand on his shoulder. They locked gazes as the [Hero] spoke resolutely.

“If anything, we owe you for what you’ve already done for us. And we’ll just be paying back the favor. Don’t worry, we’ll find Gabriel and bring him back.”

Hadrian straightened, looking more reassured now. He chuckled as he walked out of the room, us following behind him.

“You don’t have to bring him back. Just find him and tell him to return. He can hold his own.”

“Wait, isn’t he an [Alchemist]?”

The blonde man winked.

“A high leveled one.”

—--

We arrived in the city of Viechester soon after, returning to the Valiant Dreamers’ headquarters. There, we met Rachel and Edithe waiting just outside of the gates with Ian and Paige standing guard as usual.

Hadrian entered through, telling us that he would fetch the two adventurers who would be accompanying and helping us find Gabriel. As he left, I walked up to Rachel and Edithe— the former of which was struggling to break free from the latter’s grasps.

“Salvos— you aren’t actually going to leave me here, right? Please bring me with you!”

I stared at the girl as she desperately fought to get to me. Daniel stepped up behind me.

“You can’t come with us, Rachel. It’s too dangerous for you.”

“But I was with you when you fought that Demon! And when those mean assassins came for you! Please… take me with you!”

Rachel pulled with all her might one last time— and finally gave up. Edithe might have been a [Mage], but she was still Level 55. Her [Strength] very easily quadrupled Rachel’s who was a Classless [Human] according to my [Identification].

The little girl sniffled, and turned a pleading snot-covered face to me. I bit my tongue.

“I—"

I really wanted her to come. However, that was what I wanted. It was not safe for her to follow us. Especially if we were to enter a Platinum Ranked Dungeon.

She would surely die.

“I’m sorry, Rachel.”

I spoke softly, lowering myself to meet her gaze. She blinked— not realizing what I said for a moment. Then she broke out into tears, wailing and crying as Edithe held her in a hug.

I glanced up at the red haired woman.

“Please take care of her.”

She nodded.

“Don’t worry. I will protect her with my life.”

I shook my head.

“Protect yourself too. The Harrowed Vindicators are tough and the Iron Champions Company is ruthless. Don’t let your guard down.”

Edithe’s eyes widened slightly. And she took a deep breath.

“Right. We’ll be fine.”

“I trust you. You’re my companion.”

I smiled and hugged her once again. Then I stepped back and let Daniel say what he had to say too. He tried reassuring the girl that we would be fine, then he hugged Edithe too. And just as he was finishing, Hadrian returned with two adventurers following behind him.

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company stopped before me, nodding back at the Level 38 [Archer] and the Level 35 [Mage] with him. High Silvers, I observed. Aren’t they supposed to be cowardly or something? Are they being forced to come with us?

“This is Sophia and Cless. They’ll be the ones searching for Gabriel to bring him back. You just have to keep them safe from the high leveled monsters in the Motharis Mountain Range. Think of it like a kind of escort mission.”

The two Humans— a woman and a man respectively— greeted me without meeting my eyes. I frowned, realizing that they didn’t look particularly pleased to meet me. So they are being forced! I deduced with a snap of my fingers.

They glanced up at the sound and I waved a hand.

“Hello! I’m Salvos.”

“Right— Sophia, Cless, this is Salvos and Daniel. They are Gold Ranks. And not just any ordinary Golds. They’re quite famous adventurers in Nixa.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say we’re famous. More like famous in one small part of it, and somewhat known in the rest of the country.”

Daniel walked up beside me and held out a hand.

“It’s a pleasure to be working with you.”

I had thought his greeting wasn’t unusual. In fact, he seemed to be politer than usual. However, neither of the other Humans seemed to take it too kindly.

Sophia clicked her tongue and Cless slowly shook Daniel’s hand without so much as looking his way.

“Cless. Likewise.”

“Are we going to waste anymore time on saying hello? Or are we going to get going before Baris croaks from old age rather than the poison.”

The [Archer]— or rather, she was supposed to be some sort of tracker [Hunter]— stalked ahead with her arms crossed. Her companion grunted in agreement and followed after her only turning around to give us a look as if to ask us to hurry it up.

Hadrian laughed strangely and scratched the back of his head.

“As you can see, they’re a bit… overexcited about this. And I can’t blame them for wanting to rush. I’m worried about my father too. I do hope you make this trip with haste and find Gabriel before anything worse happens.”

I nodded cheerfully, my face brimming with a smile.

“I have [Self Haste]!”

“That’s not what he meant, Salvos. But yes, we’ll try to get to this [Alchemist] of yours as soon as possible.”

Hadrian bowed his head once again.

“Thank you.”

And with that, Daniel and I were off. Rachel was no longer crying— although she was now being carried by Edithe and clinging to her shoulders. The two waved at us as we made our way down the street, following the two Silvers out of the city.

It was only when we left Viechester did I turn to them.

“So, you two are good at finding people, huh?”

“Mhm.”

“We are.”

Sophia made a sound and Cless curtly nodded. I tapped a finger on my chin as the two suddenly sped up, walking ahead of Daniel and I in a faster pace down the sinuous dirt path cutting through a thin forest.

“Hypothetically speaking, if I wanted to find someone in… the Spirit Plane, would you be able to find them?”

I stopped right in front of them and they exchanged a glance. The [Archer] harrumphed and quickly stalked past me while the [Mage] frowned.

“I don’t believe that’s possible. Please don’t ask us to do impossible things.”

“Huh.”

Cless hurried after his companion as Daniel slowly made his way to my side once again.

“Salvos, are you irritating them on purpose? Or are you just being dense again?”

“What do you mean? I think they like me!”

“No.”

He spoke simply. As if it were an axiomatic fact of the world.

“They do not like us.”

“Aw. Why not?”

“Don’t know. But I can pick up on simple social cues such as trying to avoid us, unlike you.”

“Hey! I’m getting better!”

“To be fair, you really are.”

I sighed, looking ahead at the two Silver Ranked adventurers as they entered under the canopy of trees, now covered by a light shadow as they were obscured from the sun. I squinted.

“I think I know why they’re unhappy.”

“Because they woke up on the wrong side of the bed?”

“I’d be pretty upset too if I had to sleep! But— no, it’s because they’re being forced to go on this job.”

Daniel looked at me dubiously, but I insisted he listened to my point before making a snarky comment.

“Look, Silvers are pretty cowardly, right? That’s what I’ve been hearing since I came here. The very first Humans I met were complaining about Silvers!”

“…man, people really hate Silvers, don’t they?”

“And since they’re Silvers, they’re probably scared of dying to some monsters stronger than them—“

“I’m pretty sure everyone’s scared of dying to a monster that’s strong than them—“

“You get my point, right?”

I crossed my arms and faced my Human companion. He glanced ahead at the two adventurers far off in the distance. They were nearly gone from view— almost out of sight. Then he slowly nodded.

“I think I get it. You’re saying they don’t actually want to do this.”

“Exactly! They’re either being forced or they have no other choice!”

Daniel rubbed at his chin understandingly as I beamed. We both spoke up at the same time.

“That means we should—“

“—leave them be and just go to the Brilsum Ruins instead!”

The Human man stared at me. I blinked innocently back at him. But he continued staring.

Finally, after a moment, I scowled and threw my hands in the air.

“...or we can be nice Humans and tell them we’ll protect them and ensure they don’t die.”

“Good girl.”

“Don’t make me punch you.”

“I was joking. Please don’t. I’d like to have kids one day.”

Sophia glanced back at the dirt road behind her and Cless, seeing no one was there. The brown haired woman nodded to herself then turned to the [Mage].

“I think we lost them.”

“Good.”

He grunted, not even looking away from the path ahead of them. It made sense that the two adventurers would be able to lose those Gold Ranks that were following them. In the first place, they weren’t even being reimbursed for the job, so they probably were only doing this half-heartedly.

In addition to that, Sophia and Cless both had high [Agility]. They might not have been as fast as a [Rogue] at their levels, but they certainly could move faster than any clunky [Warrior] on the battlefield, even if they were Gold Ranks.

Neither of the two were specialized for combat. And that meant the only way they could survive outside of the city was moving quickly and nimbly, avoiding monsters and supporting their allies from the back.

But right now, neither of them really wanted to have anyone else with them.

“I still can’t believe that that idiot Hadrian didn’t listen to us when we told him we could find Gabriel on our own. What does he think of us as— babies? We don’t need babysitters to accompany us. Especially not anyone from outside of the company. We’re almost Gold Ranks ourselves. We can survive a quick trip to the Motharis Mountain Range.”

“He’s still incapable as a leader. Don’t forget that he was only handle the mantle of being the head of the Valiant Dreamers Company just recently, because his father was starting to see signs of his old age catching up to him.”

Cless nodded in agreement as Sophia huffed, arms crossed.

“I bet it was his fault this happened to Baris too. What kind of incompetent idiot doesn’t pass background checks on the servers and chefs we’re hiring to work at the training grounds of all places! One poisoned barrel of ale, and the entire company would have been crippled.”

“Indeed. We’re lucky the Iron Champions Company themselves aren’t the most intelligent either.”

“We just have to get this job done and tell Baris of our deeds. Then maybe he will finally promote us to Gold.”

Cless wrinkled a brow and turned to her. She blinked.

“What?”

“Nothing. I was just wondering why you haven’t been promoted just yet. You’ve already advanced your Class, haven’t you?”

“I have. When I hit Level 35. And only Baris and Hadrian knows about it. It makes no sense to me either! Any other company would celebrate and hold a party for the promotion of one of their members if they got a Class advancement before 40. Especially for a rare Class like mine.”

“[Centinel Hunter], right?”

“Yep. Got it from tracking down a bunch of [Older Centinels] that had ravaged a town over at the border with Elutra. Led a group of Platinum Ranks to a Centinels camp. Thanks to me, they were all found and killed to the last.”

“Isn’t a Class like that a little too specialized?”

Sophia shrugged.

“It gave good Stats.”

“Once we’ve found Gabriel, we’ll have to ask Baris to give you a promotion. It’s unfair how Hadrian has had you doing mundane jobs for the past three months after finding out you’ve advanced. And we don’t get our promotion? We’ll leave the company.”

That stopped the young woman in her tracks. She stared at the man as he finally turned to face her— he flicked his red hair back and met her gaze.

“You can’t be serious, right?”

“I am.”

“But— we’ve been in the company for years!”

“And we have never been appreciated, nor have they tried to cultivate our talents. Think about it, Soph, there are other companies out there that would be more than willing to take us in.”

“Like who?”

She asked, frowning. The [Mage] replied simply.

“The Forsaken Company. They’re one of the Three Honorable Companies. And they accept anyone and everyone into their ranks.”

“They also have to deal with the undead hordes coming out of the Plaguelands! And are the first in line to fight off a Kobold invasion!”

“I know they’re… not the safest to work with. But it was just one suggestion. There are many others we can join too, alright? Just think about it. Once we’re done with this mission, we’ve effectively proven ourselves to be Gold Ranks. The Motharis Mountain Range is full of monsters above Level 40. If that still doesn’t earn us the recognition we deserve, then nothing will.”

Sophia hesitated, chewing her lower lip. Eventually, she felt her shoulders sag as she agreed with Cless.

“You’re right. But that’s not going to happen. We’ll prove ourselves here and get our promotion. We just have to find Gabriel.”

“I hope you’re right— come on. Once we see those tall mountains in the distance, I’ll activate my [Scry Direction] Skill. It should lead us to the general location where that crazy [Alchemist] is at. And once we’re close by, your tracking Skills should be enough to help us find him.”

The two nodded and started forward once again, picking up the pace. They reached the end of the forest path, exiting the canopy of trees and entering back out to bask in the sunlight—

“There you are!”

They stopped in their tracks. Blinking, Sophia rubbed at her eyes as Cless took a step back in shock. In front of them stood the two Gold Ranks— Salvos and Daniel— waiting by a large rock. Well, one of them was standing beside the boulder and shaking his head, the other was standing on top of it with her hands on her hips.

Salvos hopped off the rock and skipped a step to them. She threw her arms around their shoulders and sighed in relief.

“When you two disappeared, I thought you got lost! I searched the entire forest for you but couldn’t find you! Then Daniel suggested I climb something to get a better view to see if I could spot you two… and it worked!”

“Correlation is not causation, Salvos. Also, what I meant was for you to climb a tree. Or something taller than a six foot rock. You could’ve climbed on my shoulders to achieve the same results.”

Sophia found herself at a loss for words for a moment, then realized she was still being held by the silver haired woman. She struggled to pull herself loose, but found herself locked into a tight grip that refused to budge.

“I’m so glad you two didn’t run away.”

Salvos sighed, finally releasing them. The [Centinel Hunter] stumbled forward as Cless tripped away and fell to the ground. The two Silvers glared at the [Rogue] and sputtered.

“What is wrong with you? What are you doing?!”

She cocked her head.

“Me? I was just worried you two ran away and because of that we wouldn’t be able to find Gabriel. Or that you were eaten by some angry monster.”

Sophia stared, working her jaw. Does she think that lowly of us just because she’s a Gold Rank?! She gritted her teeth.

The young woman opened her mouth, anger compelling her to say many things she probably should not say. But before she could speak, Salvos clapped her hands together cheerfully.

“I know you two don’t want to do this job, but don’t worry! Daniel and I promise we will protect you and make sure you don’t die! Isn’t that right, Daniel?”

The other Gold Rank nodded. He gave them a reassuring look.

“Salvos may not act like it, but she’s incredibly strong. And I am a decent fighter myself. We’ll do our best to make sure you don’t have to fight a single monster in the Motharis Mountain Range.”

Salvos and Daniel seemed to give each other a knowing glance. As if they did something they thought was right. Satisfied with what they said, the two turned around and began continuing down the path heading northward.

And they left Sophia and Cless behind, staring and at a loss of words.

A note from MelasD

3,500 words.

Oh man, my chapters are just getting longer and longer, eh? Can't wait for you guys to get to my current batch of patreon chapters, cause they be long lmao. (Hint: I have multiple 4k word chapters, 5k, and 6k word chapters, and they seem to be getting longer)

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74. Trial of Fire

74. Trial of Fire

I often wondered why Daniel constantly insisted on doing ‘the right thing’. The reason why he attacked me when I first met him was because he thought I was a rampaging Demon and stopping me was ‘the right thing’ to do. Then he chose to help me go back to the Netherworld because it was ‘the right thing’… although he has not really been too helpful so far.

And the whole situation with stopping [Cultists] and saving Rachel— while all helping us with furthering that goal— all played some part in getting some of ‘the right thing’ done.

When I found out he was a [Hero], I assumed it had something to do with his Class. Or maybe he felt like it was necessary to live up to his Class. But now I realized that neither of that was the case.

The reason why he wanted to do ‘the right thing’ every single time was simple: it felt good.

I swayed my head back and forth with alacrity as Daniel, Sophia, and Cless stared at me from across the campfire. I had help set it up for them with my magic, impressing the two Silvers with my fire creation Skill before they began to do the usual Human thing of eating.

No one had really said anything throughout the dinner. Sophia and Cless were still awed by the speech I had given them earlier and hadn’t said much all day. Meanwhile, Daniel tried to tease me into eating some food and I made sure to show my discontent with his joke by punching him.

Lightly.

Unfortunately, it seemed like a Human’s nether region was really their weak point, since he hadn’t been saying much since then.

Maybe I should apologize, I thought, tilting my head up to look at the stars above. Nope. He definitely deserved it, I decided not a moment after.

If getting hit down there was what a Human hated the most, then eating was what I hated the most. It physically made me sick. My body rejected it all.

Once the meal was finished, Daniel retired to bed with a whimper and Cless followed soon after. It left Sophia and I around the campfire, and the Human woman wanted me to go to sleep.

“I’ll keep watch. I promise. I’m a [Hunter]. I’m good at spotting things.”

“I can do it! Just sleep and get your [Rest] up! I’ll wake you all up in the morning when it’s time to leave!”

She hesitated, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Don’t you need to sleep too?”

I smiled, not replying to that comment.

“Just sleep!”

I gently pushed her to her bedroll and patted her on the shoulder. I gave her a reassuring thumbs up and created a fire sickle.

“Or else you won’t be able to do your tracking thing-y well!”

Sophia grimaced and slowly went to lie down, tucking herself into her bedroll without another word of protest. I smiled, looking over all the peacefully sleeping Humans.

I shook my head, a sense of happiness surging through me. Not only could I practice refining my Skills as Saffron told me to, it…

It feels good doing the right thing.

“We’ve arrived.”

Sophia spoke quietly, not even turning to face the two Gold Ranks standing to her side. Before them lay the vast, sprawling landscape of the Motharis Mountain Range. The undulating crests dug deeply into the ground yet built itself up to touch the clouds above.

It was a wondrous sight; one which Sophia would have usually taken a moment to absorb, if not for the eyes she felt were stabbing into her back. Ever since she and Cless had tried to lose Salvos and Daniel, they had begun watching them like hawks— eyeing their every move with needle-like precision.

It was almost scary. But what was even scarier than that was the casual threats the silver haired woman kept giving them. Especially on the first night after their failed escape attempt. Sophia had tried to get the two Gold Ranks to sleep while she did the night shift. She had been planning to wake Cless up and leave with him, but Salvos caught on to her plan.

And the threat she made…

The silver haired woman stood under the blue moonlight, curling her lips up into a dangerous smile. She ignored Sophia’s question, almost uncaring of what the Silver Rank thought of her.

Fire— blue fire— came to life on the palm of her hands, creating a small scythe that shone eerily in the night. Wisps of flame caught itself on the grass below, not setting it alight, but leaving behind a faint glow.

Salvos raised the weapon menacingly as Sophia felt a bead of sweat trickle down her forehead.

“Just sleep.”

She spoke with finality in her voice. There was no argument to be made here, the [Centinel Hunter] knew it. If she tried to push back now, her head would roll on the ground—

“Or else…”

Sophia obeyed, not even wanting to hear what would happen to her if she did not listen. And despite lying in bed for the next six hours, she was certain she did not catch a wink of sleep that night.

And now, Sophia was tired. She was exhausted and afraid. And while these feelings drew her attention away from the grand sight before her, the last emotion she felt running through her body was more than enough to distract her from everything else. That was—

Anger.

She watched as Salvos and Daniel started ahead, beginning their ascent up the first hill of the Motharis Mountain Range. The silver haired woman craned her neck, turning back and looking down at Sophia who had not moved an inch.

“Are you coming?”

The [Centinel Hunter] hesitated. Does she think me that weak? That such threats will work on me?!

Sophia and Cless were both almost Gold Rank. What was more— they were experienced in adventuring and surviving. To think they would be herded around like foolish children.

“C-coming.”

She bit back and insult and followed after them, walking beside Cless as the [Mage] closed his eyes, beginning to cast his first tracking spell.

He was not using his Skill just yet. [Scry Direction] was powerful— especially so for someone at his level. And yet, it was not perfect. Once he activated it, it would only last a day. So if the Skill ended and they were not close enough for Sophia to pinpoint where Gabriel was… they would have to wait week before Cless could use the Skill again.

For now, simple tracking spells worked just fine. Plus, Sophia could help out too.

“Look. Footprints.”

She observed. It might have sounded like such an obvious statement to make at first, but…

“Mixed between horse hooves and wagon tracks. Most people who pass through this road would either be hoping to cut through to or from the Helbir Plains. They would prioritize speed above all else. Only adventurers or madmen would travel on foot. And those three sets of footprints are about a month old, around the same time Gabriel Viechester.”

“Give me a moment, let me see if I can determine which one best fits Gabriel’s description.”

Cless began casting a spell as Salvos turned around and walked up to them. She cocked her head.

“What is he doing?”

“Using a simple spell to determine the age of the people who walked through here. He can’t do it for every single person that went through, which was why I picked out the three best candidates for him to use it on.”

“How do you know Gabriel went through here?”

“Besides this being the most common path to enter the Motharis Mountain Range from?”

Sophia raised an eyebrow to imply the answer. Salvos did not respond.

“We don’t.”

“Huh.”

The silver haired woman showed no change of face. But Sophia could sense the judgement coming from her. The pretentiousness that exuded the unsaid words of ‘is this really all you can do, rely on chance?’ and that pissed her off even more.

She sighed, exasperated.

“Aren’t you a [Rogue], anyway? Can’t you at least try and help out rather than disturb his concentration?”

“Nope.”

Salvos spoke simply, frustrating Sophia even more. Before the brown haired woman could get herself killed by snapping at the Gold Rank, Cless looked up.

“This way.”

He pointed in a direction that followed the path only briefly, before breaking off deep into a thicket of trees.

Salvos shrugged and started forward.

“Let’s go then.”

Following behind, Sophia found herself grumbling to Cless.

“Are you alright, Soph?”

“They’re looking down on us.”

“You think so?”

She almost wanted to scream at the man, but caught herself. She clenched her fist, staring at the silver haired woman walking ahead of them.

“Yes. And I’m going to prove her wrong.”

—--

More days passed as the group continued making their way further into the Motharis Mountain Range. It had been relatively uneventful so far. Most of the monsters they had encountered were no higher than Level 40, being taken out with ease by the two Gold Ranks.

Every time Sophia thought to act— to prove herself— Salvos moved to intercept the monster. Whether it was a pit of Pharaoh Cobras coiling around on the ground harmlessly for the [Centinel Hunter] to kill, or a single lumbering [Earth Golem]. She did everything she could to prevent the Silver Ranked adventurer from doing anything.

“I’ve got this—“

“Look out!”

Salvos sliced the [Vurat] in half. A fucking [Vurat]. The silver haired woman thought that Sophia needed help with a Level 12 monster!

The [Centinel Hunter] knew she was being mocked. That the two Gold Ranks were laughing at her behind her back. She slowly lowered her bow, feeling her grip on the wood tighten. Salvos wiped some nonexistent sweat off her brows and turned to her with a smile.

“That [Vurat] was angry. I’ve never seen one react like that before. They usually fly off after eating on some bodies. I wonder what made it mad.”

Sophia did not respond. Salvos walked past her, sighing.

“Anyway, are you sure we’re heading in the right direction? Don’t you think your friend should use his Skill thing now?”

“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea just yet. Maybe tomorrow. If Sophia starts picking up a stronger trail.”

Daniel nodded condescendingly.

“They were chosen specifically to track down Gabriel for us, Salvos. I’m sure they know what they’re doing. Stop being so impatient.”

What bullshit. Just because you’re alright looking doesn’t mean you can get away with that patronizing crap. In the first place, Hadrian is— she found her thoughts being interrupted by Cless.

“I apologize. We shouldn’t be taking this long to find Gabriel. He usually only goes to the Motharis Mountain Range to collect calloused leaves. But we’re already beyond the point where the trees that grow those would be at.”

Sophia blinked and almost sputtered. Aren’t you supposed to be on my side? What the fuck are you doing? She was seething now. One wrong word and she knew she would lose it. But just as the conversation seemed like it was over, Salvos dumbly piped up.

“Maybe he’s dead. Isn’t he just an [Alchemist]? Even if he’s high leveled, I don’t know if he can take on the monsters here.”

Finally, the [Centinel Hunter] snapped.

“Take on the monsters here— you’re really looking down at us, aren’t you?!”

“Uh… huh?”

Salvos blinked and cocked her head. That reaction only pissed Sophia off even more.

“Gabriel is one of the best fighters in our company. He has taken this trip many times on his own and has come back completely unscathed. What makes you think he’d die, just like that?”

The brown haired woman found herself breathing heavily, her entire body shaking as she took a deep breath and yelled at the silver haired woman once more.

“In the first place, the monsters here haven’t even been that dangerous! What, do you think a bunch of Level 20 monsters is enough to kill us? Let alone him?! Give me a break. I don’t care if you kill me right here and blame it on some monsters. I will say it.”

“Wait, that’s not—"

“Stop looking down at us!”

Salvos stared, unmoving as Sophia panted. She raised a trembling hand and looked down at it.

“I just want to prove myself, alright? I am… I deserve to be a Gold Rank adventurer. But I’m still Silver. Even though I’ve been working so hard ever since I joined the company— that idiot Hadrian refused to promote me and assigned me to a bunch of boring tasks in Viechester. I am not a child to be taken care of. I am an adventurer…”

Sophia trailed off, suddenly feeling very stupid. How did half of what she said even relate to the silver haired woman? They had just met— and she wasn’t even part of the Valiant Dreamers Company. But she still aired on her grievances anyway.

On someone that did not even have a part in any of it.

The brown haired woman looked around, feeling a heavy gaze fall upon her. She saw Cless staring at her, eyes wide. And Daniel was off to the side, decidedly not wanting to partake in whatever this was. She chewed her lower lip as she turned back to Salvos, who was just standing there, judging her.

Sophia opened her mouth.

“I…”

Then Salvos’ eyes flickered. And she blurred forward. Sophia found herself reaching for her bow— but the [Rogue] was far too fast.

“No—“

She felt the words leaving her mouth slowly. Her mind raced and finished the thought for her.

I don’t want to die.

Sophia snapped her eyes shut and—

The world spun. The ground shook as a thunderous crash echoed through the vast forest. Sophia found herself staring up at Salvos, then at the sky. She was being… carried?

“Wha—”

She tried to process what had happened, but a loud roar drew her attention. Sophia turned to face the direction of the sound. At where she had been standing. And there she saw a crater. The ground was broken apart— trees were felled where they stood. A gargantuan monster stood before the destroyed earth, straightening its back and reaching above the canopy as it raised its arms.

Daniel had his sword drawn, but was picking himself up from being knocked to the ground. Cless was in slightly worse shape, still sprawled on the floor, red hair frazzled, and grasping at his wand, clearly unprepared for the attack. But Salvos?

She had a weapon— a flaming sickle— already on her hand. She spoke softly.

“A [Prima Saeve]. Level 72.”

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75. Giant Ape

75. Giant Ape

The [Prima Saeve] loomed over us, raising his gargantuan arm back from where he had intended to crush Sophia. He missed— mostly because I had spotted him sneaking up on us. Now, how could a monster nearly twice the size of Lucerna with arms as long as his body possibly come close to us without being noticed?

Probably a Skill.

He had camouflaged himself amongst the trees somehow. Even though the hair that covered his entire body barring his chest had a vibrant orange tinge to it now, it had been nearly green just moments before. And it was not like it was the first time I fought a monster like him.

In fact, he was probably mad because I kept killing his smaller companions whenever they tried to attack us at night. It was not my fault they were weak— only Level 40 to 50— yet they thought they could fight me!

I had only told Daniel of those encounters so as to not worry the Silvers, but… apparently they were unhappy about that? I was slightly confused. Or, well, very confused.

But I put those senseless ruminations aside for now and focused on fighting the Level 72 monster ahead of me. Because that made far more sense to me!

I placed Sophia down on the ground and tried creating chains to attach to the sickle. I failed and sighed.

“Stupid kusarigama. I should’ve just taken Jaakko’s!”

The Human woman glanced over at me slowly. She opened her mouth, but I didn’t wait for her to speak. [Self Haste] was already activated and would run out soon.

I leapt at the [Prima Saeve], throwing the flaming sickle at his face as I created a spear. [Weapon Mastery] told me that it was probably a far better weapon to use in this situation. Not like either even pierced the skin of the monster.

He roared once more, beating his fists on his chests causing the air to shake and sweeping the fallen leaves on the ground up into the air. My sickle nicked the side of the monster’s face as my spear plunged lightly into his shoulder. He looked down at me with two black eyes and I waved nervously.

“Uh, hi?”

The [Prima Saeve] smashed at where I had been, but I was already gone. I stumbled onto the ground right as Daniel dashed past me, charging with a glowing blade. His sword sunk deep into the gargantuan ape’s feet. He did more damage than I could have in ten minutes with a single Skill, cutting deeply, drawing blood—

And lodging itself into the very angry monster.

Daniel pulled and found the blade to be stuck inside the bone of the [Prima Saeve]. But before he could let go, the monster raised a leg, carrying my Human companion up into the air.

“Let him go!”

I bellowed, sending a [Scorching Wave] into the [Prima Saeve]’s face. It splashed harmlessly off, doing nothing more than drawing the ire of him towards me. He swept a hand across the ground, barely missing me and instead knocking aside a tree that was in the way.

Daniel failed to dislodge his blade from the monster, but he did finally decide that clinging onto the leg of a walking monster was less helpful than doing… anything else.

A blast of magic struck the [Prima Saeve] from the side and I blinked. That’s… I glanced over at Cless as he readied another spell.

“What are you—”

He shot a Fireball out at the monster’s face. The blast rocked the lumbering creature’s head back. Then drew his attention to the Human man.

The [Prima Saeve] roared and smashed both his hands down at Cless. Dust and debris blew out of the ground as the earth broke open. Cless coughed as the flames around my body dissipated.

“That probably hurt you a bit. But I couldn’t get to you in time without using [Charge of Embers].”

The [Mage] spat out some blood, blinking. I helped him up as I heard Daniel scream. My companion punched the monster. And to my surprise, he actually sent the [Primae Saeve] stumbling back for a moment.

Of course, Daniel is strong. But— that gigantic monster is stronger!

Although, the [Prima Saeve] was only a little bit bigger than an [Arachne]…

Arrows bounced off the face of the creature and I sighed.

“Sophia now, too? Ugh, do you want to get yourselves killed?!”

I sputtered, turning back to Cless with a scowl. He bit his lower lip, but spoke up anyway.

“We don’t want to die, Ms Salvos. We just want to prove ourselves to the company.”

Looking him over, I remembered that angry speech that preceded this. I shook my head, creating a blazing blue object in one hand and faced the angry [Prima Saeve] as he knocked Daniel aside, and was now chasing the lone [Archer]. Humans… why are you always so weird!

I rushed forward and created a bow. I nocked the Blazing Bolt as the threads of mana finished weaving into itself and aimed at the giant ape’s ear. I loosed the projectile and it zipped straight at its target.

The arrow flew straight and fast— but the [Prima Saeve] did not lay unmoving. He walked forward, turning his head and the Blazing Bolt struck his cheek instead. I let the bow dissipate as I threw myself out of the way of an oncoming fist.

I leapt right next to Sophia who was struggling to load an arrow onto her bow. Her hands were shaking— her eyes were wide. But still, her body moved.

I spoke sharply, breaking her from her focus on the monster.

“Sophia.”

“Huh— what?”

She stared at me for a moment and dropped her arrow. She cursed and bent over to pick it up. But the [Prima Saeve] was already behind us. I grabbed her and carried her out of the way of another earth shattering attack.

When we landed, I dropped her to the floor and held out a hand.

“Give me your bow.”

“…what? You—”

She paused and clenched her fists.

“You want me to get out of the way, don’t you? You think I can’t do anything, just like everyone else.”

“No.”

I spoke simply, eliciting a confused look from the woman’s face. I held out a hand.

“Give me your bow, then I’ll ask you to do something very important.”

Sophia hesitated, but the ground shook once again. Daniel was trying to fist fight the monster five times larger than him. And he was losing, of course.

I waved my hand in front of her, waiting. After a final pause, she acquiesced and gave me her main weapon.

“Thanks.”

“What do you want me to do now?”

I grinned as I threw the bow around my shoulder, then clasped both my hands together and felt powerful, more refined magic surging between my palms. I turned fractionally to the Human woman and told her what to do.

“You think you’re fast, don’t you? Just draw his attention for a minute. Or else Daniel dies, and I’d rather that not happen.”

“Wait, what—”

“You wanted to prove yourself, didn’t you? Prove you can survive by hitting the [Prima Saeve] and running from it. Then I’ll kill him.”

Sophia blinked as Daniel went flying through the air and crashed into the ground. I nodded at her and she took a deep breath.

“Fine. I will show you what I can do.”

The [Archer] drew a dagger from her belt pocket and ran out, waving and screaming for the monster’s attention. The giant ape paid her no mind at first, focusing only at me, until she threw her dagger at his face. It struck his cheek and drew his ire.

Aiming for the eye, huh? She knows how to fight, why is she so obsessed about being proven or whatever. I shook my head. Weird.

Sophia dashed through the trees, running from the [Prima Saeve] as it waded its way through the thicket like it was a bunch of pebbles on the ground. It roared and grabbed a tree trunk, hurling it at her, but she rolled out of the way.

It loomed over her, a mad look in its eyes, but she did not falter. She slid in between his legs, shouting a curse as it barely missed her.

“I knew I didn’t miss you when you tried sneaking up on me. I sensed your presence! My stupid Skill told me you were there, but I was too mad to notice!”

The ground shook and Sophia got back to her feet. But before she could continue fleeing, the monster struck the ground, knocking her off balance. It stood before her, raising an angry fist as she struggled and panted to get up—

And I leapt in the air, propelled by [Self Haste] and [Charge of Embers], turning to a blue ball of fire in the sky. I flew over the monster, aiming Sophia’s bow at him.

I nocked a nearly white arrow with blue embers wisping off it onto the bow, and immediately felt the wooden shaft start to burn. The Refined Blazing Bolt shot forward at an incredible speed as the [Prima Saeve] blinked.

The monster raised a hand to cover his eyes— but I was not aiming for his eyes. The Refined Blazing Bolt bore a hole straight through the giant ape’s forehead, breaking through his skull and drilling through his brain in an instant.

The [Prima Saeve]’s body stopped moving. Then slowly, he collapsed to the ground with a thunderous boom.

I landed lithely next to the body of the monster as the notifications went off in my head.

Defeat [Prima Saeve Progenitor]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 51] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 52]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 52] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 53]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I blinked. Then I felt a grin sweeping through my face. I triumphantly held up the still-burning bow and exclaimed.

“I leveled up twice! Did you see that Daniel—”

The [Hero] lay unconscious on a small crater in the ground. Cless was tending to him, uncorking a healing potion, about to pour it over my Human companion. Sophia glanced between the dead [Prima Saeve], Daniel, and I.

I shrugged.

“He shouldn’t have tried punching a giant monster. He’s not Haec.”

—--

We left the dead [Prima Saeve Progenitor] where he fell— neither Sophia nor Cless were too keen about dissecting him for his parts. The Silver Ranks were neither good at dismantling monsters nor were they willing to waste any time trying to cut his skin open.

“Its skin would make for good armor. But on the flip side, it will be hard to even turn it into armor. So, it would be best for us to leave it. Maybe we can mark this spot on the map and return for it in the future.”

“Why don’t we move him— I mean, it— to somewhere where it would be hidden? Like under a rock!”

I helpfully suggested. Cless and Sophia exchanged a look.

“We can’t move him. Can you?”

“Daniel can… but he’s still unconscious.”

“Yeah. I think we should just move on. Before it gets dark.”

Cless nodded at me and turned around. Before leaving, he patted his companion on the shoulder and whispered something to her ear. She flinched, averting her gaze to the side as he went to pick Daniel up.

We proceeded to continue traveling until we could find proper shelter for the night. And I looked through my Status, deciding to spend my Stat Points mostly into [Agility], while giving some Skill Points between my speed Skills and passives.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 53

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 3

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 55 (+5) (-6)

[Strength]: 40 (+5) (-6)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5) (-6)

[Wisdom]: 71 (+5) (-1)

[Agility]: 108 (+5) (-6)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 15

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 5

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 3

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 5

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 9

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 12

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 7

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 4

We made camp next to a large rock— it was a boulder with a slanted tree resting against it. Daniel woke up by then, however he immediately decided to go back to sleep once he realized it was night. I shook my head, disappointed but not surprised.

The two Silvers had their dinners in silence, until Cless nudged Sophia before getting up to leave. Then it was just the [Archer] and I, sitting alone across the campfire.

She fidgeted where she sat, opening and closing her mouth a few time as if to say something, but remained quiet until I cocked my head.

“Is something wrong?”

Sophia nearly jumped. She glanced up and saw me staring at her curiously. I blinked.

“You’ve been acting weird the whole day. I mean, Hu— uh, people are usually weird. But you’re being extra weird.”

“I..I— what?”

She sputtered, the saliva spitting out of her mouth visible in the fire light. Shrugging, I leaned back on both my arms.

“I don’t know why you’re acting this way. I thought you were scared of dying at first, but apparently you’re not? You want to prove yourself good enough to your company, or something?”

“Of course I do!”

Sophia snapped, standing up. Her eyes grew wide as she realized she was nearly shouting. She quickly sat back down as her face grew red.

“I just want to prove myself as a proper member of the Valiant Dreamers Company. Not as some kind of weak Silver Rank who can’t even take care of herself. I deserve to be Gold, but they won’t promote me.”

“You want them to recognize you.”

I nodded as she looked at me apprehensively.

“R-right. I want them to recognize me.”

“It feels good, doesn’t it?”

“…it does.”

I smiled, leaning forward and began speaking excitedly.

“It gives you an epistemological sense of self. Distinguishing your acumen from others, making you more than just a pebble in an ocean of rocks. This ebullience of your actions holding gravity and knowing you are an actual thinking entity in this tumulous world that is not just a void of nothingness that entangled your inchoate existence before your birth.”

“Uh…”

Sophia trailed off, no longer following my train of thought. I sighed, feeling my shoulders sag.

“No? Oh well. But you like being recognized, right?”

“Y-yes.”

“And you believe that your own actions warrant recognition from others?”

“I…”

She hesitated, mulling over whether she should give me a proper response. And after a moment’s thought, she nodded.

“I do.”

I clapped my hands together lightly and sat back down.

“Then that’s all that matters.”

Sophia stared at me, slack jawed.

“Uh… what?”

I raised a finger knowingly as I explained.

“That means you recognize yourself. And that’s all that matters. Sure, having others see you too is a nice feeling. That’s why I have companions! But if you can’t live without your companions, then you are nothing. However, you aren’t nothing, so there’s no problem here.”

“I… don’t really get it.”

I sighed, rubbing my temples like Edithe would.

“I’m saying be confident in yourself. The Valiant Dreamers Company could promote you, but they also could not. But as long as you know you’re actually a Gold Rank, it doesn’t matter what your adventurer’s badge color is. Just don’t act recklessly, and you’ll be fine.”

“I think I get that…”

Sophia spoke slowly.

“But it’s easier said than done.”

I waved a hand, uncaring.

“As long as Daniel and I are here, we can make sure you don’t get yourself killed. Can’t promise anything about after we leave though. So you better learn to do it rather than just say it quick. Now go get your sleep so we can find this Gabriel. I want to go to that ruins place already!”

I got up and turned around. The brown haired woman waited a moment before calling out after me.

“Ms Salvos—“

I turned back to face her. She bit her lower lip then bowed her head.

“Thank you. And sorry. For the way I’ve been acting.”

I stared at her for a moment, then laughed.

“I’m Salvos. Not Ms Salvos!”

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76. Refinement

76. Refinement

Daniel groused as he slowly drew himself from the bedroll, rubbing at his back and scrunching his face. It was morning, the birds were singing, the wind gently whistled past the trees. And I stood over him with my hands on my hips. I took a deep breath.

“I said, wake up!”

“Alright, alright! I heard you the first time!”

He got to his feet and scowled.

“Can’t an injured man sleep in peace?”

“You were already healed by potions. And both Cless and Sophia have been awake for over an hour. It’s time for us to go!”

“I hear you— stop yelling!”

“You stop first!”

“No… why am I even doing this?”

“Don’t ask me. You’re supposed to be the reasonable one!”

“Yeah, I guess. Wait—“

The Human man widened his eyes, staring me with a dumb look. I grinned and turned around.

“Stop being so surprised and let’s go already.”

“…I just want to sleep man.” (Author’s Note: I may or may not have been projecting through Daniel here. I had been suffering from major jet lag when I wrote this a month ago.)

He muttered under his breath. With that said, we were ready to leave a few minutes after. The other two non-lazy Humans had already packed up most of the camp— they were just as ready to get going as I was.

They wanted to find Gabriel as soon as possible because they felt like they had something to prove. And also because their former company leader was in a life or death battle against a deadly poison. I wanted to fight Gabriel quick too!

But for different reasons.

That is, I wanted to get to the Brilsum Ruins already.

—--

We traversed through the tumulous and undulating landscape of the Motharis Mountain Range. The initially dense foliage slowly lightened as we made our way higher up as a thick blanket of snow took over instead. The trees here were sparse or dead— only the rocks on the ground existed in multitudes. And both jutted out of the ground like broken teeth in the sand, visible only if you squinted and looked hard for it.

This was not one of the boreal regions of even the Human lands; it was only cold here because we were high up. Daniel told me there existed places in the Eastern Kingdoms that got to even cooler temperatures than here. I, personally, already found it very cold. So, I was walking around with [Ignition] activated, even if it drained on my mana.

While my Human companion pointed out how inefficient I was being at first, I couldn’t help but notice how much closer he was walking beside me now. The same went for Sophia and Cless, both of whom had been walking ahead to do their tracking duties, were now patiently waiting for us to meet their pace.

Another day passed, and after an encounter with a group of angry bird-like monsters that couldn’t fly, Cless decided it was time for him to use his Skill.

Defeated [Pengrasa – Lvl. 51]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Pengrasa – Lvl. 54]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I frowned and faced Daniel.

“You took my experience! I had him— I mean, it!”

“You were burning them all by yourself, I assumed you needed some help.”

They had been very weak to fire, which I did not expect. My first [Scorching Wave] sent them running back, but the moment I stopped, they came charging at us again. They didn’t seem mindless or wild however, just very angry at us.

“I wonder why they were mad.”

“Perhaps they have a Lair nearby and were getting defensive?”

“Possibly. But even the [Rancor Mites] stopped attacking us once we left.”

Daniel shrugged, uncaring.

“We took care of them, that’s all that matters. They were a danger to any other travellers or adventurers that might pass through.”

“I didn’t even get a level…”

I complained, hunching my back and folding my arms across my chest. The Human man ignored me, instead glancing over at the two other Humans with us. Cless had begun casting his spell, however, it needed some time to take effect.

Sophia stood by his side, nothing but a dagger in her hand. Her bow had been damaged by my Refined Blazing Bolt— so she was trying not to break it. Apparently, it was a good bow.

“But you leveled twice from the [Prima Saeve]. I only leveled once. And even the Silvers didn’t level much either.”

“That’s because I defeated it!”

“Where did you even learn to create that, anyway? I know you’ve been practicing your fire creation Skill a bit, but I didn’t expect you to create something that… strong.”

I grinned and raised my chin haughtily. I opened my mouth— and he cut me off.

“Please answer the question seriously. I heard about how you confused Sophia the other day with big words, trying to sound smart.”

Sighing, he brought a hand up to his temples and began circling his fingers over it.

“Just because you read a few books…”

I replied honestly, but unhappily.

“If you must know, I’ve been practicing. I noticed how Ignavare was able to create a Medium Grade Weapon temporarily— it wouldn’t last like the Spear of Flames did, but it was just as powerful.”

“Right, I was there for that. And you’ve been practicing it?”

“It was what Saffron told me to do. Refine my magic. So, I did.”

“…you make it sound like it’s that simple.”

“And it is!”

I exclaimed and began strumming my fingers through the air. I tugged at the mana threads weaving its way through the world, a smile fixed on my face as I explained.

“Magic is quite simple, actually. It’s something you’ve just got to practicing over and over until you get it right. Remember that Fireball spell I used to burn down the [Cultists] hideout? I did that from practice. If I had a Skill, I’d be able to repeat it perfectly each time. But that defeats the whole purpose of practicing.”

“So, what, you haven’t been using your [Advanced Mana Manipulation] at all?”

“I have.”

I admitted and shied back a little bit. I brought my fingers close together as a slightly nervous expression came across my face.

“Just a little bit.”

He stared at me, judging. I protested.

“I just use it to tell me what I am supposed to do. And get the feel of what it’s supposed to be like when I do it! Then, I repeat the process over and over again until I can get what I want without the General Skill. That’s what Saffron meant when she said my mana control was unrefined. My magic wasn’t as good without [Advanced Mana Manipulation]!”

“So, what about this helped you create that Refined Blazing Bolt?”

I shrugged.

“I simply condensed even more magic into the spell in a way that made it strong without making it unstable. If I hadn’t learned the intricacies of mana manipulation, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. It’s tiresome though. Drains a lot of mana from me and requires a lot of concentration—which was why I needed to borrow Sophia’s bow to do it.”

“And I assume you’ve been doing this as we’ve been sleeping, huh?”

I nodded eagerly.

“I have!”

“Well, it’s good that you have. And don’t call me lazy for not being able to defy my bodily needs of sleep.”

I scowled, however Daniel placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Thank you though. If not for that, I probably would have died to that giant ape.”

Nodding, I gave him a thumbs up.

“I wouldn’t want you to die either! You’re my companion!”

“Right… by the way, do you know how long it’s going to Cless to finish casting his Skill?”

Daniel glanced off to the side— Cless had his face twisted into a grimace as he focused, gathering a large amount of ambient mana ahead of him with his wand while Sophia stood on guard nearby him. Watching this for a moment, I decided not to interrupt by asking how long it would take. So, I just lifted my shoulders up lightly.

“Don’t know.”

—--

The Human [Mage] finished casting his Skill, and a strange magical aura wrapped around him for the next day. If I focused, I could see almost a fuchsia glow coming from his eyes as he studied the landscape.

He pointed at a direction— a valley between two hills. One protruded up into a steep incline before plateauing into flat ground, while the other was shorter and with a rockier surface that almost curved into a hook.

We followed him as I nervously looked about. It almost reminded me of the valley of death in the Netherworld where the Demon with crooked horns executed so many other Demons— both wild Demons and sapient Demons alike. If Lucerna was to be believed, that was likely an Archdemon.

Will I become an Archdemon when I next evolve? That… doesn’t seem right.

I mulled over the thought until I made an odd observation about the topography. While most of the ground had been layered in white— a few rocks jutting out of the ground was only lightly coated in the snow. I frowned and sent a [Scorching Wave] at it.

“What are you doing—”

Daniel paused as the ground shook. I took a step back, conjuring fire hammers on both hands, preparing for what was to come. Cless and Sophia took defensive positions behind us, the latter shouting a warning.

“A monster! What is it?”

My eyes grew wide as I realized what it was.

“Aw. [Golems]? And they’re only Level 30.”

The stone monsters gathered themselves and turned to us. They stared at us with eyeless faces. Some failed to get up, having been destroyed by my initial flame attack. I gave them a pitiful gaze.

“Weak. You two can take care of them, right?”

I looked over at the two Silvers. Or— rather, the one Gold and the other who was a level away from being Gold. They exchanged a glance.

“You want us to take care of them?”

“Of course.”

I spoke simply.

“They’re close to your level. Sure, there’s a dozen of them and only two of you. But… you can handle it, right?”

Raising a brow at them, I waited for their response. Meanwhile, Daniel was standing off to the side, puzzled. Until a [Stone Golem] swung at him. He stumbled back and shook an arm back at Sophia and Cless.

“Make your decision quick or I’ll kill them all myself!”

He glared back at the monsters. That was enough to break them from their stupor. Daniel and I took a step back as they rushed at the group of [Stone Golems]. The rock creatures took the charge head on. They stood their ground and fought back as Cless blasted them apart with spells.

Sophia was a little more ineffective, using only a dagger to fight them off. But she had at least one Skill with the short ranged weapon, inflicting a hard strike at the chest of a [Stone Golem], causing it to collapse entirely. I called out to her and pointed at my shoulder.

“Aim for their joints!”

“I. Know.”

The young woman spoke through gritted teeth. Cless fought using spells below his level while Sophia struggled in close quarters combat. Looking at their performance, one would think they were weak. However, that was far from the truth.

The fact that they, who did not specialize in combat, were dealing with a dozen monsters close to their level, even when impeded, spoke of their capabilities. Sophia couldn’t use her bow and Cless was distracted by his scrying Skill. And yet, even if they were panting and exhausted by the end of it, they won.

“Good job!”

I beamed at them. Cless stared at the palm of his hand, speaking disbelievingly.

“I-I leveled up…”

Sophia jolted and turned to him, probably identifying him.

“You’re Level 40…”

“I am.”

He still had a shock expression locked onto his face. The two were speechless, until I wrapped my arms around both of their shoulders, grinning.

“And that means you two are Gold Ranks now. You can speak to Hadrian and tell him to promote you! And if he doesn’t, you can quit! There’s nothing stopping you, and you’ve proven yourself enough.”

“I…”

Sophia hesitated, murmuring to her companion.

“I don’t know if we should do that.”

Cless blinked and turned to her. He opened his mouth— but nodded.

“You’re right. We’re part of the Valiant Dreamers Company. Even if they don’t promote us, we’ll stay with them. Until they do.”

“Do what you will. But just know that what I see here are two Gold Ranks and not Silvers.”

I smiled reassuringly at them. The two averted their gazes slightly and muttered.

“T-thanks.”

“Thank you…”

I drew myself away from them, letting them rest for a moment longer. Daniel commented as I walked up to him.

“You’re being awfully nice, aren’t you?”

“Of course!”

I scoffed and spoke in a regal voice.

“A Princess—“

“Stop.”

I sighed, shoulders sagging.

“You’re no fun.”

He ignored that remark, instead eyeing the two Gold Ranks.

“Do you really think they’re both worthy of being promoted? Don’t you think Hadrian would have kept them from being Gold for a reason?”

“They are.”

I nodded confidently.

“I would know. The first adventurer rank I got was Gold. So I have a keen eye on this.”

Daniel gave me a snide look, thinking I was fooling around. He blinked when he realized I wasn’t. Slowly, he looked back at them.

“I guess you have a point.”

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77. Finally!

77. Finally!

“We’re close.”

The soft voice of Cless cut through the silence, drawing Daniel and I’s attention to the Humans at the front. We were currently even higher up than before— there were no longer any trees up here. It was all just rocks in this barren landscape.

Rocks. So many rocks! So much rocks! I hate… love… hate… love… rocks are weird! I decided finally. Then I turned to the [Mage] ahead.

“Does your Skill tell you that?”

“No. But these tracks— they’re fresh. And Sophia agrees too.”

We were currently cresting a mountain. We could have gone around it, but our trackers told us that it was faster this way. And I was partial to moving fast.

“It’s just over this hill, I think.”

The [Archer]— or was she some kind of [Hunter]?— spoke back towards us. I raised a hand, but Daniel shot me a look.

“What?”

I glanced over at him, feigning hurt.

“Just reminding you not to yell. We don’t want to cause an avalanche.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I waved him off dismissively.

“I got that. I just had a question.”

“And that is?”

I faced Cless who had a furrowed face, straining to keep up his [Scry Direction] Skill as it was soon coming to an end.

“Did you advance your Class yet, or are you going to wait for a better one before making a decision?”

The Human man blinked and turned to me. He exchanged a look with Sophia who was scanning the surrounding landscape— making sure that we were on track to find Gabriel soon. I cocked my head, waiting for an answer.

“I… uh, have not. But I will make a decision when I get back to Viechester.”

“Why wait?”

“Because we have a book— a list of quite a few Class advancements for my specialization. It isn’t every Class out there, but it’s quite lengthy, and it details the advantages each advancement give. I’ll take a look at that before I make my decision.”

“Huh.”

Pausing, I considered this. I raised hand to my chin and stroked it slowly; I opened my mouth—

And Daniel nudged me, whispering.

“Don’t say what I think you’re going to say.”

I stared at him, aghast.

“I wasn’t going to! Oops, I mean: I wasn’t going to.”

Sputtering at first, I quickly corrected my tone to be much softer. My Human companion rubbed his temples.

“If you had caused an avalanche, the damage would already be done. So whispering after wouldn’t change a thing.”

I gave him a helpless shrug.

“Anyway, I’m not going to say anything that blatant. But I think it’s something worth looking into.”

“Alright then…”

Daniel stared at me dubiously, but commented nothing else as we scaled to the top of the mountain and circled around its peak. It got even colder up top, but [Ignition] kept me warm. Who knew it would be so useful?!

At the top off the mountain, I had a good view of the vast sprawling landscape down below. The topography was uneven— mountains and mounds of all shapes and sizes jutting out of the ground with thin foliage between them. A few meandering monsters were visible, even at this distance. Some of them were gigantic. Like the [Prima Saeve] had been.

Large behemoths walking on six legs, with a long hose-like nose protruding beside curved tusks reaching out of their faces. These brown monsters walked in small herds, about a dozen clustered together. The uplifted trees just by walking— they were even bigger than [Arachnes] had been!

Then there were these smaller two legged creatures covered in snow-like fur hiking up and down the undulating crests. They were hard to spot at first, but I saw one standing in front of a gray stone background and noted their presence. These were about the size of trees— perhaps as large as Lucerna had been.

A myriad of creatures filled the Motharis Mountain Range. Bird-like monsters the size of small houses that soared through the blue dome overhead, searching for prey to swoop down on and kill. Fleshy giant worms that dug holes through the ground, leaving large pits anyone could fall from. And even Golems— not like the [Stone Golems] from the day before, but powerful Golems with iron and other minerals sticking out of their bodies. They brought life to the desolate world of the Motharis Mountain Range.

Anytime I thought this place was anything like the Netherworld, I looked around and saw life. The Netherworld had been empty. Barren. I would wander for long, long periods of time without seeing another Demon. And even then, they would always be wild.

I sighed wistfully at the sight, my gaze finally resting upon our destination. The land that lay before the mountaintop— there sat a basin, surrounding all sides by hills just as tall as ours. And at the very bottom of it was a lake.

Its entire surface was frozen solid— it gave off light sheen that made the Humans beside me avert their eyes. But I stared at the frozen water. It reflected the sky above on its canvas, the beautiful picture of the Mortal Realm captured perfectly in that stasis.

Seeing this— and looking at one of my many Human companions with me, Daniel— made me realize how little I looked forward to returning to the Netherworld. If there was a way to bring Haec here without going back… I would do that. However, that was unlikely, and I was willing to scour that hellish landscape for years if that was what it took to find him.

“We found him.”

A voice broke me out from my thoughts. Cless pointed a finger at a figure down below. The Humans had to squint to see what it was, but even from up here, I could make up the blurry shape enough to know what it was.

A Human. The [Alchemist], Gabriel, waited at the base of the mountain, just by the lake’s edge. I nodded at the adventurers.

“Let’s go down

—--

[??? - ???]

A rather lanky, older Human man stood just before the ice sheet stretching out for hundreds of feet. He wore azure blue robes that stood out in the plain landscape, however his thick, white beard matched the snow trickling lightly down from above.

Gabriel stayed crouched as he tilted his head up, but did not even bother to turn towards us as we approached. Our footfalls weren’t exactly silent, however the lumbering monsters nearby should have been enough to disguise it from him.

“What is it that you want?”

I looked over at Daniel, expecting him to speak up, however he was just as clueless as to what to say as me. We stayed silent and waited for the two other Gold Ranks to do their job. Sophia realized a moment later that they were the ones who had to talk here, and she quickly fumbled over her words to answer the question.

“We— uh, we’re from the Valiant Dreamers Company. S-sent here by Hadrian to… go back.”

“By the kid, huh?”

Standing up, the [Alchemist] slowly turned to us, a posy of pink lilies that seemed nearly luminescent under the sunlight held on one hand. He let go of the flowers— and they vanished, a slight magical aura left behind for mere moments before that, too, was gone.

I narrowed my eyes, realizing that the sensation felt familiar. Isn’t that like when Daniel pretends to put things in his fake Bag of Holding? Before I could ascertain it for sure, Gabriel spoke, turning to me.

“Interested in what those were, were you?”

I blinked.

“Oh… yes?”

I lied, not really sure what else to say. He was approving, however.

“Not many youngsters are interested in alchemy and its ingredients. And you seem to have a keen eye, I can tell.”

That was true, but not for the reasons I was pretty sure he had.

“Very well, I shall tell you: those were kzoth weeds. They may appear like flowers at first, but in reality, they are parasites. They drain the land around it of its fauna and natural vegetation. And they flourish up here in this part of the Motharis Mountain Range. You may have noticed how barren this place is, even this high up?”

“…of course!”

“That’s because of these plants. They are terrible, terrible for any environment they inhabit.”

I nodded along, now interested in what he was saying.

“How haven’t they spread further then?”

“Because they may be bad for other plants, but they are nutritious for the monsters up in these parts. Did you see the Gatho Mammoths? The Scavenger Yetis? They are not aggressive monsters— no, because they do not feed on one another. Just a single bite from these kzoth weeds is enough to sustain them for a day.”

“Wouldn’t they still want to level though?”

“Not all monsters are the same.”

He spoke simply as I tapped a finger on my chin. That made sense. I totally agreed with that. However…

“I see… but if they’re so bad, what are you using them for then?”

He smiled.

“Secret.”

Huh. I cocked my head, then frowned. What a tease! I wanted to know more about alchemy— first what Daniel told me about those zorth mushrooms, and now these kzoth weeds. Maybe I should borrow a book about it from Edithe when we get back.

With our brief interaction finished, Sophia finally thought it was time for her to speak up again. Cless was too exhausted to speak, slumped over a rock and panting as his Skill finally ended. She hesitated, glancing at me, but I nodded at her.

“M— Alchemist Gabriel. We were sent her by Hadrian, as I said. And it’s not for any casual reason. It’s urgent.”

“Then you should’ve told me at the start.”

The [Alchemist] looked at her with a scowl. She took a step back, but gathered her resolve and walked forward, telling him of the events that had happened in the Valiant Dreamers training grounds.

Gabriel listened slowly, his face shadowing over as she went on. He folded his arms and remained silent for a moment as she finished.

“—and none of the healers can cure Baris. Only you can, Gabriel. We need you back to create an antidote.”

“…I see.”

He acknowledged her after a few passing moments then started forward. The [Alchemist] walked past her as she took startled step back.

“Uh, alchemist Gabriel?”

Sophia sounded confused. He stopped and glanced back at her with a single eye.

“What is it?”

“Where are you going?”

“Returning to Viechester, of course. Post haste. Hurry it up you four. You should have told me this sooner.”

He marched past her and stopped, waiting for us to follow after him. I exchanged a look with Daniel. Sophia raised a hand.

“They’re not going with us.”

Gabriel raised a brow.

“Why not?”

“They’re not part of the Valiant Dreamers Company. They were just sent her to escort us to find you.”

“Escort you? Why would Hadrian have Gold Ranks escort other Gold Ranks? Damn kid.”

He scoffed, shaking his head. The Human woman’s eyes grew wide as she slowly processed his words. But he was already off.

“Bah, whatever. You’ve done your job. I’m sure you’ve already gotten your payment. We shall return now.”

He commanded Sophia and Cless and the two jumped to attention. They hurried after him as he made his way back in the direction we came from. Cless grumbled a complaint while Sophia hesitated for a moment, glancing back at us.

I smiled and nodded back at her.

“We’ll see you back in Viechester.”

“R-right.”

She chewed her lower lip.

“Thank you.”

Quickly speaking, she ran off after the other two. Daniel and I watched them go. Their figures slowly growing distant as they scaled around the mountain. Then, blinking, I faced Daniel.

“Wait, was that it?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“No detours?”

“No?”

My companion gave me a confused look.

“No other jobs we have to do?”

“Nope.”

I jumped up in the air and pumped a fist.

“Finally!”

I turned to him, excitedly bouncing on my feet.

“Let’s go to a Platinum Rank Dungeon now!”

“…yay.”

Daniel was, for some reason, not as enthused as I.

A note from MelasD

Finally! I'm 1/3 of my way through my Finals. Halfway through my second paper! Yay!

78. Drakes

78. Drakes

“Are you sure we’re heading in the right direction?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Then why aren’t we there yet?”

“Because the map is not to scale, Salvos.”

“Are you sure?”

Daniel stopped midstep, turning to glare at me. He held up the map, smacking a finger in the middle of it. Blinking, I took in the illustration of the Motharis Mountain Range: the topography depicted the risings and the failings of the hilly landscape, with a gradient hue to highlight different regions around the vast area.

“Can you read the map?”

He posed the question simply. I shook my head.

“Nope.”

“Then stop complaining!”

I scowled and crossed my arms.

“Fine!”

Sighing, Daniel turned around and began leading the way once again; he shoved his way through a thick bush as I followed behind him. We were in a far more foliage dense part of the mountain range. At a far lower altitude, so the land was no longer covered by the thin layer of sleet making it slippery and difficult to walk on.

The plants here weren’t exactly lush with green, but they existed. Without the parasitic kzoth weeds to drain the land of life, it seemed that some vegetation could grow up in the mountains!

But right now, they were making Daniel’s life horrible. Muttering curses under is breath, he stomped through the forest while swatting his hand in the air.

“Damn bugs.”

He slapped a hand on his shoulder. Splat. An insect— about the size of his hand— went flat on his gambeson. The Human man made a face as he wiped it off on a nearby tree.

“Does killing those give you any experience?”

I finally asked, having seen him slay those creatures for the past two days.

“They do not. But they’re annoying and killing them gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

“Huh.”

This time, I was the one who stopped mid step. My Human companion turned to face me with a raised brow.

“What is it?”

I pointed an accusing finger at him.

“You’re wild.”

“No, I’m not.”

He replied without skipping a beat.

—--

Our trek through the Motharis Mountain Range would have been a lot faster if Daniel was not so slow. Unfortunately however, he didn’t want me to pick him up and run my way straight to the Brilsum Ruins. So, I had to settle with a long, drawn out trip there.

The trip did not prove to be entirely futile, since we encountered quite a few different Species of monsters on our way there. Many of them were around my level, such as the [Flayer Vultures] or the [Millenispods]. The latter being the worm-like monsters I had seen before meeting Gabriel that burrowed through the earth and spat acid.

Defeated [Flayer Vulture of Hunting - Lvl. 53]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Large Millenispod - Lvl. 49]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

None of those lower leveled monsters gave me a level up. Not until we ran into the Drakes.

A deep, piercing kind of shriek cut through the forest— it shook the leaves as small birds burst out of the canopy of trees, fleeing whatever it was that made the sound. The roar was accompanied by another one, and another one.

Many booming roars exploded around the forest; my head snapped in the direction where it came from as I narrowed my eyes.

“That’s…”

“Coming at us.”

Daniel drew his sword as a fire sickle came to life in my hand. I exchanged a glance with him.

“Should we run? It sounds dangerous.”

“Do you want to run?”

“Nope! I can probably… maybe… escape whatever it is that’s coming for us.”

“I can’t.”

“That’s why I’m asking you.”

I shot him a thumbs up— my concern for his life showing through that gesture. He shook his head and gripped the hilt of his blade with both hands.

“We’ll see what it is.”

Heavy, thudding footsteps shook the ground as whatever it was came closer and closer to the small clearing we were in. The trees opened up to reveal a large scaly creature, walking on two thick legs and two stubbier arms. Its body was gray-green in color with small blotches of black patterned just around the jagged horn-like protrusions running down its spine.

It stood at half the size of the [Prima Saeve], however it was no less menacing when it turned its beady red eyes towards us. Daniel blinked.

“Is that a T—”

It opened its mouth and released a fiery sphere of flames at us. My eyes grew wide as I identified it, before grabbing my companion and pulling him out of the way.

The blast opened a hole in the ground that sent dirt and rubble flying in the air. The fireball bloomed like a flower in the middle of the summer— and I didn’t like flowers!

Daniel and I picked ourselves up as the monster turned its crimson eyes towards us. I spoke hurriedly to my companion.

“It’s a [Horned Drake]. Level 65. And my [Deadly Instincts] is telling me that it’s dangerous.”

“A Drake?”

He stared at me for a moment, then cursed.

“Fuck. They’re strong. Help me take out its feet so I can get at its head.”

I nodded and I sped straight to the monster, leaving him behind. The Drake saw my approach and spat a breath of fire towards me— the flames not a concentrated sphere, but a plume that swept up the ground and incinerated the grassy floor. Leaping aside just in time, I sent my own [Scorching Wave] at the monster, smirking knowingly. My fire is definitely hotter than yours!

The flames singed the scales of the Drake, causing it to stumble back— but no more. It did not burn it badly, only a light singe left where the flames landed. I scowled and Daniel called out.

“Its feet, Salvos!”

“I got it, I got it.”

Rolling my eyes, I rolled away from the gaping maw of the Drake that threatened to crush me. It ate up the dirt ground as a [Charge of Embers] propelled me to the legs of the beast. I swung my fire sickle once—

And found it lodged on the hard scales of the monster.

“Huh.”

The Drake kicked me, instantly knocking out the aura of protection I had from my Ring of Lesser Protection, sending me flying back to a tree. I rubbed at my back and found my eyes widening as a dark shadow loomed over me. Its tail came swinging down and I activated [Self Haste].

I hopped out of the way as a fire bow was conjured on one hand, and focused on creating a Blazing Bolt with my other hand. Another sphere of destructive fire came hurling at me but it was much easier to dodge now. I loosed Blazing Bolt after Blazing Bolt, all going for its legs, and they landed, doing far more damage than my previous attacks had.

The volley of fire drew my breath short, taking a chunk of mana out of me, but it was enough to cause the large monster to stumble forward for a moment. And it was then Daniel leapt up at it and swung his glowing sword.

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

The blade severed the neck of the Drake, shearing through its scales like it was paper, and killing it instantly. It fell with a mighty crash, shaking the ground and scattering any birds that might not already fled.

Defeated [Predatory Horned Drake - Lvl. 65]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 53] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 54]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“I leveled up!”

I exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air. Daniel faced me with a smug smirk.

“I leveled twice.”

“Huh— how?!”

“I dealt the finishing blow.”

“What?!”

I stared at Daniel, aghast. I tried identifying him, but once again, his Necklace of Obfuscation did not allow me to see his true level or Class.

“You’re lying! I did all the work, I should have gotten more experience!”

He gave me an uncaring shrug.

“Unfortunately, Salvos, that’s how it works. The one who gets the kill gets more experience, although he gets less if others contribute enough, they may gain close to as much as he did.”

Placing a hand over his mouth, he looked at me mockingly.

“Maybe you should have hurt it more before letting me finish it off.”

“I did hurt him— I mean, it— you just have that stupid cheat Skill—”

“Perks of being a [Hero]. Better luck next time.”

I scowled, crossing my arms. Then a thought crossed my mind. Or a memory, in fact. Not one from long ago, but a recent one.

“Next time…”

I grinned and faced Daniel. And as if the world had the same thought as me, a roar once again broke through the forest. My Human companion had a stupid look on his face as he registered what that was.

“Maybe next time won’t be so far from now, after all.”

A Drake burst through a nearby thicket of trees, uprooting one of them as it roared a challenge at us. Just before Daniel could curse like he usually did, a second one came crashing behind us too.

[Horned Drake - Lvl. 61]

[Horned Drake - Lvl. 64]

“You’ve got to be… two of them?! But that Skill resets every other day!”

“Too bad. Let’s see if you can deal with one of them on your own.”

I raised my fire bow, already with a Blazing Bolt nocked on and ready to fire as Daniel brought his sword up warily, finally getting his curse out.

The two monsters charged us and we met them in battle. Perhaps if we were two other Gold Ranked adventurers at our levels, we would have been slaughtered by these Drakes 10 levels above our own.

But we dealt with them. And we dealt with the ones that came after them. Because we weren’t ordinary adventurers. We didn’t even have regular Classes— I didn’t even have a Class!

Daniel was a [Hero] and I was a Demon.

So, while it was a struggle to take care of these angry Drakes, we did it. Over time. We had to run from some and fought them using tricks and teamwork, using the terrain and our wits to our advantage. After a few days passing through this forest full of Drakes, we were able to survive.

And this time, I was the one to level up twice.

Defeated [Angry Horned Drake - Lvl. 61]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Predatory Horned Drake - Lvl. 59]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 54] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 55]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 55] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 56]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 56

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 3

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 58 (+5) (-6)

[Strength]: 40 (+5) (-6)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5) (-6)

[Wisdom]: 77 (+5) (-1)

[Agility]: 114 (+5) (-6)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 18

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 5

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 5 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 5

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 15

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 7

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 4

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79. Sleep Sucks!

79. Sleep Sucks!

I was Level 56 now. Thanks to the Drakes, I had managed to make up for all the levels I had been missing out on for the past few weeks; it wasn’t that I was unhappy dealing with Humans for an extended period of time— I really liked Humans… or, some of them— I just also couldn’t wait to become an Archdemon. Which, the more I thought about, seemed like wasn’t coming next.

Once we left the territory of the Drakes, re-entering a more barren region of the Motharis Mountain Range, my leveling stalled once again. No longer were there monsters above Level 60. The one monster Species we met that was above that threshold were docile— so we didn’t attack those [Ezarbs]. In fact, there was a Level 69 one that was nice.

While we continued traversing, sailing slowly towards our destination, I tested out the Skills I had finally maxed out. [Ignition] and [Self Haste]. The former being maxed let me control the fire coating my body even better— I could concentrate it more on different limbs instead of just having it uniformly spread out. Meanwhile, the latter being maxed… made me faster.

I was surprised!

“Were you really?”

Daniel asked, looking at me dubiously.

“No!”

I beamed back.

Other than that, I wasn’t exactly certain how close my remaining Skills were to being maxed. I assumed that [Advanced Fire Creation] was going to have the same number of levels [Basic Fire Creation] did, but I could not know for sure. I tried asking Daniel about it, but…

“How should I know?! I’m as clueless as you about these things!”

He wasn’t any help.

And finally, after navigating our way through different biomes and parts of the Motharis Mountain Range, we arrived.

“This is it.”

“This is the Brilsum Ruins?”

I cocked my head. What lay before us was a vast canyon— multiple rolling valleys cut into each other, forming haphazard intersections of all shapes and sizes. It was like a [Hellhound] had torn into the land, and the thin stream of water flowing through it was the blood dripping from its victim.

The orange landscape— a far more vibrant color than the dull gray of the mountain peaks, or the dark green of the forests in between mountains— was an almost welcoming sight; this was our destination. This had been where the city of Brilsum had lain many, many years ago. And this was where it had been laid to rest too.

A city state was what the Humans called it. One that was surrounded by natural barriers, protecting it from other angry Humans— or Kobolds, or Elves, or Dwarves…

The dangerous monsters in the area served to their advantage, stalling any army that may have tried to invade them, this treacherous trip inflicting too much attrition on their enemies. But it did not stop everyone.

When the Oracle of Light, Melissa, was summoned to the Nexeus, she was to end a great war between the two warring Human empires at the time. But after her job was finished, she journeyed to the Spirit Plane and met with the Fairy Queen, before coming back and destroying every Fairy temple across the Human lands. And since the city of Brilsum had been started from a Fairy temple… it suffered from her wrath. The entire city was destroyed.

Such power— that is how strong [Heroes] are. To destroy an entire city on her own. And yet—

I glanced over at my useless companion as he scoffed and shook his head, responding to my question.

“This isn’t the Brilsum Ruins— it’s… why are you staring at me like that?”

“Nothing. Just disappointed.”

“Wait, what are you disappointed about?!”

I ignored him and entered the entrance to the deep crevice. He chased after me, sputtering protests.

“Is this about that [Hero] Melissa again? I knew I shouldn’t have told you that story! It was just a legend, we don’t actually know if it’s real—”

—--

The two of us spent the day scouring the large gorge, walking alongside the rushing river cutting through it. No monsters attacked us here; there was no living creature to be seen or even heard in this canyon. Only the splashing waters were audible to my ears— but even when I stared through the clear glass-like surface…

“No fishes.”

I observed. Daniel nodded.

“Yeah, this place doesn’t give me good vibes.”

I glanced back at him, the words registering oddly to me. It only took me a moment to realize he was speaking in his native tongue— English. It was something I asked him to do. To switch languages from time to time, to try and level up my [Universal Language Comprehension]. So far, there weren't any substantive results.

“It reminds me of the Netherworld. So quiet. So serene. Until a wild Demon comes out and tries to claw your face off.”

“Well, we don’t have to worry about those here. Just gotta look out for monsters, monsters, and… more monsters. I f—”

I rubbed at my ears.

“Stop switching between languages. You know I stop understanding you when you do that!”

“I just prefer cursing in English. It sounds so much nicer.”

“It all sounds the same to me.”

“And that is?”

I shrugged, not really sure how to explain.

“They all sound like words.”

It made sense to me, however Daniel was confused. Not bothering to elucidate him— or try to figure out myself— on how my Racial Skill worked, I continued walking past him as the sun set on the horizon.

The orange canvas above slowly turned blue as the twilight settled into night. Soon, only a single thin slit in the dark curtain illuminated the land below, and the dotted, twinkling spots served to only complement the crescent moon’s glow.

Daniel’s pace slowed as he groggily trudged behind me in the muddied ground. I trooped ahead, undeterred and unaffected by the late night, only stopping when Daniel decided to stop whining and just collapse on the ground.

“I’m too tired, Salvos. We woke up before the sun even rose this morning. It’s past midnight now!”

“Doesn’t your [Hero] Class give you any Skills to help you deal with sleep?”

“No. It doesn’t.”

He sighed, sprawling himself on the ground like a corpse. Or a really tired Human.

I shook my head and sat myself down. I created a ball of fire— an actual ball— and placed it on the ground, rolling it to him.

“Here.”

I spoke simply. He raised a brow and turned to face me.

“What’s this for— ouch, hot.”

“Of course it’s hot. It’s fire.”

I rolled my eyes. I glanced up at the steep incline before me and slowly began undressing.

“Wait, Salvos, what are you—”

The Human man jumped to his feet and covered his eyes. I ignored him as my body began to shift. Cracks resounded in the night, like that of a smattering of rocks being crushed together, as I grew taller and larger.

My now pale skin almost seemed like snow in the moonlight— and my golden eyes had an almost luminescent glow to it. I dropped my clothes to the ground, taking a moment to see myself in the river water. I stood tall on two legs. But my arms were long too— if I bent over even slightly, they would be touching the floor.

I had a long face— almost like that of a [Hellhound]. It wasn’t the snout-like protrusion of a dog covered in fur, more like if you took what was underneath all that fur and smacked it on me. That was my face. Except with horns jutting out of the sides.

I turned to face Daniel who was suddenly unbothered by the fact that I was naked, and staring at me with a confused face.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m just going to climb up to the top of the canyon. Scale this cliff. See if I can spot anything.”

“Uh, what about me?”

I raised a nonexistent eyebrow at him.

“What about you?”

“What if a monster attacks me when I’m sleeping?”

I scoffed— although it came out more like a wheeze— and began to climb up.

“You’re not going to be attacked by anything. There’s been no monsters so far! And I won’t go too far, so don’t worry.”

“Wait—”

He tried calling out to me but I was already halfway to the top; I was finished climbing a moment later, and found myself on a kind of plateau. I glanced back down and saw Daniel had already resigned himself to sleeping alone and was rolling out his bed.

I cast my gaze across the vast landscape, trying to see if I could see the remains of a city anywhere in the many gorges that spread out like a spiderweb etched onto the ground. I saw nothing.

I looked and looked, but found it to be pointless.

The canyon was just that— a canyon. It was bare. Empty of life. There was no evidence anything had been here. It was just like the Netherworld, but it left me even more wanting.

I sat there at the edge of the rocky cliff as Daniel slept below. There, I began practicing my mana manipulation, fire creation, and a plethora of other Skills I could improve on. I focused on refining my magic— in weaving the threads of mana together to form something more than rugged clothing: to create a luxurious dress befitting a Princess like me.

And after weeks and months of practice. I… succeeded.

General Skill [Advanced Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 3] -> [Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

I stared down at the kusarigama in my hand with wide eyes. I… did it! I finally made the same weapon Jaakko had used!

I pumped a fist in the air as the metal from the chains clanged in a fiery sound.

“I did it! And I leveled up a General Skill too!”

I excitedly glanced down to tell Daniel— and I saw him standing up, walking further into the canyon. I blinked.

“Daniel?”

I called out to him but got no response. I leapt down to the bottom of the cliff, landing a little heavier than I would have in my Mortal Form. My eyes glazed over the camp he had briefly set up, left behind as he disappeared in the distance.

I frowned.

“Why would he…”

I picked up my clothes and tossed it in his bag, quickly gathering his things before I rushed after him. It didn’t take me long to catch up to the Human man. He was far slower than me, after all.

I put a hand out and grabbed at his shoulder—

But he shrugged me off and continued walking. I frowned and ran around him, speaking.

“Daniel, what are you doing? If you could have continued you should have just said so—”

I paused right as I circled to his front. I stared at my companion as he walked past me, eyes closed, not a single word of mine reaching him.

“He’s… sleeping?”

Staring after Daniel, I watched as he headed deeper into the canyon, almost disappearing behind a thin veil of mist that had come with the night. I took a moment to gather myself before hurrying after him once again.

“Daniel, why are you walking when you’re sleeping? Is this a Skill? Or is something else moving you?”

I waved a hand in front of him, trying to find any invisible thread that could have been pulling him along. Nope, so it isn’t the work of Giant Spiders then. I thought one of them might have been using their threads to control his movements. If that wasn’t the case, it was probably some kind of magic. And all I had to do was wake him up!

I raised a hand and smacked Daniel across the face, screaming.

“Wake up!”

The Human man recoiled, taking the blow and stumbling back. I waited for him to react— to snap back a reply. But he stayed in the same position for a moment. I blinked.

“Daniel—”

And he unsheathed his blade and swung at me.

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80. Nightmare

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80. Nightmare

In a single motion, my companion— Daniel, the [Hero]— drew his long sword and sliced it in my direction. It was so sudden, I actually didn’t react in time. I tried to take a step back. But his swing connected— and an aura flickered around me.

My Ring of Lesser Protection absorbed the hit, yet I still stumbled away from the force from the attack. I glanced up at him, eyes wide for a moment. I opened my mouth.

“Daniel—”

Then I saw his stance change. His sword blurred as he activated one of his Skills. It was then I broke out of my stupor.

“[Crescent—”

“[Self Haste]”

I flipped over my Human companion, landing lithely at his back. I swiped at his legs with a [Fire Strike], aiming not to kill him but to incapacitate him. The Human man took the brunt of the blow with a grunt— my claws dug in only slightly, drawing only some blood.

“You have a high [Vitality], huh?”

I remarked as his blade dragged on the ground before coming up at me. I leapt back, then bounded to the cliff face to my left, before pouncing on him with a [Charge of Embers].

This attack proved to be far more effective, throwing him in the air, covered with burns and cuts. He splashed into the running stream as I waited with bated breath. He was alive, right? I didn’t think it was enough to kill him, however it should have woken him up—

A glowing, curved blade shot out towards me. It cut split the water and cut the earth, just barely missing me. I growled.

“Are you serious—”

The [Hero] burst out of the water, both hands gripped on his blade. His eyes were still snapped shut. No amount of damage I had dealt to him enough to force him awake. He was under a spell! I knew he was. I hadn’t seen it before, however now I saw a slight ripple in the mana around him. Perhaps it was because now he wasn’t just being controlled to move, but to fight too.

And while I was angry that he could fall for such magic, I wasn’t going to kill him. He was my companion. Just as Haec had been.

I placed both my claws on the ground, preparing myself for his charge. The Human man sprinted at me, swinging wildly like a wild Demon would. I dodged his attacks, pivoting around him before punching him in the face. His head snapped back, but he once again came forward.

I clenched my fist, finding my sharp claws dig slightly into the palm of my hand.

“Why won’t you wake up?! I told you sleeping is stupid!”

I yelled and sent a [Scorching Wave] at him. He could have split the magical attack in half. I knew he was capable of that. But instead, he slid under the flames and swept for my legs. Just as he went under the blue fire, the world sped up. [Self Haste] ended and he tripped me. I watched the world turn before a fist collided with my chest.

I flew back and crashed onto the side of the canyon’s wall. Once again, there was a flicker around me— then a flash. The Ring of Lesser Protection no longer worked.

“Stupid ring. You used to be so good. Now you suck!”

It was probably due to the fact that I was higher leveled now. Still, I wanted to complain because I was frustrated.

I dug a claw onto the rock wall as I picked myself up. I glared at him.

“Fine. If you want to fight for real.”

I let out a light growl. Right now, he was coming at me with the Skill and skills he normally would have. But if I can get him to act wildly for a moment…

Chains appeared on my left hand, and a sickle on my right. The fire kusarigama— my most recent creation— rested there. I would have to tie Daniel up. He was strong, so I knew he could break the fire metal. This was, however, the bet plan I could think of at the moment.

My growl turned to a shriek as I activated [Zealous Call]. It was almost like the roar of a Drake.

The Title Skill shook the canyon as I prepared for his advance. He took another step forward— and his eyes snapped open.

Daniel faced me with a wild gaze. Mad and full of anger. Then he rushed me and I spread the chains wide. I threw it at his blade, catching it at the hilt as he raised the long sword. I tried to pull it down, fulcrum on my side, but he was still strong.

He stood his ground and pulled it back as I grit my teeth—

Then the Skill ended. [Zealous Call] was over. He now could revert back to his skilled [Hero] self. He relaxed his grip of the blade as I tried to use that as my chance to pull it away from him. And he blinked.

“Salvos— what… what are you doing? Where am I?”

He looked around, at a loss. I stared at him as he rubbed at his eyes.

“Are we… fighting?”

I said nothing. I only walked up to him slowly, letting go of the chains of the kusarigama. The heavy fire links dropped to the ground with a thud as his eyes wandered around in a state of confusion. He looked at the weapon and frowned.

“You finally made a kusarigama— but wait…”

I got closed to him and raised a hand. His eyes grew wide as I reached for him. He reflexively flinched.

And I pulled him into a hug.

“I’m so glad.”

I sighed, feeling my shoulders sag. My companion’s mouth opened and closed slowly. He worked his jaw.

“I-I’ll have to admit, I don’t know what’s going on. But being hugged by you while in this form isn’t as frightening as I thought it would be.”

Slowly, I let go of him. I beamed at him as he gave me an uneasy smile back. I placed both my hands on his shoulder, sighing once again. He hesitated.

“That was nice…?”

I nodded eagerly.

“I thought I was going to have to kill you.”

“...wait.”

—--

“...and I just wandered off? In my sleep?”

“You did!”

The Human man took a deep breath and sat down against the side of the canyon; I sat next to him— not reverting back to my Mortal Form since I had no reason to pretend to be Human now— and slumped my shoulders.

“I wasn’t sure what to do. There was some kind of magic taking hold of you. I didn’t notice it— it was very well hidden. Only when we began to fight could it no longer hide itself.”

As upset as Daniel had been knowing that I was prepared to kill him if the worst came to the worst, I was probably even less happy about it than him. He’s my companion, I can’t just do that! But he was strong too. And if it were between him and I living or dying? I would choose to save myself.

My stomach twisted at the thought, despite knowing it was what I would do. It did not instill any joy in me knowing that I had been close to killing Daniel— even if I hadn’t yet given up on incapacitating him. Still, I had to know what caused this.

“What kind of magic do you think could have done this?”

“If I had to guess?”

He rubbed a cloth dipped in healing potion on his back— where I had cut him earlier— and winced.

“It’s probably mind magic.”

“That’s a thing?!”

I stared at him, aghast. He nodded grimly.

“It’s a terrible kind of magic. Banned from being taught by most magical academies. But it’s not illegal to use. Not like necromancy or Demon summoning magicks.”

“And what does it do— can it… take over your mind?”

A terrible feeling crept up my shoulder. The fear of losing myself to someone else struck deep into my very bones. If I even had bones like Humans did. I was pretty sure my bones were black and sturdier than theirs were.

Daniel, however, reassured me that wasn’t possible.

“No. Nothing that drastic. Even the greatest Elf mind mages in history can’t outright rid you of your free will. In fact, mind magic is a lot better used for offensive attacks since it can’t be blocked by most forms of protections.”

“But you were not waking up and fighting me in your sleep.”

I pointed out. He nodded.

“That I was. And if I had to guess, that means there was more than just mind magic at play. I believe the mind magic was what kept me asleep. Something else moved my body.”

“Spider threads?”

“No.”

Daniel furrowed his brows. He placed a hand on his chin as he thought long and hard, trying to remember something.

“I had… been dreaming. It was a nightmare. Where I was fighting some kind of feral beast.”

“...was that feral beast me?”

I pointed a finger at myself. He exhaled.

“I didn’t want to call you that, but yes. I think that it was you who showed up in my dream.”

I shrugged.

“It’s better than being a weak Human. At least I’ll have the potential to evolve better!”

My companion ignored the comment, choosing instead to mull over the possibilities on how he had been taken over.

“I don’t think there is a kind of dream magic. Maybe… some kind of curse magic? Or illusion magic.”

“It’s a combination then. Mind magic to keep you asleep and some kind of magic that controls your dreams to direct your actions.”

“Right. And it had to be two powerful entities working together to achieve that.”

I stood up and paced before the small fire I had set down— another fire ball— to keep us warm. The night was ending, and the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. I paused and faced Daniel.

“Do you think it’s some kind of monster from the Dungeon? Or some kind of Fairy magic?”

“I’m not sure. The Dungeon is simply listed as a Platinum Rank Dungeon due to the Minotaurs that had taken over the center part of the ruined city. The rest of the city is said to be crawling with other high Gold or low Platinum monsters. But nothing else too specific. And Fairies are… elusive.”

“That is concerning.”

I tapped a clawed finger on my chin. The Human man agreed.

“So, we don’t know if this is a monster that’s stalking us doing this, and we don’t know where it’s trying to lead us to. And this means I can’t sleep until we get to the Dungeon.”

“Or you can’t sleep even when we get to the Dungeon, because if whatever is doing this to you is from the Dungeon…”

I trailed off, letting the implication hang. He understood it immediately and leaned back against the rock wall.

“Are you saying I can’t get sleep?”

“You shouldn’t need sleep in the first place!”

I shot him a smirk. But I glanced about the bright, orange gorge around us— I had compared it to the Netherworld before, but after getting a good look of it the night before, that thought was only further entrenched into me.

“I think we should find this monster, or these monsters, first. It’s not like we even know where the Dungeon is.”

“Hey, I know where it is! It’s in the center of this canyon!”

“And do you even know where the center of this canyon is? Because when I was up above last night, I couldn’t even tell where we came from.”

“...point.”

Daniel got up slowly, still tired and injured from the fight last night. Even with both healing potions and [Rest] combined, he was still slightly hurt. They weren’t close to cure-alls. Not without enough healing potion or enough time with [Rest], at least.

“So what do you suggest we do?”

Daniel glanced over at me, picking up his sword. I smiled innocently. Although my bared teeth did betray my intentions.

“It’s not that difficult. They do want us to find them, after all.”

He blinked.

“Oh, I’m going to be a bait.”

—--

It was difficult, trying to keep Daniel awake for the rest of the day. He was a lazy Human who kept almost dozing off. But I had no idea if this magic would only take control of people sleeping at night, or those sleeping in the afternoon too. So, it was better to keep him awake.

I did everything I could. From splashing water at him to poking him with a flaming finger thanks to [Ignition]. He did not appreciate all these methods I worked through to help him, but eventually night fell and I could use [Zealous Call] again. All I had to do then was snap him out from his sleep when we were close to whatever monster it was.

The Title Skill seemed to override that magic, after all. Titles are good!

My companion dozed off, but he did not get up immediately. Instead, he stayed there, snoring, for what felt like two hours, before he suddenly got up and groggily made his way through the canyon.

I nodded to myself, please, and began to follow him.

He mindlessly navigated through this rock maze far better than he did when he was awake, making sharp turns and crossing through the river to get to his destination. The gaps between the cliffs grew narrower as the rock walls grew steeper. I could not scale them as easily as I had before, now.

Keeping a slight distance from Daniel, I stalked him through the misty night, following him as he walked through the haze, unimpeded. Finally, he reached an end to his path. What lay before him was a collapsed part of the canyon. Broken and fallen rocks barred his path— and atop it stood a creature.

A shadowed figure that waited for him to arrive. The monster that called him to his domained. I narrowed my eyes, trying to identify whatever it was from this distance, before I realized that the broken rocks weren’t rocks. In fact, they weren’t even from this canyon.

The translucent white obscured it at first, but I realized now the pale color of the rocks. Marble or limestone. Whatever it was, I recognized that it was a collapsed part of a building. I frowned as I followed closer, while Daniel climbed up to meet whoever it was that was leading him to it.

And finally, the words appeared in my head. The place we had been looking for. The destination I had been trying to reach.

Now entering [Dungeon: Brilsum Ruins].

A note from MelasD

Total combined wordcount for the next 20 chapters available on my patreon:

Chapter 81: 3,000 words

Chapter 82: 2,300 words

Chapter 83: 2,200 words

Chapter 84: 2,700 words

Chapter 85: 2,400 words

Chapter 86: 2,600 words

Chapter 87: 2,400 words

Chapter 88: 3,500 words

Chapter 89: 4,100 words

Chapter 90: 5,700 WORDS

Chapter 91: 4,000 words

Chapter 92: 5,000 WORDS

Chapter 93: 4,000 words

Chapter 94: 4,000 words

Chapter 95: 5,000 WORDS

Chapter 96: ELEVEN FUCKING THOUSAND WORDS

Chapter 97: 2,100 words

Chapter 98: 2,600 words

Chapter 99: 3,200 words

Chapter 100: 3,100 words

Total word count: 75,400 words

You can read all 75,400 words right now for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here! Do consider supporting me, as I'm trying to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

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81. Brilsum Ruins

A note from MelasD

Pride and Prejudice, Salvos Volume 2 is now finished for patrons.

You can read all 20 chapters, up to 75,000 words, or a month ahead, on my patreon!

81. Brilsum Ruins

Edithe woke up to the sounds of a bookshelf falling over. She jumped to her feet and glanced around the room, hand raised and a spell ready to fire. She paused as she saw the little girl standing, backed up against the rightmost wall, barely a feet away from the collapsed pile of books.

Rachel turned apprehensively towards Edithe and opened her mouth.

“I… I’m sorry.”

She squeaked and braced herself. The red haired woman blinked and slowly lowered her hand.

“What happened?”

Edithe asked, walking forward slowly. The little girl began mumbling out a response.

“I was just trying to— I saw a book about… it was about Demons and…”

She trailed off. Edithe stared down at her, and a gentle smile spread across her face. Patting Rachel on the head, she spoke softly.

“It’s fine. There’s nothing to be worried about. You just made a small mistake, that’s all.”

“But… but… it’s ruined.”

The two cast their towards the splintered wooden frame and the spilled books. Edithe laughed.

“Honestly, that had been an old bookshelf. I’m surprised it took that long to break under the weight of all my damn books.”

The red haired woman winced— she probably shouldn’t have cursed in front of Rachel. Apparently, Salvos had learned how to swear from her. It was… not a good example to set for someone so immature. And Rachel, while a little more mature, was still a child.

Edithe swore to herself that she’d mind her tongue better in the future, knowing full well she’d probably fail the very next day. But that wasn’t important now. Right now, she was stroking her hand through the little girl’s crumpled hair.

“You need a bath. When was the last time you washed up?”

“...I don’t know.”

“You mean Daniel and Salvos didn’t bring you to one once you… you know?”

“No. I… don’t think Salvos knows what a bath is. Whenever Mr Daniel says she smells, she just burns it off with her [Ignition] Skill.”

“Figures. And I assume that’s why Daniel gave her that jacket, huh? Cause she kept going through her clothes.”

“...yes.”

Edithe got up and slowly picked Rachel up by the waist. She met the amber-eyed girls’ gaze and grinned.

“Well, unlikely Salvos and Daniel, I’m going to get you all cleaned up. Because I think you’re smelly. And little noble girls like you shouldn’t be smelly.”

Rachel pouted. But she hesitantly glanced over at a doll sitting on the bedside table.

“...can… can Princess bathe with us too?”

“Of course.”

Edithe took the doll too and started out of the room. They made their way through the wooden corridor of the Valiant Dreamers’ headquarters and down the stairs to the first floor. As Edithe reached the exit just ahead, she halted as she heard a conversation from just beyond between Paige and Ian.

“Hey, has there been any news?”

“On Sophia and Cless? None at all.”

“They shouldn’t take this long to find Gabriel, right?”

“Nope. They should have returned by now.”

“Think they’re ok?”

“Hopefully. But the two Gold Ranks that accompanied did not seem too reliable. I don’t know what Hadrian was thinking, sending them instead of one of us.”

“He’s too young as a leader. The Motharis Mountain Range is dangerous. It may be classed a Gold Rank area, but it has many unknown monsters and creatures in it. If Baris weren’t—”

Edithe suddenly pushed the door open, cutting off their conversation. She simply smiled and nodded their way as she carried Rachel through the gates and out into Viechester. The red haired woman found her jaws unclenching as she felt a tug come from the little girl.

“Ms Edithe… do you think they’ll be alright?”

She paused in the middle of the cobbled street to stare at the girl. Then slowly, she nodded reassuringly.

“They’ll be fine. I’m sure of it.”

The Edithe raised a handle and lightly pinched Rachel’s cheeks.

“Also, just call me Edithe, alright? I’m not old enough to be called a Miss all the time by a child like you.”

“Ow.”

Now entering [Dungeon: Brilsum Ruins].

Grinding to a halt, the words echoed in my mind, causing me to glance about for a moment. Other than the collapse building ahead of me, I saw no Dungeon— no destroyed city— within the vicinity. It was all the same canyon— orange rocks and a quiet river.

I decided not to mull over that thought for now, focusing on what was ahead of me. There were two figures hiding in the darkness. Daniel and the monster that was partly controlling him. Finishing his climb to the top of the rubble, he now stood next to the other, more ethereal figure.

Should probably use [Zealous Call] now, but… I had no idea what level this monster was. I had to get a little closer. I needed to identify him or her or it before I planned my next course of action.

Creeping up to the base of the decrepit and ruined building, I finally could use [Identification] on the monster. The words resounded in my head and I… smiled.

[Nightmare Mindreaper - Lvl. 77]

That was one powerful monster. And apparently the source behind the mind magic keeping Daniel asleep. However, it was also 20 levels above me. So it was risky, but—

[Title Skill: Zealous Call].

I let out a piercing, growling shriek. The prolonged cry would have reached any throng of monsters or animals nearby, drawing their ire towards me, but it also would break Daniel out of the nightmare he was in.

Instantly, the two figures— Daniel and the Mindreaper— snapped their attention at me. They charged mindlessly, a blare of mind magic instantly hitting me. My head felt like it was a well swelling up with water, bursting and ready to explode.

But I fought through the pain and sent a [Scorching Wave] pluming into the air. It distracted both Daniel and the Mindreaper long enough for the [Hero] to snap out of the Skill and gather himself back to normal. The Mindreaper, too, broke out of the trance it was in. It had been climbing down the rubble before, but now it slowly floated up and flitted in the air above me.

It looked just as ethereal as it had been before. A pale, purple creature with two clawed hands hovered up next to the rubble. It crossed its arms as it cast its green eyes around— it furrowed its brows, although there was no hair in its wrinkled and granular forehead.

It also had no mouth and no legs— a jawless face that had only an indent where its lips should have been. What replaced its legs were half a dozen slim appendages, each one reaching out and curling into itself. These tentacles were not that much longer than its arms, however there was something about it that allowed it to float— some kind of evolutionary Racial Skill?

The Mindreaper seemed almost translucent in the thin mist veil hanging over the canyon. But before it could get a good grasp of its surroundings— parse what happened to it— Daniel found his bearings first. Swinging his long sword as he shouted a Skill, a glowing blade shot out of his sword, slicing the air in half, and barely missing the monster.

It glared at him angrily, before I leapt up at it, clawing for its face. The fiery strike actually tore through its skin, however it almost felt like I was tearing through nothing. I landed back down, frowning.

“No… blood?”

I glanced up at the Mindreaper as my Human companion ran up next to me, his weapon in hand.

“I’ve heard about this monster— of Mindreapers. They’re powerful magical beings, mostly made of mana. But they still get hurt by physical attacks. Just less so.”

“Huh. Well, good thing my attacks all use magical fire.”

“Not such a good thing for me. And I’m the one who’s supposed to be dealing more damage in our team.”

“We’re barely even a team— there’s only two of us!”

“That’s not the point.”

I shook my head as Daniel sighed.

“It means you’ll have to be the one hurting it, and I’ll try to lure it in.”

“Now you know what it feels like, using your all to hit someone, only for them to shrug it off.”

“It’s not my fault my [Strength] is—”

A wave of mind magic silenced him, sending the both of us reeling. We grasped at our heads as words suddenly appeared to me; thoughts that weren’t there before.

...how...are....you...awake…?

The question seemed to be directed at Daniel, but I heard it too. I narrowed my eyes.

“It can communicate?”

“Some monsters can— and Mindreapers are extremely smart.”

“Well, if it’s very smart and it decided to attack us anyway, it’s nothing more than a horned Demon!”

Blood ran down my nose as I bounded ahead, activating [Self Haste] to propel me towards the Mindreaper as fast as I could. It saw my approach, and suddenly the mind magic bearing down at me doubled in intensity. My body felt sluggish, even with my speed Skill pushing me forward.

Leaping up in the air, I let [Charge of Embers] take effect. I reached the Mindreaper in an instant and once again dug my claw into its body. It let out a silent scream as more of its body was sheared away, my [Fire Strikes] too much for it to handle.

The Mindreaper raised its own clawed hand and struck me across the face, knocking me back down to the ground. Gathering itself, it began to focus its mind magic on me once more—

And a large rock struck it in the chest.

It reeled back as Daniel dashed forward, carrying another rock in one hand and hurling it at the Mindreaper. He bellowed a Skill as his sword swung in an arc, going for its tentacle-legs.

Dodging the attack, it flew up, only to be met with a wave of blue fire, burning its entire body. The Mindreaper shelled up with its arms, trying to guard itself from the attack. But a burning fire chain caught its arms and yanked it straight down to the ground.

I used the kusarigama to pull the monster towards me, a savage grin spread across my face as it came closer and closer. It was almost weightless— perhaps that was how it was able to float. Not unlike Mistshard even as a Lesser Spirit.

I readied the sickle part of the kusarigama as it came closer to me, frantically sending waves of mind magic my way— trying to both hurt me or impel me to sleep. I shrugged off both the attacks and swung the kusarigama up.

The Mindreaper’s body was torn in half. A final, magically communicated, scream left it as it fell to the ground.

Defeated [Nightmare Mindreaper - Lvl. 77]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 56] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 57]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I slumped over to the ground and heaved a sigh of relief.

“That was tough! I almost died!”

I felt my shoulders sag, exhaustion flowing through me. Reaching into my bag, I produced a healing potion. I chugged it down, slowly feeling the pained feeling my head disappear— although the blood pouring out of my mouth and nose remained.

“That wasn’t that bad.”

Daniel remarked from the side, slowly making his way towards me. Giving him a half glare, I sprawled myself on the ground.

“It’s your fault it was even that bad! You started talking when it was right in front of us and let it get a free hit on us!”

“I was just trying to warn you about its abilities— you dragged it on by mulling over every tiny detail.”

I crossed my arms.

“Well, it barely attacked you. I could feel my life leaving me through my head! If you hadn’t attacked it when you did, I would have died.”

“Your Ring of Lesser Protection didn’t protect you at all?”

“Nope.”

I raised my clawed finger with the magical artifact on it, showing it to him.

“It’s out of mana thanks to you. But even if it wasn’t, I highly doubt it would have helped.”

“Oh…”

He scratched the back of his head, averting his gaze slightly.

“That fight went a lot closer than I thought it would have gone. Even if it was a Level 77 monster…”

“There was no way for me to dodge its mind magic. I just had to keep hurting to lessen the pain. But—”

I grinned, pointing a finger at myself.

“At least I leveled up.”

“Oh, I did too.”

“Aw.”

I felt slightly disappointed, but was reassured too. If we’re going to be tackling this Platinum Rank Dungeon, we’re going to have to both be strong. I was excited, but I couldn’t lie and say I was not worried in the least. Especially if every monster we fight is going to be over Level 70.

I let [Rest] take over for a bit, regaining my stamina and mana naturally, rather than using the mana or stamina potions we had packed for this trip. While I did that, I quickly distributed my Stat and Skill Points to prepare for future battles.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon]

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 57

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 3

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 60 (+5)

[Strength]: 40 (+5)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 79 (+5)

[Agility]: 115 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 18

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 6

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 5 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 7

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 15

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 7

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 4

Just a little more [Vitality] to be safe, I thought as I finished. Sitting down next to me, Daniel began to rub at his forehead.

“So, I still didn’t get enough sleep.”

“Yep.”

I agreed. He hesitated and chewed his lower lip as he made a suggestion.

“Do you think I can sleep now, or…?”

“Dunno. We are in the Brilsum Ruins, so maybe it’s fine?”

“Wait, we’re already in the Dungeon?”

Blinking, Daniel gave me a confused look. I cocked my head.

“Didn’t you get the notification too? Oh wait, you were sleepwalking at that point.”

“This is the Dungeon?”

He glanced around at the canyon ahead, then the rubble behind us.

“It doesn’t look like… much of a Dungeon.”

“I think we haven’t fully entered the Dungeon just yet. We’ll have to see where that Mindreaper was leading you— there has to be something over that pile of collapsed marble and limestone.”

“Alright, so we take a quick look around then… I sleep?”

“Sure.”

I got up and began scaling the white debris until I reached the top of the small mound. However, as I got to the peak, something made me paused.

Now leaving [Dungeon: Brilsum Ruins].

It, however, wasn’t the words that appeared in my head that made me stop in my tracks. And Daniel, who was a few steps behind me, gave me a confused look as he made his way towards me.

“What’s wrong, Salvos— wait, why aren’t we in the Dungeon anymore…”

He trailed off as he saw what I saw.

What lay beyond the collapsed limestone and marble— the debris of what was once a building— was a deep decline that sunk even below the deepest gorge of the canyon. It was an expansive hole, almost like a crater, that spread out for miles in every direction.

The tall cliffs and plateaus of the canyon all ended here, forming a circle around this giant pit. And inside the pit was our destination.

The Brilsum Ruins.

A destroyed city, full of broken buildings and collapsed structures that had once been grand. The rubble flowed into the intersecting streets, turning the roads into spilled messes. Shattered limestone and brick wrinkled the ground like rocks on a mountainous path, but even this sight of a fallen city was not what had stopped me.

It was the myriad of monsters, lumbering through the Brilsum Ruins. Drakes, Saeves, Gatho Mammoths— many monsters that I had seen on my trek to the Dungeon and others I was seeing for the first time— they all littered the Platinum Dungeon before me, traveling in packs. Huddled in groups.

And the ones leading them— the dozens and dozens of creatures that floated above these Gold Rank monsters that were so numerous here?

They were Mindreapers.

A note from MelasD

Minor retcon: Mindflayers became Mindreapers due to possible copyright issues.

Also, moar arts for the art god. Commissioned Salvos in a different style to the usual anime ones I get haha

By DinoDerp

Current patreon backlog is at over 75,000 words right now. You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

Do consider supporting me, as I'm trying to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

82. Return

A note from MelasD

My formatting no longer carries over when I paste to the RR editor. I don't know why.

82. Return

Rows and rows of monsters marched down the broken streets of the Brilsun Ruins far below us. They walked in haphazard groups— throngs of the gargantuan Gatho Mammoths lumbered alongside the far smaller Ground Cravers, accidentally crushing a few of them once in a while. But the Ground Cravers didn’t mind.

These accidents didn’t even register in the minds of the monsters. Because, to them, they were not doing anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps they thought they were still in their Lairs or in their homes in the Mothatis Mountain Range. It didn’t matter what they thought— their real senses were shut off as they were kept asleep by the Mindreapers leading them.

The powerful Platinum Rank monsters. The Level 70 creatures made of mana, which had powerful mind magic that could even keep a Level… whatever Daniel’s level was… [Hero] sleeping in the midst of combat. They were with these monsters, keeping them from waking and breaking free from whatever spell they were under.

I stared at these mindless masses, eyes wide. Daniel stood next to me, his face furrowed, and his hand tightly gripping the hilt of his sword. He spoke through clenched teeth.

“They’re… gathering an army?”

“They are.”

I nodded. The Human man shook his head and just sat down. Rubbing at his temples, he let out a tired sigh.

“Seems like I might not be getting any sleep tonight, huh?”

“Yep.”

“Or the night after. And the night after. And…”

He trailed off. He glanced over at me hesitantly, trying to peer at my shadowed face.

“...do you think we should go back?”

“What do you mean?”

“Report this to the Valiant Dreamers Company. No matter how you look at this, this isn’t normal. Mindreapers… they don’t do this. They’re monsters. And this?”

He gestured at a group of [Rancor Mites]. They had been hopping along at a meandering pace until the Mindreaper stopped. Then the creature of magic turned around and pointed at them. Their movements ceased and they dropped to the ground, asleep.

Suddenly, all the other monsters surrounding the sleeping [Rancor Mites] charged at the lower leveled bug-like creatures. They tore them apart where they lay, gaining experience and levels without any resistance or effort. Narrowing my eyes, I turned back to Daniel.

“This isn’t normal. They’re trying to level up the stronger monsters. And they’re gathering them too. That’s why the canyon was so empty. I don’t know what’s going on, Salvos. And we need to go back.”

He stared at me with a grim look on his face; he was pleading, hoping for me to see his reason. I opened my mouth—

“You’re right.”

Daniel began to protest but stopped. He blinked.

“Uh… what?”

I felt my shoulders sag as the words left my mouth.

“You’re right. This is clearly too much for us to handle. I was expecting to fight… a few dozen Minotaurs when we reached this Dungeon. Even if they were higher leveled than me, I knew I could probably move faster than them. The reports we were given at the Adventurers Guild told us they typically had high [Strength] and [Vitality] over all else.”

Shaking my head, I glanced back at the floating Mindreapers, spread throughout the vast, sprawling sunken city.

“Mindreapers on the other hand… I can’t dodge their attacks. Not at all. And they can hit me from a distance, we saw that with the one we just fought. Even though he had been far away from us, his mind magic reached us in an instant, making my head feel like it wanted to burst.”

I took a step forward and crouched down on one knee. Placing a clawed hand on the ground, I admitted I was out of my depth.

“This Platinum Rank Dungeon… it’s not at all what I imagined. I expected monsters fighting each other. Minotaurs. Some Platinum Rank monsters. But I don’t see any Minotaurs. I don’t see any Platinum Rank monsters. I only see too many Gold Rank monsters for us to fight. And dangerous Mindreapers that would control you in your sleep.”

Daniel stared at me with joy in his eyes. He brightened and spoke excitedly.

“So you’re saying we should go back—”

“No.”

I cut him off before he could get his hopes up. I met his gaze and spoke slowly.

“We came here for a reason. I… wanted to level up too. Maybe become an Archdemon at Level 70— although I’m now not really sure if my next evolution will make me one— but the main reason we came here is to find the Fairies.”

My Human companion chewed his lower lip, his eyes darting between me and the Dungeon below. Before he could protest, I laid out my plan for him.

“We don’t have to fight any of these monsters. Not unless it’s necessary. All we have to do is sneak through the city without them realizing we’re there.”

“That’s dangerous, Salvos. If we’re found out, we could have a horde of monsters chasing after us.”

“I’m sure we could take on one of the smaller groups of Mindreapers.”

There were a lot of monsters gathered below, and from what I noticed, many of them weren’t even Gold Rank threats. Sure, there were still hundreds of monsters like the Saeves or the Drakes. But they were clearly in the minority here.

“In fact, if we planned an attack on one of them nicely, I think we could kill a Mindreaper and free the monsters under whatever mind magic they have them under, making them fight the other monsters in the area. And that could serve as our distraction to escape.”

“That’s true…”

Trailing off, Daniel still looked uncertain about this. He took a deep breath and sighed.

“I don’t think this is a bad idea, Salvos. Or at least, not a terrible one. But I will only agree to it under one condition.”

I cocked my head.

“And that is?”

“I need to get some sleep.”

—--

Now leaving [Dungeon: Brilsum Ruins].

My Human companion and I made our way back through the canyon, making sure to mark a clear path to the Dungeon so we could get there much quicker next time. I remained out of my Mortal Form, feeling more secure with the extra 6 [Vitality] I had when I was out of it.

I knew that switching back and forth from my Mortal Form would level it up more; that was what I had surmised and assumed from the one level up I got for it. However, if a Mindreaper attacked me from far away, I might not survive to reach it even if I used both [Self Haste] and [Charge of Embers] combined.

Agreeing that it was the best move to leave the canyons for now, I followed Daniel until we were at the very edge of the orange rocky cliffs. Then my Human companion collapsed and got to work— sleeping.

Sitting down next to him, I let [Rest] fully take over me and let my wounds recover and close up. Once I was fully healed, I got up and received a surprise notification.

General Skill [Rest] Level Up!

[Rest - Lvl. 2] -> [Rest - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

“Huh.”

I hadn’t got a level in that for a while; it made sense since I was relying on healing potions more than anything now. Plus, I tried my hardest not to get hit in every battle. So, it was leveling far slower than I had hoped.

Feeling energized, I began working on my [Advanced Mana Manipulation] as I always did until Daniel awoke from his slumber. It had been daytime when he went to sleep. Now it was dusk, and the sun was setting, burning the horizon with a brilliant orange hue.

I walked up to my companion as he rubbed at his eyes, blinking.

“You know, seeing a scary Demon first thing in the morning is a bit… frightening.”

“It isn’t morning. And…”

I bared my teeth at him.

“I prefer it if you’re scared.”

Sighing, the Human man stood up and stretched his back.

“So, what should we do now? We can’t just try scouring only tiny parts of the Brilsum Ruins every night before returning here for the rest of the day. It’s not feasible. It will take too much time.”

“Yep!”

I nodded enthusiastically and lifted my chin proudly.

“That’s why I’ve been thinking. About a way to tackle this Dungeon. See, we both know that you don’t immediately get taken over by the Mindreapers and whatever other magic is working alongside it when you fall asleep. It takes a while. And the Mindreaper has to leave the Dungeon first.”

“Do we test the range of the Mindreapers before we try to find a good spot to rest and set up as a checkpoint?”

“Exactly! And we should also observe them. See what they’re doing at different times of the day.”

“They just seem like they’re amassing an army to me.”

I scoffed and folded my arms across my chest.

“We don’t know that. That was something you assumed when you saw it. For all we know, they could just be gathering a bunch of high leveled monsters to sacrifice to level up for themselves.”

“That’s… a possibility. A bit unlikely. But it is.”

Raising a clawed finger, I explained myself.

“I think the best thing for us to do now is to observe them. Pay attention to what they’re doing. Then once we’re at least a little bit familiar with their patterns and movements at different times of day, we can try and sneak past them. Search for the Fairies or draw them out.”

Daniel nodded slowly. He reached into his fake Bag of Holding and produced a few sheets of paper.

“These are the notes Edithe gave us. The ones she got from researching herself and speaking to Mistshard. Apparently, while Fairies are reportedly sighted by adventurers who have delved into the Brilsum Ruins, they are incredibly rare. And it is completely random.”

“So we can’t just do some kind of ritual here to summon them?”

“No. But I do have a bit of an idea on where they can be found.”

I gave him a curious look, peering over at the notes. He placed it on the ground for me to see and sighed.

“It’s not written here by Edithe. It’s just something I was told when I was first… summoned into this world, I guess. When I was told of the tales about the previous [Heroes].”

“Melissa.”

I spoke her name reverently. If only Daniel were like her— we wouldn’t have any issue dealing with these Mindreapers. Or better yet, if she replaces Daniel, I won’t complain either. I made the teasing jibe to myself and snickered.

Daniel did not notice it, instead recounting what he thought was important.

“You see, all the temples out there— the Sanctuary of Fauna, the Sanctum of Elements, the Den of Souls, and even the Court of the Fae— they were all founded by Humans and only Humans. They came long before the Spirit Lord made a pact with Alexander as a result of Human’s fascination with the Spirit Plane. Many Humans, especially those who were uneducated, even worshipped the Spirits as some kind of deity.”

“Huh. That sounds nice. I’d like that to be me.

Ignoring me, he raised a finger.

“But the Fairy Queen didn’t like that. The Fairies tried to chase the Humans away, but they always returned, worshipping them. If she could, she would have ordered her Fairies to destroy all Humans that approached them. But after the Spirit Lord made a deal with Humanity, she could no longer do so as she did not want to draw his ire. If Spirits— even if they were Fairies— acted against Humans on their own, the pact would have been at risk.”

“So she asked one of your own [Heroes] to do it instead?”

“Exactly.”

He shifted uncomfortably.

“I don’t know why Melissa agreed to do it. But she did. And now all the Fairy temples are gone. Except for whatever remains of them in the old and destroyed cities that had them. Such as the Brilsum Ruins. I think… I think that’s our best place to search for Fairies.”

“But hasn’t it been destroyed?”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Why would the Fairies remain there when it’s gone?”

“Because I think that Fairies have a reason to be there. That’s why they couldn’t just up and leave when Humans kept forming places of worship around them. And that’s why they’re being spotted in the Brilsum Ruins even now.”

I paused, considering this. Daniel gave me a helpless shrug.

“That’s the first place we should start looking for, at least. I don’t think it would hurt to try.”

“You’re right.”

I nodded and shot him a grin.

“I think that’s the best suggestion you’ve made so far. We should do exactly that!”

We locked gazes. This is what we need to do, I thought. Daniel looked at me for a moment, his feet shuffling under him. He hesitated, bobbing his mouth like a fish. Until finally, he spoke.

“Why are you being so mean to me recently, Salvos? Also, your grin as a Demon… isn’t exactly reassuring.”

“Fine, I’ll stop!”

…

“When you say you’ll stop, are you saying you’ll stop smirking at me in this form or are you saying you’ll stop making fun of me? Salvos…? Hey, Salvos stop ignoring me!”

A note from MelasD

Will Salvos stop being mean to Daniel, or will Salvos stop scaring Daniel? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z!

Current patreon backlog is at over 75,000 words right now. You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

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83. Observations

83. Observations

“Are we ready?”

I asked Daniel the question as he glanced back one last time to the camp we had set up just outside of the rocky canyons in the Motharis Mountain Range. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he turned back to me.

“I think so.”

He had his long sword sheathed on his waist, with a hand resting on its hilt. I nodded back at him.

“Then let’s go.”

We started making our way back in the direction of the Brilsum Ruins; the Platinum Rank Dungeon was not too far away, however, if we took our time getting there, it would still take a few hours to arrive. So, we made haste.

Daniel and I navigated through the deep gorges of the canyon, making sharp turns as we quickly headed back to the entrance to the Dungeon. It only took us an hour— with Daniel’s slower pace— to get there.

If we had sprinted full speed, we would have arrived far sooner. But we were also being wary— cautious of any Mindreapers that might have been scouring the canyon for any monsters to attack in their sleep. I didn’t think that was how they operated, but without any observations, I could not come to any proper conclusion.

Climbing up to the top of the stark, white rubble in this orange, barren landscape, Daniel and I found ourselves staring down at the Brilsum Ruins once again. The sight was familiar— a broken city, hundreds of Gold Rank monsters and hundreds more of weaker monsters, and Mindreapers leading them.

They marched up and down the streets, lumbering like the mindless, sleeping creatures they were. I went prone on the ground next to Daniel and faced him.

“Anything stands out to you?”

“Not really. Looks exactly the same as yesterday.”

“Mindreapers do need to sleep, right?”

“...maybe?”

If they didn’t need sleep— I would both be glad and be disappointed. Disappointed because it would probably make it that much more difficult for us to sneak through the Brilsum Ruins undetected. But glad because at least something in the Mortal Realm was capable of fending off the mighty bodily needs that dominated monsters, animals, and sapient creatures alike!

We both lay there, trying to stay out of view, and observed the movements of the Mindreapers and those under their control. The throngs of monsters generally did nothing but follow after the Mindreapers. And that meant keeping to the periphery of the Brilsum Ruins.

At first, I thought it was a coincidence— that the Mindreapers stayed away from what looked like the inner part of the city. They kept to the edge— close to where the crater started to incline up to the rest of the canyon. Where broken walls lay fallen and crumbled, having been broken by a great [Hero], then eroded over time.

The streets they filled were limited to beyond the second set of broken walls— the ones forming a circle around the center of the city. These walls had not been fully collapsed: part of it had been felled, taken by nature or by magic, but some of it remained standing. They white sheen they had were familiar, although they were now dusted over to a dirty gray color.

Banclite.

The very same kinds of minerals that made up the walls protecting Viechester. I pointed it out to Daniel who had been focusing on a group led by a Mindreaper flying particularly close to us, but had already gone off to patrol somewhere else.

“Banclite. It says here in Edithe’s notes that that’s where the Minotaurs are supposed to be.”

“So the Mindreapers are scared of the Minotaurs then.”

“Possibly.”

“Maybe they want to take the rest of the Dungeon for themselves? That’s why they’re building a monster army.”

Furrowing his brows, Daniel got up and began to climb back down from our elevated position. I followed after him with a raised brow.

“Where are you going?”

“Not comfortable with talking so close to them. But that is a possibility. I find it unlikely though.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because Mindreapers are supposed to be solitary monsters. Why would so many of them be working together?”

“I dunno.”

I raised my shoulders in a shrug.

“How are they able to control monsters with their mind magic?”

“I’m not sure. But I think something else is aiding them. To enhance their magic and use their own magic to achieve this.”

“Then maybe that other thing is also making them work together.”

I helpfully suggested. Daniel’s face twisted and he glanced back up where we came from. He was staring at the white rubble, but I knew he was actually looking at the city— imagining its layout.

“And that’s what I’m worried about. Come on, let’s get back up there. I can stay awake until noon comes… I think.”

—--

Daniel and I continued observing the movements of the Mindreapers, even as dawn came, opening the curtain of night, and bringing with it the light of the sun. A warm glow once again settled over the orange canyons. The high cliffs and tall plateaus behind us were a beautiful and unique sight. To see something so empty of life while not in the Netherworld… I was amazed by it.

However, my focus stayed on the Brilsum Ruins; my eyes were locked on the Mindreapers. And sure enough, even throughout the morning, the powerful mind mages kept to the outer part of the city. Despite the inner city’s walls being broken and damaged— where they could have easily crossed through it— they remained moving in haphazard directions away from it.

It was almost noon, and Daniel was yawning now, starting to get tired. I was going to suggest that we go back, having gathered what I thought was enough for us to attempt our first sneak through the city tomorrow. Until something strange happened.

A Mindreaper to the western part of the city suddenly stopped moving. The monsters following it halted in their tracks too, turning their heads in the same direction that the Mindreaper was looking. Then they all collapsed to the ground. Every Gatho Mammoth, Ground Craver, and Rancors were now just lying there where they once stood.

Narrowing my eyes, I nudged Daniel to draw his attention to it.

“What are they doing?”

“I don’t know. But I think they’re still alive.”

“How do you know?”

I shrugged and turned back to the Mindreaper. It was slowly floating higher and higher up until it was at an even altitude with Daniel and I. The two of us immediately shrunk back, obscuring ourselves slightly behind the rubble.

“What is it—”

The Mindreaper shot forward. It flew as fast as the Mindreaper attacking us had been, far faster than the other slow floating Mindreapers who were still aimlessly traversing the city.

Becoming nothing more than a speck in the distance, I watched as the Mindreaper suddenly came to a halt, the dot in the sky no longer getting any further. I frowned as Daniel opened his mouth. Before he could ask his question, I gave an answer.

“It’s doing what that Mindreaper controlling you had been doing.”

The Human man gave me a blank look, until slowly, his eyes grew wide. Realization sunk in and he spoke for me.

“It’s going to find more monsters to bring back.”

“Yep.”

I eyed the Mindreaper, so far away, and yet its presence felt so close; if it spotted us from there, we would have to flee the collective attack of the monster army down in the Brilsum Ruins below. But we couldn’t just leave or sink back into the crevices and cracks, hiding away from sight. We wouldn’t be able to see them either. And we had to make sure it was doing what I thought it was. It was risky, and I was willing to take the risk.

Daniel held still, waiting with bated breath for the Mindreaper to make its return. Sure enough, it did. Following it was a flock of [Vurats]. The low leveled flying creatures that feasted on the corpses of the dead, refusing to fight without provocation. Then its horde of monsters rose, still asleep and moving against their will.

I thought that was it. My suspicions had been confirmed. I was willing to take that information for now and return to our little camp. But just as I pulled away to leave, the [Vurats] plunged themselves straight down at the Gold Rank threats. They charged straight at the gargantuan monsters and small monsters alike. I stared as this happened.

For a moment, I thought they managed to break free from the Mindreaper’s sleep spell. But I realized soon after that it was a command by the Mindreaper. It watched callously as the weak winged creatures were torn apart, dozens of them all killed by the monsters in its horde.

“Why’s it doing that?”

Daniel frowned, watching the massacre go on. He turned to me, speaking angrily.

“It could have grown its horde, but it sent them to die.”

“It wants its stronger monsters to level. We saw that yesterday, didn’t we?”

“But that wasn’t planned! This was methodical. It just went straight to a bunch of lower leveled monsters and killed them.”

Glancing back at Daniel, I gave him a puzzled look. I quizzically arched a brow.

“Isn’t that what you adventurers do? You exterminate monsters in their Lairs, in their Dungeons, in their homes. This doesn’t seem any different.”

“But we do it because they’re a threat!”

I raised a clawed finger, covering his mouth.

“You’re talking too loud. And only some of you do it because they’re a threat. Other adventurers aren’t as kind. Or do you think Stephen is the kind of Platinum Rank who goes about fighting monsters for the sole purpose of helping people?”

“I…”

He hesitated. I eyed the last of the [Vurats] as they were killed, then watched the Mindreaper resume its patrolling of the outer city. I hopped down from the rubble, gesturing for Daniel to follow.

“I think that’s all we needed to see today. It seems like they don’t sleep. So we’re going to have to test how far their reach goes now.”

Daniel slowly followed after me, a scowl stickered onto his face. Patting him on the shoulder, I smiled reassuringly at him.

“That means you can sleep!”

—--

We found a small alcove about halfway between our camp and the Brilsum Ruins which I thought would be a good place for Daniel to try to rest in. The Human man closed his eyes and lay there. I expected him to instantly pass out, tired and exhausted from staying up for so long. However instead, he began tossing and turning, flipping his bedroll around and even resting his head on his own arm then both his arms.

“What are you doing?”

I finally snapped at him. He creaked one eye open.

“Trying to sleep.”

“Why can’t you just sleep already?”

“It’s not that easy!”

He harrumphed and flipped around, facing away from me. Crossing my arms, I plopped myself to the ground with a huff.

“He keeps talking about sleep but when he gets to sleep he can’t even do it…”

Eventually, Daniel did fall into slumber. The Human man’s breathing slowed as he lay there in his bedroom, unmoving. Getting up, I glanced around the outside of the alcove to see if any Mindreaper was nearby. None so far.

Waiting patiently for an hour, I finally decided that the test was a success and that at this distance, no Mindreaper was going to control him. I was wrong.

Two hours later, as I was in the middle of identifying a strange, multicolored rock, Daniel stood up with his eyes closed and began marching down the canyon, towards the Brilsum Ruins. Sighing, I activated [Zealous Call] and drew an angry [Hero] towards me. As I began backing up, dodging his crazed swings, a notification popped up in my head.

General Skill [Title Skill: Zealous Call] Level Up!

[Title Skill: Zealous Call - Lvl. 1] -> [Title Skill: Zealous Call - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

I blinked.

Huh, I wonder what that does.

Apparently, it meant that it aggroed its target for a longer period of time— doubling it to 20 seconds. Which made me have to dodge an angry [Hero’s Slash] from Daniel before the Title Skill’s effects wore off. But it also felt like I could control its targets better; not entirely choosing who it affected, but so that it wasn’t just all encompassing like before.

Then when my companion returned to his senses, he took a moment to assess his surroundings. His gaze swept over the canyon, stopping only at the large blade-shaped hole on the side of the rock wall.

“Uh…”

“Yeah, you can’t use your super [Hero] Skill.”

“Oh.”

He gave me a hesitant look.

“Does this mean we have to go to the Dungeon now?”

Rubbing at my temples like Edithe, I gestured for him to follow me. I picked up his bedroll and his fake Bag of Holding, and headed in the opposite direction the thin stream of water was running towards.

“Come on, let’s go back. Get you your full rest. Then we’ll try and sneak into the Brilsum’s Ruins tomorrow.”

The Human man sighed in relief. He spoke in English.

“Thank god.”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading you wonderful peeps!

Current patreon backlog is at over 75,000 words right now. You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

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84. Doing Bad Things

A note from MelasD

Just a reminder that you can read up to the end of Salvos Volume 2 and to the start of Salvos Volume 3 right now for only $5!

Early chapter today! Maybe someone else will get first? :thinkingface:

84. Doing Bad Things

Daniel and I made our way back through the narrow path between the tall, hanging cliffs, walking alongside the thin stream of water that poured its way towards the Brilsum Ruins; the massive crater in the center of the canyon fell into a steep decline, drawing all water sources straight to it.

It was night now. My Human companion had gotten his fill of sleep. And we were going to attempt to sneak into the Platinum Rank Dungeon, hopefully to find any traces of Fairies or Fairy temples without alerting the Mindreapers and their hordes.

We crested to the top of the same pile of rubble as before, taking a moment to assess if anything had changed in the broken city. We spotted no difference. The meandering, lumbering monster horde seemed to have not grown in size. No new monsters or creatures had been added to their numbers.

Nodding at Daniel, the two of us went prone on the ground. He took the nonverbal cue without any questions, since we had already discussed what to do beforehand. After our observations yesterday, we had formed a plan to hopefully make our way through the Brilsum Ruins undetected. What we decided to do was simple: we wait.

The Mindreapers did not seem to need any sleep. Being magical creatures made of mana, it was possible that they were able to go without sleep, making them more akin to Demons and Spirits than most creatures in the Mortal Realm— at least, in that aspect.

And it was not even all Spirits and Demons.I remembered Druma— how the [Yaksha] needed sleep despite being a Lesser Spirit. I had asked Mistshard why that was the case, and she simply explained that all Subspecies— and even Species— of creatures were different.

Unfortunately, that made my respect for the friendly four-armed Spirit go down slightly. Just a tiny bit. He is very nice!

Regardless, we were not going to wait for the Mindreapers to take a nap, especially since it was likely they didn’t need it. Instead, we were going to continue making our observations and only attempt to enter the ruined city if the opportunity arose. The opportunity being—

All of a sudden, one of the Mindreapers close to the eastern side of the city rose up in the air. It left its horde of monsters sleeping on the ground before speeding off and hovering just above one of the tall plateaus further in the distance. I exchanged a glance with Daniel and hee nodded.

“Alright, it’s time.”

“Just have to wait a little longer…”

I kept one eye on the Mindreaper hovering in the distance and the other on the Mindreapers closest to us. The moment the patrolling groups turned and went off in another direction, Daniel and I got up and began climbing down to the bottom of the crater. Their absence gave us the freedom to reach the side of the Brilsum Ruins where the distant Mindreaper had abandoned. Hurriedly pulling Daniel along, I dashed forward till we reached the periphery of the broken city.

Once we arrived at the broken and crumbled outer walls, the two of us hunched over and kept low, almost crawling our way along the edge towards the eastern wall. I made sure to keep an eye out on the Mindreaper, still busy pulling in whatever poor monster or animal that decided to sleep close enough to the Platinum Rank Dungeon to fall for the Mindreapers magic.

This is why sleep is bad, I remarked to myself.

Reaching the eastern side of the city, Daniel and I began scaling a collapsed part of the wall to fully enter the Brilsum Ruins. I brought a foot over a large rock and halted mid step. I nudged Daniel who was a step behind me and placed a finger on my mouth.

“Shhh.”

The Human man blinked and glanced over at what I was gesturing at. Lying before me was a collapsed Ground Craver. The small, Level 23 monster lay unmoving on the brick street, its body gently raising and falling with each of its peaceful breath.

I swept my gaze around the rest of the street and spotted more sleeping monsters. Drakes, Gatho Mammoths, and other monsters— both big and small. This had been where the Mindreaper had been before it flew off to gather more monsters for its horde. I gave Daniel a look, once again non verbally trying to communicate with him, and he rolled his eyes.

“You know we don’t have to be quiet, right? We can’t wake them up.”

“Huh. I forgot about that.”

Daniel stepped past me, drawing his sword as he entered the street ahead, making his way past all the sleeping monsters without fear of waking any of them. Following behind him, I cast my gaze around the sky, looking out for any other Mindreaper that could possibly be close.

“Seems like we’re in an emptier part of the city.”

“Or we just got lucky and the other Mindreaper patrols aren’t here right now.”

We made our way around a large, sleeping Saeve, and carefully stepped over a smaller one that looked like its baby. I raised a brow as I identified it.

“Level 12. And it’s barely a child. You Humans sure level slow.”

“Most of us prefer to live in peace. Unlike monsters that are constantly fighting each other in the wilderness.”

“Not all monsters are hostile, you saw that with the [Ezrabs]!”

“Yeah, but they still have to fight to survive from hostile monsters. Humans do too, however we have cities and settlements to keep most of us safe. So, most people barring soldiers, adventurers, or guards have no reason to reach such high levels.”

“I guess that’s true…”

I trailed off, looking around at the ruined city. At the broken homes, buildings, and what were possibly towers that had been collapsed either from the destruction of Brilsum by the Oracle of Light, or eroded and destroyed by time. Or the monsters here accidentally bumped into it. There were plenty of explanations as to why so much of the city had been damaged or destroyed. But not all of it was completely lost.

Daniel and I came to a stop right before what was possibly once a grand building. Perhaps it had a gilded entrance, with a garden path leading to its front door. The insides would have been luxuriously decorated, with red carpets leading down every hallway and expensive paintings hanging around the walls. But now, it was just a plain, gray building. One of the few ones that remained standing.

“Think this could have been a Fairy temple?”

“I’m not sure. But I don’t think checking it is a good idea. We’re too close to where we started— not only will we be screwed if that Mindreaper does come back while we’re in here, but I don’t think a Fairy temple would be this… intact.”

I nodded and turned back, just making sure the speck floating in the air was still a speck. Daniel and I continued on, making our way through the haphazard streets, and keeping our eyes on the skies so we wouldn’t run into the path of the Mindreapers within the city. We passed through more broken buildings— some of them half standing, and others nothing more than piles of rubble— while keeping ourselves always close to the sides of the roads.

One time, neither of us spotted a Mindreaper who had been floating too close to the ground. We were only made aware of its presence when we felt the light rumbling caused by the mass of monsters following it. Daniel and I quickly threw ourselves into the nearest house. Its front door collapsed and the way was blocked, but there was a gaping hole in the side of the building which let us enter.

Pulling ourselves into a room away from the street, we waited, holding our breaths, for the monsters to pass. Daniel and I had considered the possibility of Mindreapers being able to sense our presence through magic alone. Perhaps they had a sphere of mana surrounding them, letting them see anything within it. We weren’t really sure how their mind magic worked, but we couldn’t be too cautious.

However, it turned out that our worries were for naught. The Mindreapers saw with their eyes just like most of the monsters in their hordes. So the procession of Gold Rank threats passed through the street without ever being aware that we were there. Once they were gone, Daniel sighed in relief.

“Honestly, why are they even doing this? The more I watch them, the less I think they’re avoiding the inner city and the more I think they’re guarding something within.”

I wrinkled my nose, bothered slightly by a strange smell. Standing back up, I faced Daniel.

“Maybe. Or they could just be building an army like you said. We don’t know what they want, and I don’t think you’d like my suggestion of just asking them about it.”

“No, they’ll kill us.”

“See? I knew you wouldn’t like it.”

I folded my arms in a triumphant way, shooting him a grin as I leaned back against a wall. Daniel’s eyes grew wide and he put a hand out.

“Wait, Salvos—”

“Huh—”

Without warning, the wall behind me crumbled to dust. It collapsed to the ground into a pile of gray rocks, revealing another room within it. I blinked a few times and Daniel glanced warily out into the street.

For a moment, he held his breath, waiting for a rush of angry— but sleeping— monsters to come at us. However, the noise caused from the collapse was too sudden. Too soft. It wasn’t heard by anybody.

Daniel took a deep breath, placing a hand on his chest.

“Fuckign hell, I thought we were screwed.”

I cocked my head, not sure why he was speaking in English. I ignored that fact and peered down at the dust lying at my feet.

“Why’d that happen?”

“It’s because the buildings around here are old. They’re very fragile and most of their foundations are weak. You can't just touch anything, Salvos!”

“I had no idea…”

Trailing off, I looked at Daniel, eyes wide. He stared at me for a moment then his face softened.

“I didn’t mean to snap—”

“Wait, what’s that?”

I ignored him and walked into the room behind the now-collapsed wall. The Human man watched me go for a moment before mumbling something to himself.

Something had caught my eye in this room. In fact, it was the same scent I had sniffed from before, but it was stronger now. I saw something poking out from the corner of the dimly lit room— a brown object that almost blended in with the gray in the darkness.

But my eyesight was good, so I didn’t miss it. I activated [Ignition] and focused the flames to a clawed finger. I waved it in the air before me and narrowed my eyes.

“This is…”

I started and Daniel came to a halt behind me.

What I had seen was a leather boot. But it wasn’t just a boot attached to nothing. It was a brown boot that was still worn by a person. More specifically, a Human person.

The Human, whoever they were, was lying against a sturdier looking wall. They sat in a slanted position, dressed in ragged and tattered black clothing. In fact, if I hadn’t known any better and wasn’t able to sense trace amounts of mana from magical artifacts, I would have assumed they were wearing something similar to my torn Cloak of Shadows that now hung around my neck.

Normally, I would have prodded them or tried to speak to the Human, unless they were asleep. And if it was Daniel doing the sleeping, I might have done so anyway. But while whoever this was wasn’t Daniel, they also weren’t sleeping. They were lying against the wall not out of rest or any reason in particular.

They were just dead.

“Huh. So, Humans have been here recently.”

I spoke simply. Daniel took a step forward and immediately crouched over the body. He patted his arms around the corpse, his face furrowed.

“It’s cold but fresh. Obviously from an adventurer who tried to challenge this Dungeon. But the way he’s dressed…”

The Human man began fumbling through the body, trying to find something from it. I gave him a weird look.

“What are you doing?”

“Searching for something, anything. Maybe a diary.”

“You mean like your one?”

“Yeah.”

“Isn’t that supposed to be private?”

Daniel grimaced as he pulled out a bloodstained book from the inner clothes of the corpse. He turned to me and sighed.

“Usually, yes. But this man, or woman, is dead. I don’t think they care about anyone looking through their stuff anymore. And while it’s not unusual for people to die in a Dungeon, this is a Platinum Rank Dungeon.”

He said it as if I was supposed to understand what that meant. I didn’t. However, I tried to wager a guess.

“So only powerful Humans go here.”

“Or adventurers seeking glory. And those would announce to every Adventurers Guild they pass through that they’re going to challenge this Dungeon. But when I spoke to Edithe before we left, she said no one has ventured to this Dungeon in a whole year.”

I tapped a finger on my chin, understanding.

“You think this isn’t an adventurer then?”

“No. I think he might be one of your… friends from before.”

“My… friends?”

Daniel opened the book and spoke a word.

“[Cultists].”

The page turned to a drawing. A large drawing that took up two whole pages of the book. It was of a circle filled with intricate drawings on its inside— a kind of glyph that seemed so familiar to me. A summoning circle.

“Huh.”

I stared at Daniel with newfound respect.

“And you knew this person was a [Cultist] just from his clothes?”

The Human man rubbed his nose all too gleefully.

“Well, I do have a knack at spotting bad guys.”

“Is that a [Hero] Skill?!”

“Uh, no. He was just dressed like one.”

I blinked and glanced down at the dead [Cultist], remembering how I thought I was dressed like them. I pointed a finger at myself.

“Am I a bad guy?”

“As long as you don’t do bad things, you’re not one—”

The Human man was suddenly cut off. A loud crash resounded behind us. Dust blew up in the air as the ceiling of the previous room fell, without anything to support its weight. Daniel and I stared as the front half of the building fell into itself, rubbing and debris piling up with a violent clatter.

Instantly, I heard the sound of angry monsters bounding towards us in the distance. The heavy, rushed footfalls echoed in the other previously quiet street, filling the ruined city with a riotous clamor. Pointing at the collapsed half of the building, I faced Daniel.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“...yes. Yes it is.”

A note from MelasD

Current patreon backlog is at over 75,000 words right now.

You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

Do consider supporting me, as I'm trying to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

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85. Stampede

A note from MelasD

Another week of shoutout commences... NOW!

The first fic I'm shouting out is going to be one of the most unique stories on all of RoyalRoad right now, in my honest opinion. Its setting is very well thought out and the premise is very interesting. It's Vigor Mortis by Thundamoo! Check it out by clicking here. It will 100% be worth your time to read!

85. Stampede

The Mindreapers and their hordes of monsters closed in on us, pouring down the streets in an angry, unstoppable current. This tidal wave came as Daniel and I burst out of the building, casting our gazes around the dark, broken city.

Brilsum Ruins had been thrown into a frenzy; the target of their ire was at the two interlopers who dared enter amidst the cloak of darkness. I spotted the first of the monsters making their way around the street corner. Rabid Rancors were leaping through great distances to get to us.

I raised a hand, aiming it at the large insect-like creatures.

“[Scorching Wave].”

The bright blue flames ignited and lit up the night. It sent a plume of deadly fire into the air, catching the monsters mid air and setting them ablaze. I spun around and gestured at Daniel to leave as the charred bodies of the low Gold monsters fell to the ground, dead.

“Go!”

I called out to him as I ran past him. Daniel however, was fumbling his way slowly behind me despite the head start I had given him.

There was a crash behind us. The larger, more powerful monsters finally turned the corner and caught sight of us, doubling their pace to reach their targets. I glared at my companion and started pulling him along.

“Why are you so slow?!”

“My [Agility] is not as high as you—”

He started right before a ball of fire flew past our heads.

“— and you have [Self Haste] active! It’s not fair!”

His voice drew out like a long and booming blast, echoing through the explosion resounding behind us. I glowered but didn’t respond. Something else had caught my eyes— something of far more importance.

The first Mindreaper had finally made its appearance. The one leading this horde against us. It flew above a pack of Gatho Mammoths, its eyes angrily scanning the area before stopping on us. I knew what was coming next and pushed Daniel to move ahead of me.

“Just run! I’ll catch up to you in a moment!”

“What are you—”

The wave of mind magic washed over me as I growled a shriek.

[Title Skill: Zealous Call]!

I focused the Skill entirely on Daniel. Not because I wanted it to affect him, but because I did not want him to be drawn by it. It was a feeling; something I noted when the General Skill leveled. Perhaps it was [Deadly Instincts] which told me about it. And it worked.

The horde of angry monsters… turned even more angry. Their rage to me was doubled— tripled even! They bore down on me like a column of burning ash. The eruption of rage, pressured into existence deep beneath the surface of the earth, before spewing out like a lava from a volcano.

...I had no idea what a volcano was, but Daniel told me it shot out hot lava.

I readied myself for the volley of fiery spheres, for the shaking of the earth and the rising of pillars barring my path. I was hit by the sound that pierced through my ears, for the magic that attacked me straight in my mind.

My senses were overloaded, even with [Self Haste], I could not evade it all in time. In an instant, the protection offered by my ring fizzled out and my body was cut and bleeding. Only [Charge of Embers] saved me, bringing me down a narrow side street. The sound magic and mind magic still struck me, the Mindreaper being the first one to reach me, unencumbered by the buildings and rubble covering the ground.

Letting it make its approach, I sent out a [Scorching Wave] at it in the air. It flinched from the attack, but otherwise suffered little damage from the Skill. Then before it could fly back from me, fire chains caught it by its tentacled legs. I tugged it down from its flight and swung my kusarigama for its face.

[Fire Strike] empowered my attack and it sheared deep through its magical body.

The Mindreaper reeled back— before the rest of its horde tore into the side street. I struck out once again, but this time I followed through with the attack and pinned the Mindreaper to the ground. It let out an inaudible screech before turning a hate-filled gaze at me.

Then its eyes cleared. It stared at me for a moment, confused. Its consciousness returned to it and a smile spread across my face.

How… what… did… you…?

I leapt back and waved at it, ignoring the telepathic messages it sent my way.

“Got to go! Bye!”

The Mindreaper’s eyes grew wide before it sent a wave of mind magic my way. My head felt like it was about to burst as I bled the black blood of my kind, trying to fight through the attack and escape from its range.

Get… back—

An explosion cut off the Mindreaper. A ball of fire exploded where the Mindreaper stood, sending broken bricks and earth up into the air. Craning my neck just a little bit, I tried to catch a glimpse of the Mindreaper’s body. Still alive, huh?

Crunch. Crunch. CRUNCH.

“Huh.”

A stampede of Gatho Mammoths ran over the Mindreaper. The monsters— the Drakes, the Rancors, and the Ground Cravers— they had all broken out of their trance. My Title Skill freed them from whatever it was that was taking hold of their body. And now, they were fighting each other.

The Gatho Mammoths had tried fleeing from the ferocious and violent Drakes. The scaled beasts tearing into the smaller creatures with ease— the only monsters that could take them on too spooked to take part in the massive battle.

A Drake had its head raised high, creating a powerful ball of fire to burn its enemies. When a pack of Saeves climbed up its legs. These weren’t [Prima Saeves]. They were the smaller variation— the ones I had protected Sophia and Cless from when they were asleep. The night before the giant ape had attacked us.

They were lower leveled— around level 40. But they were not easy to deal with, even for me.

While a horde of monsters had been gathered by the Mindreapers and whatever magic empowered them, most of these monsters here weren’t swarm monsters. They weren’t like Centinels or Giant Spiders. They formed groups far fewer in numbers than them, making up for their numerical inferiority by their individual superiority.

So the Saeves brought down the Drake, ripping apart its iron-like scales as if they were picking fruits from a tree. More small skirmishes broke out, but I did not stay to watch it. I fled the scene, just like the Gatho Mammoths. Except I was faster.

Stalking through the Brilsum Ruins, I saw the other patrols of Mindreapers and their hordes slowly bear down on the chaos I had left behind. The sounds of fighting drew those nearby, however the ones further away ignored it. Perhaps this was the chance I had to search the city— while the Mindreapers were distracted. But there was always tomorrow.

To my relief, I found Daniel safe and alive, waiting for me at the same spot we would spy down onto the Dungeon from. He was sprawled, arms wide on the white floor. I went to lie down next to him, heaving a heavy sigh.

“That… wasn’t fun.”

“It really wasn’t.”

“I almost died.”

“I didn’t, but I would have if not for you.”

He glanced over at me, giving me a grateful look. I grinned back and got up.

“It was dangerous, but—”

I pointed down at the Brilsum Ruins— where the fighting was happening, although it was subsiding. At the corpse of the Gatho Mammoths, just at the edge of the city.

“I have a plan, and that plan means we’re going to do that again.”

The Human man stared at me in disbelief for a moment.

“Are you serious?”

“I am.”

I snorted and crossed my arms.

“It serves as a really good distraction. We can sneak through the city undisturbed then. Maybe even go into the inner part of it without any problems.”

Daniel frowned. He scratched at his chin as he considered this. Leaning back, I cast my gaze up into the starry sky, a very good feeling passing through me.

“Plus, it’s good for levels.”

Defeated [Nightmare Mindreaper - Lvl. 80]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Horned Drake - Lvl. 61]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Rancor Mite - Lvl. 54]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Gatho Mammoth - Lvl. 68]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 57] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 58]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 58] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 59]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon]

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 59

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 4

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 3

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 10]

[Vitality]: 60 (+5)

[Strength]: 40 (+5)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 79 (+5)

[Agility]: 115 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 8]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 18

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 6

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 5 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 7

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 15

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 7

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 4

“They’re back!”

Edithe and Rachel came down from their room to hear what the source of the commotion was about. Something was happening that was making a lot of noise, turning the usually quiet headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company into a mess hall of the Sunmere Republic’s army.

When the two reached the bottom of the stairs, they realized what all the hubbub had been about. Standing at the gate to the building was Gabriel. Sophia and Cless followed behind him as he entered the headquarters with a single command.

“Where is Hadrian?”

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers company produced himself in an instant. He spoke in a hurried voice and bowed deeply.

“Alchemist Gabriel, my father, Baris has fallen to the ailments of a deadly poison. He is still in the midst of fighting against it, however his situation is dire. I ask for your assistance to take a look at—”

“I’ve already taken a look at him, boy.”

Gabriel snapped back.

“I just returned from the training grounds. And there, I found three more damn plants amongst your staff working as a cook, a groundskeeper, and another server.”

Edithe blinked as gasps broke out all around her. Rachel tugged at her shoulder, speaking in a worried voice.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s… I’m not really sure yet.”

She hesitated before giving a response. Three more plants— as in, from the Iron Champions Company? Hadrian had the same thought.

“The Iron Champions Company is sending more assassins at us?”

“They’re looking to finish the job.”

Gabriel strode past him, almost brushing past his shoulder. Hadrian turned back and called out after the [Alchemist].

“These assassins— where are they?”

“I’ve dealt with them. They put up a bit of a fight, nearly took Sophia with them.”

The young woman lowered her head as Gabriel spoke, not even glancing back at her.

“But they won’t be bothering anyone ever again. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an antidote I have to make.”

With those final words, Gabriel entered the building and slammed the door shut behind him. Edithe watched as all the bystanders— the members of her company like Paige, Ian, Glenn— begin to break out into their own, panicked discussions. Hadrian approached Cless and Sophia, demanding to know more about what happened.

The red haired woman felt her hands tense around Rachel’s shoulders. She only realized to relax her grip when the girl looked up at her, amber eyes growing wide.

“They’re talking about… assassins?”

“...yes.”

It made no sense to Edithe. Why would the Iron Champions Company send so many assassins to kill Baris? He had been their leader, but he was old and no longer in charge of the Valiant Dreamers.

If it was payback they were looking for… they could have hired cheaper assassins to take out other parts of Valiant Dreamers Company’s operations. Maybe even target the weaker members. To spend so much gold on these elite assassins— they had to be very angry, or have an ulterior motive.

Edithe couldn’t help but feel a worried feeling bubbling up inside of her. However, it all vanished when she saw how quiet Rachel had become. She lowered herself to her knees and met the girl's eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“I-Is… is it my fault?”

Rachel glanced up at Edithe, her hands tightly clinging to the doll on her chest. Edithe blinked as she continued, tears already pouring down her face.

“Are these the assassins coming after me? The Harrowed Vindicators? I… I’m sorry. I’ll leave if I’m too much trouble— I…”

Edithe immediately hugged the girl, cutting her off. Slowly patting the back of her head, the red haired woman spoke reassuringly.

“It’s not your fault. These aren’t the bad guys coming after you. They’re… other bad guys. And we’ll deal with them. So there’s no need for you to cry.”

Drawing herself away from Rachel, Edithe gave her a smile. She knew what kind of a household the girl had grown up in— Salvos was unconcerned, even though she liked the girl. But Daniel had told Edithe. He had told her about how Rachel’s mother left her, and her father tried to get rid of her.

It was something that Edithe was familiar with, and she knew she had to say something there. Anything, really.

Rachel sniffled and stared up at the red haired woman.

“It’s… it’s really not my fault?”

“No.”

Edithe spoke simply. As if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“It’s not."

A note from MelasD

Hey! I haven't asked for this in a while, but I would genuinely appreciate it for those of you haven't to please consider giving this story a rating. Also, another thing I would really be grateful for is if those of you who haven't followed or favorited the story to consider doing either of those too! Thank you <3

Current patreon backlog is at over 77,000 words right now. That's right. It increased from last time ;) You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

Do consider supporting me, as I'm trying to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

86. The Inner City

A note from MelasD

Today, I'll be shouting out two fics. Both of them are nonhuman litrpgs, kind of like Salvos, so you should definitely check them out!

The first is by the wonderful Origin. He's writing a story called The Weapon Spirit, which is about... a sword spirit haha. You can read it here!

The second is by the amazing Zendran. He's writing a story called The Great Core''s Paradox, which is a bout a snek that does snek stuff xd. You can read it here!

86. The Inner City

For the next week, Daniel and I resumed our strategy from before, waiting for a Mindreaper to leave before attempting to sneak our way through the Brilsum Ruins. I was warier now than before— I had known it was dangerous from the very beginning, but after nearly dying to the collective attack of hundreds of monsters, it changed my perspective slightly.

Not only did I choose to raise my [Vitality] by a little more than usual from my levels, I also made sure to stay away from anything that looked like it could be fragile. Which meant… everything, really. Everything here is so old and weak!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon]

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 59

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 4

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 3

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 66 (+5)

[Strength]: 40 (+5)

[Endurance]: 63 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 79 (+5)

[Agility]: 119 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 20

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 5 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 7

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 15

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 7

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 4

[Charge of Embers] was maxed now too, which meant I had far shorter cooldowns between each use than before. It served to my advantage when it came to running away— I hadn’t even tested out how much more useful it was as an attack since I didn’t think I was ever going to charge into that horde of monsters.

Not as long as the Mindreapers are there.

During this period where we continued searching through rubble and broken homes, we never made the same mistake as the first night we tried entering the Brilsum Ruins. That meant that we never got into a battle… except for the one time a Mindreaper flew our way.

It hadn’t even noticed us, hiding within the canyon during the dead of night. It was so focused on bringing whatever monster it had caught in its mind magic its way, I managed to get the drop on it with multiple [Fire Strikes]. Then before it could flee, I dragged it down with the chains from my kusarigama and finished it off.

Defeated [Nightmare Mindreaper - Lvl. 78]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Daniel tried to help, but being a non magical fighter, he couldn’t really do much. Only a few of his Skills even had any magic to them, and he didn’t want to waste them on a fight we could have easily won since some of them— like his [Hero’s Slash]— could only be used once a day.

As such, his efforts in helping take down the Mindreaper was so minute it netted him barely any experience— not enough for me to lose any experience from defeating it.

After our search through the Brilsum Ruins outer city proved to be fruitless, Daniel and I had a discussion. The suggestion I had made to him after the first deadly night. We had to try it. So after spending a full day convincing him and planning out what we were going to do, he finally acqueisced and went to sleep.

Daniel and I returned to the Brilsum Ruins the next day after the Human man got his night’s rest, before daring to tackle the Platinum Rank Dungeon once again.

Now Entering [Dungeon: Brilsum Ruins].

We didn’t jump straight back in— the plan was risky as evinced by how much damage I had sustained from the horde of monsters after I used [Zealous Call]. So, the first thing we did was get a good view of the topography of the city, and sketched out a rough map of the area.

We marked down the basic outlines of the route we had taken and how we avoided the Mindreapers there— jotting down the places where we thought we could hide and take cover in case a patrol passed by. Then with that in mind, we turned our attention fully back to the city and waited for the opportunity to show itself.

We weren’t just going to have me charge right up to a Mindreaper and activate [Title Skill: Zealous Call]. That was how I got myself killed. Instead, we decided that it would be better for me to wait for the exact same scenario as before to show itself— the one where a Mindreaper left its horde along to bring a sleeping creature to the Dungeon— then we would act.

I would force all the sleeping monsters— the abandoned monsters— awake, before making a run for it with Daniel. It would cause chaos unbound, and was sure to attract the attention of all the nearby Mindreapers.

While I would have preferred to simply scour around the area and check each individual building as we had done for the past week, it just didn’t seem like something that was efficient if we had a distraction. Nor did it make sense, according to Daniel, for the Fairy temple to be located anywhere in the outer city.

“I know we have been mostly sweeping through the outer city, but that’s because we couldn’t get near the inner city. Now we can. And I told you, Salvos, Spirits in the past were worshipped by Humans. They were seen as… forces of nature. Especially the Fairies. So it wouldn’t make sense for them to build a city around their temple— only to keep it at the peripheries of the city.”

“But what if they couldn’t do that for whatever reason?”

I posed the question to my companion. I wasn’t necessarily trying to disagree with him, rather I was trying to prod at him to understand his logic.

“That is possible, but less likely. And we’ve already determined that simply searching through the entire city is probably unfeasible.”

“If we spend enough time doing it…”

I trailed off, not really convincing myself there. I was willing to take however long it was necessary to find the Fairies here in the Brilsum Ruins, however that did not mean I was looking forward to doing it. In fact, I would prefer not to.

Daniel wagged a finger, explaining.

“If we want to be as efficient as possible, we can’t search every nook and cranny for something that might not even be there anymore. What we should do is search where it’s most likely to be found, and that place is the inner city.”

Nodding slowly, I cast my gaze to the white walls in the distance, half crumbled and only partially standing.

“Behind the anti magic walls. Where the Minotaurs are supposed to be.”

“Yeah…”

The Human man had a worried look on his face. I raised a nonexistent brow.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… they’re supposed to be dangerous, Salvos. Mindreapers are powerful, but they don’t have high [Vitality]. Meanwhile, Minotaurs are supposed to be both strong and durable.”

“Hey, that’s just like Haec!”

“Your Demon friend, right. So, imagine if you not only had to fight just one of him, but dozens in their home.”

I shrugged.

“Who says we have to fight them? They might not attack us, and if they don’t, I won’t attack them either.”

“As you normally do. But Minotaurs are just like Giant Spiders— they are very territorial.”

“I’m sure they have other things to be worried about.”

I eyed a Mindreaper as it came dangerously close to our side of the canyon, its patrol seemingly more diligent than before. I glanced back at Daniel and sighed.

“It’s dangerous. Of course it’s dangerous. Everything is dangerous!”

“That, I agree with.”

Nodding, my companion turned his attention back to the broken city. The Platinum Rank Dungeon was not entirely on alert. He noticed it too— the Mindreapers seemed more aware than before of an intruder’s presence, but they weren’t going out of their way to find us.

“Do you really think these monsters are intelligent?”

Daniel asked me after a while. I thought about it for a moment, not really sure what to say.

“Maybe…? They don’t come across as wild to me. In fact, they can even speak— to your mind.”

“Right, they did do that. But if that’s the case, why are they doing this?”

He shifted in his lying position, almost uncomfortably.

“I read through that [Cultist]’s book, you know. Well, not the whole thing since half of it was ruined and undecipherable. But the other half— it made it seem like whoever he was, he wasn’t here to do anything good.”

“So he’s a bad person then?”

“Very bad. They were trying to summon a Demon.”

I gave Daniel a blank stare. He quickly amended his statement.

“A bad Demon. An evil one to do evil things.”

“What kind of evil things?”

“Uh…”

Scratching his cheek, Daniel averted his gaze and conveniently pointed out at something that was happening in the broken city.

“Look! That Mindreaper is about to leave.”

Sure enough, a Mindreaper in the western part of the city had abandoned its horde, leaving them at rest, before shooting off into the night sky. Daniel and I exchanged a look, the conversation from before forgotten, and the plan ready to be executed.

“Let’s go down there.”

Getting up, I almost found myself standing on shaky feet. The nervousness and trepidation running through me— it almost reminded me of the time I was attacked by the very first wild Demon I met, the large Demon that slaughtered the others.

Fear gripped me, but I shrugged it off. This plan of ours was going to be far safer without a Mindreaper around to constantly hurt me with its mind magic. And since we dictated the distance we’d be from them— I was prepared for it.

Daniel and I climbed our way down to the western part of the city, making our way through to enter the Brilsum Ruins under the guise of night. We stalked past the same collapsed buildings, the same fallen houses, and the same mounds of rubble. Until finally, we reached the sleeping monsters. The ones left behind by a Mindreaper, sent away to capture more targets.

I nodded at my companion and gestured for him to leave; he hurried off to a side street and waited in the far off distance. I followed shortly after him before turning my attention back to the mass of monsters lying in wait. Baring my teeth, I took a deep breath and let out a ferocious shrieking growl.

[Zealous Call] snapped the horde awake. They instantly charged me, their eyes still hazy from the long sleep they had just been in. The monsters did not even stop to think about why they were mad at me. They just… were.

It wouldn’t last long. It should have been only a few moments. And while it might have been a result of [Self Haste] taking effect, it felt like the longest moments of my entire life.

I dodged and leapt out of the way of incoming fireballs. Blades of wind shot out at me at incredibly high speeds, coming from the large [Flayer Vultures] that took the sky. [Charge of Embers] allowed me to quickly change directions, buying me a moment of relief from the incoming projectiles and magic.

Making a sharp turn down a side street, I saw Daniel’s back appear in view once again as the ground shook behind me. The horde of monsters followed behind us, still enraged—

Then the Skill ran out. And they came back to their senses.

Chaos broke out once again. Monsters of all kinds found themselves amidst different Species’ that they never met before. Amongst rival Species that they competed against. It was a storm of emotions— confusion, anger, fear— that resulted into a bloody tempest which I wanted no part of.

The gale from the fighting blew past me— and that was it. The rage of the monsters had been forgotten. I was nothing more than a speck in the distance to them. Why would you focus one me far away when an enemy was right next to you?

I bounded across the brick street until I was next to Daniel. The Human man slowed to a stop. We exchanged a nod before sinking into the darkness. Swimming through the shadows, we kept away from the solid main street. And when a procession of monsters— led by a Mindreaper— came to find the source of the commotion in this part of the city. They didn't see us.

All they saw was a massive battle. One which they quickly joined without any hesitation.

Daniel and I continued breezing through the city, unhindered by the many patrols of Mindreapers, their attention drawn by the distraction we had caused. I had gained no experience from doing this. All it gave us was time and the freedom to move through the city. Towards our destination for the night.

We stopped before the tall, white walls. The anti magic walls, made out of banclite. I took a moment to take in the view of the ancient monolith before pressing forward. I only stopped once more as Daniel hovered back.

“What’s wrong?”

I cocked my head, puzzled at his apprehension. Shifting in his feet, he spoke hesitantly.

“I… I’m not sure if this is the best idea, Salvos. We’re about to enter a Lair of Minotaurs. Many Platinum Rank adventurers have tried to clear it, and all of them have died.”

“You were prepared to do this earlier, weren’t you? You suggested going into the inner city. Why are you getting scared now?”

“I was scared too, then. I just…”

He trailed off and glanced back in the distance. A dozen Mindreapers were circling a single area in the sky. The battle was still ongoing, but it was evidently drawing to a close.

“I just don’t want to die.”

The Human man spoke simply. I stared at him for a moment, before happily agreeing.

“Me too! That’s why we should go in now, before the Mindreapers return to patrolling near us. We’ll try to avoid any Minotaurs too. Come on Daniel, we’re so close. Plus, we might learn more about whatever that [Cultist] was trying to do inside.”

I tried to give him as reassuring of a look as I could, although I knew it wasn’t very effective since I wasn’t in my Mortal Form. In fact, if I tried to calm him down while I was in my Mortal Form, he might have gotten even more nervous for whatever weird reason Humans had.

Daniel, to his credit, managed to steel himself after taking a deep breath. He nodded at me and stepped to my side.

“Right. This will help you, and it’s also the right thing to do.”

“Maybe. Now, let’s see what Minotaurs are made of.”

It was a Lair, after all. It was well documented by the many adventurers who dared this Dungeon in the past. A place where Minotaurs, powerful Platinum Rank monsters resided.

So when we walked through a hole in the banclite wall— as I traced my hands at the air over the white stone and felt my magic weakening just slightly— I was prepared to find some Minotaurs, to enter their Lair, and hear the notification telling me we reached it. But as we continued further and further into the inner city, the words, the Lair, the Minotaurs—

Never came.

A note from MelasD

Oh no... my break is over! I have classes again. Rip.

Current patreon backlog is at over 77,000 words right now. You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

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87.1. Cultist Scheme

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

My next two shoutouts for today goes to a litrpg and a dungeon story! Check them out!

The first is Isekai Magus, which is a litrpg, isekai, reincarnation story. You can read it here.

The second is The Fallen World, a dungeon, strategy, female lead isekai. You can read it here.

87.1. Cultist Scheme

Trepidation coursed through my body— a tingling sense of nervousness hung around my neck. I had tried to reassure Daniel that everything would be fine, but I found myself doubting my own words now too.

This was supposed to be a Lair of Minotaurs. A place full of monsters that were like Haec if he were much higher leveled. They had killed many Platinum Rank adventurers who had stalked through these halls before. The dark, stone corridor was lit by nothing— only the creeping moonlight that seeped through the cracks in the rubble and the walls let us see in this eerie place.

And what we saw was this: nothing.

There was nothing here. The Minotaurs never came. The notification never came. I was not intuitively told that we were now in a Lair— that feeling of confirmation never settled in. So, I felt afraid. Afraid of what had happened.

“Daniel, where exactly did you say the Lair was supposed to be located at?”

I finally asked the question after we exited the dark hallway, finding ourselves standing in an open area. The ground here was covered in dust, but there was evidently dirt below that gray layer. Was this a garden? If it had been a garden, it would have been a well-kept one.

There was a marble fence crawling with vines— those thick green worms covering the entire surface of the broken mansion that was connected to the plot of land. Maybe there had been flowers instead of broken bits of stone protruding from a vibrant grassy earth. But now there was nothing but the destruction left behind by the Oracle of Light, Melissa, and the erosion of time itself.

After a moment of silence, as our gaze swept through the inner city hidden behind the tall walls circling our every direction, Daniel responded.

“I...I’m not sure. The information I was given told me that it was just deep inside the city. I had assumed it meant the inner city of the Brilsum Ruins, but… maybe it’s even further in?”

“Where else could their Lair be?”

Looking at him with a confused look, I tried scanning the area once more. My eyes glazed over the landscape as if it was smeared in oil. The oleaginous portrait was bleak and gloomy, the craters strewn about like porous holes on a face— it not something I wanted to look at for long. Especially since it almost seemed no different, or even worse off, than the city beyond the banclite walls.

However, my gaze finally settled onto a large structure in the center right of the inner city. It was a like castle, according to Daniel. And it rose from the ground like a steep cliff, its towers still partially standing although some lay fallen to the side, spilling out like the innards spread from a deadly wound.

But perhaps it had a high [Vitality], so the castle remained standing. Even despite the damage it had sustained from whatever magic was wrought to this earth. I raised a clawed finger and pointed at the structure.

“Do you think that’s where the Lair could be located?”

“Possibly.”

The Human man nodded slowly, his eyes flickering around as if he was searching for something.

“But that’s not our goal, right?”

“Right. We’re searching for the Fairy temple.”

Tapping a finger on my chin, I found my eyes breaking away from the broken castle and towards the rest of the area. I was taking a cursory look at the inner city, but I had almost already come to my conclusion.

“I don’t see anything that looks like a temple.”

“Yeah. It’s entirely possible that it had been completely disintegrated by Melissa when she came here. However, amongst crater 1 and crater 100, I’m not sure where we should start our search.”

I shrugged and took a step forward.

“It’s not like we’re in any rush.”

“Yeah, our biggest concern should be keeping quiet and staying alive.”

Agreeing with him, I led the way out of the ruined garden and into the damaged streets of the inner city. The cracked, cobbled streets brought us through the haphazardly placed city blocks; it was unlike the outer city’s regular layout of city blocks, with frequent intersections that cut perpendicularly into one another.

The discontinuous roads here would end at any given moment, bringing us face to face with a tall stone wall, or simply the side of a large house that was once luxurious in the past. Navigating through these overlapping rows of houses exacerbated by the uneven ground that held them made our task far more difficult than it had been in the outer city.

The outer city was nothing more than a ruined a mess, like the spilled remains of a wild Demon after a bloody battle, and it even had dangerous hordes of monsters led by powerful Mindreapers. I found that our search then had been far easier than now.

The looming feeling that something bad could happen at any time— whether it be more Mindreapers appearing out of nowhere, [Cultists] doing some kind of ritual, or Minotaurs— sat in the back of my head as I peered through the windows of a still-standing home. It was large, but it wasn’t designed anything like either the Sanctum of Elements or Sanctuary of Fauna had been.

So, we passed by it without even searching the interior of the building. Daniel and I crept through the inner city until day came, and the sun rose with it. The blue sky hung over us now, informing us that we didn’t have much time left.

Daniel and I stood at the edge of a crater, neither of us saying much since we began our search. Finally, I turned to him and addressed the biggest obstacle in our path— and the one that had been plaguing me ever since I met the man.

“So… you’re going to need to sleep soon.”

“Yeah.”

“And if you go to sleep, you’ll probably be controlled by those Mindreapers again.”

“Definitely.”

“That means we’ll have to leave. Going back through the outer city before we can come back and resume our search.”

“Right.”

I tapped a finger on my chin, in thought. Then I gave him a hesitant glance.

“Do you… do you think we should just try checking that building there before we leave?”

Daniel frowned and faced the tall, towering structure in the distance. The thing he had called a castle, although he wasn’t really sure if it was one. He was tired, so there was no witty comment or any outrageous reaction.

“The place where we think the Lair of powerful Platinum Rank monsters is at?”

“Yep.”

I spoke simply, eliciting a sigh from him. He folded his arms and sat on the ground.

“We don’t have to leave yet, Salvos. Honestly, I can probably go another day or two without sleep if I really try. And I’d rather we return as soon as possible. But this just sounds reckless.”

“It is, maybe.”

Casting my gaze throughout the inner city illuminated by the light of day, it was a lot clearer now what each building were and would have been. And none of them seemed like they would be a temple.

“I just think that that’s the likeliest place we’ll find the Fairies. It’s like you said, right? If we want to be as efficient as possible, we have to start our search with places where we think they’re at. And while I’m not sure if that building is the Fairy temple, it has to have something.”

“…and something is better than nothing, right?”

I nodded eagerly, glad that he understood my point. My Human companion sighed once more, ruminating on what to do. After a moment of silence, he made his decision.

“Fine.”

I brightened and stared at him with twinkling eyes.

“You mean it?”

“Yes. It’s not like there’s anything else we can do but wander around aimlessly. And why are you so excited, anyways?! We might die from whatever is in there.”

“Or—”

I spun around toward the castle.

“We can find some friendly Minotaurs and they’ll become our companions!”

“I’m sure that’s going to happen.”

87.2. Cultist Scheme

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

Another two shoutouts!

The Mortal Acts is a progression fantasy which has a strategic MC! You can read it here.

Combat Archaeologist: Rowan is a high fantasy gamelit story! You can read it here.

87.2. Cultist Scheme

I ignored his sarcastic remark and stepped forward. Gesturing for him to hurry, I bounded down the street and made my way to our new destination.

I halted a few blocks away from the looming structure, and turned around to see Daniel slowly running after me. Eventually catching up to me, Daniel spoke with renewed vigor in between each panting breath.

“Salvos, just because I agreed with you doesn’t mean we’re going to throw caution into the wind.”

“What’s the big deal?”

Dismissively waving a hand, I turned the street corner and laughed.

“We haven’t seen anything so far, it’s not like we’ll—“

My words were interrupted by the sound of footfalls, approaching at a relaxed pace. The plodding steps brought my mouth to a stop as Daniel glared at me from behind. I tried to give him a helpless shrug, but he pulled me down an alley as whoever was making their approach drew closer.

We waited with bated breath for whoever it was to pass through, peeking just at the edge to see whoever it was making the noise. The footsteps were sharp. They were sparsely spread apart, but each one resounded like a snap to my ears. It certainly wasn’t the thudding gait I thought a Minotaur would have.

And sure enough, the shadow that eventually made its appearance did not resemble a large monster with horse-like legs and curled horns on their head. In fact, I caught a small glimpse of the figure, and it looked like—

“A Human.”

Daniel whispered quietly. I glanced over at him, wondering why he even needed to say that. Weren’t we supposed to be sneaky?!

I got my answer a moment later as Daniel clenched his fist and ran out of the cover. Blinking, I was only a step behind him when he drew his blade and pointed at the Human’s back.

“You!”

My companion called out in a deep voice. The Human came to a stop, not even turning to face us. I identified him and frowned.

[Cultist – Lvl. 66]

Narrowing my eyes, I created a fire kusarigama and readied for a fight.

“What are you people doing here? What do you [Cultists] hope to achieve by summoning a Demon here, out in the middle of the Motharis Mountain Range?”

Daniel continued his interrogation, his hands tightly gripping the hilt of his sword. The [Cultist] once again didn’t respond. Instead, they slowly turned around as Daniel spoke through gritted teeth.

“Those Mindreapers out there… I knew that wasn’t natural. And when Salvos found one of your bodies, I knew you had something to do with that. Tell me, why are you—“

My companion was cut off mid sentence, and I cocked my head.

“Huh.”

Daniel’s eyes grew wide as he took a step back. He sputtered slowly.

“H-he’s… sleeping?”

Sure enough, the [Cultist] faced us with closed eyes. He moved with the same staggered movement of the monster horde outside when they haven’t been commanded to fight an enemy. He held something in the palm of his hand, covering it from our view. He was under control of mind magic. And since he was being controlled, this meant—

“You guys aren’t the ones behind this?”

Daniel asked, aghast. This time, he was answered with a powerful blast of magic.

Fire whipped out towards my companion, snapping out of the ground like a vine falling from a tree. The [Hero] parried the attack with his sword, but the magic wrapped around its blade and tugged it towards the [Cultist].

With a grunt, Daniel pulled his sword back before I reached the [Cultist] a moment later. I slashed the kusarigama across his chest, drawing a lot of blood, although he didn’t even flinch from it. I ducked under a wave of fire that incinerated a building behind me and wrapped my fiery chains around his ankle.

I hopped back and pulled, tripping him to the ground. The [Cultist] fell backwards, straight into the swinging blade of Daniel.

My companion’s sword jammed itself hallway through the [Cultist]’s abdomen, however he couldn’t finish the job. Flame wrapped around the body of the [Cultist], looking as though he was about to explode in a furious blast, before I hurled my kusarigama to the front f his head.

It interrupted the spell, knocking his head back into the powerful fist of a [Hero]. With that, Daniel was able to pull his blade free from the [Cultist]’s body and lop his head off with a final swing.

Defeated [Cultist – Lvl. 66]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I leapt down to the ground next to my companion and sighed.

“That was tough, he had a lot of [Vitality].”

“But that meant his magic wasn’t that powerful.”

Rubbing at his singed arm, Daniel nodded. I bent over and quickly patted through the corpse of the [Cultist], before pulling out an odd amulet.

“What’s this?”

I identified it with a frown. Daniel spoke slowly, repeating the words in my head that was probably in his head too.

“Amulet of Strength. A Low Grade artifact.”

Slowly tying the amulet around my forearm, I felt a surge of strength well up in me. It gave me an addition (+2) bonus to my [Strength], however I felt the mana inside the artifact begin to already drain.

“Seems like it can only last a day. So, he wasn’t using it then.”

“He was bringing it to the castle.”

Daniel’s head turn and I followed him. I glanced over in the direction the [Cultist] had been walking to before our interruption and we both had the same idea.

“I don’t think there are any Minotaurs left in there. Do you?”

“Nope.”

I nodded my head in agreement. Then I faced him and looked at him knowingly.

“I really think we should check it out, and I don’t think you’ll disagree this time.”

“I won’t.”

He spoke simply. With that settled, the two of us continued making our way to the base of the castle, uncertain of what lies ahead. We didn’t know if it had Minotaurs or Fairies or whatever we were searching for— but we knew something was going on. Something, according to Daniel, that was bad.

And that was enough to draw my curiosity and Daniel’s toward it without any more disagreements.

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading <3

Current patreon backlog is at over 77,000 words right now. You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

Do consider supporting me, as I'm trying to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

88. Minotaurs Found!

A note from MelasD

Today, I want to give a big shoutout to the Courting of life and Death by VMJ! It's a very good story which doesn't receive the attention it deserves. Seriously, check it out here!

88. Minotaurs Found!

“Hey, Sophia.”

Edithe’s voice tore the young woman’s eyes from the badge she had been holding. It was adorned in gold— well, more like yellow, really. So she finally got promoted, huh?

“Yes?”

Sophia quickly pocketed the badge and faced Edithe. The red haired woman nodded and smiled.

“Congratulations.”

“Oh, uh, thank you. I just got promoted the other week— but Hadrian only sent the request for a new badge for me just yesterday.”

“You should wear it.”

Edithe spoke simply, stepping up beside Sophia. She tilted her head up, feeling the smile threaten to disappear, but continued through it.

“When I first became Gold, I was too afraid of coming across as arrogant that I kept it hidden from everyone and anyone I knew. I thought it was the modest thing to do. But Paul told me that most people wouldn’t care if you show it— in fact, most people would be able to identify me and know that I was Gold.”

Talking of her former party leader still made her feel a slight pain in her heart. They had been her only true friends after so long. And they’re now d—

Edithe gritted her teeth and turned to Sophia.

“Plus, you’re not even Level 40 yet. That is an achievement. So, wear it with pride.”

“O-of course.”

The younger woman spoke hesitantly, but quickly took out the badge and pinned it onto her shirt. Edithe gave her an approving look before finally deciding to discuss what she had come here for.

“By the way, Sophia, could I ask you one thing?”

Sophia instantly froze. Her shoulders slumped as she groaned.

“Oh, please don’t tell me it’s going to be about Gabriel and what happened with those Iron Champion assassins the other day. I’ve answered so many questions about it— you can ask anyone, and I mean anyone, and they can tell you everything I know.”

Edithe chuckled and waved a hand.

“No, not that.”

She turned her head back slightly, towards the small figure hiding behind the crack in the door. Edithe gestured at Rachel to come, however the little girl refused to budge— not wanting to talk to anyone except for her.

“It’s about the two adventurers you traveled with. Salvos and Daniel.”

“T-the two Gold Ranks?”

Sophia stiffened and Edithe raised a brow.

“Is something the matter?”

Flushing, the young woman averted her gaze slightly and spoke quietly, almost ashamed.

“It’s… nothing. They were very helpful. What do you want to know about them?”

Edithe narrowed her eyes, realizing there was a story there. However, she decided not to press it and continued with her question.

“They were supposed to head further into the Motharis Mountain Range, after helping find Gabriel. Do you know anything about whether they got there?”

“Oh, uh, no.”

Sophia relaxed and scratched the back of her head.

“They didn’t speak much about what they were doing. I… knew they were heading somewhere, but didn’t even ask them where.”

She blushed again but quickly continued.

“However, if you’re worried about them, don’t be. They took care of all the monsters in the Moharis just fine. Even ones that were far beyond their level— ones I couldn’t even identify.”

Again, there was a story there. But Edithe didn’t prod the young woman about it. She nodded her head, and asked just to confirm.

“So, you think they’ll get to their destination just fine?”

“If my eyes weren’t deceiving me and they were actually as strong as they were?”

Sophia met Edithe’s gaze and spoke confidently.

“Then yes.”

“I see.”

With that, Edithe thanked the young woman, satisfied. She congratulated her once again on her promotion, before walking out of the lunchroom to meet the little girl hiding out in the hallway.

“There, you’ve got your answer.”

She bent over and smiled reassuringly at Rachel.

“...but they haven’t returned yet.”

The little girl spoke apprehensively, glancing around almost nervously. A few figures appeared down the hall— Hadrian was talking to Ian and Paige— and passed through, and instantly Rachel steeled herself, her face becoming cool and almost uncaring, until they were gone.

Apparently, Edithe was the only one Rachel even trusted here. Was it because Salvos gave her her approval? Edithe wasn’t sure. But once they left, Rachel returned to the scared child once again and looked up at Edithe. Or rather, just a normal, worried child.

“Salvos said they would come back. But it’s been so long and they haven’t returned!”

“It’s only been a few weeks. Just over a month and a half. Even Sophia and Cless only returned three weeks ago!”

Edithe spoke reassuringly, ruffling the palm of her hand through the brown hair of the girl.

“Don’t worry. You heard what Sophia said. They’re fine. Now come.”

She pulled Rachel’s hand gently, bringing her along as she headed out of the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company.

“The others are already leaving, but it seems like Gabriel has finished making his antidote. Hopefully Baris will make a full recovery by tonight. But just in case, we’ll see what happens.”

It was a simple and straightforward reason. One that would make enough sense in and of itself. But there was a layer underneath it. That of fear.

Because even though Salvos trusted her, Edithe wasn’t sure if she could trust herself. She had failed Paul, Eloy, Silvia, and Hana. They were dead now, because she was too weak. And if she was too weak now— if the Harrowed Vindicators showed up— she didn’t think she would be able to protect Rachel from them herself.

So, what better way to keep the girl safe than to keep her surrounded by a group of high leveled individuals? Hadrian and Gabriel were Diamond. There would be a handful of Platinums there too, to watch and see if Baris recovers. Not to mention the numerous amount of Gold Ranks the Valiant Dreamers had.

What could possibly go wrong?

Daniel and I reached the base of the large castle and pushed through the broken gates into the vast chamber within. We had thought it would be empty— that maybe there would be a single [Cultist] or two hiding within, and maybe even some Minotaurs that were being controlled by Mindreapers too. We were prepared, however we weren’t prepared to face… just [Cultists].

Level 60 [Cultists]. Those who would have been leaders of their own cults and groups. They were commonplace here. A few had been standing sentry rather than just meandering about, collecting trinkets like the first one we had found. They were keeping a keen eye out for us, and despite trying to keep to the shadows, they saw us.

Magic blasted our way, and a few drew their crude blades and charged us. I ignored those, letting them take my [Hero] companion on in battle, instead rushing the ones casting spells from behind. My claws sheared through these mage-type [Cultists] far easier than it would have the warrior-types, and with my newfound [Strength] artifact, I disposed of them rather easily.

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 64]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 61]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 67]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 59] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 60]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

The battles that took place entering the castle were won easily. Most of the [Cultists] other than the first few guarding had been busy, and were slow to drop their tasks to attack us. But they did, and we fought back.

Daniel pulled his sword from the chest of a [Cultist] wielding a flail. The weapon was clearly not suited for her— she seemed like the type to cast spells more than anything. However, she still used it mindlessly, as her ice magic had been countered by my flames.

Wiping a sweat of his brows, he produced a healing potion from his pocket and raised it at me.

“Need some?”

“No thanks.”

I spoke simply, looking through the bodies of the [Cultists] I had just finished off. Many of them had been carrying something with them, looking to deliver it to somewhere. But it seemed that we had gotten lucky with the first [Cultist] as he actually had an artifact on him. These ones were carrying old, rusted weapons, useless pieces of jewellery, or even pieces of rocks as if they had any use.

Straightening, I pulled out a ring that looked like it would be useful and identified it. Nope, it’s just a ring. I sighed and tossed it aside. I raised a clawed finger and gestured at it to Daniel.

“I can avoid most of their attacks just fine, and those that hit me are absorbed by my Ring of Lesser Protection. Although it just ran out, it won’t take too long to recharge since we’re in a Dungeon.”

He nodded and picked up the flail.

“This looks like it’s useful. A Medium Grade weapon— Flail of Power. It releases a wave of energy when it strikes an opponent which increases its damage and knocks whoever it hits back.”

“I’ll take it!”

I piped up excitedly and bounded right up to his side.

“I’ve got [Passive - Weapon Mastery]! I can use that!”

It would be just like having a Spear of Flames all over again! It was very useful, especially when fighting wild Demons higher leveled than me. Although, with only [Cultists] and monsters here, there wasn’t too much for me to worry about. I could take on a Level 70 Mindreaper just fine, as long as I didn’t waste any time trying to take it down.

“Here you go. It’s a bit heavy, but I’m sure you can handle it just fine.”

I snorted and held up the Flail of Power. Certainly, I would have had trouble using it back when I was a Level 30 [Zelus Imp]. But my [Strength] had more than doubled since then. I could pretty much use any weapons made out of ordinary iron, unless it had some kind of enchantment that made it super heavy or unwieldy to use.

Spinning the chained weapon in the air, I took a minute to acclimate myself to the weapon. The chains rattled and clanged with each other, making it very noisy and not suited for sneaking around. However, just in case I would need it for later— if we somehow went up against a Minotaur, which I wasn’t looking forward to fighting but still wanted to see— I would keep it with me.

I stored the weapon in a Bag of Holding I picked up from an earlier [Cultist], I heaved it around my shoulder and started down a long, gilded corridor. Daniel followed after me, having kept his distance from the spinning weapon when I had tested it.

“So, there are a lot of [Cultists] here.”

“Yep. And no Minotaurs.”

I agreed, casting my gaze around just in case my words would suddenly make them appear. Deflating slightly when they didn’t, I turned back to my companion.

“And they’re all under the same control spell-combination that the monsters outside are under. The one that prevents you from sleeping.”

He rubbed at his eyes reflexively as he spoke, reminding himself that he probably should sleep soon. However, he could go for days without sleep if he pushed himself, and if anything, I could always wake him back up with [Zealous Call].

“You think there’s a Mindreaper somewhere in here?”

I caught on to what he was saying.

“Yeah. There has to be one. At least one Mindreaper to keep them asleep, and one of whatever it is that’s controlling their dreams.”

“With illusion magic.”

“Or a curse.”

He spoke darkly, his face steeled from the moment of drowsiness earlier; he didn’t like how he had been controlled twice before. Apparently, having his agency ripped from him was not something he had enjoyed. And I wholeheartedly agreed with that.

“Do you think we should try to find whatever it is that’s using this curse of illusion magic and stop them?”

Tapping a finger on my chin, I asked the question as we slowly rounded a corner. We made sure to peer about first, not to run into any ambush or be caught unprepared by a patrol of [Cultists].

“...no.”

He finally said after a moment’s deliberation. I cocked my head.

“Why not? Aren’t you a [Hero]? Isn’t it your job to deal with things like this?”

That had been the Class description from what I had been told by Daniel and Rachel. The little girl had excitedly told me the various stories of… just the Immortal King Alexander. He had been the protector of Humanity for a thousand years, and their ruler. So, he was the most well known [Hero] to Human children.

“I am.”

Daniel halted to a stop. He glanced to his right, right at a torn and discolored banner hanging down the side of the white walls. It wasn’t banclite— although it must have been designed to look like it.

“However, I also know when I’m out of my depth. This is something we need to report to the Adventurers Guild. To the Sunmere Republic itself. Maybe if it was just the [Cultists] schemes, we could deal with it ourselves. And I would have suggested that too. But this goes beyond them.”

Turning his head in the general direction of where we had come from— when we entered the city— he spoke slowly.

“It’s an army out there, Salvos. Dozens of Platinum Rank monsters. Hundreds of Gold Rank monsters. Thousands of Silver Rank monsters. And in here, there are dozens— maybe even more than a hundred— [Cultists], all at Gold Rank or higher. It’s not something either of us can or should deal with.”

I nodded.

“You’re right. I just wanted to meet some Minotaurs, but—”

Daniel and I paused by a hole in the wall. We looked through it, out into a garden courtyard that led to another wing of the castle. There, a group of [Cultists] were passing through. They caught sight of us and instantly charged, casting spells and drawing their weapons, all the while clinging onto whatever it was they were carrying on them.

“All I’ve found are more weird Humans.”

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 57]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 62]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

—--

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 68]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 60] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 61]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Daniel and I swept through the various wings of the castle, mostly trying to stay hidden and only getting into some engagements. However, it seemed we didn’t even need to crawl through the cracks and holes to avoid drawing attention to ourselves.

For whatever reason, whenever we got into a fight— no matter how loud or explosive the battle was— no other [Cultists] came to assail us. They would only react to seeing us, and even then, they took a moment to decide between continuing their delivery or instantly blasting us with spells.

So we cleared out all the [Cultists] we could find while keeping an eye out for Fairies. I wasn’t sure what they looked like, but Daniel described them as little, flying people who would annoy and trick you for fun. They sounded nice. But we didn’t find any of them here.

However, we did eventually find the other Species I was looking for. The Minotaurs. And…

“They’re dead.”

Daniel pointed out the obvious as we stood before a pile of discarded, rotting bodies that had been stored in a room and left on its own. They lay by the dozens, their large bodies making them obviously not Human. Their two horse-like legs bloodied and cut, as if they had been beaten in battle.

They had the face of a cow— or a bull, which Daniel said was a kind of cow, although I hadn’t seen one in any of the cities I had been in so far— with two white horns protruding from the side of their heads. Their body was muscular, almost like Haec, with a broad chest that extended beyond even my height.

If they had still been alive and standing, they would have easily doubled my current height, even though I was taller than Daniel as I was now!

They might have been Lucerna’s height. Perhaps just a little bit taller. But despite being so huge and so strong— they were dead. And beyond just what Daniel pointed out, they didn’t just die randomly. They were…

“They’re chained up.”

I spoke up, narrowing my eyes. The large links of metal wrapped around the necks of the Minotaur corpses. They were imbued with powerful magic, so much so that I was certain I couldn’t break it either.

“Someone locked them up here after beating them in a fight. And then left them to starve.”

I thought food was disgusting— I didn’t like eating. However, I knew most living creatures needed some sort of subsistence to survive. The fact that they were left here without food, abandoned after being defeated… it made my skin crawl.

Daniel took a step forward, taking in the sight with a furrowed face. He shook his head and placed a hand on the ground.

“I… don’t think they were just abandoned, Salvos. I think they had already served their purpose then was abandoned. Look, drag marks.”

I stared at what he was tracing his finger over. The floor looked like it was scratched, damaged— which was what most of the Brilsum Ruins had looked like— but it was even newer. As if someone struggled as they were being pulled out of the room against their will.

A thought crossed through my mind.

“You think it has something to do with the [Cultists]?”

I raised a nonexistent brow towards him. He blinked.

“Why would that be? This was probably the working of whatever is responsible for everything weird that has been going on in this Dungeon.”

“But then why weren’t they just taken over in their sleep?”

The question stumped Daniel. And there was more to it than just that too.

“Plus, look at the marks on their body. The Minotaurs died recently enough that they haven’t turned to bones just yet— what was it you called it again?”

“Decomposition.”

“Yep, that. And that’s why you think they starved. But they were also subdued and placed here in the first place— and the kind of injuries they suffered left marks on their skin. On their bodies.”

Daniel looked around with a frown. He realized what I was saying a moment after.

“So, it was not mind magic that did this.”

“It looks like the damage was caused by fire magic. Ice magic. Wind magic. And just swords, spears, hammers, flails— nothing out of the ordinary. Things Humans would use often.”

“The [Cultists].”

The Human man cast his gaze behind us instinctively. I continued.

“And that would explain why they were being kept here. After all, [Cultists] need living creatures— usually high level ones or ones with a lot of mana— to summon Demons.”

“Are you saying—”

His eyes grew wide as I looked down at him grimly. Opening my palms and shrugging, I took a step away from the prison room.

“I don’t know. However, I do know that not all Demons are ‘bad’ or ‘evil’, and especially not all of us are wild. So, let’s not assume the worse, alright?”

Daniel hesitated. He eyed me from behind, taking a moment to gather himself and hurry after me.

“But Salvos, if what you’re trying to say is true, don’t you think we should leave right now?”

“We haven’t found the Fairies yet.”

I spoke simply, although I was a little more conflicted than that in my head. Maybe, just maybe, if there really was an Archdemon here, I could ask them to help me return— it was a hopeful thought. One that was probably not going to happen.

However, I was a Demon, right? Just like them. Even Ignavare didn’t think to attack me unnecessarily.

Anyway, it was not like we were actively looking for trouble. We were trying to find Fairies, and they had been frequently spotted in this Dungeon. It made no sense to give up just yet.

Daniel disagreed.

“Salvos, I know I agreed to help you. I know I came with you this far out of my own volition. But this is starting to get reckless. Staying here, even for another day, is very risky.”

“Everything has risks.”

“I know that, but if the [Cultists] really succeeded, and there is an Archdemon here—”

We turned a corner, and the Human man was abruptly cut off. We stared at what was waiting before us. No— there was no Archdemon there. In fact, we didn’t even stop to stare for long.

Because what we saw was something we had already agreed we would attack immediately. Leading a group of [Cultists], hovering just below the ceiling as it patrolled down the corridors of the castle, was a Mindreaper.

Daniel and I ceased our arguments and immediately rushed forward. Mind magic settled in a moment later, just as we expected, but we were fully prepared this time.

A note from MelasD

3,600 words. Long-ish chappie. Thanks for reading <3

Current patreon backlog is at 20 chapters or a month ahead right now. You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

Do consider supporting me, as I'm trying to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

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89.1. Seeing the Light

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

An author I know has recently come back from writing and is starting his series again, it's called the Second Remnant: The Dark Places. Check it out here!

Also, my good friend is writing a wonderful story called Beneath the Dragoneye Moons. This is my fourth time shouting it out haha. Check it out here!

Lastly, another one of my friends is writing an isekai litrpg called Unbound. Great stuff. You should 100% check it out here!

89.1. Seeing the Light

[Mindreaper - Lvl. 82]

[Cultist - Lvl. 73]

[Cultist - Lvl. 68]

[Cultist - Lvl. 65]

Daniel and I charged the Mindreaper and the three [Cultists] surrounding it. The monster turned its head, taking a moment to recognize us as an intruder, before blaring its mind magic at us.

I winced, but fought through the pain as [Self Haste] propelled me forward. Daniel couldn’t keep up, however he was in the middle of using his Skill, slashing out and sending a blade of light in the direction of the flying Mindreaper.

A volley of magical arrows appeared out of thin air, in the air just above the Level 73 [Cultist]. He looked to be a man who was also in his 70s, dressed in black and red robes, standing out from the other two who wore plain black robes.

These arrows soared through the air and towards me at extreme speeds. They were almost ethereal— I swore I could see through them. And I was right, because they were made of pure arcane energy. The magical attack whizzed past me, dozens of them landing all around me. And—

One of them nicked me. It pierced through my skin, draining me of mana in an instant. And more left minor cuts throughout my body. I grimaced as another volley readied to launch itself at me. More mind magic blasted me, making me want to curl up and hide underneath a rock and scream. But [Charge of Embers] once again proved itself useful as more than just an offensive Skill.

It brought me straight to the Mindreaper, helping me evade the second volley of arcane bolts. Just as I reached it, a blade of light— Daniel’s Skill— finally reached the Mindreaper too. We had both agreed beforehand to always focus our attacks on these mind mages first. Their attacks were too powerful and their defenses were too weak, making it the best course of action for us.

So the blade of light cut through the Mindreaper’s leathery skin, before my own fiery spear jabbed straight at its chest. It recoiled, trying to dodge the attack, however I let the fiery weapon dissipate and sent a [Scorching Wave] at its open wound.

The monster zipped through the air, trying to put distance myself and it as the [Cultists] below me readied more spells of more than just the arcane, but fire, earth, and ice. Not wanting to be hit by any of them, I bounded out of the way as I began creating a kusarigama.

I first started with the chains, hurling it at one of the Mindreaper’s tentacled feet, pulling it down with me as I landed back to the ground and [Self Haste] came to an end. Then I tugged the chains while Daniel intercepted the three [Cultists], interrupting their flurry of magic.

The Mindreaper came snapping down like a whip, straight into the sharp edge of the fire sickle, letting out a telepathic scream. It writhed on the floor before me; it let out its last desperate call for help as it blasted me with another, stronger wave of mind magic. But I grabbed it with my claws, my entire body now lit on fire, and began tearing into the monster until it stopped moving.

I did not even stop to take a moment to breathe. The moment I realized the Mindreaper was dead, I rushed to Daniel’s side. The [Hero] was being overwhelmed by the three [Cultists] combined strength. And why wouldn’t he be losing? Each of their levels were far above his.

He was in the middle of grappling the Level 68 [Cultist] as the Level 73 one prepared a powerful ball of arcane energy, when I joined the fray. I interrupted the casting of the spell, immediately unleashing my [Fire Strikes] at the withering man. A flash flickered around him— a protective barrier stopped my claws from meeting skin.

An artifact?

It definitely had not been some kind of a barrier he put up. It came into existence too quickly for it to be one.

I managed to land one final [Fire Strike] to break the man’s aura of protection before the last [Cultist] blasted me back with a blast of ice. It froze at my skin, however I bit through the frostbite and pushed myself off the higher leveled [Cultist] and leapt onto the lower leveled one.

I no longer had my kusarigama on me— my mana too low from being drained by the earlier arcane arrows— and was relying entirely on using my claws and [Fire Strike]. The [Cultist]— barely above me level— didn’t stand a chance even then. She screamed as my claws tore into her face, ripping her to shreds without any magical protection on her.

I was off her in an instant, evading the arcane spells of the old [Cultist]. He tried to block my path by creating a barrier of arcane energy just ahead of me, but I saw the fissure in the air— the interwoven threads of mana alerting me of the Skill— and I leapt over it before it could halt my pace.

I couldn’t stop, not even for a moment. The damage that had been dealt against me was too much. Even with my increased [Vitality] from raising it, I had been inundated by attacks from Level 70 and 80 beings— those far stronger than me. All I could do now was rely on my speed.

I continued running, dodging the oncoming spells as it blew apart the hallway of the castle. It laid waste to the already ruined building. Until finally—

Daniel finished off the Level 68 [Cultist]. He drew his sword back and instantly rushed the arcane spellcaster while he was still distracted by me. His blade tore into the back of the older man, drawing his attention, and letting me close in on him too.

The two of us hit him from both sides, avoiding his magic easily by splitting his attention in half. Then with that, we easily finished him off. His [Vitality] as a mage-type [Cultist] clearly not as high as if he had been a warrior-type.

Defeated [Nightmare Mindreaper - Lvl. 82]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 73]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 61] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 62]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 62] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 63]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Overall, it had been a quick and bloody battle. It had only been four opponents, and yet I was left just as hurt and injured as when I had been chased by the horde of monsters led by a Mindreaper at the outer city of the Brilsum Ruins.

And unlike back then, Daniel didn’t come out of this unscathed either. He and I both collapsed to the ground, panting and bleeding as we took the moment to gather ourselves. My Human companion quickly produced a healing potion, the same one he offered me last time, and spoke up through labored breath.

“Do… you… want… it… now…?”

Managing to muster a nod, I gladly accepted the healing potion. I chugged it down as quickly as I could while he took another one and drank from it thirstily. I watched the wounds around my body— the burns and the cuts and the freezing— close, and felt the wounds to my mind disappear as well.

The damage was not fully gone. However, this was a high quality healing potion according to Daniel. It would have restored even severed limbs if one took it. Even though I did not lose a limb in the fight, I was grateful for its effects.

I lay there— not long enough for [Rest] to take effect— but long enough until I was satisfied. Then I got up and pulled out a stamina potion and mana potion respectively. I downed both too, before turning back to Daniel who had taken one of each as well.

“That was… the first Mindreaper… in here…”

I had to take a moment to catch my breath; it had still only been minutes since the fight. We couldn’t just waste time here, especially if another patrol of [Cultists] came. My Human companion slowly stood up and sheathed his blade.

“It was. And yet, killing it didn’t break the magic on them.”

“Killing them never did.”

I shook my head, remembering how we would kill Mindreapers outside, but the hordes they were controlling would be completely unaffected.

“There are other Mindreapers around. And their magic can reach more than halfway to the edge of the canyon. I’m pretty sure another Mindreaper just takes over in keeping the monsters and Humans here asleep once one dies.”

I stalked through the ruined hallway, gesturing for Daniel to follow me.

“Let’s move to some place more safe and [Rest] for a bit.”

“I won’t argue against that, but—”

The Human man faced me with a serious look.

“We really need to talk after this.”

Edithe brought Rachel to the training grounds of the Valiant Dreamers Company. It was crowded— even more so than usual— since everyone was gathered to hear about the status of Baris.

Not only was he the bookkeeper of the company, which everyone knew was one of the most important jobs that kept the Valiant Dreamers from running itself into the ground, he had been their founder. And as such, a lot of people looked up to him. Edithe included.

Rachel did not care as much, it was obvious from the look on her face. However, that didn’t stop her from following Edithe as she waded through the crowds of people and into the room Baris was in. She knocked on the door lightly, having been let through from the crowd by Ian.

And Paige opened the door, smiling.

“Took you long enough! Come on, he’s already taken the antidote!”

She spoke excitedly, ushering Edithe into the room. Rachel clung onto the red haired woman’s hand, not wanting to be separated from her amidst all the chaos, and the two were thrust near Hadrian and Gabriel, hovering over the bedridden Baris as the [Healing Mage], Stannis, poured a vial of liquid into his mouth.

Edithe turned to Paige, speaking uncertainly.

“Is he, uh, taking it now?”

“Yes. Gabriel just finished the antidote this morning, and he’s certain that it will eliminate all the poison left in Baris’ body. He’ll be fine.”

The confidence in her voice reassured the red haired woman. If only a little bit. There was trust here— this company had been built on that very basis. It wasn’t like most other companies where everyone was there purely for their own financial gain. The Valiant Dreamers were more like… a family.

Edithe remembered when she first joined. Paige had been a Silver Rank, close to Gold at the time. And despite being busy with her own schedule— trying to do whatever was necessary to cross through the threshold to get promoted— Paige never once ignored Edithe when the red haired woman nervously asked for help or advice.

Despite being the loner that she had been, Edithe was welcomed in this company. She thought it was a family, and she knew the others thought the same. So, Paige, Edithe, Hadrian, Gabriel— everyone in the room— watched silently as the antidote went down Baris’ throat.

It was quiet, so quiet, that they could hear every swallow the founder of the Valiant Dreamers Company made. The last of the liquid dripped into his mouth and for a moment, everyone held their breath. Then suddenly, there was a cough. And another. And another.

Baris broke out into a fit of coughs as Hadrian rushed in with a panicked voice.

“Dad!”

Edithe tensed as Paige stepped forward too, worry in her eyes more than anyone else. Baris had been the one who brought her into the company, after all. He was like a father to her. If anything happened to him, she would surely be the second one after Hadrian to break.

The red haired woman might not have been as attached as Paige, but she was concerned too. A single bead of sweat rolled down her head as she watched nervously. Until Baris sat up, letting out a final, wet cough.

“Y-you—”

Baris sputtered, turning to Hadrian.

“Where…”

The old man trailed off, eyes wide as he looked around. Everyone stared at him expectantly, but he was confused. He had been unconscious for a week this last time, and the moments he spent awake then had been nothing more than mere moments. So, Baris blinked and tried to take in his surroundings while Edithe sighed in relief along with everyone else.

“It worked…”

“He’s fine! The antidote worked!”

A few voices cheered, but a single wave of the hand by Gabriel silenced them.

“Of course it worked. I told you it would.”

Despite brimming with confidence in his voice, the fear in his eyes from earlier definitely betrayed his words now. Edithe laughed as Baris frowned while being consumed in a hug by Hadrian.

“How… how long have I been out?”

89.2. Seeing the Light

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

Another shoutout to my friends!

One of them is writing a satire fic, and he references a multitude of fictions including Salvos in it. It's called Cultivine. Check it out here!

Also, another one of them is getting close to 1,000 followers in their fic called Doing God's Work! Let's help push her over the edge, and be sure to read it because it's long and it's good. Check it out here!

Lastly, you should also check out At the End of the World by Crisyah. Check it out here!

89.2. Seeing the Light

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon]

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 63

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 4

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 3

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 70 (+5)

[Strength]: 43 (+5) (+2)

[Endurance]: 65 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 82 (+5)

[Agility]: 126 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 25

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 5 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 15

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 9

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 5

Daniel and I found a small, secluded room close to where we had our battle with the Mindreaper to [Rest] in. I took the time the General Skill took to take effect to distribute all my Skill and Stat Points in a way that would ensure my survival in the Brilsum Ruins over anything else.

My [Agility] was important, as always, but [Vitality] had shot up to become my third highest Stat. And despite that giant leap over the course of a few weeks, I still wasn’t confident in my ability to survive any single encounter with more than one Mindreaper.

That was what Daniel and I had to avoid the most— a battle with multiple Mindreapers. But there were other things in my companion’s mind, because after we finished settling in, he turned to me and spoke seriously.

“Salvos.”

“That’s me!”

I replied cheerfully, although he did not seem entertained by it. Realizing that this was about what he had been discussing with me about before our fight against the Mindreaper, I put on a more serious face too.

“You wanted to talk about going back?”

“I do.”

He said the words with finality in his voice. Getting up, he glanced quickly over at the half-standing door blocking the entrance to the small room. Only a single sphere of fire I had created lit up the dark room. Night time had once again consumed the day, and there was no natural light to keep the place illuminated.

“It’s because of what I said about the [Cultists], isn’t it?”

“Yes. And not just that, it’s about what I’ve found written in the notes of the [Cultists] we killed.”

“And that is?”

“That you were right. They succeeded in summoning an Archdemon. They used Minotaurs as their sacrifice, and they got what they wanted.”

Sighing, I sat down in front of him. I tried to keep a small distance away from him, not to be too intimidating since he preferred me in my Mortal Form. But I didn’t look like a Human now. So, I was careful not to bare my teeth or do anything that he would find menacing.

He rubbed at his temples as he explained.

“Salvos, I know I was the one who offered to help you go back to the Netherworld in the first place, and I have no intention of going back on that promise. And I know I tagged along to go to the Brilsum Ruins out of my own volition as well. However, this is something that is even beyond me and you. We’re talking about an Archdemon here.”

“I’m a Greater Demon. Close to an Archdemon.”

I spoke simply, not disputing or denying anything he said. Just a fact. He shook his head.

“It’s not the same. This Archdemon has a whole evolution over you. Just like Lucerna. And unlike Lucerna, we don’t have an entire city already whittling him down, nor do we have Edithe and her Spirits with us. We’re in the middle of its— his, her, I don’t know— territory. It has done something to take over all the [Cultists], Mindreapers, and monsters in the area, and we’ll only die if we face it.”

I opened my mouth but he held up a finger.

“And we don’t even know what level an Archdemon is. You said it yourself, you don’t think you’re going to become one in your next evolution. So for all we know, it could be Level 100, Level 150, or even Level 200.”

“That’s…”

I trailed off and tilted my head towards the ceiling.

“That’s something that would easily kill us, yes.”

I agreed with him. He was being entirely reasonable here— just like how fighting Lucerna alone was suicide for me.

“However, we haven’t reached our goal yet.”

“And that goal is something that won’t disappear if it hasn’t already for thousands of years. The Fairies were here when Brilsum was still a city, and the Fairies are apparently still here now. So they’ll still be here in the future.”

He countered. I cocked my head, considering this. I had been insistent on proceeding with my goal— although he had been too, until we brushed by death and found out that a lot of bad things were happening here. And now…

“Huh.”

I spoke the words with a sigh. Feeling my shoulders slump and seeing the logic in what he was saying, I acquiesced.

“You’re right. We should go back.”

“Look, we can tell everyone about what’s going on here, then when it’s cleared out we can—”

Daniel paused and stared at me.

“Wait, you’re… agreeing with me?”

“Yep. We should leave. Now. If we stay here, we’ll probably die. It’s more than a Platinum Rank Dungeon. We weren’t prepared to face it.”

I stood up and he hurriedly got up after me.

“But… after everything, you’re just going to give up?”

I eyed Daniel, puzzled as to why he was trying to get me to stay now.

“It’s like you said, it’d be like fighting Lucerna but if he was uninjured and without our other companions. I wouldn’t do that. I went back once, to face him. I was alone, and that was to free Haec. However, I never planned to fight him. Just like I don’t plan on fighting an Archdemon now.”

I pushed the door open as I took a moment to remember my [Fiend] companion. My reunion with him once again cut short, because of too many unending obstacles.

“We didn’t come here to fight one, nor did we come here to fight Mindreapers leading an army. We came here to find Fairies and maybe fight some Minotaurs. However, even if I can convince an Archdemon not to kill me, I don’t think they’ll spare you. They’ll probably want to have you under their curse or illusion, and I won’t let that happen.”

“We can still sneak our way around the castle.”

For some reason, our roles were reversed now. Or maybe he was just disbelieving that I wanted to return too after being so vehement on staying. But…

“You need to sleep. And each time we leave and enter the Brilsum Ruins is a huge risk. If I mess up my [Zealous Call] even once, I’ll die.”

I spoke with resignation as we slowly stalked through the dark hallways, deciding finally that it was not worth it.

“Everything has risks, but the risks here are too large for something we’re so uncertain about. If I want to live to see Haec again, we’ll have to wait just a little while longer until we can come back here. Or go somewhere else entirely to find these Fairies.”

My Human companion stared at me for a moment, still in shock. Then slowly, a smile spread across his face. One of relief.

“Then let’s go back now. Before anything bad happens.”

I nodded in agreement right as we entered a large chamber— then we stopped. Soft, quiet footfalls made their way towards us. A light at the other end of the room shone, coming down from a grand corridor with an arched entrance way.

Light? But none of the [Cultists] or Mindreapers had needed it before. That was an idle thought. One that was instantly spoken over by another.

Run.

I was taken over by an impending sense of doom. Fear gripped me and pushed me to act. I grabbed Daniel’s hand, driven to get as far away from whatever this was as possible.

He blinked, following after me, but said nothing. I pulled him back to our hallway as light engulfed the chamber. A shadowed figure continued making its way into the room, walking through it slowly— at such a leisurely pace it was like they owned the place. And perhaps they did.

I hurriedly made it down the corridor, rounding a corner towards the room we had hidden in. I pulled the door open—

No.

I took a step back and yanked Daniel away. Where? Where can we hide...

There.

My head snapped in the direction the voice echoed towards. How did I…? It was mind magic. It could have been a Mindreaper for all I knew. But I followed it, running into the open courtyard through the crack in the wall as we passed by the body of the Mindreaper and [Cultists] from before.

A voice spoke up behind us. Not the one in my head, but a deep, booming voice.

“Hrmph, it seems I had been right. Some pests have been disposing of my Mindreapers.”

Daniel glanced back while I pulled him ahead. He watched the figure in the now-lit corridor, and the looming shadowed figure within. He opened his mouth as we reached a dead end but something still impelled me to go forward.

“Salvos, what are—”

“Just trust me!”

I spoke through clenched teeth. If this is a trick—

It wasn’t.

Daniel and I ran through the wall, and appeared stumbling into a luminescent, cavernous room. We were surrounded by rock walls— fully natural. Not like the rubble of the city. And it was here the portal behind us rippled.

It showed the courtyard we had been in. The figure we had been running from stepped out into the courtyard, barely visible to us and speaking with the same echoing, booming voice from before.

“Now, where did they—”

I tried to identify him. But the portal closed. A wall was left in front of us. The dull, gray wall of the cave we were in.

Blinking, I glanced around the cave. It was lit up by glowing moss covering parts of the rock wall like splattered paint. I sighed in relief and turned to Daniel. I opened my mouth—

And a voice spoke over me.

“Now that was close.”

The two of us jerked and glanced up at the glowing ball of light hovering over us. I stared at it— her— as she flitted about, zipping through the air above our heads.

“You idiots, don’t you know how close you came to dying! He would’ve killed you then me if you were a moment slower!”

I stared at the ball of light, dumbfounded. Nothing came out of my mouth, and neither did anything come out from my companion’s mouth. The ball of light came down right next to our faces, slowly dimming to reveal a Human-like figure about the size of my hand.

She had golden-blonde hair and yellow skin, both matching the glow around her. Only her eyes were black, and she snapped them between Daniel and I. She let out a snort.

“What? Is this your first time seeing a Fairy? Well, this is what I look like! Now stop staring! It’s weird!”

[Fairy - Lvl. 103]

A note from MelasD

IT'S APRIL, AND GUESS WHAT? IT'S GOING TO BE MONTH OF ARTS.

You better be prepared for all the arts you are about to see. So. Many. Arts.

Current patreon backlog is at 20 chapters or a month ahead right now at over 70,000 words. You can read it all for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

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90. Burning with Excitement

A note from MelasD

5,700 word chapter.

Big shoutout to two wonderful prose stories on RoyalRoad.

The first goes to A Journey of Black and Red by Mecanimus! A unique take on a vampire story. It is one of the best rated stories on RR for a reason. Check it out!

The next goes to The Eagle's Flight by Quill. The best written story on all of RoyalRoad, in my honest opinion, and a wonderfull told fantasy story. Check it out!

90. Burning with Excitement

[Fairy - Lvl. 103]

“—now stop staring! It’s weird!”

The soft voice cut me free from my stupor and I slowly worked my jaw. I stared at the Fairy, mesmerized as I tried to get a better look at it— her?

She crossed her arms, harrumphing as I peered closer.

“What did I just say?!”

“Oh—”

I took a step back and quickly murmured an apology.

“Sorry. It’s just that…”

Trailing off, I shyly scratched a clawed finger on the side of my elongated mouth. The Fairy frowned.

“What?”

“Are you… a Fairy?”

She snorted and zipped up to the front of my face. The Fairy tapped her hand lightly on the top of my nose and pointed back to herself.

“Look at me.”

“I am looking.”

“Now identify me.”

“Uh, I already did.”

“Then isn’t it obvious that I’m a Fairy?!”

Flying back away from me, the Fairy let her features disappear under the ball of light holding her. Or was she holding it? I sensed some kind of magic— a type of distortion there. However, I wasn’t entirely sure what that was.

I turned excitedly to Daniel and spoke in a hushed voice.

“Daniel, she’s a Fairy! She’s what we’ve been looking for this whole time!”

The Human man had been blankly staring at the rock wall behind us— where the portal had been. My words however, snapped him back to reality and he faced me.

“She… she is?”

“Yes—”

“Didn’t we just go over this?”

The Fairy interrupted me by darting back and forth through the air between the two of us. Once she got our attention, she stopped just above our heads and her light dimmed once more.

“I am a Fairy, yes. And I just saved both your lives!”

She stared at us expectantly. I looked up at her and opened my mouth.

“You’re the one who told me where to go?”

“Yes, I was the one who did that with my amazing mind magic powers.”

“And you’re the one that opened up the portal?”

“Obviously, yes!”

Speaking impatiently, she gave me a frustrated look. I nodded slowly and spoke softly.

“That’s… amazing!”

Instantly, the Fairy brightened. Literally.

Her ball of light flashed for a moment and a giggle broke out from her, turning her frown to a grin.

“Why, thank you. I know I am quite amazing.”

The Fairy spoke, raising her chin. I nodded in agreement.

“You are definitely amazing! How did you do that? You can use both mind magic and space magic?!”

“Why, of course! I’m a Level 103 Fairy— that’s like child's play to me!”

“Woah!”

I gasped, staring up at her in astonishment. Daniel eyed me with a dubious look.

“Uh, Salvos, aren’t you being a little bit too obvious with the way you’re acting?”

I cocked my head.

“Acting?”

“She’s not doing any kind of acting, Mortal fool!”

The Fairy scoffed and waved a hand petulantly.

“I had just saved both of your lives from Belzu— such praises are expected.”

“They are!”

I happily agreed with her. Daniel raised an eyebrow at me but said nothing more. I turned back to the Fairy and spoke eagerly.

“So, what’s your name? I’m Salvos!”

I tried to proffer a hand, before realizing she had no reason to take it. The Fairy took it even still, her small hand no larger than one of my clawed fingers wrapped within my palm.

“I’m Lily. And as you’ve pointed out earlier, I am a Fairy. But not just any Fairy, I’m a Grand Spirit.”

I felt my mouth hang open before I quickly put it back together. I sputtered.

“A Grand Spirit? What is that?!”

“To put it simply to you as a Demon, it’s like an Archdemon, but for Spirits.”

“Huh.”

I had no idea Spirits and Demons eventually split in the kind of evolutionary paths they had for their Species. Since Druma and Mistshard had been Greater Spirits, I assumed they would become Archspirits or something of the like. But apparently not!

“That sounds so cool!”

“It really is. And I’m glad somebody here understands just how amazing I am.”

Lily shot Daniel a dirty look. The Human man blinked and pointed to himself.

“Me? What did I do?”

“Nothing. Which is exactly the problem.”

She flitted down to meet his gaze and began to explain.

“I had saved your lives from that Archdemon there when I had no reason to. I risked my life for two complete strangers— that is praiseworthy, no? Simple words of admonishment are enough. But since you’ve been so rude…”

Lily raised a hand and began casting a spell. She grinned viciously.

“Maybe I should send you back to Belzu and let him take care of you.”

He paled.

“Wait— no, I—”

I was about to step forward and defend my companion when the Fairy laughed.

“I’m kidding— you actually got scared. Are you even a [Hero]?”

The Human man flushed then blinked.

“Wait, you can… see my Class?”

“I’ve got a type of [Appraisal] Skill that lets me see through Obfuscation artifacts. I’m pretty great, aren’t I?”

I stared at her in wonder.

“You are!”

“Why are you so fascinated by her?”

Daniel asked me flatly.

“Because it’s true!”

He gave me a blank look, then glanced back at the stone wall behind us. Where the portal had been.

“That Demon— the one you saved us from— what did you say its name was again?”

“His name is Belzu. And he nearly killed both of you and me because you were so slow!”

“But you’re a Level 103 Fairy, how exactly is he going to do that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s because he’s higher leveled than me! He’s Level 138— 35 whole levels above mine!”

“Wait…”

Daniel frowned.

“But he’s an Archdemon and you’re a Grand Spirit. He can’t be that much stronger than you, right?”

“Unfortunately, he is.”

Lily spoke in a more morose voice all of a sudden. She turned around and began flying down the cavern hallway.

“Follow me.”

I exchanged a glance with my companion and he shrugged. We followed after her, heading down a stone corridor as the Fairy’s voice echoed in the tunnel.

“This place… where do you think we are?”

“Uh, a cave?”

Daniel replied stupidly. Lily snorted and I quickly corrected his mistake.

“The Brilsum Ruins.”

She smiled.

“Correct.”

“How did you know that, Salvos?”

I faced the Human man and gave him the simple, obvious answer.

“Because if we had left the Dungeon, we’d have gotten a notification telling us that we exited it. But we didn’t.”

Lily nodded as she flitted ahead.

“This place— it’s still inside the Brilsum Ruins. In fact, we’re still within the inner city of the Dungeon. However, Belzu won’t think about checking this place because he has cleared it out before.”

“Cleared it out?”

The Fairy came to a stop as the tunnel opened up to a large cavern. There was a large buildup of rocks and dirt in the center— something which I thought was ruined by the Archdemon. However, I was wrong.

“This… is my Fairy Mound.”

“Your Fairy Mound?”

I blinked and faced her.

“It’s still mine— it had been built out of the rubble from the Fairy temple that used to be here. It was a nice place. And my brothers and sisters used to live here with me.”

“You’re talking about a Lair?”

I spoke up, understanding.

“Yes.”

She turned her head fractionally to look at me.

“This had been a Lair full of Fairies at around my level. There had been half a dozen of us. And after Belzu came here, now I’m the only one left.”

“Oh…”

I glanced back over at the Fairy Mound as Lily flew towards it. Climbing up the dirt and rubble, I followed after her with Daniel. It was honestly nothing more than a haphazard mess— something which I wouldn’t have differentiated from the ruined city outside.

Daniel peered over at one of the many holes— holes too large for either of us to enter, but just enough for a Fairy. Lily darted in and out of a few of these cracks and returned to us, sighing.

“Not all of them died, of course. Only two fell to Belzu before the rest escaped.”

“Escaped, how?”

“By returning to the Spirit Plane.”

She replied simply. Blinking, I took a step back. Daniel however, nudged me forward.

I approached the Fairy from behind as she cursed under her breath— mad that she had been abandoned by her companions.

“Uh, excuse me Ms Lily, but how exactly did… your companions go back?”

“The same way I brought you here— with space magic.”

She replied matter-of-factly. My eyes grew round as she gave her answer.

“You mean… they can travel to and from the Spirit Plane using their own magic?”

“Of course! Why do you think us Fairies are sent to the Mortal Realm in the first place? We come here to practice our space magic and learn how to go back. I’m still in the middle of learning mine. I’ve managed to make the return trip once before— but it was purely chance. When I tried to do it again, I failed. And I haven’t gotten a Skill for it either, so now I’m stuck here.”

Grousing, Lily crossed her arms and swore even more. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“And space magic is some sort of attribute that’s a part of your Subspecies?”

“What? No.”

She spun to face me and flew up and down, grinning.

Fairies aren’t born with space magic inherent to their Species. And my Subspecies relates to mind magic.

Her voice echoed in my mind as I stared up at her in awe. Daniel didn’t hear it and he gave me an odd look.

“Why are you gawking, Salvos?”

“I-It’s nothing.”

Shaking my head, I focused on getting what I wanted. The question I had hoped to have the answer for.

“Ms Lily—”

“Just Lily is fine.”

“Right, Lily.”

I cleared my throat, although it came out more of as a growl.

“If your Subspecies relates to… mind magic. But you practice space magic. How exactly do you get Skills related to space magic?”

“With my Class, of course!”

Lily smirked and flew up to my face. She rested both her hands on my nose as she fluttered her eyelashes prettily.

“Didn’t you know? Of course not. Neither the Demon King or Spirit Lord educates their subjects at all. Unlike my Queen who shares everything she can with us. She’s truly glorious.”

“Oh, uh, I’m not with the Demon King.”

“Hmph, well the point stands since you don’t know. But it’s something that very few knows— Spirits and Demons can have a Class on top of having a Subspecies. You just have to meet the necessary requirements for it.”

I felt my heart begin racing in my chest as my excitement tripled. I looked at Lily with twinkling eyes as she waited for me to ask the follow up question.

“And… what are the requirements for it?”

She smiled and booped my nose before flying back up.

“You just have to hit Level 100, silly!”

“...what?”

“...what?”

Salvos stared up at the floating Fairy as she hovered in the air with a self-satisfied look on her face. The Demon opened her mouth, but Daniel spoke over her first.

“Demons and Spirits can get a Class at Level 100? Like Humans can get a second Class?”

“Exactly.”

Lily’s voice was exuberant, almost excited to be talking about it.

“Here’s the thing— Spirits and Demons are not monsters. We’re Spirits and Demons. And do you know what makes us different from the monsters with Subspecies that populate the Mortal Realm?”

Salvos answered hesitantly.

“Uh… they still have to eat and sleep?”

“That’s true for some Spirits and Demons as well. No— what makes us different from those monsters is that we can have a Class. At Level 100, monsters mutate as they get a second Subspecies. At Level 100, Humans, Elves, Cyclops grow even stronger as they get a second Class. But at Level 100, Demons and Spirits become more as we get a Class.”

Daniel listened on as the Fairy gave her lecture. Honestly, he should have expected it was something like that. Surely there had to have been something Spirits and Demons gained when they hit Level 100. After all, Humans got a second Class. Elves got a second Class. And Kobolds generally got a second Class, although apparently some of them could get a Subspecies at that level.

It was something he was told with the royalty-level of education he got from the Elutra Kingdom.

“So, are you saying all Salvos needs to do to make trips between different planes is to… get to Level 100 and get a Class on space magic?”

Daniel asked after Lily was finally finished. The Fairy shook her head.

“It’s not that easy. If you really want to make a trip between the different planes by yourself, you’ll have to then get that Class to Level 100. And even then, you might not get a Skill for it, and casting a portal spell that cuts through the planes isn’t easy.”

“But your companions seemed to do it just fine.”

“My brothers and sisters were Level 100 [Space Mages]. I am not.”

Lily answered Salvos’ question simply as she floated down to her. Daniel frowned.

“Aren’t you going to ask why she even needs to learn such a spell? You’re not worried that she might use it to go to the Spirit Plane?”

“I’m not stupid. I can see that she doesn’t have a summoning collar. Such things happen occasionally. Demons getting stranded in the Mortal Realm— although the last time I met one when it happened the Demon grew to become an Archdemon and nearly destroyed every Human kingdom to the west. That was about a thousand years ago.”

She then gave the young man a smug smile which he found rather condescending.

“And why should we be afraid of a single Demon? Even if the Devil himself showed up in the Spirit Plane, my Queen would take care of him.”

“Even the Devil?!”

Salvos stared at Lily, aghast. The Fairy smiled.

“Yes, even him.”

Daniel wasn’t sure how much he believed that, however he could tell by the way Salvos had been pretty much fangirling over the Fairies that she believed every single word of it. He’d probably have to talk to her about people over exaggerating or just flat out idolizing others who might not actually be as amazing as they were seen to be, but that was a conversation for another time.

“So you have no problem with Demons— even after that Archdemon, Belzu, killed two of your brothers and sisters. You still saved us. Why?”

“Well, first of all—”

Lily waved a hand in the air as she explained.

“I didn’t actually like either Arthur or Tania in the first place. The both of them could have died for all I care!”

Daniel exchanged a look with Salvos but the Fairy continued.

“And secondly, no. I have nothing against Demons. I know you Humans like to think that all Demons are bad and evil. But us Fairies don’t care. I have nothing against any Demons except for Belzu. And that’s why I saved you two.”

“To mess with him.”

Daniel spoke knowingly. She grinned.

“Exactly.”

Fairies really are tricksters— when she saved us, I thought that wasn’t the case. But now… The young man watched as Lily pranced through the air around Salvos, laughing in delight as she recalled what Belzu had been saying before they escaped.

“He was being all threatening-like and suddenly, you two were gone! Imagine how stupid he must have felt. I wish I could’ve seen the look on his face.”

Salvos giggled with her, although the sound that came out of her in her Demon form made Daniel cringe. She’s really terrifying like that.

Lily took note of this as she flew up to his face and tilted her head.

“What’s wrong, [Hero]? Scared of your own Demon friend?”

“What— no!”

He sputtered and backed up defensively.

“I’m not scared of her. She just looks a little… scary?”

The Fairy snorted.

“That’s the same thing, isn’t it?”

“No, it isn’t. Being scared of her means that I would be actively afraid of her, want to run away from her and have to fight to even stay around her. Thinking she looks terrifying at times just means that— that I’m not used to how she looks. And she likes that, right?”

Daniel glanced over at Salvos for assistance, and she bared her teeth back.

“Yep!”

“See? Terrifying!”

Lily’s gaze swept between the two of them. It glazed over Daniel before stopping at Salvos. Slowly, she nodded.

“I see. Alright then.”

“What?”

Salvos cocked her head. Lily smiled.

“It’s nothing— it’s a good thing. That your friend here is fine with you being a Demon. However, not all Humans are like that. You’ll eventually be scorned and hated for what you are. Others will find out the truth about you and you will be shunned. That’s what has happened to many Demons before you. And what happens next… depends on the Demon themselves.”

Daniel remembered what the Fairy said earlier. About the Archdemon from a thousand years ago. He felt a sliver of sweat appear on his forehead as Salvos nodded slowly, not really understanding what Lily was saying. At least, not in the way Daniel understood it.

Lily placed a hand on Salvos’ snout-like face and spoke softly.

“You’re a Demon.”

“I’m Salvos.”

“Yes, but you’re a Demon, Salvos. Be proud of that fact.”

Nodding slowly, Salvos didn’t argue back this time. However, she did scowl and cast a glare at Daniel.

“I would but Daniel here keeps on making me stay in my Mortal Form.”

“And he says he’s not scared of you. Maybe he might just be a little bit scared.”

Lily whispered conspiratorially to Salvos. The Demon nodded excitedly.

“You think?! That’s great!”

“What a coward of a [Hero].”

“I’ve got a [Hero] scared of me!”

“I bet he pees his pants—”

“Alright, that’s enough. I can hear you two, you know?”

They broke up with a giggle and Daniel sighed. He turned to the Fairy as she zipped through the air, carefree and laughing.

“Lily, do you think you can help Salvos and I escape this place? If what you’re saying is true and we’re still in the inner city of the Brilsum Ruins, then that means Belzu can come here anytime and kill us.”

“I told you, he won’t search for you here. This is a collapsed part of the city anyway. He’s never come back after that one time— and that was because stupid Arthur went ahead and antagonized him.”

“But… you’re antagonizing him now?”

Daniel pointed out the obvious. She waved a hand dismissively.

“He doesn’t even know that I’m the one who helped you two escape. Since this is a Platinum Rank Dungeon, he probably assumed you two had some sort of artifact or something. After all, what kind of adventurer goes into a dangerous Dungeon without some sort of quick escape item?”

The young man shifted his feet nervously and Salvos blinked.

“Escape… item?”

“You mean the [Hero] never told you?”

“No. What is that—”

“It’s nothing, Salvos. We’ll talk about that later.”

Truth be told, Daniel had forgotten those existed. And while they were out of his pay grade, he was embarrassed that they never even crossed his mind.

He turned back to Lily.

“So, do you think you can help us get out?”

“Of course. But the furthest I can open you a portal to is just at the edge of the Brilsum Ruins. Anything else would take me some time and effort— and I don’t wish to spend any more than I already have on you two.”

“Are you not coming with us?”

Salvos asked, almost worried.

“You’re just going to stay here when that Archdemon can discover you at any time?”

“It’s not like Belzu will stay here forever. Whatever he’s doing— he’ll leave eventually. So I’ll just wait here, until then. Maybe one of my brothers and sisters would even decide to check on me and help me go back. Although I’m sure they think I’m dead.”

“But—”

“I’ll be fine, I’m amazing, remember?”

She stopped and stared at the Fairy. Slowly working her mouth, she nodded.

“Yep, you’re amazing. I just thought…”

Salvos trailed off.

“It’s nothing.”

“Then get going already!”

“Wait, one last thing.”

Daniel cut off the Fairy as she began to cast a spell. The portal that almost flickered to existence faded away and Lily flew up to him.

“What?”

“This Belzu… you fought him, right?”

“I did. Why?”

“What kind of magic does he use.”

“Isn’t it obvious with what he’s doing?”

“Uh… Salvos and I thought he was using curses or illusions.”

“Well you’re right. Because he uses both.”

Daniel blinked, taking a step back. Then he slowly nodded.

“I see. Thanks, Lily.”

“No problem, you weak [Hero]. Now both of you, get out of here. This is a Fairy Mound. Don’t you know you Humans are not allowed near our Fairy Mounds anymore? Not after you kept building your temples around them!”

Salvos piped up with a raised hand.

“But I’m not Human!”

“Well, you’re with one.”

Lily snorted as the spell finished casting. A portal opened up, leading to the dark, orange canyons just beyond the Brilsum Ruins. Daniel stepped through it without much hesitation, however he noticed how apprehensive Salvos was with going through it.

She thought she had another companion, huh? It got her excited. Now she must say goodbye again.

The Demon’s voice was soft as she spoke through the portal, even from their side.

“Do you… think we’ll see you again?”

Lily looked at Salvos for a moment, then snorted.

“Only if you come back here, because I’m not leaving, you are.”

“I see…”

Nodding to herself, Salvos waved at the Fairy and the portal closed. Her shoulders sagged as she turned around and trudged after Daniel. They quietly made their way up and away from the large crater that held the Brilsum Ruins, making sure to keep low and away from the Mindreapers.

Now leaving [Dungeon: Brilsum Ruins].

They made their way through the canyon, walking along the deep crevices left with their markings to return to their camp. However, the entire time, Salvos seemed a little down. That was quite the contrast to how she had just been earlier.

Eventually, Daniel couldn’t keep silent anymore, and said something.

“So… you now know how to go back to the Netherworld.”

Brightening a little, Salvos glanced over at him.

“I guess I do, huh?”

“And it’s even something you really like— leveling.”

“It is!”

The cheery demeanour of the Demon returned once more, and Daniel couldn’t help himself but laugh. Or maybe that was the lack of sleep getting to him.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s— nothing. You’re just quite simple, despite being incredibly complex at times. I find that amusing.”

“Huh.”

“Don’t just ‘huh’ me.”

He sighed, rubbing at his temples. Then turned back— seeing the sun begin to rise on the horizon. As night turned to day and their adventure to the Dungeon over.

“You know, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be.”

“What do you mean? Lily said we almost died. And I almost died, a lot!”

“I know, but… usually, these kinds of things ends with some kind of a big battle, you know? Compared to that this was…”

He trailed off and shrugged.

“Anticlimactic.”

“Huh.”

And then, they celebrated.

Baris had made a full recovery. Everyone who had been waiting just outside of the room cheered when they heard the news. They had not been anticipating any kind of bad news, however they had been afraid— afraid of what could happen.

Edithe had been afraid too. Things could have easily taken a turn for the worst. The poison had crippled a Level 81 [Mage]. Especially [Mages].

While [Mages] were generally weak because of their low [Vitality]— although this was a rather common misconception, [Mages] could have high [Vitality], they just raised their [Endurance] instead as it was good for their mana— high level [Mages] knew of this weakness. So, they trained General Skills to make themselves more durable.

Baris had been one of them. He prioritized having a good Class and good Skills above all else. As such, in life, he had been rather slow at leveling. At least, compared to his son who was now Diamond.

But everything went well. The father and son were now chatting happily out in the main hall of the building while excited members of the Valiant Dreamers Company— and trainees stood more to the periphery, but were relieved to see their respectable and trustworthy founder alive.

Edithe herself was talking to Paige and a few others, drinking some alcohol and enjoying the light snacks set about. It was a celebration, after all. Almost a party.

“—and you weren’t there, Edithe, but Hadrian had been completely helpless with dealing with our accounts and clients the whole time!”

“Right, I was busy with… Rachel.”

The red haired woman glanced over at the little girl, sitting at the edge of their table, saying nothing and keeping to herself. She gestured for Rachel to come a little closer to her, however she simply shrunk further back into her seat.

Paige didn’t notice this subtle gesture and downed a mug of ale.

“Well, you do you! I’m just saying though, she’ll be fine. Honestly, she’s completely safe in the headquarters. Ever since that girl—”

“Salvos.”

“Yeah, her. Ever since she broke into the building that easily, we’ve set up some better protective wards. And there’s almost always a team of Gold Ranks in there. Even now, Sam’s team stayed back to oversee the delivery of some Thornserpant parts. What’s there for you to worry about?”

She waved a hand drunkenly, and Edithe nodded. That was true. And while the Harrowed Vindicators were dangerous, would they really attempt to siege a company building all for a girl while the people they were really after were nowhere closeby? That wouldn’t possibly happen, no matter what kind of scenario it was.

But what Edithe was worried about was Rachel herself. She was always so closed off. So afraid of others— except for Edithe. And how much of that was because of Edithe’s attempts at getting her to open up and how much of it was because Edithe was Salvos’ friend… the red haired woman couldn’t tell.

Taking another sip from her mug, Edithe slowly stood up and excused herself.

“Sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

“Aw, already? Well, fine. All the more for me!”

Paige greedily grabbed more food from the table as the others there fought with her for it. Edithe proffered a hand to Rachel and nodded at her.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“O-oh, ok.”

The two left the hall and went outside, leaving the noise and crowd behind. Rachel paused mid step and glanced back nervously, speaking softly to Edithe.

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going back.”

“A-are you sure? I can stay there longer. You looked like you were having fun with your friends.”

Edithe lightly placed a finger on her chin.

“Hm, they were too loud. Plus, you didn’t look like you were having fun. So, I decided we should both go back.”

“I-I see…”

Edithe had been about to take Rachel’s hand and walk back to the city when the door to the hall opened. Light escaped out into the darkness of night and a tall, lanky figure walked out with a grunt. She blinked.

“Alchemist Gabriel?”

“Hrmph, you’re…”

“Edithe, Sir.”

“Just Alchemist Gabriel, is fine.”

“R-Right.”

The [Alchemist] dusted at his coat and stretched his back before stepping up beside both Rachel and Edithe. The three started back into the direction of the city, although the two girls were at an awkward distance away from the man.

“Are you going back too, Alchemist Gabriel? So soon after the party began?”

“I’m not one for parties.”

He grunted and said nothing else.

“Oh, well, we’re the same.”

Edithe noticed how Rachel once again seemed to grow even smaller than she already was with someone else around and was glad that she made her decision to take her back. However, she wished that she had made the decision sooner so they wouldn’t be in the middle of this awkward walk.

Gabriel said nothing, even as they approached the gates of the city. Dim, orange torches lit up the sides of the walls as a group of guards gathered around the rolled up portcullis. Edithe frowned.

Why are there so many guards? Was there a monster sighting or something?

She approached the first guard— but Gabriel reached them before her.

“What’s wrong, guard? What’s with the crowd?”

“Oh, you’re with the Valiant Dreamers Company, aren’t you? We had just been about to send a messenger your guys’ way.”

A messenger? Edithe hurriedly rushed up besides Gabriel and spoke quickly.

“What’s going on?”

“We’re not exactly sure right now, but we think there’s—”

Gabriel narrowed his eyes as he looked up beyond the walls. Then he broke out into a run and barged into the city. Edithe blinked and stared up, confused at what made the man react so suddenly.

Then her eyes grew wide.

Smoke? But that’s from—

“Take care of the girl!”

Edithe broke out into a run. She dashed past the guards, leaving Rachel behind to the low leveled guards at the gates. If she had been in the right state of mind, she would have realized how stupid that was. The Harrowed Vindicators would have easily slaughtered them all and got to the girl.

But she wasn't in the right state of mind. Her mind was racing along with her as she darted through the streets of Viechester. She turned corner after corner, not even thinking about summoning Druma or Mistshard with [Quick Summon]. Because she had to see if what she saw really was coming from where she thought it was.

And her eyes didn’t lie to her.

Edithe came to a stop right before the Valiant Dreamers Company headquarters. The building was lit ablaze— flames rising, raging like the morning sun during dawn. She watched the fire dance, making a corybantic spread throughout the building.

The [Summoner] nearly dropped to her knees, but gathered herself. She ran through the gates, beginning her summoning process for Mistshard.

But just as she made it to the front door, an explosion blasted the inside of the building. Figures burst out, trying to flee the scene as a storm gathered in the heavens above.

Rain and lightning fell and Edithe raised a hand, pointing it at the nearest figure.

“Stop!”

She yelled as a spell blasted out. The Gold Rank adventurer was not sure what would have happened. It was a blast of ice— one she learned from Mistshard.

Everytime she had used it against Paige or another Gold Rank, they would have easily blocked it. It was not a spell used by l [Ice Mages] at her level, but by those 10 or 15 levels below her.

And yet, the figures fleeing the Valiant Dreamers Company headquarters fell. Every single one of them had been struck and downeed by the spell. The magic freezing the first man completely, while leaving the others incapacitated on the ground.

Edithe had been in the middle of casting her next spell, but she stopped. Every single one of the running figures had been easily halted by her. Were… were they even assassins?

Groans broke out from those that lay on the ground, and she slowly walked over to them, suddenly feeling a sudden surge of fear that she might have attacked bystanders. Or worse, members of her own company. Trainees who accidentally got caught in this mess.

And when she got to the frozen man, lying dead on the ground, her eyes did grow wide in recognition. The man there was someone she had known. But not someone she had liked.

Blake. Or—

“The Iron Champions Company.”

A voice broke the red haired woman from her thoughts. She spun around, raising a hand warily, but lowered it when all she saw was Gabriel. Behind him, the fire that had taken over the headquarters had been snuffed out by the deluge of water he had summoned, and charred corpses were strewn about in the main lobby of the building.

But those weren’t corpses from the Valiant Dreamers Company. They were far too many. And the burns were far too deadly.

“They had assaulted our headquarters. They hired not assassins— they did not even try to pretend they had no hand in this.”

Gabriel spoke again, once again snapping Edithe’s attention to him, and this time, she noticed the body he was carrying. Sam…?

The Gold Rank adventurer who volunteered to stay behind and look after the headquarters during the party was dead. And slowly, Edithe met Gabriel’s gaze.

She watched as his jaw clenched, not even realizing that a small crowd had gathered behind her. Slowly followed by members of her own company who had been called from the party. They came and they all saw Gabriel standing there, in front of the damaged building, and asked questions— wondering what happened.

Edithe knew. And yet, she couldn’t say anything. Her heart frozen in fear at what was to come. At what this meant.

“The Iron Champions Company has assaulted our company’s headquarters! They have slain a Gold Rank team and a dozen other Silver Ranks without due cause or warning!”

Gabriel bellowed, drawing the attention of everyone nearby. The adventurers, the guards, and the bystanders. Edithe felt her fist clenched into balls as the [Alchemist] finished.

“This is war!”

A note from MelasD

FIRST ART IS A CHARACTER SHEET OF SALVOS IN HER MORTAL FORM

IT'S AMAZING. By Tsuurot, the artist for Beware of Chickieeeeeee. Information here.

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91. Company War

A note from MelasD

The week of shoutouts will be running a little bit longer than I had intended.

The first shoutout of today goes to Mark of the Fool. It is an action-adventure progression fantasy with a rational MC but is not a psychopath murderhobo story like many of these devolve too. Trust me, it is worth your time checking out and giving it a follow. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT HERE!

The second shoutout goes to Forgotten which is a reincarnation adventure story. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT HERE!

91. Company War

War.

Or more specifically, a company war. It wasn’t the same as a war between countries or city-states— armies didn’t march out to meet each other on the battlefield. There weren’t battles over city or territory.

Instead, company wars were smaller in scale. They focused on stealing the resources of another company, siphoning members away from a company and secluding them from the Adventurers Guild. And most importantly— killing each other until the other company was destroyed.

Because at the end of the day, war was war. Even between adventuring companies.

And Edithe had never thought it would come to this. Even a day later, it made no sense to her. The escalation from petty harassment to the cloak and dagger assassination attempts, to a direct attack on the Valiant Dreamers headquarters? No one would have seen it coming. At least, not so soon.

“To think they would go this far in retaliation for revealing the location of their Dungeons, when hoarding Dungeons is looked down upon in the first place? And we did not even take it from them, we shared it with the public. I never knew the Iron Champions Company was run by fools.”

“It doesn’t matter, Father. They’ve directly attacked us. Even if they disguised their own members as assassins, it doesn’t change the fact that they’ve killed four Gold Ranks and a dozen other Silvers. This is war.”

“Not yet.”

Baris snapped, glancing up from the large table showing a map of all the different locations the Iron Champions Company owned. And the various Dungeons and resources they had a monopoly over too.

The meeting room was occupied only by the top brass of the Valiant Dreamers Company— only Gold Ranks and above were allowed, and even then, only some were let in. Like Edithe.

And that was only because she was familiar with the Iron Champions Company, having been in Silvergrove, Hazelbury, and other cities where they had a lot of influence. Baris, despite having just recovered from a deadly poison, was here too. And he was in charge of this meeting.

“Edithe.”

His voice instantly drew Edithe to attention. They weren’t in the military, but she couldn’t help but straighten and face him with proper respect.

“You say that you recognized one of the assailants who tried burning down our headquarters, correct?”

“Yes. His name was Blake. And he had been a prominent member of the Iron Champions Company— at least, over in Hazelbury. I’m sure if you asked around many other adventurers or even civilians in the city can vouch for that fact.”

“No.”

Baris raised a hand and shook his head.

“I am sure the Iron Champions Company has thought of this. They would simply claim that this Blake had been fired from the company weeks or even months ago and that he was acting out of his own agency. Same goes for any other member we can identify from the prisoners rounded by the city guards or the others killed by Gabriel— although I’m not even sure that’s possible considering the state he left them in.”

The [Alchemist] was not here in the meeting room; apparently, he had other matters to attend to. Edithe did not know what held precedence over the company being possibly embroiled in a war with another company that was even larger than theirs, but he was high leveled and usually left to his own devices. So, she did not question it.

Hadrian spoke up, voicing the thoughts that were not just in Edithe’s head but in many of the others in the room too.

“Father, I don’t understand. Why won’t you just let us declare war on them? They attacked us first. It doesn’t matter what the consequences of a company war are if we’re already in one.”

“You don’t get it, do you?”

The older man sighed and pressed his fingers into his eyes. He slowly pulled up a chair and sat back down, sweeping his gaze over the room. A few of Edithe’s friends were here. Ian, for one, had the privilege of being here as one of the higher leveled Golds in the company. And some Platinums Edithe recognized but did not often talk to— Jeremy, Celine, and Evelyn were the ones she could name.

Paige wasn’t here. She was back at the Valiant Dreamers Company training grounds, in charge of guard duty there today.

Hadrian frowned.

“What do I not get?”

“The reason why the Iron Champions Company is being so underhanded with attacking us. It’s because they want to goad us into declaring war on them.”

“Then let’s give them just that—”

“Stop and think for a moment, will you?”

Baris cut him off with a loud grunt. He folded his arms and spoke slowly, his words reaching everyone in the room.

“Why does the Iron Champions Company want us to be the ones to declare war on them?”

Hadrian frowned, placing a hand on his chin. Edithe slowly offered a hand, and Baris turned to her.

“Yes, Edithe?”

“Is it because they realize that they don’t have any proper reason for it? That if they declare war with us now, it’d be over us giving their hoarded Dungeons to the public? And that’ll earn them the ire of other companies that look down on that practice?”

“That is true. And if that’s their goal, what exactly would they do to ensure it does not backfire on them?”

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company blinked. His eyes widened as he turned to his father. The realization settled in for Edithe too— so did for many others in the room.

“They prepare for it. They won’t just sit around. They’ll make sure they’ve got every advantage they have. Such as stationing their members around our company, prepared to strike us the moment we declare war on them.”

“Exactly.”

—--

So, it wasn’t war. The meeting ended, and Edithe left the room realizing that the Valiant Dreamers Company was stuck in a tough spot. If they retaliated now, they’d be struck down in an instant. Their enemy had already drawn their wand, prepared to cast a [Fireball] the instant they unsheathed their blade.

It was a preemptive strike— one which couldn’t be countered. What mattered now was how they reacted, and Edithe knew that if they just waited it out, they’d also suffer just as much from the whittling down and attrition caused by the Iron Champions Company and their ‘assassins’. Do they even have assassins? Have they been members of the company all along?

Edithe wasn’t sure. However, she had to clear her mind on these thoughts the moment she returned to the headquarters. Rachel was there, waiting for her in their room. Princess was wrapped in the little girl’s arms as she ran up to the red-haired woman.

“Edithe—”

She hugged Edithe’s legs and spoke in a muffled voice, her head buried in Edithe’s pants.

“You’re back.”

“I am. Sorry, I took so long. The meeting ran a little longer than I thought.”

Rachel drew herself back and looked up at Edithe with wide eyes.

“Is this about what happened yesterday? Those assassins that tried to burn down the building?”

Well, they didn’t try. They succeeded, if only briefly. And the [Enchanters] and [Mages] of the company managed to repair all they could. Even then, however, the building was still damaged and burnt in many places. Luckily, Rachel and Edithe’s room wasn’t one of them, having been guarded by additional protection wards the red-haired woman put in place.

“Not assassins.”

Edithe corrected Rachel, running a finger through the girl’s hair.

“The Iron Champions Company.”

“And they are…”

“The bad guys who have been disturbing us for a while.”

Bringing herself down to meet Rachel’s gaze, Edithe spoke softly.

“This has nothing to do with you. It’s something that matters only to our company.”

“I-I see.”

The little girl nodded as Edithe took her hand and walked her out of their room.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s going to be a little bit dangerous around here from now on. And while I think it’s good to keep you here, safe from any bad guys that might be after you, I don’t think this place is the safest place you can be right now.”

“We’re leaving?”

Edithe stopped at the door and glanced back. Rachel had nothing— she owned nothing when Daniel and Salvos brought her here. Only the doll in her arms belonged to her. So, there was no need to pack.

“For now, you’ll be staying at a temple, with someone I trust.”

“A temple?”

Rachel cocked her head just like Salvos would. Edithe nodded.

“Yes, the Sanctum of Elements. There’s a [Priest] I know there. William. I asked him to take care of you, and he said he would.”

Edithe spoke reassuringly as the girl took a hesitant step back, almost like she wanted to run back to her bed and bury herself under the blankets.

“He’s someone I trust. And Salvos and Daniel have met him before too. And I promise I’ll check up on you every day too.”

“Why can’t I just stay here with you?”

Rachel asked, her voice smaller than even she was. Taking a deep breath, Edithe tried to explain.

“Because it’s dangerous. The Iron Champions Company could’ve struck this place while you and I were here. If they did and you got hurt somehow… well, I’d never be able to forgive myself.”

Faces flashed through Edithe’s mind. People she couldn’t protect. People she cared for, killed by a rampaging Greater Demon because she insisted they pretend to be [Heroes].

“I made a promise to Salvos, Rachel.”

Trying to bring up the name of the girl’s idol, Edithe spoke softly and patted her head gently.

“I will keep you safe no matter what. And this is what’ll keep you safe.”

Rachel remained quiet for a moment. She stood at the doorway, unmoving, as a few people passed through the corridor beyond. Gabriel was one of them— however, he ascended the stairs at the end of the hallway, not bothering to even greet Edithe.

Finally, the little girl spoke. And it was a question.

“...when is she going to come back?”

“Salvos?”

Edithe blinked and watched Rachel reply with a small nod. The red-haired woman hesitated, then lied through her teeth.

“I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

—--

“Please take care of her, William. And call me if anything happens— no matter how minor.”

“I will, Edithe.”

The [Priest] warmly nodded back to her. He stared at her for a moment, his expression almost sorrowful. Edithe shifted her feet uncomfortably.

“W-what?”

“It’s nothing. You’ve just grown so much now.”

“Right, uh, thanks.”

Edithe quickly waved back at William and then shouted her goodbyes to Rachel. The girl kept calling out to her, even as she disappeared amongst the crowds of people making their way through the large city square.

Apparently, most of them were unaware of what happened last night. If they had known that a company war was looming over the horizon, they would surely be a little more afraid. Because company wars were deadly, even if mostly to the adventurers in the companies. Collateral damage still happened— especially when it was two high-leveled individuals fighting.

Edithe was Gold Rank, considered already to be a rarity in small cities. Slightly more common in big cities like Viechester. And if she ended up in a duel with another [Mage] around her level, she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to avoid harming a passerby around her. And considering that Hadrian was at Diamond—

She really didn’t like that it had come to this.

The red-haired woman felt her hands shaking. Even now, while in the middle of the day, walking through a crowded street, she felt fear grip her to the very bone— the pressure from its grasp caused her knees to go numb. It splashed over her like cold water, making her tremble at what was to come.

War.

And more than that.

Death.

She didn’t want to see her friends die again. Edithe still remembered hearing Daniel break the news that her team had died. And it broke her. Revenge had not fixed her. It did not fill the void in her heart.

Clenching her fist, Edithe took a few steady breaths, trying to calm herself. I need to relax. She had been asked by Paige to meet at the training grounds to tell her all about what happened in the meeting, but she did not want to think about that right now.

They had not arranged for a specific time, and Edithe really needed some time to just breathe for a moment. And when a woman complimented her on the ruby pendant around her neck— the one Salvos picked out for her— then invited her into the cafe she was standing outside of to try one of the delicious coffees they had…

Edithe decided it wouldn’t hurt to just give a quick taste test. Paige wasn’t impatient, after all. She was very easygoing and kind— although she would’ve teased Edithe for wasting time on coffee and not some good old-fashioned ale.

So Edithe made her stop. She stayed for a little bit. Maybe fifteen minutes at most. She chatted with the waitress who Edithe was pretty sure was flirting with her. But she didn’t swing that way— although with how pushy some men were, she sometimes considered it.

Then she took her leave. She started for the Valiant Dreamers training grounds, passing by the headquarters that looked worse for wear but at least wasn’t a pile of rubble on the ground. Then she reached the gates of the city. A familiar sight from the day before— but this time, it was day.

And there was no smoke billowing in the distance. No burning headquarters. No rush.

That was until Edithe saw the bloodied man stumble up to the front of the gates. The city guards gasped as the man— a trainee of the Valiant Dreamers Company sputtered, crying for help.

“What’s wrong?”

Edithe hurriedly asked, running up to him. However, she already knew the answer. She produced a healing potion and gave it to him quickly. The man— a young man, maybe in his early 20s— spoke, pointing back towards the training grounds.

“A-attack—”

But she expected it. She had feared the worst. And Edithe ran.

This time, she summoned Mistshard. This time, she was not going to be too late. The Greater Spirit appeared flying next to her, flapping her wings and soaring through the air.

“Master, what do you need of him?”

“Mistshard— the Valiant Dreamers training grounds. Go there, now!”

She ordered her Spirit— her summon— to fly ahead of her. Maybe that would have left her vulnerable, but—

“Stop those who are sieging it. Save anyone you can! Hurry!”

Mistshard obeyed. She shot up above the canopy of trees lining either side of the dirt road leading to the small settlement. The place full of new recruits— low-leveled adventurers who had not seen true combat just yet. And Edithe continued cutting through the trees, trying to get there as soon as possible.

By the time she arrived, Mistshard was already there. The [Elemental] was sending a hail of ice down onto a group of hooded individuals. Assassins? No— they had to be members of the Iron Champions Company, right?

Wrong.

The hooded individuals sent a blast of poisonous gas up into the air, pluming it up towards the Greater Spirit, however, Mistshard managed to fly out of the way just in time. Edithe raised a hand and sent a bolt of lightning towards one of the hooded figures— the one closest to her.

And the hooded figure fell dead in an instant, already injured…?

Defeated [Daggermaster Rogue - Lvl. 51]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Gold Rank? Or high-leveled assassins? But these assassins didn’t cloak themselves in the same shadow clothing the Harrowed Vindicators wore. Then who were they?

Edithe didn’t know. All she knew was that there were half a dozen of them. And their attention was now turned to the lone Gold Rank adventurer and her summoned Spirit.

One of the hooded individuals drew a crossbow and fired three bolts at Edithe. She took a step back, ready to dodge it, knowing full well that it was tipped with a dangerous venom. But the bolts doubled midair— then the shadows tripled.

Her eyes widened as she watched the oncoming volley. She began preparing a barrier to intercept it— but would it be enough?

Then a strong gust of wind blew the bolts aside, sending them flying back at the hooded individuals. Paige stumbled out of one of the damaged buildings nearby, wand raised with one arm and the other limply hanging on the side.

“E-Edithe!”

She exclaimed as Mistshard flew down once more, striking the hooded individuals with a blast of ice. They leapt back as Edithe ran to her friend’s side, sending regular Fireballs the way of the assassins to keep them busy.

“Paige— what happened?”

“These bastards— dozens of them— attacked us while we were in the middle of our lunch break. They didn’t discriminate, killing everyone they could. So many tried to fight back, but…”

Paige trailed off, glancing back slightly. Edithe’s eyes widened as she saw what was in the room the other [Mage] came out from. Bodies.

Littering the entire floor of the cafeteria were corpses. Members of the Valiant Dreamers Company, killed in a surprise attack.

“Every single one of them was Gold Rank, at least. Two above Level 70, but they were taken down because we singled them out first.”

Edithe hesitated. She reached into her Bag of Holding to grab a healing potion.

“Paige, I—”

Mistshard was sent flying back by an explosion. One of the hooded individuals hurled bombs her way as another rushed forward, drawing two hidden blades and leaping up in the air. Edithe clicked her tongue and sent a spear made of ice at the jumping assassin as Paige fired her own spells at the way of the other assassins.

She caught him mid-air, killing him—

Defeated [Falenstriker Assassin - Lvl. 61]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Class [Summoner of—

[Summoner of—

Gained 5—

She leveled up. But she didn’t get the chance to even register the notification before a spray of acid came her way. Edithe managed to create a barrier just in time, but when the barrier dissipated, she stared.

The woman beside her had been too slow. She had been casting spells too— fighting her hardest. But she had been injured. And now…

Paige’s skin was melting. She was writhing on the floor, screaming and clawing at her face.

Edithe stared at her friend as she cried out in agony. And for a moment, she couldn’t move. She couldn’t react. Fear gripped her just as it did before. When Paul saved her. When hedied.

And another spray of acid came her way. She glanced up, still caught in a daze, stupidly staring—

But a barrier of ice formed around her. A dome covered her entirely, breaking her out of her trance. Edithe stepped forward, not knowing where this protection came from— if it was Mistshard or someone else who had cast that.

But she fumbled for the healing potion she held in her hand. She uncorked it and stood over her whimpering friend.

Edithe began to pour it, begging, pleading that it would work. That it would bring back all the skin that had been lost. But all that showed was bones. The white ivory underneath a Human’s skin.

The screaming face of a woman— a friend— on the skull that remained.

Edithe stared at her friend’s corpse. At what Paige had become. Then she dropped to her knees, weeping. Blasts resounded behind her. Explosions. The sounds of battle.

But she didn’t stop crying until it was over. When Baris undid his spell, receding the ice dome back into nothing. When he had killed the assassins that had sieged his training grounds, with the help of the [Ice Elemental].

He looked down at Edithe, crying on the floor, tears pouring out of her face, a deluge of rage within her heart. And she stared up at Baris, speaking through gritted teeth.

“This.”

She said, meeting his gaze.

“This can’t go on.”

It was a statement. It was not a plea— it was clear what she meant. And Edithe knew that Baris agreed with her. They couldn’t hold out like this.

That something had to change with them and how they approached the Iron Champions Company, or something else had to happen.

Something happened.

Something else had happened.

It wasn’t something that I didn’t like. I leveled up! However...

Defeated [Horned Drake - Lvl. 68]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Horned Drake - Lvl. 64]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 63] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 64]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“Hey! That was mine!”

“What do you mean that was yours? It was chasing you down!”

I scowled and stepped over the body of the large monster.

“I was leading it on, so that I could finish it off with a Blazing Bolt. Their scales are tough!”

“It was only Level 64. Just admit it, Salvos. You’re tired and hurt.”

“So? You are too!”

The Human man wiped the grime and dirt from his face— he wore a withered expression. The type he usually had when he hadn’t slept for a week. However, we had only been traveling through the Drakes’ territories for a few days.

“That’s because you insisted we passed through here before going back. And unlike last time, we went straight past their Lair!”

I snorted and shook my head.

“At least we didn’t attack it. They attacked us and chased us here.”

“We didn’t attack it because there was that huge Level 90 Drake guarding it alongside a dozen others! We’d have died!”

“Not if you used your [Hero’s Slash] on her while I distracted them with my [Title Skill: Zealous Call]! Then we’d have taken them out easily! But no— you chose to run instead.”

I felt annoyed that we passed out on some good experience. It wasn’t our fault they got aggressive just because we came close. Even worse was how they chased us down even now, when we were far away from their Lair.

Wild, I thought, glancing down at the corpse of the Drake.

“Whatever.”

Daniel muttered and walked ahead, arms crossed.

“We’ll close to the roads now, Salvos. Then we’ll be heading straight back to Viechester.”

“Fine!”

I huffed, following after him. He paused and turned back, facing me with an arched brow.

“You know what that means, right?”

I blinked. Then the realization hit me.

“Aw— please, no.”

“You have to, Salvos.”

“But didn’t you hear what Lily said?”

I petulantly stomped around him, throwing a fit like I often saw Human children do. Daniel just gave me a blank stare. Sighing, I stopped acting like a child— not because of him, but because Edithe had told me once before that I shouldn’t do that.

Then I steeled myself and met the Human man’s gaze.

“Fine.”

Slowly, I felt my body shift. Pops resounded off my body— like short bursts of thunder. Or rocks being grounded into each other. And the world around me grew.

I shrunk back down, no longer taller than my companion. My claws disappeared as my skin turned to a less pale color. More olive, but slightly white even still.

Then I faced Daniel and spread my arms wide.

“Happy?”

The Human man blushed and hurriedly faced away.

“What are you— not right now! Put on some clothes first!”

A note from MelasD

SECOND ART IS NEW COVER!

By Vitaly S. Alexius

If you're wondering why the eBook isn't on Amazon just yet, it's because Amazon is being mean to me.

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92.1. A Nice Feeling

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

92.1. A Nice Feeling

“...How many times must I tell you to always wear clothes when you’re changing back to your Mortal Form?”

“Uh…”

I tilted my head up, a single finger pressed up against my upper neck. Thinking for a moment, I began muttering to myself.

“Well, the first time you did it was with Edithe. Then after Edithe left you told me to—”

“It was a rhetorical question.”

“Oh.”

I slowly lowered my hand and faced Daniel. Dressed now in the blue jacket he had given me and some pants I had procured from my bag, I was fully clothed, and the Human man was no longer the same color as a tomato.

“Honestly, it’s a good thing you were still wearing that cloak. Even though it’s torn, it still covered most…”

He trailed off, blushing once more. Clearing his throat, Daniel walked ahead down the worn dirt path.

“Anyways, just remember not to do that next time.”

“Sure.”

I opened my palms and shrugged, not really seeing what bothered him. I knew Humans liked wearing clothes, but I didn’t expect it to be such a big deal. Edithe mentioned something about decency— however, I didn’t think clothes would make me any less decent at fighting than I already was.

The two of us were now heading back to Viechester. We had run into a bunch of Drakes— mostly because I wanted to see them briefly— and had to fight them off until we left their territory. I was pretty sure we could have taken on their Lair, but I decided we had no reason to attack it.

Going back to Viechester was the most important thing in Daniel’s mind right now, especially after what we were told by Lily about that Archdemon in the Brilsum Ruins. Level 138. Uses illusion magic and curses.

Not to mention that he had an army of monsters with him too.

So, the [Hero] wanted to go back to a Human settlement and warn people about this threat to Humanity. I wasn’t really as bothered by it as he was, but I could see why he would be concerned.

If Belzu attacks Viechester while Edithe and Rachel are in it… The thought wasn’t a very nice one. It made me feel the same kind of worry I felt for Haec when he had been captured by Lucerna.

Daniel came to a stop as the road split into two. He produced a map from his fake Bag of Holding and studied it for a moment. I peered curiously at the air around it— trying to see what kind of disturbance had been made with the mana threads in the air.

Then I realized it was familiar. I opened my mouth and gasped.

“That’s space magic!”

Blinking, my companion turned to me.

“Uh, what are you talking about?”

“That.”

I pointed at his bag, then at him.

“That’s not a Bag of Holding! And what you did just now to make that map appear… it’s the same kind of space magic Lily uses!”

I stared at Daniel accusingly. He took a few steps back, raising his hands placatingly.

“Wait, I can explain—”

I spoke over him.

“You’re not a [Hero], you’re a [Space Mage]! And you never told me!”

Daniel paused. He gave a puzzled look.

“Uh…”

“You’re not?”

I cocked my head.

“No, I’m not.”

Speaking flatly, the Human man made me deflate.

“Oh… but I thought you’d have been able to send me back to the Netherworld…”

Slowly, I felt my shoulders sag. They lowered as if they were being pulled to the ground by some force— like that gravity thing Daniel tried to explain to me when he talked about that physics thing that one time.

He sighed.

“I never thought anyone would realize it, but… it’s a Dimensional Storage Unit.”

“A what?”

“Basically, it keeps things in a pocket dimension. A piece of space that’s shrunk down and held within an item. In my case, it’s this pen I have in my bag.”

Daniel produced an ordinary-looking pen— the one I had used to sign my name onto the sheet the Adventurers Guild gave me. Other than being slightly decorated, I would have thought nothing else of it. But it was apparently something more.

“So, if I just touch it, I can summon anything that I’ve stored inside of it. See?”

A healing potion poofed into existence in my companion’s hand. I blinked a few times, confused at how that just happened. I had thought it was space magic earlier, but now that I knew what to focus on, it… wasn’t?

“And it’s not space magic.”

He confirmed it for me.

“Huh.”

“Yeah, it’s dimension magic. Instead of changing reality entirely like opening holes in it, it just manipulates it slightly.”

“How do you know so much about magic?”

The Human man sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he was remembering something terrible.

“Well, I was, uh, tutored… about a lot of things… when I first came here.”

“A lot of things?”

I gave him a dubious look. He sputtered defensively.

“Look, it was a lot of theory and almost nothing practical! If you want me to tell you exactly how big a block of banclite needs to be to repel a spell from a Level 100 [Fire Mage], I can tell you that without a problem!”

“Sure.”

For some reason, that one word only worked him up even more.

“Salvos, I know I haven’t been much help to you when it comes to going back to the Netherworld, but it’s only because that’s a very taboo subject. But if you needed help with anything else, I’m telling you, I would be a lot more useful!”

“I believe you.”

I nodded and stopped. The two of us were now passing through a valley, having left a lightly forested area to cut through the mountains. The Motharis Mountain Range was vast, spreading out in high waves like an ocean, but with the right paths, we could cut travel time by a lot.

Placing a hand on Daniel’s shoulder, I met his gaze and beamed.

“I was just joking earlier. You’ve been a lot of help to me, Daniel. Thank you for that.”

I spoke simply before turning back around and entering the valley. The Human man halted for a moment, averting his gaze before murmuring a few incoherent words and hurrying after me.

—--

Days passed as we made our way through the Motharis, taking just as long to return to Viechester as it did for us to get to the Brilsum Ruins. We weren’t in any particular rush, and while I could have been even faster if I traveled by myself, I wasn’t just going to leave Daniel here alone to fight off the various dangerous monsters that could kill us.

“Watch out!”

Defeated [Flayer Vulture of Hunting - Lvl. 58]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I struck down the massive, flying beast. My kusarigama’s chains dragged it straight down to the flaming bladed edge. It sheared the violet and red monster in half, spilling its blood all over the gray stone floor.

I wiped a bead of sweat from my head and turned to Daniel reassuringly.

“I saved you.”

“No, you didn’t. That monster wasn’t anywhere close to killing me.”

The Human man sheathed his sword, sighing. I raised a brow.

“Oh, yeah? Then I wasn’t anywhere close to dying to that Drake!”

“Are you still on about that? Ugh, fine. Yes, you saved me.”

I beamed and raised my chin.

“Praise me more!”

“What are you, a Fairy?”

“No, I’m Salvos.”

I cocked my head and gave him an innocent look. Daniel shook his head, walking forward and continuing down the steep decline. We had crested up to the top of a tall mountain, taking a shortcut that would lead us straight to the edge of the Motharis Mountain Range. Our presence had attracted a few Flayer Vultures. But they weren’t exactly the biggest threat to either of us.

Descending the mountain’s side, I cast my gaze over the vast landscape beyond. We had reached the ever-changing biomes of the Motharis. There had been deep, orange canyons and peaking, snowy mountains juxtaposed with one another. There were vibrant, green forests and dull, gray wastelands leading into each other.

But now, what I saw were plain, grassy flatlands, stretching out beyond the horizon, starting from where the hillocks and hills ended. A single road stabbed through the heart of the tumulous landscape, slicing a brown path through it and towards Human civilization. That was where we were headed. Although, we weren’t exactly as close to Viechester as we had been when we first entered the mountain range.

“Right now, we’re on the south side of the Motharis. When we came in, we went through the southwest. So it’ll take us a few days— maybe even a week— to get back to Viechester.”

“Can’t we just run all the way back? I’m sure I can get there in less than a day!”

I raised an arm, flexing it like I saw some Human men did when trying to hit a woman. Or was it hit on a woman?

“Yeah, you could. But I couldn’t. And I’d rather not sprint all the way there, Salvos.”

“Didn’t you say we’re in a rush?”

“Not exactly. We just have to bring this news back to the Adventurers Guild there. Or bring it to one in a town nearby. As long as word is spread about this Belzu, we’ve done our job.”

“I… see.”

I had thought the [Hero] would be more concerned about directly stopping the evil Archdemon trying to amass an army of monsters— and he was, just not in the way I thought he would be.

“What?”

He snorted as I gave him an odd look.

“Did you think I’d be leading the charge to slay an Archdemon over 70 levels above me? I’m not an idiot. I’ll let the Diamond Ranks deal with that.”

“So, we’re just going to be telling everyone about Belzu, then… what?”

“Then you try and get your Class, I guess. There really isn’t much else to do.”

I frowned, stopping behind him as he took a few steps further down. He turned back and blinked.

“What’s wrong, Salvos?”

“Don’t you want to do anything?”

I asked the question which suddenly came to me; I should have thought about it sooner, but I just considered him to be my companion. But—

“Are you really just happy with following me around like this?”

Daniel frowned and rubbed at his chin. He seemed to ruminate over it for a moment, then raised his shoulders in a helpless shrug.

“I don’t really know. I mean, what else is there for me to want? This isn’t my world. And I don’t actually have any friends here except for you and Edithe. So… yeah, I guess?”

“Huh.”

I peered at Daniel’s face, trying to see if he was maybe lying or not. There was no reason for him to lie, but I just wanted to make sure. He backed away when I got a little too close for his liking, then I nodded to myself.

“What, Salvos?”

“It’s nothing. Let’s just go back for now.”

I made the decision and pressed forward. The [Hero] from another world stared after me before catching up. We were right at the edge of the Motharis now. The landscape was getting flatter and flatter. The rocks and stone were being replaced by dirt and grass.

A light forest of trees smoothened the transition from mountain to flatlands. But it was only a smattering. It lasted briefly— and it was here, we were attacked.

“Hey, what’s that noise?”

Daniel blinked.

“What noise—”

The ground shot open. It exploded into debris and dust, breaking into a large crater with a tunnel at the bottom.

I grabbed Daniel and yanked him out of the way. I watched with wide eyes as a large monster burrowed its way to the top, casting its sweeping gaze at the forest around it. For a moment, I thought it would be a Centinel. But no— there would be no reason for a Centinel to be here.

They were destructive monsters. And they would take aim at Human settlements or other monsters’ habitats.

Instead, what I saw was a four-legged monster. One with sharp claws on its paws, each of them about as long as the finger they were attached to. Its palms were pink— and so was its long snout. The rest of its body was covered in gray fur, and it stared down at Daniel and me with beady, black eyes.

[Musur Craver - Lvl. 82]

It was like a [Howre], but larger.

“Wait, is that some kind of an evolution—”

The [Musur Craver] struck down at us. It loomed over the treetops as tall as a Gatho Mammoth. Its crushing hands did more than just break open the earth, it cut it asunder. I leapt back and away from the attack, pulling Daniel with me.

I glared up at the monster that attacked us without any provocation and yelled out.

“If you want to fight, then fine! Daniel!”

I turned to him. He drew his blade and nodded at me.

“It’s a bit high leveled, but not so much compared to the Mindreapers. I won’t have to use my [Hero’s Slash], so I’ll just distract it, and you’ll take it down with a Blazing Bolt.”

“Got it.”

I began creating a bow of fire as the [Hero] charged out. The large Ground Craver— some sort of a derivative evolution of the [Howres] we fought in the Silkfall’s Crevice— struck down at him. He parried the attack, even when it nearly sent him flying.

I focused not on the battle ahead of me, but instead only on the spell I was crafting in my hand. A Blazing Bolt. Or rather, a Refined Blazing Bolt. Would I be able to create one together with a bow, all by myself?

I wasn’t sure. But I was going to give it a try.

I felt the threads of mana weave together, forming an intricate design. A pattern of magic, forming a furious arrow. One with flame wisping out of its side, exuding an intensity that even I could feel. It was like my entire body was on fire— as if I had [Ignition] activated— and I watched as the ground just under my feet burned up ever so slightly.

I raised the fire bow, holding within it the blinding, brilliant arrow. Daniel blocked another dangerous blow from the [Musur Craver]. He countered it by striking at its feet, cutting a deep wound into it. And it caused the monster to stumble.

It fell forward, right as the Refined Blazing Bolt cut through the air. It pierced the skies and came flying at the [Musur Craver]. Its eyes widened as the bright light came closer and closer— until everything went dark.

Defeated [Musur Craver - Lvl. 82]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

The monster fell, its head blown open by the powerful spell. The attack drained a large amount of mana from me with each use. Sighing, I wiped my brows, swiping aside the beads of sweat forming there.

“That…”

I panted, doubling over as Daniel walked back towards me.

“Took a lot of mana.”

“Tired already?”

He laughed and offered me a hand. Gladly taking it, I straightened myself. The Human man turned around and stared at the body of the monster.

“I wonder what pissed it off so badly.”

“I don’t know. But it got what it deserved.”

I spoke simply, walking past him. Daniel shrugged as we began to make our way out of the small grove of trees. Until the earth before us exploded once more. A [Musur Craver] crawled its way out of the ground and stared down at us.

I opened my mouth.

“Another one?!”

Apparently, I must have become a [Summoner] because my words brought the ground behind us up. A second [Musur Craver] loomed over us. Then a third. And a fourth.

Daniel and I stood back to back, surrounded by the Level 80 monsters from all sides. He posed a question to me before the first monster decided to attack us.

“So… how many more times can you use that Refined Blazing Bolt?”

“Maybe a dozen more at most before I deplete myself.”

“Then let’s hope there aren’t a dozen of them hiding below us.”

“As long as there isn’t a Lair here… oh, who am I kidding. There probably is one.”

“Right—”

The first [Musur Craver] came swinging down at Daniel and was sheared in half. Daniel’s sword stopped glowing, the [Hero’s Slash] instantly killing the powerful beast.

“Well, I guess we better run then.”

The two of us made a break for it. However, the monsters still tried to bar our path. More and more popped out around us, outnumbering even the trees we had left behind. I created Blazing Bolt after Blazing Bolt— not bothering to refine them to deal more damage. Because I didn’t have the time for it. And we ran, fighting, keeping the monsters back, slaying some of them. Until eventually...

Defeated [Musur Craver - Lvl. 85]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

...

Defeated [Musur Craver - Lvl. 83]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 64] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 65]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 65] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 66]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

A note from MelasD

I will release the next part immediately if you do me a favor and vote for me on TopWebFiction here! It would only take a couple of seconds to vote, and it would help me out a ton.

Please vote here so I can get to #1 on TopWebFiction! I just need 350 of you to vote!

92.2. A Nice Feeling

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

As always, the patreon backlog is thicc and you can read up to 20 chapters ahead here.

I also didn't get to first place, but I got to third. Which was eh, good enough for me. But do consider voting on TopWebFiction for me so I can get to first!

92.2. A Nice Feeling

Daniel and I escaped from the grove. Because the Human man wasn’t as fast as I was, I had to fight beside him, keeping him with me until we were clear from whatever Lair lay underneath the thicket of trees.

The two of us exhausted every Skill we had or could use— there were so many of them. All of them over Level 80, and each of them powerful on their own. If they had been swarm monsters, I probably could have taken them all on my own. But they weren’t.

So we fled and took dozens out until we reached the road we had seen. The dirt path that would eventually lead us to civilization, so far away from the undulating hills in the distance.

Watching us from afar until we were nearly out of site, the [Musur Cravers] must have been very territorial, as they only burrowed back into the ground then. I remembered the [Queen Howre] I had fought— how she came after me just because I walked close to her Lair.

They’re very aggressive, I mused as I picked myself off the ground. Daniel had been lying collapsed next to me too, but he was slower to get to his feet. The [Hero]’s [Endurance] was lower than mine.

“That was dangerous. Why are there Platinum threat monsters hiding at the edge of the Motharis?!”

Shrugging, I helped him up.

“I don’t know. But we survived, see? And that’s all that matters!”

“That was a bit too close of a call than I would have liked.”

He murmured under his breath ungratefully. The two of us didn’t exactly escape unscathed. Especially Daniel. He had been clawed a few times by the [Musur Cravers]. Deep gashes ran through his body, although they were now closing up as the healing potion he drank took effect.

The Human man tossed the bottle aside as I opened my hand.

“What?”

He gave me a blank stare.

“Can I have one too?”

“I only have one left, Salvos. And you were barely even injured.”

“I was swatted aside!”

“Once.”

Daniel rolled his eyes.

“And I’m pretty sure your Ring of Lesser Protection absorbed most of the damage for you.”

“It did not!”

I lifted up my hands for him to see.

“I’m not wearing any artifacts right now, look!”

“Wait, why didn’t you— isn’t that dangerous?”

He gave me a worried look, but I just waved a hand off dismissively.

“The Amulet of Strength and Ring of Lesser Protection keep running out of mana! I have to recharge them and that always takes a while. So I decided to only use them when necessary.”

“That’s risky, Salvos.”

“Everything has a risk.”

“You’ve said that already.”

I crossed my arms and spoke simply.

“It’s true.”

“Well, I guess it’s safer now that we’re out of the Motharis. As long as we don’t run into any more nasty surprises like a group of Diamond threat monsters waiting for us further down this road.”

Placing a hand on Daniel’s shoulder, I gave him a sorrowful look.

“Then I’ll be sorry for your loss.”

“Wait, you don’t plan on ditching me if that happens, right?”

I started ahead, ignoring the man as he made sounds of protests. He followed after, slowly, and we continued on our way to Viechester.

The road leading us through the plains eventually brought us to a heavily forested area. The trees here grew tall and proud— the vines reaching down from them covered the canopy above, almost blotting out the sun. And it only grew worse when the sun began to set, and I had to start a fire to light our way ahead.

“Are you sure this is the way back to Viechester?”

I asked Daniel, one hand held up, fire burning on it with my concentrated use of [Ignition]. He peered down at the map he held, frowning.

“It is. And it was marked by Edithe— or whoever had this map before she gave it to us— as a safe spot. Other than a few animals here and there, it doesn’t have anything that could threaten even a team of Silvers.”

“It certainly doesn’t look that way.”

Glancing around the dark shadows around us, I felt less safe here than even when I was back in the Netherworld. At least there, I could see whenever a wild Demon made its approach. There could be anything hiding in the trees here, and I wouldn’t have known.

“I think we can trust this map for now. I’m a bit… tired.”

He exhaled deeply, leaning against a tree.

“It’s been a long journey, Salvos. And if it says we’re safe, I say we trust it. I need to rest and [Rest] and sleep this pain away. Stamina potions help, but once their effects wear off, you get even more exhausted than before.”

“I know that!”

I scoffed.

“I use them all the time. And they taste terrible!”

“You think everything tastes terrible.”

“But it’s true!”

The Human man slowly settled himself onto the ground. He placed his back against the tree from before and gave me a pleading look.

“So, what do you say? Can we just stop here for the night? All my good Skills were used up, and my legs don’t want to move right now.”

“Sure.”

The two of us began setting up camp, and slowly, I felt the effects of [Rest] take over me. The General Skill still refused to level up— even after so much time had passed. And I didn’t think it was going to level up anytime soon.

It was probably because of my use of healing, stamina, and mana potions. Whenever [Rest] washed over me, it was just as a supplement to what had already been recovered by the alchemical goods.

Once the Human man was lying in bed and snoring, I began to distribute my Skill and Stat Points. Most of it went to [Agility] and [Wisdom] now— I no longer had to worry too much about my [Vitality] since I wasn’t in constant danger of being blasted by mind magic.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] - Lvl. 66

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 4

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 3

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 70 (+5) (-6)

[Strength]: 43 (+5) (-6)

[Endurance]: 65 (+5) (-6)

[Wisdom]: 88 (+5) (-1)

[Agility]: 135 (+5) (-6)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Charge of Embers] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] - Lvl. 5 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Deadly Instincts] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 5

All my Skills were maxed too. Only [Passive - Weapon Mastery] remained at Level 5. And while I had been neglecting it somewhat, I didn’t really think having the Skill maxed out would make too significant of a change.

But I was going to max it out anyway; from what I had been told by Daniel and Edithe, Skills were likelier to be upgraded during a Class advancement if they were already maxed. It also helped you meet the requirements for rarer Classes— something which I was sure applied for evolutions and Subspecies as well.

Then when I was finished, I did something different that night. I did not practice my [Advanced Mana Manipulation] as I usually did. I didn’t even switch between my Mortal Form and back to try and gain a level in it.

What I did was… weird.

Having spent a lot of my energy during the day fighting, traveling, and nearly dying, I decided to just… sleep. Or at least, I thought to try.

I had passed out once before: I had fallen unconscious after escaping from Lucerna’s wrath when I first came to the Mortal Realm. So, it wasn’t really a stretch to assume that I could sleep.

I leaned against a tree and closed my eyes. I normally would have kept watch throughout the entire night, but Daniel said it was safe here. And I was willing to take the risk if it meant I could get some brief reprieve.

I lay there for what felt like forever, staring into the void with my eyes snapped shut. Until something began to take over me. I almost succumbed to a very serene, peaceful feeling. It felt like all my pain— all my worries and concerns— were fading away. It was a nice feeling.

Then an inane thought broke me out of it.

Is this what it’s like to be Human? It’s… nice.

I jerked up, glancing around in a panic. The voice— the words in my head— they were entirely mine. I knew I had thought of it myself when I was on the brink of losing my consciousness. But still, I feared for a moment that that had been mind magic. That something else had said that to me, trying to play a trick on me.

Then I stared down at the palm of my hands— Human hands. I squeezed them shut and opened them. There were no claws. No natural weapons I could use to hurt my enemies. A [Fire Strike] from a punch delivered far less damage than what a [Fire Strike] from claws would inflict.

And I had penalties for being in my Mortal Form. Maybe if the Racial Skill continued to level, they would be gone, but right now, I was far weaker like this than in my Demon form. No— not Demon form. Just as Salvos.

But I had thought being a Human was nice. The thought shook me. I didn’t like it at all.

I reflexively clenched my fist, turning it into a ball. If I had done that with claws, I probably would have stabbed myself. If I wasn’t careful.

Sighing, I rested my back once more against the tree trunk behind me. My head tilted up, towards the sky— there was a clearing in the leaves above. A small hole that revealed the darkling skies above.

I stared at the stars. The beautiful, twinkling dots were littered through the black canvas, staining it with light. They were so numerous. So pretty.

It was nothing like the Netherworld. The bland, bleak world I had been born in. I had no reason to go back there other than to find Haec. So, what was wrong with just pretending to be a Human here?

I scratched my head, trying to claw those thoughts away.

“...am I thinking this because of what Lily said?”

I had been a little bit bothered since I met the Fairy. I wasn’t sure why, but the encounter with her, while nice, left me feeling uncomfortable for days. And now, I was starting to realize why I felt uncomfortable.

I shook my head, trying to clear my mind. I stared up at the night sky, not thinking about anything. Just mesmerized by the beautiful sight.

Then, I blinked. My eyes narrowed. I saw something moving. There was a fissure in the portrait. The static scene became dynamic, as a blur ran through it. A blur— smoke?

I stood up, looking at the plume of smoke running through the air. That’s a lot of smoke, but… small smokes? Climbing up a nearby tree to get a better view, I cast my gaze to the horizon, in the direction where the various trails of fumes marked the sky.

Dozens of torches lit up the edge of the forest. Orange lights that revealed figures that had just entered from the pathway we came from. And they were coming closer. Straight at us.

“...Huh. Should I wake up Daniel and tell him about this?”

A note from MelasD

Today's shoutout goes to my Salvos eBook cover artist and wonderful friend, Vitaly S. Alexius.

You saw the person who did the amazing arts? Yes, he's writing an amazing fiction called Somebody Stop Her. It is an amazing comedy story that follows the shenanigans of the 14 year old supervillain, Alexa, and Mr Mittens Martin, the boy next door. It is seriously a hilarious story that reminds me of a mix between a cartoon crossed with a comic, adapted in a novel format. Seriously, you're missing out if you don't read it.

CHECK IT OUT HERE!

Once again, the current patreon backlog is at 20 chapters or a month ahead. I have reworked my patreon a bit, so now you can read up to 10 chapters ahead for only $3. As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. Consider donating to my patreon here!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

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93. Stand and Fight

A note from MelasD

3,700 words.

93. Stand and Fight

Something had to happen.

Something had to be done.

But their hands were tied. The Iron Champions Company had planned this for months. They had prepared for this, devoting as many resources as they could to carry out this plan. They wanted to cripple the Valiant Dreamers Company, and they were willing to use any underhanded trick to achieve it.

Did anyone expect them to go this far— just because the Valiant Dreamers Company had sabotaged a few of their monopolized Dungeons? Perhaps assassins should have been expected. That Baris was poisoned was a failure on the part of every member of the Valiant Dreamers Company.

But everything after that— the sieges, the attacks, the massacres. It was not out of the incompetence of their company. It was because the Iron Champions Company were even more vindictive, cruel, and evil than Edithe had thought.

Or, at least, that was what she was telling herself.

Starting a war over this? The red-haired woman shook her head, then felt her fists tighten to a ball. Killing my friends over a stupid Dungeon? If someone had warned Edithe a few months ago that this would happen just because a map over a high Silver Rank Dungeon was stolen, she would have laughed in their faces.

But this was the reality. The Iron Champions Company had unofficially declared war. And the moment the Valiant Dreamers Company made it official, they would have been assaulted on all fronts.

“The corpses of the assailants of the training grounds have been identified, and we’ve determined that these were assassins. They were not affiliated with the Iron Champions Company in any way, other than a possible contract between the two right now.”

“But didn’t you say that the Iron Champions Company themselves were the ones attacking us?”

A voice spoke over Hadrian. Jeremy— a Platinum Rank adventurer whom Edithe was acquainted with. He pointed an accusing finger at the leader of the Valiant Dreamers.

“We had switched up our guards for the training grounds. We thought that the ones attacking us would be adventurers, not assassins. If we had known that, we would’ve kept Ian on duty that day!”

“We assumed, from the information we had, that everything that had happened so far was the work of only the Iron Champions Company. But now we know that they’re also hiring outside forces to kill our members. That was a mistake on my part, and I apologize for it, Jeremy.”

“What about these assassins then?”

Another person spoke up. This time, it was someone Edithe was less familiar with. A Gold Rank by the name of Mariah. She wore a scowl on her face like it was the shawl around her neck. A [Summoner] at around the same level as Edithe, the two should have been friends or at least known each other better.

But unfortunately, she never stuck around the company often.

“Could they be those assassins you antagonized? By letting that girl stay with us, you’ve loosed that pack of dogs, the Harrowed Vindicators, on us!”

Edithe felt her jaw clench, mostly to keep herself from speaking up. She was not in the best of moods right now, and she was using every bit of willpower she had to keep herself from slapping that woman across the face. Leave Rachel out of this.

But Hadrian spoke for her, a calm and collected voice of reason that almost made him resemble his father.

“We’ve checked with every contact we have. None of those assassins that attacked us have ever been associated with the Harrowed Vindicators. We’re still not sure if they’re even part of a group or individual assassins the Iron Champions Company hired, but we know for a fact this wasn’t the Harrowed Vindicators’ doing.”

Mariah sat back, murmuring a complaint under her breath. Hadrian swept his gaze around the room— it wasn’t a formal meeting. Not like the one Edithe had been in just yesterday. It was to alleviate the concerns and questions anyone would have had about what was currently happening and what could possibly happen in the future.

“Any other questions?”

Hadrian asked, waiting for a response. When none came, he nodded and placed his hands on the table.

“Then we’re done for the day. If you have further worries, don’t be afraid to speak up. We’re the dreamers. Don’t forget that.”

The room slowly emptied out. The Silver, Gold, and even Platinum Ranks streamed out of it, pouring out into the Adventurers Guild below. The ones who attended had mostly been members of the Valiant Dreamers who weren’t actually as attached to their cause or the company itself. A few, like Jeremy and Edithe, were part of the core group. But the rest were those who only signed up for the benefits provided by the company, doing the bare minimum to stay a member.

Edithe, however, stayed behind. Hadrian turned to face her, raising a brow.

“You have a question, Edithe?”

“I… do.”

She felt apprehension seize her momentarily— the doubt and uncertainty of the others from earlier made her second guess whether she should speak now. Hadrian was swamped with those who had been completely caught off-guard by what was happening, demanding something to be done, as though he had known this was going to happen.

The truth was, everyone had been taken by surprise by the current events. Even Baris and Hadrian were no exception. So, Edithe felt bad for speaking out against their decisions, but she felt that it was the right thing to say.

“This can’t go on, Hadrian.”

Her words were simple, straight to the point. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company paused. He peered closely at her, not saying anything. Then he nodded.

“I know.”

She blinked, seeing how empathetic he was to her cause. To the anger she was feeling. Paige. Edithe stepped forward, one hand forming a fist as the other gestured vaguely behind her.

“Then why aren’t we doing anything about it? This is war. That was what Gabriel had said from the start. Why are we just sitting around, letting them cut us down like lambs to the slaughter?!”

Catching her breath, Edithe realized she was yelling. She backed up, quickly murmuring an apology.

“I… sorry.”

“No, you’re right.”

Hadrian sighed. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company— still so young and inexperienced— took a seat and rubbed at his temples.

“I agree with you, Edithe. However, I agree with my father as well. What he’s saying— the fact that the Iron Champions Company has planned such a long time for this— it puts us at a severe disadvantage. Any move we make will result in casualties. But I don’t think we should let them act as they please either.”

“But your father, Baris, thinks we shouldn’t strike back.”

“No. He thinks we should hold out. We have allies. People who will support us in covertly fighting against the Iron Champions Company. But those are far and few amongst the pull we could get if we officially declare war.”

“Then why don’t you declare war?”

Edithe stared at him. The tired man. One who was backed up into a corner with nowhere else left to go. He could either lash out first or stand on guard for the enemy to strike. Both would result in getting beaten and hurt. But which would result in a victory?

“Dad thinks that we’d minimize the risks if we hold them off. That the attrition we’d suffer from many small attacks would be far less than the death toll from a full-scale assault. That’s why he wants me to hold off in declaring war.”

“But he’s not the leader of the company, is he?”

Hadrian’s head snapped up. He met the red-haired woman’s gaze, her fiery red hair burning like the anger in her heart. Was she being reckless by suggesting this? Was this the same as what happened with Lucerna and her team? No— back then, we charged in when no one in our team was hurt. Now, it’s different. Paige was dead.

And so many others too.

“You’re the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company. No matter what Baris says, he can’t stop you from pushing your weight as our leader and declaring war.”

“But… he wouldn’t approve of that.”

“Because he disagrees with your judgment.”

Turning her head to face the window, Edithe saw the sun standing high in the sky. It was still afternoon. In fact, it was barely even noon. The day had just begun, and so many things had already been done. Things had been busy. It proved how productive one could be if they really put in their all to something.

“He thinks that declaring war is reckless. And despite disagreeing with him, you trust him. Because you believe in him.”

“Yes. I’m still inexperienced, Edithe.”

The blond man cast his gaze to an open palm. He clenched it and spoke through gritted teeth.

“This all happened with me as the leader of the company. It never happened with him. He knows more than me, so I have to trust him.”

“Then why not trust the Baris that made you the leader, Hadrian?”

Edithe faced him. She met his eyes, speaking confidently, knowing that she was right.

“He entrusted you with this job. Talk to him. Tell him why you think he’s wrong. And make preparations for war. I’m sure if you do that, Baris will see your point and concede.”

“But—”

“Hadrian.”

She cut him off and spoke not out of anger or fear, but from the passion and certainty that had been cradling in her heart.

“This cannot go on.”

The young man looked at her. At the truth she was saying. And he slowly nodded.

“You’re right.”

He acceded.

“I will talk to him.”

Hadrian got up and started out of the door. A small smile spread across Edithe’s face but was quickly stymied from knowing what was to come next. It would be war. And that was not something she was looking forward to.

Stopping right at the doorway, he glanced back at her. Conviction on his face. The plan he must have had been fostering secretly ready to be unleashed.

“And call every Gold Rank adventurer to be back at the headquarters by tonight. Every Silver to the training grounds. I’ll have the Platinums be split up personally. Gabriel will be with the Silvers, so don’t worry about them.”

“Wait, tonight? Why?”

“Because—”

He stepped out into the hallway, turning away from her.

“We’re going to be declaring war. Tomorrow.”

I watched as the dim torches in the distance drew closer. The smoke from the flames filled the night horizon, breaking free from the layer of treetops ahead. They were small, thin lines reaching out to the sky, and I probably would not have noticed them if not for how numerous they were.

Various people were coming at us. People who were making their move in the middle of the night. That set of an alarm in my head. The Harrowed Vindicators?

Hopping down from the tree and landing next to Daniel with a soft thud, I immediately shook the Human man awake. He rubbed at his eyes, groggily looking up to face me.

“Huh— what? Is it morning already?”

“No. You’ve only been asleep for an hour.”

He clicked his tongue and snapped his eyes shut.

“Salvos, I know you don’t like—”

“It’s not that!”

I spoke hurriedly. One of my companion’s eyelids slowly reclined back up— he met my gaze and sighed.

“Is it urgent?”

“Yes.”

“...Am I allowed to sleep for five more minutes?”

I paused, tilting my head back up. I saw the fumes in the distance, getting closer. Then I shook my head.

“Probably not.”

Daniel pulled himself up, drawing himself awake with a deep breath. A labored breath. He grimaced, placing a hand on his knees.

“Ouch— I think I might need a bit more healing potion if we’re going to get into a fight. I’m still not fully recovered from earlier.”

“We should run.”

I spoke simply, stopping him from summoning a vial of the red liquid. I lowered his hand down and grabbed his stuff.

“I think it might be the Harrowed Vindicators.”

“The— the bounty hunters?”

I cocked my head.

“I thought they were assassins.”

“Same thing.”

He immediately collected his items— quickly sweeping up the campsite of everything important— and stored it in his Dimensional Storage Unit. I watched as his bedroll, his flask of water— everything— vanished the moment he laid a hand on them.

“I want one.”

“I’ll get you one. But later.”

Sheathing his sword onto his side, the Human man turned to meet me. The two of us nodded.

“Let’s go. Now.”

And we were off. In the darkness, under the thick canopy of trees, blocking the dim light from the stars and moon above. We moved quickly and swiftly, darting around the thickets barring our path. I could have moved faster on my own, but Daniel was my companion.

I wasn’t just going to leave him alone.

I held onto his hand, pulling him forward so he could run just a little faster. I also kept an eye locked onto the approaching lines of smoke. They were slowly getting further and further away. They probably had no idea we had already begun getting a move on.

If they did, they would have picked up their pace— which they weren’t doing. So that gave me some confidence. I whispered to Daniel’s ear as he and I walked out into a small clearing in the forest.

“Think we should hide?”

Gesturing at some nearby hills peaking over the treetops, I continued.

“There are probably some holes or caves we could wait in. Maybe stay there for a day or two until we recover all our Skills, stamina, and mana.”

Daniel grimaced as I proposed the idea. He slowly shook his head and looked at me apologetically.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. If they’ve come after us this far, they probably have some kind of tracking Skills or artifacts that would lead them to us no matter what. We should just keep going.”

“But if they can track us down, won’t they keep following us?”

“Maybe. But as you said, I’d rather not fight them until I’m back at a hundred percent.”

The two of us were still exhausted from the day’s events. I was less so than Daniel, but if this really was the Harrowed Vindicators coming after us once again, I didn’t think we’d be able to take them on until both of us were ready to fight.

Although, both of us have leveled since our last clash with them… I glanced back up above the canopy of trees. The smoke was indeed coming in our direction once again. They really did have some way to track us down.

I turned back to Daniel and made another suggestion.

“Shouldn’t we at least have a look at them first? If they’re the same level as last time—”

“They won’t be.”

“Why not?”

I cocked my head.

“They just won’t. Trust me.”

He seemed so certain. So certain that I decided to just trust him.

“Fine.”

Spinning back around, I activated [Self Haste] and swept Daniel off his feet. He sputtered as his arms waved in the air.

“What are you doing?!”

“I’mgettingusoutofhereasfastasIcan!”

“...what did you say? Speak slower—”

And I ran.

I dashed forward, zipping into and through the trees. Even while carrying him, I moved faster than I would have from dragging him along and running. I had [Self Haste] activated, after all. I was not only faster, but my senses were sharpened.

I ran over the roots that stuck out of the ground and threatened to trip me. I dodged around the groves that grew so dense wouldn’t have fit in it. I even avoided stepping on the fallen branches from the trees, careful not to leave anything behind that could let our pursuers follow after us.

I became like the leaves in the wind. The breeze carried me forward— did I know where I was going? Absolutely not. And yet, that only served to help us.

If we didn’t know where we were going, our pursuers wouldn’t either. Their tracking Skills had to end, eventually.

Right?

—--

Day came. The sun rose over the horizon. My [Self Haste] had run its course hours ago. And Daniel protested me carrying him ‘like a princess’ so I let him run by my side on his own. I’d like to be carried like a princess, was the inane thought I didn’t say to him at the time.

We continued fleeing our pursuers. We made our way out of the dark and dimly lit forest, cutting into relatively clear and open flatlands. Then back to another forest. An entire day passed— the sun began setting low into the sky— before we even stopped for a brief reprieve.

Exhaustion was beginning to set in once again. Without any stamina potions to use, we had to rely only on [Rest] to recover. But that would not have been enough. The only reason we dared to take a break was that our Skills were ready now. His Skills, specifically.

We waited for a bit. Just to see if we were still being hunted down, even after all the running we did. And when the dome of light overhead changed into a dome of darkness, we saw the little kindlings of flame pop up in the distance. And we got up and began to move again.

“There are dozens of them. More than the last time.”

“Even if they’re all Gold, we can take them.”

I spoke confidently, even as I followed him under the blanket of leaves.

“My worry is that they aren’t all Gold, Salvos. That they’re all Platinum. Do you think we’d be able to take them on then?”

I chewed my lower lip, uncertain.

“...Maybe?”

“Then what if there’s a Diamond too? Someone as powerful as Belzu.”

“That’s not possible!”

I stopped mid-step. The Human man whirled around as I crossed my arms.

“Lily was Level 103, and she’s a Fairy that’s lived for thousands of years! A weird Human can’t possibly surpass her in only a few decades!”

“Well, you’re a weird Demon who has surpassed many Humans and Spirits and Demons in only… what, two, three years?”

“Three years.”

I corrected him. He raised his shoulders in a shrug.

“It’s possible, and while not likely, it’s possible.”

Trudging on, the [Hero] spoke in a grim voice. Also, in English.

“Unfortunately, you have to fear the worst in these kinds of situations. I knew someone once. She always said it was better to be safe than sorry. That was her favorite catchphrase that she never followed. Still, I’d rather not die from a fight we can avoid.”

I groaned— partly because I didn’t expect the change in language. However, since he kept to English the entire time, I understood what he said without a problem. Even if it was a little bit jarring.

“But it’s not something we can avoid, Daniel. They’re going to keep coming after us. And we’re going to keep running. We have to fight.”

“No, we don’t. If we can lose them—”

“We can’t lose them.”

I was vehement about it. They had been following us for an entire day. Even after I had run as fast as I could with Daniel in my arms, they never once lost track of us!

“Daniel, if they were really as high leveled as you think, why couldn’t they just catch up to us right now? If they were stronger than us, at least one of them has to be faster than you.”

“I…”

He bit his tongue, unsure how to respond. I glanced back— at the trails of smoke that were still far away but getting closer.

“Isn’t it possible then that they’re just waiting for the best time to attack us, when we’re exhausted after you’ve lost days of sleep? Or worse, leading us to a trap?”

His eyes grew as I continued, creating a kusarigama and twirling its sickle in my hand. The blue flames from my Skill lit up the forest around us, just barely. It let us see our surroundings better, even if it let others spot us better too.

“That’s… unlikely.”

“But it’s possible.”

I turned around, sweeping my gaze through the trees until it landed in the direction of our pursuers.

“They’re going to reach us anyway. We’re going to have to fight them. I saw we do it while we can both face them at our best— before we’re both tired and unable to put up a fight.”

My companion stayed silent for a moment. Just a moment. Were my words persuasive? Did I make a good argument? I was not well versed in Human interaction, but I knew Daniel. And I knew he would agree with me.

His answer came a split second after I took a step forward, already prepared for battle.

“I guess you’re right—”

There was a flicker. My eyes snapped to the left, and I leapt back.

“Daniel—”

But I was too slow. The crossbow bolt struck the Human man across the chest. It sent him flying back, as I reached out to grab him, the impact stronger and harder than even a blow from a [Musur Craver].

The world slowed around me. I blinked and everything grew dim for an eternity. Then my head turned at a glacial pace towards the source of the attack.

At the shadowed figure hiding with the trees. No— not figure, figures.

A dozen figures surrounded my downed companion and me from all sides. They wore hoods over their faces— a dark cloak that obscured their entire body. Weapons were already drawn, a battle already instigated. They had just arrived, and they attacked us instantly.

There was no hesitation behind their actions. That was what assassins did. Bounty hunters hired to hunt down a [Hero].

The Harrowed Vindicators.

A note from MelasD

3,700 words.

Nice little juxtaposition between the first half and the second half. I like it! Probably because I wrote it. But sometimes, there are chapters I really like writing. This was one of them haha

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94. Declaration and Introduction

A note from MelasD

4,000 words.

94. Declaration and Introduction

“Yes, Hadrian wants you all to gather in the headquarters by tonight. He has an important announcement to make.”

Harper looked at Edithe with narrowed eyes.

“An important announcement? With almost no warning? Don’t tell me—”

“I don’t know.”

The red-haired woman spoke simply. She turned her gaze to the rest of Harper’s team— a Gold Rank team. They all wore nervous looks on their faces. The possibility of what was to come struck fear into the hearts of every single one of them.

“Just be prepared for the worst, alright?”

With the missive sent, Edithe took her leave, not bothering to listen to the speculations and worries Harper and her team might have had. Because the truth was— Edithe lied. She knew exactly what the announcement was about. But she couldn’t say it here. Not in public where there could be an Iron Champions spy around any corner.

Edithe passed the message on to numerous other teams. Some, like Harper, who heard it took it with fear. But others were prepared, or even excited, for it.

“Does this mean we can finally show those Iron Champion bastards what we’re made of? I had been tired of sitting around and letting them do whatever they want! Has Hadrian finally talked some sense into Baris?”

Celine eagerly pressed her face up against Edithe, grasping at her hands. Edithe gently pushed the Platinum Rank adventurer back and shook her head.

“I do not know.”

“Fine! But I know you’re aware of more than you let on.”

Edithe simply smiled and shook her head.

“I am as unaware as you, Celine.”

“Hah, of course, you are! Well, that doesn’t change the fact that we can finally teach those assholes a lesson.”

Pretending to ignore the comment and excuse herself, Edithe couldn’t help but mentally agree with the rowdy Platinum Rank woman and her team. They were a group of all-[Warriors], rough but caring. And what had been happening over the past few days must have infuriated them even more than it did Edithe.

“Hey, Edithe.”

Celine spoke up as the red-haired woman exited the bar. Edithe turned back slightly, raising a brow.

“Did you need something?”

“Take care of yourself, alright? Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Edithe blinked and rubbed at her eyes. Did she look that tired? She definitely did not get enough sleep the night before, the horrors of helplessly seeing Paige’s death ingrained in her mind.

Celine continued, snapping Edithe’s gaze back up.

“And don’t worry, we’ll get you your revenge.”

“R-right. Thank you.”

Nodding respectfully, Edithe hurriedly left the Platinum Ranks alone. There was so much she still had to do, after all. She had to speak with Rachel— tell the girl that she probably wouldn't be able to visit for a while. But also…

We’ll get your revenge.

The sweet words resounded in her head, almost drawing her to it like a bee to honey. The nectar of killing the one you hated— the vindication from it— was something she had already tasted. And she realized, after Lucerna’s death, a simple thing.

I still feel so… empty.

—--

Edithe found the hardest one to speak to that day was not the Platinum, Gold, or even Silver Ranks. But a little girl.

Rachel had not acclimated to the temple well. William said that the only time she would speak was when Edithe visited the Sanctum of Elements. And when Edithe had to break the news that she wouldn’t be visiting anymore because of reasons she could not explain, Rachel did not cry. The girl spoke with a small voice but loud enough that it broke Edithe’s heart.

“Oh… you’re abandoning me too?”

Edithe had tried to reassure Rachel that that wasn’t the case. But she knew Rachel didn’t believe her. Even after an hour of trying to play with the doll, Princess, with her, Edithe knew Rachel was still sad. That the smile Rachel put on was a false one.

But the Gold Rank adventurer had a job to do. She had a company to fight for. So, she eventually had to leave.

Returning to the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company, Edithe found that everyone had gathered as she had instructed. The Golds and Platinums gathered here, while the Silvers were on the training grounds. Edithe wasn’t worried about the Silvers even though they were the weakest, since Gabriel and a few other Platinums like Jeremy were already there with them.

What she was worried about was the reaction to the news that was about to be broken.

Baris arrived in the hall first. He waited at an elevated stage with his arms folded, clearly not pleased, but not unhappy either. Then when Hadrian came a little later, the older man activated his spells.

Wards were put up around the room, a barrier powered by a Platinum Ranked adventurer. When that happened, all the whisperings— all the susurrations— stopped. Heads turned to face Hadrian as he seriously addressed the room. No more speculations.

“We have decided.”

Hadrian spoke simply. Edithe raised a brow at his choice of an opening but waited for what else he had to say.

“For the past few days, our company has been attacked. Our members have been killed unjustly. And we have decided— no more.”

Taking a deep breath, Hadrian swept his gaze across the room. Edithe heard voices begin to break out— questions— but the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company continued first, speaking over them.

“We had thought that it would be best for us to hold them off. Win a battle of attrition. This was a siege they couldn’t win, especially when we could hit back with our own allies. But they’re not just sieging us— this is already a full-frontal assault!”

His words sounded like they would be said by one in anger. But his voice didn’t reveal any of it. Because he was calm. This was not retaliation out of anger. It made sense… right?

“There is nothing covert about this. They’re doing everything they can to draw us out from our shell, to declare war on them. As if they think we’re afraid of what they could do to us. Well, even if they’ve prepared for this for months, we’re the Valiant Dreamers Company. We shall not stand idly by as the weak are bullied by the strong. Especially if it’s our own dreamers.”

Hadrian’s voice grew quiet. And he sighed deeply, finishing his speech as he spoke through gritted teeth.

“So, we have decided to make it official. No more hiding. Tomorrow, we shall fight.”

It was so sudden. After talking about waiting and biding their time for the past few days, why the sudden shift in plans? Was it bad leadership from a new leader? It should have been jarring. Edithe thought there would have been a backlash to it. But instead, there were voices of agreement. Then there was a cheer.

Edithe straightened as she stared at the crowd of Gold and Platinum Ranks throwing their support behind Hadrian. Baris seemed approving too. Even if his son went against his judgment, his judgment had chosen him to be the leader. And making decisions based on what one thought was best was part of being a leader.

Slowly, Edithe leaned back against the wooden pillar next to her. It was covered in runes, enchanted to now be more durable against fire. Only a single thought crossed her head as she cast her gaze to the ceiling above.

It’s time then. Let’s hope this works out.

And when the morning came, the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company went to the Adventurers Guild himself. The Diamond Ranked adventurer left with no one, making the declaration for all the companies and even the Sunmere Republic to hear.

“The Valiant Dreamers are at war with the Iron Champions Company!”

The Harrowed Vindicators. They were the assassins, the bounty hunters, the ones hunting after us. They had chased Daniel and me down from just beyond the Motharis, to where we stood now. The tall mountains were barely even a speck in the distance at this point— they were so far away that it would take me a few hours to run there, even at full speed.

We had made a good headway towards Viechester before being interrupted. And now they had caught up.

My companion lay collapsed on the ground, having been struck by a crossbow bolt with enough force to send him flying back. And the others were readying their weapons against me. But… how did they catch up to us so quickly? We had not slowed down for more than a minute to talk. Why were they already here?

It must have been a distraction.

They had been setting this trap to catch us, leading us like we were a horde of monsters and they were a Mindreaper. We couldn’t flee anymore. There was nothing else we could do.

Nothing but to stand and fight.

I raised my kusarigama, waiting for the first assassin to make their move. They moved in the shadows— they were like shadows. Stalking around me, the Harrowed Vindicators prepared to strike.

There was the sound of metal being pulled. A crossbow being reloaded. My head snapped to the side—

And a bolt of lightning came crashing down on me.

[Charge of Embers] carried me straight to the Harrowed Vindicator with the crossbow. His eyes grew wide as I identified him, mere moments before bringing the flaming sickle down.

[Archer - Lvl. 65]

He was only at Gold. Not even a Platinum threat.

My kusarigama broke his crossbow in half and embedded deep into his chest. He backed away from me. I heard spells being loosed my way, knives being thrown and footfalls moving in a rush, but I did not turn my attention to them.

The chains from my kusarigama yanked the man towards me. I leapt up into the air as the assassin collided with the volley of attacks coming from his companions, the notification in my head resounding, confirming his death.

Defeated [Bloodscarred Hunter - Lvl. 65]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

My gaze swept around the surroundings, at the other enemies who were closing in on me. But I caught a glimpse of a bright light. A flash. It drew mine and the Harrowed Vindicators’ attention for a moment.

Because it had struck down two of them.

Daniel stood up as the glow around his sword faded away. The assassins standing closest to him had dropped dead. He pulled the crossbow bolt out of his chest— no blood spilling out of where it struck. I recognized the Skill— the one that made his skin like iron.

“Daniel!”

I called out to him and sent a [Scorching Wave] at the closest Harrowed Vindicator. They buzzed back, keeping a small distance from the fire but hovering around it like flies.

Landing next to him, I activated [Ignition], and my body grew ablaze. The fire revealed the shadows stalking around us in the trees, keeping their distance as my companion and I stood back-to-back. He glanced over at me and nodded.

“Sorry for scaring you like that.”

“It’s fine— I’m just glad you’re alive.”

I smiled his way. He paused, then gripped the hilt of his blade with two hands.

“Thanks. They really caught us by surprise, didn’t they?”

“But now they’re nervous and staying back.”

Identifying the assassins closest to me, I found that most of them were Level 60. It had not been like what Daniel feared— none of them were even close to the Diamond level. Only one had been above Level 70, and he was keeping his distance, watching us warily.

I took a step forward, widening my stance as I held the sickle of my weapon in one hand and the chains in the other.

“They don’t seem to be that tough, huh? Well, you guys attacked us, didn’t you? Come on!”

I snarled— then realized I was talking in the voice of a Human woman. And it honestly wasn’t that threatening.

Maybe I should change back. The thought crossed my mind before a ball of darkness enveloped Daniel and me.

Blinking, I whirled around to try and find the [Hero]. But he was nowhere to be seen. This was shadow magic. Just like what Ignavare had. But it had been used to block our vision.

I took a few steps back as I heard no sounds either. Only my [Deadly Instinct] was yelling at me, telling me to flee this sphere. And I did.

[Self Haste] took over me as I sped forward, breaking free from the dome of magic. Spells and projectiles were being slung into the dark dome, the assassins blasting as blindly into it as we had been inside of it. My eyes snapped over at the caster.

It had been the Level 70 assassin. He was a [Mage], and the reason he had been staying back was clear— He’s weak, take him out!

I flung the chains of my kusarigama his way, but more Harrowed Vindicators barred my path. One of them tried rushing me, a knife in hand. But…

I grinned, stepping over the decapitated body.

“Who’s next?”

The rest stayed back, and a volley of arrows came my way. But they moved slowly. So slowly. I was already halfway towards them when the first blast resounded behind me. I moved amongst the assassins, faster than they ever could be. I danced with my kusarigama, twirling and spinning with the grace of a princess, cutting down those that dared approach me.

At some point, Daniel had burst out of the darkness, bleeding slightly but not having taken too much damage. We had just come from a Platinum Rank Dungeon. We had fought Mindreapers and powerful [Cultists]. A powerful Archdemon had set its sight on us too, and we had escaped.

These assassins were like nothing to us. They were trained to kill, not to fight. Each of them— whether they were [Warriors], [Mages], [Archers], [Rogues], or something else— had focused on their speed and attack power above all else. But unfortunately for them…

I’m the fastest and strongest one here!

Swinging my fiery weapon wildly, I held onto its chains and let the sickled edge tear apart those that came close. They moved, ebbing and flowing, trying to close the distance but failing each time. And if I was like a wild cyclone, Daniel was an immovable rock. Each assassin that rushed at him was squished onto the surface of the hard stone, their blood coating his long sword.

[Charge of Embers] brought me next to the [Mage] with the shadow magic. He looked up at me in fear as I brought my kusarigama up, limned by the sliver of moonlight above. He tried to fight back.

A magical barrier surrounded him as dark tendrils gripped at my feet. But I burned my [Ignition] at my legs, concentrating the hot flames to keep away the shadow. I landed [Fire Strike] after [Fire Strike] against him.

He tried to back away, casting his magic against me. Offensive spells and defensive spells alike. But it wasn’t enough, and he fell too.

Defeated [Hiddenblade Rogue - Lvl. 64]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

...

Defeated [Master of Penumbra - Lvl. 78]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 66] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 67]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 67] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 68]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Daniel had been afraid of what would happen once the Harrowed Vindicators caught up to them. He had thought they would have sent Platinums, Diamonds, maybe even Elites!

But all that came were another group of Golds, led only by a single Platinum. And they were dispatched with ease. The [Hero] and the Demon fought side by side, aiding each other, complementing each other.

He would open up the ranks of the assassins by pressing forward, while she would pick them off from the side. Just 10 Levels prior, Daniel was certain the two would have died to this group of assassins. But now, even though dozens of the Harrowed Vindicators came after them this time, they were picked apart with ease.

His sword swung in an arc as he activated his Skill. The assassin tried hopping back, but somehow the blade connected. Such a thing never would have happened in Daniel’s world— but this was another world. One where superhuman feats he could have only imagined in fantasy were easily performed by him.

It sheared the assassin in half and went on to block a strike from another assassin. The second assassin backed up straight into a [Scorching Wave] by Salvos. He reeled, his entire back half caught aflame, and that gave Daniel the opening needed to strike him down.

He cast his gaze around for the remainder of the Harrowed Vindicators, only to see them fleeing into the distance. Three of them ran as the fourth was locked in battle with Daniel’s Demon companion.

“Salvos!”

Daniel yelled, pointing at the ones that fled. She nodded.

“Got it.”

The Demon quickly disengaged from the assassin madly trying to rush her. She twisted around him and kicked him, sending him flying back. Daniel quickly blocked the assassin from stopping her once more.

They traded blows— and the [Hero] won.

Panting, Daniel turned around expecting to see the Demon tearing apart the remaining Harrowed Vindicators as they were drawn to her by her Title Skill. Instead, he saw her in the middle of removing her jacket.

“What are you doing?”

“I need to turn back to use [Zealous Call]! I can’t use it in my Mortal Form, so I need to take off my clothes first!”

“Who cares about your clothes?!”

“You do!”

She scowled and Daniel almost wanted to avert his gaze. But he saw the assassins getting further away in the distance. The three began to split, moving in completely different directions, so Salvos could not catch all of them.

“They’re going to escape!”

“I know! Stop distracting me!”

He cursed and took off running, knowing full well that he couldn’t catch up to any of them in time.

But just as he passed Salvos, he watched as one of the assassins dropped mid-air. A gray object flickered between the trees, clanking with the ground as it dragged the body across the dirt and into the darkness.

Then a flash of light caught Daniel’s eye. The second assassin was pincushioned by a hail of flaming arrows. It brought the man down and dimly lit up the surrounding area with the red magical fire’s aura.

And finally, a shining bolt pierced through the last of the shadows. It shone brightly and brilliantly. The golden glow went straight for the final assassin. It darted around the trees, chasing after the Harrowed Vindicator as they tried to make a sharp turn right at a tree.

They led it into a dead end, to be stuck and caught on the wood, leaving him free to run. But the bolt just broke the tree in half. It was snapped like a twig. And the arrow came for the Harrowed Vindicator. It tore through their body, leaving a large hole in their chest.

Daniel watched as the three assassins were struck down in an instant. Quickly taken care of by three different means. Slowly, he lowered his sword, and Salvos put her jacket on once more.

“Huh.”

Staring in a moment of shock, the two did nothing when torches appeared around them. Figures moved in the darkness and made their approach. But Daniel broke out of it. He tensed, tightly gripping his weapon by his side, waiting for the figures to reveal themselves.

And they did.

Three of them showed themselves first. One of them was a looming figure— far taller than Daniel was. He had dark green skin and only a single eye. A Cyclops.

The second was a brown-haired [Mage], one who carried a book on him and looked like he would be adjusting his glasses if he did have one.

And the last was a blonde woman. She had a bow in her hand and her hair tied back into a bun. She looked worriedly around the pile of bodies under her gaze rested on Salvos. She opened her mouth—

And another voice cut her off.

“Jaakko! Zack! Helen!”

Salvos exclaimed and hurriedly ran forward. She excitedly stopped before the three Gold Ranks. She paused, probably thinking of which of a thousand questions she should ask first. And Daniel was certain she settled on all of them.

“Where did you come from? How did you find us? How have you been?”

The three of them stared at her, none of them sure of what to say. Until finally, Jaakko laughed.

“Salvos, you haven’t changed a bit since we last saw you. Even if you’ve leveled quite a bit since then.”

Zack scoffed and snapped the book he was carrying shut.

“She was already the Savior of Silvergrove then. What makes you think she’d have matured even a little bit now?”

“Can’t you be nice for one second, Zack?”

Helen snorted, then walked forward to the eagerly awaiting Salvos. She cocked her head as the [Archer] placed a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s good to see you too, Salvos. Looks like you’ve been well.”

“I have!”

Salvos beamed, adjusting her bloodied jacket from the gruesome battle. Helen nodded, looking down at the assassins.

“We were in such a rush to get to you two— but we didn’t expect you to have taken them all out by yourselves.”

“Oh, really? Well… I am pretty amazing. But you did save us too! You helped stop those three Harrowed Vindicators from escaping!”

“I guess we arrived just in time, didn’t we?”

Helen laughed, and Salvos giggled as well. Daniel frowned, listening in on the conversation. He slowly approached them— not as familiar with them as Salvos was.

“Wait, uh, Ms Helen, right?”

“Yes. And you’re…”

The [Archer] trailed off, glancing over at the other two Gold Ranks, and Daniel nodded.

“I’m Salvos’ friend. We met for a bit— I don’t know if you remember me.”

“We do remember you.”

Her voice was soft. Daniel didn’t know why, but she almost seemed… wary of him? He scratched the side of his head and continued.

“Right. Well, how exactly did you guys find us? And how did you know we were in trouble?”

“That’s because…”

Helen hesitated, then the other figures appeared. The ones carrying the orange torches— the ones who had been following them for the past day. They came on horses, riding through the thick forest, accompanying a gilded carriage as it rolled through and in between the trees.

“That’s because of her.”

Zack finished what Helen had been saying. He averted his gaze when Daniel turned to him. He narrowed his eyes. What’s wrong with them?

The way they were acting weirded him out. It was almost like they were afraid of him. However, Salvos did not pick up on that social cue, and instead, she excitedly piped up as the carriage came to a stop.

“Is that Saffron?”

“No, it’s not. It’s… someone a little more important.”

“More important than a noble?”

Salvos blinked, and Daniel’s eyes widened. A quiet word escaped his breath as he took a step back.

“No…”

The carriage door was pulled open as a body of guards surrounded it. Then they spread apart as a woman made her way through. She walked forward with the poise of only one who had a noble upbringing since birth. But she surpassed mere nobility. She was grace and beauty incarnate. She was what Salvos wanted to be.

A charming smile spread across the young woman’s face as she stopped and curtsied in front of the two staring companions.

“I am princess Faith of the Elutra Kingdom, the third in line to the throne of Elutra, it is a pleasure to meet you, Ms Salvos.”

Then she turned to the young man from Earth.

“And [Hero] Daniel, it has been a while, hasn’t it?”

A note from MelasD

4,000 words

Once again, I have a new tier on patreon! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead to get to the end of Salvos Volume 2! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

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95.1. Faith

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

95.1. Faith

“And [Hero] Daniel, it has been a while, hasn’t it?”

Salvos blinked as Faith said those words. Helen did not expect the princess to be so upfront with Daniel’s true identity. But if what she told them was to be believed— and it should be believed since Zack was certain she was truly the princess of Elutra— then that meant Daniel did not come from this world.

It was something every child heard about. [Heroes]. They came summoned to the Nexeus by rituals from times long passed. It was not anything that happened anymore, and yet now a real [Hero] was before them.

When they were broken the news, Helen remembered how Zack reacted. The normally haughty [Mage] immediately swore he would apologize to Daniel for the way he had treated him. And Jaakko too— Helen had never seen the Cyclop’s one eye grow that wide.

So now, it was Salvos’ turn to learn the truth. That her companion was not who he claimed he was. And that the man she was standing next to was actually a [Hero] from another world.

Helen gave the silver-haired woman a sympathetic look as she exchanged a glance between Faith and Daniel. The latter’s eyebrows arched darkly over his eyes, even as the former smiled at him. Salvos opened her mouth—

“Wait, Daniel, is that really a princess? For real? Am I meeting a real princess?!”

Zack turned to face Helen as she stared, blank-faced at Salvos. He spoke hesitantly.

“...uh, that wasn’t the reaction you were expecting either, right?”

I bounced on my feet as I regarded Daniel. The Human man looked unhappy, but I didn’t care. Because in front of me stood a real princess!

Supposedly, that meant she was like Saffron but even more important. And not only did she come in a carriage that would have put the entire Merryster family’s fortune to shame, but she was also from the kingdom that summoned Daniel! That meant they knew each other.

I pointed accusingly at Daniel.

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew a princess?”

Helen, Zack, and Jaakko locked onto me with surprised expressions. My companion’s gaze snapped up, finally broken from his stupor. Sighing, he rubbed at his temples.

“I did tell you I knew a princess, Salvos. You just forgot.”

“No, you didn’t!”

“Yes, I did— Look, let’s not talk about this right now.”

Daniel turned his attention back to Faith. The princess— was she a Princess with the Title, or just a princess?— tilted her head slightly. She still wore that same smile on her face, waiting expectantly for him to say something.

He seemed to struggle to get a word out until finally, he shook his head.

“Faith, what do you want from me?”

“What do I want? I just came here to save you, Daniel. I heard about what the Inoria Empire did. They put a bounty on your head to the Harrowed Vindicators, and now every one of their third-rate assassins is coming for you, hoping to earn a few thousand gold.”

“That’s not why you came here now though.”

Stepping forward, my companion inspected the princess. Behind her, the retinue of guards— most of them high Silver in level, although a handful were low Gold— tensed. He folded his arms across his chest.

“What do you really want, Faith? And you better choose your words carefully. Because I won’t believe a fucking word you say unless it’s something that’s purely self-serving.”

The words struck the princess like a slap to the face. She stumbled back slightly, her face overcome with a look of shock. Not only did her guards react this time, but even Jaakko and his team did too.

Even I stared at Daniel, aghast.

“Psst, Daniel, aren’t you supposed to be respectful to her? She’s a Human princess!”

“She’s scum, Salvos. She tried to use me only for her own gain when I had been helping the Elutra Kingdom in their war against the Inoria Empire. She… manipulated. Tricked me. Made me believe things that weren’t true. Just for politics.”

“She did?”

I turned to Faith, seeing her face contort. The smile vanished, and she frowned.

“But that’s not true.”

Faith spoke over him. She faced me, giving me a pleading look.

“Daniel has… misjudged me. Ms Salvos, I know we’ve only just met, but I implore you to convince him to trust me.”

I glanced back over at Daniel. The Human man seemed repulsed by what Faith was saying. He spoke through gritted teeth without even facing me.

“Salvos, she’s a snake. A real snake.”

“You mean she’s not Human?”

“I… no. I mean she’s conniving, cunning, and cruel. Not the kind of cruel that leaves you for dead, but the kind that makes you distrust people.”

Finally, Daniel turned my face.

“You’re not exactly… the best at social cues. And I have to admit, I am not either. But I’m asking you to listen to me. Faith is not someone you should ever put your trust in.”

I blinked and stared between the [Hero] and the princess. There was history here between them. And some sort of invisible force was clashing here. I could not see what it was, but I could tell that much.

“If you help me speak some sense into Daniel, I promise I’ll reward you greatly. Anything you ask of me, I’ll give it to you.”

“Salvos, you aren’t actually thinking of this, are you? Because even if you try to make me work with her, I won’t.”

Now I had to pick between them. One was my companion. Someone who I had fought alongside for so long— through so much. But the other was a princess!

She was a real-life princess! Maybe even a Princess! And if I sided with her, maybe I could even learn how to become a princess too!

So I beamed. I slowly let my gaze rest on Faith, my lips still curled up. Daniel looked at me disbelievingly as Faith sighed in relief.

“I’m glad you—”

“Absolutely not!”

I exclaimed. Faith blinked as Daniel paused. Then he laughed.

“I should have expected that. I don’t know why I expected anything else from you.”

“But… why?”

Faith could not believe what I had just said. She gesticulated, her fancy dress ruffling with each movement she made— the gems and jewelry decorating gleaming in the moonlight. This was a princess. And I could have won her favor right here. But—

“Daniel is my companion. And if he tells me you’re bad, then you’re bad.”

I waved a finger matter-of-factly. It just was how it was. I wouldn’t forsake my companion, even if the Princess of princesses told me to.

The bodyguards accompanying Faith sputtered— one of them drew a sword and pointed it my way.

“You dare insult princess Faith of Elutra?!”

“I do.”

Turning a daring gaze towards them, I bared my teeth in a grin.

“And if you want me to take it back, you’ll have to make me.”

The man— the highest level of the bodyguards at Level 45— took a step forward. But before he could object further, Helen hurriedly ran to my side.

“Salvos, what are you doing? Princess Faith is telling the truth. When Zack started… uh, prying… around Daniel’s identity, she was the one to contact us. She told us he was in danger. That the Harrowed Vindicators were after him.”

“Then she lied to you too.”

I spoke simply. Helen opened her mouth, but the bodyguard from before snapped.

“Insolence—”

“Enough!”

Faith cut the man’s sharp voice short by raising her hand. She slowly glanced between Daniel and me, the smile wiped from her face, replaced with a more serious expression.

“[Hero] Daniel.”

“Stop calling me that!”

My companion snapped. She nodded.

“Daniel, then. I apologize if your interpretation of my past actions has disillusioned you to my true character. However, one of the reasons why I came here was indeed to save you. But you are right: I have another reason too.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“And that reason is?”

“To ask you to come back.”

Daniel had been expecting those words from her. Faith was so predictable once he understood the exact kind of person she was.

Selfish.

The reason why the [Hero] left the country in the first place was exactly because of the politics she played with him. She had been the fifth in line to the throne of Elutra. Now she was third. And that was because she used him.

Everyone there tried to use him— but she used him the most.

Feeling his hands slowly tighten into balls, he glanced up and shook his head.

“I don’t know what kind of madness overtook you since we last saw each other, but I refuse.”

“You have to, Daniel. The—”

“No!”

He put his foot down as his voice echoed in the darkness. Faith took a step back, shocked by the sudden shouting. Daniel spoke through clenched teeth.

“I will not go back. Never.”

The eyes of the princess grew dark. Then there was a soft sound— a sniffling. Daniel wasn’t sure if he had been too loud, but he stood by his words. His anger was justified. She had convinced him that she loved him. His broken heart almost mended. But all she loved was what he got her.

Faith glanced back up, and Daniel hesitated, not wanting to see any puppy-eyed look. But instead, all she did was wrinkle her nose. Her gaze swept across the corpses around them, and she grimaced.

“I’d like to continue this conversation. However, I do not think this is nearly the right place to carry it out. Would you at least be willing to move this elsewhere? Perhaps my camp. It’s no more than half an hour’s travel that way. And there’s food and tea too,”

Gesturing behind her, Faith looked at him expectantly. He bit his lower lip, feeling slightly guilty about shouting. But before he could say anything, Salvos piped up.

“Food? Tea? No way!”

95.2. Faith

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

95.2. Faith

The two went along with Faith to her camp; it wasn’t particularly because Daniel trusted her, nor was it because he was bothered by the corpses littered around the forest floor. It was because he was hungry.

And while he did not trust the princess one bit, he was more than aware of the kind of person she was. She used people, but she did not kill them. No cloaks and daggers, no poisons and assassins. So, the young man’s hunger impelled him to her camp, just so he could finally have some good fucking food.

The fact that Helen, Jaakko, and Zack were with her instilled some confidence in his belief that they were safe too.

Salvos trippingly walked alongside the three Gold Ranks— each of them several levels higher than they had been when they had last seen each other but still lower than Daniel and Salvos’ levels.

“You’ve grown quite a bit, Salvos. You’re now almost Level 70, aren’t you? Going to hit Platinum even before us, huh?”

“Yep!”

The girl excitedly agreed, not realizing how tone-deaf that kind of a response could be. Their chatter went on— apparently, none of the Gold Ranks bothered by the Demon’s lack of social skills. They were already acclimated to her, so it was not like they would be surprised by the way she acted.

“You mean to tell me you went to the Motharis Mountain Range all by yourself?”

“Not by myself. With Daniel! And then we entered the Brilsum Ruins and fought some Mindreapers!”

Helen stared at Salvos as Zack rubbed a finger on his finger.

“Mindreapers… and you said they were being controlled?”

“They were controlling monsters! And [Cultists] too! Some Archdemon named Belzu was leading them.”

Jaakko frowned.

“If what you say is true, then this is something we’ll have to report to every Adventurers Guild and country surrounding the Motharis. Such a threat is a danger to us all.”

“That’s what we were going to do! Then those Harrowed Vindicators showed up and stopped our progress…”

Daniel didn’t join in on the conversation himself; he had only known these Gold Ranks for about a week. And even then, he had some friction with one of their members— Zack. But mostly because the other man was rightfully suspicious of how secretive Daniel was.

But while Daniel could understand the reason for Zack’s prying, he certainly had not appreciated it.

So instead, the [Hero] trudged alone, like a pariah from the group. The only person he knew well here was Salvos. And… Faith.

Her carriage rolled alongside them as they arrived at their destination. A rather large camp had been set up. However, to Daniel’s surprise, it was not the kind of luxury one would have expected from a noble, let alone a princess.

Daniel narrowed his eyes as he looked through the camp. A few tents had been set up, but they were fairly ordinary. The eating situation was rather crude as well. It was not what he had been looking forward to, at all.

Faith stepped out of her carriage and peered at him curiously.

“Is something the matter, [Her— Daniel?”

He scowled and turned away from her.

“It’s nothing.”

She shrugged and walked over to a fireplace that had already been set up. A boiling pot was bubbling over the flames, and she scooped up a spoonful of the soup and took a sip from it. Faith nodded to herself and called over one of her bodyguards.

“Elisha, the food is ready. Please prepare it for our guests.”

The bodyguard who had exchanged words with Salvos hurriedly did as he was instructed. Faith smiled his way, wiping her mouth with a delicately crafted handkerchief. The embroidery on it was lined with transparent crystal, their lattice surface reflecting twinklings of the fire’s light to resemble the stars above.

“It’s delicious. Come, sit.”

Faith gestured Salvos and Daniel over. The former happily listened while the latter took a moment longer to follow. He had known Faith. And what he had learned about her was that she was a shrewd person. One with a very good poker face.

And he was certain that the poker face broke when she took a sip from the soup. Poison? A worrying thought crossed his mind.No, that wasn’t it. Faith had… grimaced?

So, it just tasted bad, then?

Daniel wasn’t sure. But when he took a seat around the campfire and accepted the bowl of steaming soup. He realized the truth.

It was indeed very foul.

“Gross!”

That word coming from Salvos had not been unusual. But the fact that she stretched it out as she made a face of utter disgust and contempt when she only pretended to drink it made Daniel aware that he wasn’t just being a picky eater right then.

Faith quickly downed the entire bowl and smiled the Demon’s way.

“What’s wrong? It tastes just— fine.”

“No, it’s not! It’s one of the worst things I’ve ever tried! And I’ve tried many things!”

Daniel was pretty sure Salvos was referring to Human meat by that. However, the discussion— and the fact that everyone else was also apprehensive about consuming the foul soup— was a testament to the fact that it was terrible.

Slowly placing down his bowl on the grass, Daniel turned to Faith.

“Alright, that’s enough fooling around. Why are you serving us bad food, Faith? It’s clearly not poisoned, so why this act?”

The princess blinked, then she sighed.

“This isn’t an act, Daniel. These are the rations we’ve been living off for the past few months, searching for you.”

“Bullshit.”

“Well, it’s the truth.”

Faith straightened, adopting a more princess-like posture. Her legs were crossed, and her back formed a ninety-degree angle with the ground. She held the bowl in her hand by its base, the other lightly touching its side as if it were a teacup. Right, tea was promised too, wasn’t it?

“For the last half a year, I’ve been trying to track you down, Daniel. I took my personal bodyguards— those that were loyal only to me— and left the palace. I left Elutra to find you.”

“Just so you could drag me back and lift up your own name as the princess who returned their runaway [Hero].”

“No. I’ve dragged my name through the dirt just to find you. Or have you not been paying attention to the news?”

Daniel raised a brow, and Salvos learned forward. She curiously asked.

“What news? Is it the news about the saviors of Silvergrove?”

“I heard about that. But no— that’s not what I’m referring to. I’m referring to the war between Elutra and Inoria. How it is said to be more than decided by now. How the Elutra Kingdom is going to fall to its enemy, and its princess fled the country, shirking her duties to save her own life.”

Nodding slowly, Salvos tapped a finger on her chin. Her confusion was evident. But Daniel could tell she was trying to pretend she understood what was being said.

“And this princess that ran away was…”

“Me.”

Faith’s entire body sagged as she said the word. Admitting that she had been the one to flee seemed to have caused the aura of nobility to disappear from her. Or was it the fact that her reputation was now tarnished— her future ruined?

“I’ve given up my wealth. My fortune. My everything. Just to come here. To find you, Daniel.”

The young man scowled, annoyed that the topic shifted back to this.

“And why do I have to care? Why should I trust you?”

“Because the truth is out there in the world. If you go look in the right places, you’ll find it. In fact, you can find it right here. Look around you. You see it yourself. This is not something befitting a princess, no?”

He wanted to disagree. He really didn’t trust her. Her words were like honey, but he knew it was truly poison underneath. But he couldn’t deny what he had just thought— what he had just observed moments earlier.

“Daniel.”

Hearing his name broke the [Hero] from his thoughts. Faith steadily met his gaze, even as he tried to turn away. She spoke softly.

“When I was in Elutra, I did what was best for myself. But now, I’m doing what’s best for my country.”

Daniel hesitated, not sure whether he should offer her a response. He did, anyways.

“And that is?”

“Begging for you to come back.”

Faith stood up and bowed deeply at Daniel. Her bodyguards protested— Elisha sputtered. Even Jaakko and his team seemed aghast at this action.

“The only reason we brought war with the Inoria Empire was that we saw what they were doing. What they were trying to become. They will not just be content with victory. My whole family will be executed. Our people will suffer under their rule. There have been… rumors. Whisperings of how the Inoria Empire has been working with Demons to win the war. And if that’s true, could you imagine what they’ll do with our citizens? The kind of sacrifices they’ll make of them?”

The mention of Demons and sacrifices drew the attention of Salvos, who had previously been more or less left completely clueless at the conversation. Daniel watched as she instantly clung onto the only thing she knew about and spoke up.

“Humans are good sacrifices for Demons! They’ll all be killed!”

She answered honestly, not realizing how grim that sounded. Grimacing, Daniel expected Faith to lash out at the brutal truth. But instead, the princess agreed.

“Yes.”

Faith raised her head and met Daniel’s gaze. Her jade eyes seemed to almost lose its color. Her flowing orange hair that had once made him stop and stare at it as if it were a gorgeous sunrise now instead burned with the conviction in her voice.

“I am throwing away all my pride. I have left my status in the gutter. Now, I am asking from one person to another. Not as a princess to a [Hero]. But from Faith to Daniel. Please come back. Only you can save us from them.”

The words— the pleading words of the princess that helped summon him— hung over his head as Daniel stood there. She was a [Mage]. Not a weak one at that either at Level 41. Since he had last seen her, she had leveled a dozen times over. So she certainly had been working hard on her own.

Was it proof of her words? Was it true what she was saying? Perhaps.

He knew the Inoria Empire had been winning the war, even before he left. He had provided a morale boost. And his [Hero’s Slash] had allowed him to kill anyone who had been stronger than him on the battlefield. His coming was what changed the tide of war. Then he left.

Because he was sick and tired of politics, of being used, and of killing.

But now Daniel was still fighting. He was still being hunted. And the fate of hundreds of thousands rested in his hands. At his level, he could maybe even make a difference if he came back.

No, he corrected himself and stared at an open palm, I am more than capable of making a difference.

It was the only sensible decision. He would save hundreds of thousands of lives. He was a [Hero]. There was one logical answer and it was—

“No.”

Daniel spoke the word simply. With the same sincerity that Salvos often carried. Faith stared at him for a moment, her expression unchanging. Then a single reply came back.

“Oh.”

The Valiant Dreamers were split into two different groups. Just as Hadrian had ordered, all the Silver Ranked dreamers were placed with the trainees in the training grounds just outside of the city, while the Golds were kept in the headquarters within the city. The Platinums were split between the two locations. For example, Jeremy and his team were over at the training grounds while Celine and her team were in the headquarters.

There were only two Diamonds in the company that were near Viechester. Hadrian and Gabriel. They had other Diamonds amongst the Valiant Dreamers— a few Edithe could name off the top of her head like Uland Gredrun or Ismail Zushad— but they were off on their own adventures.

Last she heard, Ismail was exploring the Beastmen plains. Meanwhile, Uland was who knows where.

So, it was up to those that were present. It would have been best to keep them all in one spot. But not only were there too many adventurers— especially trainees— to just fit them all into their headquarters, this was also part of their strategy.

Divide and conquer.

They gave the Iron Champions Company two targets to attack. Each target would have a Diamond Rank stationed there. Gabriel would be at the training grounds while Hadrian would be at the headquarters. This was because not only was Gabriel overall higher leveled than Hadrian, but he also had a second Class suited to protecting others. Hadrian’s second Class was more for his own combat prowess.

Additionally, the headquarters would be a smaller area to protect. Perfect for a [Warrior] type like Hadrian to defend. Whereas the training grounds was a large plot of land, which better complemented the [Alchemists] area of effect Skills.

If the Iron Champions Company had really planned to invade and begin sieging the Valiant Dreamers Company the moment war was declared, they would have to split up their adventurers and assassins. They would certainly try to concentrate more forces on at least one of the targets. But there was no way they would know which location was better protected.

It was up to chance for them.

But they had their own allies too— as evinced by the assassins who were aiding them.

Edithe wasn’t sure what assassin group they were from or who supplied them to the Iron Champions Company. She just knew that many of them had been above Gold Rank. Some of them even had powerful artifacts that allowed them to covertly infiltrate the Valiant Dreamers months prior to this escalation. It had been planned and calculated by the Iron Champions since the beginning, and perhaps they were also ready for a counterattack right now.

Hadrian had left the headquarters to declare war. He went by himself, marching down the empty morning streets of Viechester, which seemed more eerie than usual. Perhaps it was the mist that cloaked the roads which made Edithe feel this way— or it was the dread that came from the impending siege to come that drew the droplets of sweat down her neck.

Whatever it was, she couldn’t help but fear for Hadrian’s life as he went alone. He was a Diamond Rank. Not even a team of Platinums would be able to take him out. But if the Iron Champions dedicated more resources than they thought— say, if they had sent multiple Diamond Ranks here too— then that would have meant they could slay Hadrian the moment he made the declaration and left the Adventurers Guild.

It was a tense wait.

Everyone in the building remained silent, despite the fact that it might have been the last time some of them might have seen each other alive ever again. War was being declared while they just waited. A company war. Not the same as war between countries— certainly not something a country was supposed to be involved in. Nor its citizens.

But it was still war. And the adventurers were now soldiers. Normally, they would be fighting over resources. Some kind of an artifact. Maybe an advantage or influence over a certain area. This, however, was a war of revenge.

At least, that was how Edithe initially saw it.

After hearing Hadrian speak the night before, she realized the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company had thought it out. It was not a war of revenge in his mind— it was what was necessary to reduce the casualties suffered on both sides. Attrition would only hurt more in the long run, so they had to stand and fight.

The silence that hung over the heads of everyone in the headquarters broke as the gates slowly swung open. A figure appeared within the mist. A shadow covered by the white, wispy vapor that seemed to pull back like a curtain when the figure made their entrance. Edithe watched with bated breath as the figure revealed themselves.

And she sighed in relief. It was Hadrian. And he—

He had a severed head in his hands. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company tossed it aside and strutted forward, his blade covered in blood like how his body was covered in wounds.

The mist behind him cleared out, revealing what lay before the gates. A dozen hooded individuals, all collapsed and cut up. Edithe’s eyes grew wide as she saw this scene. She did not rush forward like the others— like Sophia who worriedly approached the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company.

“Hadrian— are you alright? What happened. Were they…?”

“Assassins. And no. They weren’t coming for me. I realized that they wouldn’t risk attacking me. Instead, they would take their chance to come for the headquarters once I left it unguarded. So I returned as quickly as possible.”

There were a few gasps. Those who still couldn’t believe that there were that many assassins hiding out there. But it made sense to Edithe. It had been a misty morning— but what she had seen was no natural forming mist. It had been magic.

And they were almost ambushed. Fortunately, Hadrian stopped them right in time.

“Close the gates.”

Hadrian ordered, and a few Gold Ranks quickly got to work. The [Warriors] shut the heavy metal bars while [Mages] activated the runes along the walls. A flicker ran over the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers, covering it almost like a dome. It was not a barrier that could hold out someone like Hadrian— but it would only fall if enough Level 40 or Level 50 adventurers flailed on it.

Which was why there would be someone standing guard at all times. It was time. The city had been notified of the company war. Citizens were ordered to hide in their homes. The Valiant Dreamers Company was going into lockdown. War had begun, and Edithe felt her faith from before…

Fading away.

A note from MelasD

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Salvos by KrazeKode

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96. Siege

A note from MelasD

11,000 word chapter.

Some of you may be confused by why you got a notification over the weekend. That's because I posted an art gallery here of all my commissioned arts and fanarts. Check it out if you missed it.

96. Siege

After Daniel rejected Faith’s request, he retired straight to bed. I wanted to follow after him, but I didn’t need to sleep. Especially not after the night before— I did not want to try sleeping again!

However, I almost regretted the decision when dinner continued, and no one said a word. Apparently, his answer was not what they were expecting. But I did not get why they were surprised.

Daniel was my companion, but he was also a [Hero]. He was obsessed with helping other Humans— in fact, he even helped me because I was a Demon. It was in his nature to try and do what he considered was ‘right’ in that weird Human way.

But what Faith was asking him to do was stupid. It would be like telling him to charge straight at Belzu and slay him, just because he had an army of monsters that was threatening the nearby countries.

As evinced by how he and I were not dead in the Brilsum Ruins, he would never do that.

Still, it had left everyone sitting around the fire in silence. I wanted to talk to someone, but they all seemed too deeply engrossed in their disgusting meals to talk. Zack especially. His head almost seemed buried in the bowl.

There was only one person who wasn’t busying themselves with their food. Only one person was available to talk. And that was…

I perked up and sidled over to Faith’s side.

“So, you’re a princess, right?”

The Human woman jerked as I curiously peered at her. She worked her jaw slowly, unsure of what to say until she finally found her words.

“...Yes. I am a princess. At least, that’s what I had been when I was in the Elutra Kingdom.”

“You’re not a princess anymore?”

“I’m… not sure. But even if I was, I wouldn’t be one for much longer. It seems my only hope for our country to survive has been crushed, and now I’ll have to return empty-handed and face my fate.”

I nodded along and followed Faith as she looked at the night sky. The wheeling stars above were scintillating, an undulating glow that almost seemed to fade before coming back into existence. Glancing back down at her, I saw a similar effect with the light from the flickering flames on her face.

Something was there. It had almost been snuffed out. But it still existed.

I cocked my head.

“Why do you need a [Hero] to save your country? Can’t you get a Level 100 adventurer or something to do the same thing?”

“Ms Salvos—”

“Just call me Salvos.”

“...Salvos. I don’t know how much you know about history. I’ve been told by your Gold Rank friends that you aren't the most… knowledgeable person on these kinds of subjects.”

“I am not!”

I happily concurred. She blinked but slowly continued.

“But Demons are the natural enemy to [Heroes]. Ever since Alexander’s reign ten thousand years ago. He had repelled the Kobold invasions, brokered a treaty with the Spirit Lord, and even conquered part of the Elven lands. But his thousand-year rule over the Human lands came to an end by a Demon.”

“A Demon killed a [Hero]?”

“Yes.”

Faith turned to face me.

“The one they call the Demon King slew him.”

Regnorex? I blinked, taking in this information.

“That’s right. And since then, [Heroes] have been summoned countless times to deal with Demon threats. While there are sometimes different circumstances that lead to summonings, like with Daniel or the Quisling, most have been brought to this world for that very reason. The Oracle of Light, Melissa, had been said to have killed over a hundred Archdemons on her own in single combat.”

“Woah.”

“We can hire adventurers— those willing to fight for us. And we have. But they’ve always died. We never know how they do. Just that they’re slain on the battlefield by some force the Inoria Empire has that we aren’t aware of.”

“And you think those are Demons?”

“They have to be. Otherwise, they would have approached Daniel sooner when he had fought with us.”

I frowned and raised a hand.

“Why wouldn’t they just face him?”

“Because he’s a [Hero]. He has powerful Skills— I’m sure you had to have seen them before. Even a Greater Demon would’ve fallen to him if they faced him when he was Level 10.”

I remembered the battle against Lucerna in Silvergrove. Then I remembered our fight meeting. Nope, I don’t think so.

“Plus, we always had him wear that necklace he has. It would show his level to be far higher than it actually was, and there’s no way the Inoria Empire would risk one of their key assets against an unknown threat.”

Faith finished her explanation. The moment she did, her face twisted. She bit her lower lip and spoke in a shaking voice.

“That’s why we needed him… and he said no.”

I looked at her. The princess was clearly upset. I barely knew her, but it was normal Human social convention to cheer others up when they were upset, right? So, I shrugged.

“I don’t think Daniel would make much of a difference. He probably would just die.”

She stared up at me in surprise.

“You think a [Hero] who was able to take out dozens of assassins at his level— or higher than his level— wouldn’t be able to even do a little thing to change the course of the war? If a high leveled general were to face him, he would surely win the fight.”

“Not surely. He can win. But he can also die. And if you put him in that situation a hundred times over, what do you think his chances are of surviving?”

“I…”

Faith trailed off as I gave her a firm look.

“Daniel would die. He wouldn’t change anything. So don’t worry about it!”

Sighing, she hugged her knees.

“I don’t think that makes me feel any better, but thanks for trying.”

“No problem!”

I sat next to her as she grew quiet. I just looked at her the entire time. Until finally, she eyed me.

“Is there something else you need? You’ve already made me feel even worse than before.”

“Yep! I was wondering…”

I leaned closer, right until my face was next to hers.

“What is it like to be a princess?”

Faith furrowed her brows. She must have thought something about my intentions before changing her mind. Slowly, she smiled.

“There’s a lot of things about it. A lot of things I loved and hated. Would you like to hear about it?”

“Sure!”

When Daniel went to bed, he felt guilty. Ashamed of his cowardice. But not only did he not trust Faith, but he also valued his own life. More than that?

He had seen tragedy once. The act of a real hero. However, death had consequences. And those consequences resulted in those who knew the hero being hurt.

Daniel had been hurt. He understood what that pain felt like. So, he was not going to impart that suffering to Salvos or Rachel.

Pushing open the tent’s flap and exiting into the light of day, Daniel couldn’t help but rub at his eyes. He did not get a good night’s sleep, even if he had lain in his bedroll for the last twelve hours. It was noon when he awoke. And he wasted more time by hiding, refusing to go out to meet the judging looks.

The nasty gaze of those who saw his actions as selfish.

That was what Daniel expected to meet when he went outside. What he did not expect to see was a princess excitedly chatting with a Demon.

“—and he actually did that for you?”

“Well, yes. And I would’ve felt bad if not for the fact that viscount Blaz was just trying to cozy up with my brother. Honestly, being the fifth and second-last in line for the throne sucked.”

Faith spoke in a casual cadence. She had dropped almost all pretext of being a princess, her diction sounding almost like that of a regular young woman. Huffing, the young woman crossed her arms.

“So many people try to use you, and not even for the power or influence you can give them, but to climb further up that ladder of politics.”

“That’s rude! You’re not a thing, you’re Faith! A princess.”

Salvos pointed out. Faith chuckled.

“That I am.”

The two women paused as Daniel approached them. He lifted a suspicious eyebrow at the princess.

“I hope you’re not still thinking of trying to use Salvos to convince me to help you. Because I won’t.”

Standing up, Faith dusted off her dress and replied.

“I am unfortunately not as shrewd as you seem to think of me, Daniel. No— Salvos and I were just conversing.”

A small smile appeared on her face as she cast a glance at the Demon.

“As friends.”

“Yep!”

Daniel frowned, looking down at Salvos. She just opened her palms and shrugged.

“She’s a princess. I’ve always wanted to meet a princess.”

Two months is not ‘always’, Daniel almost retorted. However, he held it back in and shook his head.

“Well, I’m glad that the two of you are getting along, but Salvos and I have places to be.”

“You’re the one who slept for so long!”

Salvos argued, raising an accusing finger at him.

“Faith went to bed and woke up in half the time you took to sleep!”

“And how about you?”

Daniel grinned back at her. She hesitated.

“Uh… I slept too. Just for a bit, though!”

“A General Skill then?”

The princess knowingly touched her chin.

“I’d love to get one of those. My father has one called [Morning Grace], and it lets him work for most of the day without stopping. It almost lets him be like one of those machines from Daniel’s world.”

The [Hero] from Earth was taken aback. How did— Then he remembered all the secrets he told her. All the times he thought that the two of them could…

“Let’s go, Salvos. We should leave as soon as possible.”

The Demon tried to object. However, Daniel had already turned and was walking away.

“Aw, but can’t we stay with them for at least another day! Helen and the others are here too!”

Faith placed a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s fine. I’ll let them go with you if you really want. I had hired them as my escorts as they were the ones who told me about Daniel and his general vicinity. Knowing that let me use a scrying artifact I had to find the two of you. But now…”

Daniel had paused and was waiting for Salvos to follow. Faith eyed him with a sidelong glance.

“It seems like there’s no need for that or their services any longer.”

Salvos brightened, then instantly deflated.

“Does that mean you’re going back to your country?”

“I have to. It’s my duty as a princess.”

The pretty words did little to convince Daniel. Salvos didn’t care as much as he did and just believed it.

“Princesses are amazing! A little bit stupid but amazing!”

“I do agree with that.”

Faith laughed. She got up and walked with Salvos as the two approached Daniel, just talking. Like real friends. And Daniel did not think to say anything until the conversation shifted when they stopped right by him.

“Where are you headed, by the way? I don’t believe I remembered to ask.”

“We’re—”

“We’re reporting a very important piece of information to the Adventurers Guild.”

Daniel spoke for Salvos, giving her a look. She pouted but let him continue.

“It’s none of your concern, so please don’t follow after us.”

“I won’t. But if it’s really something important that you have to report, I can help you with that.”

Offering him a friendly smile, Faith called for one of her servants. They returned with what was a rolled-up piece of parchment and an almost translucent quill. She unfurled it on a wooden crate and frowned.

“Hmm, seems like there’s a bit of news for me today.”

“What’s that?”

Salvos asked, leaning over the shoulder of the princess.

“It’s a Messaging Scroll. A High Grade artifact. My contacts send me any intel or even just news that might be noteworthy with it. That’s how I first found out that the Inoria Empire placed a bounty on Daniel, and that they hired the Harrowed Vindicators to take him out. Look— as you can see, after what you two did to them last night, they’ve raised the price.”

Daniel’s eyes grew wide at the sum displayed. The number of zeroes there could not be right, could it? But it had to be.

Whatever the Inoria Empire had placed on his head before only attracted Level 60 assassins. Not the Platinums or Diamonds he expected. The reward showed here— now that was what a Level 80, 90… or even 100 bounty hunter would accept.

Salvos ‘oo-ed’ at the magical item. Her voice was filled with alacrity, as usual, ignoring the fact that Daniel was probably a walking dead man right now if assassins at Level 100 came after him.

“What else can it do? What else does it say?”

“I mostly use it to receive information, but it’s a two-way street. So, I can inform my contact of this… report you want to make to the Adventurers Guild.”

“Oh, alright then. Tell them—”

“Why should we trust you?”

Daniel snapped at Faith. She rolled her eyes.

“Unless you think this Messaging Scroll doesn’t actually work, I don’t see what’s not to trust.”

“I—”

This time, Salvos spoke over him.

“It’s fine, Daniel. We can always go to an Adventurers Guild later and check if the message has been sent.”

He acquiesced.

“Fine.”

“Alright, so tell them this—”

Salvos explained the situation in the Motharis to the princess. Faith’s face grew grim as she heard the story, and she picked up the quill as it glowed with magic.

“...and I’ll write that this Archdemon is using some kind of illusion and curse magic to do this.”

Salvos nodded. Faith scribbled on the magical board easily, and the words shone. They vanished moments after, as whatever magic sent it far somewhere else.

“Wait, it just disappears?”

“The recipient will have about a day to read the message before it disappears. And I’ve sent it to quite a few of them, so I’m sure one of them will be around to see it and spread word of what I said. Usually, I have one of my servants watching over the Messaging Scroll. The messages sent are encrypted in code, so they won’t know what it is. I just have them trace it and jot it down to show it to me if I’m busy.”

“Did you receive anything important today?”

Faith shrugged as her eyes scanned through the long scroll.

“Not really. Let’s see…”

She began reading out what sounded like news article titles to Daniel as Salvos attentively listened.

“Fear of possible Kobold invasion grows as the Forsaken Company wanes in strength. Elven diplomats arrive in Dwarf lands, marking a possible end to Dwarven neutrality. These are the two big news stories of today. There are a few smaller things of note like the Valiant Dreamers declaring war with the Iron Champions Company or the typical squabbling with the city-states in the Helbir Plains—”

Salvos had been listening with keen interest while Daniel was off to the side with his arms crossed. But the moment she started listing out the minor news stories, the two of them jerked.

“Wait, what did you say?”

Daniel asked the question hurriedly. Faith glanced up, blinking.

“Oh, uh, the Helbir Plains—”

“No, not that!”

Salvos placed both hands on the scroll and spoke worriedly.

“What’s happening between the Valiant Dreamers and Iron Champions?”

Faith fumbled at the scroll and reread the part from before.

“The two companies, the Valiant Dreamers and the Iron Champions, are now officially at war after what is allegedly an assassination attempt by the latter company against the former. There are also accusations of sabotage and even murder instigated by the Iron Champions Company, which is why the Valiant Dreamers made the declaration of war. It was made this morning, and—”

Daniel felt his heart racing as the words were read out. But he wasn’t prepared for the last part. The part which made Salvos burst into action.

“Since the declaration has been made, the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company in Viechester has been in lockdown. The Iron Champions Company have begun their siege, and the entire city has been thrown into chaos.”

The first hours of war were uneventful. Nothing happened apart from a group of hooded individuals taking away the dead assassins from the morning. Apparently, this group cared about the casualties they suffered enough to remove their bodies. Or perhaps they were looking to retrieve any kind of artifact that might have been kept by the dead.

A few Valiant Dreamers had wanted to loot the corpses, but Baris forbade them from doing so. It could have been a trap. Maybe the bodies were rigged to explode. There was a plethora of possibilities, and it was only by erring on the side of caution during war would victory be best assured.

Edithe had a summoning circle prepared, to summon Druma as soon as it was necessary. Mistshard was already by her side— which was only slightly draining to her mana pool. Having two Spirits with her at the same time was a little more difficult to maintain, but Edithe believed she could manage it for a week— with some mana potions— if necessary.

There was no reason for that, however. So instead, she spoke with Mistshard who was flapping her wings slowly, almost like it had some kind of [Slowness] effect on them.

“Your contract is ending soon, Mistshard. In a month, if memory serves me right.”

“You are almost correct, master. The contract ends in just over two weeks. Do you wish to renew it?”

The [Elemental] replied simply. She was not at all concerned with the same things Edithe was; all that mattered to her was fulfilling her duties and carrying out her job as a servant of the Spirit Lord.

Edithe shook her head.

“That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that you only have less than a month left with me and our company is caught up in a war. What could be potentially a very deadly war. One where either of us dies.”

“If it comes to that, I will fight to ensure you do not die.”

“But that’s my point exactly.”

Sitting down on a chair with her gaze fixed to a nearby window, Edithe felt words coming from her mouth— words that carried all the fear and uncertainty within her.

“You could die, Mistshard. So close to the end of your contract, you could lose your life. All because of stupid Human things. Wouldn’t you prefer to end the contract now?”

Mistshard turned a sidelong glance to Edithe. Her head did not move, although her eyes were wholly focused on her master— almost like a hawk staring at its prey.

“You are starting to sound like Salvos, master.”

“What?”

Edithe was taken aback, not expecting that reply. She realized her word choice… might have been slightly influenced by the Demon there. But the point stood.

“It’s true though. You have no involvement in this. It would be better if you just returned now. Let me summon another Spirit which doesn’t have as much to lose as you do. You’re almost Level 50, Mistshard. Most Spirits are 10 Levels below their masters. You are not.”

“Ending the contract now would be a violation of my duty as your summon.”

The cool voice of Mistshard left her beaked mouth, no noticeable inflection to indicate if she was lying. Edithe stared up at her summon, still floating there.

“But—”

“Master, if I may speak.”

“...of course.”

“I understand you are concerned about my wellbeing, especially since my contract is drawing to a close. However, it is my duty to fight for you, and if necessary, die for you. This is the deal we forged the moment I agreed to be your summon. There is no greater honor among Spirits to die carrying out their duty. Remember that.”

Trying to work her jaw, Edithe couldn’t find any words to speak. Slowly, she nodded her head in shame.

“Right.”

She had been once again trying to apply her Human morals to a different Species. It was like how she was with Salvos at first. She eventually learned— the hard way— how growing up in another plane affected how one turned out. So, there was no use in her trying to convince Mistshard to break her contract now.

Shaking her head, Edithe glanced over at Mistshard.

“If you die in battle… will you be memorialized by the Spirit Lord or something?”

“Yes. Our names will forever be engraved on the Spirit Throne. Remembered for our obligation to our cause.”

“And what is that cause?”

Edithe raised an eyebrow as an uncharacteristic chuckle came from the [Elemental]’s mouth.

“That’s a secret.”

—--

Throughout the rest of the day, there were some minor skirmishes. Quick battles fought between members of the Iron Champions Company who now surrounded the building and the Valiant Dreamers keeping watch. Spells were exchanged— hails of fire, bolts of lightning, and bullets of earth came from both sides— while arrows were loosed in large volleys. The Gold Rank dreamers managed to down a few of the opposing force, suffering few casualties from their advantageous position.

The barrier surrounding the headquarters was broken and repaired numerous times. But never once did the Iron Champions try to breach the gates. They were trying to fortify their own position first— it was clear from the way those stationed here were not assassins but regular adventurers.

Where could the assassins be? was the fearful thought that crossed Edithe’s head. Are they sieging the training grounds? But no— communication was maintained between both locations. Short-range messages exchanged through artifacts and Skills assured Edithe that there was no major attempt to assault the training grounds just yet.

Those keeping watch were swapped out routinely. Edithe spent an hour standing guard with Mistshard. A few [Warriors] from the Iron Champions Company tried taunting them and were sent fleeing back by a blast of ice by the [Elemental].

A few [Mages] returned, trying to take potshots at her. However, her own magic was more than enough to protect herself. She erected a barrier rather than countering, letting a group of [Archers] fire back instead. It was another brushing battle— and once again, the Iron Champions Company suffered more casualties.

Edithe returned indoors after; things were looking good to her. The siege had begun, but the Valiant Dreamers had only been winning. However, the enemy was an unknown. How many assassins did the Iron Champions have in their pockets? How many adventurers were they willing to waste on this useless war? She wasn’t sure.

She only got her answer later. Only when evening came did the Iron Champions Company commit a significant attack against the headquarters. A brilliant, white ball of fire came blasting at the barrier. It struck the very top of the dome, ripping it down in an instant. Almost like a curtain being ripped off a window.

The explosion resounded as an alarm went off in Edithe’s head. That was how the barrier was designed— to alert everyone within its perimeter that it had been breached. Instantly, Hadrian snapped an order to a nearby [Mage] with his fingers pressed against his temples.

“Inform Gabriel that the Iron Champions Company are attempting an assault at our location.”

“Got it.”

The [Mage] activated a Skill, and ethereal words formed in the air. They blurred and vanished, probably appearing in front of Gabriel at that exact moment. Then, Hadrian drew his sword and stepped outside. Edithe followed after him with a handful of other Golds and Platinums he ordered to follow.

The metal gates out front were being bashed open by a group of [Warriors] as they were pelted by spells and arrows from the Valiant Dreamers. Many of them were blasted mid-air by returning fire from the opposing side, although a few went through and brought down some enemies.

“Mistshard, stay back and assist. Do not engage.”

Edithe ordered her summon as she stood amongst the other [Mages], forming a line behind a wide earthen wall. The [Barrier Mage] maintained its form, repairing it as bits of the wall were ripped apart by incoming blades of wind and spikes of ice.

Casting spells from the relative safety of her location, Edithe watched as Hadrian led a charge against the rushing Iron Champions. Their ranks were instantly shredded by the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company.

Hadrian swung his sword once, and three Gold Ranks fell. Then he spun around and ran through a large man wielding a giant axe. He moved so simply, barely any Skills needed to take out enemies who were close to Edithe’s level.

A group of well-armored [Warriors] and [Rogues] approached Hadrian. A Gold Rank from the Valiant Dreamers rushed them and was cut down in an instant. They were Platinums. And they were challenging Hadrian.

Edithe tried flinging fireballs and lightning bolts at them, but her attacks were intercepted. The [Rogue] blurred and sliced the spells up in mid-air. Then appearing behind Hadrian, they lashed out with two jagged daggers.

Hadrian parried the attack just in time for two [Warriors] to reach his flank. They swung a maul and a longsword. He ducked under it and kicked the maulwielder, sending them crashing back towards a wall.

More dreamers tried to aid their leader— Celine’s team rushed forward but were cut off by the remaining [Rogue] and [Warrior]. Ice rained down on them too— a [Mage] from the Iron Champions was casting powerful spells. Spells that would have destroyed Edithe in a duel.

Edithe felt that sensation again. One of hopelessness. As she could do nothing but look on as Hadrian was surrounded and assaulted by Platinums.

He exchanged blows. He blocked their barrage of strikes. They came at him, unrelenting. Skills that let them whip through the air, away from his swinging blade. The ground shook as Edithe’s hand trembled with fear. The maulwielder had just barely missed a powerful blow against Hadrian, crushing the earth and sending bricks flying through the air.

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company took a single step. A single pace to his left. Then the [Rogue] appeared behind him once again. Edithe wanted to scream for someone to help him. But—

A whirlwind of blades exploded around him. The Diamond Rank adventurer used his first Skill, and the [Rogue] fell.

The two [Warriors] staggered away, both cut up and bleeding. The maulwielder wiped at his face. However, he found himself staring straight at the ground. Hadrian sliced off his arm with a single vertical swing, and the stab that came after finished him off.

The last of the Platinums saw this. He tried to flee, but Hadrian was on him in an instant. He frantically brought his weapon up, a blur overcoming his entire figure. He struck out, three translucent figures slashing at Hadrian from all sides.

Plunging his sword to the ground, Hadrian created a shockwave. A blast of red. An aura attack. It wasn’t magic, but rather the physical [Strength] of a [Warrior] turned corporeal. It interrupted the attacking Platinum’s Skill, letting Hadrian finish him off.

It was a crushing victory. A team of Platinums engaged with Hadrian. Dozens of Golds and Silvers. And they were all slaughtered. Edithe had never seen anything like it. She had thought she knew the man and how strong he was. But this was—

A scream.

Celine roared and flailed in a frenzy against the other Platinums attacking her. One of her teammates had been killed. She charged the [Warrior] and [Rogue] but was cut off by a wall of ice.

The two fled, retreating back out of the gates, the remainder of the strike force from the Iron Champions Company following after them. Some of the dreamers tried to follow. They wanted to press forward. This was a victory!

A rout!

But Hadrian shouted out an order.

“Don’t go any further!”

His words caught them where they stood. Edithe’s eyes widened as she watched the Iron Champions Company regroup. And surrounding them suddenly appeared hooded individuals. Assassins. It had been a trap.

And the Golds and even some of the Platinums would have been massacred if they left the gates. The moment they stepped out, they would have died.

“Smart call.”

A familiar voice broke Edithe out of her stupor. She stared as a person walked out from amongst the group of assassins. Someone she recognized. Who she had met once before.

Stephen.

The Platinum Rank who offered Salvos the chance to join the Iron Champions Company. He stood at the head of the adventurers surrounding the headquarters that had been cut off from the rest of the world.

He spread his arms out wide, a sneer on his face.

“Good job you saw through our trap. But that was quite the risk, wasn’t it? You could’ve stayed back, but instead, you charged you at the front lines. What would you have done if an assassin got to you?”

“No assassin would get to me.”

Hadrian replied simply, his sword at his side in a loose grip. Edithe thought Hadrian would have tried something. She assumed he would have had a Skill to cut Stephen down, even from this distance. And yet, he just watched as Stephen paced just beyond the broken gates.

“That kind of arrogance gets Diamonds killed on the battlefield, Mr Hadrian.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Ah, then how may I address you?”

Stephen clasped his hands behind his back, stopping and facing down Hadrian. The two adventurers stood a dozen paces apart. Again, Edithe thought Hadrian would have tried something. Again, he did not.

Why isn’t he— the thought cut itself off as Edithe realized what that meant. Are they really that close in level?

She took a step back involuntarily as Hadrian did not respond. Stephen sighed, rubbing at his temples.

“I expected more from the great Hadrian. I’ve heard a lot about you. How you reached Diamond before the age of 30. And yet, look at you. Just standing there, like a coward. Even as your allies weep for their dead behind you.”

His gaze fixed on Celine. The Platinum Rank was cradling a man in her arms. Tears were streaming out of her face as she snapped back at Stephen.

“Fuck you!”

He turned around.

“Honestly, what a disappoint—”

Edithe caught a glimpse of a fissure in the air. The world itself contorted as the ground underneath Stephen broke apart. The Platinum Rank’s eyes widened. The air twisted, tearing into itself along with the earth and his body.

Then Stephen appeared panting behind his assassins. The space where he stood continued to spin, until suddenly it burst out. The earth and the air broke into collapsed crumbs of space. The powerful spell released, missing its mark just barely.

“Who—”

“Tsk.”

Baris clicked his tongue, suddenly appearing beside his son.

“He used a Skill to escape.”

“[Flash Step]. Not a typical [Rogue]’s Skill. Some kind of [Rogue]-[Mage] hybrid Class?”

“Perhaps. But let’s not jump to conclusions too quickly. We’ll have to see more of his abilities before we can decide.”

“Right, dad.”

The duo stared down Stephen and the dozens of assassins and hundreds of adventurers just beyond the gates. The younger man turned to Baris.

“Think we can take them?”

“Don’t be foolish. We would die— and there could still be more hiding in the shadows.”

“Assassins?”

“Perhaps. Or those like Stephen. Regardless, we’ll repair the barrier for now. Don’t let him draw you out, got it?”

“Yes, father.”

Stephen slowly stepped forward, eyeing the [Mage] as he walked up to the nearest wall. Placing a hand onto it, Baris began to chant while the apparent speaker of the Iron Champions Company began to shout.

“You think you defeat us? Don’t underestimate the might of the Iron Champions Company! We’ll kill every single one of you right now unless you surrender—”

The barrier shot up, once again encapsulating the headquarters. And for whatever reason now, it silenced the voice from the other side.

Baris snorted as he returned, the angrily shouting figure of Stephen visible behind him.

“I added a Silence spell too. Just so we don’t have to keep hearing him speak.”

—--

Once she was back inside, Edithe collapsed onto a chair, melting into a puddle of sweat. She had been so nervous throughout. Especially when she realized how outmatched she was when the Platinums first showed up. And when they killed Celine’s teammate…

Edithe shuddered. Why am I so…

“Are you alright?”

A voice broke her out of her thoughts. Edithe glanced up, not recognizing the female voice. She blinked when she saw who it was.

“Sophia?”

“Hello, Edithe. May I have a seat?”

The young woman gestured at the empty chair next to her. Edithe hurriedly scootched her chair aside and nodded.

“Of course. There’s no one sitting there… I think.”

Edithe had chosen the closest seat to rest in. And [Rest] in. She didn’t even know if someone had been at this table before she came. She just needed to relax and cool down from the first real battle of the night. That’s the first battle, and even though we were winning, already you couldn’t do anything. What happens if we actually start losing? If the barrier is fully destroyed and we have to barricade ourselves inside—

“How was it out there?”

The sound of the wooden chair being dragged across the ground was accompanied by Sophia’s voice. She plopped herself down and met Edithe’s eyes with a worried look on her face.

“I heard about what happened. We won but… there were a few deaths. Celine’s team suffered a major loss too.”

“Yeah…”

Edithe trailed off, not sure how to respond. The young woman was barely in her twenties, yet she was already a Gold Rank. And now she had to fight in a company war. All because of the Iron Champions Company. Because of what you—

She bit her lower lip, shaking away those negative thoughts by herself this time. Sophia continued, not even noticing the fear written on Edithe’s face.

“I… honestly did not expect this. I had just become Gold, you know? I thought I could celebrate, go on a few Gold missions. Then suddenly, we’re at war.”

Nodding, Edithe sat up and faced Sophia. She glanced down at the palm of her hands, and Edithe finally realized the young woman was shaking.

“I thought I was ready. I am now a Gold Rank. Just like you. Just like Ian. Just like… Paige had been.”

Edithe instinctively clenched her fists. Her friend…

“But now? Despite not having gone out to fight at all? Look at me.”

Sophia whimpered. She finally turned to face Edithe. Her eyes were welling up, her entire body shaking. Edithe’s eyes widened as she saw the state the young woman was in.

“Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m saying. I’m just… I’m just…”

“Afraid.”

Placing a hand on the young woman’s shoulder, Edithe spoke up with a shaky voice.

“You’re afraid. Just like me. Just like everybody else in here.”

It sounded like her words had been placed on a small, wooden boat thrown into a raging river, rocking its way towards a roaring waterfall.

But still, she spoke. And she tried to reassure the young woman.

“We’re all afraid. Because this isn’t the same as taking a job you chose out from the bulletin board in the Adventurers Guild. This isn’t the same as fighting monsters like we’re used to. We’re fighting people. Because they forced us into this. Because they were so… so… selfish.”

Edithe felt the vitriol in her words. The venom that spat out of her tongue. She was seething with anger now. Directed towards the Iron Champions Company for causing all this.

Then she took a deep breath.

“However, it’s fine to be afraid. Especially right now. In this situation, let yourself be afraid. But when the time comes for you to stand up, don’t back down. Don’t let yourself be controlled by fear then. Please.”

She wasn’t sure if she was telling this to Sophia or to herself. She just had to say it. And she felt her hands tremble. Her grip on the young woman’s shoulder tightened as tears also blurred her vision.

“...please.”

Repeating herself, Edithe found her gaze aimed towards the floor. She looked up and realized she was right up against Sophia’s face. The red-haired woman quickly backed up and murmured an apology.

“I… sorry.”

“No— it’s fine.”

Sophia wasn’t crying anymore. Her eyes were red and swollen. But the tears had dried up. And she seemed calmer now.

Neither woman said anything for a moment until finally, Sophia chuckled.

“This is really such a stressful situation, isn’t it? And I get overwhelmed too easily. Honestly, I hate this.”

“You and me both.”

Edithe wasn’t sure why she laughed. But she did. They joked over something that wasn’t even funny, perhaps the uncomfortableness of the entire situation making it so.

Sophia shook her head and leaned back against her chair. Her gaze swept through the room until it landed on a man caught in a serious conversation. She sighed and rested her chin on her hand.

“Hadrian is amazing, isn’t he?”

Blinking, Edithe glanced over at the man too.

“You think?”

“Yes, he should be the most stressed out of all of us. The most afraid. But look at him. He’s still so… calm.”

Edithe stared at Hadrian as he broke off from talking with Evelyn. The Platinum Rank adventurer left the hall to the outside. She had no team— she was known to be a lone wolf.

“I think he is the most stressed and most afraid out of us all. But he just doesn’t let it show.”

“But how? How can he… do that?”

“Because—”

The red-haired woman hesitated for a moment. A memory appeared in her head. Paul. Paige. Everyone she had lost. She had failed to protect.

Edithe closed her eyes.

“Because he knows that if he freezes up, then someone he cares about will die.”

“Oh, I see.”

Sophia nodded slowly. She sighed again.

“He’s honestly… amazing, isn’t he?”

Opening her eyes, Edithe looked at the young woman, face now slightly flushed. Edithe chuckled again.

“I guess. But I don’t think we mean the same thing.”

“Yeah… wait, what—”

—--

Cless joined Sophia and Edithe in their conversation shortly after. Sophia’s best friend had been helping out some of the [Mages] in trying to estimate the number of adventurers and assassins the Iron Champions Company had. Their magic led them to conclude the Valiant Dreamers Company were outnumbered by nearly two-to-one.

No one was happy to hear such a ratio. But neither of the two Gold Ranks let it get to them— much to the surprise of Cless. He came to them a bit of a mess. But since none of them had guard duty, Edithe managed to cheer him up too before the next assault happened.

This time, Sophia and Cless joined in on the battle. They were kept even further behind the lines than Edithe was, but it allowed them to experience what it was like to at least participate, even if barely.

Halfway through the prolonged fight, Edithe was forced to summon Druma to swap with Mistshard. The [Elemental] had been blasted by an invisible spell. It was some kind of wind magic— not one Edithe recognized. It probably came from a Platinum Rank, and it was a miracle for Mistshard to have even survived the attack.

So, Edithe let her rest. And Druma charged out alongside a group of [Warriors] and [Rogues], clashing with the relentless wave from the Iron Champions Company. Assassins stalked through the battlefield too, but Baris was with his son this time. And his spells locked onto these assassins, taking many of them down until they were all forced to retreat once again.

It was over. There was going to be another period of reprieve. Perhaps two hours— or maybe even three this time. At least, that was what Edithe was anticipating.

She didn’t expect to find herself outside of the building once again so soon when the Iron Champions Company gathered just before the gates.

Stephen had returned despite not showing up in the previous engagement. Hadrian and Baris both came out this time, neither of them hiding themselves from the single Platinum. Although how many of those assassins are above Level 70? How many of those adventurers?

Edithe was suspicious of all those inconspicuous individuals surrounding Stephen. Any of them could be Platinums. All of them could be Platinums. Some of them can even be Diamonds.

This had to be a trap to lure either Hadrian or Baris out, right?

Wrong.

Spreading his arms out wide, Stephen spoke out in a loud voice. His self-satisfaction was evident.

“My, my. You’ve repelled us twice. The second time, you didn’t even have to use a Skill, Hadrian. Very impressive.”

“What do you want, Stephen?”

Hadrian growled, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

“If you’re going to charge us with that ‘army’ of yours, why not just do it now?”

“Oh, no. That’s not what I’m doing. You see, after nearly getting killed by your old man earlier, I decided to take a break from the battlefield. Get a little breather.”

You didn’t even fight, bastard, Edithe retorted in her mind. Baris raised an eyebrow, seemingly catching on to something here.

Stephen continued.

“And while I was out on a stroll, I caught myself a little puppy wandering the streets of Viechester. A worried puppy. Who was actually barricaded in his home.”

A pair of hooded figures appeared behind Stephen. They produced a tied-up and blindfolded man, setting him down beside Stephen. Edithe blinked, not sure of who that was. But someone else knew.

Evelyn stepped forward, yelling out a name.

“Thomas!”

Edithe glanced over at the Platinum Rank, confused at their relationship. Then she saw the fear in her eyes. And the way the man had been bruised and taken against his will here. Her boyfriend? Or her husband?

“What are you doing? What did you do to him?”

“Nothing just yet.”

Stephen casually walked up to the man named Thomas and crossed his arms. Hadrian narrowed his eyes while Baris snapped.

“You’re not allowed to involve innocent civilians in a company war, Stephen. The Sunmere Republic and the Adventurers Guild will not stand for it.”

“I’m not going to do anything to him. Nor is anyone from the Iron Champions Company. But some assassins unaffiliated with our company might.”

“That reasoning won’t stand!”

“Will it? Maybe not. We’ll see. But I don’t think Ms Evelyn cares about that, does she?”

Evelyn’s eyes grew wide as one of the two assassins produced a large knife. They stepped up to the tied-up man as Stephen shrugged.

“Collateral damage happens all the time in company wars. It’s… unfortunate.”

Licking his lips as he saw Evelyn draw her two daggers, Stephen raised a hand.

“I wouldn’t do anything brash if I were you, Ms Evelyn.”

“What do you want?”

She asked through gritted teeth. He waved a hand nonchalantly.

“I just want you to come here, over to us, without your weapons. Then Thomas can go. I’ll even let your Valiant Dreamer friends take him in. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to the only thing you have in your life, right?”

Edithe frowned as Evelyne stood there, mulling over his words. How does he…? Then the red-haired woman made the realization. Just as Baris and Hadrian did. He’s done research on us.

Each adventurer had at least some of their personal information out in public. That was an unfortunate side effect of having the job. Especially with the higher ranks. It didn’t matter if you tried to be as discreet as possible. There was always going to be something out there about you. And this was Evelyn’s one secret.

And the Platinum Rank’s weakness.

Dropping her weapons, Evelyne started forward. Hadrian opened his mouth and said her name.

“Evelyn—”

“You can’t stop me, Hadrian. Just… just make sure Thomas is safe.”

“...right.”

The lone adventurer marched out to meet Stephen face to face. He nodded at the assassins behind him, and they kicked Thomas forward, rolling into the Valiant Dreamers Company headquarters.

Evelyn watched Hadrian grab her lover. Then she burst into action. A dagger appeared on her hand as she leapt up to the other Platinum Rank.

The two assassins intercepted her. One appeared behind her and the other to her flank. Evelyn spun around and sliced the first in half. She kicked the second back—

And Stephen stood in front of her. He drew his sickle back, pulling it away from the woman’s neck. She fell, her head thumping on the ground and spinning to face Thomas.

Edithe stared in shock as the Platinum Rank was easily disposed of by Stephen. A Skill? That was the only explanation. [Flash Step] to catch her, and another Skill to finish her off.

Baris glared at Stephen wiping the blood off his golden blade, walking away nonchalantly. The former leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company called out warningly.

“You will not get away with this, Stephen.”

“Oh, we will.”

Stephen turned back, a smug look on his face.

“And we will continue to get away with it.”

“What do you—”

The meaning behind his words took a moment to sink in everyone’s mind. The eyes of Baris widened as Hadrian stood up, Thomas on his back.

“These bastards are going to keep taking our loved ones hostage. While we’re trapped in here, unable to go out.”

“Your new leader is smart. Honestly, old man, you’re a bit slow in the head. It might’ve been better off for your company if you had just died from the poison.”

Hadrian brought his blade down, sending an aura blade at Stephen. Another [Flash Step] brought him away from the attack.

“That was close. But good try.”

Then he left. And the figures hiding out in the darkness slowly drew back. They would return. But for now, they let the news settle. The fact that the Iron Champions Company were willing to stoop to even more dirty tricks— tricks that could backfire at any time.

And Edithe stood, unmoving, even as the others returned, a fear and mourning on their faces. Hadrian stopped by the red-haired woman, Thomas still on his back.

“Edithe, let’s go back.”

“But—”

She turned to him, a worried look on her face.

“Rachel.”

—--

There was a commotion inside the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company. There were many voicing their concerns. Would their family be targeted? Would their friends?

It was unlikely. Only those at Platinum had any cause for concern. Gold Ranks in Viechester were almost common amongst adventurers. It would be too hard and too risky to target those that could be killed by their Level 70 assassins.

So, the Iron Champions Company dared to make this play. They dared to threaten the lives of those dear to the Platinum Ranks. And Edithe should not have been worried.

Rachel was not only at the Sanctum of Elements, she was also only related to Edithe. There was no reason for them to target her. Except— Salvos.

Edithe remembered the encounter between Stephen and Salvos. How upset the man had been at her rejection. Would he… would he try something?

That was Edithe’s worry. It was all she could think about even as the Iron Champions Company attacked the headquarters a third time. This distraction nearly caused her death, but Druma saved her just in time.

And when they got their reprieve once again, Edithe heard Hadrian speaking with Baris. They were making plans.

“Not all of our Platinum Ranks are like Evelyn. They won’t charge in the face of death. They won’t make that leap across that chasm or fall trying. If their family gets dragged into it, they might not volunteer themselves. But their morale will still break.”

“Hadrian, I have heard your reasoning before, and you’ve already convinced me once. But unless you have a solid plan of action, I will not approve any such brash decisions!”

“I know, Father. But we have to do something.”

She knew she shouldn’t have been listening. But she had to know what they were going to do. Edithe would not just let Rachel die.

Rubbing his temples, Baris let out a tired sigh. The man had just recovered from a poisoning not long ago. The battle had strained him. And now it was clear that his dilemma stumped him too.

“What do you propose?”

“That we break the siege and reunite with Gabriel’s forces. Then drive the Iron Champions out of the city.”

“How are we supposed to do that? We are surrounded.”

“I know. But I’ve spoken to a few of the Platinums. The brazen ones and the ones worried about their family. They’re willing… they’re willing to make a sacrifice.”

Baris took a step back, eyes wide. Hadrian continued.

“They will form a spearhead. The one to break their armor.”

“We’re outnumbered. We might lose everything.”

“We’ll lose everything regardless.”

Edithe heard this, and she couldn’t help but speak up.

“But what… what if we found a chink in their armor?”

The two turned to face the sudden guest in their conversation. She burned up for a moment, realizing she probably shouldn’t have spoken, but Baris gestured to her to continue.

“And what is that?”

Edithe turned to face the closest window. She looked through the glass pane, staring into the darkness beyond, remembering something Stephen had said. Then a small smile— one of hope… or was it madness?— spread across her lips.

“We know they outnumber us two-to-one. But we think they’re always there, keeping guard. But they also think we won’t try to break the siege. That we won’t sally forth and face them. So, they’re complacent. Stephen said it himself, the assassins are the ones gathering our loved ones in between each of their assaults. One of their biggest advantages is gone when they’re not attacking.”

Edithe grinned as Hadrian finally understood what she was saying. He looked her over, slowly nodding.

“That could work. That should be when we strike.”

“Our counterattack.”

She agreed. But Baris still seemed undecided. The older man met Edithe’s gaze, almost studying her.

“Edithe, before I say anything, let me ask you: why do you agree with this plan?”

The red-haired woman stopped. The once feisty, fiery, and short-tempered woman tilted her head up. She spoke slowly, thinking over her words carefully.

“Perhaps if you asked me this question a year ago, I would have told you this was for revenge. To make them pay for what they did to Evelyn. But now? The reason is much simpler than that.”

“And that is?”

Edithe looked back down at Baris, speaking softly.

“I’m tired of doing nothing while my friends die.”

Then it was settled.

—--

It was past midnight now. It had been no more than an hour since the Iron Champions Company made their third assault. But now, there was a susurration.

It came not from the side of the invaders, but from that of the defenders. There was movement— the barrier surrounding the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company was fading. But it was not a failure on the runes powering it. It was being done on purpose.

Everyone had been informed of their change of plans. And while not everyone had been too happy about it, most approved this course of action. Especially the Platinums.

Edithe did not stick around to discuss what her role in the battle was going to be. Because she only had one role. She was to act as one of the few in the strike force. Like the cavalry that would open up the ranks of the infantry.

Her job was to charge and tear through the Iron Champions Company alongside Celine and the other Platinums, hopefully surviving.

The Platinums who wanted to check on their loved ones all volunteered for this job. Not all of them did— only about a quarter, which still made up almost a dozen different Platinum Rank adventurers. Together, they would have been able to save a city from a monster horde on their own. They would have been able to clear out Dungeons that were threatening nearby towns.

Their efforts would have been better put somewhere else. And yet, they were risking their lives here, against other adventurers who could have done the same.

They were to charge through the gates, followed by the main bulk of their forces, acting as the spearhead being thrust against an enemy. Hadrian assured them he would be right behind them and even cut down any possible threat to them if it showed.

And once they were through, they would scatter. Each to check on their own friends, family, or other loved ones they were worried about. That meant Edithe would be on her own. And that was what worried her.

She looked between Mistshard and Druma, rubbing at the tip of her staff in a nervous tic.

“Do you think we’d be able to… handle any assassins we meet?”

“As long as they’re not too far above our levels, yes.”

That was the logical answer, but not the one Edithe had been looking for.

“I know, but— never mind.”

Edithe turned around, sighing. Then she blinked as she saw the person standing before her.

Sophia.

“I heard what you were doing, Edithe.”

Edithe stared at the young woman, confusion written on her face. She opened her mouth— then realized what was happening.

“You’re not going to follow me, are you?”

“First of all, only a dozen Platinum Ranks charging out on their own is stupid. Secondly, it’s dangerous for you to go alone. So, I’m coming with.”

“But—”

“So am I.”

Cless walked up behind Sophia. He grinned as he leaned an elbow on the young woman’s shoulder. She scowled and shook him off. He shrugged.

“I’m not going to let Sophia here go on her own. And don’t worry. Neither of us may be the best fighters, but we’re good at surviving. At remaining sneaky. Something which I’m sure you’re not familiar with.”

He gestured at her outfit, and Edithe looked down at herself. She sputtered.

“These are traditional [Mage] garments—”

“I’m a [Mage], and you won’t even see me wearing those stupid robes. Seriously, you can barely walk with them!”

Edithe glanced between the two of them, hesitating. Then she finally asked.

“Why?”

Sophia shuffled her feet uncomfortably.

“It’s, uh, because… uh…”

“Because she feels bad about the way she treated those two Gold Ranks, Salvos and Daniel, when they were just helping us out. So, she wants to at least help pay them back by making sure this Rachel is safe.”

“Hey! You were rude too!”

The young woman pointed an accusing finger at her best friend. He laughed— a nervous laughter which Edithe saw through. The red-haired woman slowly nodded.

“Well, if you’re going to insist on coming with me, I won’t stop you. But it’s going to be dangerous, you know?”

The two paused. They exchanged glances and then grinned.

“We know. But we’re Gold Rank adventurers.”

“Our very job description is dangerous, so don’t worry about us.”

Edithe sighed.

“If you say so.”

But before she could fully process the sudden induction of two new members in her mission, another voice spoke up.

“I’m following too.”

This time, Edithe was caught by surprise with who she saw. Ian, the aloof, bald [Rogue] who she had barely talked to, stood there. She gave him a confused look.

“But… why?”

“Because Paige liked that little girl.”

“...That’s it?”

Edithe dubiously eyed him. He nodded curtly.

“And you were friends with Paige.”

“I see.”

Apparently, Paige had been close with Ian. She had frequently seen them together. But Edithe wasn’t exactly close with him. But because of their common friendship, he was helping her. Edithe felt her grip around her staff tighten, just thinking about Paige.

Then she nodded.

“Alright then.”

And it was settled.

Ian, Sophia, and Cless joined Edithe as they gathered with the Platinum Ranks leading the charge. Behind them, the rest of the Valiant Dreamers Company were relying on them. Hadrian’s voice boomed out as he drew his sword.

“Tonight, we break this siege! Gabriel will continue holding down the training grounds, waiting for our arrival, then we’ll finally rid the Iron Champions Company from Viechester! They wanted war, but we’ll end this war!”

There were cheers. And then, silence. The front doors swung open and before Edithe could do her job, it was first up to the powerful artifacts owned by the Valiant Dreamers Company.

Baris stepped forward, wielding what looked like a pointed spear. He aimed it at the open gates, eyes closed and muttering under his breath.

“Latticing Flare.”

A single streak of flames blasted out, striking something out in the shadows. Then it spread out in all four directions from where it had struck, breaking into four smaller streaks of flames. This process repeated again and again until the entire battlefield ahead was gridded by the golden flames.

“Now it’s your turn.”

Tossing aside the now-depleted Latticing Flare, Baris nodded Edithe’s way. Then it was her job. And the job of those with her. They charged out of the gates, following the trail of the powerful artifact that had been loosed on the Iron Champions Company. Mistshard and Druma stayed by her as they rushed straight out of the gates, flinging magic and arrows at their highlighted enemies.

The Iron Champions were caught off guard. They did not expect this assault. The sentries had been slaughtered by the initial magical blast. And the ones that were ready for battle were mostly Silver; only a handful of Gold met this attack. One survived and rallied the rest of the opposing force into action.

[Warriors], [Rogues], [Mages], [Archers]— even [Alchemists] and [Enchanters]— tried to stop Edithe as she made a mad dash through her unprepared enemies. But they couldn’t just reach her. Not only did the fire spreading throughout the battlefield make it difficult to easily navigate to them, but she blasted them with spells, aiding Mistshard who hovered above sending hails of ice.

Druma shielded her, knocking aside any adventurer who got close. At one point, a hooded individual appeared with blades at the ready, but Druma and Mistshard both quickly dealt with him, saving Edithe from what was nearly her death.

They tore through the ranks of the Iron Champions Company, meeting almost no resistance until—

An explosion nearly sent Edithe flying back. The [Mage] from before— the Platinum Rank— appeared, followed by the other Platinums of the Iron Champions Company. Some assassins showed up too. However, their numbers were lackluster. Especially compared to what they had before.

No signs of Stephen either.

“Ignore them! We press on!”

Celine bellowed, leading the charge. Edithe followed after. She realized how out of their depths Cless and Sophia were, yet they still tried their best to help. Neither specialized in combat— at least, not against people.

A bolt of lightning that cracked the earth caught the attention of the Platinums. Baris did not let them get close to Edithe and the others. He was around their level, yes. But he was more experienced. And he had spent decades building up his General Skills. Edithe knew he could take them all on himself.

Then, just as their first obstacle was overcome, another came barring their path. And this one was a mountain.

The ground broke before the charging group as a large broadsword broke the streets of Viechester. It sent a shockwave that knocked them off balance. And just as Celine got up, an aura of concentrated energy shot out at her.

Her eyes grew wide, but she managed to raise her axe just in time to block the attack. The other Platinums gathered themselves, eyeing warily what had halted them all to a stop. Edithe glanced up too, feeling fear strike her heart.

[??? - Lvl. ???]

A Diamond Rank adventurer. One from the Iron Champions Company. But not just anyone. It was one Edithe recognized.

One of the current leaders of the company. One of the original members of the Iron Champions. The ones that were dubbed the champions. They were the ones who exploited the Millcliff Iron Mines to get rich. To get to where they were today.

Orbur Vale.

The purported [Warrior] was dressed in shimmering plate armor. Powerful enchantments were no doubt protecting him. He had a helmet on, covering all but the signature scar on his face. A vicious grin spread across his lips.

“Oh, seems like the valiant dogs finally decided to stop cowering and bite back. How... foolish.”

He raised his weapon that was twice his own size. The patterned runes running through its blade limned under the moonlight. Or was that an enchantment?

Edithe wasn’t sure, but she didn’t hesitate. No more.

She sent an icy spear shooting out at the man. It smashed into his armor, dealing no damage. Like an icicle falling against a metal surface. He laughed.

“Did you think that would—”

“[Valorous Charge]!”

Hadrian’s voice cut off Orbur, some Skill propelling him through the air. It was like he had leapt off a building and was falling straight at the other Diamond Rank.

Orbur countered with his own Skill, his sword growing larger as he swung. The two clashed, sending a ripple through the battlefield. The nearby Silvers all fell from the blow, and Edithe nearly stumbled as she was standing up.

The two Diamonds traded blows, fighting at a level Edithe couldn’t possibly hope to ever reach. She wanted to help Hadrian, but as he kicked Orbur back, sending the other Diamond flying, he glanced back at her.

“Go!”

And that was all he had to say. Edithe dragged Celine who was enraged by Orbur. She had nearly died from that initial attack and wanted to help Hadrian face one of the champions from the Iron Champions Company.

But she would have only hindered him. So Edithe had Druma pick up the woman, much to her chagrin, only putting her down once they were out of sight of the two clashing Diamonds. When Celine was back on her feet, she had a scowl on her face. But she didn’t say anything to Edithe.

The group reached the end of the Iron Champions’ line. The last of the adventurers there were mostly Silver and Gold. They didn’t even try fighting, choosing to flee and maybe regroup elsewhere. Edithe would have tried to stop them, but it wasn’t worth the effort.

Instead, it was time for them to do what they came for. Their job here was finished, and it was time to move on.

They stopped at an intersection, each of them casting wary gazes at the shadows creeping through the side streets and alleyways of Viechester. They all held the same fear in their mind. Assassins. But none showed up.

Finally, after they were sure they weren’t being followed, Celine turned to Edithe.

“This is where we part ways. I need to check on my little brothers back on my farm. They live just outside the city, so I probably will take a while and can’t help you.”

The other Platinums were already streaming off, going on their own to check on those they cared about. Edithe smiled and nodded at Celine.

“It’s fine. I have help.”

The red-haired woman glanced back at the Greater Spirits and Gold Ranks accompanying her. Truth be told, Edithe would have preferred if Celine followed them. She was pretty sure Celine could have killed half— if not all— of them by herself. That was just how big the gap between Gold and Platinum was. Yet, Edithe couldn’t wait for Celine’s help.

This was something she had to do on her own.

“Go. Check on your family.”

“You didn’t need to say that twice. Good luck.”

Celine waved and started sprinting down one of the side streets. She disappeared into the darkness, heading out of the city, whereas Edithe would be heading further in.

“The Sanctum of Elements is in the city square. It’s usually crowded during the day, but… at night it’s like a ghost town, huh?”

Edithe casually commented as her group— Sophia, Ian, and Cless— made their way through the streets, arriving at the large courtyard that would be lined with shops during the day. Ian grunted in agreement, although Cless scoffed.

“Of course it is. Everyone’s asleep. No one would be wandering about at night for no good reason.”

Sophia rolled her eyes.

“That, and the fact that the city has issued a lockdown warning too for the citizens’ own safety.”

“Ah, right.”

It seemed like such a nonchalant conversation at first. They almost seemed uncaring of Rachel— unpressed for time. But they were being cautious.

At any moment, an assassin could strikeout. And that was what they feared. The Spirits too— Druma protectively shielded Edithe with his body, while Mistshard flitted around, close to any alleyway and corner where someone might be hiding.

“It’s fine, guys.”

Edithe waved a hand at her summons, pointing at the temple ahead.

“We’ve arrived, look.”

Sure enough, the tall staircase leading up to the Sanctum of Elements lay before them. It was spotless. Cleaned like it was every single day. It certainly looked untouched. As though nothing had actually happened to it, and Edithe had just been paranoid. But as the group made their way up the stairs and into the temple, they found—

Nothing.

A note from MelasD

11,000 words. Just an FYI everyone, this chapter from Edithe's POV was over the course of a few hours. The previous chapters since the first attack in the headquarters till now was over 3-4 days. It's been a very short timespan :D

I can't write succinctly to save my life haha

Also, Edithe is not an entirely reliable narrator. But I'm sure you all know that since she was first introduced and made tons of assumptions about Salvos xD

Amazon doesn't want to let me publish my book, so consider donating to my patreon. For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead to get to the end of Salvos Volume 2! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

A Demon's Pride: Salvos Volume 2 is now live on Amazon!

A note from MelasD

A Demon's Pride: Salvos, Volume 2

No, the story won't be taken down for KU. It is being published as a non exclusive story.

No, the story won't be taken down for KU. It is being published as a non exclusive story.

After two weeks of Amazon screwing me over, I have finally ceded to their demands and changed the title of Salvos Volume 2 from Pride and Prejudice, to Prejudice of Pride, to what it is now: A Demon's Pride.

It covers chapters 41-100, or roughly 175,000 words, and you can get it for only $2.99 right now! It is at a limited time discount until the weekend, where the price would be increased to $3.99. Meaning if you get it now, you can read the climax of Salvos Volume 2 this instant with a 25% discount!

Also, do consider leaving a review or a rating on Amazon, as that would help with exposure and getting discovered. Thank you all so much for your support. You can get it here:

A Demon's Pride: Salvos, Volume 2

A note from MelasD

A Demon's Pride: Salvos, Volume 2

No, the story won't be taken down for KU. It is being published as a non exclusive story.

97. Found

97. Found

I bounded through the dark forest, leaping across the canopy of trees. I tried to stay at the treetop, out of view of anyone that was possibly on the forest floor.

I was no longer in my Mortal Form. I couldn’t waste any time. If what I heard from Faith was true— then Edithe and Rachel were in danger. My companions were in danger.

Daniel tried getting me to wait for him. However, he was too slow. And carrying him would have only slowed me down. So I left, on my own, for Viechester. Unfortunately, I seemed to have run into a minor problem. The same one I always faced whenever I traveled on my own.

...Am I lost?

I wasn’t entirely sure if I was heading in the right direction. Daniel had pointed it out on the map for me— he had instructed me to head in a straight line without making a single detour. But it was hard to follow a path when there was nothing obvious to lead me.

I had been given his map too. Just in case I got lost. But… I barely understood how to read it.

Pushing myself off a thick branch, I grabbed onto the trunk of a tree right at the edge of the forest. I saw a road just before me. Does this road lead to Viechester? I was about to jump down to check when I caught a glimpse of something moving in the shadows.

A flicker.

Chains spread through and in between the trees, hurling heavy spiked balls at me. I threw myself from the tree as the clanging of the metal echoed above me before I landed on the dirt ground.

I glanced up just in time to see a cloaked figure falling after me. It was a Human man. He wore the same shadow cloak of the Harrowed Vindicators, but he bore no mask. His hood was not up, exposing an unbridled fury on his face. He stared down at me with a single eye that nearly burst out of its sockets.

“Demon! I have found you, now I will get my revenge—”

Defeated [Flailberserker of Chains - Lvl. 65]

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...who was that? Why did he attack me?

I didn’t know. But I killed him easily and continued on my way. Maybe he’s just another Human mad that I’m a Demon. That was probably the case. I saw a sign slightly further down the road indicating that I was indeed heading to Viechester. Maybe I should change to my Mortal Form. Don’t want Hadrian or the other Valiant Dreamers attacking me for being a Demon!

The group that stalked through the halls of the temple was gripped by a deathly silence. Edithe’s eyes glazed over the gilded walls, paying attention only to the heavy beating in her chest. The thumping of her heart echoed in her head, almost like a drum. It grew louder and louder— almost deafeningly so— becoming the only thing she could hear.

Calm down, she told herself. So far we’ve seen nothing, and that’s a good thing. If there really were assassins here, they would have left some signs. The [Priests] promised to keep Rachel safe, and even if they weren’t combatants, they still would be able to put up a fight.

But the question was, would the Iron Champions Company really risk angering the Sanctum of Elements? Certainly, the Den of Souls would not stand for an attack against [Priests], even if they were from a different denomination. The Iron Champions might have been treading a thin line, but they weren’t idiots.

Despite what Edithe had been telling herself all night, she knew they weren’t immune to consequences. It had only been a month since they poisoned Baris, then three days since they tried to burn down the headquarters. Whether they would have actually faced backlash for their actions over what happened in the past night— or rather, the past six hours— remained to be seen.

Edithe quietly led the group through the familiar corridors leading to William’s quarters. She knew that he slept on the third floor of the [Priests] dormitories. That was because he was one of the higher ranked members of the Sanctum of Elements in Viechester.

The moment the group reached the dorms, Edithe knew what happened. She understood why there were no signs of a scuffle— no evidence of fighting. Because the assassins did not attack the [Priests]. Instead, they used some sort of artifact to erect a barrier and cordon off the entire area.

Frowning, Edithe approached the translucent yellow wall of energy and placed a hand on it.

“It’s a powerful sealing spell. At least, too powerful for me to break. It’ll probably dissipate by the time the sun’s up. But I don’t think anyone inside even realizes they’re locked in since it cancels noise too.”

“Think we can destroy it if we combine our magic?”

Cless suggested, trying to inspect the barrier too. Edithe shook her head.

“No. I say we don’t waste time trying to break in. The fact that the Iron Champions Company— or their assassins— are blocking out this entire area means Rachel and William aren’t inside.”

“Where are they then?”

Sophia asked, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

“I’m a [Hunter]. I can probably track them down if you give me some general directions.”

“I’m not sure. But if I know William, he might have been anywhere from studying away in the temple library or wandering the streets to feed the homeless.”

“And this Rachel…”

Ian piped up, narrowing his eyes.

“She’s with him?”

“Yes. Or she should be.”

Edithe spoke almost as if she were remembering a fond memory.

“When I was little and visited the temple for some of the spare scraps they handed out, William would always bring me around to show me his work. It didn’t matter if I wasn’t interested or was just trying to bother him— he would always be so patient and kind to me, showing me every part of his daily life and teaching me new things.”

“You grew up in the streets?”

Sophia blinked. The red-haired woman nodded.

“Yes, and William took care of me. Just like how I trust he’ll take care of Rachel. So she has to be with him, and if he isn’t in the dorms, then we’ll have to sweep through the temple. Find where he’s at.”

“If you’re certain Rachel is with him, then I can just use a Skill.”

The other [Mage], Cless, offered. Edithe turned to him, raising a brow.

“You can?”

“[Scry Direction]. It has a long cooldown. But I can use it on people whom I’ve interacted with. And I used to visit this temple quite a lot too. I probably spoke to William once or twice— enough for it to work.”

“Let’s give it a shot then.”

Cless nodded and began activating his Skill. Edithe waited, casting wary glances around the area. Once or twice, she thought she saw someone sneaking around. She sent Mistshard over to check, and it turned out it was just her paranoia getting to her.

The assassins won’t know that we’re coming, we’re fine. Edithe found herself breathing again. Cless finished his casting, and his eyes shone slightly blue as he scanned the surroundings.

“Well?”

Edithe couldn’t help but ask after a moment passed. He raised a finger and pointed down a large corridor.

“There.”

The group proceeded to follow Cless. They made their way down the winding halls until finally reaching a large, familiar room. It was the summoning room of this temple. The place where Edithe first summoned Hana.

There, Edithe’s eyes grew wide as she saw…

William and Rachel were standing over the summoning pool. The [Priest] had a book open, reading aloud an excerpt from the Immortal King’s Legacy as the girl rested her head on his lap, her feet lightly kicking against the water.

“And it was only when Alexander regaled the wonderful tales from his world to the Council of Cremont did the [Archbishops] at the time allow him to cross through to the Spirit Plane—”

He paused and glanced up at the group that approached him. Edithe ran up to him, the relief on her face evident.

“William!”

“Edithe?”

The [Priest] stood up, and Rachel jumped, running to meet the red-haired woman. She hugged Edithe’s legs as William spoke in a confused voice.

“What are you doing here?”

“She came back for me!”

Rachel exclaimed but quickly shied back the moment she noticed there were others in the room. Edithe caressed Rachel and spoke softly.

“Yes, I did.”

Then the red-haired woman turned back to William.

“Is everything alright? We came to check on you two.”

“Everything has been fine, although we’ve been worried about you, Edithe. We heard about the declaration of war. And there have been some talks of how the siege against the Valiant Dreamers headquarters. But it’s barely been a day since then. How did you get here?”

“We fought our way out.”

Edithe replied simply.

“We weren’t going to fight on the terms the Iron Champions set anymore. Especially when they started to bring innocents into it. We’re the Valiant Dreamers. We fight for the weak against the strong.”

“Right… I get that. Did something happen during the siege?”

Of course, William didn’t know. But Edithe was glad she arrived before he had to find out the hard way.

“The Iron Champions have been sending assassins after the friends and family of Platinum Ranks. But we were worried they would go after you two as well.”

“That’s… terrible!”

He had a horrified look on his face. Edithe concurred with that, but she didn’t want to spend any more time explaining.

“Right, so we have to get out of here as soon as possible.”

“They can’t come after us. If they attack us [Priests]—”

“They don’t have to harm you.”

Edithe shook her head. The assassins had already separated most of the [Priests] from possibly getting involved. Abducting a child from a single old man was not so hard after that.

“They’ll just have to grab Rachel and leave. That’s why Rachel needs to come with us.”

The girl looked up at Edithe, a confused look on her face.

“Are more people coming after me?”

“I… Yes.”

Edithe couldn’t help but hesitate for a moment. But instead of striking fear into the girl’s heart, she seemed to have elicited a different kind of worry.

“Am I causing more trouble for you?”

“No—”

Biting her lip, Edithe took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

“No, you aren’t. Come, let’s get out of here.”

She held onto Rachel’s hand and started down the hallway they came. However, Ian held out a hand and sharply cut her off.

“Wait, someone’s coming.”

The [Rogue] drew his daggers. Edithe’s eyes snapped ahead of her. She couldn’t see anything, but she didn’t think he meant they were arriving right now.

“Assassins?”

“Possibly. Not the most discreet— maybe high Silver or low Gold in level. But I don’t think they’re alone.”

“What do we do?”

Sophia spoke, panic clearly heard from her tone of voice. Edithe tightly gripped her staff.

“I…”

“Over here!”

William’s voice drew the group’s attention. He was gesturing towards a wall. Wait, that wasn’t just a wall. It was shifting— moving. A hidden room?

“Go inside. Let’s go!”

They hurriedly rushed inside before the secret passageway closed. Edithe glanced back, relief washing over her.

“Thanks, William—”

She paused when she realized the [Priest] hadn’t followed after them. Standing there in shock, Edithe her voices escape through the walls.

“Where’s the girl?”

A vague voice that sounded like Stephen’s reached her. And an older one, coming from William, came back.

“I do not know what girl you’re referring to.”

“Don’t force my hand, [Priest].”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

Edithe felt her heart drop. No— not William too. She wanted to break through the walls and attack Stephen, even though she knew the Platinum Rank would easily kill her. But a chuckle sent her back to her senses.

“No, I wouldn’t. But that still doesn’t change anything.”

Footfalls. The echoes of someone leaving the summoning chamber. And a final command.

“Find the girl. Bring her to me— no matter what.”

A hand tugged at Edithe. Sophia nodded at her, breaking her from her trance. Breathing deeply, Edithe reassured herself that William was fine, even if she couldn’t see him. He wasn’t attacked by Stephen, and the assassins with the Iron Champions were now searching for Rachel.

Now all that mattered to the group was getting out of the temple with Rachel. Alive.

A note from MelasD

The assassin at the start was the dude who lost an eye like two dozen chaps ago. Thanks for reading!

Here's a fun fact: for only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead to get to the end of Salvos Volume 2! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

98. Escape

98. Escape

Edithe’s eyes clung to the doorway behind her even as she ran through the secret corridor. She couldn’t help but worry for William despite the fact that she knew the [Priest] was safe. He had been like a father to her. If Stephen did anything to him… she wasn’t sure what she would do.

Mistshard slowly ushered her forward, trying to keep her from running against the wall as they turned a corner. Ian led the group by scouting ahead; his keen senses as a [Rogue] would alert them to any possible assassins lurking about.

Sophia and Cless took up the middle, the two friends keeping pace with each other as they made their way to the end of the secret corridor. Druma was carrying Rachel a little bit behind them, the little girl hugged around his wooden chest by his four protective arms. Edithe looked at her small group of Gold Ranks and Greater Spirits, wondering if they would be able to even take down a single one of the higher leveled assassins she had seen previously that night.

Certainly, there were many lower leveled ones— most of them she had fought were Silver in level, some Gold, only a handful Platinum. However, she could not help but worry that their group would run into one of the dangerous ones. A fear predicated in paranoia.

And past experiences.

Clenching her first, Edithe cast her gaze forward as Ian pushed open the door ahead. A bookshelf opened up, revealing the temple’s library ahead. They came to a halt, taking in their surroundings. The [Rogue] squinted as he took in the room while Sophia blinked.

“This is… the library? I thought that passage would lead us out of the temple!”

“Apparently not. It seems all William did was buy us time. It’s up to us to get out of here alive on our own.”

Edithe answered simply, stepping into the place of books. Rows and rows of bookshelves filled this large chamber; it was a haphazard mess, cluttered with books strewn about in an unorganized manner. The [Priests] of the Sanctum of Elements were gaudy, flashy, but also studious. And since they spent all their money on decorating the entrance for visitors, they couldn’t really afford to pay for a librarian. At least, that was what William told her once.

Edithe wasn’t sure now whether the man had been lying to her. She had been pestering him with incessant questions— and such an answer now seemed like something an adult would tell a child just to keep them entertained.

The group weaved through the forest of wood and paper, navigating to one of the entrances of the library. Ian peered outside, holding a hand out to keep them back.

“It’s clear.”

Taking a deep breath, Edithe nodded.

“Considering where the library is located in the temple, that means we’re closer to the back exit that leads out to the alleyways and the side streets rather than the front one leading out to the city square. The front exit will probably be guarded by assassins at this point, so our best bet would be just to sneak out the back exit.”

“You don’t think that assassins will be guarding that part of the temple too, do you?”

Cless asked in a worried voice. She shook her head.

“They will. But we have no other choice.”

“If it comes to a fight, you two will have to grab the girl and run.”

Ian spoke out, turning back to face the group. He gestured at Sophia and Cless, the two less combat-focused of them all.

“Your skills lie in making sure you avoid combat no matter what. Use it to your advantage.”

“But—”

Sophia opened her mouth. Her friend stopped her.

“Got it. We’ll do that.”

She looked like she wanted to protest, but Cless gave her a look. Slowly, the two came to a non-verbal understanding. Edithe glanced between the group, glad that they came to a solution. Then they left the library and started down the hall.

They left no footfalls behind. None for anyone to follow. They were adventurers. Even if not all of them were [Rogues], they were used to being discreet. Especially when it came to diving through Dungeons.

The pace they traveled was not the fastest. Nor were they aiming to outrun any assassins. Their job was simple. Get to the exit undetected. Then from there, they would have to see what happened.

The group came upon a long hallway. At the end of it, Edithe could see the deepness of night— the dark sky illuminated by the pale, blue moon. The scintillating stars were like the hope she felt for a moment. Until Ian raised a hand.

“Stop.”

He pointed at the ground. Thin threads were stitched just above the floor, forming an intricate pattern. A design meant to catch whoever was trying to leave the temple.

“Wires. Coated in poison and meant to trip an alarm. Whoever made this so quickly must be high leveled.”

“What do we do?”

Sophia stared at the trap, wide-eyed. Edithe glanced over at Ian. He nodded at her, and she spoke a word.

“Mistshard.”

“Yes, master?”

“Freeze them.”

The Greater Spirit obeyed, flying down the hallway and sending a blast of icy waves at the wires. The cold crept up on the steel, forming a cool layer of white over them. Ian took a step forward, avoiding the now clearly visible design on the floor.

“Do not step on any of them.”

Sophia gulped and slowly followed. Cless was next, then Druma who was still carrying Rachel. Edithe went last. She cast a wary gaze back at where they came from, confirming that no one was behind them. Then she followed.

The group threaded carefully through the wire maze; it took some time, but eventually, they made it through. Then they were out. The city laid beyond, and with it were assassins.

They burst out of the darkness. They had been lying in wait. And now, their targets were here. Three assassins appeared before the group. One was at around Level 70, and the other two were at around Level 40.

Edithe immediately launched a spell at them while Mistshard flew diagonally at them. Sophia and Cless surrounded Druma who protectively covered Rachel, and Ian drew his throwing daggers in an instant. But the assassins didn’t strike. At least, not all of them.

The Level 40s vanished, running straight for the temple. The Level 70 assassin tugged at invisible strings on his fingertips, creating a network of wires to block the oncoming blasts. He danced around the plume of cold smoke sent by Mistshard and dodged the weaving daggers flying his way.

They bent in the air, changing directions as Ian directed them with a Skill. But the assassin flipped out of the way. He pulled as if his hands were gripping at Ian’s feet, and the [Rogue] was swept to his back.

A lightning bolt from Edithe was knocked out of the air, arcing back down to the ground and ripping bricks into the air. Spells and arrows from Cless and Sophia stopped the assassin from targeting Ian, who was still getting back up, his legs covered in small cuts.

Once again, the assassin pulled. And Sophia’s bow came flying. He weaved his fingers, and invisible threads cut the girl. Cless shouted, seeing his friend cry out in agony.

“You bastard!”

He dashed forward, hurling fireballs at the assassin running across tiled roofs. The blasts missed their mark and exploded in mid-air. The assassin flipped and landed lightly on the ground. He crossed his arms into an x-shape, twisting his hands.

Cless yelled, his body torn from dozens of wires cutting deep into his skin. The assassin let out a snicker before a hail of ice fell on him. It sliced open his dark clothes, and blood sprayed across the stone floor.

He tried to back away from Mistshard’s barrage, only to realize it was Edithe attacking him.

“[Borrow Skill: Mistshard].”

She aimed her staff, launching another volley at the man, injuring him and pushing him back. Already moving his hands, he clicked his tongue and faced her. Then a spear of ice caught his back. It plunged deep into his spine, eliciting a sharp and painful scream.

“Gah— arghhhh.”

His wailings became death throes as Mistshard burned him with fire. A line of flames launched straight through him. The man clawed at himself in agony, his entire body burning and frozen. A notification sounded through Edithe’s mind— a level gained.

But she didn’t waste any time. The [Summoner] raced up to the body of Cless. He was losing blood. Fast.

She uncorked a healing potion and poured it over him, closing up his wounds and stopping the whimpers from escaping his mouth. Sophia limped over in a hurry.

“Cless— is he ok?”

“He’ll live as long as we get him to a healer as soon as possible.”

Edithe nodded at the young woman reassuringly. Sophia sighed in relief. She took a moment to down a healing potion herself before helping Cless up. The man’s face contorted, and pain followed every movement he made.

“It’s fine, I got you.”

Sophia spoke softly. Ian hobbled over, his wounds healed but still hurting slightly. His sharp voice cut through the banal conversation being had.

“We’ve got to go. More are coming.”

Sure enough, Edithe could see shadows making their way through the far end of the hallway inside the temple. Figures were moving, coming after them. And they had to leave. Now.

But they would be caught. These assassins moved faster than them. Additionally, Edithe could see the pain in each step Cless took. The group had been slowed. There was no escape. Not unless someone held Stephen back.

“Go.”

Edithe found herself saying. She glanced back at the confused looks on Sophia and Ian’s face.

“Bring Rachel to safety. I’ll stay.”

Sophia opened her mouth.

“But you’ll die!”

“Maybe.”

Shaking her head, Edithe gripped her staff with both hands. Druma was already moving, the [Yaksha] doing as he was commanded.

“But it’s my turn to do something to save someone else’s life. I will not allow those I care about to die any longer.”

Sophia hesitated. She wanted to protest, but Ian grabbed her hand.

“Let’s go.”

He pulled her, and they disappeared into an alleyway, right behind Druma. Edithe raised her staff and aimed at the entrance to the temple. Cold smoke blasted out at it, coalescing into an ice wall that covered it entirely.

Mistshard flapped her wings beside Edithe, copying her. Or was Edithe the one copying Mistshard? She was using the Spirit’s Skill, after all.

The ice wall was formed, and instantly, a crack formed on it. The people on the other side were already breaking through the barrier. It was nothing more than a bump in the road to them. Edithe spoke slowly, facing her summon.

“You go too.”

“I can’t let you stay and die, master.”

Edithe chuckled, trying to reinforce the ice wall and fill its cracks. It was hopeless.

“You know, Mistshard, when I first got you, I thought you were nothing like Hana.”

The red-haired woman cast her gaze to the night sky while her barricade began to crumble. Her voice came out longing, almost regretful.

“You’re so polite while she was so rude. She would ignore half the orders I gave her while you would obey my command no matter what. She was chatty, you rarely even speak. But now I realize you’re both the same. She died for me, and you would too.”

Mistshard frantically tried to close the fissures that formed, the beating of her wings slowing as the endeavor failed. Edithe shook her head.

“She died. But this time. Things will be different.”

Raising a hand at Mistshard, Edithe took aim at Mistshard. But no spell came out. Only words.

“I am violating the treaty formed between Spirit and Human. I cancel the contract we forged five months ago, and I shall accept whatever penalty I shall have to suffer.”

The Spirit’s eyes widened. A reaction uncharacteristic of her. A morose smile crept across Edithe’s face.

“Goodbye, Mistshard. Return home.”

A glow overcame the invisible mark in Mistshard’s chest. The symbol that formed when she was first summoned was overcome with light. Shining ribbons sprouted from it and enveloped her entire being. A single word escaped the beaked mouth of the Spirit.

“Edithe—”

Then she vanished. The ice wall broke, and it was just Edithe standing there, alone. Stephen marched through the misty entrance, followed by six assassins. Three on each side.

Edithe spun to face them, a spell forming on the tip of her staff. But Stephen appeared before her. A kick to her stomach sent her flying back and away from the temple. She rolled on cool, stone ground before facing up to see him standing there once again.

A sickle was pressed against her neck as the man stared down at her.

“Where’s the girl?”

Edithe met his eyes. Cold, cruel eyes. He was the kind of man she hated most. A self-serving, callous person who would do anything to get what he wanted. The sharp blade of his sickle was pushed further against Edithe’s skin, drawing a trickle of blood. She grimaced as Stephen repeated the question.

“I said: where is the girl?”

Edithe took a deep breath. She closed her eyes as a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. She felt her mouths unlatch, words spewing out.

“Fuck you.”

She blasted the ground beneath the two of them. A simple Fireball spell. It sent her flying back in the air, her arms and legs burned by her own magic. She landed back on the ground and glanced up at Stephen.

Did it work…?

The man stood six paces away from the explosion. He was entirely unharmed. All he got was some dirt on his shoulder which he casually wiped off. Sighing, he turned an uncaring gaze towards her.

“Hm, unfortunate. I was actually going to spare you, but… I guess not.”

Edithe shot to her feet, preparing a force barrier around her. Stephen cocked his head in her direction.

“Kill her.”

An assassin shot out and hurled a ball at her. It exploded, shattering her barrier in an instant. The magic fell around her like broken glass as the assassin appeared before her, dagger in hand.

Edithe’s eyes grew wide, and time almost seemed to slow down. This is it, huh? She closed her eyes as the assassin plunged forward. She tried to raise her hands, but she knew it would be pointless. I just hope… her mind trailed off.

Sighing, Edithe felt one final wishful thought cross her mind.

I just hope they manage to get away—

And blood splattered across the stone floor. A body dropped in the courtyard, just beyond the temple. Death came quick. Almost in an instant. The cool, blue moonlight shone over the corpse, showing its features clearly to Edithe’s wide eyes.

The assassin lay dead. Cinder wisped through the air, illuminating the dark night. A flame burned. Blue flames. And Salvos stood there with her blue jacket, over the dead assassin, a fiery scythe in her hand.

She smiled down at Edithe.

“Hi.”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead to get to the end of Salvos Volume 2 and star of Volume 3! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

99. Prejudice

99. Prejudice

I stood over Edithe in the courtyard just before the temple. A flaming scythe rested gently in my hand as I twirled it over my shoulder. The assassin had been Level 72. Perhaps he would have been a problem for me before I left Viechester. But now, especially with the element of surprise on my side, he was disposed of in an instant.

Smiling, I greeted my companion who stared at me with round eyes.

“Hi. How have you been?”

My words took a moment for her to register; she blinked a few times before opening her mouth, responding to me in an uncertain voice.

“I-I… Salvos?”

“That’s me!”

I happily nodded. Edithe’s gaze fixed on me, almost like she couldn’t believe I was actually here.

“How— how did you get here?”

“I asked for directions! Hadrian told me where you were.”

“He did? Does that mean the battle is over?”

I eagerly nodded my head.

“They’re on their way to the training grounds now. They’re going to end the siege there too!”

“They are?”

Edithe asked again. Her confusion was evident. Perhaps she had hit her head when that assassin nearly killed her? I gave her a thumbs-up.

“Yep—”

“Preposterous!”

A voice cut me off. I turned around to face an angry man. He wore a fancy shirt with a familiar crest woven into it. Narrowing my eyes, I took a second look at his face.

“...Stephen?”

His face was filled with fury. As if someone had interrupted his sleep time— or whatever else Humans got mad about.

“Are you saying Orbur was defeated? Impossible.”

I shrugged, not knowing who this Orbur was.

“That’s what I saw when I arrived.”

“Ridiculous. If he’s defeated, then that means the time and resources we spent here were wasted. We can’t just return empty-handed, especially not without what we came here for— unless…”

Stephen studied me with a curious expression. Then he spread his arms wide, stepping forward.

“Ms Salvos, it seems you’ve leveled quite a bit since we’ve last met. You’ve almost reached Platinum too.”

“I have. And?”

He raised a hand out, smiling with one of those conniving looks Humans had when they were scheming for something. The kind Daniel had on his face when he thought he was sneaky in trying to convince me to let him sleep in. I didn’t buy it.

“What say you reconsider the offer I made you the last time. I promise you that we’ll be able to provide what’s necessary for your Class advancement to be as… good as possible. With you in our company, I promise you you’d be able to hit Diamond— even Elite— in no time.”

I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Do you even have an Elite in your company?”

As far as I was aware, those were Level 150 and above. The Human man drew his lips into a thin line.

“No. But you could be the first.”

I tilted my head up, considering it.

“That does sound tempting. If I do become the first Elite in your company, I’m sure everyone will respect me very much.”

That sounded very nice. Hearing praise everywhere I went was certainly a good thing; it would be like when I first saved Silvergrove and everyone in the city gazed at me with awe and wonder. I liked that.

Stephen smirked.

“It certainly would.”

“You can’t be serious, Salvos?”

Edithe spoke up in a hushed voice behind me.

“These guys just attacked our company. They killed so many of our members!”

“Your members.”

I corrected her. I clasped my hands together, smiling.

“They didn’t kill any of my companions. Although they would have if I was a tad bit slower. Huh.”

I glanced between Edithe and Stephen.

“I guess I probably shouldn’t go with them.”

“Are you really going to turn us down twice? That would be such a foolish choice! And what? Because that woman told you to say no?!”

Stephen spat, glaring daggers at my companion. I shook my head.

“No. She’s not ‘that woman’. She’s my companion. And I do have another reason for it.”

I looked at Stephen. At the way he looked at me. The Human man saw opportunity, not any concern for me. Not any care for Salvos.

It was something I was used to by now. Only my companions truly cared for me as Salvos. Not Saffron. Not Faith. Not Helen, Jaakko, or Zack.

They all didn’t truly see who Salvos was. Who I was.

I bared my teeth back at Stephen. He was Level 81. The assassins behind him were Level 73, 48, 54, 45, and 51. Despite being lower leveled, they instantly tensed, realizing something was off. He didn’t and waited for me to spread my arms out wide.

“Even if I wanted to join your company, let me ask you this question, Stephen: would you even accept me?”

He narrowed his eyes, then snorted.

“Of course, we would. A recruit with as much potential as you would be gladly accepted among our ranks. We’ll even spare your friends too.”

“No. I don’t mean accept me… or this.”

I gestured at myself.

“Whatever this is. No— I mean will you accept me?”

The man blinked as a savage grin spread across my face. He thought he was recruiting a Human. Maybe someone to be reasoned with. Someone who thought the same way he did.

But I wasn’t any of that. My logic was not the same as his. We would never meet eye to eye. It was a simple fact: one which I had known since I was born but never really embraced. But being in this plane and having it suppressed from me— kept away from me— then speaking to Lily, I finally realized it in its whole truth.

I am a Demon.

“No. I don’t mean accept me… or this. Whatever this is. No— I mean will you accept me?”

Stephen couldn’t help but cock a brow at the odd question coming from the silver-haired woman. She took a step forward, golden eyes flashing in the moonlight. Then she let her scythe disappear and grabbed something from her neck.

He frowned as she tossed aside an object. It looked like a Necklace of Obfuscation. Has she been hiding her level this whole time? he thought, grabbing for his sickle. But no. His [Identification] worked on her the same, revealing the same level as before.

Only one thing changed about it and that was her Class. She wasn’t a [Rogue], she was a…

[Mage – Lvl. 68]

A [Mage]...? But that wasn’t right either. The Class stayed static for a moment before fizzling like a haze spell had been cast in his mind. The words almost grew muddled, shifting— changing.

[̶̼̓͘͝M̶̥͙͇̫͎̾̽̒̎̈̈̄̚͝ã̷̯̣̙̺̱̹̿̏̈̇̈́́g̴̦͓͚̿e̶̙̻̬̩͂̃͐͛̆̄̍̕ ̸̣̳̺́̔͂̒̑̋-̶͉̙̫̘̣̰͖̺̥͍̆͛̓̃̃͐̑͝ ̸̨̥̭̞̼͗͂̎̾́L̴̺̭̦̻̻̓̈́̒̚͠v̴̟̫̣͈̹̙͛̕͝l̷̨̛̜͈̠̬̳̱̥̮̋͂̌̂́͆.̶͇̂ ̵̜͙̬͕̭̀̒̾͠6̵̜̫͔̦̫̺̬͂͜͠8̸̖̥͉̹̬͎̰͖͇͇̀̐́͗̈́̂̒͌͘͠]̵̡͍̝̼̝͚̪̯͉̞̊̓͝

Squinting, Stephen tried to identify her once more. And again, he got a different result.

[҉C҉h҉a҉n҉g҉e҉l҉i҉n҉g҉ ҉-҉ ҉L҉v҉l҉.҉ ҉6҉8҉]҉

It was less misshapen now. Almost fully formed. He identified her one last time as pops resounded, like powerful firecrackers going off at a glacial pace.

[Changeling – Lvl. 68]

His eyes grew wide as he realized what it told him. He had focused too much on his [Identification]; he didn’t even realize the silver-haired woman was transforming into a silver-haired beast.

No— not a beast. A Demon.

The large, lanky Demon straightened. Her spine rippled with cracks, forming tiny bumps lining up the surface of her back. She placed her two clawed hands on the ground, each palm large enough to fit the man’s head whole.

Dozens of sharp teeth revealed themselves in the skull-like face of the Demon. It stared down at him with two gleaming eyes. An almost hoarse but eerily soft voice broke Stephen from his stupor. It spoke a single word.

“Well?”

Stephen drew his sickle and aimed it at the Demon.

“Kill it!”

“Thought so.”

The words came from it like an angry growl. Stephen had meant to back away from the Demon, assess the situation and its power. But as he blinked in and out of existence, he lashed out, [Flash Step] carrying him a dozen paces forward. He wasn’t sure why he had no control over his body. Just that he swung the blade down vertically, only to slice through air.

He stumbled forward, confusion and fear striking into him. He realized that the Demon was now behind him, its body wreathed in flames. Like a beast of fire.

It streaked its claws against Stephen’s back. He cried out in pain as blood splattered on the cool ground. The Platinum Rank adventurer whirled around, striking for the Demon’s neck—

And it was like his sickle struck stone. Its tip was lightly touching the Demon’s skin, not even leaving behind a small cut. It grinned, and the fire around its body blazed furiously. It seemed to gather around her neck, close to his hand.

It burned him, causing him to drop his weapon and cry out in pain. And yet, something compelled him to strike it, even without a weapon as his arms burned with each strike, he attacked it. Why am I doing this— What’s going on?! Just as he thought the Demon was going to bite his head off, an assassin appeared behind it and plunged a dagger through its spine.

This time, the attack seemed to work. Stephen wasn’t sure why it did, but it gave him the reprieve he needed to back away. He was suddenly able to move on his own. But his still panic-filled mind did not consider the possibility of a Demon using artifacts. Why would it?

The Demon grabbed the assassin, its entire form blurring as it threw him off its back. Then another assassin came, and it tore through her easily. Stephen watched as her body was sheared in half, exploding into a pile of guts and gore.

He stared at the corpse on the ground, at his burned hand and the clawed mark dragged across his back, then at the Demon tearing up two more assassins as they approached it. And he made the only logical decision he could.

Stephen ran.

He made a mad dash straight for the temple. Perhaps he could try to escape into the alleyways and side streets to get away from the Demon. But it was somehow faster than him. It would track him down and kill him easily.

So, he continued his path of escape, heading to where he could find reinforcements. He paused only for a moment to look at Edithe. The red-haired woman was lying helplessly on the ground, staring just as he did at the bloodbath happening before her. He could have taken her as a hostage. But what kind of an idiot tried to use a hostage against a Demon?!

Winding down the hallways of the Sanctum of Elements, Stephen desperately hoped he would find some [Priests]. They were specialized in dealing with Demons. They should have been. But when he reached the sleeping quarters of the temple, he realized he wouldn’t be able to get their help until dawn.

The entire section was sealed off. A powerful magic that he could not undo was there, blocking him from his only hope. Soft footfalls echoed behind Stephen as a shadow passed through his peripheral vision.

He spun around in a panic and continued running, [Flash Step] carrying him as fast as he could away from the pursuing Demon. Stephen turned corner after corner, hearing the footsteps disappear and fade into the distance.

Slowing to a stop, relief and air filled the man’s lungs before he heard some voices coming from a nearby chamber. Stephen hurried over to find five assassins— some of those he had left behind at the temple keep an eye on William— there.

He opened his mouth, ready to give them orders to hunt the Demon down. But he paused. They looked tired. Coated in sweat. Why were they exhausted from just standing around—

And the Demon bounded out of the darkness, tearing a head off. The assassins instantly tried to scatter, one of them fruitlessly attacking the Demon only to be easily ripped apart. Stephen stumbled back as its form zipped through the darkness, glowing even brighter than before with brilliant, blue flames.

Another assassin fell. Then its attention turned to him. A series of [Flash Steps] carried him straight past a fleeing assassin. Stephen shoved the coward back towards the Demon, shouting.

“What are you doing? Kill it!”

The poor woman stared at him for a moment, shocked by his order. He didn’t expect her to actually stop the Demon— she was only Level 42, after all. He just wanted her to slow it.

And she did. For only a moment. Then the Demon was on him again.

Stephen’s legs carried him as fast as he could through the labyrinth that suddenly was the Sanctum of Elements. No matter where he went, no matter where he hid, the Demon would always find him.

Red liquid sprayed across the ground as he watched the last of his assassins fall to the Demon. Only he was left for it to hunt down. He spun and ran again. Fleeing from the monster he had set upon himself.

I have to get help! Stephen thought as he raced through the temple. I have to get the city guards!

Stephen ran down the last of the hallways until he saw light up ahead, filling the shape of a doorway. It was the front entrance of the temple. The one that led to the city square. Surely there would be someone there to help him!

If he could get the city against this Demon, he would be safe!

A burning pair of chains wrapped around Stephen’s legs, tying them together and forcing his face to the ground. He tried to pick himself up and scramble forward, but the chains dragged him further back down the tunnel.

Stephen fought helplessly until he came face to face with a terrifying maw. The Demon stared down at him, teeth bared menacingly. An almost cruel grin spread across its face. Stephen whimpered as he threw a punch. He had used up all his mana and could no longer use [Flash Step] or half his Skills.

This single [Quick Attack] was all that he could do. It rocked the Demon’s head back. Only for it to grasp his hands and slam them down, digging deep into his skin with its claws. Its mouth opened, stopping just inches from his face as he closed his eyes and leaned back.

“P-please... d-don’t eat me!”

He squeaked. The Demon paused, staring at him curiously. Then a grumbling escaped its lips. A… laugh?”

“I’m not going to eat you.”

It spoke, shaking its head. Stephen almost sagged in relief until he felt a sharp pain run through his nether region. Warm liquid spilled from his waist as he realized the Demon’s claws were wrapped around his most delicate parts.

“I’m going to do something even worse.”

“No—”

It pulled, and he screamed. He screamed and flailed his arms, crying out in pain. For somebody to save him. But no one came.

No one from the city square heard his death. Why would they? It was empty, after all. A company war was ongoing, and no one wanted to be caught in the crossfire.

Defeated [Dual Bladed Rogue – Lvl. 54]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

…

Defeated [Vanish Spellsickle - Lvl. 81]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

General Skill [Advanced Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Advanced Mana Manipulation – Lvl. 4] -> [Advanced Mana Manipulation – Lvl. 5]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Racial Skill: Mortal Form] Level Up!

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form – Lvl. 2] -> [Racial Skill: Mortal Form – Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 68] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 69]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 69] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 70]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] Level Up!

[Midday Changeling – Lvl. 70] -> [Midday Changeling – Lvl. 71]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon]

Subspecies: [Midday Changeling] – Lvl. 71

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] – Lvl. 5

[Identification] – Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] – Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] – Lvl. 3

[Rest] – Lvl. 3

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] – Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 70 (+5)

[Strength]: 43 (+5) (+2)

[Endurance]: 65 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 98 (+5)

[Agility]: 150 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Advanced Fire Creation] – Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Charge of Embers] – Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Fire Strike] – Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Ignition] – Lvl. 5 (Maxed)

[Scorching Wave] – Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] – Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive – Blue Flames] – Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive – Deadly Instincts] – Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive – Weapon Mastery] – Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Evolution Available]

Species Evolution:

[Greater Demon] -> [Greater Demon of Pride]

Requirements for four Subspecies evolutions have been met!

Subspecies Evolution:

[Asura Changeling]

An [Asura Changeling] is a [Changeling] that lives amongst Spirits and mortals as friends. A mortal at day and a Demon at night, they appreciate the wonders of a different plane but still hold pride in what they are.

+5 to [Vitality]

+5 to [Strength]

+5 to [Endurance]

+5 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Agility]

[Serguthy Balruq]

A [Serguthy Balruq] is a [Balruq] that commands mastery over flames. Nothing can stop their fury once enraged. They will incinerate everything, leaving less than ashes in their wake.

+15 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Endurance]

+5 to [Agility]

[Fiendish Duke of Belial]

A [Fiendish Duke of Belial] is a [Fiend] that commands pride and respect from their minions. They show power through strength, paying kindness to their allies tenfold, while repaying cruelty to their enemies a hundredfold.

+15 to [Strength]

+8 to [Vitality]

+2 to [Endurance]

Bonus: 50% of [Wisdom] is permanently removed and added to [Endurance].

[Lamael Succubus]

A [Lamael Succubus] is a fiery [Succubus] that emphasizes passion over wit. Their fire magic blazes like an inferno, burning their problems into ashes as they see fit. Their control over their biology is less than a [Succubus].

+10 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Endurance]

+5 to [Vitality]

+3 to [Strength]

I paused, getting up from the bloodied corpse at my feet. I considered all the options, cocking my head.

“Huh, well that’s an obvious choice.”

Evolution Complete!

[Greater Demon] -> [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies [Midday Changeling] -> [Asura Changeling]

Gained 20 Stat Points!

[Vitality] +5

[Strength] +5

[Endurance] +5

[Wisdom] +5

[Agility] +5

Gained 2 Skill Slots!

Gained 6 Skill Points!

General Skill [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] Obtained!

Skill [Charge of Embers] becomes [Flame Burst]!

Skill [Fire Strike] becomes [Barrage of Cinders]!

Skill [Ignition] becomes [Ember Core]!

Skill [Passive – Deadly Instincts] becomes [Passive – A Hunter’s Sense]!

Skill [Flaming Breath] is now available.

Skill [Horror’s Flare] is now available.

Skill [Intimidation] is now available.

Skill [Radiant Slash] is now available.

Skill [Passive – Keen Eye] is now available.

Skill [Passive – Refined Casting] is now available.

A note from MelasD

Now you see why the original book title was Pride and Prejudice XD

Here's a fun fact: I didn't know whether I shouldd have killed of Edithe for a long time. I had this internal debate with myself weighing the pros and cons of killing her up until the chapter itself, where I finally decided keeping her alive was better than otherwise. In this ending of Volume 2, Salvos would have arrived to find Edithe a little bit too late, and she would have rampaged and killed Stephen and the assasasins, becoming a Greater Demon of Wrath.

However, I thought Greater Demon of Pride fit Salvos more, with wrath being too hamfisted if it went that way.

3,200 werds. Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead to get to the start of Salvos Volume 3! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

100. Contract (End of Volume 2)

A note from MelasD

Final chapter of Salvos Volume 2! 3,000 werds.

100. Contract

The carriage rushed through the winding road under shelter from the treetops. It was dawn. And Daniel was certain that he would not have made it to Viechester before Salvos.

Unless she had gotten lost, of course. Which was a very likely scenario. But with Edithe and Rachel involved, he was certain she would at least try and take this seriously. She could be extremely competent outside of just fighting if she wanted to— that was what he observed.

Regardless, Daniel didn’t enjoy the trip in the carriage. Sure, it was the fastest way for him to arrive in the city— walking would have taken him far too long— but spending the trip with someone he considered to be… his ex? No, that wasn’t right. Captor was a better term. Suffice to say, it made him a little bit uncomfortable.

Faith’s eyes glossed over the blur of brown and green passing through the window. She had tried instigating conversation with him at the start of the ride, but when he made it clear he wasn’t going to talk to her, she resigned herself to watching the scenery breeze past. That made Daniel feel both better and worse.

He felt better that he didn’t actually have to talk to the princess. But he felt worse because he couldn’t help but feel bad for her— if she wasn’t just acting like she had in the past. Still, no amount of pity would drive him to voluntarily converse with her. So, the two sat in silence until finally the carriage came to a stop.

“We’ve arrived.”

Her soft voice broke Daniel out of his thoughts. He watched the door swing open and the princess gesture at it to him. Eyeing her warily, Daniel wasn’t sure why she was staying seated. Didn’t courtly manners dictate that it was polite to let a lady go first?

He realized a moment later the reason why.

“I’m not staying in this city, Daniel.”

“...I didn’t ask.”

“You looked like you wanted to.”

Faith let out a small laugh, leaning back into her seat as her posture relaxed. Daniel stood up and started out of the coach. She spoke out once more.

“I’ll be returning to my country now. Are you certain there is nothing I can do to bring you back?”

The [Hero] didn’t even pause before replying.

“No. There’s nothing you can do.”

Sighing, Faith cast her gaze back towards the window and ran a hand along its gilded edges.

“I see. Then I wish you all the best with saving your friends.”

That was all she said before the door closed. Daniel waited for a moment for the carriage to leave. He saw Faith disappear into the distance. Her retinue of guards were following her on horseback. Only three of the riders remained.

Jaakko, Helen, and Zack.

“We were only paid to escort her to you and Salvos. Our contract with her is finished. We shall stay in Viechester until we find another job.”

The Cyclops spoke simply, offering the information willingly. Daniel gave him a nod.

“Right, I’ll try and find Salvos. See if she’s done anything reckless in this war.”

“I’m sure she has.”

Snorting, Zack winced as Helen jabbed him in the side.

“Tell us if you find her, alright?”

“I will.”

Daniel parted ways with the three Gold Ranks, walking through the mostly empty city of Viechester. Its streets which had once been so full of life— with dozens of performers drawing in the attention of small crowds, with vendors which sold delicious smelling food, and just with people busying about their day— had become a ghost town.

The city was in lockdown— no, not a mandated lockdown by the city’s mayor. It was an unofficial announcement that citizens should remain indoors for their own safety. A company war was something entirely out of the local government’s hands. The city guards could deal with Gold Rank threats at most. The fact that this company war involved hundreds of Silvers and Golds, dozens of Platinums, and even Diamonds left it entirely out of their hands to intervene, even if they wanted to.

The last time two large companies fought had been between the Forsaken Company and Remembered Order Company. Two of the Three Honorable Companies. Not only did their squabbling over resources greatly weaken their fighting strength just before the most recent Kobold invasion which resulted in what had once been the Grand Eastern Empire’s collapse into the dozens of small kingdoms it was today, but the attempted intervention by the Vaun Qieur Empire to stop the company war resulted in many of their top generals dead.

It was not a fun time, essentially.

Which made Daniel question why the Iron Champions Company pushed so hard for war against the Valiant Dreamers despite all the possible consequences for… everything. There had to be a reason beyond just revenge for all the petty back and forths between the two in the past. Whatever that reason was, however, eluded him entirely. And it seemed that the Iron Champions ploy failed.

Daniel found himself walking through a street littered with corpses. It was nowhere near as bloody as the first battle he had ever found himself in— one which involved thousands of combatants on both sides— but he still found the sight to be gruesome.

Dozens of— maybe even over a hundred— adventurers had been slain just outside of the Valiant Dreamers’ headquarters. The casualties came from both sides; the Iron Champions Company ostensibly taking up a larger share of the dead.

Adventurers Daniel recognized belonging to the Valiant Dreamers were cleaning up the dead. After only a single night, victory had been achieved— the siege was broken.

Hadrian was having a discussion with Baris and a few others right next to the broken gates of the headquarters. They were tabulating the deaths, trying to figure who survived and who did not from the long night.

“...in total, 8 of our Platinums were killed, 37 Golds or almost a dozen teams, and over a hundred Silvers. That’s compared to 6 of their Platinums, 53 of their Golds, and also over a hundred of their Silvers. 84 assassins have been counted among their dead. About two-thirds of the total number we estimated they brought. Most of them were low leveled.”

“So many deaths… and for what?”

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company had a grim look on his face. He clenched his fist as his father took over the conversation, almost drawing himself to the side. Daniel saw this opportunity to approach him.

“Hadrian.”

“You—”

The blond man turned and blinked at him.

“Uh… Daniel, right?”

“Yeah. Have you seen my friend— Salvos? Silver hair, wearing a blue jacket? Or maybe Edithe. She was looking for her, I think.”

“Oh, them. They came back not long ago. Went inside. Not sure where they’re at now.”

Daniel nodded and smiled gratefully at him.

“Thanks. And… sorry that all this had to happen.”

The [Hero] truly meant those words, even if he was no longer as disgusted by the sight as he would have been when he first came to this world. The fact that he was desensitized to it was even more infuriating to him than anything else.

But Daniel could only worry now for his friends. He entered the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers, passing by rows of injured bodies lining up the walls. Stopping only once to see Cless be tended to by a [Healing Mage], he continued up the stairs and into the room Rachel and Edithe were staying in.

Nothing.

No one was there. Daniel wanted to head back outside to search for them, but a sudden sense of extreme weariness drew him to the empty bed. His exhaustion of having to deal with Faith, then see the consequences of the company war drained him of all his energy. And the young man from Earth just slumped over on the mattress.

He rested the back of his hand gently on his forehead, a heavy breath escaping his lips. Thoughts raced through his mind. Concerns which he had never once thought he would ever be worried about. That of war and death. Of heroism and bravery. Of cowardice and survival.

The events of the past few days were heavy. Is Faith actually telling the truth? Will the Valiant Dreamers win the company war? Is everyone in the Elutra Kingdom really going to be used as a sacrifice?

He didn’t want to get involved. He didn’t want to be involved. But he was. And it went beyond just that.

What about that Archdemon in the Motharis? What is he going to do with his army? What kind of calamity will he bring if he does come down from the Dungeon?

Daniel was not like Salvos; he considered such possibilities and felt compelled to at least do something about it. Furthermore, he had not enjoyed the multiple near-death experiences during his time in the Brilsum Ruins. It might have been normal for her considering her upbringing, but such events stressed him out.

He shut his eyes as his head hung off the side of the bed. Words escaped his mouth, voicing his inner thoughts for once.

“I just want to…”

Trailing off, Daniel sighed. A voice instantly snapped his eyes open, and he saw a pair of golden eyes staring at him.

“You just want to…?”

Salvos glanced up at Daniel from the wooden floor. She was lying down with her arms sprawled wide, a look of confusion on her face.

“You didn’t finish your sentence. What do you want to do?”

“Salvos? When did you get in here? What are you… what are you doing?”

Daniel raised an eyebrow as the Demon shot to her feet.

“Nothing! I totally, most definitely wasn’t hiding myself while I tried to take a nap like Humans do! Absolutely not!”

He did not believe her, but he didn’t comment on it. Because something caught his eye. She looked… different.

Then he identified her and realized what had happened.

“You evolved?”

“I did! After I killed Stephen and all those assassins, I reached Level 71, and I got the option to evolve!”

“So, you’re an Archdemon now?”

Slowly shifting to a seated position, Daniel regarded the Demon. She shook her head, thumbing a finger at herself excitedly.

“Nope! Not yet. But I did get a new, improved Species. Check this out— I’m now a Greater Demon of Pride!”

“You are?”

“Yep! I was shocked at first since I was expecting to get something more like Grand Demon or Super Demon! But instead, I just became a different kind of Greater Demon. But then I realized I really liked it a moment after!”

“Wait, do you mean to tell me you didn’t even get a choice?”

“No. Why would I?”

Salvos gave him a puzzled look; he frowned, crossing his arms.

“That’s not right. Are you saying the System— I mean, you just became a Greater Demon of Pride against your will?”

Shrugging, she took a step forward and sat next to him.

“I became a Demon against my will. I was born against my will. You’re a Human against your will. I don’t see why it matters.”

Daniel scootched slightly away from her, but she leaned forward with round eyes.

“So, back to what you were saying… what were you saying again?”

“I was just muttering to myself. It doesn’t really matter.”

He averted his gaze, uneasily scratching his chin. She exclaimed.

“But it does! You made me curious by talking to yourself in English! And now you’re not going to tell me what you meant to say? That’s rude!”

Daniel blinked, seeing the pout on the girl’s face. He sighed.

“That’s not what being rude means at all.”

“Huh.”

“But I guess… I guess I could tell you.”

Daniel wasn’t sure of what he was saying. But Salvos was not just one of the only people he could speak to about this, knowing that he was from Earth and all. However, she also wouldn’t fully grasp his situation. So, it lessened the awkwardness of it all.

“I was just feeling… unhappy.”

He admitted, glancing up at the ceiling.

“Unhappy? About what?”

Salvos gave him a curious look.

“The stress. The pressure. The expectations. Knowing that people’s lives are on the line. That I, as a [Hero], can do something to save them. But I don’t. But I can’t. But I fail to.”

His response did not exactly elucidate anything for her, but before she could open her mouth and interrupt him with questions again, he continued. Words flowed out of his mouth like water from a river.

“I had wanted it once. This kind of a life. Being a hero and saving people. I dreamed of such a thing when I was at my lowest. When I felt like my life had no meaning.”

Salvos cocked her head, her flowing silver hair swaying to the side. The dam that had clogged up the rushing waters had been broken— now it was free to run free.

“It was just a silly wish. A desire to escape from reality. I was in college— not a good college— and my life was going terrible. My grades were bad. I was depressed. All I ever did was spend my time playing video games in my room. But I wasn’t always like that. I had been happy once. I had a girlfriend once, you know? Me.”

He spilled everything he had been bottling up ever since he came to the Nexeus. The frustrations he felt. The regrets he had from Earth.

“You did?”

The question was innocent, but it still stung him a little bit.

“I mean, it wasn’t anything serious. She said it herself that it wasn’t serious when we first started dating. And most high school romances do end in break up. But I loved her. She was the only person I truly loved.”

“What was her name?”

“Her name was Emily. And she died in an accident towards the end of our senior year just before starting college. That was when I began to lose everything. Lose control of my life. Only now… I realize I have so many things back on Earth that I loved. That this world? Being a [Hero]? It’s not for me.”

Daniel turned to Salvos, not realizing when he had started crying. The tears fell freely down his face, blurring his vision of the girl.

“I thought I had everything I had ever wanted when I came here. But now I realize I have nothing. That Faith never loved me. That my Class? Being a [Hero]? It does nothing if I’m not actually suited to be a hero. I just want to… I just want to…”

He choked back on his regrets. His desires. Facing the floor, then his palms, he spoke his one wish.

“I just want to go home.”

And then there was silence; his thoughts finally realized. All that could be heard was his own muffled crying. He didn’t know how much time passed. Just that he sat there, head buried in his hands, overcome by sadness.

Then the silence ended. Salvos spoke out, drawing his eyes towards her.

“Then let’s make a contract.”

The words were simple. Straight to the point. Just as she always was. Except, there was something about her voice— no, something about her form that was different.

Instead of finding himself face to face with the beautiful woman from before. The enchanting young maiden with piercing golden eyes and flowing silver hair tied into a ponytail. He instead found himself facing a face like a dog’s skull. A creature with four clawed hands. Flesh like bone. Dozens of piranha-like teeth bared to him.

Daniel would have flinched a few months ago. But he was used to this now. He only spared a glance over at the extra set of arms and the bulkier form.

“...what did you say, Salvos?”

“I said, let’s make a contract.”

The raspy voice of the Demon came out with alacrity, showing not a hint of the terrifying creature she appeared to be. But Daniel knew that could change easily.

The two gleaming dots looking down at him curved up, showing a smile that Daniel otherwise would not have picked up.

“You’ve helped me out a lot, Daniel. In fact, you’ve already done exactly what you said you would do! I now know the way back to the Netherworld, and it’s thanks to your help. So, I’m going to get a Class, become a [Space Mage], find Haec, then—”

Salvos rested a hand on the mattress as it pressed down under the weight. She stopped just inches away from Daniel’s face, finishing with a grin.

“Then I’ll help you find your way back!”

Daniel slowly took this in, not really comprehending her logic. He rarely did.

“But, Salvos, we can’t form a contract.”

“Why not? Demons do it all the time!”

“You don’t have a summoning collar! Or whatever Spirits use to bind them to a master! Without them it won’t be a contract, it’s just… words?”

Daniel lost himself in his speech. Salvos seemed to see the flaw in what he was saying too.

“Everything I’ve seen about Humans revolves around words. You say this gold coin is worth the same as that dagger, and I buy it. I say I’ll give you this pendant if you save my daughter, and you save my daughter. Why do these words matter? Anyone can just lie.”

“Because if you lie, others will stop trusting you. Your words will lose meaning. And if you lie enough times, there may be consequences for it.”

Salvos nodded.

“Exactly.”

She waved a clawed finger as she spoke casually.

“If I didn’t keep my word, you wouldn’t trust me. And if you stop trusting me, I lose a companion. Why would I want to do that?”

Standing up, she loomed over Daniel and walked in front of him. Light seeping in through the cracks at the window shone behind her as she slowly changed back to a Human. Now, an angel stood before him. One that offered him a deal like the devil.

“I, Salvos, Demon of the Netherworld, wish to make a contract with you, Daniel, [Hero] from Earth. That as long as either of us lives, I shall find a way to bring you back to your world. To your home. And for that, you only have a single price to pay.”

Daniel hesitated, biting his lower lip to keep himself from giving an immediate answer.

“And what is this price, Salvos?”

“It’s simple: even when you go back to Earth, you will never forget me. Salvos. Your companion. And you will carry my name with you until you die.”

She smiled and put a hand out.

“What do you say?”

The answer was obvious.

End of Volume 2

Author's Note:

It is, honestly, demotivating to see my rankings tank constantly from people who are upset that Salvos spends too much time grinding, and from others who are upset that Salvos spends too little time grinding. A lot of my 'good reviews' are getting downvoted like mad, while the 'bad reviews' are getting voted up to the top. And if they were actually substantive and constructive bad reviews getting voted, I'd understand. But some of them are just... what? Especially the one complaining about Daniel's screen time... literally, Daniel had less POV time than Edithe, and the entirety of Volume 2 was always related to what Salvos, her goals, and her desires.

Anyway, my mental health is down the gutter at this point, so if you're an asshole who can only leave negative comments, I don't care but you're getting blocked. I had to put up with this bullshit for Melas, and I will not put up with it any longer.

Of course, I am aware that these assholes are the vast minority of my readers. So, to everyone else— to all the normal people out there— thank you once again for reading. Your support is the only reason why I haven't just pulled this story for KU where I'll at least get paid by people who will spew shit my way. Thank you <3

Also, typical plug for patreon, but fun fact, I have the 10% discount for those subscribing for a year open until the end of April. Consider checking my patreon out. I offer 20 chapters ahead for only $5, despite the fact that it would honestly be a lot more financially better for me if I had my patreon rewards mainly centered around the $10 tier. I did the change because I understand a lot of people are struggling financially, especially with today's climate, so I would rather not charge more than absolutely necessary for what I can offer.

Anyway, check out my patreon here, it offers 10 chapters ahead for my $3 tier, 20 for my $5 tier, side story content for my $10 tier, the chance to contribute to the story for my $15 tier, and the chance to have a character in the story for my $50 tier. There's a $69 meme tier which has the same rewards as the $50 tier, but it lets you keep a discord role color of your choice permanently, even if you subscribe once.

Also, join my discord and be greeted by my greeter bots!

Volume 3 will be more focused on the monster evolution aspect of the story. Not because of the constant complaints, but because I had it planned since the very beginning. Thanks for reading!

Consider voting for me on TopWebFiction Salvos | Top Web Fiction

A note from MelasD

Check out my Patreon!

101. Consequences (Start of Volume 3)

A note from MelasD

New posting schedule will be roughly 11-1 PM PST.

101. Consequences

The night was cold and silent. The ramshackle hut lay abandoned, forgone to nature. But nature had not reclaimed this artificial structure; its hollow, echoing quiet was proof it had been lost but found.

A light gust of wind sighed through the trees, the run down wooden door creaked from its pressure. Fire flickered deep within its halls, under the shelter of a staircase leading to a collapsed second floor. Huddling around the flames were figures. Small, dark figures dressed in tattered clothing.

They were eating with quiet determination, slurping on their bowls full of a crudely boiled soup. It had begun so well, this late supper. They had avoided making any noise whatsoever for as long as they could. Until one of them dropped their wooden spoon, feeding the fire by accident.

Laughter ensued. Or garbled sounds that were similar to it. Then the one who had dropped their spoon reached across the fireplace with their long, thin arms and snatched the spoon of another. A fight broke out.

These hairless, pinkish gray creatures struggled with one another, tumbling across the wooden floorboards. Then they came to a stop by a tall shadow.

The two stared at the creature looming over them. The terrifying four armed Demon that bared its teeth and bent over.

“Hi.”

I casually greeted them. They stumbled back, drawing their rusted short swords and axes. Noises left their mouth— odd, grunting and squeaking noises. These were not words. At least, not to my [Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension].

It was like the bark of a dog or the meow of a cat. The roar of an angry beast or the cry of startled man. Taking a step forward, I spread my arms out wide.

“Are you four perhaps the Goblins I’m looking for?”

They didn’t answer. They just glared up at me. I crossed two of my arms as my other two created swords.

“I’m only going to give you this one warning: leave this place and don’t return. The Humans here are not happy about how you keep killing them!”

The threat was backed by the facts. Each of them were far lower leveled than me; they were Gold Rank, yes. Each of them were around Level 40 or 50. They were marked as low Gold Rank threats or high Silver threats.

Certainly, it was not something I was supposed to be tasked with. I was a Platinum Rank after all. And yet, here I was.

Sighing, I shook my head.

“I see then.”

The Goblins rushed me— all at once. The four didn’t break out into some kind of a tactical formation; they were not like Human adventurers who would surround me and attack my flank. They simply stabbed at me, despite the fact that I was bigger than them, stronger than them, and higher level than them.

I parried the strikes easily, blocking the attacks with ease. Then my claws sheared through the first Goblin, and the reality of the situation settled into the others.

They backed away from me as I dispelled my own fire weapons. I didn’t even need it here. That had been nothing more than to threaten them with. They didn’t speak a language, so I assumed it was fine if I used gestures and objects to convey the message.

But even after I killed the first Goblin, they still didn’t understand. One of them let out a garbled war cry. They rushed me, entire body blurring into two as they spun and struck—

I grabbed him, it... whatever… and tossed him at the stairway. The wood splintered and its foundations collapsed, crushing the Goblin entirely. The notifications dinged in my head as I glared at the other two.

Yet despite that show of force, they remained undeterred in trying to kill me. The last two Goblins charged me with all their might. Their screams felt like it shook the entire building. There was a Skill here— maybe even multiple working in tandem.

But it didn’t stop me from clawing through them in an instant.

“Well, that’s that.”

I left the bodies with one last glance before walking out of the hut. Its foundations looked weaker now. Perhaps the fallen staircase was what kept it sturdy even throughout the years it had been abandoned. But now that it was gone, after my battle with the Goblins, it would lead to the entire structure’s eventual collapse in the future.

My body twisted as I passed through the dark trees, heading back to the road Daniel, Edithe, and I agreed to meet in. I arrived at the location now looking like a Human. My silver hair flowed slightly shorter than before, and I stood taller. Literally.

I was as tall as Edithe now. My blue jacket fit me even better than before. It had been given to me by Daniel, so it previously had been too big for me. It still was, but its sleeves no longer covered my hands, and I could actually feel the cool wind of night on my fingertips now.

The red haired woman turned to face me as I arrived. She and Daniel had both been waiting for me. And by the looks on their faces, they probably had been waiting for a while.

“Salvos, what took you so— why are your clothes slightly torn?”

Glancing down at myself, I saw that my pants indeed had some holes in it. My shirt was in better shape, and my jacket never ripped as long as I stayed hunched over.

“Oops.”

Daniel averted his gaze only slightly, scratching his black hair; apparently the damage done to my clothing was too little for him to be flustered over. Edithe spoke with a frown.

“You changed to your Demon form to fight a group of Goblins?”

“It’s not a Demon form. It’s my normal form. And yes, I did.”

“Why would you do that?”

The Human woman was not upset. In fact, she regarded me with an inquisitive look more than anything. I opened my palms and shrugged.

“I was trying to scare them off.”

“Did it work out?”

“Uh…”

I trailed off and glanced between the two of them.

“No?”

“At least you tried, I guess.”

Edithe tried to give me a reassuring look, although it ended up coming off more as pitiful. She spun around and started down the road, leading the way back to Viechester.

The three of us trudged along the path, our feet grinding against the soft, wet dirt to make a slapping sound. It had been raining earlier this afternoon, and it muddied the earth, getting my feet all sticky. My shoes were torn.

I struck up a conversation with the two, asking them about how their end of the mission went.

“We exterminated our group of Manticores without a problem. We had to track them down to their nest since they were treating some of the nearby towns as hunting grounds.”

“You didn’t try scaring them off?”

I cocked my head and Daniel stared at me.

“What about you, didn’t you try using your new Skill, [Intimidation] on those Goblins?”

I protested, raising my hands defensively.

“I haven’t even chosen any of my new Skills yet! But I don’t think that’s how [Intimidation] works either!”

“Well, we certainly haven’t found any information on such a Skill in any of our company’s books.”

Edithe piped up casually from ahead. I nodded.

“Exactly. I don’t even know if it’s good or not! I can’t just replace one of my precious Skills with it!”

“Didn’t you gain two new Skills Slots?”

Daniel pointed out.

“I did! But I’m still thinking about it.”

And I really was. I had evolved— I had broken Level 70 and gotten a new Species, a new Subspecies, and a bunch of new Skills. But despite all that, even after a week had passed, I still remained undecided.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 71

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 3

[Rest] - Lvl. 3

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 79 (+5) (-5)

[Strength]: 52 (+5) (-5)

[Endurance]: 74 (+5) (-5)

[Wisdom]: 103 (+5) (+5)

[Agility]: 163 (+5) (-5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 7]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 1

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 1

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 1

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slots] x2

4 of my Skills had advanced to a better, improved version of themselves. These new Skills were Level 1, and yet they kept most of the advantages of the previous Skills, while opening new opportunities for growth. They were [Ember Core], [Flame Burst], [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense], and [Barrage of Cinders].

Again, I had not distributed any of the Skill Points for these them, because I was still ruminating over what other two Skills from my plethora of choices I should add to my repertoire.

[Flaming Breath], [Horror’s Flare], [Intimidation], [Radiant Slash], [Passive - Keen Eye], [Passive - Refined Casting] are all the new Skills I have available.

Each of them seemed self explanatory. Everything except for [Radiant Slash] and [Horror’s Flare]. They were the only ones I could not exactly determine the effects of. Sure, I could extrapolate and guess that [Radiant Slash] did something similar to Daniel’s [Hero’s Slash], or [Horror’s Flare] sent some kind of fiery beacon in the air… but then why would they be Level 70 Skills?

There had to be more to them than that, and I was certain they would have to have multiple uses.

I was once again mulling over my various Skills and each of their abilities before I bumped into Edithe’s back. My companion turned back to me with a raised brow.

“Daydreaming, Salvos? We’re already back.”

“Huh.”

My eyes took in the front gate of Viechester; its banclite walls were as white as ever. The anti magic material seemed to dim my vision of the seams of mana in the air. The threads almost looked like they ended on the walls.

Edithe showed her company pass as well as her Adventurer’s Guild badge then gestured back at Daniel and I.

“They’re with me.”

The guard nodded and let us through, only pausing to take in the state of my clothes. Edithe didn’t mind it like she normally would when my clothes were fully torn, so I was assuming they were in decent enough shape for Humans to be comfortable with and the guard was just wondering what kind of a scuffle I got into that resulted in my appearance.

We made our way to the Adventurers Guild and submitted our contracts. The receptionist over at the counter blinked, looking me over with wide eyes.

“Oh, uh, the extermination job assigned with a low Gold Rank level of threat has been completed by the… Platinum Rank adventurer, Salvos. Your reward will be brought out for you shortly, Just, uh, wait in the lobby for a little bit and one of my colleagues will be out shortly.”

I nodded gratefully and took my receipt back to the table Edithe and Daniel were seated. They had turned in their job separately from me, since we had taken two different jobs. Both of them were done on behalf of the Valiant Dreamers Company, despite the fact that I was an independent adventurer.

Beaming my way to the table, I plopped myself to the chair across from my two companions.

“You look happy, Salvos.”

Edithe observed as she sipped from a mug of ale. Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose and explained.

“She’s been excited all week. Everyone treats her differently now that she’s a Platinum. She complained for days about how the receptionists and adventurers in this guild were dismissive of her for her levels when we first came here. Now, she’s being all smug about it.”

“I’m taking pride in my achievements.”

I corrected him with a wave of the finger. Raising my chin, I watched the world around me lower itself before my very presence.

“They thought I was nothing but a rock before, but now look at the way they stare at me.”

And sure enough, a few adventurers were casting glances my way. They were looking at me out of the corner of their eyes, whispering and pointing. Unfortunately however, most of their focus was fixed on Edithe.

“...from the Valiant Dreamers Company…”

“...the company war…”

“...bastards are too busy fighting amongst themselves they’ve increased the burden on all of us…”

They said less than kind things which made Edithe wince every time she heard them. Frowning, I stood up and approached the closest group of gossipers. They were low Gold Ranks— at around Level 45. The group paused their talking and faced me.

“Hey.”

“Uh, can we help you Miss—”

I jammed fire dagger down on the center of their table and they jumped. The wooden board snapped in half from the impact and I let the weapon disappear.

“Stop talking bad about my companion.”

The men stared at me. One of them opened their mouth and stood up.

“Oi you—”

He started but was cut off by another who pushed him back to his seat. The second man hurriedly bowed his head and spoke apologetically.

“Apologies Miss…”

I didn’t respond. I simply crossed my arms and looked at him. He hesitated, before finally continuing.

“We didn’t mean to insult your friend—”

“My companion.”

“Uh, right. We were only complaining about the situation we’re in because of the company war. The situation is hard on all of us, yes?”

I shook my head and turned around. My eyes scanned over the crowd of adventurers in the guild. Some of them had their hands on their weapons, but most of them were just eyeing me warily.

“I don’t care. But if anyone here talks bad about Edithe again, I will give you reason to talk bad about me instead.”

With that said, I sat back down with my companions. I murmured under my breath as I instinctively reached for a glass to drink from.

“Honestly, sometimes Humans are so—”

I spat out the liquid and grimaced.

“Gross.”

That was a habit I probably should not try to keep; I had been pretending to drink and eat since I had to be around Humans all the time, but it was starting to seep into my reflexes.

There was a light cough and I glanced up. Edithe shifted uncomfortably in her seat as her face burned.

“Thank you, uh, Salvos. But that wasn’t really necessary.”

“It was!”

I spoke simply.

“These people have been bad mouthing you all week now. They’re mad because the Valiant Dreamers Company can no longer help them take care of their stupid problems. But who asked them to be so weak in the first place?”

“But—”

“I’ll have to agree with Salvos, Edithe.”

Daniel added from the side.

“You’re one of the few Gold Ranks from the Valiant Dreamers who are actively trying to aid the guild and local adventurers by taking up their excess jobs for them. And it’s not like it’s your fault the Valiant Dreamers are now wrapped up in this stupid war with the Iron Champions Company.”

Edithe chewed on her lower lip as Daniel rested a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t let them get you down. And let us stand up for you.”

“Yep! I’ll beat up any stupid Human who says any mean thing about you!”

I grinned and flexed an arm. Unfortunately, it did not look as terrifying as it would if I were not in my Human form. Especially since I only had two arms now. Four arms are great. I remember when I used to have over a dozen limbs…

My nostalgia was interrupted by Edithe suddenly standing up. She nodded at us quickly,

“Right. Thanks. Both of you. But I think we should be heading back now. Before Rachel gets worried.”

Starting out of the guild, Edithe almost left us behind as Daniel and I exchanged a glance. We both followed her, keeping a short distance behind the red haired woman. We had tried cheering her up to no avail.

I nudged Daniel.

“This is your fault! You shouldn’t have brought up how she’s stuck taking care of dumb missions while her companions are busy with the company war!”

“Me? What about you! You shouldn’t have made a scene in the first place!”

We spoke in hushed whispers, but the Gold Rank adventurer somehow heard us.

“Guys.”

She turned around, giving us a pained smile.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to worry so much over me.”

I blinked then pointed an accusing finger at Daniel.

“It’s his fault!”

He glared at me while Edithe shook her head.

“It’s neither of your faults. Would I prefer to be fighting alongside the other dreamers, against those assholes who killed Paige? Yes. Would I prefer if everyone in the Adventurers Guild didn’t look at me with such animosity and hate? Yes. But it’s my own fault that I’m in this situation.”

My companion, the red haired woman named Edithe, sighed as she spun back around. Her gaze turned towards the starry night sky, her voice vulnerable and quiet.

“It’s my own fault I can’t help them. After all, I am a [Summoner] who can no longer summon.”

A note from MelasD

Welcome to the start of Volume 3! I'd just like to say, thank you all for your kind words and your outpouring of support. It really means a lot to me <3

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102. An Offer

102. An Offer

“It’s my own fault I can’t help them. After all, I am a [Summoner] who can no longer summon.”

My heart sank as Edithe said those words; not only was my companion no longer able to utilize her most important skill set in battle, she also couldn’t use half of her Class’ Skills. She had broken her contract with Mistshard. She ended the contract against the [Elemental]’s will, and as a result, she would not be able to summon a Spirit again.

And now Druma and Mistshard were gone. The two could no longer be called by Edithe. Knowing that had hurt me too, but I focused on what was in front of me first. My eyes sharpened as I stared at Edithe.

“It’s not your fault. You were doing what you thought was best.”

“I did. But once again, I was wrong.”

She raised her towards the stars, her eyes longingly searching the twinkling balls of light for something. Anything. I saw this, and I felt sad.

“I was wrong, just like how I was wrong about you, Salvos. Just like how I was wrong about facing Lucerna. Sometimes… I’m just a bit of an idiot, huh?”

I felt my fist tighten into a ball and I shook my head.

“No.”

Edithe glanced over at me, blinking.

“It’s fine, Salvos, I—”

“It still isn’t your fault. And it’s ok to be wrong. I have been wrong before too! When Haec warned me about the Demon King’s Domain. I should have listened. We shouldn’t have wandered in. Because of my insistence, we’re separated. But it’s not my fault, just like it isn’t yours.”

“What do you mean?”

I waved my hands, exasperated.

“The world is just unfair. That’s all that is. If it wasn’t, I would be a wild Demon. Or I’d be dead, like the others.”

Taking a deep breath, I solemnly lowered my hands and spoke slowly.

“It is… what it is.”

My companion stared at me, eyes wide. We stood in silence for a moment, neither saying anything. Until finally, my other companion took a step forward and placed a hand on Edithe’s shoulder.

“Salvos is right.”

He paused, eyeing me with a look.

“Even if she’s stating the obvious like it was some kind of profound statement.”

“Hey!”

Sputtering, I shook a fist.

“It makes sense to me!”

“It does. And that’s why I’m saying, Edithe, Salvos and I aren’t just going to let others put you down, especially when you’re already down on the ground and hurt. We’ll help you up. As Salvos would say, we’re companions, right?”

Edithe slowly nodded.

“Right.”

I walked up to Edithe and hugged her. She took a step back, caught off guard. Then I pulled myself away from her, clasping my hands behind my back.

“And even if you can’t summon, even if you’re weak now, that just means you can only get stronger. We’ll help you get there. We’ll help you level up. Get you a Class advancement that suits your situation.”

Her gaze was fixed on me, confusion evident. But I met it back with a look of determination. Then a small smile spread across her lips.

“Thank you, Salvos, Daniel.”

I beamed, glad to see that she was now feeling better. Taking the lead, I marched forward triumphantly.

“Then let’s go back to Rachel! I want to play with her!”

Daniel and Edithe paused. They stared at me judgingly. I blinked and took a defensive step back.

“W-what?!”

“Nothing.”

The two spoke at the same time. Despite saying that however, Daniel muttered a snide comment under his breath after.

“She’s so childish.”

“Hey! I heard that!”

“I know.”

—--

The three of us returned to the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company soon after. It was not as busy as it had been when I first came here— back then, adventurers filled the halls, chatting with lively spirit. Only two Golds had been guarding the entrance, and even that was considered unusual due to the circumstances at the time.

Now, a team of Gold and two teams of Silvers stood on watch. The barrier which surrounded the structure was far stronger— I could tell how much more delicately woven the threads of mana forming it was. My better mastery of magic and the arcane let me see it. Maybe I wouldn’t have noticed a difference had I not trained my mana refinement over the last few months.

We were let through and entered the building; most of the adventurers here recognized Daniel and I by now. Only Edithe was a member of the company. Since we were with her anyway, we wouldn’t have had problems getting in.

The moment we reached Edithe’s room, Rachel burst out of the door and buried herself into my legs. The little girl stared up at me with her round, amber eyes. I ruffled her brown hair as the look she gave me drew my lips into a smile.

“We’re back!”

“What took you guys so long! You said you would be back before the sun set!”

I glanced past her, out of the window in the room. The sun hung low on the horizon, giving a vibrant, orange tinge in the sky that stood in stark contrast to the dark blue drapes folded to the side of the picture-esque sight.

“But the sun hasn’t set yet.”

I pointed out. Rachel shook her head defiantly and hugged me harder.

“Well, it almost did!”

Edithe chuckled and pulled Rachel away from me. Holding the girl in her arms, the red haired woman grinned.

“How have you been, Rachel? You’re supposed to be focusing on studying.”

“I have! It’s just that I got a little worried… that’s all.”

Rachel pouted as Edithe gave her a dubious look. I raised a brow.

“Studying?”

“Yeah, she’s been interested in picking up a Class soon. She wants to be an adventurer— and a princess, but that’s not going to happen— so I’ve been giving her books to read and prepare herself for the adventuring life.”

Plopping Rachel back on the ground, Edithe faced me. Daniel narrowed his eyes and spoke with a frown.

“You’re just letting her become an adventurer? Isn’t that dangerous?”

“If that’s what she wants to do, I can’t stop her. Besides, I’m not just leaving her alone to fight giant rats or something. I’m having her read books. And for anything else that’s even remotely practical, I’ve asked Sophia to tutor her.”

“And Rachel has been doing an excellent job of learning.”

Another voice spoke out. It didn’t come from me, Daniel, or Edithe. It came from down the hallway. A young Human woman with brown hair tied into a bun turned the corner, her hands dug into her pockets, and a bow hung around her back.

“There’s no need to worry too much, as long as she isn’t getting herself into dangerous situations. In fact, I think it’s better for children who want to be adventurers to be educated about it, so they can actually decide when they’re older if it’s the path they want or not.”

“Sophia!”

I exclaimed, looking her over. Rachel shied back behind Edithe and Daniel, although she didn’t exactly seem to regard the young woman the same way as she would a stranger.

“Hi, uh, Salovs, Daniel.”

Sophia greeted us both hesitantly for some reason. I grinned and pointed a finger at myself.

“That’s me! And I haven’t seen you all week!”

I had only spoken to her briefly when I returned to Viechester. And it was only because I was searching for Rachel after I had saved Edithe. Sophia was an odd Human though— and the way she acted reflected that!

“I’ve been… a bit busy. Not as busy as the others since I’m not the best at fighting. But I’ve still been doing jobs for the company.”

“Yep! I’ve been helping out too!”

“Right, that’s actually why I’m here.”

I cocked my head as Sophia explained.

“Hadrian asked me to find you and Daniel when you two came back. He wants to speak with the both of you.”

Daniel and I exchanged a glance.

“What does he need us for?”

“I don’t know. Just said to come talk to him when you have the time. He’s in his office upstairs.”

“Alright then!”

I obligingly started for the stairs, followed by Daniel. Rachel tried following me, but was once again scooped up by Edithe.

“Oh no you don’t. You and I will be doing some reading.”

“Aw—”

I could only spare Rachel one look of sympathy before I rounded the corner. Daniel and I made our way through the corridor until we reached Hadrian’s office.

“What do you think he wants with us?”

My companion asked. I shrugged.

“Don’t know. Let’s find out.”

Knocking on the door, I waited for Hadrian’s voice to call out before coming in. His office was a large room that was rather minimalist. I had expected his office to have a lot of books lining its walls like a library, but instead he simply had a desk in the center with a large open space for training.

“Is this a training room or an office?”

I curiously looked around. Hadrian laughed.

“It’s a bit of both, actually. How are you doing, Salvos, Daniel? Been doing good, I hope?”

We nodded as we stopped right before his desk. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company stared at us with his piercing blue eyes. Running a hand through his silky, blonde hair, he gestured at the two chairs in front of us.

“Please, take a seat.”

“Did you want to speak with us, Hadrian?”

I asked, raising a hand. He faced me and winked my way.

“Well, I would’ve preferred to just speak with you—”

Daniel scowled for whatever reason. But Hadrian steeled himself and wore a more serious face.

“But this matter is in regards to both of you.”

Glancing over at my companion for any hint on what this could be, all I found was a seething Human man. I turned back to Hadrian as he began.

“As you can tell, our company has been very busy recently. Not only are we low on members after the events of last week, but we’re still embroiled in a pointless company war, trying to force the Iron Champions Company out of the region. Our allies have begun offering us their support— Silvers are being sent to help with keeping the monster population around Viechester from running wild, and some Golds are even coming to aid us directly in the war.”

He leaned forward in his seat and rested his elbows on the wooden desk.

“But the Iron Champions have their own allies too. Support from noble families which are lacking in the Sunmere Republic. We have groups backing us, yes. But we’re in the unfortunate situation where our sphere of influence can’t spread as far as we’d like since we share the same country as the Rising Veterans, one of the Three Honorable Companies. I’m not saying this puts us in a terribly disadvantageous position, but it is a disadvantage. Even if a minor one.”

“Huh.”

Tapping a finger lightly on my chin, I listened to the Human man speak. He took a deep breath and I piped up.

“So, your company is in a bad spot. But we already knew that.”

“Not a bad spot. I’m sure the Iron Champions Company faces similar issues and dilemmas as us. No company— or even a country— goes to a war and comes out of it unscathed. We’re just facing problems that are typical of a company war. And we’d like any advantage we can get.”

That was certainly true; if I was going to a Dungeon, I would stock up on healing potions, mana potions, and stamina potions so I would lower the risks of losing a fight and dying.

Hadrian broke me out from my thoughts.

“Salvos. Daniel.”

He clasped his hands together, addressing both of us. Daniel was no longer upset; we turned to face Hadrian as he held our gaze.

“Both of your presence have been a massive boon to our company. You have not only helped us in getting our highest leveled [Alchemist], Gabriel, back when we were in a tight spot, but you’ve also saved the lives of some of our best members. And now, you’re working on behalf of the Valiant Dreamers Company to deal with the excess monster hunting jobs that our members can no longer handle.”

“Well, we’re only doing it because we’re helping Edithe—”

Daniel nudged me, cutting me off.

“Let Hadrian finish. I think he’s going somewhere with this.”

I blinked and slowly nodded. Hadrian gave Daniel a grateful look then spoke softly.

“I would like to formally offer both of you, Salvos and Daniel, the opportunity to join the Valiant Dreamers Company as a dreamer. You have both proven yourselves to uphold the values we preach, and you have aided us greatly before. If you accept, we will give you access to not only all the resources and contacts we have, and you don’t have to pay a thing. This is why I called you here.”

“Wait…”

I stared at Hadrian.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Huh.”

Crossing my arms, I turned to Daniel.

“What do we do?”

“Personally, I don’t mind either way. So, it’s up to you, Salvos.”

I frowned; the question posed to me was a little sudden. Hadrian smiled gently and waved a hand.

“Take your time. And be honest with yourself. Don’t feel obligated to accept it for any reason whatsoever.”

It was true that the Valiant Dreamers Company had been good to me. They had protected Rachel as they promised, and Edithee was in the company too! If I joined them, they would have given me access to a plethora of things I never would have access to otherwise too!

It definitely seemed like there were no downsides to joining the company. So, I felt my lips curl up as I looked up to face Hadrian. A smile spread across my face as I cheerfully gave my answer.

“Nope! We refuse!”

A note from MelasD

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Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

103. Compromising!

103. Compromising!

“Nope! We refuse!”

I happily gave my response to Hadrian’s offer. The blonde man stared at me for a moment, blinking. Then he leaned back on his chair and sighed.

“Thought so.”

Strumming his fingers on the desk, the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company wore a resigned face.

“Is there any reason in particular why you don’t want to join us? Anything we can do to convince you?”

I paused, tilting my head up to the ceiling. A few thoughts came to mind; but it was nothing Daniel would approve. The reason why I had rejected Hadrian was simple: the Valiant Dreamers Company would never accept me in the first place.

It was the exact same reason why I refused Stephen’s offer— the Iron Champions Company only saw me as a resource. While I doubted the Valiant Dreamers Company would see me the same way, the fact remained they wouldn’t actually see me as me. They would see the false skin I bore and assumed that was Salvos.

When in fact, I was a Demon.

I would only join them if and only if I revealed the real Salvos to Hadrian. But judging by the look on Daniel’s face, that was not an option. So, I shrugged.

“There are many reasons! And there are some things you can do to change my mind.”

“That is?”

Hadrian gave me an expectant look. I crossed my arms and sunk into my chair.

“It’s a secret!”

He narrowed his eyes— not suspiciously, but with more curiosity than anything. Then he laughed.

“Well, I guess there goes our two [Heroes].”

Daniel visibly flinched from the remark, however he and I both knew Hadrian did not actually think we were [Heroes]. It was one of those things Humans said but didn’t mean in a literal sense.

“Yep. Sorry! We’ll help out where we can though!”

I offered an apologetic smile. Then I beamed and raised my chin.

“In fact, I’ve already asked one of my friends to help out where she can!”

“You have?”

“Saffron Merryster.”

I spoke the name with pride. The noble who I had met and escorted briefly through Nixa. She had given me her family’s crest and told me I could ask for her help if the need ever arose. I had thought this was the perfect situation to call on her aid.

Hadrian frowned.

“Who?”

I deflated.

“Uh… a daughter of the Merryster family?”

“...”

“A Dukedom in Nixa!”

I sputtered, waving my hands insistently.

“Have you really never heard of her?”

“I can’t say I have. But— I’m not too well versed in politics. My dad deals with that for me.”

I stood up and placed both my hands on the table. I held Hadrian’s gaze, speaking earnestly.

“Well, she’s a noble! A very powerful noble! I’m sure she’ll be able to help!”

Hadrian looked at me for a moment, studying my face. Then he stood up and smiled. He placed a hand on my shoulder and spoke gratefully.

“Thank you, Salvos. For your assistance thus far.”

Then he closed his eyes and bowed his head.

“However, I implore you, could you please listen to one last request we have?”

I glanced back at Daniel and we exchanged a look. We had been helping with the Valiant Dreamers Company thus far, it really couldn’t hurt to help them out a little bit more.

“Sure?”

Hadrian let out a relieved breath.

“I ensure you will properly be reimbursed for this. It’s not that difficult, but—”

“Wait.”

My voice came out sharp, cutting off his words before he could finish. Tapping a finger on my chin, I had a thought.

“We don’t need gold.”

“Salvos, what are you saying?”

Daniel piped up in a hurry behind me; he quietly whispered my way.

“We have barely any money right now! Everything we made from the Motharis was spent on stocking back up on potions and enchantments!”

There had been a few artifacts we took from the Brilsum Ruins that were worth selling. And after we had appraised it and got our gold for it, we proceeded to spend our money all on other kinds of artifacts. One of them was my brand new gold bracelet!

It looked fancy and had jewels sticking out of it. It was perfect for battling Humans in their social field! I could use it to better convince them that I was a Princess, since princesses were very well dressed!

Shaking my head, I raised a finger at Daniel.

“That’s exactly why we don’t need any more gold.”

“But… but…”

He was baffled— unable to come up with a riposte. Having triumphantly beaten him in this social battle, I shifted my focus back to Hadrian with a jingle of my bracelet.

“Hadrian, we don’t need payment in gold or anything like that. But we want something else.”

“That… depends. What exactly is it you want?”

Looking at me with a puzzled face, Hadrian waited for me to continue. I lightly clapped my hands together and smiled.

“We want Edithe!”

—--

Daniel, Edithe, and I said our goodbyes to Rachel the next morning and started our way towards our destination. We were headed for a town just east of Viechester— it was called Lulica. They had been dealing with a bandit problem for the past few weeks, although it never amounted to enough to warrant the Adventurer Guild’s attention.

But apparently, that was only because of fear of some kind of repercussion from the Platinum Ranks in Viechester. Because now, with most of the Valiant Dreamer adventurers busy with the company war and the unaffiliated adventurers overworked, these bandits had come out in full force and began attacking travelers and carrying out kidnappings for ransom.

They weren’t even low level too— they were said to be around Gold Rank, and their numbers were unknown. So, it was up to the three of us to deal with this threat before we could finally leave Viechester.

“But why are we leaving Viechester, Salvos? What’s this deal you made with Hadrian? I don’t… I don’t understand.”

Edithe spoke in a worried tone. I grinned back at her and gave her a thumbs up.

“I told you, we’re going to get you stronger first! Daniel and I will get you to Level 70, just you wait.”

“But I can’t even—”

“You’ll be fighting at a disadvantage, yes. Which is why we should start leveling you as fast as possible from now!”

I exclaimed excitedly. I could feel something stirring up inside of me; the cup of joy knowing that my companion was going to become stronger began spilling out into a series of light tippy taps from my feet as I danced around.

“We’ll all be Platinum, then Diamond, then Elites together!”

“While I do agree with that sentiment, I think you’re getting a little bit too ahead of yourself there, Salvos.”

Daniel added in his usual gloomy self. I waved a hand dismissively and spun to meet Edithe’s gaze.

“Don’t worry, once we’ve got this job over and done with, I promise you we’ll go somewhere else where you can become stronger than ever!”

Edithe did not exactly look too enthused, but she slowly nodded.

“And where is this place, Salvos?”

“I don’t think even she knows.”

The Human man commented from the side. Ignoring him, I winked back at the red haired woman.

“It’s a secret. You’ll see when you get there.”

I had not been idle since returning to Viechester. Sure, I had helped around with the Valiant Dreamers Company with a bunch of things— but that didn’t include the time I spent at night, awake and with nothing to do.

“I’ve been doing a lot of reading, you know? And there’s so many cool places you two have never shown me! Well, I need to reach Level 100 as soon as possible too! So, we’re going to be busy!”

I declared as I marched forward. Daniel and Edithe exchanged a glance; both of them had the same look of uncertainty on their faces. But neither protested even as we reached Lulica.

The town had a small wooden wall surrounding it, with some guards standing on its battlements. They called out to us, raising their swords, spears, and bows warily our way. A few had wands at the ready, but no spell conjured just yet.

“We’re adventurers! From Viechester.”

I waved a hand at them. Then, flashing a badge, I pointed at the gates.

“Platinum Ranks. Let us through, please!”

The guards immediately did as they were told; they opened the city gates and let us through. The captain on duty hurriedly came to greet us.

“Adventurers! Are you the ones sent here from the Valiant Dreamers Company? The ones who will help relieve us from this bandit threat?”

“That’s us!”

Waggling his bushy mustache, he let out a deep breath.

“Oh thank you. We’ll give you as much information as we can about them. Please, come to my office.”

We followed him to a decorated room with a desk and a few display cases around the sides. Daniel paused for a moment to inspect a painting, before we began discussing the situation in the city.

“For a while now, our city has been dealing with these bandits— we thought they were just rogue thugs at first— and putting a clamp down on their petty crimes and robbery. But when it became clear that it was the same individuals getting away with it over and over again, we knew something was amiss.”

“You guys didn’t call for the Adventurers Guild help then?”

Daniel asked, furrowing his brows. The guard captain shook his head.

“No. We thought it was just a gang or something a bit more organized than just a few petty criminals. Until last week— when word of the company war broke out— the bandit group revealed themselves and raided the town.”

“They did?”

Narrowing her eyes, Edithe cast a gaze towards the nearby window. I listened intently as the man elaborated.

“It was the whole lot of them. They call themselves the Calhoul Coins. Many of them were Gold Rank in level! My guards could not do anything to stop them! We were slaughtered!”

“They attacked the city and…?”

I leaned forward, curious about what happened next. The guard captain coughed.

“They sacked half of the city. Took many women and children with them. Stole our crops. Our merchant’s goods. They took everything then left. But they aren’t gone just yet. Just two days ago, a group of their thugs returned to kidnap more women. Steal more from those who survived the first attack.”

“I see.”

I nodded slowly as he finished. It sounded like a dire situation indeed; I knew Humans didn’t like it when their towns and cities were attacked. And the fact that it was attacked twice meant that they were really unhappy about this!

The guard captain bowed his head pleadingly.

“Please, adventurers, if there’s anything I can do to help you, just ask.”

“I only have one question.”

Daniel finally broke out from his silence. He folded his arms as he addressed the guard captain.

“Were you the one who submitted this request for adventurers to the Adventurers Guild?”

Blinking, the guard captain slowly shook his head.

“I, uh, no. Before I could formally submit a request on behalf of the city, someone else had already done it.”

“Could you please direct us to him?”

Edithe smiled at him. He bobbed his head.

“Why of course. He’s a man by the name of Piero. Runs a tavern down in the center of town. Calls it Piero’s Bistro.”

“Got it. Thank you.”

Standing up, Edithe started out of the room. Daniel followed behind her and I was a step slower than them. I paused right at the doorway, turning back one last time to wave at the guard captain.

“Thanks— what was your name again?”

“Johnathan.”

“That’s a nice name. I’m Salvos! Bye!”

The door closed behind us and I realized Daniel and Edithe were already down the street, on their way to the tavern Johnathan pointed out. I quickly caught up to them and cocked my head.

“Why the rush? What’s wrong?”

The two were acting a bit weird. Edithe hadn’t been her usual self the whole week, but this was extra weird. And Daniel was always weird, but now he was weird in a non Human weird way!

My companions both turned to face me. And the Human man spoke up.

“That guard captain… I don’t trust him.”

“Why not?”

“Because.”

Edithe started, his eyes trailing towards the wooden walls of the city.

“The city’s walls barely look damaged. They look mostly fine, even. As if only the gates were breached, but even then it’s not in a bad enough way that reflects a large group of Gold Rank equivalents taking it.”

“Plus, he knew about this problem for a while, and never once brought it up with the Adventurers Guild? I’d understand if they didn’t have the resources for it, but you saw his office.”

I thought about the room for a moment. I remembered the paintings and the vases. The sparkly colors that reminded me of a noble.

“It was nice!”

Daniel nodded. He spun back around, continuing ahead with Edithe as we reached the center of the town. He spoke softly.

“And that’s exactly the problem.”

A note from MelasD

Well, I got as high as 450, but a hundred votes evaporated from last week, so I'm down to 358. I am fairly certain it would have hit 500, otherwise. But... oh well. I still got up to third place, which is decent enough. So, here you go. You can read the next chapter here for free. Too bad for peeps who don't read author's notes :p

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

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Announcement

A note from MelasD

Read Tian

No, I will not be stopping Salvos in any way whatsoever.

I have a new fic called Tian that is currently close to the front page of Trending! Check it out and give it a rating!

Death is a disease.

Tian, a Cultivator at the precipice of ascension, is thwarted in her quest for immortality. Defeated, she escapes to another world with Levels, Classes, magic, and monsters. She becomes a Lost Soul and her core begins to dwindle, but she does not abandon her goal.

Working with a group of rebels in this new world, she opposes the unkillable tyrant Galgom to learn his secrets. Against his army of machines wielding laser guns and laser swords, she will cultivate her new powers, achieving Feats as she seeks her cure:

Immortality.

What to expect from this story:

- A rational MC.

- In-depth worldbuilding.

- No harems.

- Badass female lead.

Read Tian here

No, I will not be stopping Salvos in any way whatsoever.

Why did I make an entire post about this? Because y'all don't read the author's notes. I did a test. An experiment. And you guys mostly ignore it :p

Anyway, this story is a LitRPGXCultivation fiction I've been working on for a bit. If the premise doesn't catch your attention, check out Melas instead here https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B08WJ8HZ2G

Please give it a rating, I really need it for Trendy <3

A note from MelasD

Read Tian

No, I will not be stopping Salvos in any way whatsoever.

104. Fancy Disguise

104. Fancy Disguise

The three of us found Piero’s Bistro soon after; the tavern wasn’t too large, but it wasn’t too crowded either. Most of the taverns I had been in have always had a busy crowd filling it up with noise and chatter. But this place was almost completely empty.

“Welcome!”

A friendly Human man greeted us as we entered the doorway. He was carrying a tray of drinks to a table— one of the few occupied tables— before setting it down and turning to us.

“What can I do for you today?”

Daniel approached him, nodding.

“We’re looking for a place to stay for the night. And to ask some questions. We’re adventurers. Here on a job.”

The other man’s eyes grew wide and he quickly wiped his hands and turned to my companion.

“Wait, are you here for the job I sent to Viechester? I’m Piero— the one who made the request.”

“That’s right.”

Edithe spoke up, glancing around the room. Her eyes scanned the area, stopping at every person within the tavern. Then she smiled and offered a hand.

“We’re here to help. Can you tell us anything you know about these bandits?”

“Of course!”

Piero eagerly led us to a table and we began our discussion. He told us most of the same thing the guard captain, Jonathan, did. The bandits had been a problem for a while, but they were only responsible for minor offenses like stealing. There had been a few kidnappings, but nothing so major that anyone thought hiring adventurers were necessary.

“And why’s that?”

I cocked my head, curious at his reasoning. Piero wiped a sweat off his brow— he had been working all day. In fact, he was supposed to be working right now. But now that he was talking to us, he had a young Human woman take over for him.

The girl seemed only a few years older than Rachel. If I had to guess, she was about 15 years old. She brought us a platter of food and drinks as Piero explained.

“We never had the coin to afford it. Adventurers are expensive, Miss, you’ve got to understand that. It’s a dangerous job, and the reward has to reflect that effort. Maybe if I didn’t have a family young, I would have tried my hand at it too. Silvers can earn dozens, if not hundreds, of gold coins a year just by doing the most basic of jobs. But that means I can’t possibly put up enough of a reward to draw in any adventurers.”

“And you can now?”

Daniel scratched the bottom of his chin as he peered at Piero. The tavern owner nodded.

“I dug into my savings. I’ve put in everything I have ever saved up for this request, Mr Daniel. 50 gold coins. I know it may not seem like much to you adventurers. Good enough for a single job, maybe. But that’s all my money.”

“Why now? Why not before?”

Edithe prodded the man with crossed arms. His fists tightened into balls as his entire body began to quiver.

“Because they took my wife, Miss. They took my sweet Chloe. Ripped her away from my arms. I was helpless to stop them. My only consolation is knowing that Sophie managed to escape by hiding in the wine cellar. Those bastards were too busy getting drunk to notice her.”

A dark shadow was cast over Piero’s face. I could tell the mood in the table shifted. Even the girl from before, who was now serving other guests, seemed to have overheard the conversation and been affected by this dour atmosphere.

The silence lasted a total of a second before I decided to end it. Placing a hand on the man’s shoulder, I spoke reassuringly.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find your wife! We’ll take care of these bandits. The Calhoul Coins, right? Just tell us where they went.”

Piero stared up at me, his eyes watering up. Then he shook his head.

“I don’t know if I can.”

Sniffling, he slumped back to his chair.

“They came in the middle of the night. Took the city’s walls before anyone noticed. And after that, it was a slaughter. It was like we were bugs hiding in the tall grass, trying to escape from the scythe. They came and they left. I don’t know where they even went.”

Daniel frowned.

“We heard that they were ransoming off the hostages.”

“They are. But not all of those who were kidnapped are being sold back. I know someone— Hugh— his children were taken from him. They demanded 10 gold coins from him. But they only let him take one back.”

“This... Hugh.”

Leaning forward, Edithe gave Piero an inquiring look.

“Where can we find him?”

“He works at the farm just outside of the city. I don’t know if you should visit him now since it’s late. I think it’s better if you find him in the morning, when he’s out there working and tilling the fields. Although… you might catch him visiting tomorrow if you wake up early enough. He’ll be doing a delivery for us at dawn.”

“We’ll see. For now, we just need a room to sleep in, if you have any available.”

“Of course. We have plenty of vacancies.”

Piero hesitated, drawing his lips to a thin line.

“I, uh, would love to provide you with a complimentary place to stay. But times are tough right now—”

“It’s fine.”

Smiling, Daniel produced a small pouch of silver coins.

“This is for the food. And the rooms.”

The tavern owner’s eyes grew round at the sight. He gratefully accepted the coins and bowed his head profusely.

“Oh, thank you. Thank you.”

With that, we were given a key to our rooms and made our way to the second floor. I was supposed to be sleeping with Edithe while Daniel stayed in a separate room, but…

“I don’t want to!”

I protested as Edithe tried to drag me inside. My eyes fixed on the bed, then snapped back to the hallway. I dug my fingers at the door frame and cried out.

“Daniel, save me!”

“Salvos, why won’t you just do what you usually do while we’re sleeping?”

The Human man spoke from his doorway.

“Because there’s nothing to read here! And doing nothing is boring!”

Sighing, Edithe let go of my hand and I stumbled forward. I grinned triumphantly.

“I am free!”

“What are you going to do, Salvos? It’s night and most people will be asleep.”

I spun around to face her, innocently hiding my hands behind my back.

“I’ll ask around the town about these bandits! And that guard captain, Jonathan! You two don’t trust him, right?”

My companions exchanged a glance. Edithe crossed her arms while Daniel rubbed a hand on his sword’s hilt.

“It’s definitely suspicious how the Calhoul Coins were able to take the city walls so easily. Even if they were mostly Golds. It was almost like they were let in.”

“Yeah. We saw the kind of devastation brought to all the towns and cities he attacked. This was nothing like that. Only the town seemed to have been looted and plundered. I definitely don’t trust that guard captain at all.”

The two seemed to come to some kind of a mutual agreement; I didn’t really see it, but I nodded my head nonetheless.

“That’s exactly why I should investigate!”

I dug into my pockets and produced my Necklace of Lesser Obfuscation; I had not been wearing it. Apparently, I came across as a [Mage] as long as I was in my Mortal Form. Linking its chains around my neck, I stood proudly before Daniel and Edithe.

“Look! Now they won’t know I’m an adventurer. I can ask any questions I want and I won’t rouse suspicion from Jonathan!”

“...they know what you look like, Salvos.”

Daniel pointed out. I scowled and gestured at Edithe.

“I can just wear some of her clothes! They won’t suspect a thing!”

He still seemed unconvinced, until I met his gaze.

“Trust me, Daniel. I’ll be fine. I’m not going to be reckless or stupid. I’m just going to look around. Alright?”

“...fine.”

Finally, the Human man acquiesced. Edithe was fine with it too. She provided me with a change of attire; it apparently was used by her for more formal wear. A white, silken dress that was embroidered around its sleeves and collar. Its flounce fell to my knees, frills lightly dangling around my legs.

She gave me a brown hood to wear, along with a sun hat to cover my freely flowing silver hair. Looking at my disguise, I grinned and stepped out of the room. I’m a Princess, I thought proudly.

My bracelet was worn for all to see around my forearms, and the Ring of Lesser Obfuscation looked like any ordinary pendant hanging resting on my chest. I tinkered with the artifact, making me appear like a Level 21 [Mage].

“See, Daniel? There’s nothing to be worried about!”

The Human man was nowhere to be seen. I rapped lightly on his door to no response.

“Huh. Did he fall asleep, I wonder.”

Edithe chuckled and patted me on the back.

“Just go. And stay safe. Make sure to return to the inn by morning.”

I beamed and gave her a thumbs up.

“Of course! Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

Skipping happily down the hallway, I made my way out of Piero’s Bistro and to the town square. It was empty.

Night had fallen while we were busy questioning Piero, and now it was even later since I had to get changed and convince my companions to let me wander the city. My mood was immediately dampened, like a storm cloud was hanging over my face.

“Where is everyone?”

Sighing, my slippers sunk into the soft earth as I made my way through the empty town. Lulica was not the biggest Human settlement I had been in. In fact, if I had to liken it to something, it would be like one of those towns surrounding Warrington, but slightly larger.

There were a few distinct differences between them however, one being the wall surrounding Lulica. It was not the most defensive or sturdiest wall I had seen— it was only made of wood— but it was present. Just as Edithe had observed, it had not fallen from the bandit attacks, despite being apparently breached twice.

Another difference was the state of Lulica; it was almost like Silvergrove after Lucerna’s attack. Entire houses were toppled, piles of burnt wood and ashes remain where buildings were, and blood stained the earth where corpses once lay.

I noted a few Humans bundling themselves around large fires. They had no shelter— no homes to sleep in. I approached one of these groups and took a seat next to a gruff Human man. He grunted and faced me.

“What do you want, lady? Can’t you see we have no room at the fire? Take your flashy jewels and get a room at one of the nearby inns.”

I blinked and stared at the man.

“Why would I do that? I want to be here.”

“Don’t be stupid, lady. Do you really think you can walk around dressed like that without running into any trouble?”

I cocked my head.

“Yes. Why not?”

The large man— taller than even Daniel, almost as tall as I was when I was not in my Mortal Form— furrowed his brows. His face was scarred. A large cut ran across one of his cheeks, making the scowl on his face even more sharp.

“Fuckin’ rich people. Fine. Do as you wish. But don’t blame me if something happens to you.”

He turned back to the fire, clearly ignoring my presence there. I looked over at a few of the other Humans huddled around the flames. They pointedly avoided my gaze, focusing on the dancing orange light as if it had caught them in some kind of a trance.

A small chuckle came from behind me and a hooded man stood before me. He placed a hand on my shoulder, tilting his head up to reveal a bright, white smile.

“Hey, don’t let that man bother you. He’s just upset that he lost his house during the raid.”

“I’m not bothered by it at all.”

I gave an honest reply. The hooded man grinned and sat next to me.

“Well, that’s good. Everyone should feel welcomed by the fire. But too many people have no place to sleep, and are envious of those who do.”

I glanced over at the men, women, and children sitting around the fire. Some were nibbling on scraps of food. Others were just shivering. I found this sight to be slightly unusual, but thought nothing else of it.

“Huh.”

“And the worst part is when the guards come to break us up.”

The hooded man sighed. He shook his head in a way Daniel would when upset.

“Why would they do that?”

I asked, puzzled. Shrugging, the hooded man leaned back.

“When a group grows too large, so does the fire with it. And that becomes dangerous, especially if not properly maintained. So, they force us into smaller groups. To break us up and put out the flames.”

I cast my gaze back to the flickering, orange light. It was certainly big. But it did not seem like it would be dangerous enough to warrant fear. And I spoke my thoughts truthfully.

“That makes no sense.”

“I guess it’s not something a noble would understand, huh?”

The hooded man chuckled again. I glanced back at him as he propped his head up on his hand.

“You probably have high level [Mages] deal with everything for you where you come from.”

I stared at the Human for a moment. Then I felt my lips curl up as I lifted my chin.

“Why of course! And how did you ascertain my heritage, may I ask?”

“With the way you’re dressed and the questions you’re asking? It was quite obvious.”

I looked myself over one more time, grinning.

“Certainly I am dressed to fit my status. You have a very keen eye, Mister—”

“Sebastian. But my friends call me Seb.”

“Mr Seb then.”

I addressed him properly; I lightly rested my hands on my legs and faced him.

“I was actually hoping to inquire about the attack on this town. Tell me, do you know anything about these Calhoul Coins?”

Seb narrowed his eyes. He opened his mouth—

“Alright, break it up! This fire is getting too large!”

A deep voice barked as heavy footfalls descended on us. I looked over at the patrol of Human guards arriving with their spears, a [Mage] accompanying them with an uncaring face. The [Mage] raised a hand and water shot out. The fire immediately dimmed, groans and complaints rose amongst the gathered group. But they slowly got up, scattering from the dying flames like wisps of cinder.

The large man from earlier cursed.

“Damn guards, taking away our fuckin’ fire but not even giving us food or shelter...”

Getting up, I started for one of the distant fires. I felt a hand tug me. I turned back to Seb, a smile spreading across his lips.

“Miss noble, I actually happen to know a little bit about these Calhoul Coins.”

I blinked. Then I jumped excitedly.

“You do?!”

“And is this really all you know about the Calhoul Coins?”

Daniel studied the face of the farmer. Hugh wrinkled his brows and placed a hand over his mouth, covering his crooked teeth.

“I really don’t know, Mister adventurer. When they sold mah boy back to me, they told me to meet them at the river just outside of ta city.”

“I see.”

Sighing, Daniel nodded at the farmer and thanked him. There was almost nothing Hugh said that the [Hero] didn’t already know. The only thing he actually learned was the meeting at the river, which didn’t actually help at all.

“Do you think we should at least search downriver? See if the bandits maybe built some kind of a hideout there?”

Daniel suggested. Apparently, Edithe had been lost in her thoughts as she jerked back, a look of surprise on her face for a moment.

“I’m… not sure. It’s just a meeting spot. And I guess it doesn’t hurt to look. But I can’t help but think it’s a waste of time.”

“Right. I thought so too.”

He agreed with her as she glanced around the tavern. Daniel saw her gaze lock onto Piero who was talking to a large man. The tavern owner was giving out some food— he had been doing that almost all morning.

Daniel didn’t focus on that. Instead, his thoughts focused back onto the guard captain.

“Do you think we should try to investigate the town guards instead?”

“Maybe… but will that actually help us? If the guard captain is really affiliated with the Calhoul Coins, he’d make sure his tracks are covered, at the very least.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

Narrowing his eyes, Daniel noted how Edithe’s eyes glazed over. Her focus seemed to be elsewhere; her rejection of every option was almost uncharacteristic of her. She had been hotheaded— assertive— when he first met her. He was used to being the ‘voice of reason’, arguing against fighting the Greater Demon with the Title of the Destroyer.

But since he came back to Viechester— since the siege of the Valiant Dreamers Company— she had been different. Aloof. More reserved. And while Daniel knew the reason behind it, he couldn’t help but ask her about it.

“Is… everything alright, Edithe?”

The red haired woman blinked. She faced him as he cocked a brow.

“You seem out of it today. Is something wrong?”

Taking a deep breath, Edithe slowly answered.

“I… it’s Salvos. I’m a little worried about her. She said she would return by morning. And she’s still not back yet.”

That’s what it is? Daniel couldn’t help but let out a small giggle at her concerned. Edithe shifted uncomfortably, crossing one arm across her stomach to grab lock onto her elbow.

“What?”

“It’s nothing. I mean, it’s good that you’re concerned about Salvos and all. But I think she’s the last person you should be worried about.”

“I’m not worried that she’ll be in danger. I’m worried about how oblivious she is sometimes, you know?”

Edithe’s worries became apparent to Daniel. That’s true, he thought for a moment. But he wanted to wave it off. He knew Salvos was not the most socially aware person, but she was sharper than she often came across.

Or at least, that’s what the [Hero] tried telling himself. There were some cracks in his confidence, he soon found out. Because moments later, when Piero approached the pair of adventurers with news from the night before, he couldn’t help but feel panic seep into his heart.

“Hey, uh, Ms Edithe, Mr Daniel? I just spoke with a friend of mine and he told me about this weird girl— one whose description seemed awfully similar to your other party member— that he met last night. I just wanted to let you know that she was spotted leaving Lulica with a stranger some time after midnight.”

Daniel turned to Edithe and saw the worry spread across her face. The [Hero], so confident before, felt only a single word leaving his mouth.

“Salvos...”

I followed Seb as he led me out of Lulica. I glanced back at the walls in the distance, speaking with uncertainty.

“Are you sure this is the right way?”

We had been walking for a while— very slowly at that. He trudged ahead of me, seeming like he was waiting for me to keep up with him.

“Of course. My friends who know all about the Calhoul Coins live just outside of the city. If you just follow me, I’ll take you there.”

I nodded eagerly.

“Alright then!”

We continued through the forest until the town was no longer in sight; we reached a river and started in the same direction of the running water, before reaching the mouth of a cave just a little bit away from a roaring waterfall.

“This is it.”

“It is?”

I cocked my head and followed him into the cave entrance.

“Your friends sure live in a weird place.”

“They do. But don’t worry about that. They’ll tell you everything you wanted to know about the Calhoul Coins. After all—”

He spread his arms wide as figures appeared around me. Rugged, armored Humans wielding all sorts of weapons cut off my exit. [Mages], [Warriors], [Rogues], [Archers]. A few of them had non combat Classes, but still they came. Dozens of them.

Seb finished.

“They are the Calhoul Coins.”

“Huh.”

I looked over at the group of men and women standing before me. They had greed in their eyes; Seb, the man who thought he tricked me, had thrown off his hood. He now wore the same malicious gaze of the others, revealing what I had seen in him the night before.

I paused and crossed my arms.

“You are aware of my status, yes?”

Seb snarled.

“That’s right, you stupid woman! You’ve fallen right into our trap! Now hand over all your belongings and tell us what family you’re from.”

Licking his lips, he drew a dagger.

“Or else we’ll have to kill you.”

I nodded slowly and reached around my neck. I unhooked the clasp of my necklace and tossed it at Seb. The Human man happily accepted it and took a step forward.

“Good. And your gold?”

“I don’t have any gold.”

I spoke the truth. He snapped back at me.

“What kind of a noble doesn’t have gold?! You’re a fucking liar!”

“I’m not a noble.”

I shook my head simply. Smiling sweetly back at the bandits surrounding me, I pulled out my bracelet and set it down on the ground gently.

“I’m a Princess.”

I corrected them with a wave of my fingers. Seb sputtered.

“Princess? What kind of bullshit is that? You’re not a fucking Princess.”

“Well, that’s what I say I am. A Princess. So show some respect and—”

I bared my teeth, choosing the first of my new Skills to test out as my body rippled with power.

“KNEEL.”

A note from MelasD

The end of this chapter was inspired by Void Domain. Amazing web serial. Dark af, though, for RR standards. Darker than anything I've written, at least.

And people call me a grimderp author, lmao. That's kinda funny tbh. Cuz I ain't. Not even close. I would like to write a real grimdark story, one day. Just to see how it goes. But that day is not today.

Today, I am writing a rationalfic with a strong female lead called Tian. READ IT NOW AND GIVE IT A RATING!

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

105. Heathens

105. Heathens

“Kneel.”

The word left my mouth as [Intimidation] took effect. It was the very first of my newly available Skills that I used; I assigned it to one of my two available Skill Slots and activated it. And the moment I did, my voice seemed to echo through the cave despite me speaking casually.

The bandits standing closest to me, especially Seb, dropped to their knees. They cowered and quivered, shaking in their boots even though I hadn’t fully transformed out of my Mortal Form yet. Their eyes were glued to the ground— they were only able to hear the cracks and pops of my bones as they grew longer and my body grew taller.

My clothes— Edithe’s clothes— unfortunately tore as I grew in height. Two extra arms sprouted from my sides, ripping apart the last of the dress I had been given. I would have taken it out first before changing, but Edithe’s incessant reminders stuck in my head that I should not remove my clothes in front of strangers. So, I didn’t.

A pair of crooked, forward-facing horns grew out of my head as my face elongated itself; my hands turned to claws and my skin turned paler, while my hair’s bright silver took on a darker tint. The bandits— the ones beyond the small circle kneeling around me— took a step back.

Their eyes were bulging out of their sockets and their mouths were hanging open. I was expecting them to flee— for this to be resolved without any bloodshed— but an angry voice called out as a woman pushed her way through the unmoving crowd of bandits.

“What are you idiots doing?!”

[Warrior - Lvl. 68]

She paused, narrowing her eyes at me. Then she drew two short swords and pointed one my way.

“That’s a fucking Demon! Don’t just stand there! Kill it!”

Sighing, I watched as the first of the frozen bandits broke out of their stupor. They rushed past the kneeling Humans, brushing by them and seemingly breaking them free from my Skill too.

“I tried giving you a chance. Oh well.”

A grin spread across my face as the first bandit reached me. I raised one of my four arms, and a blazing fire wisped itself into existence on my claws. They were lit ablaze, each holding my fury within them.

Then I swiped out— first with my top right claw. Then with my top left claw. My bottom two claws swung out at the same time, then I turned into a whirlwind of flames. A tempest of fire. A [Barrage of Cinders].

The closest bandits to me were torn apart. Those who dared make the charge were sheared like paper. It was like an amplified [Fire Strike], but repeated over and over and over again.

The Skill never ran out. It would not end until my mana was exhausted. However, I did not want to waste all my mana on a single Skill. Especially when the swarm of bandits was too much for me to just stand there and take on.

A group of [Mages] aimed their spells towards me and loosed a flurry of powerful magic. I disengaged from the [Warriors] and the flames around my hands vanished. Instead, I covered my chest with my four arms and focused my fire there. It was so wild— so furious. It was like a raging river. But if I calmed it down, if I tried to cool down the rushing currents, it would freeze. Become solid.

“[Ember Core].”

A thin layer of solid fire ran through my body. It spread out, enveloping me entirely. It was like armor. But like weak leather armor. Then I concentrated on my forearms and only my forearms. It grew thicker— stronger— becoming like a powerful metal.

The spells struck the flaming protection— most of the damage had been absorbed by my Skill. But even then, I could see cracks of black blood forming down my arms. I growled and looked over at the [Mages], past the charging [Warriors] and [Rogues].

With [Self Haste] coursing through my body, I leapt up into the air and burst forward. A cone of flames erupted behind my back as [Flame Burst] propelled me towards the rock wall. I clung onto it, glancing down at the wave of Humans rushing after me. Then I jumped again and a second [Flame Burst] boosted me over them straight to the [Mages].

I crashed straight into them as they screamed. A few tried to run, but I inhaled deeply and took up another one of my Skill Slots.

[Flaming Breath].

I exhaled and a cone of fire covered the bandits closest to me. It was nothing like a [Scorching Wave]! It was way better!

I spun around, feeling the heat in my chest dissipate as my speed slowed. I couldn’t use the Skill again instantly, which was a downside. But I still had other Skills to use. A kusarigama came into existence on one of my hands, its chains already flying towards those that tried to flee. It wrapped around their ankles and pulled them all back at once.

They were just about to reach my feet when four blades struck my back at once. That was the first direct hit I had taken during the entire fight. I stumbled forward, loosening the chains as the woman from before approached me.

“You’ve done a number to me and my boys, but don’t think you can get out of this alive, Demon!”

She spat and readied both her blades. I narrowed my eyes as something alerted me to her movements. I was cut four times, but she only has two blades. A prescient feeling brought me to focus on her shadows, that was when I saw how it was aimed directly at mine.

The same feeling nagged at me, telling me that the bandits I had caught were escaping. [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense]? I thought for a moment before the bandit boss lashed out.

She swung twice, and I evaded her attacks. Her shadow however, nicked mine and I flinched. I brought my kusarigama up between us and I let its flames burn. My shadow was now casting behind me, while hers was behind her.

I grinned as she instantly backed up. Then I spun around and saw the bandits fleeing. If they escape and tell others about me—

I took a step forward and paused. The bandits were cut down by magic and a sword. Edithe and Daniel stood at the cave’s entryway, weapons raised and ready to fight.

The bandit boss paused for a moment, then she called out to them.

“Adventurers! We need your help— there’s a Demon here, and if we don’t slay it, it’ll destroy the nearby towns!”

Daniel and Edithe exchanged a glance. Then they raised their weapons.

“We’re actually with her.”

“Yeah…”

The bandit boss blinked. And at that brief period of confusion, I managed to land a combination of [Barrage of Cinders] on her. Then I grabbed her and slammed her against the wall before the remaining bandits reached me.

A [Flame Burst] carried me away from them and towards my two companions. They covered me instantly and I raised a hand.

“Potions.”

They handed me a red and blue potion. It was a healing and mana potion respectively. I downed the both of them as my two companions held off the group of bandits. I gasped and wiped my mouth.

“Thanks! I wasn’t really hurt, but it’s still refreshing!”

There were about a dozen bandits above Gold left, the rest were at Silver or below. When I first entered however, there were over a hundred of them. Now, less than 40 bandits stood before us. The highest leveled amongst them was injured.

And they made the only sensible decision. A woman dropped her weapon and got on her knees.

“Mercy! Please spare us!”

A man followed, then another man. Half a dozen bandits instantly surrendered, and because of that, the remaining ones stood uncertainly.

I frowned, taking on this sight. But then, the bandit boss moved.

“Cowards!”

She hobbled her way forward as her bandit group drew back. Her gaze swept through her companions, causing those who surrendered to quiver in fear. She had red in her eyes— anger which she then directed towards my companions.

“You! Why are you helping a Demon?!”

Daniel took a step and held out his sword.

“We’re her friends. Why wouldn’t we help her?”

“Humans and Demons working together? Ridiculous!”

The bandit boss spat and wiped at her mouth. She shook her head, her red eyes still fixed on me.

“Don’t you know anything about history? The Demons were responsible for the fall of our Human Empire!”

“An empire from thousands of years ago.”

Edithe raised her staff, aiming it at the other woman.

“We don’t care about what other Demons did, or what they did a long time ago. This is Salvos. And she’s with us.”

Narrowing her eyes, the bandit boss grabbed one of her nearby companions. The man struggled, making a confused sound before she bit into his neck. He paused, eyes wide. Before he went limp.

The bandits around her took a startled step away as she grinned, blood drooling down from her mouth. Then a fiery aura engulfed her and she pointed her sword at me.

“Kill the heathens! Kill the Demon! Bring them to justice!”

Daniel blinked for a moment. Then he sputtered.

“A Vampire? She’s a Vampire?!”

Her words somehow brought the bandits to action. Even the ones who surrendered. The red aura she exuded formed a line towards the bandits who surrendered, driving them forward.

The rest followed— perhaps in confusion, or perhaps because her words instilled something in them. I stared at the charging bandits.

“Uh… what’s going on? Is this like with the Mindreapers?”

“She’s… a Vampire. As for how she’s doing that? I don’t know. Just get ready. They seem really angry.”

Edithe spoke as she sent blasts of ice out. I nodded and created four swords for each of my hands. I could manage it now that [Passive - Weapon Mastery] was maxed.

The bandit wave made its way towards us— and the entire front layer vanished. Daniel’s sword shone for a moment, the air flickered, and a dozen fell. Then I sent another [Flaming Breath] out, and more were incinerated too. Edithe’s magic took out the Silvers easily, and when we were finished, all that remained was the bandit boss.

The Vampire that stared my way with burning, red eyes. She lashes out, but Daniel easily deflected her swing. Her swords clattered on the ground and she glared his way.

“Fool! You know this will only bring us destruction! You are so… foolish!”

“What is your problem— why do you hate Demons so much?”

He asked, frowning as he stepped forward. Certainly, most of the Humans I encountered treated me as a kill on sight. But they were not angry— from my encounters in Silvergrove, they simply feared for their life.

“Why?”

The bandit boss laughed.

“Because the Demon King is at the gates. He’ll make his return. And because you aid his kind, he shall bring destruction to our countries as he did before.”

I paused. I studied the mad expression on the woman— the Vampire’s face. I hadn’t noticed it earlier, but she had a pair of fangs protruding from her mouth. Or were they even there until just now?

I shook my head, making a slow approach towards her. A hiss left her mouth as I shrugged off Daniel’s grasp.

“Salvos, it’s dangerous—”

“It’s fine.”

I nodded back at him and faced the Vampire. I crossed two of my arms and looked her over.

“I’m Salvos. But you’re right— I am also a Demon.”

“And for that, you deserve to be destroyed.”

“Even if I’m not a wild Demon or Lucerna? Even if I’m not this Demon King? Even if, instead, I’m a Princess?”

The woman snarled and launched forward.

“Yes!”

“I see.”

I created a scythe and sheared her in half. Her body fell in two pieces, the aura around her vanishing as the notifications in my mind went off.

With that bandit boss dead, I spun around and excitedly made my way back to Daniel and Edithe. I paused as I saw the two staring at me. Then I remembered what I had promised Edithe the night before.

“Oh, uh, sorry for not coming earlier. I got caught up in something.”

Sighing, she took a step forward and chopped a hand on my face. Then she smiled.

“It’s fine. I know you can take care of yourself. But I can’t lie and say I wasn’t a little bit worried.”

I scratched the back of my head as my two companions shared a soft laugh of relief. I smiled too, before turning my attention to the ripped cloth hanging around my body.

“Also… I kind of destroyed your dress? Sorry!”

Edithe stopped laughing.

A note from MelasD

Edithe mad. Salvos sad. :((

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

106. Vampires

A note from MelasD

Important announcement:

There will only be three Salvos chapters this week because I have a bunch of mid-term exams. As much as I'd like to devote all my time to writing, I am still a full-time student until I graduate in 6 weeks. It was a bit of a bad idea for me to start a third fic in the middle of my most important Quarter, but I will hopefully (if I pass all my classes) graduate and be done with University once and for all so I can actually focus all my time on writing.

You think it's insane that I uploaded 12 chapters across 3 fics with no backlog in 7 days 2 weeks ago? Think again. Once I'm done with University, I'll be churning out so much werds, you'll think I'm pirateaba. According to my current backlog of chapters I've written since the 1st of April, I've already written 100,000 words :)) I still have about 10-20k more words to go for this week before the month ends.

Vote for Salvos on TopWebFiction please. Salvos | Top Web Fiction

106. Vampires

Defeated [Mauler - Lvl. 48]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels below you!

…

Defeated [Valkyrie Bloodsbane - Lvl. 68]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Asura Changeing] Level Up!

[Asura Changeing – Lvl. 71] -> [Asura Changeing – Lvl. 72]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“That was an expensive dress, Salvos!”

“I know! I’m sorry! I didn’t think the Calhoul Coins would actually find me!”

“You went out looking for them!”

“I just wanted to explore and look around! I’m bored of doing nothing while you two get to sleep all the time!”

I crossed my arms and pouted as Edithe shook her head. The two of us were in the cave, rummaging through the bodies of the bandits to find me a fitting pair of clothes. Daniel waited outside, probably pacing around with a flustered face. I did not understand why Humans acted like that.

I finally procured some leather clothing from a woman which looked like it would fit me; I held it over Edithe, just making sure that it was not too tight for her, before I receded back into my Mortal Form. The world around me grew larger— and I shrunk down into the shape of a Human. I threw on the clothes and sighed.

“I’m really sorry, Edithe. I don’t actually need or want gold. So, if you’d like, you can keep my share of whatever gold or artifacts we find in this hideout.”

My companion stared at me for a moment, then she rubbed at her temples.

“It’s fine. I know you didn’t mean it. Thank you for the offer, but I think we should first focus on finding all those kidnapped by the Calhoul Coins.”

“Huh. You’re right, where exactly are they?”

I peered down the dark cavern, casting some blue light from a torch I made entirely out of fire. I saw no one there. Nothing but a corridor that led us down.

Narrowing her eyes, Edithe told me to wait for her to return with Daniel before we proceeded; there might have been more bandits further inside. I did as I was told, but I tried calling out— just in case anybody heard me.

“Hello? Is anybody there?!”

Silence.

“We’re adventurers! We just beat up the bandit guys! We’re coming to rescue you!”

I listened carefully for a reply. I couldn’t hear anything. But then I paused as my eyes acclimated to the dark stone hallway. I saw… tracks? The residual footsteps— and signs of something being dragged across the dirt floor.

My two companions arrived and I raised a hand.

“I think I know where they are.”

“You do?”

Daniel raised a brow and Edithe shrugged.

“Show us, Salvos.”

I beamed and started down the dark path. Only my fire lit the way, however that was enough for me to follow the tracks leading us down a dead end. Daniel eyed me dubiously but Edithe stopped him from making a remark.

“Is there something here?”

“I… think so.”

I began patting the side of the walls; I was pretty sure the tracks led this way. After a moment of letting me do as I wished, Daniel finally spoke up.

“Uh, what exactly are you looking for? And how are you finding it?”

“I think it’s my [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense].”

My hands pressed against an oddly shaped rock. I pushed it and stepped back. What had appeared to be a dead end revealed to be a pathway leading into a large cavernous area. I grinned and smugly turned to Daniel.

“There!”

He stared, scratching the back of his head.

“Huh.”

“That’s my line! Don’t take that away from me!”

We spent a few minutes searching this area, and found a group of bandits standing guard in front of some cells. The moment we made ourselves known to them, they surrendered. They saw our levels. Our real levels. And they did not have numbers to give them an added confidence against us.

Nor was there a Vampire who, for whatever reason, hated me for being a Demon. I still wondered what her problem was. Too bad she was dead and I could not ask.

The bandits threw down our weapons and handed over the keys. Daniel and Edithe began freeing the Humans trapped inside the iron bars— many of them looked starved and hungry. Some of them had torn clothes too for whatever reason, which elicited a glare from Edithe towards the bandits.

“Don’t worry, we’ll bring you all to safety.”

She reassured the Humans. Then she glanced over at the bandits, causing them to jerk back.

“And we’ll bring them to justice.”

“It wasn’t our fault! We were content with just stealing— but then that Johnathan came to us! He made a suggestion to the boss, and she said it was a good idea!”

“Johnathan?”

Edithe raised a brow and I happily opined.

“The guard captain of Lulica!”

“I… see. Well, we’ll ensure he is brought to justice too.”

She turned to the gathered group of Humans, all of them looking at her with wide and weary eyes.

“We’ll be heading to Viechester, not Lulica. Don’t worry, I’ll ensure you all get the treatment and care you deserve before you return to your homes. We’ll have to run this through with the proper authorities so that this whole ordeal can be resolved with everyone responsible will be punished.”

I simply stood off to the side, uncaring of this. It took a while, but eventually Daniel and Edithe gathered everyone and slowly led them to Viechester. The city was not too far from the hideout of the bandits. But still, with this many people, it took us a day to make the return trip.

When we arrived with our procession of Humans dressed in rags, the guards in Viechester were understandably caught by surprise. They were not sure about what to do until a few representatives from the Adventurers Guild and the Valiant Dreamers Company showed up.

There were long, boring talks which I ignored. Instead, I focused on my new Skills.

For my newly evolved Skills, I found [Flame Burst] and [Barrage of Cinders] to be quite effective. I gave them both 2 Skill Points, giving only 1 to [Ember Core] and [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense].

As for [Intimidation] and [Flaming Breath]... I quite liked how [Intimidation] worked, so I gave it 2 Skill Points. I was not sure if I was going to keep [Flaming Breath]— it certainly was more effective than [Scorching Wave], even though it used up more mana.

I still had a variety of other Skills I could try. The ones I was intrigued about were [Radiant Slash] and [Horror’s Flare]. I was not interested in my other Skills. Especially not [Passive - Keen Eye].

[Passive - Refined Casting] seemed like it would be useful, but I could always add it later on in the future. And considering what Saffron had told me about being overly reliant on Skills, I decided it was not something I wanted for now.

I then distributed my Stat Points between [Agility] and [Wisdom], leaving the rest be for now.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride] (Mortal Form - Human)

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 72

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 3

[Rest] - Lvl. 3

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 79 (+5) (-5)

[Strength]: 52 (+5) (-5)

[Endurance]: 74 (+5) (-5)

[Wisdom]: 105 (+5) (+5)

[Agility]: 166 (+5) (-5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 3

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 2

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 3

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 1

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 3

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 2

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

At some point during all the conversations and discussions, Hadrian came to speak to some of the authority figures in the city. There was no lord here— but a mayor instead. They spoke about what to do with Johnathan, before finally coming to a conclusion.

He was to be removed from his duties as the guard captain for Lulica and be placed under investigation for now. Edithe seemed satisfied with that. I was too. I was getting excited to finally tell my companions all about my plan. About what we were going to do and where we were going. But then Hadrian approached us.

“I apologize for this sudden request, Salvos, Daniel. But may I ask for your assistance once again?”

I exchanged a look with the [Hero] who had been intently staring at a few of the Humans we brought back who looked to be in bad shape, before my shoulders sagged. Apparently, we had to help deal with cleaning up this mess; it was a simple task. We just had to escort the guards from Viechester to arrest Jonathan and safely bring the kidnapped victims back to Lulica.

However, as I was sulking off to the side, Edithe decided to ask Hadrian a question which piqued my interest.

“Hadrian, I didn’t mention this in the report, but there was something… odd about our encounter with the bandits.”

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company blinked.

“What kind of encounter?”

“There was a Vampire amongst them. And she was…”

Edithe trailed off and glanced over at me. She scratched her chin.

“...violent?”

Hadrian’s forehead creased as he heard this. A dark look came over his face and he raised a hand to cover his mouth.

“A Vampire? Why would a descendant of the nobility resort to banditry?”

I cocked my head, a little bit confused. Daniel and Edithe had called the bandit boss a Vampire, but I didn’t really get it. She looked like a Human to me.

I piped up, interrupting the conversation between Hadrian and Edithe.

“What’s a Vampire, anyway?”

The two spun to face me. Edithe grimaced.

“Right, I forgot to explain it to you.”

Hadrian’ raised a brow.

“I’m surprised you haven’t heard of a Vampire, Salvos. The stories of Vampires are rather famous and told often to children. Their tale is one of glory and reward. How hard work reaps you success.”

“What do you mean?”

“Vampires are an interesting Species. There is no single Vampire Species, rather they spread into different other Species’. In the past, Vampires were seen as a kind of parasite. A plague, if you will. Fangs on a Human were the pest ban which would result in you being shun from society. Perhaps even killed in some cases.”

He explained, almost as if he was extremely familiar with the subject.

“However, when the Immortal King Alexander united Humanity, he outlawed such mistreatment of Human Vampires. And when he was slain— when our Human empire was fractured by the Demon King— the Vampires were a key player that helped repel him back to the Netherworld.

“They were rewarded for their efforts. They lost such a great number that they were down to the dozens then. And each of them were granted a great amount of wealth and even Titles. Many Vampires still have Classes related to Demon hunting. Like [Demon Slayers]. They are a proud people— which is why I’m surprised a Vampire became a bandit. Perhaps… they were disgraced?”

Hadrian mused to himself, his head facing towards the sky. I studied his face and he blinked.

“What?”

“Are you a Vampire?”

“What— absolutely not!”

He took a step back. Even Edithe eyed him dubiously. Clearing his throat in an incredibly suspicious manner, the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company spun around and spoke into his hand.

“Listen, you three will have to head back to Lulica tomorrow. Once you’re there, you just have to ensure nothing happens and then your job is finished. Which means…”

He addressed Daniel, Edithe, and I without even facing us.

“Edithe.”

Hadrian finally turned back and met her gaze.

“For the time being, you don’t have to worry about the Valiant Dreamers Company. You can go with your friends and take care of yourself. Just promise me that you’ll be safe.”

My companion hesitated, but managed to muster up a smile.

“I promise. Thank you, Hadrian.”

“Then I trust you three will take care of this job just fine. I’ll be returning to the headquarters and I’ll be very busy. There’s no need to see me before you leave once you’re finished. I might not even be in Viechester by then.”

Edithe nodded and he was off. I waved goodbye at the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company as a thought crossed my mind. Was that why that Vampire was so mad at me? And if it was— would Hadrian have accepted me if I decided to show him what I truly was like I did with Stephen?

The answer was obvious.

And I did not like it.

A note from MelasD

Important announcement:

There will only be three Salvos chapters this week because I have a bunch of mid-term exams. As much as I'd like to devote all my time to writing, I am still a full-time student until I graduate in 6 weeks. It was a bit of a bad idea for me to start a third fic in the middle of my most important Quarter, but I will hopefully (if I pass all my classes) graduate and be done with University once and for all so I can actually focus all my time on writing.

You think it's insane that I uploaded 12 chapters across 3 fics with no backlog in 7 days 2 weeks ago? Think again. Once I'm done with University, I'll be churning out so much werds, you'll think I'm pirateaba. According to my current backlog of chapters I've written since the 1st of April, I've already written 100,000 words :)) I still have about 10-20k more words to go for this week before the month ends.

Vote for Salvos on TopWebFiction please. Salvos | Top Web Fiction

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

107. Apologies

107. Apologies

“You can’t do this to me— I’ve served Lulica for almost 20 years!”

I watched Johnathan protest as he was dragged away by a pair of armed guards. These guards were well dressed— they had a sigil showing they were from Viechester on their armor. They were pretty high leveled too, at about Level 50.

The rest of the retinue of guards from Viechester were lower leveled. They were still around Level 30, which was still high Silver— definitely higher leveled than the guards in Lulica— but we had to escort them just in case something happened. Like if the bandits had backup and decided to launch a surprise attack.

That would have been disastrous for the city of Viechester since a large chunk of their adventurers— perhaps a quarter— were busy with a company war. It was up to the city itself to defend from possible monster attacks, as unlikely as they were, which meant that such high leveled guards were not expendable.

The scene of the guard captain of Lulica being arrested drew very little attention from the people in the town; most of them were preoccupied with something else. They were reuniting with their loved ones. Families were embracing each other, crying tears of joy. Others were searching with worried looks. And a few were wailing, after their search had proven fruitless.

Piero was one of the lucky ones. I could see him and his daughter hugging a woman. They were so tightly huddled together, I wondered if they could even separate after they were finished. The large man who I had seen at the fire the other night was another of the fortunate ones. A small boy sat on his shoulder, clinging on as if his life depended on it.

Daniel and Edithe were fixed on this scene. I did not see the appeal. But I could tell how it made them feel. The Human man seemed almost relieved— it wasn’t the fact that he was a [Hero] that made him feel this way, it was just how he was. I remembered how he felt on the day he returned to Viechester. It was not anger, but sadness.

Edithe on the other hand, had always been the type to get more upset. Just like when I first met her, a mix of rage and melancholy drove her forward. To kill Lucerna. And while it was not envy on her face, I could tell she was not only happy. There was pity— empathy— towards those who had lost and were grieving.

We made our way back to Viechester, arriving at the city girdled by banclite walls while the sun was still high in the sky. Johnathan would be trialed by the court here, but that was none of our business. Our job was finished. And we were free to do whatever we wanted.

Just as Hadrian said, he was not in the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company. Rachel was there, being taught by Sophia in her room. The two were still not exactly comfortable with each other— but I could tell the little girl was beginning to warm up to her tutor.

Perhaps she was finally starting to acclimate to her new environment. This place was like a home to her. The only worry I had was about the Harrowed Vindicators. But they were unlikely to strike. They hadn’t so far, and Daniel would be going far away from Rachel.

We bade our farewells to the members of the Valiant Dreamers Company. Rachel was unhappy that we were leaving, but she did not protest and cry like before. Instead, she simply met my eyes and asked a question.

“When will you be back?”

I bent over and smiled.

“As soon as I hit Level 100. We’ll be back in Viechester.”

She nodded slowly, then she steeled herself.

“Well, I’ll be Level 40 by then!”

“No. No you won’t.”

Sophia grabbed Rachel’s shoulders and spoke simply.

“I will absolutely not allow you to try doing something that crazy.”

It was an understandable sentiment; I did not want Rachel to get hurt. However, if she could become strong enough to protect herself, I would have preferred that!

“I’ll leave her in your care!”

I beamed at Sophia and she hesitated.

“I’ll take care of her. Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid. And it’s not like I’m going to be doing anything too dangerous. I’ll have to look after Cless too— he’s still hurt. So, I guess I’ll just be a babysitter then.”

A small laugh left her lips, indicating that she was not particularly upset. I trusted her enough to try and keep her words. Ian was there too. He said nothing and only gave me a curt grunt.

I grunted back at him with a smile. Edithe broke away from talking with a burly Platinum Rank adventurer. And Daniel was not particularly friendly with most of the people in the Valiant Dreamers Company. Then my companions and I were off.

But we still had one last place to drop by before we headed to our destination.

“Where are we going, Salvos?”

“I’ll tell you later. But first—”

My shoes clacked on the cobbled street as I spun around and clasped my hands behind my back. I looked at Edithe and grinned.

“We’ll be dropping by the Sanctum of Elements!”

The red haired woman paused. Then her eyes grew wide.

“Wait, you aren’t saying…”

—--

The three of us met William at the entrance of the temple; he had been waiting for us since I told him we were coming. I whispered quietly to him as I approached him.

“Do you have everything prepared?”

“We have, yes.”

“Good! Let’s hurry then!”

Edithe followed behind us, almost looking uncomfortable. But she tried to make small conversations with William.

“How’s everything going with the temple?”

“If you’re talking about the week before, the Sanctum of Elements has not made any official statements on the incident.”

“That’s… bullshit.”

“Language, young lady.”

The [Priest] shook his head, sighing. We rounded a corner as he continued.

“It is because the upper echelons of the Sanctum of Elements have vested interests in working with adventurers and companies alike. However, the Den of Souls are not as kind. They take any action against one of the two other denominations as an attack against them. They have declared an inquisition.”

“An inquisition?! What?”

Daniel sputtered, staring at William in disbelief. The older man nodded.

“Yes, the [Inquisitors] of the Den of Souls will be moving out and taking direct actions against certain members of the Iron Champions Company. They shall be disrupting their supply lines too, to aid the Valiant Dreamers in their war. And other such actions that could hurt and possibly bring the Iron Champions to ruin.”

“Oh, uh, that’s not what I thought it was at all.”

The [Priest] wrinkled a brow questioningly at Daniel.

“What did you think was going to happen?”

“Uh, I thought there was going to be something more… effective? Like countries rallying around the Den of Souls’ call.”

“Unfortunately, us temples are far less influential than you think.”

Laughing, William led us down a familiar gilded corridor. I had been here once before, however I was sure Edithe had been here many times. But instead of putting her at ease, it seemed to rattle her nerves even more. The [Priest] finished.

“Our temples are merely supplicants to nations. We do not aid them. We connect people across borders, but we do not destroy or determine those borders. Perhaps during the time of Alexander, we could have had more influence, but now, this is what we are.”

He stepped aside and gestured for us to enter the large room ahead.

“I’ll leave you alone, so you can have your conversation in private.”

Edithe muttered a thanks and trudged forward. It was almost like she was walking through mud, her feet sinking with every step and slowing her from making it into the room. I waited for her inside, standing next to the two Spirits already in the room.

It was the summoning room.

And Mistshard and Druma were standing by the summoning pool. Or rather, Mistshard was hovering over it, while Druma was seated on the ground like a collapsed tree. Edithe stared at her two former summons, fidgeting with her fingers.

She opened and closed her mouth several times, looking like she was unsure of what to say. Finally, Daniel gently pushed her forward and whispered something into her ear. Taking a deep breath, Edithe approached the two Spirits and spoke deliberately.

“Hello, Mistshard, Druma.”

Druma said nothing as he could not speak. However, he stood up and fixed his gaze on her. Mistshard perched herself on his shoulder and replied coolly.

“Greetings, oathbreaker.”

Edithe visibly flinched at the words. I glared up at Mistshard.

“Hey! That’s rude! You said you would be nice.”

“I am being courteous as I have promised. However, I am required to address the oathbreaker by only one title— oathbreaker.”

“Well… you can just not address her, can’t you?”

Mistshard cocked her bird-like head. She considered it for a moment, before nodding.

“That would be agreeable.”

The [Elemental] turned back to face Edithe, waiting for the red haired woman to speak.

“I… know I broke my contract. I know I violated my agreement with the Spirit Lord. My decision was irrational, and I wasn’t thinking straight.”

After gathering herself from the verbal assault, Edithe managed to squeak out a voice. She did not meet the eyes of her Spirits, but she still continued.

“However, I did what I thought was best at the moment. Not to offend you or your Lord. Or the bond we formed for the past half a year. It was because I did not want you to get hurt. Because I was tired of seeing my friends die for me.”

She stared at the ground as her hands balled to fists. Sighing, Edithe glanced up and opened her mouth—

Only for Mistshard to flutter down in front of her and stop her. The [Elemental] stopped right in front of Edithe as luminescent smoke left her ethereal body. The body of a Spirit. Not a Mortal. But a creature like me— made from the world itself.

Her eyes almost seemed to glow as they peered into Edithe. They held her attention, stopping her from talking. Until finally, Mistshard spoke.

“There is no animosity here.”

The words were simple, clear. It did not address anyone; she could not address Edithe without hurting the woman’s feelings. So, Mistshard just mouthed off to the void.

“The contract was broken, and as per our obligations to our Lord we were returned to the Spirit Plane. Our duty falls to him and only him. Our personal sentiments— our desires to work with certain Humans— cannot interfere with his will.”

Edithe blinked slowly, uncomprehending her words. The Greater Spirit lowered her head and closed her eyes, leaning close to the [Summoner]’s face.

“I am sorry.”

Druma stood beside her. The two of them bowed to Edithe, as if they were the ones apologizing. Edithe was left speechless. Then she stepped forward and hugged them.

The three said nothing more. There was nothing left to be said. Some time passed, and eventually the Spirits had to return to the Spirit Plane. We had to leave too— we could not hog the use of the summoning room freely.

I waved goodbye at Druma and Mistshard. I gestured at my arms and grinned at the [Yaksha].

“I have four arms too now! Just like you!”

He looked over me and offered me a gentle pat on the head. Then he entered the summoning pool and disappeared into Spirit Plane. Mistshard hovered over the water for a moment, eyeing Edithe. Icicles dropped from her eyes, like she was crying but the tears froze upon forming.

“Goodbye.”

“Bye.”

Edithe spoke softly and Mistshard was gone. With the last of our farewells made, my companions and I left the Sanctum of Elements. William simply nodded at Edithe as she left, and she returned the gesture. The two were probably used to this by now.

Finally, we were ready to leave. Edithe stretched her back and let out a small chuckle.

“That was exhausting.”

“I didn’t do anything but watch, but even I’m tired from that.”

Daniel agreed, shaking his head. I stood off to the side, eagerly bouncing from my toes. My companions both turned to face me with an inquiring glance.

“So, uh, where exactly are we going, Salvos? You haven't said.”

The Human man asked. Edithe made a noise of agreement, the curiosity on her face evident. I giggled and spun around, finally revealing the trip I had planned.

“We’ll be going east! Past Nixa and even the Vaun Qieur Empire!”

I clapped my hands as they exchanged a glance.

“There, we’ll be going to the Plaguelands, where we’ll fight a bunch of those mindless undead I keep hearing about to get stronger, then we’ll be paying a visit to the land of the Kobolds!”

…

“What?!”

The pair exclaimed at the same time, probably unable to suppress their excitement.

A note from MelasD

Daniel and Edithe are so excitable, aren't they? Reminder that there will only be three chapters this week due to exams.

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

108. Crossing Borders

108. Crossing Borders

Daniel and Edithe followed me as I led them through the winding roads beyond Viechester. With our farewells said and done, there was nothing left for us to do at the city. We had packed everything we needed beforehand; both their storage equipment carried most of it, so we did not need to bring big bags with us.

I wore a few of my new purchases on me. Nothing too fancy. Apparently, Medium Grade items and above were often hard to come upon. I could always just create my own, so I did not bother getting anything that was not simply supplementary.

One of the items I got was a leg bangle. The merchant had called it a Band of Resistance. Daniel almost mistook it for something in his world when I mentioned it to him, but it was a completely different thing. A single chain was wrapped around my leg, with some inscriptions engraved onto it. And apparently, that would have helped me resist against ailment effects like burning or poison.

And blight.

That was what I especially had to look out for, considering we were going to the Plaguelands. Daniel and Edithe, seemingly enthused at first, began to voice their disagreements with the idea as we marched down the gravelly path.

“Salvos, I don’t think this is a good idea. Look, I know of a few Dungeons around the area. They’re Platinum Rank threats too! Just like the Brilsum Ruins! We can start off there and then maybe work our way up to the Plaguelands?”

“Yeah, I agree with her. This is, uh, not the best idea you have. In fact, it is probably one of the worst.”

I stared at the pair, aghast.

“What’s wrong with going to the Plaguelands? I think it’s a wonderful idea!”

They exchanged a look then spoke at the same time.

“It’s a Diamond Rank area…”

“Exactly!”

I beamed back at them. They still did not seem to understand. So, I began to explain.

“I’ve done a lot of research, since you Humans keep needing to sleep. I’ve stayed up all night reading books from your libraries and stuff. And they all say the same thing! The Plaguelands are full of these creatures called undead!”

My logic seemed to bounce off some thick shell covering the heads of the Humans. They were perplexed. Confusion was evident on their faces. I crossed my arms.

“Skeletons, Ghouls, Wights, Draugrs! They are mindless and wild— even more so than Centinels. And the most important part is: they aren’t even alive!”

Comprehension finally settled into my companions. However, instead of the understanding nods I was expecting, there was a sigh, a shaking of the head. Edithe stepped forward and began to explain.

“Look, Salvos, I’m not exactly… in the best shape to fight right now. I can only cast spells equivalent to someone 10 levels lower than me, and Daniel is just a Level 70 [Warrior]. Maybe you can survive fighting in the Plaguelands, but neither of us can. Even if you prefer this, the fact is we’ll die.”

I frowned. Daniel seemed to agree with her. And then I grinned and started around a nearby tree.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

“Changing!”

“Wait, here?!”

The Human man hurriedly turned away while Edithe tried to stop me. I waved her off.

“We’ve already left Viechester! I’m done keeping secrets. It’s not fun.”

I winked over at Daniel, and although he didn’t see it since he was pointedly facing the ground, he still tensed up. Edithe however, did not pick up on the cue even as my body started to shift.

I was glad she did not, because that was meant only for him. It was his choice— his secret. However, I have had to pretend to be a Human for so long. And I was getting sick and tired of it.

I stepped forward and placed one of my four hands on the red haired woman’s shoulder. She looked up at me, hesitating.

“This is dangerous. If someone sees you—”

“We’ll move away from the roads and keep away from Human sight. Plus, I can always change back if I sense anyone approaching us! I have [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense], after all!”

Smiling, I spoke reassuringly to Edithe.

“I know you may not think I’m the most reliable person, but I’ve learned a lot since coming to the Mortal Realm. I know better than to get in trouble over nothing. The same goes for heading to the Plaguelands. We aren’t just going to charge in and attack a horde of Level 100 Skeletons! We’ll be smarter than that. Draw them in slowly. Use teamwork to take them out one by one.”

She still seemed uncertain, however my mind was set. She had let me decide where we were going. I had promised Edithe I would make her stronger. She did not want to forego her Class. So, we just had to advance her Class to something even better.

Gesturing at my companions to follow me, I started into the forest and led them through the country of Nixa.

—--

A day later, Edithe and Daniel took charge of directions.

“Aw, why?”

“You’re terrible at directions, Salvos.”

“Yeah, at least I know how to use a map.”

The Human woman did not get what he meant by that, but she agreed anyway. We made our way through Nixa, staying close to but away from the roads where Humans could possibly see me. The Sunmere Republic disappeared far behind us, and even though I wanted to pay a visit to Silvergrove or Hazelbury— just to hear the oo’s and the ah’s from those there who knew me and saw how much I leveled, I knew it was pointless.

We ran into quite a few monsters through our path. However, that was what I had intended; not only could I remain as myself without being forced to constantly wear a Human skin, we could work Edithe’s way up before reaching the Plaguelands.

“Go, Edithe!”

I yelled from the side as she cast spells and flung them at the swarm of [Vurats] attacking her. The monsters flapped their jagged wings and charged her, but droves of them fell from the Gold Rank adventurer’s spells.

She panted, hands clasped on her knees as she cast a glare at me then at Daniel who was playing with his sword’s scabbard.

“You know, you could have helped me, right? Those were fucking Silver Rank threats! Not something that would help me level.”

“That’s the point!”

I grinned back at her. She faced me with a frown as I elaborated.

“We’re helping you refine the use of your spells. Since you can’t rely on half of your Skills right now, we want you to get used to fighting without them. What better way to test that than by fighting monsters below your level?

“That’s… oddly well thought out for you, Salvos.”

“Hey! I take offense to that!”

I feigned hurt.

We fought more monsters and continued through the country. Until finally, a month passed and we arrived at the Vaun Qieur Empire’s borders.

Defeated [Shadow Wolf - Lvl. 43]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels below you!

…

Defeated [Moss Slime - Lvl. 25]!

Little experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 30 levels below you!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeing – Lvl. 72] -> [Asura Changeing – Lvl. 73]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

There was a border check we had to go through. I briefly had to revert to my Mortal Form because of that. I folded all four of my arms defiantly at first, turning away from my companions when they insisted I had to change.

“If we go into the country without receiving the proper documentation, we’d be criminals. Wanted by the law.”

“No!”

“Salvos—”

“Nuh!”

“Uh, what?”

I finally acquiesced. We passed through a bridge with a small, castellated fort sitting on the other side and the guards there studied us thoroughly. They wore rather decorated armor, unlike the ones I had seen in Nixa and the Sunmere Republic. But it was not special. Not like an adventurer or high leveled guard’s armor.

This was purely aesthetic.

“Adventurers?”

A guard with a scarred face looked us over with suspicious eyes. I nodded eagerly back at him.

“We are! Platinum Ranks, see?”

I produced my badge and he took note of it. Despite the fact that I was literally twice his level, he pushed me and waved me through. I frowned. Rude.

“Just get a move on if you’ve paid your fee, I don’t care if you’re Platinum or nothin’.”

Daniel was treated far less harshly for whatever reason. But Edithe received the same shove as me. Narrowing my eyes, I watched as another group showed up at the guardpost. They were merchants, mostly Human barring a single Cyclops.

“Let’s just go.”

Edithe tugged at my arms, but I stood still and watched as everyone in the merchant except for the Cyclops was let through. In fact, the guards at the gates jeered at the Cyclops man and even pushed him back towards the bridge.

One of them— the one who pushed me— was just about to hurl a rock when I grabbed his arm. He grunted and snapped back to face me.

“What do you think you’re doing? Let go of me you damn bitch!”

“Hi. You know, you pushed me, right?”

I ignored him as he struggled as Edithe and Daniel watched me from behind; they were caught up in uncertainty, that they were not prepared for what I was about to do next.

“I don’t like being attacked.”

“What are you—”

I punched the Human man in the face, sending him flying a good distance. Just before I delivered the punch, I had activated my Amulet of Strength. Just to add the extra bit of air time.

Everyone stared at what I had just done, including the Cyclops man whose one eye was wide open fixed upon me. I scratched the back of my head and gestured behind me.

“You might want to run.”

“She assaulted a guard of the Vaun Qieur Empire, seize her!”

The guards in the fort exploded into action. Edithe looked at me— she wanted to come to my aid, but Daniel stopped her.

“She asked us to run, let’s go!”

I watched as they made their escape, but the Cyclops man stood dumbly with his heavy bag on his back. What are you doing? Move! I sighed and then breathed out brilliant blue flames up into the air.

The [Archers] and [Mages] who were taking aim at me from the walls covered their eyes as the glare blinded them. The [Warriors] drew back from the intense heat, and in that moment where everyone was inert, [Self Haste] propelled me towards the Cyclops man and I grabbed his arm.

“Come on!”

He bumbled forward, following me as I pulled him through and past the small fort. Spells exploded overhead and arrows landed around us. One splintered and broke on my back, tearing through my Unique Grade jacket.

I spun around and sent a simple Blazing Bolt back their way, missing all of the guards on purpose, but leaving a smoldering hole on the gray stone wall.

That left enough of an impression on the [Archers] to pull back and take cover from my attacks. I smiled and finally pulled the Cyclops man to safety.

I found Daniel and Edithe soon after. The pair wore unhappy looks. The former had his hands buried in his face as he sat on a rock while the latter was pacing around with her arms crossed.

“Why did you do that, Salvos?”

She stopped and demanded from me. I shrugged.

“I didn’t like how they were acting. Also, that man pushed me.”

Edithe let out a frustrated sigh, however she did not prod me with any more questions. Instead, she shook her head in resignation and turned to the Cyclops man.

“I… apologize for my friend here. She got you into a lot of trouble. Sometimes she’s kind of impulsive?”

She spoke hesitantly, unsure of how the Cyclops man would react. Then she blinked as if she remembered something and quickly bowed her head.

The Cyclops man let out a hearty chuckle and waved a hand.

“No, no, no. I appreciate her aid. If I could not have gone through this country, I would have been unable to proceed on my journey. Salvos, was it?”

He spun to face me and lowered the cap covering his bald head. I nodded.

“That’s me!”

“Thank you for your assistance.”

“Of course!”

I beamed and turned triumphantly to Edithe. Then I focused back to him and cocked my head.

“What’s your name anyway? And where are you going?”

“Me?”

He drew back, slowly lowering his arms.

“Ah, I am Adan. A traveling merchant. And I wish to take my wares to the land of the Kobolds.

A note from MelasD

I still have to write 6 chapters this week between Melas, Salvos, and Tian, and yet, I feel so relieved and relaxed compared to the past few weeks  despite  exams xD

Also, special surprise tomorrow. Sneak preview:

???. A Witch and a Demon walk into a...

END

Author's Note:

APRIL FOOLS-- wait, this isn't April 1st, it's May 1st...

It was supposed to be for April fools, but I, uh, took too long to script the thing. Comic scripting and plotting is difficult, alright? You have to find reference images for every panel, or draw it yourself. And I am not good at either.

This is, of course, non-canon.

Also, this was expensive.

So, yeah... this was a crossover between my own fics! I'm sure many of you saw the six way crossover on RR this year with AH, or the two way crossover last year with AH. And I thought this was a good idea.

It wasn't.

Not for my wallet.

Or for my time management.

But it's done! And I absolutely love it! Big shoutout to the artist, Mabi, for producing this wonderful comic piece in a timely manner. The character designs are wonderful and she captured my characters masterfully! Sincerely, it's been a pleasure working with her.

Vitaly S [art director], Mabi [illustrator]

Their fiction Somebody Stop Her | Royal Road

You can read Melas here.

You can read Salvos here.

You can read Tian here.

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I have an art addiction.

If you'd like to support my art addiction, donate to my patreon here and you can maybe get some rewards like chapters ahead.

Click here to join my Discord

A note from MelasD

If you'd like to support my art addiction, donate to my patreon here and you can maybe get some rewards like chapters ahead.

Click here to join my Discord

109. Big and Scary Demon

A note from MelasD

Heya all, just wanted to let you know that Salvos Volume 1 is currently on sale on the Amazon US and CA stores for $0.99. If you'd like to support me, do consider getting a copy and dropping an Amazon review. It covers Chapters 0-40, the ones up until Lucerna's death, and I would genuinely appreciate it if you could review or rate it on Amazon. Thank you <3

Amazon.com: Curious Beginnings: A LitRPG Adventure (Salvos, Volume 1) eBook: Lewis, V.A.: Kindle Store

109. Big and Scary Demon

It was only when we were certain we were far enough away and not being pursued, did we set up camp. As usual, I helped start the fire with my magic while my companions got to work with preparing their meals and their whole sleeping layout thing.

Once I was finished with my job, I ignored the two Humans and instead sidled up to the Cyclops man I had aided. He was a traveling merchant who just so happened to be heading in the same direction as us.

“Adan, right?”

I peered into his face inquisitively; he was not like Jaakko, who had a hardened look with a large jaw that extended over his mouth. His face was rounder— his entire body was rounder. As if he just had too much to eat.

“Ah, yes. And you are Salvos, yes?”

Nodding, I refrained from verbally confirming my identity since Daniel told me it was rude. I grinned and leaned over to him.

“Do you know Jaakko?”

There was a raised brow. A single raised brow, since he only had one eye. That seemed to be enough to answer my question.

“Huh, nevermind… so, why are you going to the land of the Kobolds?”

The Cyclops man raised a tin canister and deliberately sips from it, before taking a refreshed breath and answering the question.

“Such inquisitiveness. Most Humans do not possess that— when they hear of my destination, they spit at the ground and laugh.”

“Well, I’m not most Humans. I’m Salvos!”

I could not resist the urge. Also, I was not technically lying. Adan bellowed a laugh, grabbing at his belly and shaking his head.

“I can see that. Ah, to think you would actually attack a guard of the Vaun Qieur Empire while in the presence of one of its forts. It was a smaller one, but a fort nonetheless.”

“I didn’t like how he pushed me!”

“Of course, Humans have such odd… perspectives on gender sometimes. However, to answer your question, I am simply a merchant. I go to wherever I can, selling my goods to anyone who desires to purchase them. And it just so happens that I am stocked up on merchandise that is considered valuable in those lands.”

I cocked my head and identified him. He was a Level 56 [Trader]. Not particularly high leveled if he was a [Warrior] or [Mage] or some other combat Class. But as a non combat Class, he was one of the highest leveled ones I had seen thus far.

“You’re going all the way to the land of the Kobolds just to sell some stuff?”

“Not any ‘stuff’. Look here.”

He produced something from his bag. It was white, almost shiny, and I recognized it immediately.

“Banclite?”

“Yes.”

Adan pocketed the antimagic piece of ore and leaned back against his large sack.

“Banclite is not something too uncommon in the Human lands, and it is even plentiful in the Beastmen plains further to the west. However, these ores are far more rare to the east. Dwarfs are known to be willing to spend an exorbitant sum of gold coins simply to acquire it. And while Kobolds do not trade in coins, they offer other such recompense.”

I narrow my eyes for a moment, and then the implication hits me.

“So, you give them common items which are cheap here, for common items there— which are rare here, so they’re expensive and…”

Trailing off, I glanced up at Adan.

“Did I get that right?”

He smiled.

“You did.”

I beamed, satisfied at myself. However, before I could interrogate the Cyclops man even more, a voice from the side cut us off. Daniel approached us, facing him.

“Hey, uh, Mr Adan, would you care to join us for our meal? Just as apologies for the trouble.”

I made a face of disgust. Adan did not. He happily accepted my Human companion’s offer. I had to join them in pretending to eat— or at least, I was doing the pretending— before I had to go and pretend to sleep.

—--

Since Adan was traveling in the same direction as us, we decided it would be better for us ‘criminals’— as Daniel called us— to go together. We would probably have to go our separate ways some time before the Plaguelands. And while I enjoyed the new company, I was a little upset because…

“Yum… delicious food is so good…”

I only barely managed to stop myself from choking on the soup Adan had made. Apparently, it was a delicacy from his culture; the meat he used was not actually meat, but a kind of minced fish or something. To me, it was all the same: terrible.

The Cyclops man eyed me with his single eye almost suspiciously, as if he suspected something was off. I could not blame him; I was not even trying to be discreet at all.

I had put in effort in faking it when I was in Viechester, but this was supposed to be my time. I quickly excused myself from the brief lunch meal and went off into a nearby thicket to puke.

“Gross.”

“Are you alright, Salvos?”

A voice drew my attention. It was Edithe. She pushed aside a tree branch, rustling its leaves, as she approached me.

“You haven’t seemed well for the past few days.”

I scowled and crossed my arms.

“Of course not!”

The Human woman walked up next to me and took a seat. She studied my face for a moment. Then she sighed.

“Is it because you’ve been forced to to eat and sleep since Adan’s been around?”

“Yep, there’s that. And also…”

Taking a deep breath, I began to recount the reason why I was upset; the thing that had been sowing grief within me since we arrived at the Vaun Qieur Empire.

“This was supposed to be my trip. That’s why you let me arrange it! It was supposed to be relieving for me— I was supposed to be free from pretending.”

“Free from pretending?”

She gave me an inquisitive glance. I shifted my feet uncomfortably— it was not like she could understand what I was feeling. Edithe was a Human who lived amongst Humans. They accepted her… usually.

Sometimes they acted weird because she was a woman or whatever, but this went beyond that.

“All I’ve done since I have become a [Changeling] has been pretend. Sure, I do like pretending sometimes. It’s fun pretending to be a Princess with Rachel. However, pretending to not be me and pass it off as me is just…”

“You dislike it.”

“I really do!”

I drew my knees into my chest and hugged it.

“Jaakko, Helen, and Zack. When I last saw them before they left Viechester, they called me their friend. That was why they came to help me when they heard Daniel and I were being hunted by the Harrowed Vindicators. And Saffron too, she gave me an artifact to contact her with. Even though she rejected my request for her aid towards the Valiant Dreamers Company, she reassured me that since we’re friends, she would answer something more personal.”

Sighing, I cast my gaze up towards the sky. Edithe followed it, sitting next to me as the clouds above floated freely through the world. The blue skies were its Lair, an ocean where they could go wherever they wanted without worry.

“If they ever found out what I truly am, wouldn’t they hate me? Hadrian too. Especially him. Since he’s a Vampire, wouldn’t he want to kill me just like that bandit lady did?”

There was a moment of silence. Neither of us said anything. Until finally, there was a soft laugh. Edithe was giggling, her hands covering her mouth and her lips curled up into a smile.

“W-what?”

I stared at her, shifting back slightly. For a moment, I saw someone else there. My red companion who loomed over the red haired woman. He was laughing at me— and I did not understand why. But then I was back in reality and Edithe was gently grasping my hand.

“It’s nothing. I’m just a little bit surprised to see you worry over such things, that’s all.”

“I worry about a lot of things!”

I protested but she waved it off.

“Honestly, Salvos, if you’re really tired of going around as a Human, we could always split ways with Adan— something we suggested but you shot down.”

“Because I like him…”

“And the only reason he’s with us in the first place is because you decided to cause a fuss which got all of us in trouble. This is just a consequence of your own actions.”

She was right. I knew that, and yet I pouted anyway. Edithe smiled however, undeterred by my dour mood. She scooted over closer to me, her voice carrying a kind tone as she lifted my chin.

“But it doesn’t have to be this way, you know? Sometimes there are solutions. Sometimes, you’ve just got to ask.”

“What do you mean? Doesn’t everyone hate Demons?”

“Most Humans do, yes. But fuck them. Who cares about them.”

I stared at her judgingly.

“You were one of them!”

“I was. But not anymore. I am often an idiot, so I do think my statement holds true especially to the past me.”

A brush of wind swept past as Edithe faced me.

“Sometimes, your problems can be resolved if you just communicate. Not all the time. But this time, you probably can.”

“Why is that?”

“Because Cyclops’ aren’t like Humans. They don’t follow the same traditions we do. You have heard of the stories haven’t you? The reason why Humans hate Demons.”

I shrugged. I did read some things about it, and Daniel had told me some information as well. It just was not something I particularly cared about. The reason did not change the effect, which was how I lived, and how I would have to adapt to survive.

“Cyclops society does not have a reason to hate Demons. In fact, I do not think they frequently interact with Spirits either, since the Spirit Lord never made a contract with their Species. So, if you just talk to Adan about it, I’m sure he wouldn’t have a problem with it.”

“You think so?”

I felt a surge of hope rise up within me. The thought that I would not have to eat or pretend to sleep gave me strength. I glanced over at Edithe with big, round eyes.

And she shrugged.

“Maybe? I don’t fucking know… but it probably will work?”

“Huh.”

I pointed an accusing finger at her.

“You lied to me!”

“I did not. I’m just offering you a suggestion, Salvos. Look, it doesn’t hurt to try asking him some prodding questions—”

“Liar!”

I stuck out a tongue like Rachel sometimes did. Edithe shook her head.

“Also, there’s no way Hadrian is a Vampire.”

“He is! He definitely, definitely is—”

—--

After that conversation with Edithe, I found Adan sitting alone in a small clearing. He had his bag placed leaning against a rock as a bunch of trinkets were strewn about, arranging them neatly in rows.

He was rubbing at his chin, murmuring to himself as I walked up behind him.

“...perhaps I can sell some of the mithril ores in a Human city before I reach Unarith. Kobolds have no use for metal, after all.”

The Cyclops man paused and glanced back at me.

“Ah, Salvos, did you need something?”

I walked up next to him, eyes fixed on the inventory of goods he had. A few bright objects caught my attention, however I focused and turned to him.

“Yep. Actually, I wanted to ask you a question.”

He waited for a moment as I took a deep breath. There was no point being reticent. I could have skirted around what I wanted to know, slowly trying to direct the conversation to what I wanted, but that was such a weird Human thing to do. So, I spoke simply.

“What do you think of Demons? Do you hate them, or are you fine with them?”

Adan paused, blinking. He glanced over at me with his single eye, thinking for a moment. Then he shrugged.

“I am fine with Demons as long as they are fine with me.”

I narrowed my eyes. There had to be more than that, right? I tried again.

“Even if they are big and scary and with four arms?”

“Especially if they are big and scary and with four arms.”

He chuckled and collected his items, putting them back in his bag. I cocked my head.

“A Demon that’s big and scary and could rip me in half is one I’d rather be on the good side of. Ah, unless being on its side draws the ire of an army of angry Humans. Then I would prefer to be left alone completely.”

I blinked, taking a step back. Then I narrowed my eyes.

“You’re not very loyal, are you?”

“I am what I’d like to call ‘pragmatic’.”

He smiled, drawing out a grin from me. I placed my hands on my hips and stared up at him.

“Then what if I told you I was that big and scary Demon?”

Adan frowned and folded his arms across his broad chest. Then he let out a light laugh.

“That is something I would very much be interested in seeing.”

“Really?”

I perked up. Spinning around, I quickly ran behind a tree.

“Wait here for a moment.”

I transformed out of my Mortal Form after undressing and returned quickly. I was now as tall as the Cyclops man. He had a look of disbelief on his face. Before a smile cracked up on his lips.

“See?”

“I do see. And it seems I gave the correct answer, didn’t I, Ms Big and Scary Demon?”

I beamed back at him, happy that I made the right decision too. I was tired of pretending. Maybe I would have to resume pretending once we returned from the Plaguelands. But for now, I was free to be me.

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Salvos b fwee

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110. Blight

110. Blight

“Salvos, uh…”

“Huh?”

I glanced over at Daniel as he stared at me. He scratched at his chin as I walked ahead of him next to Adan. The Cyclops man and I were similar of similar height; together, we towered over the two measly Humans accompanying us.

Perhaps that was why the [Hero] wore such an uncomfortable look on his face.

“Didn’t you say that you were, uh, tired of pretending?”

“That’s right! It’s exhausting pretending to be someone I’m not all the time!”

I crossed my large arms. They were bulky, and they covered half my chest with their size alone. Daniel exchanged a look with Edithe, then he raised an uncertain hand.

“So, why are you pretending to be a Cyclops?”

Blinking my single eye, I looked down at myself.

“Ah.”

I mimicked what Adan would say, before a smile spread across my face. I twirled around, the traditional dull gray Cyclops robes I had been lent being brushed by the wind as I came to a stop.

“I thought it would be fun! I’ve never tried to be any other Mortal before, and Adan thought it would be a good idea for when we’re near roads like right now!”

The Human man pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a strained sigh.

“After you made such a big deal about it too…”

“Come on Daniel—”

Edithe jabbed him lightly with her elbow, a slight giggle escaping her lips.

“Just admit that you’re upset you can’t see her as a Human.”

“Wait, what?! No— that’s not it at all!”

His face turned beet red as she continued to tease him; I focused my attention forward, marching next to Adan as we approached a bridge that cut over a rushing river. I narrowed my single eye as I saw a group of armed figures making their way through.

They were not dressed in the same armor or clothing as the soldiers of the Vaun Qieur Empire. However, they were wearing uniforms, each marked with some kind of emblem that showed a vertical cut running through a claw.

“Hey, who are those guys?”

I interrupted my companions bickering as I pointed out those Humans who were making their way to us. Edithe paused mid laughter and turned to them while Daniel shrugged.

“Uh, I don’t know?”

The Human man was seemingly just as clueless as me. But the Cyclops man and my other companion spoke up at the same time.

“They’re the Forsaken Company. Ah, one of the Three Honorable Companies.”

“That’s right, they’re the ones responsible for protecting the Human lands during a Kobold invasion. They’ve even repelled four of them since their company was formed, more than both the other Honorable Companies have despite being newer.”

“And what is an Honorable Company?”

I had heard that title tossed around quite often, however I never once bothered to ask about it. It was just a name. I did not think too much about names. Especially since they were only mentioned in passing. Now, however, I identified one of the few adventurers ahead of me as they got within range of my General Skill.

[Warrior - Lvl. 103]

Strong, I thought as I examined the man with the broadsword. He was swinging it around at one of his companions, playfully swiping at them like a child playing a game.

Edithe shrugged.

“It’s kind of arbitrary, but… the Honorable Companies are said to be the biggest and most influential companies out of all adventuring companies out there. And they have been tasked with the duty to defend us from any outside forces that attack our lands.”

“Huh.”

The group of Diamond Rank and Platinum Rank adventurers passed by us, heading down the road we came from as they laughed and yelled at eaech other. Adan kept his head facing forward. It was as if he did not want them to take notice of him. Edithe seemed slightly nervous as well, for whatever reason. Only Daniel and I were not unnerved by their passing at all.

Then one of the adventurers— the Human man with the broadsword— stopped. He spun around and eyed our group.

“Hey, you there!”

I paused and turned back.

“Me?”

“Yeah, you Platinums. Where are you guys going? I don’t recall there being a Platinum Ranked Dungeon anywhere around these parts.”

“Oh, we’re not going to a Platinum Rank Dungeon.”

I replied honestly. He narrowed his eyes then took a step forward.

“Oi, if you’re trying to hide a Dungeon from us— you know the Forsaken Company doesn’t like that. Especially not in our territory.”

“Seth, what are you doing?”

One of his companions pulled him back and whispered into his ear. He harrumphed and folded his arms.

“I’m making sure we aren’t being swindled by a group of stray adventurers right now. There’s no reason for Platinums to be heading in that direction on their own. The only thing that awaits them there is the Plaguelands.”

“Actually, that’s where we’re—”

I raised a hand but was cut off suddenly by Edithe.

“Actually, we were just helping escort our friend here to Ghostlight. He’s her brother, you see? And a [Trader]. He was worried about getting harassed or attacked if he traveled on his own, so he hired us.”

The Human man with the broadsword frowned. He seemed to consider this for a moment, bringing a hand to his chin and rubbing it slowly. Finally, he seemed to come to a conclusion and shrugged.

“Sounds about right. Honestly, if you told me you were going to the Plaguelands, I would have laughed at your faces. If you three thought you would have been able to slay the Lich when we couldn’t even get to it…”

There was a chuckle coming from more than one member of the group. I felt my single brow rise as I considered what he said. A Lich? Their group continued on as we reached the bridge and began crossing over the rushing rapids.

Something poked me from behind and I almost yelped. I spun around to see Daniel glaring at me with his arms crossed.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Wha— how did you know?!”

Edithe piped up from the side.

“Anyone who knows you would know what you’re thinking.”

“Aw, but please? Think of how much experience a Lich would give!”

—--

After spending two days in my Mortal Form as a Cyclops, I got bored of it and returned to being myself. We were no longer near any settlements or roads. The only thing that awaited us was the Plaguelands.

The land around us started to grow sparse with trees; there was not as much vegetation filling the ground with life. The coarse, brown dirt of the earth almost seemed blackened by somee kind of magic. Even the plentiful roads of Human civilization mostly vanished. Only a single path remained, and it was not one we were headed in.

Adan halted on the gravel ground, his feet burying themselves into the gray road as he turned to face us. He took off his large pack and settled it down before leaning against it. I faced him, offering him a smile.

He was not taken aback by my looks, nor was he afraid of my appearance. He returned the gesture like I was just another person he met. And considering that he was a Cyclops who had traveled across the Human lands to get to the land of the Kobolds, it was possible that was what I was to him.

“It seems this is where our path splits.”

He spoke simply, his deep voice coming out soft and gentle. My shoulders sagged but I still tried to convince him.

“Are you sure you can’t follow us?”

“Ah, I apologize. While my [Trader] Class does grant me benefits in hiding from monsters, they would not do much for me in the Plaguelands. It is a dangerous place. Even if you are a Demon.”

I bared my teeth his way.

“You think so?”

“I wouldn’t want to antagonize a big and scary Demon like you, so I rescind my statements.”

The Cyclops man grinned and shot me with a wink— with his one eye. I was not sure how that worked. But it did. I laughed and he did too. Then he turned his attention to both Daniel and Edithe, addressing all of us.

“My time with you three was short, however I am grateful for the help you have given me. The Plaguelands is a dangerous place and not to be underestimated. I know this won’t be much, but I have prepared a gift for each of you.”

“A gift?”

I blinked and Daniel held up his hands almost defensively.

“We appreciate the offer, Adan, but we’ve caused you some trouble too and it is fine—”

“We’ll take it.”

Edithe cut him off and stepped forward. He eyed her with a frown before his brows snapped together in understanding.

“Oh.”

She nodded.

“I need it.”

“Right.”

She was Level 59 now. She had leveled twice since we left Viechester. But only twice. I was certain she was close to another level up soon though, which made me excited for finally reaching the Plaguelands.

Adan produced three rings. Each of them looked no different from the other. They were made of metal, nothing too shiny, but the runes inscripted on them radiated power. A kind of magic I did not recognize.

“This is to ward off curses.”

He said as he handed one to each of us individually.

“It does not protect you against the blight there, however I do not doubt you wouldn’t be wise enough to avoid such magic. But curses. Those are the hallmark of the undead. Be wary of it.”

“Thank you.”

I gratefully accepted my gift and slipped it into one of my clawed fingers. It almost did not fit, until it somehow expanded and perfectly acclimated itself to my size. I beamed as I held up my hand against the sun.

Edithe bowed her head at the Cyclops man.

“We appreciate what you’ve done for us. Especially in regards to herding Salvos around. She’s a little difficult to handle sometimes.”

“Hey!”

“Ah, I should be saying that to you. Thank you, kind adventurers. Perhaps we might meet again, but in the land of the Kobolds. Unarith is not too far off from the Plaguelands, after all. Although I may only be able to speak to one of you then.”

He looked over at me before hefting his bag over his shoulder. I waved all four of my arms at him as he wandered off, until he was heading down the road into the horizon. Daniel, Edithe, and I start away from the path. Our road took us down a different direction, past decaying trees into a barren landscape oozing with a thick miasma.

Insects buzzed and circled around strange rocks jutting out of the ground. I paused and took a second look, realizing that those were not rocks. Although they did look kind of similar to the white rocks of the Netherworld.

I sighed and shook my head as Daniel coughed, covering his nose. The Human man was still trying to get used to the stench, although Edithe was unbothered.

“How are you guys fine with this smell?”

He gagged and spoke through a cloth. Edithe looked over at me.

“Well, I’m pretty sure Salvos is fine with it because she’s… Salvos. But I grew up in less than kind conditions. I don’t mind this very much.”

Daniel stared at her, as if he had found some newfound respect. However, it caused him to get a big whiff of air, forcing the contents out of his stomach.

“Sucks, doesn’t it?”

I made the idle comment as I walked past him.

“Leave me alone, will you?”

I giggled before coming to a stop. What lay before me was the edge of a cliff. A steep decline led down about a hundred feet, before expanding into a vast, sprawling field. Much to me and my companions’ surprise, this was not an empty field covered with corpses as we had expected.

That was what I had read about the Plaguelands; it was covered with the undead, like it was a sea. Yet, here was a field of flowers. They were strangely colored however— I had never seen these colors before. Their stalks were the color of the void. A blackness that seemed to suck in the light from its surroundings. Their flowers were throned too, and the petals were a pure white like the ivory of bones.

And the miasma— the brown gas which seemed so transparent earlier— filled the air like a liquid, exuding from these plants. This was the blight. The dangerous magic which would hamper the Stats of anyone who fell into it. That would supposedly halve your health, mana, and stamina. The telltale sign that you had finally entered the Plaguelands.

We’re here.

Daniel puked again.

“Hah!”

“Shut up.”

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111. Spooky Skeletons

111. Spooky Skeletons

A thick layer of miasma was exuded from the field of flowers spreading out as far as I could see below the cliff. The brown gas seemed almost solid from up here— its noxious smell reaching us and forcing Daniel to throw up beside me.

The effects of this blight did not reach us. Only its vulgar aroma made its way this high; I had done my research and I determined that the blight was only deadly if we were within a dozen feet from it. Perhaps if we were a hundred feet from the blight, we would face some decrease in stamina or mana or even health.

But as long as we kept ourselves far from it, we would not run into any issues.

“Come on.”

I gently patted Daniel’s back.

“Let’s go around it.”

He looked up at me, eyes welling up. His gratitude was evident. The [Hero] walked with wobbly feet after Edithe and me— the red-haired woman almost completely unaffected by the stench.

“Are you ok?”

I gave her a worried look, although I was pretty sure she could not tell from my face. Humans were bad at detecting facial expression from Demons!

She nodded as she cast a sidelong glance to Daniel.

“I’m fine, since I grew up in the streets. It smells bad, but it’s no different from rotten garbage being left out for months on end without anyone cleaning it up.”

Edithe made an over exaggerated face of disgust. I giggled and stuck my tongue out.

“Well, the Netherworld never smelled like anything, but this still doesn't bother me!”

“Yet, you gag at the sight of food.”

“It’s disgusting!”

“And this smell isn’t? Maybe you should try eating garbage— perhaps you might like it.”

I scowl.

“Hey!”

That was apparently what animals like rats did. And Humans did not like rats, which meant that was an insult!

I paused as I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Maybe I should try what it tastes like, though.”

Edithe stared at me judgingly. I shrugged, and Daniel puked.

“Can we please get out of here?”

Rolling my eyes, I picked up the pace as we continued around the cliff. This was not the entirety of the Plaguelands. This was just the very beginning of it.

My eyes glazed over the vast landscape. It was blackened. The dirt here was of a dull color, almost as if the life was sucked out of it. Dirt did not have any life. But neither did rocks, however that did not stop the smattering of pebbles from being tinted with a black-ish hue.

“Why’s everything here so dark?”

I murmured as the sun began to set over the distant horizon. We descended down the side of a steep hill, far away from where the blight flowers had been. There were bodies lying at the bottom of the drop, corpses that had rotted and turned to bone and dust. Their loot— what they owned as adventurers— were no longer with them.

It was just a pile of fake-rocks now.

We reached the bottom and started past the littered corpses, marching through the undulating, barren landscape of the Plaguelands. The vague shape of hills filled my vision wherever I turned. It was not much of a sight. Not yet.

“Should we make camp soon?”

Daniel finally asked after having gathered his wits.

“We don’t want to progress too far into the Plaguelands. Especially not during the night.”

“Why not?”

My feet crinkled over some bones. For some reason, I looked down at them. They were white, unsullied. Without any clothing or items on them.

“Do they get some kind of advantage at night?”

“Not really, however undead are known to—”

“Watch out!”

I yelled and leapt over to him. I grabbed him with two of my arms as my other two conjured a flaming scythe. It cut through the ground, shearing through the bones like grass. The Skeleton reeled back, its arms severed at the joins, staring at me with hollow eyes.

“These are Skeletons, not corpses!”

I spun around as [Ember Core] lit my body ablaze with fiery armor. The ground cracked open, dirt shot up, and white, spindly figures dug themselves from the earth.

Edithe was faster to react than Daniel. She sent blasts of ice down at the Skeletons. However, her spells did nothing.

[Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 95]

[Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 93]

[Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 97]

“You can take care of yourself, right?”

I hurriedly faced Daniel who only just drew his sword. He nodded and his sword shone. But it was not the kind of glow emitted when he used [Hero’s Slash]. My eyes grew wide as the realization sunk in: he had advanced his Class.

“I can. Go help Edithe.”

“Got it.”

I took a deep breath and a plume of flame bloomed out. The [Flaming Breath] razed the bones of the Skeletons as they rose to their feet. They were charred now— black flakes pouring off their pure white.

However, that was not enough. Not by itself. Edithe drew her staff back as a large orb of electricity charged itself. She loosed it on a single Skeleton that just drew itself onto its feet, blasting it in half.

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl 89]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

So, my Skills brought it to the brink, then? I narrowed my eyes before activating [Self Haste]. [Flame Burst] brought me forward next to her as she tried fruitlessly to harm the Skeletons with weaker spells. She was panting, breathing heavy, each labored breath showing how much these magical attacks exerted her. Yet, other than the first Skeleton, none of the others fell.

My scythe decapitated the skull of one of the Skeleton’s just as they reached Edithe. I landed next to her, the weapon in my hand changing to a smaller sickle, chains already wrapped around my forearm.

I hurled the kusarigama out and spun, striking everything over a wide distance. A Skeleton caught it by the chains, but I tugged it and yanked the undead over to me. [Barrage of Cinders] took over as I crushed its bones to dust, grinding its skull, and breaking it by the joints. It was far more fragile than a Golem.

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl 95]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I stepped over the dead Skeleton, a glare crossing over my face. I bared my teeth and spoke.

“Kneel!”

[Intimidation] was sent echoing through the night. My voice caused their bones to shake, rattling from the vibration in the air. It even dispelled the trace amounts of miasma floating around me; I shouted as loud as I could, focusing the Skill only on the Skeletons.

They did not even pause. They stumbled after me, swinging their fists in a wild charge.

“Mindless things!”

I traded blows with one that was slightly lower leveled than the rest. And yet, when their fists made contact with me, I flinched. My [Ember Core] rippled and there was a flicker of aura around my body.

Crushing the Skeleton with four quick strikes, I moved on to the next as I bounded forward as fast as I could. While my [Self Haste] was still active, I had to act. These Skeletons dealt a lot of damage for ostensibly harmless strikes.

My Ring of Lesser Protection would not hold up to the accumulated damage. One of the Skeleton’s however, blurred forward. Its strike came fast. Like it had some kind of speed Skill itself. I flinched, preparing to brace myself for the blow.

And a gust of wind knocked it aside. Edithe lowered her staff, fixing me with a determined look.

“If I can’t hurt them, I’ll keep them off you!”

“Thanks!”

I grinned and continued my assault. Daniel’s blade flashed occasionally just as my flames lit up the night. I took a step back at one point as [Flaming Breath] recharged itself, and loosed it at the last of the Skeletons.

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl 97]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

...

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl 93]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 73] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 74]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 74

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 3

[Rest] - Lvl. 3

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 10]

[Vitality]: 79 (+5)

[Strength]: 52 (+5)

[Endurance]: 74 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 105 (+5) (+5)

[Agility]: 166 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points:9]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 3

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 2

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 3

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 1

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 3

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 2

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

I slumped on the ground, all four of my hands sprawled out as I heaved a heavy sigh. The bones of the Skeletons clatter around me. Many of them were still intact, only a few joints broken. But they were all dead.

“I leveled up!”

Barely managing to squeak out those words of victory, I quickly distributed my Stat Points. I spent them on [Strength] and [Endurance] for now. Because that battle drained me.

I refrained from touching my Skill Points for now.

“Aren’t Skeletons supposed to be swarm monsters?”

I turned and looked over at Daniel, who was even more exhausted than I. The only one who was still standing was Edithe, and she was more in a bent over position as she leaned against her staff.

“They… are.”

He took a deep breath and his eyes rolled over my way.

“And that was a big swarm.”

“That was a swarm?”

We had fought just over a dozen Skeletons. They were most Level 90, which made them all very dangerous. But they were stupid and had no teamwork. Hence why we could beat them.

Also, because I’m a Demon with a Title and Daniel is a [Hero] with a Title. And Edithe may be a [Summoner] who can’t summon, but she has a Title too.

“For undead? Yes.”

“Huh.”

The swarm monsters I had fought so far mostly numbered in the dozens when they came in a group. Others were in the hundreds, like Shade Swarmers. But apparently the cap for what constituted a swarm monster went as low as a dozen in a group.

“Come on.”

Edithe’s voice broke us from our rest and [Rest]. She helped pick Daniel up and pointed out a hill close to us.

“We’ll find a place to properly recover there. If we’re already seeing Skeletons and we’re this shallow into the Plaguelands.”

She glanced over at me, a serious look on her face.

“I don’t think we should try venturing much further into the Plaguelands, Salvos.”

“Aw, but look at how much you’ve leveled—”

I paused, cutting myself off as I identified her.

“Huh. You’re only Level 60.”

Only a single level after that encounter. Despite having fought multiple Level 90s, she only leveled once. And that was in addition to the accumulated experience over the past month of little leveling!

“That’s right.”

She spoke simply and started forward.

“As you can see, I barely gained any experience from that battle. It’s just not that easy to help someone else level. That’s all.”

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112. Plaguelands

112. Plaguelands

A fire crackled in the damp cavern. Drops of water fell from stalactites onto small puddles, this dripping sound recurring almost frequently. I could see the dim glow of the moon coming from just around the corner. This cave we found was quite shallow. But it would do.

Edithe and Daniel were both sleeping. They trusted me to keep watch without losing focus, and I was going to ensure their trust was not breached. This place was dangerous— as expected. We knew the Plaguelands was not going to be an easy expedition. The encounter with the Skeletons proved that.

Generally speaking, undead were supposed to be weak. However, the undead here in the Plaguelands were a different story. And that was because of simply how this place was formed.

A powerful necromancer by the name of Lilian had taken over a small kingdom. The nearby countries were afraid of her, so they performed a [Hero] summoning. The Human man that came, Zacharius, went to slay her.

But something happened. His trip took years, when the kings thought it would take months. They sent their men to check, but Lilian had not died.

And when Zacharius returned, he did not return victorious. He returned by Lilian’s side.

They conquered all the countries that summoned him to kill her, razing it all to the ground, and reanimating the fallen countries into what was now known as the Plaguelands.

Even though Lilian was long dead now, her magic still remained. The Skeletons we had fought were just small showings of her true power.

“I’d like to meet someone like that…”

I murmured under my breath. There was a light stirring and Edithe’s head popped up.

“...did you say something, Salvos?”

“Huh?”

Blinking, I turned to face her. The red-haired woman was rubbing at her eyes, a groggy look passed over her face.

“You were awake?”

“Couldn’t get good sleep.”

She spoke simply as she got to her feet and walked over to me on wobbly legs. Plopping herself down to my left, she leaned against the cave wall.

“What were you muttering to yourself about? Who do you want to meet?”

“Oh, I just wanted to meet someone strong who will be my companion. Like Lilian was to Zacharius!”

“But you’ve got Daniel, don’t you?”

“Yep, but I want someone strong!”

Edithe stared at me for a moment.

“...I’m just going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

She shook her head as a light laugh escaped her lips.

“I didn’t think you knew about the Quisling and his betrayal.”

“I read books!”

I proudly exclaimed. There were a lot of things I could not do while in Viechester, especially at night. So, I had to settle with what I could do. Which was a lot of reading and just making strange trinkets with my fire.

I could dress myself entirely in fire jewelry now!

“You really thought this through then, didn’t you?”

Sitting up, Edithe faced me with a serious look. I wanted to give a cheerful reply, but I realized she wanted to hold a proper conversation.

“I have.”

“But you understand now that helping me level isn’t going to be easy, right? After our most recent fight. I only leveled because I had accumulated experience from all the fighting I did before. And because I managed to kill one of the Skeletons.”

“Yep. It’s going to be pretty difficult.”

“And you still want to do this?”

She fixed me with a worried look. It was not one that showed fear of dying, however, not like Daniel. Instead, she was worried for me.

“Don’t you think it would slow your growth? I know you promised to help me get stronger, but if it’s too difficult, it’s fine. I can just go back to Viechester, get stronger on my own, I don’t need to bring you down—”

I placed a hand on her shoulder, cutting her off.

“We’re companions, Edithe.”

I stood up as a smile spread across my face.

“I’m doing this because I want to, not for any other reason. The question is: do you want this?”

“W-what?”

She sunk back as she drew her knees into a hug. I peered closely at my companion, inspecting her as she averted her gaze. She started.

“It’s kind of dangerous, and I don’t know if it’s a good idea. Maybe I might level up all the way to Level 70, but still get a Class advancement that makes me useless. It might be a better, safer idea to just restart from Level 10, you know?”

“Is that what you want?”

Reiterating my question, I waited for her to respond.

“What… do you mean?”

“If this isn’t what you want, you can go back. No one is forcing you to be here. I do prefer if you’re here, Edithe, because I think you’re my companion. However, if you don’t want to be here, you don’t have to force yourself.”

Her eyes went round. She seemed to deliberate over it as her face grew dark. I could not image what kind of thoughts raced through her mind— Humans were still so weird to me, even after I had spent so much time with them.

Until finally, she met my gaze and held it.

“I want this, Salvos. If there’s a chance I can get stronger to help those around me… I will take it.”

I grinned, without baring my teeth.

“Then get some sleep! You’ll want to be fully rested for tomorrow!”

A small smile broke up on Edithe’s face. Her lips curled up as she got up, nodding.

“I will. Thank you, Salvos.”

I beamed.

“That’s me!”

—--

“Are we all ready?”

I stood outside of the cave with two of my hands on my hip, and my other two folded across my chest. My companions dragged themselves out into the light. Both of them were well rested but they still seemed slightly apprehensive.

“Uh, how far do you plan to go into the Plaguelands, Salvos?”

Daniel asked with a raised hand. Shrugging, I turned around and started down the hill.

“As far as we can!”

“You don’t think this is a good idea, right Edithe?”

He groaned, but the red-haired woman followed after me. He paused and eyed her.

“Wait, you’re fine with this? She’s being reckless again.”

“I know.”

Pausing mid-step, she took a deep breath and faced him.

“But so am I now.”

Daniel stared at Edithe and I as we left him behind.

“Oh come on, am I the only sane one left here?”

“You’re the only slow one here! Hurry it up!”

The oozing miasma that pervaded the landscape grew thicker as we made our way further into the Plaguelands. There were a few thickets of trees, jutting out of the ground almost like spikes; they were rotten and dead like everything else here.

It was like they had been shriveled up into nothing more than the core of an apple.

[Vurats] filled the skies, but they did not dare to set foot on the desolate ground. The occasional pieces of broken bones poked out of the earth, their white sheen visible in the sable portrait. We stayed away from it.

We did not know whether these were corpses or undead. Neither did we know their numbers. We would choose our fights wisely.

The sky turned darker, coated by the blight to cast this strange dark-green glow. There was no sound. An eerie silence held this place, empty of the luscious vegetation and animal-life I saw in the Motharis Mountain Range.

It was almost… nostalgic.

A single Skeleton made its presence known with the clacking of its bones; I spotted it first and directed my companions attention to it. It was only Level 87— one of the weaker ones. So, we approached it.

We could not just have Edithe fight it alone. She would die. So, instead, I sent a [Scorching Wave] its way, whittling it down with as much of my flames as I could.

The flames splashed off its bones like it was being hit by water. The Skill barely had any effect. Daniel intercepted it and stuck at its femur. It collapsed, and Edithe raised her staff.

“Lightning Ball.”

She threw the charged ball of electricity and it exploded into a bolt with a thunderous clap. The Skeleton spazzed, its entire body vibrating from the lighting. Then it broke into its various pieces, no longer moving.

“Did you level?!”

I excitedly ran up to Edithe and identified her. She did not even respond before I sighed.

“Aw, you didn’t.”

“I told you it’s going to be hard, Salvos.”

“But I even used my bad Skill!”

Pouting, I crossed all four of my arms. At this point, I was hugging myself for comfort.

“It must be Daniel’s fault for taking too much experience!”

“Wait, what did I do?”

“You did fine.”

Edithe smiled at him gratefully and looked down at her open palms.

“That’s one of my best spells, but it’s draining. I just have to get stronger. Let’s go, find more Skeletons to hunt.”

And we did. It was almost routine— the way I saw to take out the Skeletons. It was no different than finding wild Demons with Haec and killing them.

Back then, I would lure them in with my speed, drawing them to Haec. He would then engage with them as I struck them from the side. It was slightly different now, with me actually being able to hurt these Skeletons.

However, all I had to do was treat Edithe as the me from then and we worked like clockwork.

“[Aura of the Sentinel].”

Daniel called out his Skill, and his weapon was coated in the same light as the day before. It was golden, not white like from his [Hero’s Slash]. The Skeleton got caught on his blade. It grabbed at the aura and it reeled back, seemingly in pain from touching it.

And Edithe finished it off. Its skull popped out of its head as a blast of ice struck it. Another notification went off in my head. No level for me. No level for Edithe.

“The sun is beginning to set again.”

Daniel pointed out, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword as it sunk into the earth.

“We should head back.”

We had decided the cave would be the place for us to reconvene, since it was what we knew as a safe place. Today was far less productive than the day before, however we were still getting used to fighting in the Plaguelands.

Plus, we probably fought less Skeletons than that horde from yesterday since we only took on individual ones. We trekked through the landscape dyed in orange until we saw the familiar hill at the periphery of the Plaguelands. There was a smaller field of the blight flowers off in the distance, on the other side of the hill, but we avoided it.

Inane conversation filled the air between us as we crested to the top. I poked Daniel on the side, annoyed that he did not tell me what his real level was.

“When did you get that Skill, even? You just suddenly have it, and you’re not telling us!”

He fixed me with a glare and spoke in a hushed whisper.

“You know why I can’t say anything, Salvos.”

“Why not?”

His eyes darted over to Edithe, who was leading the way. She had been exhausted, so she could not wait to lay in bed and just sleep. He continued.

“You know why.”

“Why can’t you just tell her, then?”

“Because...”

He halted to a stop just outside of the cave entrance as the red-haired woman went in with a yawn.

“...I don’t know how she’ll take it.”

“You’re just afraid!”

“Thanks for pointing out the obvious.”

Snorting, Daniel shook his head and gave me a serious look. He took a deep breath, and when he spoke next, he spoke in English.

“I can’t, like, just tell her. It’s not a simple matter. Rachel is a child, and you’re you—”

“I’m Salvos!”

“Exactly. So, I can’t break the news as simply as with you.”

I frowned.

“Why not—”

I started, but was interrupted by a scream followed by a blast. I exchanged a look with Daniel for an instant, before bursting into action.

[Self Haste] took over me. [Flame Burst] thrust me forward. I rounded the corner and saw Edithe surrounded by three Skeletons. She was already bleeding, clutching at her stomach, as if she was caught in a surprise strike.

I was just about to rush forward when I realized that these were not any ordinary Skeletons. Each of them was armed, unlike the ones we fought before. Sword, shield, spear—

[Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 103]

[Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 100]

[Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 101]

A note from MelasD

Just a reminder, it is currently the best time to patron to get the best rewards! You can read up to a month ahead for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

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113. Experiments

113. Experiments

[Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 103]

[Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 100]

[Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 101]

Three Skeletons surrounded Edithe. Each of them was armed with a weapon of some kind. One had a sword and shield, the other wielded a spear, and the last one had a rusty short sword.

It was completely different from the [Unarmed Skeletons] we had fought before; those were strong. They could be deadly. However, as long as you did not take a direct blow, you would be mostly safe.

This was different. Edithe lay on the ground, her stomach bleeding as she fumbled for her staff. They must have gotten the jump on her— otherwise she would have called for help.

I growled as a Skeleton raised its weapon, before erupting into a guttural shriek.

[Title Skill: Zealous Call]!

Bounding forth, I drew the attention of all three Skeletons towards me; they were not just slow moving corpses which would have taken a minute to kill her. These were Level 100 undead who would have ended her life in an instant. Fortunately for me, [Zealous Call] did not rely on the primal fear that was inherent in anything with a semblance of intelligence.

It just made them attack me.

The Skeletons charged, almost as if they had forgotten Edithe was even there. [Barrage of Cinders] took over. My clawed hands were wreathed in flames. The first came and I struck it in the head, but it did not reel.

It took the blow and struck back. [Ember Core] activated, concentrating on my chest as the short sword sunk itself into the blue fire. But the next [Skeleton Warrior] came up behind me, its spear coated in black and green. It thrusted its weapon at me as I dodged away—

And a cut formed on my skin. The flames were not ripped apart, the magic from my Ring of Lesser Protection still there. My eyes grew wide as the ring around one of my fingers flashed. The one Adan had given me as a gift.

A curse?

An offensive curse.

I circled around the Skeletons with a single [Flame Burst] as they pressed forward. Once Edithe was out of my line of sight, I inhaled deeply. [Flaming Breath]!

The fiery attack consumed the three [Skeleton Warriors] completely. It was like they were wrapped in a cyclone of flames. An inferno that brightly lit up the cave.

When the fire let up, the three Skeletons stood, their bones slightly burnt, but still standing. I growled.

“Why won’t you die?”

“That’s because they’re already dead!”

There was a blur. A flicker in the air. Daniel struck the first from behind, his sword wedging itself onto the spine of the Skeleton with the spear. He grunted as he threw a kick, sending it flying to me.

“Salvos!”

“Right!”

I caught it as it landed on my chest. Hugging it tightly with all four of my arms, my body burned and I slammed it by the neck against the hard ground. Its body was smashed into pieces of bones, rolling on the ground and bouncing off the walls.

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl 103]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 30 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

“Two left.”

Spinning around, I faced the pair of Skeletons flanked by Daniel. I conjured a blade made of fire, staring them down as I took a single step forward. The Skeletons ignored the intimidating gesture and split up, one going for my companion and the other coming for me.

I blasted a [Scorching Wave] its way as the Skeleton came my way. The fire was even less effective than against the [Unarmed Skeletons]. These were Level 100s. They did not even register the attack.

It reached me as a scowl came across my face. I parried its sword swing with my own, and my three arms laid out three subsequent strikes, each after the other, in a combination that rattled its entire body. But the [Barrage of Cinders] could not finish it. Not on its own.

I side stepped the next swing and shouted.

“Edithe!”

Going diagonally around the Skeleton, I watched it stumble as it missed me. And it ran right into the Lightning Ball Edithe had been charging up. The Skeleton exploded into thousand pieces. Its death notification— despite being an undead— ringed out in my head, while Daniel disposed of his own opponent.

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl 100]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl 101]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

“Are you alright, Edithe?”

I hurried over to the red-haired woman as she uncorked a healing potion and drank it down. Her bleeding stopped, and she glanced up at me.

“I’m fine. I was just snuck up on.”

She sighed as she picked herself up. My gaze slowly landed on the Skeletons.

“How did they get here?”

“We’re in the Plaguelands. They probably just wandered in, I guess?”

“You mean this place isn’t safe?”

“No place is safe here.”

Edithe spoke simply, hobbling over to the belongings we had left behind in the morning. I stared at her, wide eyed, until Daniel passed me. He placed a hand lightly on my shoulder as he stood on his tip-toes.

“It’s a Diamond Rank location, Salvos.”

He shook his head and started over to Edithe.

“No place here is safe.”

“...huh.”

—--

It was like the Netherworld; I had already known that, however it seemed I had forgotten what the Netherworld truly was like. And that was— dangerous.

No matter where I went, I was under threat of an attack. A wild Demon could be hiding under a rock. Or over a rock. Or behind a rock.

They could be anywhere. Enemies were numerous. Only Haec was my ally. And I did not separate from him for one moment.

Not if I wanted either of us to live.

There was no sleep, either. That was the biggest downside to my two Human companions; they required their share of rest which made them vulnerable to attacks..

I gave them a judging stare as the pair snored in their bedrolls. Humans, I sighed and shook my head.

Daniel jerked, almost as if he heard me in his sleep, but he continued snoozing like the lazy Human he was. I was playing with fire with my two lower arms, shaping the flames into different objects. Kinds of jewelry I recognized and would like to wear.

I wanted to test out creating new, different kinds of weapons. Perhaps some kind of blade that was able to cut better than a regular sword. After all, my low [Strength] could only help me so much. Daniel was able to dispose of a [Skeleton Warrior] by himself because he was simply stronger than me and could deal out more damage.

However, to create something like that, it would require experimenting which would certainly wake up either of my companions. And they would complain or make their annoying Human noises until they convinced me to let them sleep. So, I could not.

With the free time I had, I finally decided to mess with my Skills. I decided today that [Scorching Wave] was no longer useful. It could just barely hurt an opponent, which was not something I needed out of a Skill.

I could do that myself with my own four hands.

Skills:

[Available Skill Points:9]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 3

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 2

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 3

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 1

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 3

[Scorching Wave] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 2

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

If [Scorching Wave] doesn’t work, I’ll try some of the Passives. The ones I can use now. With that decided, I replaced [Scorching Wave] with the one I was least interested in.

[Passive - Keen Eye].

I stepped to the mouth of the cave, blinking as the world around me sharpened. The darkness that blanketed the Plaguelands during the dead of night seemed less thick now. I narrowed my eyes, trying to pick out specific objects in the distance.

I could see the smattering of rocks piled up at the base of the hill. There was a [Vurat] flapping its wings as it headed in the direction out of the Plaguelands, avoiding the blight filling the air. It was… lackluster.

Sure, I could see better. But, it was not even that much better. Maybe if it let me see the rocks off in that thicket of dead trees, I would have thought twice of discarding it. However, it was just like a Skill an [Archer] would get at Level 40.

Meaning, it was not suited for a Platinum Rank like me. Which made sense— this Skill did not fall into the purview of what I usually did. I probably got it by accident or because I had been acting like some kind of [Hunter].

I replaced the Skill with [Passive - Refined Casting]. I felt a surge of energy run through my body. As if my understanding of magic suddenly became better, without actually becoming better. It was just an instinct now— one which would disappear if I removed the Skill.

My regular vision losts its sharp sight, only to be replaced with a better vision of the threads of mana weaving itself through the world. I looked up and saw the blight. The way an intricate web of magic was formed, diffusing through the air and corrupting the magic of whatever it touched.

It did not directly damage the mana of whatever it touched. Instead, it interfered with it, murking its purity so that it would not be so easy to draw from. So, that’s how the blight works, I mused.

I kept the Passive Skill for now, although I shelved it in the back of my head that I should not get used to its guidance. But since I’m out here and I have it…

The biggest advantage, Saffron told me, to having a Skill aid your magic was how it got you acclimated to the feeling of casting magic you could not cast. Without the Skill, I would not be able to create whatever it was I would be able to create otherwise.

However, it would give me the understanding I needed to build my way back up to it, but better.

My eyes wandered back towards the directions where my companion slept. They were further inside the cave, not far enough that I would not know if they were attacked. I was right here, after all. And we had already checked the cave for any possible undead.

So, they were safe. A grin spread across my face as I raised a hand, creating fire and wonder.

Daniel woke up to an explosion. He jolted out of his bed, taking a moment longer than Edithe to fumble for his weapon.

The red-haired woman already had her staff in her hand, showing the difference in experience between the two. But of course Daniel would be a step slower; he was not from this world. He grew up living a mostly peaceful life.

“What was that?”

Edithe asked, a barrier already forming around her. Daniel narrowed his eyes, the realization sinking in from the lack of a presence.

“Salvos.”

The pair of adventurers walked slowly out of the cave. The sun was just starting to rise in the vast ocean sky, spilling its orange glow over the horizon. Right before the entrance, Daniel saw Salvos swinging around a kusarigama which seemed to burn a brilliant white.

“What are you doing?”

He crossed his arms, and Edithe sighed.

“I’m experimenting!”

“And I assume that explosion was from this experiment?”

“Yes!”

Salvos replied brightly. Which he would have thought was cute if she was not in her Demon form.

Spinning the kusarigama by its chains, she hurled it out away from the cave. The sickle edge flew a few feet, before detaching itself from the chains.

“Why is that—”

It exploded.

She beamed and turned back to him.

“Look, now I don’t need to create a bow just to attack enemies from a distance!”

Daniel stared at her, blinking. He raised a hand, trying to think of a comment to give. He felt his shoulders sag.

“What even inspired you to—”

He was cut off as a shoulder brushed past him. Edithe had turned around and was heading back into the cave. Daniel raised a brow.

“You’re not even going to question this? She woke us up because of this!”

“It’s not like we would’ve been sleeping for much longer, anyway.”

Shrugging, Edithe glanced back at him briefly.

“Plus, she’s doing this to help us. It’s not like she’s a kid playing with a new toy, right?”

Daniel paused. He felt his jaw move, trying to work itself. But nothing came out.

“R-right.”

He followed after Edithe. Salvos continued working on creating more of those kusarigamas in the background, testing how far she could throw them.

Daniel’s gaze fixed itself on the red-haired woman. He was surprised— after all, hadn’t she been the one who was very much against working with a Demon just a year ago?

Things change, I guess.

A note from MelasD

This is a forewarning. Nothing concrete just yet. But just in case, I may or may not have to take a week off this month because school is extra hard right now. Again, I'll let you know a week in advance. But I am at the end of my ropes here. For the past 3 months, I have been back home in South East Asia while still attending online classes at US timezones. Which means, I have literally been living nocturnally with almost no social interaction other than discord since I can't exactly go anywhere at night in my country because it isn't exactly the safe plus lockdown so everything is closed.

And all I did was write and deal with school. So, I have been very, very stressed.

Fortunately, I am currently flying (probs in the plane when this chap goes up) to the US because I'll be graduating in June, so I'll have to be there for commencement/walking. And that may actually be better for me since I'll finally be able to see people again and won't be losing my mind at 3am in the middle of the night because I have to attend classes.

We'll see. If it continues as is, I'll have to take a break. But if things get better once I'm in the US, I'll happily continue posting 9 chapters a week.

Just a reminder, it is currently the best time to patron to get the best rewards! You can read up to a month ahead for only $5 if you donate to my patreon here!

Also, join my discord!

114. Ghostlight

A note from MelasD

Hey all, quick announcement, but Melas Book 2, another one of my stories, is now like on the Amazon KU store! I'm not going to ask you guys to buy it, although it would be greatly appreciated if you do. However, I'd just like to ask those of you with Kindle Unlimited to give it a quick download as that would help the book with getting even more exposure, and that would genuinely be so helpful to me.

Give it a download if you can! The Witch: An Isekai Adventure Fantasy (Melas, Book 2)

114. Ghostlight

“Back up, Daniel!”

I yelled as I whirled my kusarigama in the air. The Human man glanced up at me, then disengaged from the [Skeleton Warrior].

Hurling the fiery chains forward, my Sickle Grenade— as Daniel called it— released itself from the chains, landing on the undead. It blasted the Skeleton apart, its bones shattering into thousands of pieces. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 102]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 74] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 75]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“That was close. You almost died!”

“No thanks to you!”

Daniel shouted back at me. He raised an angry fist.

“I was taking care of it just fine until you nearly killed me!”

“It’s fine.”

I waved a hand off dismissively, much to his chagrin. I stepped over the pile of bone and ivory, heading to Edithe. The Human woman was slumped over on the ground, panting and drinking a healing potion.

[Mage - Lvl. 62]

“Are you alright?”

Bending over to meet her gaze, I offered her a hand. She gratefully accepted it and got to her feet.

“I’m fine. Those Skeletons were just… above my level. Sorry.”

“I didn’t expect to find more [Skeleton Warriors] so soon.”

I remarked as I helped her up. There was a mixture of [Unarmed Skeletons] and [Skeleton Warriors]. However, after only fighting [Unarmed Skeletons] the day before— with the exception of the [Skeleton Warriors] who attacked us in our cave— it was definitely a surprise to run into more of the Level 100 variants of the Skeletons all of a sudden.

“Plus, they ambushed us. They hid under the miasma of blight before charging us when we got too close. We should keep a further distance away from those blight flowers.”

“Agreed.”

Daniel piped up from behind us. He shuddered, recalling something.

“That scene of those Skeletons running at us? It’s going to forever be ingrained in my mind.”

“In a good way?”

I blinked.

“No, Salvos, not in a good way.”

He replied flatly. Shrugging, I quickly looked over what the Skeletons were carrying; just in case they had any good equipment. They did not.

The wielded rusty swords and spear, nothing of use to us. Spinning around, I gestured for my companions to follow me.

“Let’s go back, shall we?”

The sun was beginning to set again. Today had been rather fruitful, what with me leveling and all. So, progress seemed good. Even if it was only a result of this unexpected ambush at the end of the day.

A dangerous ambush; one any of us could have died from. Regardless, we were fine for now and we were going back. Edithe and Daniel followed me as we went past a field of blight flowers. We crossed through thickets of dead trees and rounded around tall hills made of green-ish black dirt.

Until finally, the earth was no longer a barren wasteland, the sounds of animals began to return, and my companions spoke at the same time.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s not safe in the Plaguelands.”

I decided, peering over them. The pair exchanged a glance.

“We… uh, already knew that?”

“I’m pretty sure we knew that since this place is a damned Diamond Rank area, Salvos.”

“Yep!”

Crossing two of my four arms, I agreed with them and raised a finger.

“That is why we should not be sleeping here! You Humans are too fragile and weak when you sleep! I can’t just protect you every night!”

“So, we’re just leaving?”

Edithe raised a brow, and I beamed.

“For now, yes. We go to Ghostlight!”

Daniel stared at me in disbelief.

“The town?”

I nodded eagerly.

“That way, you Humans will be safe when sleeping. There’s no point scouring the Plaguelands for Edithe to level up if she dies, right?”

“But the trip back to the town will take hours. We’ll be wasting precious time every day.”

He pointed out. I spun around, facing him seriously.

“That’s better than one of us dying.”

Daniel paused. Then he opened his mouth and spoke one word.

“Huh.”

“I keep telling you, stop stealing my line!”

Edithe laughed at me as I shouted in outrage at Daniel. The pair of Humans were amused by my reaction, and a small smile spread across my face.

Once we were fully out of the Plaguelands, I quickly hid behind a bush and changed back to my Mortal Form. I became a Human— the same as usual. I was used to this body, as opposed to a Cyclops.

The blight— the thick miasma— soon disappeared behind us. We crossed through an empty plains, until grass started growing thicker and the foliage reappeared. Vegetation seemed to sprout— xenile roots were ripe for the plucking. I heard they were a very useful ingredient for alchemy.

A town showed itself to us in the distance; it had tall wooden walls, but they were cracked. Obvious holes showed themselves, damaged from some kind of attack not too long ago. They were haphazardly repaired. As if they were put back together in a rush.

The gates were guarded by a few Humans wielding weapons that were no better than what the Skeletons had. However, as we made our approach, they huddled together and one of them went behind the wooden walls before returning with a fancily dressed man.

This man was higher leveled. Level 105. His face looked like it was twisted into a permanent scowl. I almost thought the guards woke him up from a nap before bringing him here.

“Who goes there?”

“We’re adventurers!”

I called out, waving a hand.

“Coming from the Plaguelands!”

He narrowed his eyes, and snapped at one of the guards.

“Those are people, you idiots! Not undead! Not Kobolds! Why would you fucking wake me up?!”

I was right! And he was very grumpy. He spent a whole minute reprimanding the guards for bringing him over a non issue, until he stormed back through the gates.

“Let them through. And don’t call me unless it’s something important!”

“Y-yes sir!”

“What’s his problem?”

Edithe commented with a frown as we entered the city. One of the guards jerked back and squeaked.

“Uh, captain Alex has been stationed here after a recent raid on Ghostlight.”

He explained, eyes darting between us and the flatlands ahead, almost as if he thought something could pop out at any moment.

“A group of Kobolds attacked our town just the other week. We’re used to dealing with the single stray undead from the Plaguelands, but… that’s not something we can handle.”

“Is there any reason why they’d attack? Is it common for them to do this?”

“It’s not normal, no. And… I don’t really know. It just kind of happened.”

It didn’t look like Edithe was going to get any more answers from the guard, so she nodded and thanked him. We finally entered the town. It had a bleak atmosphere, especially so since it was in the middle of the night.

The Humans here walked with sagged shoulders, trudging along as if their feet were sinking into the mud. But there was no mud here. Just regular dirt and stone.

Men hefted sacks of grain around their backs as they walked by us, returning from their day’s work in the fields. Women tended to their children, many of whom were silently playing with their toys. It was a gloomy sight— compared to Viechester.

And yet, there was only one thing here that stood out to me. One thing which was abnormal, unlike any other place I had been to.

Almost everyone had a combat Class.

Most of the town was composed of Humans who were ready to fight. Their average level was not extremely high, but it was in the 30s. And those in the 40s were not unusual to see. Still rare. Just less so. Like I was in a busy Adventurers Guild.

Daniel stopped a passerby and asked for directions for a place to stay. She pointed us down to an inn down the street, and we soon found ourselves in a small, single-storeyed tavern with a creaky wooden door.

It swung open, and a head popped out.

“Welcome to Ghostlight’s only inn. Ghostlight’s Inn. I’m the [Innkeeper] here, Jaden.”

Daniel and Edithe blinked.

“Wait—”

“What the fuc—”

I stepped forward and greeted him cheerfully.

“Nice to meet you Jaden! Woah, you’re so small. How old are you?”

“I’m ten.”

The little boy nodded curtly, pushing the rest of the door open.

“Please, come on in.”

Ushering us inside, a rather empty lobby is revealed to us. Daniel and Edithe still remained silent, casting the odd glance at Jaden every once in a while. I didn’t know why they were so perplexed. Because he was a Level 32 [Innkeeper] at 10 years old? Sure, that was impressive.

But I was even more impressive, and yet they didn’t stare at me that way!

Pouting with my arms crossed as the boy went behind a counter, Daniel finally mustered up the courage to speak to Jaden.

“Hey, uh, Jaden, where are your…”

“Parents?”

He looked at my companions. The pair nodded dumbly. The boy shrugged.

“They’re dead. Mom was killed by a Skeleton shortly after I was born. Dad died a month ago, when the Kobolds attacked.”

“I… see.”

Daniel trailed off. Edithe took over.

“And you’ve been running this inn ever since? Are you… sure you can handle it?”

“I’ve been managing the operation of Ghostlight’s Inn for three years now. How did you think I got to this level?”

Jaden spoke simply. He grabbed a pair of keys and placed it on the wooden countertop.

“Here. It’ll be five silver for a week. Your rooms are down the hall and to the left.”

“Thank you!”

I accepted the keys gratefully, bowing my head at him slightly like I sometimes saw Humans did.

“Come on guys!”

Facing my companions, I shook my head.

“I swear… sometimes you two are weird!”

They said nothing, instead choosing to follow me in shame. We settled down into our respective rooms— Edithe and I sleeping in the room next door to Daniel. I would not sleep, of course.

And Edithe agreed to letting me go out, so long as I stayed away from trouble. I found myself excitedly bouncing on my toes before I swung the door open. Waving bye at my companions, I rushed past Jaden who was cleaning a beer mug, and burst out of the inn—

Only to be me with a misty night. Darkness. There was no one about. Not even guards. Feeling my enthusiasm from before disappearing, I returned back to the inn and sat next to the snoring Edithe as I read a few books.

—--

“Let’s go!”

I waved my companions forward as they dragged their feet on the dirt ground, slowly following after me. I was already waiting by the town’s gates, its wooden doors held open for us.

It was early in the morning— the sun had not even risen. Yet, we had to leave Ghostlight now. Because of the trek it would take us to return to the Plaguelands.

I skipped past a group of guards as they spoke in murmurs. Their conversations were inane— things that did not matter.

“...do you think they want a ransom?”

“Nonsense! Why would Kobolds want a ransom? They don’t even use our coins!”

“Hurry up!”

My companions picked up the pace as we left Ghostlight, leaving behind the monotonous Human civilization, and returning to the wonder of nature. The Plaguelands made it visible up ahead. If we ran, we would have gotten there quickly.

But Daniel and Edithe did not want to run. They took their time, following after me with labored steps.

The sun was starting to rise by the time we arrived. The blight greeted us once again, and we were safe, prepared, and ready to resume our hunting.

A note from MelasD

Daniel commissioned from Yuna. Not exactly how I imagine him, but god damn this art is so fucking good.

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

115. Depth

115. Depth

The trip to and from Ghostlight every day ate up less time than I had expected; it was probably because of me rushing my companions. Otherwise, they would have trudged along so slowly, night would have fallen before we arrived!

That was an over exaggeration. But it was apt, considering how lazy Humans could be from time to time. I did not need their sleep or their rest— so, they thought I was the weird one when they were the ones who were weird!

Every time we arrived in the Plaguelands, we would pass by fields of blight flowers. The foul-smelling miasma forced Daniel to wretch each time. It was funny. But he did not like it when I laughed at him for it.

We would usually find and catch stray Skeletons off-guard. With our teamwork, we dismantled those walking bones easily, turning them to dust. There were a few times where we were surprised by a few [Skeleton Warriors]. Those were the ones that were hard to kill.

Even with the three of us.

Especially with the three of us.

Edithe was, unfortunately, a liability in those situations. She would have to stay back from the fighting, keep away from getting hurt. During those battles, she would not level at all. Even though there was such a disparity between her and them. Because there was such a disparity, she could not do much.

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 94]!

More Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 101]!

More Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 75] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 76]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 76] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 77]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

It had been a week since we first went to Ghostlight. We now knew when was the best time to leave the Plaguelands and begin heading back to the town before it grew too dark. It was much harder to be ambushed when it was still bright out— or at least, bright enough for me to spot the group of Skeletons wandering the blackened earth ahead of us.

“I got this.”

Beaming at my companions, I created a bow made of fire. I held it up and pointed at the targets so distant. I was beginning to get used to my [Passive - Refined Casting] now. I was considering changing it to something else since I did not want to become reliant on it. However, at times like these, I found it really useful.

Three Blazing Bolts nocked itself on the fiery bow. My arms did not shake. My accuracy was unperturbed. I loosed the powerful explosives straight at the Skeletons. They landed on three separate skulls, almost knocking their heads straight off.

Then I changed weapons. In a mere moment, the bow shifted and became a Sickle Grenade. I tossed it forward, blasting the Skeletons with a blue explosion. Two notifications rang off in my head, but there were still five of them left.

I discerned the last Skeleton I had attacked with my Blazing Bolts— the one that survived the Sickle Grenade. I pointed at it and turned to Edithe.

“There!”

She nodded and released her charged spell. A volley of ice rained down on the Skeletons, but they focused mostly on the one that was hurt. It collapsed, the accumulated damage too much for it to handle as the remaining four charged us.

Daniel and I intercepted them. With [Ember Core] burning my body, and Daniel’s [Aura of the Sentinel] we disposed of the last of them in a few minutes. I tried to help Edithe. She finished off another Skeleton. But otherwise, she mostly stayed back.

With the last of the Skeletons finished, I groaned and crossed my arms.

“I didn’t even get a level!”

“Of course not. You just leveled yesterday.”

Daniel rolled his eyes. My gaze shifted to Edithe, and I realized her eyes were unfocused.

“Edithe?”

I blinked. But then I understood what she was doing. I identified her quickly, and I beamed.

“You’re Level 65! And it has only been a week! See?”

She was leveling at a faster rate than even me; despite the fact that she could not contribute as much in battle. Three levels. Seven days.

Edithe shook her head.

“I’m leveling fast. For now.”

Sighing, she started past me.

“But with each level I gain, the growth would slow. If it takes a week to level three times now, it would take two weeks to do the same next time around. Then maybe another month to finally get to Level 70.”

“It’s still, uh, faster than most people.”

Daniel piped up from the side. Edithe nodded.

“It is. But I guess I do feel kind of inadequate. Since, after all, I’m competing with you two.”

A wry smile crossed her face. I grimaced. When we had first met, she was higher leveled than me by nearly 20 levels. And now, it was the reverse. I could not blame her for how she felt.

Placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, I gestured at myself.

“I’m Salvos— a Demon. So, it’s not fair for you to compare yourself with me!”

I paused. My eyes landed on Daniel. He gave me a glare, and I shrugged.

“Daniel is weird, though.”

I said nothing else. Edithe laughed and shook her head.

“It’s fine, Salvos. Thank you.”

We walked in silence through the barren wasteland of the Plaguelands. I felt my pace slowing, my shoulders sagging, and a general feeling of unwellness at the way Edithe was acting. She was both so… motivated and demotivated at the same time.

When we caught sight of the first signs of the lush greenery beyond, an idea sprung itself into my head. Innocently hiding two of my hands behind my back, I craned over to get Edithe and Daniel’s attention.

“Hey…!”

“What’s wrong, Salvos?”

The red-haired woman quirked an eyebrow. I clasped my other two hands together.

“So… you two will be needing to sleep and stuff in Ghostlight, right?”

“Yeah, and?”

Daniel furrowed his brows. Edithe’s eyes widened in comprehension.

“Wait, don’t tell me—”

“Can I explore the Plaguelands while you two are asleep? Please? Pretty please?”

I tried giving them the best pleading face I could; the pair did not bite. The Human man frowned.

“Why the sudden request? You’ve been fine with staying in Ghostlight for the past week. Are you already getting bored?”

“Nope!”

He narrowed his eyes dubiously.

“I don’t believe you.”

Scowling, I drew my arms forward and harrumphed.

“Well, if you must know, I’m thinking of going even further into the Plaguelands. To look around.”

Edithe blinked and took a step forward.

“You’re trying to find higher leveled undead for us to fight, aren’t you?”

“Maybe…”

I trailed off, trying to whistle. An odd piercing sound came out instead. She hesitated.

“I don’t… know if that’s a good idea, Salvos.”

“But it is!”

I protested.

“If we want to help you level fast, we’ve got to scale the progress! You can’t just be fighting Level 100 Skeletons when you’re Level 70!”

“Why not?”

Daniel posed the question to me. I turned to him, and opened my mouth.

“Because—”

“Because I’d level faster. Right.”

Edithe placed a hand on her chin, the deliberation evident on her face. Daniel stared at her.

“Wait, you can’t possibly be considering this, Edithe?”

“I am. And honestly? Even if we say no, she’s going to do it anyway, isn’t she?”

The Human woman glanced at me, and I gave her a small nod. She continued.

“And if it’s something that helps me… helps us? I think we should just accept it.”

“That’s right!”

I chimed in, sticking my tongue out at Daniel.

“You’re a spoilsport!”

The Human man’s gaze danced between the two of us, his lips drawn into a thin line. Finally, it settled onto Edithe as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“As long as you don’t have us fight this ‘Lich’. I’ve heard from the townspeople in Ghostlight— many Diamond Rank teams have sought him out. Very few of them return.”

“Yay!”

I wrapped my arms around my companions, cheering. The pair sputtered, trying to pry my four arms from them. I let go of them. Then I stepped back.

“I promise I won’t stray too far! I’ll be safe!”

“You better.”

Daniel murmured under his breath. I shot him a grin.

“Maybe you two can learn more about each other in the meantime.”

He sputtered, but Edithe just looked confused. Waving at them one last time, I started off. I bounded back into the Plaguelands, using all six of my limbs to carry me forward as fast as I could. Once I began to see the miasma, I slowed down and prowled slowly through the night.

There was a green-ish hue to the Plaguelands when the sun was not up. It was almost like an ethereal glow— I would have thought the blight was luminescent. But it was not. It was the light from the stars and the moon far above, limning the diffused gas as it reached up for the sky.

I did not stop to take in this sight; I continue onwards, past the massy hills. The discolored dirt. I nimbly moved through dead forests. Trees, robbed of their life. There were many corpses lying around. I did not stop by any of them. I gave them all a wide berth.

There was only the undead here. If someone died here, their body would be lost forever. These traps were not new to me. However, when I caught the signs of an unusual structure, I was struck by a cool chill.

I spun around, facing the creature standing behind me. It had disguised itself inside a dead tree. But now I could see the sheen despite the darkness of the night. A blue person, looking almost like a Human— but not. It faced me with a craned neck, turned so impossibly down I was sure it was dead.

And it was. Because it was an undead.

[Wight - Lvl. 111].

I drew back and bounded away, [Flame Burst] tripling the gap between us in an instant. I was not impeded by the speed of my companions here. I did not need to fight. Just like in the Netherworld, I could flee if necessary.

The curse that had struck me slowly vanished— it drained me of my mana. There was no direct attack there. I did not know why it chose to steal my mana rather than killing me, but I did not stop to question a wild creature. Their actions had no meaning or sense, otherwise they would not be wild.

I reached the structure I saw from afar. Decrepit, old buildings stood here. The wood had rotted away, leaving behind only the cobble building up its foundations. The cracks between the stone were filled with green moss. A few blight flowers grew here. They exuded their foul stench, covering the area with their miasma of blight.

Heads rose. Skeletons, hiding in the shadows of the ruins drew themselves up. They wielded weapons, and faced me with a keen intelligence I did not recognize. One of them stood taller than the rest. It was almost like a Skeleton— except it still had skin? At least, some kind of blackened skin that seemed to recede into its bones like tight clothing.

Two glowing eyes darted at me, and I identified it.

[Ghoul - Lvl. 108].

I frowned. Some kind of smart undead? It bellowed some kind of a guttural scream and the Skeletons chased me. I sent a single [Flaming Breath] their way before pulling back. I lost the pursuing Skeletons soon enough, passing by a field of blight flowers.

My gaze swept through the only vegetation filling the Plaguelands, and I narrowed my eyes. I saw lumbering figures moving behind the thick mist of blight. They were not shaped like Skeletons, more complete, but less than a person. They had dark green skin, almost like a Cyclops, but most of them were missing chunks of their body.

I took out a fire bow and sent a single arrow their way.

Defeated [Horde Zombie - Lvl. 78]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

It fell, its head completely severed from its body. But the other Zombies twitched. Their necks snapped up to face me. I was already gone.

I rubbed at my chin as I walked through the Plaguelands. I saw more fields of blight flowers. More ruins. More dead forests. Deep into this Diamond Rank area, there were no longer even [Vurats] flying about.

In fact, I saw strangely shaped bats flying. They were larger than me, even. With wicked wings sailing them through the air, parts of their body decomposed.

I saw groups— clusters of Skeletons— surrounding Ghouls. The only intelligent undead I had seen so far seemed to gather the mindless Skeletons. And yet, despite having a semblance of sentience, they still acted the same way wild Demons did. It was just that they were the kind of wild Demons who disguised themselves as otherwise.

Like the horned Demon and his minions.

I paused mid-step when a single drop of liquid landed on my long nose. I glanced up, seeing dark clouds gather up in the sky. But when I peer carefully at it, I could see the fizzled weavings of mana. The water that dropped was not any ordinary rain. It was a rain of blight.

The patter of rainfall consumed me. I could feel my body growing weaker. The Plaguelands was still so vast— so expansive. I had only seen a glimpse of its depth. Yet, I had to leave now.

Activating [Self Haste], I ran away from the brown rain, away from the lumbering undead, and back in the direction I came. Except, I did not know where I came from. I halted and cocked my head.

“Huh. I think I’m lost.”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

116. Lost...

116. Lost...

Daniel’s eyes darted over to the red-haired woman, sitting to his left, twiddling her thumbs around the tip of her staff. She was nervous, he could tell. Anxiety was on the rise— the light tapping of her foot was audible in the empty tavern room.

He couldn’t blame her. Daniel was certain he was as overwhelmed as her— maybe even more. His heartbeat resounded loudly in his head. The flow of his blood through his body was a constant, monitoring the amount of time that had passed.

It was almost noon. The sun was high up in the sky. Ghostlight was bustling with life outside. The [Innkeeper] boy was cleaning a mug— the squeak of the cloth rubbing against the glass the only other sound in the silent room.

“She’s not back yet.”

Danel finally spoke up. Edithe nodded.

“I realize that.”

“Do you…”

He hesitated, biting his lower lip. Taking a deep breath, he continued.

“Do you, uh, think she’s fine?”

“She probably got lost.”

Edithe sighed and leaned back against the chair.

“It’s the fucking Plaguelands. There’s no way she didn’t get lost in there.”

“But I even gave her a compass and my spare map!”

Daniel protested. He was not sure why he was even protesting. Edithe was probably— no, definitely, right. It was just hard for him to accept that he was stupid enough to let her go off on her own the day before.

He rubbed at his temples.

“So… what do we do now?”

He watched the red-haired woman grimace. She closed her eyes, as if steeling herself for her own answer. She stood up, and he met her gaze.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Edithe snorted and started for the door.

“We’ll find her. And we’ll continue doing what we came here to do.”

Daniel felt his shoulders sag. He should not have expected anything else— in fact, he did not expect anything else. He had known this would have been the decision she would come to from the very beginning.

There was something about Salvos which inspired that kind of insanity in people. Especially Edithe— with how hotheaded she had been since he met her. With Salvos rubbing off on her, she was now just a little bit hotter.

“Let’s just be a little less reckless, please?”

Daniel felt the urge to plead with Edithe. She turned back to him and crossed her arms, snorting.

“Who do you think I am?”

He stared at her.

“That’s exactly why I’m begging you— you tried to kill a Greater Demon 20 levels above you, remember?”

“Oh, right.”

I was lost. There was no doubt about it at all— I had no idea where I was.

I mean, sure, Daniel had given me some things just in case I somehow ended up losing myself in the Plaguelands. He told me to follow the direction of the sun when it rose, take a look at the map with the compass to get to Ghostlight, and maybe even shout and run around so they could find me if I ever lost my way.

However, what he did not— and I did not— account for, was how difficult it was to navigate through the deeper parts of the Plaguelands.

“Leave me alone!”

I yelled and breathed a plume of brilliant, blue flames. The [Skeletons Warriors] recoiled, backing away from the fire as it scorched their bones. I got down on all my limbs and began bounding forward, [Flame Burst] propelling me away from them.

But an arrow zipped in front of me. It narrowly missed me, traveling through the air even faster than me! The [Skeleton Archer] strung back its blow as I glared at it, conjuring my own bow.

“Take this, stupid wild thing!”

I loosed a Blazing Bolt at it. The [Skeleton Archer]’s head snapped back. Its skull came clean off and it collapsed into a pile of bones.

Defeated [Skeleton Archer - Lvl. 102]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 77] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 78]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“Yay! Now to run!”

I fled from the horde of undead. They swarmed after me, stopping their pursuit only when I activated [Self Haste]. I was about to head into a forest of dead trees when my [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] stopped me.

I narrowed my eyes, catching sight of what almost seemed like wisps of mist coming from a tree. A [Wight], I sighed and turned around.

The Plaguelands was a vast place. And it seemed that whenever I tried to start in a specific direction, I would get sidetracked and thrown another way completely. I passed by another field of blight flowers— there were no [Zombies] here. It seemed they only gathered around ones where the miasma was so thick it became almost physical like a blanket.

“I wonder if they burn?”

I cocked my head and sent a small ball of fire into the blight flowers. The flames were snuffed out almost in an instant. I narrowed my eyes and tried again, this time with a stronger fire.

The flowers burned slowly— almost like they were not made of leaves like normal flowers. The blight engulfed the flames, trying to put it out, while the fire ate slowly away at the petals themselves. A small section of the flower field was scorched off the earth. It took some time, and I was not going to waste any more attempts trying to purge them after this test.

I spun around… only to face a [Ghoul] standing behind me. I leapt back.

“Blegh! Leave me alone!”

I hurled a Sickle Grenade at it, but it knocked the explosive aside. The blast resounded behind the [Ghoul] as it rushed me. It snarled— the only undead to have made a sound. It swung at me once— but I ducked under the attack and used the chains to trip it.

It fell to the ground as I ran off. The sun was now high in the sky. It cast an eerie glow over the Plaguelands. Not that I particularly thought it was eerie. That was what Edithe and Daniel thought.

“They’re also probably very mad right now.”

I sighed as I left the [Ghoul] far behind me— its group of Skeletons dragging it down in terms of speed. I had tried fighting one earlier. It was too powerful for me to defeat, even if it was alone.

I was certain I was headed in the right direction. But for whatever reason, it felt like whenever I was derailed, I ended up even further from my destination than when I stated. I caught sight of ruined structures up ahead. It was larger than the rubbles I discovered the night before.

Extending for at least a mile, I tried to approach it without getting too close to be caught by hiding undead. I stayed far from the pile of bones sticking out of the earth. I would not be fooled by them.

The ruins here were far more intact than the previous one I ran into. There were even some buildings that were still standing— they had collapsed walls and entire sections fallen into itself. However, this seemed more like the Brilsum Ruin’s in how they appeared.

I glanced around, seeing no undead walking in the open of what was probably once a glorious city. The miasma here grew thinner. The closest blight field was not too far off. I narrowed my eyes as I noticed movement in the distance: in between some of the still-standing buildings.

I immediately took cover. I would not want to be caught by more undead. I was getting tired of running from every single encounter. This place was nothing like the Netherworld where I would spend so much time seeing nothing but a single Demon. And also, piles of Demon corpses.

However, when the figures got closer, I heard sounds that were not just the clacking of bones. It was not the heavy footstep of a [Ghoul], nor the gust-like noises the [Wights] made with each step they took. It sounded like… voices. Conversations.

I brightened as I thought I finally found some Humans to direct me towards Ghostlight. I was just about to transform back to my Mortal Form when the first of them became fully visible to me. My eyes widened as I saw the color green round the corner.

There was a tail. Patterned skin— no wait, that was not skin. Scales? They had a glossy look to them. They were a Kobold. I recognized that description from the books I read. With their long mouths and their claw-like hands, they were depicted to be rather vicious. Almost monstrous in their appearance. I did not think they were that scary— they seemed more like monster that was turned into a Human, and made cute-looking.

It was a small group of them. The one I saw was a… a she? I could not quite tell. Her body was not very different from the others accompanying her. The only noticeable difference was that her tail was shorter, barely poking out, while the others had tails long enough to wrap around their waist.

And they were wrapped around their waists. They walked slowly, carrying spears and shields, as if escorting the female Kobold in the center. I crept a little bit closer, excited to see these new creatures. If I recalled correctly, they did not like Humans. However, that did not mean they would hate me, right?

That logic made sense, however I was cautious before all else. I made sure to identify them before I did anything that would cause Daniel or Edithe to smack their forehead.

[Cultist - Lvl. 105]

[Cultist - Lvl. 95]

[Cultist - Lvl. 98]

[Herbalist - Lvl. 74]

Huh, they’re all [Cultists], except for the Kobold woman. I wondered what they were doing out here in the Plaguelands. The fact that they were [Cultists] emboldened me. Choosing not to approach them as an odd, naked Kobold, I decided to step forward as myself. [Cultists] liked Demons, right?

Apparently, I was wrong.

“Hey!”

I called out, waving one of my four arms. I did not have my Necklace of Obfuscation on, so they could clearly have seen me as a [Changeling]. In fact, I was certain they knew I was sa Demon when they saw me, because that was what they cried out.

“Demon!”

“A Demon in the Plaguelands!”

“Yes! I’m a Demon, and I—”

I was cut off before I could continue. One of them hurled their spear at me. I barely craned my neck out of the way in time. It missed me, piercing straight through a nearby wall behind me. The building collapsed, sending dust and debris up.

I narrowed my eyes as the Level 105 Kobold took a step forward. Smoke wisped out of his mouth as he glared my way.

“Old Gods give me strength, help me slay this Demonic beast who brings the end!”

“Oh, are you kidding me? You guys hate Demons too?! But you’re [Cultists]!”

I threw my hands up and sighed. Creating a Sickle Grenade, I braced myself for the Kobolds attack. He inhaled, and—

The [Herbalist] kicked him from behind, causing him to stumble. Fire breathed out of his mouth, striking the ground and blazing out. It burned brighter and hotter than even my [Flaming Breath]. I took a step back, staring at the fire engulfing him for a moment.

“What are you doing? Run!”

I blinked as I watched the Kobold woman hobble over to me. It was only now that I realized her hands were tied behind her back. There were shouts— no, barks coming from the three Kobold men she left behind.

The highest leveled Kobold was still reeling from his own attack hitting himself. I frowned as I watched three gather themselves. The [Herbalist] tripped and fell.

“H-help me!”

She gave me a pleading look. I felt my shoulder sag. Then I shrugged.

“Maybe I’ll get a [Hero] Class when I hit Level 100 instead.”

I tossed the Sickle Grenade at the other Kobolds. The blast did not kill them. But it did send rubble and smoke out, blotting their vision. [Self Haste] took me to the Kobold woman, and I picked her up with my bottom two arms.

I sent one of my own [Flaming Breath] at them, while they were still discombobulated from the first attack, before [Flame Burst] carried me back with the woman.

Explosions blasted out from where the three Kobold men were. One of them swung a claw in my direction, and the ground shot up. A claw mark cleaved through the earth in my direction. I managed to avoid it by ducking into a nearby building. The entire structure collapsed as I tore my way through the falling rubble.

The [Herbalist] stared up at me, her eyes wide.

“In my left pocket!”

She hurriedly speaks.

“There’s a vial of Shadow Dust. Toss it at them!”

I cocked my head.

“A what?”

More barks called out behind me. I quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out what was in there. There were multiple vials, pouches, and even a golden scale. I did not wait to sort through them. I just tossed them all back in the direction of the pursuing Kobolds.

Almost everything I threw dropped on the ground, worthless. However, one of the vials exploded into a cloud of black. It obscured my vision of everything within that cloud. And by the angry sounds I could hear through it, it was even worse for those inside the cloud.

“Woah. I need to get some of that for myself.”

“It’s very rare. Now let’s go!”

The Kobold woman tugged at one of my arms. I nodded and continued on, bounding on two arms and two legs, while my remaining two arms carried her close to my chest. We left the ruined city behind, soon disappearing behind a dead forest as the miasma of blight grew thicker once we left the area. I glanced back occasionally. But our pursuers were gone.

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading! For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

117. Xidra the [Herbalist]

117. Xidra the [Herbalist]

I made sure we were a decent distance away from the ruins before I came to a stop. I lowered the Kobold woman to the ground, shaking my head in relief.

“That was dangerous.”

I remarked as I beamed her way. I placed my lower two hands on my hips and used a third hand to point a clawed thumb to myself.

“Luckily, you found me! Or did I find you?”

The [Herbalist] picked herself up and dusted herself off. Her clothes were covered in grime and dirt— they were slightly torn, revealing some of her vibrant, green scales underneath. They looked so smooth, and I thought they seemed strong. Not like fleshy Human skin.

Her tail faced the sky as she got to her feet, turning to me with her violet eyes. She had slit-like pupils layered on top of her yellow sclera. They peered into me curiously. I waved at her, excited to finally meet a Kobold. Then I realized I was not in my Mortal Form.

“Oh, wait, this—”

She walked up to me and hugged me.

“Thank you. May the Nexeus be saved, thank you so much.”

I blinked and stared at her.

“Are you… not scared of me?”

Letting go of me, the Kobold woman took a step back and frowned.

“No. Why would I be?”

Her tongue stuck out as she spoke. The words came out like a hiss— almost as if she were whispering her words. But they were clear and as loud as anyone else I had ever spoken to.

I hesitated.

“But I’m a Demon. Are Kobolds not scared of us Demons?”

“You saved my life, Demon. Whether you were a Human, Spirit, Elf, Dwarf, Beastman, or even Goblin or Orc, I would be grateful. However, to answer your question: us Kobolds bear no ill feelings toward your kind, nor do I find you particularly terrifying.”

“Humans are scared of me all the time!”

I felt slightly offended that she did not think I was worth getting scared over. Sure, I liked that she did not scream and run from me or attack me like Humans would. But a middle ground like with Adan where he found my appearance frightening yet bore nothing against me for it would have been better!

“Your appearance is certainly alien. Such a sight would be more jarring if we were not in the Dead Zone.”

“Dead Zone? Don’t you mean the Plaguelands?”

“Perhaps that is what Humans call it.”

The Kobold woman picked at one of her scales, as if in thought. I pointed at her, sputtering.

“Wait, you think I’m less scary than a [Ghoul]?!”

“...yes?”

“Fair.”

I crossed all four of my arms. I felt like hugging myself to console me from all the hard facts she was saying. I paused, recalling the earlier scene.

“If Kobolds are not afraid of Demons, why did those Kobold men attack me?”

“Not all of my kind share the same sentiments as me, of course. Those who hail from the Cult of the Old Gods view things differently. Their [Cultists] think Demons are one of the bringers of the end. Alongside Spirits, of course.”

I cocked my head.

“They’re [Cultists].”

“Yes.”

“And they hate Demons?”

“That is correct.”

I felt like Edithe or Daniel right now, when they had to deal with me when I first came to the Mortal Realm. I rubbed at my temples— although I felt nothing from doing it. I did not know why either Humans did that when they were upset if it did not help!

“That’s confusing.”

I finally managed to muster up. The Kobold woman nodded.

“Indeed. However, it seems I have forgotten to introduce myself.”

Her tail lowered and her chest puffed up. She placed one hand behind her back, and the other on her chest.

“I am Xidra, a Level 74 [Herbalist] from Unarith. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“I’m Salvos! A Demon! From the Netherworld!”

I happily greeted her back. Xidra’s lips did not curl up, however her forked tongue peeked out once again. Was that a smile for Kobolds? I tried copying it.

“I am also kind of lost. I’m supposed to go back to Ghostlight— my companions are there.”

“Ghostlight?”

The scales on her forehead rose up. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“A Human town? It should be somewhere to the… west? East? Of here.”

Xidra shook her head.

“Those are two completely different directions.”

I threw all four of my hands up in the air.

“I don’t know, ok? It’s somewhere!”

“I am not familiar with the Human lands. I know of a few of those I am acquainted with who are more knowledgeable than me on that topic. But that requires my return to my city first and foremost.”

“Your city?”

I looked at Xidra. Then the realization struck me.

“You want me to bring you there?”

“An escort would be appreciated.”

I considered this as the tail of the Kobold swayed behind her back. She was expectant— waiting for an answer.

“I mean, I guess I could help you? I don’t know where your city is, though.”

“It is fine. I know the directions out of the Dead Zone. I can lead you there.”

“Alright, then.”

I shrugged. I could have wandered around the Plaguelands until I hopefully found Ghostlight. Or maybe Daniel and Edithe would have randomly stumbled across me, and we would have been reunited. But I highly doubted such things would happen.

Helping Xidra was the best option— and I wanted to see a Kobold city too! So, it was good all around for me and my companions. I nodded to myself, satisfied.

“Do you want me to carry you? Or can you walk?”

“Walking is fine.”

Xidra spoke confidently. Her tongue almost reached her nose as she met my gaze.

“It may not have appeared that way, but I am very much capable of handling myself.”

—--

“Watch out!”

I tossed the Sickle Grenade at the [Ghoul] as it leapt for Xidra. The blast sent the undead flying back, as she stumbled away after me. A [Skeleton Archer] raised its bow, but I was faster. I loosed my own Blazing Bolt at it. It fell backwards, but it did not die.

“Come on!”

I grabbed the Kobold woman by the arm and began pulling her with me. Her feet trudged along the black dirt. They were wobbly. She could barely walk.

“I apologize, it seems my confidence from earlier was misplaced—”

“Oh, just let me pick you up!”

I carried Xidra around my shoulder as the small horde of undead lumbered after us. Night was beginning to set— the green glow of the sky returned. The thick miasma was starting to even affect me, slowing my movements.

[Self Haste] managed to bring us away from the undead. I had to flee through a forest of dead trees— I nearly fell into the ground when it opened up. I had thought I was walking on sand, but it was apparently what Xidra called ‘quicksand’. There were Skeletons at the bottom waiting for me, but I managed to pull myself up before they could drag me down into it.

Night finally fell by the time we found a safe spot in the Plaguelands. We were inside a shallow cave right by a field of blight flowers. I collapsed to the ground, sprawling my body like I was some kind of insect.

“I… hate… this… blight.”

“Take this.”

Xidra spoke simply. She offered a hand, revealing a bright petal. It was white— almost eerily so— and it seemed to shine with a cloak of mist. I narrowed my eyes.

“What do I do with it?”

“Eat it.”

“No way!”

I backed up from the Kobold woman as she devoured one of the petals on her own. She wiped at her mouth with her sleeve and faced me with a confused look.

“It’s from a cleansing flower. It is good for you. It fights off the blight. Take it.”

Hesitating, I found my eyes lingering on the glowing petal. It certainly looked more delectable than consuming the meat of a dead person. I picked it up with two fingers, grimacing.

“Fine!”

I hurriedly stuffed it into my mouth. I chewed on it for a moment— and my eyes grew wide. I did not grimace. I did not reel. The taste that was savored with each bite came at me like a powerful wave smashing into a lone rock out in the sea. The storm lasted a moment, yet it left its mark. The flavor washed through the palates of my mouth. It was… it was…

It tasted like nothing.

As if I grabbed a rock and bit into it. I blinked and stared at Xidra.

“What is this?”

“Do you like the taste?”

She revealed her tongue and leaned against the cave wall.

“It has special properties that bring out the taste of your favorite dish. For me, I can almost feel the texture of the delicious surk cabbages sprinkled with tazko ginger in my mouth.”

The Kobold waited for my response. I shrugged.

“It tastes like… rocks?”

At least, that was how I imagined rocks tasted. I had never tried, although I now wondered what they actually would be like to eat. Definitely more edible than the disgusting meats Humans eat.

“That’s an odd comparison. Unless you actually find the taste of rocks to be pleasing. I apologize, I am not very knowledgeable on how Demons work.”

“Every Demon is different.”

I snorted and sat up. I faced the cave entrance, making sure no undead were trying to sneak up on us. My [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] did not alert me to anything.

“I’m sure if Haec were here, he’d have liked eating something. I just find food disgusting, that’s all. Maybe wild Demons are all the same. But even I’m not sure if that extends beyond them being wild.”

Xidra’s eyes glazed over. Her confusion was evident. I explained.

“Everyone is different. I’m sure you think you’re different from those Kobolds who held you captive. The same applies for Demons. We’re not just one type of thing. Humans think we’re all evil— that we are all the same. But that can’t be further from the truth.”

She slowly nodded. Placing both her hands together so that her claws dug into her scales, the Kobold woman spoke slowly.

“Perhaps I misspoke. I did not intend to offend you by generalizing your Species. I was simply curious about the general traits of a Demon. Apologies.”

“It’s fine.”

I waved a hand off.

“At least you aren’t attacking me like a Human would.”

I grinned, and she let out what sounded like garbled laughter. Relaxing slightly, I gave her a curious look.

“How about you Kobolds? Do you… do you need to sleep?”

She blinked, crushing my hope in an instant.

“Of course. Why would we not?”

“Aw…”

I deflated. I started off into a corner to pout when Xidra called out.

“Us Kobolds need sleep for only three hours every day. However, I seem to be sensing a theme— do you dislike the necessary functions of us mortals?”

“Perhaps…”

“May I ask why?”

She prodded me, which made me uncomfortable. Daniel and Edithe just accepted that I found them weird— they never asked why!

“It’s because… I dunno, I just don’t think it’s efficient? Fun? Exciting?”

“Is that really it?”

I twiddled my thumbs.

“...I also think that it sets me apart from them. As a Demon, I don’t need to do all that. And I’m proud of it, ok?”

Xidra shook her head. She was disproving. Her voice— still like a whisper— took on the tone of a lecturing parent. Like Edithe when she realized I did something bad.

“You can be proud of yourself— of your Species— however putting other Species’ down for what they are is not right. It is the exact kind of mentality those who are pursuing me have. And you saw how they treated you when they saw you, right?”

“I… think so? They wanted to kill me.”

I frowned and raised a hand.

“Wait, why did those guys even bring you here? Why did they have you tied up?”

She did not answer. Instead, she assumed a lying position on the ground. Her tail wrapped itself halfway across her waist as she closed her eyes.

“Think it over, Salvos the Demon. For now, I will rest. Perhaps I will answer your questions tomorrow.”

I stared at her as she drifted off to sleep. I folded two of my arms across my waist and stuck a tongue out at her.

“I was wrong about you. You’re weird too!”

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118. The Scale Guard

A note from MelasD

Announcement in author's notes at the end.

118. The Scale Guard

Xidra woke up not too long after she went to sleep. It was still night outside— beyond the cave entrance— however we decided to get moving now that we were both rested. I did not sleep. I was not weird like Kobolds or Humans!

However, I received a rather surprising notification that night.

General Skill [Rest] Level Up!

[Rest - Lvl. 3] -> [Rest - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Huh, that hasn’t happened in a while. I narrowed my eyes as they drifted towards the pouch on Xidra’s waist. Is it because I took that cleansing flower? Or because I’m recovering from the blight? I did not really know, but gratefully accepted the General Skill level and experience regardless.

“Today, we shall depart from the Dead Zone.”

The Kobold woman spoke as she got to her feet. I cocked my head.

“Do you know the way out?”

“I do not. However, I have a Skill that lets me feel the land. Sense where the blight grows thinner. Where the vegetation grows thick. Where the plants are alive and not dead and rotting like in here.”

I raised a nonexistent brow.

“That’s a cool Skill.”

“It is why my captors took me.”

She started for the cave entrance, and I followed after her. I faced her, listening to what she was saying until we reached the outside. Something went off in my head just as we took in the night sky.

“They needed my Skill. Of course, they wanted me gone too. As I am a rather influential member of the—”

“Watch out!”

I grabbed her and leapt to the side. Fire blasted the cave entrance. It engulfed the entire area, melting the rocks and forcing a collapse. Dust and debris was sent flying into the air as the flames continued pluming forward. It trailed after us— only my [Flame Burst] keeping us from being incinerated by it.

The wall of fire eventually dissipated, revealing three figures standing behind the smoke. Three Kobolds. The [Cultists] of the so-called Old Gods.

“How did they find us?”

I asked, exasperated. Xidra’s eyes spun in her head. She was still discombobulated, taken entirely by surprise. I inhaled and sent my own [Flaming Breath] at the Kobolds. Two of them darted off to the side, while the third simply braced for the attack.

The blue fire engulfed him, burning the ground and lighting the death earth ablaze. It whirled around him like an inferno as Xidra snapped back to reality.

“They’re here.”

“I noticed!”

I panted as the Skill ran its course. The Kobold man standing at the center of the wave stepped forward. His scales were slightly charred, smoke wisping over his body. But other than that, he simply looked mad.

“Return Xidra the [Herbalist] to us, Demon! And maybe we will give you a quick death!”

I stuck my tongue out and activated [Self Haste].

“Who would want to die, stupid?!”

A figure rushed me from the side. One of the two Kobolds jumped at me, slashing for my leg. I twisted out of the way before kneeing him in the stomach. I followed it up with a [Barrage of Cinders], the combination of strikes sending him reeling back.

The dark sky suddenly lit up, and my eyes widened as I saw a pillar of flames crashing down at me. I threw myself to the side just in time as half of the hill was set ablaze. I glared at the first Kobold— the one who was Level 105. And I bellowed.

“Leave us alone!”

There was a loud step from behind me. I glanced back, seeing the third Kobold backing away from me with an open jaw. The second Kobold also seemed to be struck with fear. I nearly sighed in relief as I watched the first Kobold hesitate. Then his face was overwhelmed with rage.

“Such tricks won’t work on me!”

He roared and snapped his mouth shut. He seemed to form a small hole with it, and I felt my [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] blare a panicked alarm. I conjured some chains and dashed back, past the third Kobold who just regained his senses. He reached for me just as a cone of smoke left the first Kobold’s mouth.

A small sphere of fire shot out. It propelled through the air, leaving a trail of smoke as it rapidly made its approach. The ground was scorched where it flew over, coming with the intensity of a fire storm.

I threw the chains at a nearby dead tree, tugging at it as [Flame Burst] carried me a step further. The fiery sphere missed me, but I felt its heat burning at my back. Xidra almost screamed in pain as her scales were shadowed with ash, while a blood curling shout could be heard behind me.

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 98]!

More experience is awarded for defeating at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

He killed his own companion? I frowned, disgusted by that. He’s wild too. Like the horned Demon. I heard the hissing snarls of the remaining two Kobolds. They called after us, cursing like Edithe did whenever she stubbed her toe on a doorway.

I did not slow down. I continued fleeing from them as the blanket of night took over them. They vanished from sight, and Xidra and I made our escape.

—--

The sun was up by the time I stopped running. I settled the Kobold woman to the ground, making sure that she was fine. She had been hurt during the battle. Burn marks covered her scales— and while they were not that bad, she winced as I tapped a finger on her arm.

“Thank you, Salvos the Demon, but I will be fine.”

She retracted her arm from me. I reached into the small bag slung over my shoulder. I did not have much— only what Daniel and Edithe had given me. But I still had some healing potion to spare.

“Here.”

I offered it to her. Xidra shook her head.

“That is for you, if we were to cross paths with Gexli again. He is strong, and you would need everything you have to escape from him.”

I glanced behind me.

“I think we lost him. Drink.”

I tried to insist, but the Kobold woman waved a hand off. She produced some red powder from her pouch and rubbed it on her arm. I watched the burn marks slowly disappear, but the wound remained.

“We may have lost him for now. But it seems his tracking abilities are far superior than I have thought. He found us far too soon.”

“Tracking abilities?”

I narrowed my eyes. Xidra nodded.

“He may have only recently gotten his evolution, but it grants him great benefits. He has not grown stronger, or faster, or wiser, or anything that would aid him in combat. But he is able to smell better. See better. Feel better.”

“That’s… a bad evolution.”

I pointed out. She shook her head.

“Not for him. It lets him find me. And it was what let him kidnap me in the first place.”

“Huh.”

I was not entirely sure what Xidra was saying here. However, it meant that we would be caught up to, eventually. This was just like the situation with the Harrowed Vindicators. I did not want a repeat of that— especially since the Kobold woman was not like Daniel who could survive a surprise attack.

“Why do they want you?”

I finally asked, curiously peering at her.

“For many reasons, Salvos the Demon. I am Xidra the [Herbalist], one of the highest leveled of my Class in Unarith. They needed me for my Skills. To find the treasures of the Scale Guard of the past.”

I raised a brow, and she explained.

“Back before the Dead Zone had still been ruled by Lilian, the [Necromancer], she protected the Human lands from our invasions. We could not cross through these lands without falling to the blight, and she would always bring back our own [Warriors] against us. So, the Scale Guard then created a powerful artifact that could repel the blight. It would cleanse the land entirely, letting them fight at their full potential.”

“Huh.”

I was wondering why the blight seemed thinner where I had found Xidra; I almost thought it was my imagination, or I was reaching the edge of the Plaguelands. She continued.

“However, after slaying Lilian and Zacharius, a Lich was born from their deaths, and it killed the Scale Guard before they could ever return with their artifacts. It was lost to the Dead Zone, and Gexli wishes to find it.”

“To fight off the blight?”

“Yes. And to go to the center of the Dead Zone and kill the Lich— finish the job of the old Scale Guard. Because Gexli and the faction he is under believe themselves to be their successors. That is why they call themselves the Scale Sentinels. They think that if they purge the world of all its heretics and sinners— of all the [Heroes], the Demons, and the Spirits— that the Old Gods will return and save us from the Apocalypse.”

“I… see?”

That was a lot of information for me to take in. It sounded like something maybe Edithe would be interested in knowing. However, I was more concerned about what was happening right now.

“So, he wants you because of your Skill, and he will keep chasing us? Why can’t he just go after someone else who can help him?”

“Because of the second reason.”

She stuck her tongue out— and I flushed, realizing that tht was how Kobolds smiled. I was smiling at them when I thought I was mocking them! I shook my head.

“What reason?”

“I belong to the opposing faction of the Scale Sentinels. The Risen Dragons. We oppose war with the Humans, and we refuse to see the destruction of other Species as a way to avoid the end. And so, he wants me dead as well. Once I’m no longer of use to him.”

“...well, that’s problematic.”

I pointed out the obvious.

“Indeed.”

Crossing two of my arms, I tapped my chin with a third hand.

“We can’t just keep running. They’ll keep chasing after us.”

I stated the obvious. Xidra murmured some kind of agreement, but I did not pay attention to it. Instead, my mind raced with thoughts— ideas— on what could be done.

I looked over my Status. I had been distributing my Stat Points mostly between [Vitality], [Wisdom], and [Agility]. However, my Skill Points had been mostly reserved. I had been apprehensive about spending it, especially since I was not sure which Skills I would keep.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 78

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 3

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 2

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 84 (+5)

[Strength]: 56 (+5)

[Endurance]: 80 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 120 (+5) (+5)

[Agility]: 171 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 9]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 3

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 5

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 10

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 1

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 5

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Refined Casting] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

It made me have to think wisely about what I was going to do— I could have just wasted my Skill Points entirely if I gave it to a Skill I did not want. But now, I had an inkling of an idea in my head. There were two Skills left for me to choose. I had already acclimated myself to [Passive - Refined Casting] at this point. It would have to go, and it would hamper me a little bit. Perhaps it would have weakened me as much as being afflicted by the blight— that was what made it the most difficult to fight in the Plaguelands…

I narrowed my eyes, turning to Xidra. An idea formed in my head. I knew what to do. But first, my main focus was on deciding between what I had: [Horror’s Flare] or [Radiant Slash]. And I just so happened to have quite a lot of Skill Points to expend.

I grinned at the Kobold woman.

“We fight.”

—--

I was not going to let us get snuck up on like in the morning. We were going to decide the location and when we would battle, rather than being caught off guard. There was a small valley right by a field of blight flowers. That was the location I chose for our battle.

I held a cleansing flower petal in one hand, just waiting for the two remaining Kobolds to show up. Xidra was not with me. I had her hide closeby, away from the battle that was to come. She did not have anything else on her that would help me— she already aided me by helping me find this spot.

Gexli and his companions showed up as the sun began to set. I watched their shadowy figures trek down the horizon. Their scales were ragged and worn, as if they had to fight their way to get here. And perhaps they did. There were a lot of undead here that I had to fight myself.

I chugged down on the last of my healing potions before we settled between the valley. I stood at its entrance now, and crunched on the cleansing flower.

“Hey!”

I called out to the two as they made their approach. Gexli stepped forward, opening his mouth—

And he responded to my comment with the same attack as before. A small sphere of blazing fire burst out towards me. It burned everything in its path, but I was prepared for it. I tugged the chain I had already prepared and tied to a rock, pulling myself away with a boost from [Flame Burst].

The second Kobold was already running after me, even as the attack lit up the dark valley behind me. I glanced down at him and created a bow made of fire. I nocked a Blazing Bolt and aimed at him— only to quickly switch targets and fire at Gexli.

The attack missed. It was not meant to hit him. Just to draw his ire. His eyes burned as he took a deep breath, before releasing a cone of flames my way. I ducked under the attack, landing right next to the other Kobold man, who was desperately moving out of the way of his leader’s blast.

[Ember Core] burned brilliantly, encasing me in my own flames as I struck at him with [Barrage of Cinders]. He snarled at me and tried lashing out, only to be consumed by Gexli’s fire as I hurriedly bounded away.

He screamed as the fire turned his scales black. He was not dead when the flames let up— not until I loosed a second Blazing Bolt, this time, aimed directly for him. The white arrow snapped his head back, and he collapsed.

I turned to Gexli.

“You don’t care about your companions, do you? You’re wild, even though you pretend to be smart.”

“Quiet, Demon.”

He spoke the word like it was some kind of a curse. It carried the same tone Edithe used to direct it towards me. Unlike Edithe however, there was no one stopping him from trying to kill me. So, I had to try talking to him myself.

“What’s so bad about being a Demon, huh?”

I bent over, placing two of my hands on the ground and sputtered.

“Look, sometimes I think you Mortals are weird. You need to do things like sleep, eat, and also wear clothes for whatever reason! But I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Nothing’s bad about being a Mortal— so what’s so bad about me being a Demon?!”

Gexli’s face twisted. He panted out smoke— the eddying flakes of cinder leaving his mouth in thin trails.

“I do not care about what you can or cannot do. Your kind is a scourge to the Mortal Realm! You bring the end! The Apocalypse! There is no place for you in this world.”

I stared at him. The reasoning made no sense— I was not doing anything of the sorts! And yet, the accusation in his gaze did not leave him. The fire that blazed around him as he walked my way. I sighed.

“Fine, then.”

I bared my teeth and let out a shrieking growl. [Title Skill: Zealous Call]. It was the only Skill I had used that worked regardless of level. Of course it would. Why would someone try and draw the wrath of a higher leveled being? They would die.

The fury in Gexli’s face did not change. He still came at me with the same, relentless anger as before. I released a [Flaming Breath] at him, only for him to tear through the blue fire with his own red flames.

His footfalls rapidly approached me. His webbed feet made little noise when it came into contact with the blackened dirt. Was that a trait of his evolution? I did not see those on Xidra or the other two Kobolds that fought against me.

I raised my claws— all four of them— and ribbons of fire began to cover them. It was not like the fiery effect of my [Barrage of Cinders]. Of course not. This was a different Skill. I only chose it because it sounded strong— like the [Hero’s Slash]. It was a gamble. A risk. But I poured all 9 of my remaining Skill Points into it, and replaced [Passive - Refined Casting].

“[Radiant Slash]!”

A blade made of light did not come over me. It was not a heroic strike— not a glowing attack which sheared the darkness with hope. I was not Daniel. I used weapons sometimes, but I did not rely on them.

Instead, my claws were overcome with black flames. They wreathed my entire forearm with a sable light. The black void that ate my hands were overcome with a white glow. It was a strange sight. The juxtaposition with utter darkness and the brilliance it shone. I struck forth at Gexli as he charged me.

His mind was overcome with rage. It was not like [Intimidation]. He would not snap out of it. He would charge at me mindlessly, and I would shear him in half—

My swing missed the Kobold man as he ducked under the attack. Spinning on his heels, he swiped at me with his own claws. I turned back just in time to crane my neck out of the way with [Self Haste]. I wanted to slash out at him again, but I could feel the effects of the Skill beginning to fade.

He would move out of the way. Just like he did before. There was only one way to stop him from dodging. To get him to hesitate for a split second.

“Kneel.”

He did not snap out of his rage against me, but for a mere moment, it seemed like he regained his senses and fought back against the fear trying to invade his mind. He stopped moving, then the anger returned.

[Intimidation]. [Self Haste]. [Radiant Slash]. [Title Skill: Zealous Call]. [Flaming Breath].

I found his scales resisting the slash. Even as it burned him. Five of my Skills had been chained together to achieve the best effect it could. But there was still one more I could use. [Flame Burst] propelled me forward as my four claws dug into his stomach.

And he screamed. Intelligence returned to his wild eyes as he let out a terrible cry. I went through the Kobold man, cutting him entirely in half with that strike carried me past his severed corpse. Gexli fell in twain, his death throes echoing throughout the Plaguelands as I tumbled on the blackened dirt.

General Skill [Title Skill: Zealous Call] Level Up!

[Title Skill: Zealous Call - Lvl. 2] -> [Title Skill: Zealous Call - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl. 95]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Cult Vanguard - Lvl. 105]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 78] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 79]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 79] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 80]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

A note from MelasD

Announcement:

I will be taking a break next week from May 17th to May 21st for public RR Salvos chapters. It is not really a real break, as I would not only still be writing Tian and Melas, but I will also be writing Salvos chapters. Just... for patreon. My mid-terms and flying really messed with my schedule, so I am actually behind on the 20 chapters ahead I should be offering. I think I'm at around 15 chapters ahead? Anyway, that will all be fixed by the time I return from my RR break.

When I return, I will only be writing 3 chapters a week for the next month. Until I fully graduate from University and move into my own place. I will likely be taking a real break during my Finals week to focus entirely on studying, so there will be no writing at all when that happens. I will be sure to let you all know a week in advance. I will also post a reminder on Monday.

I do apologize for the inconvenience.

Thank you for 8,000 followers.

Thanks for reading. For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

Reminder for this week

A note from MelasD

Just a quick reminder that I'm going to be taking a week off due to various circumstances with University. I will be returning in 7 days, on May 24, however chapters from then will be thrice a week instead of 5 times a week. Hopefully I will be able to keep it up until Finals before I have to take a real, proper break to finish up this Quarter before graduation. However, I can't make any promises right now. Sorry.

I also haven't asked for this in a while, but please consider voting for me on TopWebFiction. It literally takes a second, and it would help me out a ton. You just have to click on this link and vote: Salvos | Top Web Fiction

Thanks for reading. For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

A note from MelasD

Salvos | Top Web Fiction vote please! I would like to possibly break 300 votes if possible without any incentive. It really wouldn't take any time at all to vote, and it really helps. I know most people don't/won't care, but if you've never voted before, I am begging you to vote just this once.

119. Unarith

A note from MelasD

Break is over and begins another two weeks of shoutouts! Here's a shoutout to another non-human lead story on RoyalRoad. It's about a Kobold boy. What a coincidence! It's almost like I planned this. Check it out!

119. Unarith

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 102]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 30 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

...

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 93]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Class [Summoner of Guardians] Level Up!

[Summoner of Guardians - Lvl. 65] -> [Summoner of Guardians - Lvl. 66]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Summoner of Guardians] Level Up!

[Summoner of Guardians - Lvl. 66] -> [Summoner of Guardians - Lvl. 67]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Edithe downed the healing potion and tossed its bottle to the ground. The wounds— the myriad of cuts— throughout her body began to close as she steadied herself on her staff. Daniel glanced over at her, a worried look on his face.

“Are you alright?”

He pulled his sword out of a pile of bones. Wiping the sweat from his brows, he shook his head.

“You’ve leveled again.”

“I did. And I’m fine.”

She replied curtly. In reality, Edithe was not fine. She watched how Daniel disposed of the group of [Unarmed Skeletons]. He barely needed her help— all she did was stand at the side and cast a few spells. It frustrated her.

It was one thing seeing Salvos, a Demon, completely overshadow her. And while she had known Daniel was quite talented— considering that he had kept up with Salvos— it was a different thing entirely to see him in action without the Demon around.

“Let’s just go back.”

She shook her head, knowing that she should not be upset. He was helping her. He had no reason to be here… other than being roped around by Salvos into doing what she wanted. But she was gone, and he was helping Edithe now.

Edithe let out a frustrated sigh. Daniel glanced back at her, but said nothing.

The pair made their way back towards Ghostlight in silence. It was almost awkward— Edithe realized now that she did not actually know him that well. Sure, they chatted and hung around each other, even when Salvos was not present. But fighting together? Just the two of them? That was a completely new experience.

“...maybe we should just wait for Salvos to return.”

Daniel finally spoke up. Edithe frowned.

“Why?”

“This is too difficult with just the both of us— I mean, sure, we’re getting more experience with each fight since we don’t have to share it with her. But it’s dangerous. If either of us messes up once… there won’t be anyone else there to correct our mistake.”

That was certainly true. The red-haired woman could not forget that she would be dead right now if it were not for Salvos. And yet, Salvos brought them here so that Edithe could get stronger.

She was not going to let the thought and effort there go to waste.

“We’ll just have to be more cautious, then.”

“...if you say so.”

Daniel shrugged.

“We’re free!”

I threw all four of my hands in the air and rolled on the grassy floor. Xidra eyed me with an intrigued look. She picked her claw at her scales.

“We have just exited the Dead Zone, Salvos the Demon. However, we are not back at Unarith just yet.”

“I know that, Xidra the [Herbalist]!”

I did not stick my tongue out at her, since that would have conveyed the exact opposite meaning I wanted it to. She started past me, heading up into a valley of rolling hills.

“It is not far. Not with your speed. Let us continue.”

I got to my feet, glancing back one last time in the direction of the Plaguelands. The miasma was thick there— the brown blight which slowed ebbed away at my strength, speed, and magic. A small field of blight flowers was visible in the distance. I had not fallen into one just yet, but I wondered what would happen if I had.

It’d probably cripple me, I thought as I continued on.

Xidra was not slow by any means. She might have had a non combat Class, but she was rather high leveled. Which meant that she had all the Stat Points a Level 70 would have, and even if she distributed them somewhere else, she would still have some spent into [Agility].

It might not have had the same bonus granted as a [Rogue] or an [Archer]. I was told by Edithe that each Stat served different functions for different Classes. A [Seamstress] might have needed the [Agiility] Stat to speed up her weaving, maybe even make her movements more delicate, but it would not help her run faster than a [Rogue] of the same level.

The two of us made good progress. I was not sure if she knew where she was going, however she seemed to be using the sun’s location in the sky to guide her, as well as a… Skill?

“Are you sure we’re going the right way?”

I asked her as the sun began to set. We were cresting up to the top of a hill. The landscape here was moundy— a lot of rock and stone. It made for a very boring trek, since all I saw was a dull-gray wherever I looked. A cloud passed overhead as she answered.

“It is not far. I can sense the vegetation returning.”

“What do you mean by vegetation? All I see here are rocks and…”

I trailed off as we reached the top. I saw peeking over the undulating lines of gray the first signs of civilization. They poked out like odd, sharp rocks. Thin and long. They appeared by the dozens filled my view before the city came into sight.

There were no walls girdling around it. It was not a sprawling metropolis like the cities I saw in the Human lands— the buildings here were short. Many of them only had a single floor. They were mostly orange or brown in color. Not made out of wood, but some kind of stone with a similar shade.

The only anomaly were those tall towers. None of them were as wide or large as a clock tower or guard tower. Yet, they filled the city with their presence. I narrowed my eyes and pointed at one of them.

“What are those?”

“Minarets.”

Xidra replied simply.

“Places of worship for the Old Gods.”

I stared at her before crossing my arms.

“You keep bringing these ‘Old Gods’ up. What are they even?”

The Kobold woman’s tongue slithered out of her mouth. The edges of her eyes curled up as she spoke a word.

“Dragons. The Old Gods are Dragons.”

“...what?”

—--

Apparently, Kobolds worshipped these bigger versions of themselves that had wings and flew around breathing fire. That sounded like me, except I did not have wings.

Can I get an evolution with wings? That’d be so cool!

I stopped at the bottom of a valley with Xidra. She told me I would have gotten a few angry members of the Scale Sentinel coming after me if I went in looking like I did. She had me transform into my Mortal Form.

“No, not as a Human— you told me you could transform into any Species, Salvos the Demon.”

“Oh. I’m just so used to… also, I can only transform to some. I can’t turn into dogs, but I think I can turn into a Kobold?”

I tested it out and it worked. My body shifted and I grew even shorter than I was as a Human. Silver scales covered my body, and a tail sprouted out from my back. Claws growed out of my hand, however they were far more dull than what I had normally. I blinked and looked at myself.

“I look fancy now, my skin is all weird feeling. But wait…”

I frowned as I took a look at my Stats.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 84 (+5)

[Strength]: 60 (+5) (-4)

[Endurance]: 84 (+5) (-4)

[Wisdom]: 120 (+5) (+5) (-4)

[Agility]: 173 (+5) (-4)

“Huh. I have higher [Vitality] as a Kobold—”

General Skill [Racial Skill: Mortal Form] Level Up!

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form - Lvl. 3] -> [Racial Skill: Mortal Form - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!!

I jolted back as Xidra spoke a reply.

“Yes, that is what distinguished us Kobolds from Humans. Some say it is what makes us better, but I disagree. I’m sure you realize that by now.”

“Yep! You think Kobolds are the same as Humans. Which is true! You're both worse than being a Demon!”

I nodded before grinning, and she laughed.

“Your sense of humor fascinates me. It is like a child if a child knew what she were saying was wrong.”

“Daniel calls it banter.”

“And Daniel is your Human friend?”

“One of my companions! Edithe is the other!”

“Yes… the ones your wish to return to.”

Xidra handed me some clothes and turned around. I quickly put on those robes— they were not like the difficult to wear Human clothing. I could get dressed in mere moments. Then I followed after her.

“I have acquaintances who shall be able to help you with that.”

“Yay!”

I cheered as I tightened the cloth belt around my waist.

We reached the periphery of the city. Unarith was what Xidra called it. I remembered hearing that name before. From Adan. He told me he was headed here to trade his wares. My head snapped around, glancing between the small buildings, searching for a Cyclops man with a large sack.

I did not see him.

Instead I saw a lot of Kobolds. Many bright colored scales. Blue, green, yellow, red. They did not fill the streets like a Human city would. They were not bustling about their day, rushing to get to work. Instead, it was a lot more laid back atmosphere.

There were no street vendors shouting and pointing at you, trying to get you to buy their goods. It was quiet. Almost serene. We walked past a thin stream of water cutting through the streets. I saw plants growing alongside it— some kind of vegetable. Their farmland was integrated into the city. Even in the back of houses, I saw fruits and other kinds of agriculture being grown.

Xidra led me to a large minaret standing at the center of the city. As we walked through, a few faces turned towards her. Many of them were in recognition, while others were in shock at the state of her appearance. She had just returned from the Plaguelands. Her clothes were torn, her scales were cut, and her entire body was covered in grime.

We arrived at the base of the tower and a few Kobold men with spears rushed at us. I thought they were preparing to attack at first, but they quickly bowed at her.

“Xidra the [Herbalist]! You have returned!”

“Nav the [Warrior], I see you have been well.”

“Where have you been, First Dragonling? Who is this strange woman with you?”

I waved at him.

“Hi! I’m Salvos!”

“You would be wise to refer to her with some respect, Nav. This is the woman who saved my life. She is a [Mage] of tremendous power.”

Xidra spoke, stepping forward. We crossed a small bridge towards the minaret just ahead of us. It was surrounded by water— the entire area around it some kind of farmland. The Kobold men sputtered. The one named Nav turned to me, eyes wide.

“Wait, saved your life? What happened, First Dragonling?”

“The Scale Sentinels stole me from my own abode. Gexli was behind it, however she slayed him.”

“She killed Gexli?”

“Impossible, she’s only Level 80—”

I beamed at their reactions. I had not seen such surprised looks in a while. And with their whispery voice, it made it all the better. Like they were spreading rumors of my greatness behind my back. Nav clenched his claws.

“That Gexli… he went too far this time.”

He bowed my way.

“I thank you, Salvos the [Mage], for what you did for the Risen Dragons.”

I raised my chin and waved a hand dismissively.

“Aw, it’s fine. I was just passing by…”

“We owe you a great debt. For saving our First Dragonling— we cannot thank you enough.”

Giggling, I placed a hand over my mouth.

“Well, if you insist, then I’d like a few things… but wait, what do you mean by First Dragonling, anyway?”

I glanced over at Xidra. She stopped right before the minaret. Her hand was at the door. She turned around, facing me with her tongue out.

“Ah, apologies. It seems I never did formally introduce myself. I am Xidra, the highest leveled [Herbalist] and head of the Risen Dragons in this city of Unarith. And for that, I have been granted the Title of First Dragonling.”

…

“Nice! So, you’re someone important, then?”

A note from MelasD

Reminder that chapters will be only be 3x a week for the foreseeable future. Finals are coming up and I am STRESSED.

Thanks for reading. For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

120. Shopping!

A note from MelasD

Second shoutouts!

The first goes to The Great Devourer, a female lead litrpg! Check it out here

The second one goes to Ardent Tears, another female lead Fantasy! Check it out here

The third one goes to Truth-Seeker, a female lead litrpg timeloop! Check it out here

120. Shopping!

Xidra pushed the door open, revealing a large, open chamber. It was not the kind of grand room I would see in the Human lands. There were no glittering walls decorated with paintings. No gilded hallways branched out to the side. It was simple. Plain. And yet, it seemed sacred, somehow.

I saw a crowd of Kobold men and women, gathered in one corner of the room. They were in the middle of a quiet discussion— their whispery voices were actually whispering. Or wait… were they even in a discussion?

My ears perked up as I made out the words. It sounded like a chant, more than anything. I narrowed my eyes as I identified a Kobold woman leading the chant.

[Cultist - Lvl. 43]

“Huh.”

I did not make another comment. I followed Xidra as she stepped into the room, her tail swishing behind her as she spoke.

“Salvos the [Mage], this is your first time back in civilization in years, yes?”

The question caught me off-guard. I blinked, wanting to correct her statement. However, I realized she was trying to cover for me. I hurriedly agreed.

“Yep! Haven’t been in Unaris in forever!”

“Unarith.”

“I have a lisp.”

The Kobold woman wore a puzzled look on her face. The confusion was evident. Did Daniel lie to me about people speaking weirdly? I shook my head and placed my claws behind my back.

“So… what are we doing here?”

“First, I’d like to return to my quarters and get changed.”

She gestured at her clothing— the torn and tattered robes that she was wearing— before turning to face me with a Kobold smile.

“Then, we’ll help you find your friends.”

“Yay!”

Xidra started up a spiral stairway at the center of the room. I followed after her along with her escort of Kobold guards. We stopped at the middle floor. Halfway to the top. She dismissed Nav and the others following after us, before ushering me into the room.

“They will wait for you down below. Come, let us get you changed into proper clothes first. We will have to wait for my acquaintance to arrive.”

I paused, eyes drifting in the direction of the window. Light seeped in through a window with complex patterns on its wooden frame.

“Can I take a look around?”

“If you wish. Tell Nav to give you a tour of the city— that I told him to give you proper treatment.”

My eyes went round and I grasped her hand.

“Thank you so much! You’re amazing! I didn’t even have to argue with you about it!”

I was prepared to get into a prolonged discussion about the merits of letting me wander around the city. But she just said yes! She raised a brow.

“Of course…?”

Xidra gave me an odd look as I bounced on my toes, excited. I quickly threw on whatever nice clothing she prepared for me— although she forced me into a bath before I could wear them.

“This is the uniform of those affiliated with the Risen Dragons. You may not be one of us, but you saved my life, so you are our ally. Please do try to represent us with some elegance.”

“Wait— are you saying I’m some kind of Princess, then?”

“That is a Human Title. I do not believe we have much of an equivalent here. Perhaps my station would be considered something similar. However, I am more akin to your [Priests], and I am not here out of my birth, but my efforts.”

“Can I go now?”

I asked her as I tightened the regal robes around me. Xidra looked at me once over. She was approving.

“Yes. I will have to prepare myself. As well as call upon my acquaintances who could help you. They are [Diviners], so there is no need to show them your… compass. Those odd Human trinkets. All you need is to help them guide you, describe what you are searching for.”

“But… my companions are Humans. Won’t your friends get upset?”

“Of course not. Those of the Risen Dragons harbor no ill will towards the Human Species. We understand that they are lacking in what we know. What we seek is reconciliation— for the betterment of us all.”

“Huh. And this thing your Kobold Species knows about is… that Apocalypse thing?”

She nodded gravely.

“Yes. The Apocalypse. The death of the world. The end of all things. It comes, and only by working together can we stop it.”

Her grim gaze fixed on me, telling me how serious this was. I could feel the pressure— the weight on her shoulder— from here. It was almost palpable. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“I see— anyway, can I go now?”

Xidra blinked. Her mouth opened and closed. It took her a moment to find her tongue. Of course it did! If she kept poking it out, she would lose it eventually!

“Yes, you may. But be aware, us Kobolds do not end our days once the sun sets. You have noticed we do not need as much sleep as Humans. So, the city is still busy and teeming with life.”

“Even better for me!”

I started out the door, waving goodbye at her as I adjusted the collar of the robes she gave me.

“Tight.”

—--

“The First Dragonling asked us to accompany you?”

I gave Nav an eager nod, before twirling around and showing her my robes.

“Look, she even gave me fancy clothes and everything! I just wanna see stuff!”

He hesitated. The other two Kobold men with him jabbed him with their elbows and stuck out their tongues. He scowled and nodded.

“Very well, if Xidra the [Herbalist] asked me to, I shall act as your escort.”

“Not escort.”

I corrected him with a wave of my silver claw.

“Tour guide!”

He was about to retort, but I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the large building. Nav was large for a Kobold— burly even. He stood taller than me in my current Mortal Form. Almost as tall as Daniel! However, he was not exactly especially tall. Not compared to Jaakko, Addan, or even Haec.

Lucerna was another matter entirely.

The red-scaled Kobold was a Level 93 [Warrior]. He could have resisted, yet for whatever reason he let me pull him from the Risen Dragon’s Shrine. We stood out in the middle of a street surrounded by orange houses intersected into a field before I stopped. He cleared his throat.

“Salvos the [Mage], may I inquire as to whereabouts you wish to visit?”

“I’m not sure…”

I trailed off, casting my gaze around the city. I pointed at a tower in the distance.

“What is that?”

“That is… a minaret.”

“I know that!”

I scoffed, shaking my head with my hands on my hips.

“I mean, what is that place? Is it like your shrine place?”

“It is. All the minarets you see here belong to different factions in the city. What you’re pointing at is the Shrine of the Winged Warriors. That over there is the Shrine of the Hollow Claws. And that large one there? That’s the Shrine of the Scaled Sentinels.”

“Huh.”

My gaze rested at a decorated minaret. Its base structure was not as wide as the one belonging to the Risen Dragon’s, and neither did it have a large area of crops surrounding it. What it did have was the tallest tower in the city. It did not rise up above the clouds like a mountain, however it certainly was taller than any building I had seen— the Human lands included.

“Are these different denominations or something? I thought you— we worshipped Dragons?”

“The Old Gods are our forefathers. We will always sing praises in their name. However, they did not leave us any rules of governance. It is up to ourselves what we wish to do, so we form our own groups.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“Every Kobold child knows this, Salvos the [Mage]. It is strange that you do not.”

“I am… uncivilized?”

I scratched the back of my head. He wanted to press me further, but I quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, do you know of a Cyclops man who came to this city? He’s my friend. He’s about this tall— green skin, one eye?”

“...every Cyclops looks like that.”

“His name is Adan. And he’s a [Trader]!”

Nav let out a small sound of understanding.

“I believe someone just like that is currently visiting Unarith, yes. Do you wish to meet him?”

“Would I!”

The mostly empty streets of Unarith were not devoid of life. It was the exact opposite— people were not acting like monsters were prowling the street corners, like in a Human city. They went about their day rather casually. It was just that the city was not very densely populated in the first place.

Nav brought me to a ramshackle hut at the edge of Unarith. I peered through its window to see a familiar green face standing behind a counter. Various goods, items, and equipments were spread out behind him and at tables around him. He was in the middle of a conversation with a Kobold woman when I threw the door open and ran in.

“Adan! You’re actually here!”

I wrapped my arms around him, beaming. The Cyclops man exchanged a look with the customer he was talking to.

“Apologies, Miss. But do I know you?”

My shoulders sagged as I backed up.

“Aw. You don’t remember me?”

His single eyebrow lifted up and he placed a hand on his chin.

“You do sound familiar, however I will get to you in a moment. I have a customer to attend to.”

I dejectedly walked back towards Nav. The Kobold man had his arms crossed as his gaze fixed on Adan.

“Are you sure this Cyclops is your friend?”

“...yes. I guess he doesn’t recognize me because I look like this.”

“By ‘this’, do you mean washed and well-dressed?”

I shot him a glare, and he coughed into his claw.

“Apologies, I don’t know what came over me. That was rude.”

“It was!”

I crossed my arms and huffed. A Princess is always well-dressed no matter what she wears. Because her attire is herself, not what she wears! I waited for Adan to finish up his transaction with the Kobold woman. He handed her what seemed like a magical tablet, receiving some precious jewels in return, before she left.

When he was finished, I approached him and stared up his way.

“You don’t remember me? At all?”

“I apologize Miss, but—”

“It isn’t Miss! It’s Salvos!”

He frowned, placing a hand on his jaw.

“But…”

His eyes grew wide at the realization. Adan understood what happened, placing his hands together as if he were piecing together a puzzle.

“Ah, Salvos. It has been a while, I almost did not recognize you.”

“It has, hasn’t it!”

I grinned and clasped my claws together.

“How have you been?”

“I have been well. I arrived in Unarith not too long ago. I… did not expect to see you here so soon.”

Adan looked over my shoulder at the Kobold man following me, speaking hesitantly.

“Is this your companion?”

“Nope! I just met him.”

“Ah, I see.”

Putting his hands together and bowing, Adan greeted Nav courteously.

“Greetings, [Warrior] of the Risen Dragons.”

“At ease, Adan the [Trader]. I am Nav, and I am simply accompanying Salvos the [Mage] for her tour around the city. You do not have to address me by my faction.”

“Thank you, Nav the [Warrior].”

The pair of Kobold and Cyclops exchanged pleasantries as my eyes were drawn to the myriad of shiny objects put on display at the countertop. I ignored those, instead focusing on a dull-looking rock.

“What’s this?”

I identified it, but it didn’t tell me much. Adan smiled.

“Ah, that is a piece of stone from the Ring of Fire. The earth that Dungeon is said to be enchanted, with magical properties that can cure disease and illness.”

“Huh. You have so much new stuff!”

“Apologies, Adan the [Tradert], but I have not heard of such rumors about these rocks before. Do you mean to tell me they can cure the blight from the Dead Zone?”

“Not at all.”

Adan laughed, facing a perplexed Nav.

“It is what the Humans say. I was paid this for a previous transaction from a Kobold man who just returned from the Ring of Fire. If I return to the Human lands with this, I could sell it for a hundred gold.”

“...I am not sure what that equates to.”

“No matter.”

The Cyclops man turned back to me as I sorted through his variety of goods. Most of them were just shiny, aesthetic things which I did not care too much about. Not unless I wanted to dress fancily. Perhaps I would get them if I was headed back to the Human lands. But while I was still here out in the Plaguelands, I would have to get things that actually mattered.

The enchanted equipment he offered were mostly the same as before. He did not make much sales since I last saw him on that front. And they were not really things I needed. One of them helped with using weapons better, but I already had [Passive - Weapon Mastery] maxed.

My claws were hovering over the goods offered when Adan spoke up.

“See anything you like, Salvos? You seem keen on buying something. I am willing to offer you a discount.”

I glanced up, scratching at my scaled cheeks.

“Well, I’d like to shop for some stuff since I’m here. But a discount? Aw, you’re not going to give it to me for free?”

“I am a [Trader] first and foremost. What is a trade if one side does not receive something?”

Pouting, I found myself staring at the wall full of items hanging on hooks. There was an ivory horn sticking out. It drew my vision. Or perhaps it was my [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] telling me to get it. I identified it as I pointed it out.

“What is that?”

“That is a Horn of the Caller. It is for those who are lost and seeking civilization. Its blare can be heard by someone up to ten miles away. It is not loud on the ears, nor will it scare away monsters. But it can help someone find your general direction.”

“Huh. And it is Medium Grade too.”

I considered its uses. It would certainly help Daniel and Edithe with finding me if I were lost. It did not help with fighting enemies, and it could even draw the attention of angry monsters my way. But I had a Skill that did exactly that, and it had been useful so far.

“I’ll take it!”

Adan was pleased. He rubbed his hands together as he nodded.

“Of course. What would you offer for this? It was quite an expensive trade, you see.”

“Um…”

I patted myself down, trying to find if I had anything to give him. I produced a compass and he shook his head.

“That would not be worth the price of anything in this shop.”

“I don’t really have anything else… unless!”

I hopped over to Nav.

“Nav! Can you help pay for this for me, please?”

The red-scaled Kobold— who had been off to the side, picking at his scales— was caught off-guard. He opened his mouth.

“Wait—”

“Xidra said you would help me! I saved her life, you know? The First Dragonling!”

He mulled over it for a moment. He looked like he wanted to argue, however something led him to decide to eventually acquiesce.

“Very well.”

He sighed and started for the counter. He produced a bracelet from the pocket of his robes— it had a sigil adorned on it. It looked like a Kobold with wings breathing out fire. Except, it was oddly shaped and had a larger body and small hands.

“This is a bracelet given to every member of the Risen Dragons. It is made entirely out of eloxite— an expensive material in the Human lands, yes? And it protects the wielder from poisonous gasses, something I am sure a Dwarf [Alchemist] would want if you decide to visit their lands. Will this be enough for payment?”

The Cyclops man held it up with an appraising gaze.

“Why yes, Nav the [Warrior]. This is indeed a fair transaction.”

He accepted the bracelet, pocketing it before unhooking the Horn of the Caller and giving it to me. I took it and wore it around my neck like a necklace. I stared at it, then at the pair standing before me.

I beamed.

“Now I won’t get lost anymore!”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading. For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

121. Diviner

A note from MelasD

Today's shoutouts goes to non-human MCs! First goes to This Slimy Melting Heart. It's a non-human female lead. Check it out here

The second goes to a litrpg about... stones. It's the Rolling Stone. Check it out here

The third is... a human lead. But it's still a cool story! It has an AI in it, which is non-human, so it counts! It's The Blue Path: Step 1. Check it out here

121. Diviner

I happily exited Adan’s shop, waving goodbye at the Cyclops man as I carried the Horn of the Caller in between my silver claws. It was worn around my neck like a necklace, with a string connected around its edge, keeping it attached to me so I would not lose it.

I glanced around the street I was in. It was still night; I did stay back to chat with Adan for a few hours, even after multiple other customers came in. However, I did not waste enough time for it to already be daytime.

Nav followed after me with a tired look on his face.

“Alright, Salvos the [Mage]... what do you wish to see next of Unarith?”

I tapped a finger on my chin as I cast my gaze around the city. There were a multitude of things to see. Not much trade went on here— not as much as a Human city. There still were some vendors, as evinced by Adan’s presence. It just was very different from what I was used to.

I could spend a very long time, just wandering around Unarith, taking in the sights with awe, asking questions to my tour guide, and learning more about Kobolds and their culture. But I was bored!

“Let’s go back!”

I spun back around to face Nav. The red-scaled Kobold blinked. He tried to work his jaw— which seemed a lot more difficult than for a Human, since his mouth is elongated.

“B-but… you just… you only visited one place…”

He stared at me as I simply cocked my head. He tried to muster up more words before giving up and sighing a raspy breath.

“Very well, we shall make our return to the shrine.”

“Yay!”

Leading the way back to where we came from, I skipped behind Nav until we reached the tilled fields and crossed the bridged path to minaret standing tall with a wide base. It was emptier now, than before. There were no groups of Kobold men and women chanting with their hands clasped together. Perhaps they finally decided to retire to bed.

Kobolds did need sleep, after all. Not as much as Humans. A light nap, compared to them. Maybe some Humans could get a Skill or a Class that helped them forego sleep entirely. But this was part of the Kobolds’ Species. They did not need any outside aid to help them be better than Humans this way.

I approved of it!

We went up the spiral staircase in the center of the chamber, back up to where I left Xidra. I rapped lightly against her door and called out.

“Xidra— the [Herbalist]. Are you there?”

I quickly corrected my mistake before Nav could give me an odd look. Or, an even more odd look that he had given me today. The door swung open, revealing a well-dressed Kobold behind it. She wore slender, fitting robes that complemented her green scales.

She nodded at me, and stepped past us.

“Salvos the [Mage], I trust Nav the [Warrior] has taken good care of you?”

“He sure did!”

I agreed, giving the red-scaled Kobold man a thumbs-up. He ignored it, bowing lightly towards Xidra with a hand against his chest.

“First Dragonling, I have completed the task you have given me. May I take my leave?”

“You may retire from your duties. I wish to speak with Salvos the [Mage] upstairs.”

“Yes, First Dragonling.”

He quickly escaped before I could even wave goodbye at him. I shrugged as I watched him disappear down the stairwell, turning back to Xidra with a smile.

“I bought a horn.”

I showed the Horn of the Caller to her, lightly raising it from my chest. She fixed a curious gaze at it.

“A single Medium Grade item? I would have thought someone such as you would have been better equipped with at least some High Grade equipment.”

“Nope!”

I shook my head and followed her as she started up the stairs. She walked with her hands behind her back, so I mimicked her. To blend in.

I was a master of disguise, no one suspected a thing!

“Why do you not have any, if I may ask?”

“Because they’re expensive.”

“Expensive?’

“Yep. They cost a lot— and we’re almost always low on gold, you know?”

“‘We’ as in…”

“My companions and I!”

We came to the top of the stairwell. We stood on the covered roof of the minaret. There was a domed ceiling above full of brightly colored gems, placed to create an intricate design that did not really mean anything. It was just a nice looking pattern. Xidra stopped and faced me.

“That is quite surprising. I would have assumed one at your level could simply scavenge for items.”

“We don’t really need most of the things we get, so we end up selling them. And I buy things I like like this bracelet!”

I showed off the golden object wrapped around my forearm. She gave it an approving look.

“It is shiny.”

“Right?”

I paused and stared around the mostly empty room. Other than getting a good view of Unarith— as well as a weak breeze that brushed against my face— there was nothing here. No one here.

“When’s your friend arriving, anyway?”

I finally asked. The confusion on my face was evident. Xidra gave me a Kobold smile.

“He arrives. Look.”

She pointed out at the sable sky. I narrowed my eyes and saw something moving amongst the stars. The scintillating light from above limn the figure that was heading straight at us. It looked like a bird? Except, it was far larger.

It was a Kobold. Except, it had wings.

“Watchhhhhhhh out!”

A voice cried out as the figure rapidly approached us. I grabbed Xidra and pulled her out of the way. The winged Kobold crashed into the top of the tower, sending dust up into the air before he rolled to a stop.

I blinked as a blue-scaled Kobold glanced up at me, a surprised look on his face. He was lying upside down, but quickly leapt to his feet.

“Oh, uh, sorry about that.”

I slowly lowered Xidra back to the ground as he dusted himself off. She gave him a reprimanding look.

“Hoxle the [Diviner], why did you do that?”

“I’m still trying to get used to my wings, Xidra.”

He did not address her with the same formalities as other Kobolds had shown so far. He was rather carefree, scratching at his scales as he averted his gaze from the First Dragonling.

“You are late, and you nearly struck our guest.”

“Well— she handled it just fine, didn’t she?”

“I did!”

I agreed, nodding beside him. I beamed as I took a look at the odd Kobold. He was nothing like the others in the city. Which meant I was blending in just fine. Xidra stared at me.

“Why are you making that face, Salvos the [Mage]?”

“Because I’m a master of disguise!”

She shook her head, letting out a soft sigh.

“One would hope so, considering that you can take on the form of a sapient Mortal.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Is she into me?”

Hoxle leaned forward, trying to whisper into Xidra’s ear. I cocked my head, puzzled.

“How do I break it to her that I’m not into—”

“Quiet, Hoxle the [Diviner]. This is not a casual setting. You are making a fool out of yourself in front of our guest.”

“Oh... sorry!”

He bowed apologetically my way. I shook my head.

“No, it’s fine. But what are you not into?”

“Nevermind that.”

Xidra sighed, stepping between us.

“Salvos the [Mage], this is Hoxle the [Diviner], my nephew, and the one who will be aiding you to your companions.”

I glanced between them.

“You two are related?”

“That is right. He may not seem capable, but I assure you he very much is.”

I identified Hoxle, only to be proven right.

[Diviner - Lvl. 103]

“Huh.”

I pointed at the wings sprouting from his back, frowning.

“Why does he have wings, anyway? Shouldn’t you have wings since he’s related to you?”

“Kobolds are not born with wings, Salvos the [Mage]. It is a result of his evolution that he can now fly.”

I blinked and took a step back.

“You guys can evolve?”

“I mentioned it, did I not? Gexli’s evolution enabled him to live in the wild, almost like a monster. He could track me even from miles away.”

“But you have Classes!”

Hoxle snorted, crossing his arms as his wings folded behind his back.

“Why are you asking so many weird questions? Of course we have Classes. I just hit Level 100 and unlocked my evolution.”

He beamed as his tongue stuck out of his elongated mouth. I hesitated. Was this like how Humans could get a second Class at Level 100? Scratch that— was this like how Demons like me could get a Class at Level 100? I wanted to ask more questions— this was surprising! But Xidra spoke before I could.

“Mind your manners, Hoxle the [Diviner]. Salvos the [Mage] is not someone who is familiar with the ways of Kobold society or our path with the Sesstern.”

She shook her head before resting her eyes on me.

“That is because she is not a Kobold like us. She is a Demon.”

“Wait, what?”

Hoxle took a step back. He turned to me with wide eyes. I almost thought he was going to lash out at me. And he did.

The Kobold man lunged forward, grasping for me with his claws. I frowned and stepped around it. The [Diviner] fell on the ground.

“Hey! Did you just try and attack me?”

“No— I…”

He crawled my way and grabbed me by my legs. He stared up at me with sparkling eyes as I tried kicking him off.

“What is the Netherworld like? Do you have any Demon friends? How did you even get to the Mortal Realm?”

“I have questions for you too! Let me ask mine first!”

“That’s enough.”

Xidra yanked Hoxle away, forcing him to stand up. Scowling, he followed the commands of his aunt.

“Salvos the [Mage] is not here to answer your questions. Nor are you here to pester her. I have called you here to aid her.”

“Gahhh… fine, what does she want?”

He turned towards me, still unhappy. I fumbled for my robe pocket, producing the compass and map Daniel had given me.

“I’d like to find my companions. They’re over at Ghostlight. A Human city near the Plaguelands— Dead Zone?”

“Oh, this is easy.”

He grinned, taking the map from me. Xidra gave him a dubious look.

“Hoxle the [Diviner], when did you learn how to read Human cartography?”

“I’ve been doing studying, Xidra.”

He waved a hand as he unfurled the map. He placed it on the ground as I peered over. Tracing a clawed finger across the map, he came to a stop and tapped at it. I watched with wide eyes as this happened.

“Here.”

Hoxle stood up. My eyes were fixed on the location he had pointed out.

“This is where Ghostlight is.”

“Fascinating.”

Xidra came over, almost looking proud. She placed a hand on her nephew’s shoulder.

“I was hoping to ask you to lend your Skills to help Salvos the [Mage], but it appears that is not necessary, correct?”

“Um, no?”

I finally spoke up. I picked up the map and placed a finger at the spot he had marked.

“This is where you said Ghostlight is.”

“Yeah. That’s where it is!”

“But… it’s blue.”

“Of course.”

He crossed his arms, a triumphant look on his face. I stared at him. Then I shook my head and sputtered.

“That’s the ocean!”

“Wait, what?”

I scowled, throwing the map down to the ground.

“Even I know that much!”

“No, I thought that was… but…”

He trailed off as Xidra sighed. She poked his side.

“Hoxle the [Diviner], let us not waste anymore time. Your fascination with Human culture does not help us here.”

His shoulders sagged, and I gave him a judging look from the side. How can he not read a map? I folded the map back up, keeping it because I had no idea how to read a map. The Kobold man took a step forward, holding out a hand.

“Give me your ass-thing.”

I stopped.

“Huh?”

“That ass-thing you have. That metal ass-thing in your hand.”

“Oh.”

I passed over the compass as he grumbled, taking it. I shied away from him and almost hid behind Xidra. He’s weird! I watched him take a deep breath as a glow overcomes him.

“What is he doing?”

“He is blessing that item of yours with [Tracking]. Come, it does not take long.”

Hoxle walked back towards me as the light engulfing him vanished. Now, only the compass was glowing. He handed the now-lambent compass back to me, and I reached for it. He shook his head.

“Touch it.”

“...ok?”

I placed a clawed hand over the compass, raising a brow. He clasped his hands over mine and snapped his eyes shut. Speaking slowly, he addressed me.

“Salvos, tell me, who are you searching for. Envision their faces. Imagine where you last saw them. Think of their relationship with you.”

Nodding, I did as I was told. I remembered Daniel. The [Hero] from another world. He tried helping me find a way back to the Netherworld. And while he was not always helpful, I appreciated the sentiment.

And there was Edithe. The red-haired woman full of fury. Except, she was far more reticent now. Apprehension had gripped her, keeping her from burning with the same passion as before. It would have been nice if I had met this version of Edithe when we first met— maybe she would not have hated me then. But now, I wanted to return the fire into her life.

“Do you see them?”

“I do.”

“Good. Now say their names. Say who they are.”

Even though my eyes were closed, I could see flashes of light. An iridescent sheen that held my vision. I opened my mouth, speaking simply.

“Daniel, my companion. Edithe, my companion. I wish to find them.”

I waited for something else to happen. For the light to become overwhelming. But it just vanished. I heard the sounds of claws clacking together, and opened my eyes to see Hoxle with his hands clapped together.

“And that’s it!”

“You’re done?”

“Yeah! You can just look at your ass-thing.”

“Compass.”

I corrected him before looking down at the compass. I blinked as I saw the hands of the compass both pointing in the same direction. It was not a direction I had ever seen them point before. It was directed to my right, and when I tried to reorient it, it moved to face the same direction as before.

“The Skill will take a week to wear-off. It will lead you directly to your companions, Edithe and Daniel, until then.”

“Woah.”

I stood at the edge of the tower, having followed where it was pointing. I gently ran my hand across it. Like it was some kind of precious jewel. I wanted to cherish it. It was going to save me from getting lost for the next week. And even better— it was going to lead me back to my companions!

Spinning around, I leapt at Hoxle and wrapped my arms around him.

“Thank you so much!”

“Hey! Hands off! I told you I’m not interested in women!”

I obliged and took a step back. I glanced back down at the compass, softly holding onto it.

“I’ve gotta go, now.”

“You wish to leave immediately, Salvos the [Mage]?”

“Of course! My companions must be worried. I promised them I would be back days ago! Or was it a week?”

I tapped a finger on my chin. I did not exactly keep track of the days. I had no reason to. Not like Humans who felt the need to sleep when it turned night. The two Kobolds led the way as I walked behind them, carefully holding onto the compass like it was some kind of treasure. They chatted casually as I watched the compass hands spin around as we spiraled down the stairway.

“By the way, Xidra—”

“Please address me properly, Hoxle the [Diviner].”

“Right, right. You know, I just want to say sorry that I didn’t hunt you down immediately when you disappeared. But I was busy. Those Scale Sentinels targeted me too! I didn’t even hear about what happened until you sent me that missive just earlier.”

“It is fine. They went after you as well?”

“Yeah. But it seemed like a distraction. I beat up a few of them and… wait.”

He came to a stop, and I almost ran into him. I blinked, glancing up to face as he turned around.

“You said your friends are at Ghostlight, right?”

“Around there. Why?”

The Kobold man paused. He pricked at his scales, an uneasy looking crossing through his face.

“Now mayyyy not be the best time to tell you that the Scale Sentinels are planning another attack on Ghostlight.”

I stared at him, in shock. He shifted his feet uneasily as I fixed my look onto him. I opened my mouth, trying to find words to come out. I always wondered how Daniel and Edithe always lost their words. I realized now what it was like.

“H-h-how did you…?”

He shrugged.

“I forgot, alright?”

A note from MelasD

Thanks for reading. For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

122. Helping Hand

A note from MelasD

Lotsa shoutouts today. The first goes to Dear Spellbook, a time loop progression fantasy. You can read it here.

The second goes to Prism - Seekers of Solace, a VR litrpg saga. You can read it here.

The third goes to I am Urist, a high fantasy strategy story. You can read it here.

Fourth goes to I'm Overpowered but I'll let the Hero do His Thing While I Save the Last Boss. A comedy female lead. You can read it here.

Last goes to a more 'smutty' story with some LGBTQ content. Check it out if you're interested in it! I recommend to give it a shot, but please do NOT review bomb it just because it has smut or LGTBQ content. It is honestly trashy how a vocal minority of people would 0.5 star stories just because it has smut or LGBTQ content. Check it out here and be nice!

122. Helping Hand

“Edithe!”

Daniel dashed forward, his sword glowing, overcome with the [Aura of the Sentinel]. He was not sure why he got that Skill when his Class advanced; it was more than just the bright coat covering his blade. It could move. It could do more.

He pointed his sword forward, and the golden aura lanced forth. It did not tear into the ground. Instead, it extended out, forming a shield that intercepted the charging [Skeleton Warrior]’s attack.

The red-haired woman stumbled back as the undead’s strike landed against the barrier. Daniel swiped the [Skeleton Warrior] off its feet and dug his sword down into its skull.

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 102]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

“Are you alright?”

He walked up to Edithe. She was bent over, panting and bleeding. She glanced up and raised a hand.

“I just need a potion, and I’ll be fine.”

Nodding, he gave her one of his healing potions. She gratefully downed it, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. The young man’s gaze turned to the sky, then to the desolate landscape of the Plaguelands.

“Maybe we should go back. We’ve ventured deeper into the Plaguelands than we’ve ever done before.”

“It’s not even the evening.”

Edithe corked the bottle and handed it back to him. Her eyes were determined. She was fixed on her goal. Daniel sighed.

“We’ll press on for a bit more. But don’t be reckless, Edithe. If Salvos were here— well, she would ask us to be even more reckless. But she isn’t here. We can afford to be a little lax, can’t we?”

“...right.”

She nodded after a moment. Then she pressed her hands against her temples.

“Damn, she’s really rubbing off on me, isn’t she?”

Daniel grinned.

“She really is.”

He placed a hand on Edithe’s shoulder.

“But that’s not a bad thing.”

She stared at him.

“Not yet.”

I ran through the Plaguelands— the Kobold robes I had been given tied around my neck alongside my jacket, over my torn cloak. I was no longer in my Mortal Form. I would not risk traversing this place alone in a weakened state.

Sure, I could change back at any point in time. But I would have torn the only piece of clothing I had. Which would have made it awkward for me to explain when I finally found Daniel and Edithe.

My eyes snapped towards the compass in my hand. It was pointing towards… a direction. I could not just follow it in a straight line. There were fields of blight flowers often blocking my path. Sometimes a horde of undead would intercept me too. There were so many obstacles here that I could not just activate [Self Haste] and [Flame Burst] my way to my companions.

I avoided a group of [Ghouls] bounding towards me. This was the first time I saw more than one gathered together. Their curses would have been problematic. I still had yet to face one alone, but I was pretty sure I could take one out by myself.

“Go away!”

I sent a [Flaming Breath] at a flying undead bird thing. It was a [Nightscourer]. Its wings were tattered— torn with holes in them. It had deep violet skin, with a lighter shade of purple in some parts. Although it had beady red eyes which almost seemed to shine eerily, it was not that aggressive.

Probably because it was only Level 102. Not high leveled. But a pest, regardless.

The sun crept across the sky as I made my way through this Dead Zone. The Plaguelands full of undead. At one point, I spotted what seemed to be a sprawling castle in the distance. It peaked up, above clouds of the miasma of blight. Almost like if I was in an ocean, staring towards the shore, and seeing a vast city. But there was too much blight for me to even attempt to see what it was. So, I moved on.

I was in a hurry. I needed to ensure that my companions were fine. That they were at least not in Ghostlight. The Scale Sentinels were attempting a raid at the Human town. That was what Hoxle told me. If they were anywhere near as high leveled as the ones I fought— and if they were far more numerous— they would be in trouble.

So, I made haste. I avoided all fighting. I kept the undead away from me. I circumvented the blight, moving quickly on all of my limbs, until the sun was beginning to set. It was then I saw the figures in the distance.

Shadows that moved more fluid than just the stiff undead. It was not mindless milling. The figures were moving with intent.

“Edithe! Daniel!”

I called out as I ran over to the pair. Daniel glanced around, halting mid-step, while Edithe looked up, having been staring at the ground as she walked almost aimlessly. I waved at them.

“It’s me, Salvos!”

The red-haired woman blinked, while the Human man opened his mouth.

“Salvos? Where did you come from? Wait, no— I mean, where did you go? How did you find us?”

I came to a stop as he finished letting out his myriad of questions. I hesitated, not sure which question to answer first.

“I… got lost?”

“...we knew that. It was kind of a given.”

He shook his head, but a small smile spread across his lips. Edithe stepped past him, relief evident on her face.

“I’m glad to see you’re fine, Salvos.”

“Me too!”

I felt my entire body relax. I thought they were in danger. But they were just out here, in the deadly Diamond Rank threat Plaguelands, safe and sound and covered in cuts and blood. Wiping at my forehead in relief, I straightened.

“I got worried! When Hoxle told me the Scale Sentinels were going to Ghostlight, I panicked! If it became another situation like Iron Champions Company, but I’m too late—”

They exchanged a glance. Daniel raised a hand placatingly.

“Slow down, Salvos. What’s going on? And who is Hoxle?”

“He’s the Kobold man who helped me find you. Look!”

I raised the compass— its hands were still pointing at my companions.

“See? He did this.”

“A Kobold helped you?”

Edithe stared at me in disbelief. Daniel was less surprised; he was from another world, so he probably did not care as much. I nodded eagerly.

“Yep! After I saved his aunt, Xidra, from the Scale Sentinels, she asked him to do this for me.”

They both tried to come up with words. I had that experience just a few hours ago. It was not easy, apparently. When you lost something it was difficult to get it back! That was why I would try not to get lost again.

Finally, Daniel spoke in resignation.

“So, you’ve been on quite the adventure since we last saw you.”

“A lot has happened! I nearly died to an angry fire-breathing Kobold man!”

“Right. And the people who helped you—”

“I helped them. Then they helped me after!”

“...yes, that. They told you we were in danger?”

I waved a hand off, letting out a light chuckle. Did he not listen? Seriously, Daniel, sometimes you were silly.

“Not you two. Ghostlight!”

“I… see.”

The Human man had an uncertain look on his face, but Edithe was a lot more pressed from this news. She frowned, crossing her arms.

“Ghostlight is in danger? From who?”

“Kobolds, of course!”

She narrowed her eyes.

“But didn’t they help you?”

“No— not them. The ones who helped me are from the Risen Dragons faction. The ones doing this whole attacking thing are from the Scale Sentinels. Entirely different groups!”

There was a pregnant pause as the pair processed this. Then it ended. Clicking her tongue, Edithe marched away from us. I hurried after her with Daniel.

“It doesn’t matter who is behind this. Come on, we need to stop it.”

She spoke simply. Daniel agreed.

“Yeah, I’d have liked our reunion to last a little longer, but innocent people’s lives are at stake.”

I shrugged.

“More experience for me.”

—--

Since my companions were not taking their time to move at a glacial pace, we reached Ghostlight just as the sun set. This time, I tried to take note of the various scenery on our way to the Human town. If I could identify anything that was somewhat recognizable, maybe I would not get lost again.

I ignored the rocks, though. They were all the same!

Smoke trailed off in the distance. Despite the dark night, there was a bright orange light visibly shining even from a mile away. A raging fire was spreading through Ghostlight. The walls around the city were set ablaze. But it was not just on fire.

I spotted ice layering over an entire section of the wall. It was not melting even under the intense heat. A few bloodied Human guards lay at the gates. Their bodies were not alone. I discerned a single Kobold dead amongst them.

So, not as high leveled as Gexli and his followers, huh? That made sense. From what I had seen of Unarith, Kobolds were not especially higher leveled than Humans. There was a slight difference. But not that significant.

A cough caught the attention of Edithe. She ran over to a man, stumbling out of the gates. It was not a guard, but a father with his child. She tended to them and helped them outside. After feeding them a healing potion, she finally asked the Human man.

“What happened here?”

“K-Kobolds— dozens of them. They’re trying to destroy the entire town.”

He managed to cough out. Edithe clenched her fist, casting her gaze towards the burning town.

“Are they still in there?”

“Y-yes…”

“What about other survivors?”

The Human man managed a nod. He seemed like he almost wanted to collapse, but Daniel caught him.

“Come on. You should get to safety.”

“Salvos.”

Edithe turned to me as I stared at the burning fire, thinking that I could probably have created hotter flames. I cocked my head.

“Yes?”

“Can you find the survivors? Bring them to us. We’ll gather them in the forest over there.”

“Sure!”

I nodded. I was in my Mortal Form, now. As a Human. I was wearing Kobold robes that were a bit too small for me. But I had Daniel’s jacket over it. It would withstand the heat, right? It was Unique Grade, after all.

I activated [Self Haste] and hopped into the fire. Daniel and Edithe disappeared behind me as more survivors streamed out of the town. They followed my companions’ instructions and began making for the nearby forest.

Running past the burning buildings, I found a lot of survivors in Ghostlight. The attack must have just happened, since not a lot of people were dead yet. It was not like Lucerna’s attack on Silvergrove, which had gone on for a while before I arrived.

I simply directed those who seemed capable enough to the forest, while I actually carried those who were injured out of the burning town. This repeated a few times. I even found Jaden— the [Innkeeper] boy who managed Ghostlight’s Inn— and brought him to safety.

It was only when I went back into the city after helping him that I caught a glimpse of the first battle. The sounds of sword clashing echoed in the distance. A powerful blast resounded, and a handful of buildings collapsed.

I headed in that direction, leaping up onto a rooftop to get a view of the fighting. I saw a Human man— one I recognized— as the captain Alex who I had first seen when I came to the town. The Level 105 [Warrior] who recently arrived.

The bodies of two Kobolds lay next to him, but a third one slowly walked towards him, almost uncaring. I identified the Kobold— she was a woman— and found her to be at around his level. The only problem was— he was tired and she was not.

“Kobold scum. I am Alex Cromerth, member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire's elite Swordsguard Forces! I have felled two of your allies here, and three more before. Do you think you can defeat me on your own?”

“Nir the [Mage] and Kaks the [Warrior] were weak. They had not attained their evolution yet. I have. And I am not—”

She did not get to finish. I loosed a Blazing Bolt right at her. The blast sent her flying into a building. I landed next to Alex.

“Hi, Alex Cromerth, member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces. I’m Salvos!”

I offered him a hand as he blinked.

“I’m here to help find survivors and bring them to Daniel and Edithe. Do you want me to carry you, or can you walk by yourself?”

A note from MelasD

Big thank you to Tsu for drawing this portrait of imp form Salvos as a gift

It's to celebrate Salvos Volume 1 being made into an audiobook by Podium Audio! If you're into audibooks, you can pre-order it now for a rather hefty discount. Check it out here and give it a buy!

Thanks for reading. For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

123. Alex Cromerth, Member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s Elite Swordsguard Forces

A note from MelasD

Moar shoutouts. The first is Retribution Engine, a litrpg xianxia. You can read it here.

Next goes to The Way Ahead, a litrpg progression fantasy. You can read it here.

The third goes to Beneath the Dragoneye Moons. You know what it's about, I've recced it four times before. You can read it here.

Fourth goes to Cinnamon Bun. It's a fluffy, slice of life, litrpg, adventure story by the wonderful RavensDagger. You can read it here.

The final one goes to Wizard's Tower. It's a dungeon litrpg story. You can read it here.

123. Alex Cromerth, Member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s Elite Swordsguard Forces

Alex Cromerth, member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces, stared up at me with wide eyes. He did not respond immediately. I did not know why he was taking so long. I waved a hand impatiently, and he blinked.

“I—”

An explosion of ice shot out my way. I scowled and grabbed him, leaping back away from the breath attack. It froze the houses behind where I had been standing. The entire cobbled ground was covered in a thick layer of sleet. Even the flames that had been raging wildly were snuffed out.

“You took too long to reply!”

I scowled at Alex Cromerth. He was aghast, still in my arms. Then he threw himself off me.

“I don’t need the help of a Platinum Rank adventurer!”

He snapped at me. He drew his sword, a shadowed blade trailing its movements, almost like there were two weapons there at once.

“If you must, go save the other civilians and guardsmen scattered through the town.”

“Done most of them!”

I crossed both my arms. He looked like he wanted to retort, but the Kobold [Rogue] cast her gaze upon us with maddened eyes.

“A weak [Mage] thinks she can sneak up on me? Ridiculous!”

I scoffed.

“I don’t think I can, I did—”

She lashed out with two frozen sickles. I ducked under the attack while Alex parried the strike. I watched the ground freeze in the direction she struck at. Frost seemed to form over Alex’s steel blade. But fire burst out, melting the ice.

“Don’t think my equipment can’t withstand your weak Skills, Kobold scum!”

“Worthless Human, your complacencies will lead to the end of all things!”

The two locked blades, almost ignoring me. Their battle was glorious. I watched as the shadow of darkness clashed with the bright, white ice. The earth was torn up. I shook my head, conjuring another bow.

“You are—”

A Refined Blazing Bolt struck the Kobold woman again, but this time, she did not just go sailing. She soared through the air, the blast much more powerful. It sent Alex stumbling back. I tossed a chain up into the air, catching the Kobold woman before she could reorient herself.

I tugged her my way, and she was ripped to my direction. She opened her mouth, once again letting out a plume of ice. I narrowed my eyes. Was that part of her evolution? Possibly.

I sidestepped the attack, bringing the kusarigama’s blade back up.

“[Radiant Slash].”

The blue flames almost seemed to morph in its color. A coat of black flames overlayed itself on the bright fire, snuffing out its light. It still burned brilliantly. A glow that was almost impossible shone out.

The weapon lodged itself through the Kobold woman’s chest. She screamed in pain and terror as it sheared through her. I grinned as I followed through with the attack. The strike itself propelled me forward. There was a force there that carried me. That made me stronger than I actually was.

“Who’s the weak [Mage] now, huh?!”

She did not respond. She was dead.

“Stupid wild Kobolds. Scale Sentinel jerks!”

I muttered, walking back to Alex. The Human man was panting, leaning against his sword. His surprise was evident.

“H-How…?”

Beaming, I raised my chin up and pointed at myself.

“I’m Salvos! That’s how.”

I walked past him, gesturing for him to follow me.

“Now come on, Alex Cromerth, member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces. You said you’re here to help find survivors, right?”

He shook his head.

“No. I’m here to slay these Kobold scum.”

Gripping the hilt of his sword, he got to his feet. He met my gaze and pointed at me.

“As the one in charge of Ghostlight, adventurer, I order you to deal with the evacuation. Some of my men are closeby. Find them and ask them to aid you.”

I blinked.

“Hey! You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not even my companion!”

“I can, and I will.”

He aimed the sword dangerously close to my neck. I frowned. He was annoying me. I wanted to punch him between the legs. But I was not here to fight, anyway.

“Fine! I’m not doing this because you asked me to. My companions did!”

I stuck my tongue out at him and almost regretted it. But I remembered I was back in the Human lands. So, I stuck it out again, this time in full force. Alex Cromerth, member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces, clicked his tongue and turned around.

“Immature girl.”

“Stupid weirdo.”

I copied his childish insult. We parted ways there, at that courtyard. Maybe I shouldn’t have saved him from that Kobold. I assumed Daniel and Edithe wanted me to save and help everyone that was Human. However, if I had let one die, would they have even known?

I let those thoughts pass through me, finding the group of guardsmen I had been directed to not much later. There were a dozen of them. They were helping a family out of a burning building.

“Hi! Platinum Rank adventurer Salvos here! Do you need any help?”

“Yes, Miss—”

“It’s Salvos.”

“Uh, right.”

The guards exchanged a few looks. Most of them were decently leveled. They were around Gold Rank. Not Silvers, at least. Those were probably most dead.

“This woman says her daughter is still trapped in that house over there.”

He pointed at the raging fire. I looked at it, then him.

“Why don’t you just go in there and save her, then?”

“Because she’s trapped in some ice we can’t melt. One of the Kobolds froze half the building over with their magic.”

Was it the Kobold woman I just killed? Since it was such high leveled magic, it was likely. I nodded and walked past them, shooting a thumbs-up to the panicked looking Human mother.

“Don’t worry, I got this!”

A single [Flame Burst] carried me into the inferno. It was hot, but it didn’t singe through my blue jacket. Parts of the roof collapsed. I sliced it in half with my kusarigama and continued into the house.

I found the frozen section of the building not long after. There was a door covered entirely in a sheet of ice. I swung my weapon’s blade at it hard. But not even a crack formed on the ice. I narrowed my eyes and repeated the strike.

It took a few hits for chinks to even form on the ice. It was solidly strong. I needed something that could damage it even faster. As I wasted time here, more Humans out there were dying. Finally, I took a step back and inhaled deeply.

[Flaming Breath].

The powerful, blue fire engulfed the doorway. It melted a hole through the area that had already been damaged. The sides around it were weakened, too. But I got what I needed.

I pushed the door open, entering the room. Inside, I saw a shivering, pale girl. She was huddled in the corner covered in a thin blanket, her teeth were chattering, and she barely even glanced up to see me. I offered her a hand.

“W-w-w…”

She could not even muster up a word. I picked her up gently, placing her on my back. I wrapped my jacket around her, whispering.

“It’s fine. Come, we’ll get you back to your mom.”

I left the burning house with the little girl. She was embraced by her mother the moment I put her down. The guardsmen pulled the mother away, immediately tending to the girl’s wounds. She looked like she was going to shatter if her mother squeezed any harder.

“There’s a safe zone in the forest just to the north… east… west… south? Somewhere over there.”

I pointed in a random direction as the guardsmen gave me a confused look.

“You’ll see a bunch of other survivors heading there. My companions will protect you if you bring anyone you can find that way.”

They were dubious. But I just helped them save that little girl. So, they nodded.

“We’ll do that. We think the city is mostly cleared out, anyway. We might head there soon.”

“Good. Keep this family safe, alright?”

I watched as the mother held two other children in her arms, tears falling from her face. Was she sad? Why would she be crying? I just saved her third child, did I not? I shook my head.

“Otherwise, my companions will be mad at me.”

“Yes, Ma’am!”

“I’m not a Ma’am, I’m Salvos.”

I snorted and took off. I continued scouring Ghostlight for a little longer. I found more Human guards wandering around. Some of them were aimless. They were scared— as if they wanted to flee like an ordinary citizen. I directed those straight to the forest, not even bothering to ask them to help me in my search.

There were a few Humans— non guardsmen or guardswomen— who were actually embroiled in battle. I came across a group of Humans dressed as farmers, battling two Kobolds.

The Humans were massively outleveled. It was a group of Silvers against two high Golds. They did not stand a chance at all.

“Gahh—”

A [Warrior] screamed as he fell by the forefront Kobold’s claws. A woman shouted in anger, beginning to cast her spell. Before she could loose it, the Kobold was obliterated into a puddle of blood.

I began conjuring another Sickle Grenade, but found that it was not as easy to cast as I remembered. I clicked my tongue. Right, no more [Passive - Refined Casting]. The magic fizzled out as the remaining Kobold angrily shouted at me. He threw a dagger my way— which missed— before he ran up the side of the wall to get to where I was standing on a house’s roof.

I kicked him once, before wrapping him up in chains. He struggled, but a few [Barrage of Cinders] to the face made him go limp.

“Stupid Scale Sentinels. I am 20 levels higher than you! Why did you think you could beat me?”

It was not like he was me who could take on those 20 levels above me. Of course not! Nobody was me! Only I was Salvos.

The Humans did not immediately flee. They took a moment to shed some tears for their fallen companions. Once they were finished, I told them the same thing I had told everyone else, and they were off.

I continued searching until I found no other Human left in Ghostlight. I saw a few groups of Kobolds. They were mostly in pairs. Although some were alone. But they did not notice me. I was sneaky.

Satisfied with my job finished, I left the burning town and reconvened with Daniel and Edithe. I saw a large crowd of Humans gathered around, with Human [Warriors], [Mages], and other fighters gathered around the injured, prepared to fight. They were not all guards for Ghostlight.

Many of them were regular workers, traders, farmers, and laborers. Yet, they grew up here. They were used to dealing with Kobolds and the stray undead. But never to this scale.

“The Kobolds are trying to start a war… they’re going to raze down the whole town.”

Edithe breathed, standing at the perimeter of the haphazard camp. The fire was far away. Ghostlight was not close by any means. Its blazing flames were just so bright, we could see it all the way from where we were.

“The Scale Sentinels are trying to start a war.”

I corrected her.

“Their other factions aren’t involved in this.”

“It doesn’t matter, Salvos.”

Daniel walked up next to me, a grim look on his face. I cocked my head as he explained.

“This is not just a matter between nations, it’s a matter between two Species that have been historically enemies. They will see it as the beginning of a new Kobold invasion to the Human lands.”

“But Xidra wants peace with Humans!”

Edithe shook her head. She gave me a morose look.

“I know you’re friends with… some of them. But none of us here can do anything about what happens next. If war happens, your friends will be wrapped up in this war whether they want to or not.”

I scowled.

“War this, war that. Why do you Mortals like war so much!”

“I’m asking myself the same question…”

She nodded. Placing a hand on my shoulder, Edithe tried to comfort me. It worked. I cheered up in mere moments.

“It’s not like we’ll be involved, anyway, Salvos. We’re meant to be leveling in the Plaguelands, remember? Get me to my next advancement.”

“Woah, you’re quite close, aren’t you? You’re Level 69!”

“Nice.”

Daniel remarked from the side before he cringed at himself, and I eagerly agreed.

“That is very nice!”

Edithe glanced around, seeing that most of the injured Humans had already recovered. That no more survivors were streaming out of Ghostlight.

“I think it’s time for us to move. We’ve gotten everyone we could, and if we stay too long, the remaining Kobolds may find us too.”

“Sure. Wait— where’s Alex Cromerth, member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces?”

My companions blinked.

“Who?”

I opened my mouth to respond, when a round object rolled on the ground to my feet. I saw wide eyes staring up at me. A severed head lay there. Bloodied, with messy hair. I pointed at it.

“Oh, there he is.”

A mixture of fire, ice, wind, and air engulfed us, destroying the nearby landscape, uprooting trees and sending screams throughout the camp.

A note from MelasD

Two things. First of all, I got ANOTHER Salvos fanart which is pretty fantastic. It's not canonically accurate, but it is how AuspiciousOctopi, the artist, envisioned her when reading Volume 1 and 2.

Second of all, I got my first ever fanfic ever by Eldritch on my discord. It's a bit of a meme, but it is still very flattering to receive a fanfic. You can read it here. It's a fanfic about Salvos' companion, Haec.

Thanks for reading. For only $3, you can now read up to 10 chapters ahead! As always, you can read all 20 ahead for $5 which is the full backlog of one month. And you can read Side Stories and some special rewards for $10. There are other rewards at $15 and up too! Consider donating to my patreon here to support me and read ahead!

It is many authors dream to become a full time writer. It is something I, as a current full time student, would love too. I do hope you consider supporting me, as I'm trying really hard to make writing my full time job once I graduate from University! Look at how much I'm writing now, and imagine how much I'd be able to write if this actually became my career :D

Also, join my discord too!

124. Combination

A note from MelasD

Announcement in after chapter's notes.

The first is to An Outcast in Another World, a litrpg high fantasy. The author was actually inspired to write because of Salvos, something which I find to be incredibly flattering. Give it a go! You can read it here and be nice!

The next one goes to The Trickster's Tale. It's by the wonderful Houndsman, author of... the Houndsman. It's a comedy litrpg with a non-human trickster MC. Check it out here.

Third one goes to an OG of RoyalRoad, Lone: The Wanderer. It's a non-human, strong lead litrpg by Lone. Check it out here.

124. Combination

The flurry of magic crashed down on us. I grabbed my companions before it could get close. [Ember Core] was already flaring up, wreathing me in my armor of flames. Edithe had created a barrier, while Daniel was shining brilliantly thanks to [Aura of the Sentinel].

But I was not going to risk us taking the brunt of the attack. So, I grabbed them and leapt back with a [Flame Burst], aided by [Self Haste]. The explosion blasted straight up, like some kind of an erupting pillar. The iridescent colors mixed together to create a bright light. One that lit up the forest, alerting everyone in the camp of the attack.

Emerging from ground zero of the blast were five Kobolds. They were rather high leveled. The one leading them was Level 106, followed by two just around the Level 100 range, and the last two at the mid 90’s.

If this was an encounter in the Plaguelands, it would have been an easy victory for us. However, this was not. They were Kobolds. They had Classes and a Subspecies evolution. At least, the Level 100s, did.

They would be far stronger than any enemy I had fought. Sure, they might be exhausted. The Kobold woman I fought earlier certainly was exhausted from fighting Alex Cromerth, member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces.

Unfortunately for us, Alex Cromerth, member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces, was dead. He had been slain by these Kobolds. Alone, against the five of them, of course he would not stand a chance.

The lead Kobold had obsidian black skin. At least, I thought he did. I had never seen obsidian before. Daniel told me that that was how you described something of an incredibly dark shade.

He stared at us with purple eyes. Appraising. He was not a [Cultist]. Not like Gexli had been. Although the one of the two Level 100s was a [Cultist], she did not seem like she was in charge here. Perhaps a second in command?

Screams echoed in the background as the lead Kobold took a step forward.

“It seems the Humans have conveniently gathered themselves together for us to slaughter. How convenient, Zix the [Warrior].”

“Indeed, Hukba the [Cultist].”

Zix— the obsidian-scaled Kobold— took a step forward. He glanced over at the two Level 90s, and nodded.

“Kill those who try to escape. We’ll deal with the defenders.”

The pair got to work. They leapt past us, ignoring us as if we were not even there. Edithe raised her staff at them.

“Wait—”

The third Level 100 Kobold lashed out. He appeared in front of Edithe, slashing at her with his claws. He was a [Rogue], after all. The red-haired woman could barely react in time.

Unfortunately for the Kobold, I could. He stumbled back, a burning, blue sword stabbed through his gut. Blood dripped from the wound as I followed up with a [Barrage of Cinders], but he managed to hop away in time.

“S-Salvos?”

“You will not hurt my companions.”

I narrowed my eyes, meeting the gaze of the Zix the [Warrior]. He had a spear in hand— one which he flipped over his head before slithering his tongue out of his mouth in a cocky smile.

“Oh, really? The Old Gods curse me, does such a weak Human think she can slay us?”

“I am not a weak Human.”

I spoke truthfully. Zix shook his head, unfurling a single wing behind his back, a cruel look on his face.

“We shall see.”

Before I could retort, the [Rogue] from earlier opened his mouth. A breath of flames came rushing out. I was about to counter it with my own when Daniel stepped forward. He raised his sword and his [Aura of the Sentinel] came out like a shield. It blocked the attack, cutting it in half so the flames would jet out to the sides at the nearby trees.

“Daniel, protect Edithe!”

I called out to the Human man. He nodded as I rushed out around him. Hukba the [Cultist] had a hand raised as I leapt out to the side. I was expecting magic or some other kind of spell to come from her. However, instead she produced two round objects.

I blinked as she hurled the first at me. I caught it midair with my fire chains and tossed it back at her, intercepting the second ball. They collided and burst out into a web of green energy, covering the ground as smoke sizzled up in the air.

Good thing I didn’t touch it. I sent a [Flaming Breath] at the [Rogue], forcing him back. I was just about to follow up with a strike with my kusarigama when Zix appeared in front of me.

He brought a claw down at me, my eyes grew wide. It was like an image of some kind of beast appeared behind him. It looked like a Kobold. It had the eyes of a Kobold. But I could tell it was not a Kobold.

[Flame Burst] propelled me away from the attack and I crashed at a nearby tree. The ground was torn asunder. Three claw marks scarred the earth, trailing out like lightning. I picked myself up and panted.

“That was dangerous!”

I dashed forward at Zix as he spun around, facing me with an apathetic gaze. I slid under a side slash, wrapping my chains under his legs to trip him. He fell to the ground, and I slammed the sickled edge powered by [Barrage of Cinders] against his back.

The fire kusarigama broke. I stared in shock as my weapon shattered after a few strikes against his scales.

“W-what?”

“Futile attempt.”

Zix broke the chains wrapped around his feet as a gust of wind shot out around him. I managed to move away in time to dodge his next swing, but I felt scratches forming on my skin from the mini cyclone. His wings flared up as the storm raged on.

An evolutionary Skill? I narrowed my eyes. This was a bad match-up for me. I could not hurt Zix. I did not think his [Vitality] was high. At least, not with the attacks he had been tossing my way. That had to be some kind of High Grade item aiding his defenses.

Perhaps something that hardened his scales?

I shook my head and turned to Daniel. He and Edithe were embroiled in a battle against the [Rogue] and Hukba the [Cultist]. His sword shone as he swung it in arcs, hovering over the red-haired woman like some kind of protector.

Edithe would loose a few spells out— mostly at Hukba. However, it seemed to me like Daniel was doing all the work. After all, he was a [Hero] and higher leveled than her. I clicked my tongue and called out to them.

“Daniel! Switch!”

The Human man blinked as I pointed at Zix who was charging me with an intense fury.

“Kneel!”

He did not come to a halt, let alone drop to his knees. However, there was a brief moment of hesitation. One that allowed me to do the next part uninterrupted. I faced the [Rogue] and Hukba, sprinting forward as I shouted a growl.

[Title Skill: Zealous Call].

Their attention turned towards me. Hukba drew a cross-shaped object and unleashed a whirlwind of frozen snow my way. The [Rogue] danced alongside the oncoming blizzard, their claws trailing with a red glow.

I grinned over at Daniel.

“Hurry!”

[Self Haste] had not recovered just yet. All I could rely on was [Flame Burst] to carry me around the attack. As I did, I watched Daniel rush away from Edithe, charging Zix and leaving her defenseless. However, she was not under threat. At least, not for a moment longer.

In fact, she was emboldened by my Title Skill. She created a ball of fire and electricity and targeted Hukba. The attack blasted the [Cultist], sending her flying back. She was mostly uninjured, however, protected by her enchanted armor and items.

I did not let that distraction go to waste. I engaged the [Rogue], landing a [Barrage of Cinders] combination as his attacks missed me. They whiffed— just barely grazing by my face. I struck with no kusarigama. Only my fists dealing the blow.

And just as he broke out of his enraged stupor, I conjured a pair of chains and threw them around his neck. I tugged at it, forcing him to stumble towards me. With a kick, I boosted off him and leapt at Hukba.

The edge of the chains shone brilliantly. The [Cultist] was still picking herself up, being blasted by spells from Edithe. It almost did not seem to affect the Kobold woman. It was just enough to send her in a daze, but did not penetrate her defenses.

That would change now.

A sickled edge formed on my chains. It was not an ordinary kusarigama. It was my Sickle Grenade. I could not cast it quickly. Not without [Passive - Refined Casting]. But I could still create it. It just took some time.

Time which I had already spent since I first created these chains.

“You Humans dare lay a hand on me? I am Hukba the [Cultist]! One of the foremost guardians of the Scale Sentinels!”

“I don’t care! I know the First Dragonling, and she’s way more important than you!”

I spun the chains and hurled the Sickle Grenade at Hukba. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the approaching light. She raised a clawed hand— as if that would do anything— to brace herself from the blast.

The explosion caused a ripple on the barrier around her. The aura that had been protecting her from harm's way fizzled out— she was left undefended. Unprotected.

I landed right before her, a grin spreading across my face. I raised a fist—

Only for the [Rogue] to claw at me from behind. It tore through my blue jacket— and that was fine, since it would repair over time. But I still got annoyed about it!

I whirled around, creating a pair of fire daggers in each hand. I traded blows with the Kobold. He was fast, but it seemed some of his Stats went to his attack power rather than his speed. I found my daggers being knocked away, even as I struck him a few times, before I finally could activate [Self Haste].

I dodged away from a furious clawed strike that emitted a red energy. It whipped forward, like a kind of extension to his body, although it was not enough to reach me. That was before I heard a shout from behind.

“Salvos! Watch out!”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Hukba holding a staff. She was not conjuring a spell. Rather, the staff itself was casting a spell. I saw it float— levitate up— overcome with a powerful energy. The strands of mana in the air bent around it, before being pulled into the staff.

A streak of black lightning shot out, coming at me and tearing up the earth. I threw myself to the side, aided by [Flame Burst] before I found myself landing next to Edithe. The two Kobolds regrouped as well— Hukba offered the [Rogue] a hand, pulling him to his feet.

Edithe spoke softly.

“I’m… sorry. I’m not much help here.”

“It’s fine!”

I grinned, ignoring the battle between Daniel and Zix in the background. Was Zix winning? Nah. Daniel was strong! He could handle it just fine… I think.

I bit my lower lip as I saw both Kobolds make their approach towards us. The [Rogue] was stumbling, not as fast as he originally was. And while that made me eager to deal with him first, I noticed how Hukba stood apprehensively behind him. Before, she confidently approached us. But now, she was keeping her distance.

Ever since I destroyed her defenses.

I glanced over at Edithe.

“Can you deal with the [Rogue] for a moment? I’ll take out Hukba and get back to you quickly.”

The red-haired woman hesitated. She chewed her lower lip, thinking about it for a second. Then she nodded.

“Don’t worry about me. Just do what you have to.”

“Thanks!”

[Self Haste] still ran through my body. It propelled me around as I shot straight for Hukba. The [Rogue] moved to intercept me, but Edithe aimed at him, raising her staff.

“Summon Grand Spirit—”

Both their gazes snapped at her. The [Rogue] growled and changed courses. Perhaps it would not have been effective if we were fighting any other opponents. But it was by chance that Edithe was a [Summoner]. And from what I was told by Xidra, Kobolds hated Spirits and Demons.

I did not turn to watch Edithe hold off the [Rogue]. I trusted in her abilities, so all I did was my job. [Ember Core] flared over the front of my body, taking the brunt of the black lightning as it struck at me. I focused the flame armor like a shield. It took the hit as I dashed straight up to Hukba.

She stumbled back, fear in her eyes as I grimaced. The lightning burned my skin. I powered through the attack until I reached her, and landed a kick enhanced by [Barrage of Cinders] on her stomach. I twisted around, creating a spear that flared with the Skill as Hukba raised a hand to block it.

“You shall not—”

I was faster than her. I jammed the spear straight through her chest, forcing her to stagger. She let out a groan, but I was not finished. Another fiery knee knocked her head up, and the spear shifted. It turned into a scythe— still impaled through her body— before I tore it through her side.

Hukba screamed and fell, the life leaving her body as I took a step back. A notification resounded in my head, but I did not waste any time listening to it. I was already running in Edithe’s direction.

She had a barrier of ice up, holding the [Rogue] back for brief moments. The barrier shattered and the Kobold stood over her, eyes flashing with rage.

“You heathen! Your foolishness only brings the end closer!”

Edithe lanced out a spear of ice at the [Rogue], but he clawed through it easily. He reached for Edithe, grabbing for her throat, but I knocked him aside with a strong kick. He went sailing through the dirt, stopping by a tree trunk.

I stood between the [Rogue] and Edithe, a hand held out.

“You did well, Edithe.”

She got to her feet, giving me a small smile. The Kobold man got back to his feet, growling.

“You shall die together.”

He took a deep breath, and let out a cone of flames my way. I narrowed my eyes, before releasing my own [Flaming Breath] his way. Our fires collided. Blue and red mixed together, burning the earth and the grass.

I watched as my fire slowly gave way to his, his flames stronger than mine. Maybe if I changed out of my Mortal Form... I took a step back, almost losing my balance, when I felt a hand catch me and steady me. Edithe nodded at me, holding my back.

“I can’t use most of my Skills, Salvos. But I can still use my magic.”

I was not sure what she meant, but she closed her eyes. She inhaled and let out a small sigh.

“Take it. Use what you can.”

I blinked as power suddenly surged through my body. I felt empowered. The blue flames shooting out of my mouth almost seemed to turn white. It was like I had [Passive - Refined Casting] once again.

I pressed forward as my [Flaming Breath] raged with more vigor than before. It ate away at the [Rogue]’s red flames. He drew back, seeing the wall of white come his way. He was backed up against a tree, his eyes filled with horror. Then he roared.

“Perish, you Human heathens!”

I gritted my teeth, walking forward.

“I told you—”

Another surge of energy shot through me. Edithe let go of me, collapsing to her knees. The cone of my flames grew wider. It completely engulfed his fire, then himself as I screamed.

“I am not a Human, you stupid Kobolds!”

The [Rogue] let out a cry as he was wreathed in flames. His body burned and dropped as I breathed on, until finally he stopped moving. I let out a sigh, smoke puffing out of my mouth.

“That was… awesome, Edithe! What was that?”

The red-haired woman picked herself up, offering me a soft reply.

“Combination casting. Magic from two, not just one.”

“Woah.”

I gasped, looking at her in awe. I was just about to ask her more about it, when I heard a loud grunt from behind me. I turned around, seeing Daniel crash and roll to a stop. He let out a groan.

“Urgh…”

“Aw, you lost? Come on, Daniel!”

I threw a hand up as I ran over next to him. He gave me a half-glare. But he gave up a moment after. I heard the flapping of wings. I glanced up at Zix as he hovered in the air, looking over us.

“Hrmph, it seems Hukba and Dax have failed. So have Gaxo and Vala.”

His gaze turned towards the camp behind us. I spotted the two bodies of the Level 90 Kobolds amongst the myriad of dead Humans that they brought down before they fell. Zix shook a head.

“Truly a shame. We must have underestimated the fighting power of Humans. No matter— that simply means we’ll have to come back stronger.”

“Hey!”

I raised a fist at Zix. I saw his brows raise fractionally.

“You’ve got that right! You called me weak! And I killed your companions!”

“Yes, a mistake is a mistake. Do not worry, Human. I will rectify it.”

“Wait, what do you mean—”

Zix turned in the air and flew off. I blinked, caught off guard for a moment. Then I dashed after him, creating a fire bow.

“You don’t get to run!”

I loosed Refined Blazing Bolt after him. The powerful magic flew unimpeded his way. It would not miss. I had good aim. But Zix spun around, once again overcome with that same image behind him. He swatted away the Refined Blazing Bolt like it was nothing, tearing the ground and the trees up in the process.

I halted to a stop as the attack just barely missed me, and was forced to watch as Zix got away. I sighed, turning around dejected and returning to Daniel and Edithe. I was about to reprimand the [Hero] even more for losing his battle, when I noticed him giving the red-haired woman a weird look.

The pair just stood there, almost unmoving, even as I made my approach. I opened my mouth, but Edithe spoke first.

“I leveled up, Salvos.

She slowly turned around, staring at me with round eyes.”

“I… got a Class advancement.”

A note from MelasD

Announcement:

Heya all!

Public chapters will be going on break for the next week or two due to my Finals, graduation from University, and dealing with all that brings such as moving to my own apartment. However, that does not mean there will be no Salvos chapters at all. There WILL STILL be Salvos chapters on my patreon due to the staggered uploads I had to do for patreon in the past 3 weeks.

It is the start of a new month, and it is the perfect time to become a patron. Not only that, but you guys will be able to continue reading Salvos unhindered if you become a patron now. Do consider supporting me, as I am officially going to become a full-time author now.

For the past 8 months of my life, I have been working and studying close to 100 hours a week or more (depending on the week), every week, with no breaks whatsoever. Between studying and classes and writing and editing and networking and working with companies and publishing and reading textbooks, I have been... very busy.

If it's not too much to ask, I do hope I can get to my last goal on patreon of 1,000 patrons. With the amount of effort I've put into writing; my decision to release Salvos outside of KU to allow iot to stay online, despite how it would have been many times more profitable for me; and also how I've lowered my tiers from $10 for 15 chapters ahead to $5 for 20 chapters ahead to keep it as affordable as possible for my patrons, I really hope I can hit my goal.

And if I can hit my goal, I assure you, I will be writing for the foreseeable future.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy writing. But the past 8 month have been incredibly wearisome. If I could hit 1,000 patrons, I'd be so grateful.

Become a patron and receive numerous benefits here. It is the perfect time to become a patron and there will be no break on patreon as patreon already had a break.

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You're welcome for the story and the chapter :)

125. Edithe's Enterprise

A note from MelasD

I did an oopsy a few days ago, which got me sorta, kinda in trouble. To make up, here's an extra chapter during my break. Still on break for publich chapters. Maybe another week before I'll be back. Depends on how long it'll take for patreon to catch back up. Not sure!

125. Edithe's Enterprise

[Advancement Available]

It had been a day since Edithe received that notification in her head. It did not hang over her, like an incessant sound that refused to go away. No— it simply sat there, waiting for her to address it, to be ready to make a decision.

She had put it off for a bit. While she aided the people of Ghostlight in recovering what was left of the destroyed town. There had been an important commodity grown here. The earth was perfect for the kale flowers to grow. Their petals had a strong alchemical property— one which would dispel grave diseases like plagues and other such illnesses.

There was also the proximity to the Plaguelands. One which allowed kzoth weeds to be grown and harvested without harming any of the natural fauna. After all, the Plaguelands were more barren than any wasteland in the world.

The citizens of Ghostlight had to be relocated. They were refugees, now heading to the nearby city of Huthwaite. Would they even be allowed into the city? Edithe was not entirely sure. The Vaun Qiuer Empire was not the most benevolent country. Unlike the Sunmere Republic which would have seen hundreds of people accommodated in one way or another, the Vaun Qiuer Empire might simply leave the townspeople and march to the Kobold lands for war.

“Why must we do this?”

Salvos whined in the background. Daniel sighed, and began to reprimand her, to which she complained even more.

The young man turned to Edithe for help, but the red-haired woman had none to offer him. She was mulling over the options she had been given.

Class Advancement:

Requirements for four Class advancements have been met!

[Battle Summoner]

A [Battle Summoner] is a [Summoner] who fights alongside their summons as a partner. They shall never abandon their Spirits, risking their life and are even willing to sacrifice themselves to ensure their partners’ safety in combat.

+10 [Wisdom]

+5 [Vitality]

+5 [Endurance]

+2 [Strength]

+2 [Agility]

[Fallen Summoner of the Genesis]

A [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis] is a [Summoner] who has broken their oath with the Spirit King. Now barred from summoning Spirits, a [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis] has descended into a pariah. They may never summon again. But they will do whatever it takes to gain power, even if it means working with Demons.

+10 [Endurance]

+8 [Wisdom]

+2 [Strength]

[Mystic Enhancer]

A [Mystic Enhancer] is a [Mage] whose role in the party is to act as a support. They do not confront the enemies themselves, instead fighting from the back, whittling down their enemies and boosting their allies in battle.

+12 [Endurance]

+5 [Vitality]

+3 [Wisdom]

[Risen Elemental Spellcaster]

A [Risen Elemental Spellcaster] is a newly-minted combat [Mage]. Previously of a different, less combat-oriented Class, they have decided to press on a different path than they initially chose, one that is arduous and straining, rather than starting from the beginning. This divergence may make them weaker than those around their level, but they know that this will only temper their spirit, their past abilities will only come back to aid them, making them stronger.

+20 [Wisdom]

There certainly was a plethora of options for Edithe to choose. When she realized the options she had been given, she almost felt a kind of melancholy. There was only one true [Summoner]-type Class offered to her.

When she had gotten her first advancement to a Level 40, Edithe had only been given [Summoner]-type Classes. She had specialized in summoning. All the options reflected that. But now— the options still reflected what she had done, did it not?

Even though Edithe had broken the terms of her contract, she did it only because she wanted to protect Mistshard. That was exactly what a [Battle Summoner] was. Perhaps if she could still summon, she would have chosen this advancement in a heartbeat. Alas, it was not one fit for her.

Next was a [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis]. It… was not a particularly flattering description. Edithe was certain it was meant for some kind of [Cultists]— or an individual corrupted by power. However, she could not deny how true those words applied to her.

Taking the Class would have made her useful. She would be more than just capable in battle— she would actually help Daniel and Salvos while in the Plaguelands. Right now, it was like they were babysitting her. And as much as she appreciated the thought, it was still frustrating for her to be falling so far behind.

Her focus stayed on the advancement for a moment, before she moved on. She was not going to make a decision just yet. She was tempted to. However, she had waited a day. She could wait longer.

Next came [Mystic Enhancer]. While it obviously had the same pros as being a [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis]— even more, in fact, since it allowed her to support Daniel in the high chance that Salvos got lost again— it was not one she wanted.

Being a [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis] might have kept her in a support role, but it alluded to a growth in her abilities as well. The description of a [Mystic Enhancer] did not. It would have relegated her behind the front lines permanently. She would be completely helpless if she was ever caught alone.

There was a flash. Memories. A large [Djinn] loomed over her as she stood helpless. A Platinum Rank adventurer faced her down in an empty courtyard. Edithe felt so helpless once again.

She did not like that. Not one bit.

The red-haired woman dismissed the Class, leaving her with the last option— a [Risen Elemental Spellcaster]. It seemed so… simple. It only gave her a boost to her [Wisdom]. As a [Summoner], Edithe was still a [Mage]. However, there was less emphasis on [Wisdom] as a Stat, with more placed on [Endurance]. They had to sustain Spirits. They could not do that with weak [Endurance].

The higher one’s [Endurance], the larger one’s mana pool was.

Of course, it was not a case of an equal amount of increase for every Class. Non-combat Classes would not have as much of a mana pool as a [Mage] with the same [Endurance]. In a less complicated vein, a [Warrior]’s [Endurance] would give them more stamina to exert physical activity than a [Mage]’s [Endurance] which would conversely give them a bigger mana pool.

Edithe closed her eyes. Certainly, being a [Risen Elemental Spellcaster] sounded tempting, too. However, she was averse to it because it was clear that Edithe would be moving away from what she had worked towards for her whole life.

Not completely, it seemed. There was a little mention about Edithe’s past abilities. How her old Skills could potentially help her. That piqued her interest. And that made it an even more difficult choice for Edithe.

[Fallen Summoner of the Genesis] and [Risen Elemental Spellcaster]. An [Elemental Spellcaster] was a simple, slightly rare first Class for most [Mages]. Edithe heard that it was not something you got at Level 10, but if you staved off a few more levels, you would get that offer.

She was not sure how true that was. But it did not matter.

These two Classes are almost opposite in name, yet both appeal to me. She shook her head. Edithe opened her eyes, not realizing that it was now night. Camp had been set-up, with most of the refugees from Ghostlight huddled together around a large bonfire.

She looked down at the bowl in her hands. When did I get this? When did we even…? She had just been so focused on her new Classes, she breezed through the day without even registering half of its events.

“I…”

Edithe sighed. And a head poked over her shoulder.

“Hey!”

Salvos beamed as she scooted up next to Edithe. The Demon moved in a little too close, bumping into Edithe and almost spilling the bowl of soup. Luckily, Edithe caught it just in time.

Salvos scratched the back of her head.

“Oops. Sorry!”

“It’s fine, Salvos.”

Edithe placed the bowl down on the grassy floor and faced the Demon.

“Is there something you needed, Salvos? Where’s Daniel?”

Salvos cocked her head.

“He’s off being weird, socializing and other weird stuff. And not really… actually, I was just wondering about how you’re doing?”

“How I’m... doing?”

Edithe blinked.

“Yep! You seem kind of out of it, today. You barely responded to any of my quips! And you didn’t even side with Daniel in any of the stupid arguments I had with him today!”

The red-haired woman narrowed her eyes. Stupid arguments? Quips? Is Salvos actually acting on purpose? Edithe did not comment on that. Instead, she found herself answering the question.

“I just… am considering my options. I’m not really sure which advancement to take, you know?”

“For your Classes?”

Salvos raised a brow.

“Yes, Salvos. The ones I told you about last night.”

“[Battle Summoner], [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis], [Mystic Enhancer], and [Risen Elemental Spellcaster]?”

Edithe nodded, leaning against a tree.

“I’ve already decided against [Battle Summoner] and [Mystic Enhancer]. But I’m really not sure which to pick, between [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis] and [Risen Elemental Spellcaster].”

Salvos made herself comfortable as well. Probably too comfortable. She sprawled herself on the ground and looked up at the night sky.

“Why’s it so difficult? Just pick the one that suits you more.”

“It’s a life-changing decision, Salvos. If I become a [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis], anyone with a [True Appraisal] Skill will know that I’m some kind of… Demon sympathizer?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that!”

“Not if you don’t want to get in trouble.”

Edithe knew Salvos would not understand her plight. It just was a complex situation. And whenever Salvos was in a complex situation, she would simply choose the simplest— but most problematic— option.

“And it’s not really what I want, I guess?”

Edithe admitted.

“I want to become stronger. I want to be able to… rely on myself more. I appreciate you. I appreciate Daniel. And everyone who has ever helped me. But sometimes, I’m just tired of feeling weak. If I advance to a [Risen Elemental Spellcaster], I’d be more independent. I would not just be hiding the back, supporting you, and needing to be protected. But if I’m a [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis], I’d be severely limited without you around.”

She didn't mean to offend Salvos. And clearly, Salvos took none. Edithe expected the Demon to pipe up with some kind of cheerful response. An instant reaction. But to her surprise, Salvos actually took the time to deliberate over Edithe’s issue.

The Demon tapped a finger on her chin, in thought.

“You know, Edithe, it sounds like you’ve already made your decision, haven’t you?”

Edithe glanced down at Salvos. The young, silver-haired woman was still star-gazing, but she did have a confident look on her face.

“I… have?”

“You sound like you prefer the [Risen Elemental Spellcaster] Class. Why don’t you just pick it?”

The red-haired woman shifted, slightly uncomfortable.

“Because it’s not helpful, right? From its description, it tells me that I’ll still be weak. That if I wanted to get stronger, I’d still have a long way to go. How am I supposed to help you and Daniel in the Plaguelands if I chose that as my Class?”

Salvos met Edithe’s gaze.

“But it’s your Class, isn’t it? It’s not mine or Daniel’s. This Class is for you.”

“But if I were a [Fallen Summoner of the Genesis], I’d complement you, Salvos. I can boost your Skills. Like with Mistshard. I can help you fight better. Don’t you want that, Salvos?”

The Demon thought about it, sitting up. She tilted her head towards the sky.

“That’s true… I’d like that very much. Maybe I can go straight up to that Zix’s face and defeat him in one punch!”

She thrusted a fist forward, grinning. Then she shook her head.

“But— that’s not what you want. And neither is it something you need.”

Edithe blinked. Salvos explained, gesticulating

“Even if you take this Class to help us, what happens if we’re not around? If I am not around? As much as I’d love to be with you, Daniel, and all my companions forever, I’ve come to realize that can never be a reality. One day, we’re going to separate, and you’d be stuck with a Class that… helps me? That’s not what you need, Edithe.”

“But if I took [Risen Elemental Spellcaster] as my Class, I’d still be weighing down our party. It’d be difficult— it would take a while for me to even be able to prove myself.”

Salvos shrugged.

“Everything is difficult. Everything has risks. It would take time, but I don’t mind. The question is: do you?”

Edithe opened her mouth. She found no words to say. She knew what she wanted, in her heart. Her mind pointed her to [Fallen Fallen Summoner of the Genesis]. But her heart wanted [Risen Elemental Spellcaster]. It would be tough. It would not make much of a change, at first. But…

The simplest— but most problematic— option, huh? Edithe shook her head. A small smile spread across her face. Salvos peered at her.

“Have you decided?”

Edithe nodded, determined.

“I have.”

Advancement Complete!

Class [Summoner of Guardians] -> [Risen Elemental Spellcaster]

Gained 20 Stat Points!

[Wisdom] +20

Gained 2 Skill Slots!

Gained 6 Skill Points!

General Skill [Wisdom of the Valkyrie] Obtained!

Skill [Borrow Skill] becomes [Lend Skill]!

Skill [Combo of Spirit and Summoner] becomes [Restore Skill]!

Skill [Frost Blast] becomes [Storm of Ice and Fire]!

Skill [Quick Summon] becomes [Beacon of Guardians]!

Skill [Arrow of the Flame Elemental] is now available.

Skill [Fiery Riposte] is now available.

Skill [Lightning Orb] is now available.

Skill [Shield of the Misty Lord] is now available.

Skill [Passive - Champion of Thunder] is now available.

Skill [Passive - Will of the Earth Elemental] is now available.

A note from MelasD

I'm glad I didn't kill off Edithe. She's a very fun character to write.

Once again, consider donating to my patreon. I'm aiming to hit 1,000 patrons now that I've hopefully done with University and can focus on full time writing. I'm getting close. Become a patron and receive numerous benefits such as 20 chapters ahead here.

Also, vote for Salvos! It literally takes a split second and the click of the button like this

Announcement: Salvos Vol. 1 now available as an audiobook! Also, graduating today!

A note from MelasD

Order Salvos Vol. 1 as an audiobook here https://geni.us/Salvos-1

Preview Salvos [A Monster Evolution LitRPG] by MelasD | Audiobook Preview - YouTube

Donate to my patreon here and help me get to 1,000 patrons!

Hi! I have two announcements to make today. The first is that Salvos Vol. 1: Curious Beginnings, is now available as an audiobook for your listening pleasure. If you're a fan of audiobooks, or if you just want to support me, you can get it niow here https://geni.us/Salvos-1

You can listen to a preview of it here Salvos [A Monster Evolution LitRPG] by MelasD | Audiobook Preview - YouTube

The second announcement is that I AM GRADUATING FROM UNIVERSITY TODAY. I haven't walked yet, but when this goes up, I will be very busy with a bunch of stuff, so apologies but my break will last until next monday.

As always, you can donate to my patreon to read ahead of course. I'm aiming to hit 1,000 patrons now that I'm a full-time author. I really hope to be able to hit that goal. Consider supporting me and donate to my patreon here

A note from MelasD

Order Salvos Vol. 1 as an audiobook here https://geni.us/Salvos-1

Preview Salvos [A Monster Evolution LitRPG] by MelasD | Audiobook Preview - YouTube

Donate to my patreon here and help me get to 1,000 patrons!

126. Interloot

A note from MelasD

I AM BACK! Still a bit busy apartment hunting. But I should be able to keep to my schedule.

126. Interloot

There was not much for us to do on our trip to Huthwaite. There really were not many threats to the caravan rolling down the gravelly road. Well, it was not much of a road around Ghostlight. But the further we went from the town— the closer we reached civilization— the more well-kept the roads looked.

Vegetation sprouted in a lush, vibrant green. There were flowers here. Flowers! I had seen some flowers around Ghostlight— near the Plaguelands. Maybe there had been a few petals growing between rocks in Unarith. However, these were real flowers. The kind I would see in Nixa.

I picked one off the ground, and deflated when I realized I killed it.

“Aw.”

“What did you think was going to happen, Salvos?”

Daniel gave me a blank look. I shrugged.

“I forgot, ok?!”

“What did you think was going to happen? If I chopped you from your legs, do you think you’d be fine?”

“I was curious— and they looked pretty!”

He shook his head.

“You’re wild.”

“I am not!”

Other than that brief moment of quipping, there really was nothing eventful after Edithe advanced her Class. That was exciting, at least. However, while I had thought she would glow, be overcome with something sparkly, or at least have something happen to her— she did not change.

It was not like an evolution. I noticed some minute differences. The most defining trait that was different about Edithe was not anything physical. Instead, the aura of mana she exuded seemed to increase. It was not something I could definitely measure.

But I saw the way the strands of mana in the air bent around her. Like a powerful force field that would disrupt its surroundings. It would not be something I saw from afar. But as her companion— someone who was familiar and up close with her— I noticed it.

“Do you feel anything different, Edithe?”

I asked her, and then poked a finger on her belly. She took a step back, almost as if she was offended by that action. I cocked my head.

“What?”

“Why did you have to poke me, Salvos?”

“Isn’t that what Humans do? I saw some children doing that with a woman earlier.”

“What? Wait, you mean with Ms Bella? She’s pregnant.”

I blinked. Hurriedly, I tried to bring an ear to her stomach.

“Are you pregnant, Edithe?!”

“Salvos!”

She yelled at me, giving me a glare. I laughed and backed away from her before she could swat me away. Once I calmed down a little, I gave her a serious look.

“So… anything different?”

“Yes.”

Sighing, Edithe rubbed at her shoulder.

“Quite a few things, actually.”

“What kind of things?”

“Mostly from the Passive Skills I got upon advancing my Class.”

She cast her gaze off to the side. We were walking slowly, ambling through the road with the caravan, as if we were taking a nice view of the scenery rather than rushing to get refugees to a safe city.

“[Passive - Champion of Thunder] and [Passive - Will of the Earth Elemental]?”

“That’s right. I… don’t know why I got the second Passive, but it increases my [Vitality]. My [Endurance]. Not only that, ever since I got the Skill, my sense of earth magic has been heightened. It’s an all around boon.”

“What about the other one?”

“That’s…”

Edithe trailed off.

“I am not really sure why I got it. Maybe it’s because I kept using Lightning Ball while in the Plaguelands. But… I feel like it’s Hana’s Skill.”

“Hana’s Skill? That was your previous Spirit, right? Before Mistshard.”

I raised a brow. She nodded.

“She was a [Lightning Elemental]. A quirky, electric friend. She would always buzz around with energy— almost like you, but even more stupid at times.”

“Hey!”

Scowling, I crossed my arms. Edithe laughed and placatingly raised her hand.

“That’s a joke. Both of you are about equally stupid.”

“Thank you.”

I nodded. Then I frowned.

“Wait—”

“I just think this Skill was given to me because of her. As if she’s somewhere, out there, watching over me.”

I paused, taking in the somber look on her face. She shifted gears quickly. But I adapted well enough by saying nothing. Humans were weird— they liked it when others listened to them speak.

“I got this Passive Skill, and while it has done nothing for my Stats, I can feel… something different. As if I am filled with more energy. More… power.”

She clenched a fist, speaking the words with a determined voice. I slowly met her gaze. A smile spread across my face.

“That’s good.”

I placed a hand on her shoulder.

“We’ll be able to test out how much you’ve changed when we get back to the Plaguelands.”

“Right.”

—--

“Wait— why didn’t you tell me we had all of this?”

I looked into Edithe’s Bag of Holding. It was strange. It looked almost as if everything inside of it was tiny. A shrunk version of what they were supposed to be. The red-haired woman began pulling things out, placing them before Daniel and I.

It was night now, and camp had been set up. Most of the refugees had already gone to sleep. Since we were supposed to be guarding them, we stayed up a little bit later. Not like I have to sleep.

I shook away the annoyed thought, instead focusing on what was in front of me, peering over the items that had been laid out by Edithe. There were a lot of things. It was a trove of treasure! Whatever that was.

Edithe sighed.

“You never want to deal with loot, Salvos. You always let us deal with the selling and dividing of items.”

“That’s true, but…”

I trailed off, glancing down at all the shiny, valuable objects. It was not as wide of a variety as offered by Adan. However, these were… better quality.

A lot better.

“What is this?!”

I held up a pair of gloves. I quickly identified it and exclaimed.

“Frostbitten Gauntlet? It’s a Medium Grade armor! But it also can work as a weapon by sending a chilling touch to the recipient!”

I held it up, eyes sparkling.

“Where did you get this from?!”

“That [Cultist] Kobold was well equipped in gear. A bit too much gear. To the point where she was over reliant on it.”

Edithe placed down a dagger, shaking her head.

“Why don’t we just keep all of it?”

I excitedly started picking out different items. Daniel slapped my hand, making me drop them.

“We don’t need all of it. We need to sell some of them— keep only what is necessary.”

“Aw. But why?”

“How many times must I explain this to you, Salvos? If we don’t have gold, we won’t be able to do almost anything in a city.”

“Go right ahead and keep explaining it to her.”

Edithe snorted. She pried the Frostbitten Gauntlet from the ground, grinning at us.

“I’ll get first picks.”

“No fair!”

I hurriedly sifted through the pile of items, looking for whatever piqued my interest. I grabbed the dagger and eyed it with an appraising gaze.

[Fangs of the Devouring Deep: Medium Grade Weapon - A dagger made from the tooth of a Sephim Basilisk. It inflicts additional corrosion damage.]

I scratched the back of my head.

“Huh. It looks cool, but…”

“I don’t think it’d be very effective against the undead, that’s for sure.”

Daniel rubbed at his chin as he spoke. Edithe glanced between the two of us. She yanked it from my hand.

“Well, if you’re not interested in it…”

“Hey!”

I scowled. But that was true. She did need something to protect herself with, beyond just magic. My eyes glazed over the other items before us.

There was a Lower Grade necklace with a weak Fireball spell enchanted into it. It would only work once a day, which was not very good. Plus, I could easily cast spells far more potent than it in mere moments. I shrugged and handed it to Daniel.

“Why are you giving it to me?”

“Because I thought you wanted it.”

“Absolutely not.”

He rejected my gift, instead throwing it into the pile of items we would sell. And that pile was a lot. There were a handful of weapons that did not even have a grade. Apparently, Daniel and Edithe kept them because they were valuable? Like they were made of some kind of precious materials.

A few more things caught my eyes. Only three more items were valuable. Of course, they were from the Kobolds. At least, from what I could tell by their names.

[Draconic Scalemail: Medium Grade Armor - Made from the scales of a powerful Drake Lord. It is sturdy and grants an addition 5 to [Vitality].]

[Runic Scroll of Starfall: High Grade Weapon - A one-time use scroll. Summons a shower of meteors over an area to turn it into a desolate wasteland.]

[Greaves of the Wanderer: Medium Grade Armor - Made of mithril. Does not offer any additional protection to its wielder, however it is enchanted to grant +10% in [Agility] for up to an hour once a week, unless it is refueled with by a high leveled [Enchanter].]

“I want all of that!”

I greedily gathered all three items in my arms. Daniel frowned.

“Wait, do I not get anything?”

“I gave you that Fireball Necklace!”

“I literally don’t need it, Salvos.”

“But you already got those Bracers of Enhanced Strength! Isn’t it only fair that I get the Greaves of the Wanderer?”

“It is.”

He nodded, before his eyes rested on the remaining two items.

“So, all that’s left is the scroll and the armor. Then we’ll all get two pieces of equipment each.”

“That’s—”

“It’s fair, Salvos.”

He crossed his arms. I sighed.

“Fine…”

I looked down at what was left. There was only the Draconic Scalemail and the Runic Scroll of Starfall. Everything else was being sold.

The former item was not bad. It would be a welcome addition to my [Ember Core]. I could maybe even experiment with the Skill more if I was confident my chest was protected. However—

My eyes drifted to the Runic Scroll of Starfall. It was a High Grade weapon. Even though I could only use it once, there was a certain allure to it. Maybe it was less useful in the long-run, compared to the Draconic Scalemail. In fact, it definitely would not be useful other than in that one tight situation.

But I was reckless. As much as I hated to admit it, my own sense of what was dangerous was skewed from growing up in the Netherworld. Fact of the matter was, I could have died while in the Netherworld at any point in time, and using that as the basis of what was safe and what was not— it just was not a good comparison.

I wrapped my hands around the scroll, picking it up. I spoke begrudgingly.

“You can keep the scalemail…”

“Thank you, Salvos. You’re too kind.”

He rolled his eyes, throwing it over his shoulders. I grumbled as he stalked off to put it on under his gambeson. Grumbling, I opened the scroll and looked at the runes etched on its parchment.

“You’re going to be useful when I get into that situation where I almost die but pull you out and you destroy all my enemies… Daniel included.”

“I can hear you.”

“I know!”

I yelled back his way. Edithe placed a hand on my shoulder, peering at the scroll.

“You know, you don’t have to keep it hidden away until the need for it arises, right?”

I blinked. The confusion was evident.

“Huh?”

“Look at the runes, Salvos. It’s… a bit too advanced for me to completely deconstruct. But you can sort of understand the gist of it, right? How the mana weaves itself onto the paper. How the spell should be cast.”

She traced a finger through the scroll. I stared at her.

“Nope!”

Edithe furrowed her brows. Then she gave me a small nod.

“Well, I can help teach you. You can learn to improve your magic from this. Maybe you might even learn a General Skill if you manage to understand even a little bit of how this spell works. And don’t feel bad that you don’t get it. Most Level 40s wouldn’t, either. In fact, they wouldn’t be able to use this scroll unless they studied an intermediate amount of magic theory.”

“Are you saying it’s more useless than I thought?!”

“No— the opposite. It’s not that hard, especially since I’m here. First, you’ll learn how to activate this scroll, then you can study it and extrapolate on its magic from there.”

She gave me a reassuring smile.

“It’ll refine your magic and make you a better fighter.”

“You’re starting to sound like Saffron…”

I pouted, but she just smiled

“That’s your noble friend, right? I’m flattered you think that.”

“I didn’t mean that in a good way!”

I threw my hands up in the air. Edithe laughed.

“I know.”

A note from MelasD

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127. SPEED

A note from MelasD

Anyone who gets the title reference gets a cookie.

127. SPEED

We arrived in Huthwaite soon after, bringing with us all the treasures we were prepared to sell. I was not sure why, but the refugee caravan was forced to wait outside of the city walls as a representative came out to meet with them. They were told that they could not enter the city. At least, not yet.

Since Daniel, Edithe, and I were adventurers, we did not have those constraints placed on us. We entered without a hitch, finding a place to stay within the city, before heading to the markets to sell the loot we did not need to keep. I had my brand new greaves on. I wore it with pride as we marched through the bustling city.

It was not like a full, proper city. It was still rather small— probably since it was in the border. I was not sure how that affected its size, but that was what Edithe told me. The architecture here was different from the Sunmere Republic and from Nixa. While those cities were generally large— especially Viechester— they were also well-organized. The buildings were quite uniform, and when seen from far away, they looked no different from the wrinklings of a neat, gravel path.

Meanwhile, this city was a mess. It was like the desolate landscape of the Netherworld. Not in terms of its expansive size or the emptiness of it all. It just reminded me of when I would investigate the rocks on the ground. They were haphazardly strewn about, many of them coming in different shapes and sizes, some were even impeding on each other.

The roads were uneven, the structure of the street irregular, and it was pretty much impossible for me to navigate my way around this city without getting lost.

Luckily, Daniel and Edithe stopped me from wandering around away from them. I saw something sparkly— but they yanked me back by my jacket.

“Aw…”

I pouted, but did not protest. If I ended up losing my way and was forced to use my horn, I was pretty sure everyone in the city would come after me. And it would not be for the same reason Daniel and Edithe would.

It took the better part of the afternoon for us to sell off most of our unneeded equipment. We had to find different vendors, [Traders], and [Merchants] willing to buy used adventurer goods. The local Adventurers Guild had an offer which apparently had them acting as the middleman for the Forsaken Company.

That was the last place we dropped by to relieve ourselves of the last of our useless baggage, before we found an inn for my companions to sleep in. Night came and went as it normally did. When the sun finally rose and the day returned, we packed whatever valuables we had left with us— as well as our newly acquired items— and set off back for the Plaguelands. Our escort mission was over. All that was left for us was to get back to what we were doing.

Daniel was ecstatic. Not over our return trip. His eyes were bulging out of his sockets as he stared down at a bag full of coins. It was everything we earned yesterday.

“Be careful showing that around, Daniel. What if someone sees it and tries to rob us?”

Edithe frowned at him as we paid the [Innkeeper] and started for the doorway. He snorted.

“As if anyone would try to rob Platinum Ranks like us. This is barely worth anything to those who can actually beat us in a fight.”

“Is someone trying to attack us?”

I perked up. The pair ignored me. Deflating, I trailed behind them until we reached the inn’s door. We pushed it open, letting the light of day pour in and for us to get out— only to stop as a group of armed men stood before us.

A Human woman dressed in decorated plate armor stepped forward.

“Are you the adventurers Edithe, Daniel, and Salvos?”

“Uh, what’s this about—”

“Yep! That’s us!”

I spoke over Daniel before he could give a proper response. The woman furrowed her brow, before pulling out a sheet of paper.

“Right. Well, we have a warrant for your arrest. You’ll be coming with us.”

The guards behind her drew their weapons as Daniel stepped back.

“Wait— what did we do…?”

“What did you think happened?”

Edithe sighed. My companions turned to stare at me as I cocked my head.

“What? I didn’t do anything!”

“Funny.”

The guard captain shook her head, reading off the parchment.

“According to this piece of report I have, it seems that while crossing an outpost to enter our country, you three assaulted a guard on duty before fleeing with a Cyclops who had not yet paid the border tax.”

I blinked as she finished.

“Does that sound familiar to you?”

“Oh, um… sorry?”

When you did something bad, you had to apologize, right? That was enough to resolve it, right?

—--

“Our gold…”

Daniel was depressed. He stared down at the pouch in his hand. It was not as thick as before. Not as full as before. It did not seem like it weighed even half as much as before.

“How… it’s all gone…”

I walked happily in front of him, glad that things worked out. I was afraid we would have to end up fighting the Humans there. Luckily, Humans were not wild. They could resolve things peacefully!

They brought us to a dull building before showing us a number, which made Daniel collapse to the ground and cry for a moment. But after he collected himself, we pried the coin pouch off him and paid off the fine. After that was finished, we just had to sign a few paperwork, as well as receive an official document from that lady, before we were free to go.

“There, there.”

Edithe patted Daniel on the back, speaking in a soft voice.

“We still have enough leftover for most necessities. And it’s not like we won’t earn most of it back, anyway.”

“I know… but it’s just that… I thought we’d be financially secure for at least a day...”

He sobbed. I glanced back at him, shrugging.

“But we did have that gold for a day, didn’t we? So, you were right!”

Daniel ignored me. I exchanged a glance with Edithe, and she just gave me a helpless look. There was nothing either of us could do about him. Sometimes, he was whiney. We just had to bear with it.

And we did as the sun crept across the sky, trailing towards the horizon. Because of that brief encounter, we only managed to leave Huthwaite when it was already getting late. If we continued at our pace, we would not reach the Plaguelands anytime soon.

I paused mid-step, and the upset Human man almost ran into me.

“Uh, Salvos—”

“Hey!”

I spun around, exclaiming as I pointed a finger at him. He blinked. Edithe frowned.

“What is it, Salvos?”

Grinning, I clinked the metallic greaves on my shin together.

“We just got a bunch of new items yesterday. Why don’t we test it out now?”

“There… isn’t anything here for us to test on?”

Edithe grew more uncertain as the words came out of her mouth. I waved a hand off dismissively.

“Sure, there is! Here!”

I beckoned her forward. She stepped approached me, casting her gaze around warily. Daniel was more sluggish. His speed was impeded by his dour mood. I beamed.

“You two— you’re my test dummies!”

Before they could even register my words, I picked them both up. I scooped Daniel off his legs, while grabbing Edithe and slinging her over my shoulder.

“What the fu—”

“Salvos—”

“[Self Haste]. [Flame Burst]. And…”

I focused on my legs. Magic flared up, activating the enchantments there.

“Greaves of the Wanderer!”

I took off down the road, carrying both of my companions as I sped as fast as I could. I kicked up a cloud of dust behind me as I ran— my pace even quicker than I had previously been outside of my Mortal Form. It took us almost a week to reach Huthwaite from the ruins of Ghostlight.

I was going to ensure we reached it before the day even ended. I did not have much time, with how late it was. Yet, I believed in myself. I challenged myself and pushed my limits. As I did, my companions screamed, cheering me on. They were excited, obviously. Why else would they be screaming?

“OhfuckSalvosplease—”

“StopitI’mgoingtopuke—”

Daniel was not lying. He left a trail of gross liquid behind on the road behind us, for any poor passersby to see. I eventually came to a stop as I saw the smoking town of Ghostlight in the distance, placing my companions down slowly to regain their balance.

The Human man doubled over and threw once again. I smirked, wanting to laugh at him again for experiencing what it was like for me to eat food, but Edithe fixed me with a glare.

“Do not do that again.”

I shrunk back.

“...yes.”

I quickly recovered— and so did Daniel. I skipped the rest of the way, excited that my companions and I could resume our training.

“Shouldn’t we set up camp first, and start tomorrow?”

“It’ll be really quick! And it’s not like we have any place closeby to stay. We can just take a quick look around— maybe find a good place for you two weird Humans to sleep!”

Edithe raised a brow.

“But isn’t that dangerous, Salvos? We decided the Plaguelands was not a safe place.”

“Nope! At least, it shouldn’t be anymore. Not around its edges. I’m Level 82, you’re Level 72, and Daniel is—”

I glanced over at him. He shook his head as Edithe stared at me, confused.

“He’s Level 81, of course. Yep, definitely Level 81!”

The Human man sighed in relief, however I decided to talk to him about it in private eventually. He could not just keep hiding his secret from Edithe. She deserved to know.

“The Skeletons around this area are around Level 90 to 95. Maybe high 90s at most! As long as we do not stray too far into the Plaguelands, the most dangerous thing we’ll run into are [Skeleton Warriors].”

“You say that is if they aren’t dangerous…”

“They aren’t.”

I spoke emphatically, meeting her gaze. The blight around us grew thicker as we trudged through the landscape that seemed to decay with every step we took. Daniel did not voice too many complaints; it was Edithe’s turn to be whining now!

“Look. Do you see that?”

We caught sight of a few lumbering figures. [Unarmed Skeletons]. Only about three of them. They came charging at us the moment we got too close. Edithe tensed, preparing the spells she had at the ready.

“Just support us.”

I nodded at her, turning to Daniel. The Human man drew his sword without a word. His bracers did not light up with magic— they offered him a passive boost, not anything active like my Greaves of the Wanderer.

The two of us rushed forward as Edithe stood back. She sent a spell ahead of us first, as we got closer.

“[Storm of Ice and Fire].”

A circle— about ten foot in diameter— caught the Skeletons beneath their feet. Fire burst up at them as ice hailed down from the sky. It slowed their movements. It caught them in its fury, whittling away at their defenses.

The spell dissipated, and I was the first to reach the Skeleton. I did not even transform out of my Mortal Form. I created a pair of fiery blades, assailing the first [Unarmed Skeleton] with a [Barrage of Cinders]. The combination of blows caused it to stumble back. It could not even land a single punch on me.

The second [Unarmed Skeleton] rushed after me as Daniel met with the third. I leapt back, engaging the new enemy as I shouted back.

“Edithe, now!”

“[Lightning Orb].”

A furious blast of lightning struck out. It was not a charged ball of energy like before. Now, it was a concentrated sphere of electricity, followed by a streak of lightning that spread out, almost like it was tracking its target.

The Skill landed right at the first [Unarmed Skeleton]. It blew apart its head, turning it to a pile of bones with just that. Edithe’s own eyes grew wide as she saw the power of the spell. That her new Skills were actually hurting them.

Sure, I weakened the Skeleton first. And she had used another Skill just before that. But that took far less time than it did when we first arrived. Daniel disposed of his opponent easily enough, leaving only me in battle.

I took a step back, inhaling deeply.

[Flaming Breath].

The cone of blazing, blue flames engulfed the last Skeleton, incinerating its bones until it was ashes. The gray dust was blown away by the wind as I turned back, a wide smile spread across my face as Edithe stared at me with a dumbfounded expression.

“See? Not dangerous at all! At least, not until we go further into the Plaguelands.”

And I really wanted to do just that.

A note from MelasD

Just want to give a quick shoutout to NoDragons' new fic. It's a monster MC litrpg which reverses the system apocalypse genre by showing it from the eyes of the invaders. Very unique take, and another amazing story by NoDragons. Check it out here!

Once again, consider donating to my patreon. I'm aiming to hit 1,000 patrons now that I've hopefully done with University and can focus on full time writing. I'm getting close. Become a patron and receive numerous benefits such as 20 chapters ahead here.

128. Catching Up

128. Catching Up

The Plaguelands— or at least, its peripherals— were not dangerous to us anymore. There were no [Ghouls] here. No [Wights]. No [Nightscourers].

Other than the [Nightscourers], most of these other undead were not swarm monsters. That meant that they were stronger than a Skeleton at around their level. It was not as drastic of a difference as with sapient beings like Kobolds and Humans.

For Humans, they got a second Class at Level 100 and above. For Kobolds, apparently they got their evolution. Just like how I would get a Class at that level. It seemed almost like I had more in common with Kobolds than Humans.

Not that I would tell my companions that. Daniel and Edithe were not exactly antagonistic towards me for being a Demon, however they did have a slight bias towards their own Species. However, that did not get in the way of our teamwork.

“Edithe, now!”

I sent a kick powered by [Barrage of Cinders] at the [Skeleton Warrior] it stumbled forward as I circled away from it. The charged lightning strike shot forward— the orb at its head sparkling with an intense energy.

It struck the Skeleton’s back, bursting out into a flash of bright, white light. I waited for the notification to pop up in my head. I watched, patiently, for the undead’s bones to collapse into a messy pile. However, the [Skeleton Warrior] steadied itself as a red aura was exuded off its body.

“It survived? A curse—”

Leaping back, I avoided the expulsion of energy coming from it. It did nothing to its surroundings, almost seeming to dissipate as it traveled further and further in a large sphere. What seemed like flakes of it touched me, and my Ring of Lesser Curse Protection glowed.

I felt nothing. It was too minute to harm me, probably diffusing too much of its effects away. Still, I growled and bared my teeth.

[Ember Core] blazed around me, its solid flames forming an armor of blue. I took a step forward, ready to pounce on the Skeleton. And Daniel cracked his sword on the back of its skull.

It collapsed, no longer undead and back to dead.

“Aw. That was mine!”

“No it wasn’t.”

He snorted.

“You weren’t even supposed to kill it. Edithe was.”

“Then why did you steal her kill?!”

I pointed accusingly at him. He opened his mouth, but Edithe walked over to us, waving a hand.

“It’s fine, Salvos. I still got a level from that.”

She trudged over the bones littering the floor. We had just taken out a larger group of Skeletons. Most of them were unarmed, but a few— like the one Daniel unfairly killed— wielded weapons. They were over Level 100. Barely over Level 100. But still quite high leveled.

“You did?”

I brightened. Then I paused.

“Wait, did I level from that?”

“How should we know? We don’t check your level every single time we look at you.”

Daniel retorted. I glared at him.

“Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, huh?”

“Of course I did. You literally jumped on me before the sun even rose!”

“You’re still hung up about that? Come on— I did it because you were making weird noises!”

“I was having a nightmare.”

“Then shouldn’t you be happy I saved you from it?”

He gave me a flat stare.

“I was having a nightmare because of you.”

“Aw. Wait— why though?”

“Must I remind you about how you’re the reason why we lost literally half our gold before we even got it?”

The two of us exchanged our quips as we started back to a safer, more secure area. We had ventured deeper into the Plaguelands than we did since we returned over a week ago. Even after I had proven to Edithe that we were far stronger than when we first arrived, she was apprehensive. Rightfully so. She still struggled against the [Unarmed Skeletons]. But I was certain that she could now at least beat one of them without our help.

As long as she attacked it first. From far away. And had healing potions and mana potions to aid her.

Honestly, there was not a lot she could do still. She was stronger, yes. But she definitely was not as strong as I was at her level. Even when I was in my Mortal Form— which I was not in right now.

We reached our cave not long after. It was not anywhere near as large as the cave we first found. We wanted it to be as enclosed as possible, so the likelihood of sneak attacks from undead would decrease. The pair of Humans assumed their sleeping positions after consuming their necessary intake of nutrition, and I looked over the experience and levels I had gained since beating the Kobolds in Ghostlight.

Defeated [Scourge of the Frost - Lvl. 102]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 80] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 81]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

That was from the first Kobold woman I fought in Ghostlight. The one who had been battling that Human man. What was his name again? Alan? Alan Cougher? It was pretty long, and he was dead. So, I kind of forgot.

After that, I fought a few more lower leveled Kobolds. They did not give me much experience. And I did not level again until the big battle with the other, stronger Kobolds later on.

Defeated [Cult Vanguard - Lvl. 103]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Cinder’s Fury - Lvl. 104]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 81] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 82]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

After that, I had leveled even more. From fighting in the Plaguelands, I did not gain an exorbitant amount of levels. Especially with Daniel and Edithe’s cautious warnings. And the fact that swarm monsters gave less experience.

However, it almost seemed like too little. I have gained 2 levels since we came back here. Compared to how quickly I leveled from the Kobolds, it was almost odd. A discrepancy.

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 93]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 102]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 82] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 83]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 83] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 84]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Daniel told me that it was probably because we were sharing levels and experience. Which made sense, until I realized I mostly shared experience with others when fighting the Kobolds too. It did not add up. Not unless…

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Do their evolutions increase the amount of experience they give?”

I did not think Skeletons had evolutions. Or Classes. Or anything of that sort which would be boosted upon hitting Level 100. They just… continued leveling?

I was not really sure how those wild things worked. If that was the case, then I was certain a Level 100 Human would not have too much trouble fighting through the Plaguelands. Or at least they would not struggle more than me.

I was honestly having an easy time, here in the Plaguelands. I could run away from anything stronger than me right now. And I could spot an area with concentrated blight from far away with magic. And looking at my Stats and Skills, I was even more emboldened.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 84

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 5

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 4

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 85 (+5)

[Strength]: 66 (+5)

[Endurance]: 85 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 130 (+5) (+5)

[Agility]: 175 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 12

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 7

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 10

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 5

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 5

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 10

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

I had distributed all my Skills and Stat Points pretty evenly. I saw no need to focus on anything in specific right now. All I had to do was level more, and I’d be solid.

Relaxing against the rock wall, I pulled out my Runic Scroll of Starfall. Edithe had been teaching me how to read its runes. The symbols did not have any meaning. What they spoke in was magic.

They were etched into the paper as much as they were woven into the world of mana. Its strands bent as it passed over the scroll, like some great force was distorting the energy there. I ran a hand through one of the strings of mana. My eyes closed as I tried to read it with my fingers.

There was power here. But not just here, it was around it as well. The magic reached out to the world. It was calling for something. Fire. Death. Destruction.

It was a call. It was not answered just yet. And I knew it could be answered. All I had to do was tap its center, and connect myself to it, then I could vocalize its call. And the response would be a spell more powerful than anything I had seen before.

“...I wonder why that Kobold woman didn’t use this scroll?”

Perhaps she was concerned that it would kill her companions. Or maybe it was just that expensive. Kobolds did not care about gold like Humans did, but they still saw value in objects like this. That was why Adan could trade in Unarith.

“Edithe said I could somehow learn things from this spell… what exactly am I learning?”

It was not clear right now. Sure, she told me that. I knew that whatever I could gleam from this would only be helpful in the future. It was the same thing Saffron said.

“But I want to get stronger now too…”

I grumbled, putting the scroll down. An idea popped up in my head. Something that we could possibly do, to level faster. A smile spread across my face as I decided.

Daniel woke up not with a terrifying Demon with four arms jumping on him, but from the sounds of excited— but still terrifying— giggling coming from the side. He groggily sat up, rubbing at his eyes, as Edithe got to her feet too.

“Is something wrong, Salvos?”

The red-haired woman was the first to ask the question. Daniel was too busy trying to see where the sun was through the cave entrance. It was not up just yet, but he thought it would be soon.

“Nothing…”

Salvos trailed off excitedly. Daniel raised a brow, knowing nothing good was going to come from what she had to say. Edithe seemed to realize that too, so she took a deep breath, steeling herself, before asking the follow up question as Daniel readied himself too.

“Why are you giggling so loudly for?”

“Because—”

The Demon beamed and spread all four of her arms out.

“I think we should find the Lich!”

“Absolutely not!”

Daniel snapped, before he even heard what she said.

A note from MelasD

The next few chapters may, unfortunately, be erratic. My mum was admitted to the ER and found to be positive for COVID on Tuesday morning. Sorry.

I know people dislike too much shilling, but I would greatly appreciate it if you guys could vote for Salvos on RoyalRoad. It literally takes a second, and it's kind of depressing that I couldn't even get 1/9 of you guys to vote the last time around.

129. Reckless

129. Reckless

I did not get why Daniel was so upset even before he heard what I had to say. I crossed my arms, giving him an annoyed look as he went on.”

“—we don’t even know what level this Lich is, let alone where he is! We’re wholly unprepared for this excursion, Salvos. What made you think this was a good idea?”

Edithe yawned next to him; she had nothing to say, so she was just getting ready for the day. I rolled my eyes.

“I did think this through, Daniel the Grouch! That’s right! That’s your Title now.”

I shook a fist angrily at him.

“And when I said we should find the Lich, I did not mean we should do it immediately. I’m saying we should prepare for it. Level up more. Get proper equipment! Then we can find him, determine if he’s wild, and fight him if he is!”

Daniel went cross-eyed. Almost as if he was so surprised that I was actually capable of planning things. He took a moment to recover, before shaking his head.

“We don’t even know what level this Lich is, Salvos.”

“We can find out.”

I shrugged. He opened his mouth, but Edithe stalked past us.

“The sun’s rising. Let’s not waste any more time. We can talk and walk.”

I agreed with that. I followed after the red-haired woman as Daniel glowered. I crossed two of my arms across my chest as my third tapped my chin.

“Why are you so against this idea, Daniel? It’s not like we will be at this level forever— we’ll keep leveling and getting stronger!”

“First of all, do you even know where this Lich is?”

Tilting my head up, I saw the cloudy, blight-covered sky. I remembered a vague shape. One that was poking through the haze of miasma. I made a sound, snapping my fingers.

“I saw its castle! When I was searching for you two!”

He gave me a flat stare.

“Do you remember where it was?”

“Um…”

I trailed off, scratching my cheeks. I glanced down, and out of the corner of my eye, spotted a flash of white in the distance. I pointed at the group of Skeletons.

“Look! [Unarmed Skeletons]! Get ready!”

We worked as we usually did. Edithe flung spells at them from afar as I loosed the occasional Refined Blazing Bolts their way. When they got too close, I created a Sickle Grenade, tossing it and blasting the forefront of the group.

It was only then did Daniel engage them. I scurried around their sides and flanked the undead. The two of us would deal with as many Skeletons as we could, leaving a handful weakened ones for Edithe. This was clinical at this point.

We had been in the Plaguelands for a while. Of course we could deal with these lower leveled threats without a hitch.

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 96]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 95]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

“I’m just being cautious, Salvos. You get pretty reckless at times.”

“I know that! I’m working on it, ok?”

He narrowed his eyes. He was dubious. Just like he always was.

“I don’t exactly remember where its castle was, but I know some people who do.”

“Who?”

“Xidra.”

I replied simply. He raised a brow, and even Edithe glanced over at me disbelieving. The Human man spoke questioningly.

“You expect Kobolds to help us? We’re Humans, Salvos.”

“She’s my friend! And she doesn’t mind Humans— not like a few others, sure.”

“You barely even know her.”

I scowled.

“I saved her life.”

Daniel sighed, rubbing at his temples.

“You don’t just earn someone’s trust because you saved their life. There is no reason for you to believe anything she says.”

I glared at him.

“She helped me find the both of you, so I trust her word because she hasn’t lied to me or anyone I know yet. Unlike someone.”

He glowered, but said nothing else. Edithe blinked, glancing between us.

“Relax, guys. Come on— we shouldn’t be fighting each other. There are plenty of other things to fight here.”

I nodded at her, smiling.

“At least I have Edithe on my side here.”

She hesitated.

“...I’m undecided right now. Let’s focus on what we can first, alright?”

We continued through the Plaguelands, fighting as we always did against mostly [Unarmed Skeletons], a few [Skeleton Warriors], and even [Skeleton Archers]. I focused mostly on using my magic in this fight. I tried to avoid using any Skills, only utilizing them when necessary.

Perhaps I would even level my General Skills this way.

“I leveled again.”

Edithe blinked as we finished off a group of undead. I turned to her, excited.

“You did! Aw, but I didn’t. Although I feel like I’m getting close.”

It was an odd feeling. I did not know if it was just my mind playing tricks on me— perhaps over excitement? I certainly was eager. I acknowledged that.

“Should we go back?”

Daniel asked from the side, not really meeting my gaze. Edithe shrugged.

“If you think you’re going to level soon, Salvos, do you want to stay for a little longer?”

I narrowed my eyes, glancing between my companions. It was not late— not just yet. The sun was not edging towards the horizon. Although it would soon.

“It’s fine. We’ll go back. We’re quite deep into the Plaguelands, anyway.”

We were more daring than usual today. Probably because we did not exactly run into too many Skeletons at once. The groups they were in numbered no more than half a dozen. Whereas in other days, we could fight over a dozen Skeletons— both [Unarmed Skeletons] and [Armed Skeletons— multiple times in a row.

I started in one direction, then paused.

“Too much blight there.”

I could not see the miasma, but I could tell by the concentration of mana in the distance. There was probably a blight flower field that way. Edithe nodded.

“We’ll have to go around. I’m already exhausted as is— the blight would cause me to collapse.”

The only other way was to traverse through a dead forest. It was not that much of a danger to us, since we would be able to spot any [Wights] standing out in the middle of the night.

All we had to do was avoid the occasional traps of Skeletons hiding in the dirt. And with all the dead branches littering the ground, it was not super easy to spot. However, I was here, and I had rather good eyesight.

“There’s a pile of corpses up ahead.”

I frowned.

“I’m… not sure if they’re Skeletons or real corpses. They look real to me.”

We still went around it, not wanting to take a risk. And yet, I held up a hand no more than five minutes later.

“Another pit. I’m pretty sure this is a Skeleton trap though.”

“Do we go around again?”

Edithe asked with a raised brow.

“Yep.”

I spun back, only to see my companions paused, staring at a figure behind us. It was not a Skeleton. Neither was it a [Wight]. It was burly, with dark skin and glowing eyes. I recognized it immediately.

“A [Ghoul].”

I bared my teeth as my companions drew their weapons. But before I could activate any of my Skills, I heard the sound of bones rattling. It was only then I realized what was going on.

“We’re surrounded.”

I glanced back, seeing the Skeletons crawl out of their hole. The [Ghoul] was commanding them. It had lain this trap for us. Or at least, for someone to eventually run into it. They were smart— even if they were wild.

“Salvos.”

Edithe spoke through gritted teeth.

“It’s Level 108. The Skeletons are mostly armed. We have to run.”

I shook my head, stepping forward.

“If we run, we’ll be chased down until we lose sight of them completely. And I’m tired. Trust me. Even if I pick the both of you up and make a break for it, they’ll catch us eventually.”

Daniel gave me a doubtful look.

“What do you suggest we do, then?”

“We fight.”

I felt magic gathering around my legs. But it was not a spell. It was an enchantment.

“We’ll have to deal with the [Ghoul]— it’s controlling the Skeletons. You two hold them off. I’ll take care of it quickly and easily.”

“Wait, Salvos—”

I did not listen to the Human man’s protest. My Greaves of the Wanderer activated in conjunction with [Self Haste] and [Flame Burst]. The combination of my Skills and equipment propelled me forward.

I crossed the distance between myself and the [Ghoul] in an instant. Flames shot out behind me. A cone of smoke trailed at my back. Dead branches and leaves shot up into the air as my claws were engulfed in blue flames.

I slammed the first claw to its chest. It tried to react— it was not slow. Not at all. But I was just too fast. It could not block the attack.

The [Ghoul] stumbled back, making an odd groaning nose. Then I watched as its arm blurred. [Ember Core] flared up, covering my body with a flaming blue armor.

It took the brunt of the [Ghoul]’s strike. If I still had an aura of protection from my Ring of Lesser Protection— but no, it was used up from a previous battle. I stumbled back from the undead as it readied a follow up attack.

I grinned as I watched it leap at me. Then I activated [Flame Burst] again, intercepting it mid air. A voice cried out at me as I met the [Ghoul].

“What are you doing—”

My claws were overcome with black flame. [Radiant Slash] glowed its eerie light as I dug into the [Ghoul]’s body. Its attack was met by mine. But it was not matched.

I sheared through the right side of the undead’s body. It let out a guttural scream. It still sounded like a weak groan, but this time its pain was evident. I landed on the ground, frowning as the [Ghoul] collapsed with a thud.

I looked back at Daniel, seeing him give me a worried look as he held off the Skeletons. I stood tall.

“Daniel.”

My voice called out came out raspy as smoke wisped from my mouth. The [Ghoul] slowly climbed back to its feet, a red glow covering its body. A curse. One that drained me of my health.

I breathed out a brilliant blue fire. The [Ghoul] stumbled back.

“I know that I am reckless. I know that, sometimes, I make stupid decisions. But that doesn’t mean I am incapable. That doesn’t mean I don’t know what I am doing.”

I brought a hand up, creating a bow out of thin air. Another hand began to conjure chains. My remaining two hands began to circle each other, like I was weaving something. And I was. With the strands of mana, I focused on refining a fiery arrow.

“Yes, I am reckless. No— I am not ignorant of that. I am trying to put you and Edithe in less dangerous situations, Daniel. But you can’t expect me to learn overnight. Nor can you always treat me that way.”

I loosed it, and it shot forth. It pierced the left chest of the [Ghoul] as it bumbled forward. It fell to its hands, but it continued, now bounding my way.

“I know how to fight. I know when a fight is too much for me. I know when I am outmatched.”

For a moment, I thought I saw Lucerna charging at me with his enraged, single eye. But no— it was a [Ghoul]. And even if he was here, I could defeat him with ease now. I flipped over the undead, landing on its back as I struck it with a [Barrage of Cinders] from each hand.

“If not…”

The [Ghoul] threw me off, and I crashed onto a tree. I got back up, eyeing the [Ghoul] as I felt the pressure on my body waver. The aura around it flickered. Its body was a mess, barely being held together, failing to stitch itself back into shape.

I yanked on the flaming chains in my hand. The Sickle Grenade came flying at the [Ghoul] in an arc from its back. It tried to dodge, but I bellowed.

“Kneel.”

The [Ghoul] stumbled. It halted for a moment, affected by [Intimidation]. Of course it would feel its effects. Even if minute, it would still slow enough for the attack to hit.

“If not, then how could I have survived all this time?”

And why would it not be affected? It was a [Ghoul]. Not a Skeleton. It was intelligent. So, it stumbled, and the attack crashed into it. The blast engulfed it entirely. The flames shot up above even the treetops. The explosion resounded along with the notification in my head.

General Skill [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] Level Up!

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 1] -> [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Advanced Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 5] -> [Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 6]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Defeated [Ghoul of Despair - Lvl. 108]

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 84] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 85]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 85] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 86]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I ran straight back to my companions. I was still moving at an incredibly fast speed. With [Self Haste] and my Greaves of the Wanderer, they barely even had time to react before I picked them up and darted away from the Skeletons.

The Skeletons did not give chase. Most of them didn’t, anyway. We avoided a few [Wights] before we finally arrived back at our small cave. It was almost like an alcove, really. But we returned, and I settled my companions down to the ground.

I collapsed with a sigh, completely exhausted. I lay there for a bit, until I saw a potion being held up over me. Daniel stood there, looking slightly reticent.

“Thank you.”

I accepted the stamina potion, downing it gratefully, before moving onto the healing and mana potions. He scratched the back of his head, glancing over at Edithe. She crossed her arms. He sighed.

“No problem— and uh, sorry.”

I shook my head, getting to my feet.

“I’m not asking for an apology, Daniel. I’m just telling you…”

I took a deep breath, explaining.

“I don’t know my way around because I’m unfamiliar with this place. I never had a reason to know in the Netherworld. But after I got lost, separated from you two, I tried to learn. I took measures and bought this horn.”

I tapped the item on my chest.

“I can adapt. I know you think of me as like… a Human child. But I’m not. I can differentiate between what is a game— what is just fun— and what is seriously deadly. That’s all I’m telling you.”

“Right…”

He trailed off, not really meeting my gaze. He steeled himself, meeting my eyes.

“I still think fighting the Lich is a bad idea.”

“You think everything is a bad idea.”

I snorted. Then I smiled.

“But we’ll learn more about it first. And we’ll get stronger. Then we’ll decide what to do from there. It was a suggestion— an idea. Not a final decision.”

A note from MelasD

As always, you can donate to my patreon here to read up to 20 chapters ahead.

130. Blanket

130. Blanket

Daniel did not fully agree with my plan to find the Lich and fight or befriend it. I could see where he was coming from, and while I was insistent, it did not actually change our current plans and routine.

That was: get up in the morning, fight Skeletons in the Plaguelands, and return for my companions’ rest at night.

Only when we were confident enough in our levels would we even inquire on the Lich’s whereabouts and his approximate level. I was slightly worried that he might have been so far beyond us that he could kill us with a glance of his eyes, but apparently that was not possible.

Or at least, not possible for him.

“The Lich is said to be the remnants of Zacharius the Quisling, created from the [Necromancer] Lilian. Considering that you can’t store all of your power within a phylactery, he could not be as high leveled as he was in life. Nor can they even level as a Lich.”

“And how high leveled was he?’

I raised a curious brow. Edithe shrugged.

“Not as high leveled as Alexander, that’s for sure. And Alexander was at the peak of Humanity. He is believed to have been Level 206 in at least one of his Classes when he was slain by Regnorex.”

“Woah.”

Even if the Lich was at only Level 100, he was still a danger to be taken seriously. He kept his Class from his life. Meaning, he would still be a [Hero] and have access to his [Hero] Skills. That meant the Lich would be stronger than even Zix who was almost 10 levels above him— by a wide margin!

And 10 levels meant a lot. If a Level 30 Human had a special Class and even a Title, it was possible they would be able to take on dozens others at Level 20 at once. Perhaps even a hundred. Nothing was certain, of course. It depended a lot on the Class itself. The quality of their initial advancement, as well as the Title itself. Equipment too. However, it was still something that could happen.

“Maybe if they were a [Hero].”

Edithe snorted. I glanced over at Daniel and a thought crossed my mind. He glared at me before I could make a comment, so I just grinned instead.

Days passed. We battled more Skeletons as I focused on practicing my magic. I would stay up all night, looking at the Runic Scroll of Starfall, trying to improve my magic.

I had leveled up in a General Skill— both [Advanced Mana Manipulation] and [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom]. I was certain that the former came from all this studying. Especially with Edithe teaching me how regular, basic spells were formed without a Skill.

The latter came as a surprise. I had no idea if it came from me practicing my magic, or from something else. Just based on the Skill name alone, I assumed it would have been a result of using my [Wisdom] Stat— even if it was done with [Barrage of Cinders]. Yet, I never received the Skill until now.

There was something else to it. It certainly was a rare General Skill, according to Edithe.

“I have heard of individuals gaining such a Skill, but usually it would only be later on in their life. I don’t think the Valiant Dreamers Company had much of a record on it either.”

I perked up.

“Could it be because I’m becoming more wise?”

She exchanged a glance with Daniel. He shrugged. They spoke at the same time.

“Maybe?”

“Perhaps…”

I blinked.

“Huh.”

I did not expect them to give a serious answer. However, if I really was becoming more wise— at least, in the way of how Mortals acted— that was a good thing. Maybe I would be able to blend in better. I could impress Xidra the next time around I visited Unarith!

When I first got the General Skill, I received an addition +5 to my [Wisdom] from it. Now, it was a +6. If I got it up to Level 10, would it get to +15?

That was a major boon, if it was how it worked. But considering that General Skills leveled slower— and had a lower level cap— I was not sure how long it would take me to even get that far.

The single Skill Point did not make a massive difference, but I could tell I was stronger from it. Especially since I was leveling faster now. I could even kill a small group of [Unarmed Skeletons] with a single [Flaming Breath] now.

It would incinerate them. Turn them to nothing but ashes. It was not as devastating as Gexli’s flaming breath. In fact, he had two of them. And both were terrifyingly dangerous. One of them worked just like mine, but the other shot out like an arrow, destroying everything in its path.

I tried to remember how the strands of mana coalesced into that ball of great fire. How it was propelled by some powerful force. If I could do something like that with my Blazing Bolt— or Refined Blazing Bolt… it was something to consider. If I weaved the magic into itself again and again, concentrating it into a denser bolt, I could potentially make it stronger, even if more unstable.

It was something I tried whenever we were not busy fighting the undead. I would create a Blazing Bolt, refine it into a Refined Blazing Bolt, then continue layering the magic on top of itself. Usually, it would burst out into sparks, failing to become anything I hoped it would be.

“Aw.”

“Salvos, focus— Skeletons incoming.”

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 99]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Ghoul of Dread - Lvl. 106]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 86] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 87]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

We fought some Ghouls too. There were different kinds of Ghouls. It was mostly their curses which had different effects. A [Ghoul of Dread] seemed to drain me of my mana instead. Which was problematic since that was my main source of attack power.

I would have to attack them aggressively. I bounded on all six of my limbs onto them, unleashing a flurry of strikes that would break their curse. It was more effective the more idle they were being, so such tactics worked even if they were dangerous.

So far, Ghouls were the most dangerous thing we had to deal with. However, it seemed we were starting to tread into more risky territory the further into the Plaguelands we went. We had just finished defeating a group of [Skeleton Warriors] and [Skeleton Archers] when we decided it was time to return.

“Blight flower fields to the left. Blight flower fields to the right. Blight flower fields everywhere.”

I shook my head, turning back to Daniel and Edithe. The latter seemed slightly weary— she had been pushing herself harder and harder with each passing day. She was Level 78 now. Thanks to her persistence, she managed to close the gap between our levels by a significant amount.

I was still almost 10 levels higher than her.

“We’ve made good progress in two weeks, Salvos. But I think it’s time we should think about heading back to Huthwaite. Just for respite.”

Daniel spoke as he wiped the grime and sweat off his face. Smearing a bit of smudge across his cheeks, he grimaced. I tilted my head up to the sky in thought.

“I don’t know… maybe we should—”

“Salvos.”

He sighed, rubbing at his temples. I grinned.

“I’m kidding. Yep. I was just thinking that myself.”

Blinking, he gave me a dubious look. I shrugged and pointed to Edithe.

“She’s looking kinda tired. So, I agree.”

It took a moment for the red-haired woman to be taken aback.

“I… I am?”

She placed a hand on her chest, surprised. I exchanged a glance with Daniel, and he nodded.

“Yeah… you’re exhausted, Edithe. Even Salvos can tell.”

“I’m just a little bit tired. Look, I don’t want to be a burden—”

“Except you’re not.”

I emphatically rejected that statement. Her face scrunched up. Her confusion was evident. But I was defiant.

“You’re not a burden, Edithe. You don’t have to push yourself too hard. We’re doing this for you, not the other way around.”

“I…”

She trailed off. Taking a deep breath, she sagged her shoulders.

“You’re right. I know I’m being too hard on myself lately. We’ll take a break. Hang around Huthwaite— take a look around.”

A small smile spread across her face.

“And since we’re all about that whole changing-growing thing lately, maybe we can even find a food you like, Salvos.”

“Good luck, because I don’t think that’ll ever happen.”

Daniel scoffed. I crossed my arms, agreeing with him.

“Nope! Never gonna happen.”

They laughed, and I giggled too. We needed to relax— it was necessary for the Humans. Not really for me. I grew up in a place exactly like the Plaguelands, but they did not. I had to accommodate them more than I did before.

It was a weird quirk! However, I was probably weird to them. So, it evened out.

Unfortunately, it seemed we let our guard down at a bad time. The thing about the Plaguelands— and about the Netherworld— was that anything could happen at any time. Be it a procession of sapient Demons herding Infant Demons with them, or a sudden attack by a group of [Hellhounds], [Hellbeasts], and [Gadarenes].

Here, in the Plaguelands, there were none of those. But there were still a myriad of dangers lurking about. We were just passing through an abandoned, destroyed town with its mossy cobble foundations left where the buildings once were. The wood had been rotted away, leaving only the framework of what were once houses. Some of them were in better condition than others. Which only obscured the [Wights] even more.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted one of those ethereal creatures poke its disfigured head from behind a wall. I snapped in its direction, conjuring a kusarigama at the ready.

“Guys—”

My warning was interrupted as a second [Wight] popped out of a fallen structure. It pointed a single crooked finger at us— and the ground glowed. It shone as a circle girdled us within its perimeter. I leapt back as Daniel and Edithe followed after me, shouting.

“[Wights]!”

“Be careful of their magic!”

The red-haired woman pulled away just in time for a frozen ball to crystalize where we had been standing. My eyes grew wide as I saw even more [Wights] lumber forth from where they had been hiding. That spell was powerful.

[Wight - Lvl 109]

[Wight - Lvl. 112]

[Wight - Lvl. 108]

I did not even consider fighting them. I shouted.

“Run!”

A [Flaming Breath] spewed out at the oncoming [Wights]. The blue flames burned at their blue bodies. It was hot— it blazed more brilliantly than it ever had. I was certain it was at least hurting the undead a little bit. But they did not slow.

They continued forward unimpeded. They were not fast, but their movements were so smooth it was like they were hovering instead of walking. An encroaching chill overcame me as I felt my mana drain from their curses.

I tapped my greaves together, activating its effects and following after my companions who were already fleeing from the scene. I focused my magic on the sickle edge of my kusarigama, altering the threads of mana within it, before tossing it as a Sickle Grenade at the [Wights].

“Kneel!”

I roared. The blast was powerful. It would have sent a Ghoul flying back. And yet, the [Wights] still came. They were not slowed by its attack. I growled as [Self Haste] took over.

“Stupid things! Can’t they feel anything?!”

It seemed that only the Ghouls were even slightly intelligent here in the Plaguelands, even if they were still wild. I swooped my companions up into my arms as I sped past them. I saw a thicket of dead trees up ahead, ready to escape into the shadows from our pursuers. But glowing eyes stopped me in my tracks.

A Ghoul— no, three Ghouls stepped out from behind the spindly, black trunks. They had [Skeleton Archers] by their side, bows aimed at the ready. The volley of bolts filled the air. I watched their shadows come our way as I spun around.

A group of [Wights] at our rear, coming from the broken town. Ghouls and Skeletons were waiting for us at the dead forest up ahead. To our right and left— fields of blight flowers. I took a deep breath.

“Ready your potions.”

I gave my companions a look. They exchanged a knowing glance, steeling themselves for what was to come.

“Right.”

Daniel pried himself off my arms, giving me a reassuring look as he held onto my hand with one arm, and his sword in the other. Edithe stayed on my shoulders, her staff aimed at the ready.

“Let’s go.”

We broke off to the side, heading for neither the Ghouls nor the [Wights]. Instead, we charged straight for the veil of brown miasma billowing up into the air. It formed a wall. One that had been impenetrable before. Vile magic was being spewed out from these corrupted flowers. It would afflict us like a curse.

And yet, we had no other choice. This was the only way we could run. I saw no figures inside of blight. Perhaps it was because it was so dense here. Too thick for me to see through. Because I knew they were there. They were the less dangerous foe, but they were present. And they were numerous.

They were here, even if I had not seen them yet. The horde of undead. The ones that hid under this blanket, waiting mindlessly, hiding from sight. But ready to swarm anyone who entered at any moment.

Zombies.

A note from MelasD

As always, you can donate to my patreon here to read up to 20 chapters ahead.

131. Zombie Horde

131. Zombie Horde

I ran through the brown smog. The blight billowed up from the field of flowers, creating an unending curtain— a vast nebula that spread out in every direction I could see. I tried to send small bursts of flames out, just to help clear the way for my vision. But the blight snuffed out my fire.

It did more than just blot out my sight. It drained at my mana. My health. My stamina. It was like a curse, if a curse slowly ebbed at your very soul. I was certain the reason why my fire was so ineffective was because the blight unraveled the strands of mana keeping the magic together.

“Do you see them behind us?”

I asked Edithe, who was still held over my shoulder. She coughed once before replying.

“No— I don’t know if they’re giving chase to us, Salvos.”

Daniel could not run as fast as me. He followed us, trailing slightly behind. But he did not seem to be in a panic— or at least, I did not hear him shouting and screaming for us to come back to help him.

I was just about to sight in relief, glad that the immediate danger of the [Wights] and the Ghouls were gone, when a figure appeared before me. I came to a stop, narrowing my eyes and identifying it.

[Zombie - Lvl. 81]

“Yep. Not sure why I expected anything else.”

The lumbering undead snapped its head in our direction. It revealed a green face, with parts of its cheeks eaten away. One of its eyes was missing, and it had no hair. The [Zombie] let out a screech—

And I tore right through it. My claws were engulfed with [Barrage of Cinders] just briefly. I felt my mana drain in an instant. The strain of both the blight and my already low supply of mana was too much. Edithe must have noticed something because she handed me a mana potion.

“Take it!”

I quickly uncorked the vial and downed it in a single gulp. My body felt like it was full for just a moment. Then the drain of the blight returned. I grimaced, wiping at my mouth and tossing the vial ahead of me.

I heard the glass crack, and saw a shadow fall just ahead of me. Apparently I must have struck a [Zombie] by accident. However, the figure picked itself up immediately. Or wait…

I narrowed my eyes. The [Zombie] had not picked itself up just yet. It was slowly getting to its feet, but struggling with that simple task. It was another one of its kind that took its spot. And there were more. They filled the gaps ahead. They popped up, like a wall being sprouted from thin air.

“Daniel! A little help?”

But no. The Human man was too far behind me. His fighting-style relied on closing in on the enemy anyway. Only Edithe could be of help against this oncoming horde.

“Edithe, get ready.”

A ball of charged lightning struck out in a flash. Edithe spoke through gritted teeth.

“Just go!”

I burrowed through the wall of [Zombies]. Green flesh and ichor burst out around me as I once again let [Barrage of Cinders] activate. With a single [Flame Burst] I propelled myself through the ranks of [Zombies].

Defeated [Horde Zombie - Lvl. 79]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Horde Zombie - Lvl. 84]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Defeated [Horde Zombie - Lvl. 74]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

Their gore splattered everywhere. I bounded through them as Edithe flung spells around us, keeping the undead at bay. There had to be dozens of them. All gathered around here. They were closing in on us, and I scowled.

“There’s too many of them! And I don’t have any of my good Skills except for [Radiant Slash]!!”

I felt at my blue jacket. There was something here I could use. But should I really use it now? Edithe grabbed my hand.

“Not yet.”

She spoke simply. She cast her gaze behind us. Daniel was still trying to catch up to me; he was only now just crashing into the first rank of [Zombies]. The red-haired woman raised her staff and pointed at him.

“[Beacon of Guardians].”

A warm glow overcame him. A ribbon of light wrapped around him, shielding him with a yellow aura. Suddenly, Daniel’s speed doubled. Almost tripled. His weapon swings were not faster. His strikes— the arcing slashes— that ripped apart the [Zombies] were no different.

However, when he ran at us, he moved fast. Like he was gliding through the air. A pillar of light streaked through the air above Edithe, and Daniel followed.

“Just keep going, Salvos.”

I blinked, caught off-guard by the Skill.

“Woah.”

I breathed, and a [Zombie] threw itself at me. I growled, flinging it aside and stomping on its head a few times.

Defeated [Horde Zombie - Lvl. 87]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

“Keep them off me, Edithe. I’ll focus on running.”

“Got it!”

[Ember Core] formed an armor on my body. I tried to make it more jagged, with sharp edges that would cut at any undead that tried to touch me. The horde came as we spearheaded through them. At one point, Daniel actually caught up to us thanks to Edithe’s Skill.

He had his [Aura of the Sentinel] active, fending off the [Zombies] at the side. I glanced back at him, speaking through gritted teeth.

“You know, a really powerful Skill would be helpful right now.”

The Human man looked over at me, the hesitation evident on his face. I shook my head, and Edithe pointed.

“Watch out!”

Half a dozen [Zombies] tried to bar my path. My claws were overcome with a brilliant glow, as I lashed out with a dark light.

“[Radiant Slash]!”

All of them fell in an instant. The ones close to them recoiled from the impact. I eyed Daniel, getting annoyed.

“Something like that?”

He did not respond to my prodding. Now was not the time for that, but—

“[Lend Skill: Restore Skill].”

I felt my body tense up; something inside of me became more. It was temporary. I knew it would not remain forever. But my Status was different now.

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 15

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 10

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 12

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 5

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 5

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 12

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Borrowed - Restore Skill] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

A new option made itself available to me. A Skill I did not previously have. I looked back at Edithe, hanging on my shoulders with a weary face. She downed a mana potion and a stamina potion at the same time, giving me a nod.

“Use it.”

I was not sure how long I would have this Skill available to use. But there was no point in waiting. I clenched my teeth, mentally activating its effects, focusing on the Skill I needed.

[Restore Skill: Radiant—

I paused as another Skill’s cooldown ended. More undead popped up from the side. They filled my peripheral vision. [Zombies]. A horde of them were chasing after us now. I knew we could never take them all at once. Especially not when caught in the blight.

The brown cloud we were caught in seemed unending. I grabbed a charging [Zombie] and crushed its head, before sweeping my gaze around me. The [Wights] and Ghouls were truly nowhere to be seen. We had to have lost them in this thick haze.

While they were undead, probably unaffected by the blight’s effects, they still relied on their vision to see. I think. Shaking away those inane thoughts, I focused not on what I could see with my regular eyes, but with magic.

“Cover me for a moment, Daniel, Edithe.”

I stood still as my companions obliged. The red-haired woman unleashed her [Storm of Ice and Fire] at our surroundings, stalling the [Zombie] horde for Daniel to slice apart. His [Aura of the Sentinel] was running out— I could see the wavering of the glow around him. Wisps of it came off him, vanishing as his Skill depleted.

But I had to concentrate. I had to pick out the strands of mana that was not warped by the blight. The blight flower’s magic was not typical spellwork. Unlike regular spells which were woven intricately with a large amount of mana, the blight simply muddled everything. It was as if a ball of yarn— or dozens of balls of yarn— had been tangled up and tossed to fill a room.

Now all I had to do was find the exit. I came to a stop as my eyes picked out a single thread. One that was uncorrupted by the blight. I followed this string of mana— climbing it like a rope— until I saw the wall of pure, untouched mana.

“There!”

I raised a hand, pointing. Edithe and Daniel stared past my clawed hand, both exhausted. I kicked a [Zombie] back and spoke to the red-haired woman.

“Can you cast [Beacon of the Guardians] again?”

She hesitated, chewing her lower lip. She muttered softly to herself.

“I can now.”

“Huh. That’s a really useful combination of Skills, isn’t it?”

“It is. Now what?”

I turned back to Daniel as more shrieks cut through the veil, reaching for us.

“Just keep up with us. We’ll have to make a break for it.”

He nodded, pulling back from a decapitated [Zombie]. I got down on all of my limbs. Taking a deep breath, my companions and I readied ourselves. Edithe drank another mana potion and activated [Beacon of the Sentinel], while Daniel returned to my side.

“[Self Haste]! [Flame Burst]!”

I was catapulted forward, straight into a bumbling group of [Zombies]. I was about to dig my claws into them when a voice cut me off.

“[Arrow of the Flame Elemental].”

A blazing, golden bolt shot out. It blasted forward, almost like it was going faster and faster with each passing moment. It skewered the forefront [Zombies], with a powerful cone of flames trailing behind it, setting the undead it missed alight. Even the blight flowers burned briefly from the magic. It left an opening— a trail for me to follow.

Edithe pulled out another vial of mana potion as she coughed.

“Go, Salvos!”

And I did. I ran as fast as I could, barely impeded by the few [Zombies] that could catch me. They ran slowly after us, an infinite horde. Some even tried to block my path, but I could dispose of them just fine. At one point, I could use [Flaming Breath] again, and I incinerated a large group of [Zombies] in the inferno of blue fire.

Then [Self Haste] came to an end. My pace slowed, and so did Daniel’s. He was only keeping up with us thanks to [Beacon of the Guardians], after all. But I knew that. I expected that we would not make it far enough to leave the blight infested landscape with a single [Self Haste]. So, I gratefully used Edithe’s Skill.

“[Restore Skill: Self Haste].”

I instantly activated [Self Haste] once again. My body blurred forward as my stamina drained, both from the fighting and running, as well as the blight’s effects. I had to quickly down a stamina potion just to keep up the pace. But with Edithe supporting me, and Daniel watching my back, we were eventually able to break free from the blight flower field.

It was like I had burst out of a burning building. The pressure that was sitting on my shoulder seemed to slowly disappear, with only a lingering effect plaguing me. The horde of [Zombies] tried to give chase, but only a few had followed us this far. We were able to defeat the ones closest to us, halting their advance as we fully carried ourselves away from the undead.

Defeated [Horde Zombie - Lvl. 84]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Horde Zombie - Lvl. 81]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 87] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 88]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 88] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 89]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I crested to the top of a nearby hill, overlooking the billowing field of blight flowers. It was night now, and the brown tint of the miasma turned into an eerie green under the moon’s light. Crawling to a stop, I settled Edithe to the ground before me and downed as many potions as I could.

My companions did the same. Edithe spoke through labored breath as she tried to gulp down a mana potion.

“The blight’s.... effects... will remain on us for a while.”

She chugged down on the mana potion as I faced her with a tired look. She paused, tensing up and coughing. I frowned, getting back up to face her.

“Edithe?”

“I’m… fine, I think.”

The red-haired woman shook her head, taking another swig of the potion. Daniel got back to his feet, his sword still held at the ready.

“We’re still deep in the Plaguelands. With how much blight we exposed ourselves to, we’ll have to fully leave the area and rest up for a while. Or else the blight will keep eating away at our abilities.”

“Come on, get only my back. You guys just [Rest] up, I’ll carry us out of here.”

I gestured for my companions to come over. Daniel did so slowly, but Edithe staggered and collapsed to the ground. I stared for a moment, in shock. Then I rushed over to her side.

“Edithe! What’s wrong?”

Her mana potion rolled onto the ground, spilling nothing. She had finished drinking the liquid inside of it. And yet, when I placed a hand on her arm, I realized just how dangerously low her supply of mana was.

She looked up at me with glazed-over eyes. She spoke slowly.

“It seems— I have consumed too many mana potions… and gotten myself mana poisoning. I… urk.”

A note from MelasD

It's a cliffhanger, but guess what? You guys are getting a TRIPLE release today, which means no chaps until Thursday and Friday.

132 will be out in 3 hours. 133 will be out 3 hours after that.

I'd appreciate it if you voted for Salvos on RR in return.

Seriously, pls vote.

132. Seeking Help

A note from MelasD

Once again, triple chaps today. If you haven't read 131. Zombie Horde, please go back now. Sometimes, peeps miss chaps when I upload multiple chaps in a day.

132. Seeking Help

The red-haired woman clutched at her stomach, bursting out into a coughing fit. Blood splattered out of her mouth as Daniel and I stood over her. We were helpless. Mana poisoning? I had never heard of such a thing.

I slowly held a hand out over her, a worried look on my face.

“Edithe— what…”

I trailed off. Most questions I could ask would be too stupid and pointless for her to answer now. It was blatantly clear she was in pain. There was only one question that mattered right now.

“What do we need to do?”

I stared at her. At the agony she was going through. Her face scrunched up as she spoke through gritted teeth.

“The blight… and I can’t recover my mana.”

She panted, laboriously taking each breath. However, I connected the dots immediately. The blight ate away at your Status. If she could not restore her mana— possibly due to mana poisoning— that meant…

I did not know what it meant. But it couldn’t be good.

I picked Edithe up, hefting her over my shoulders once again.

“Come on, Daniel. We have to get out of here. Now.”

“Right. We’ll have to return to Huthwaite, and get a healer to look at her.”

He nodded, sheathing his sword. I shook my head.

“We aren’t going to Huthwaithe.”

I faced him with a defiant gaze. I knew he would want to argue, so I made sure to let him know I was not going to waste any time discussing it.

“We’re going to Unarith.”

—--

I had a simple and straightforward logic for wanting to go to the Kobold city with my Human companions. First of all, I would not bring them into the city itself. I would keep them a good enough distance away, hidden from sight.

The second and main reason was because of Xidra. She was a high leveled [Herbalist]. She had given me cleansing flowers to cure me from my blight. The most important thing Edithe needed right now was to stop her mana from being entirely depleted. Or even depleted for an extended period of time.

We could put our heads together and try to figure out a way to cure her mana poisoning later. We just had to stop the blight afflicting her right now.

I did not know exactly where Unarith was. But Daniel had a map, and he could read it. While Human maps did not outline the exact location of the Kobold city, it brought us close enough that I began to recognize the familiar landscape.

“Oh, I think I’ve seen this rocky pillar before.”

“Are you sure?”

Daniel gave me a dubious look, which only made me more uncertain.

“Um. Maybe? Well, if not, I’ll remember it now.”

I was trying to make a change within myself; no longer was I going to get lost, worrying my companions. Perhaps they might even trust me to do things on my own if I proved myself competent enough to return to them!

I caught a glimpse of the sprawling city in the distance. Its minarets peaked up, like a beacon for me to see. I left Daniel alone, transforming to my Kobold Mortal Form as I put on some robes, then I started through the tumulous landscape.

Even before I reached the city, I knew I was already being watched. The feeling of eyes clinging to me put me on alert— my [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] once more proving itself extremely useful. I looked over my Status, ensuring that I had distributed all of my Stats and Skills from my previous levels.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 89

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 6

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 4

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 100 (+5)

[Strength]: 71 (+5) (-5)

[Endurance]: 85 (+5) (-5)

[Wisdom]: 130 (+5) (+6)(-5)

[Agility]: 180 (+5) (-5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 18

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 12

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 12

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 5

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 5

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 12

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

I walked through Unarith, standing out just a little bit due to how dirty I was compared to the Kobold men and women there. However, word of me saving Xidra— or the First Dragonling— must have spread since a few people whom I had never met looked upon me with recognition in their eyes.

Stopping one of the aforementioned passersby, I asked for directions to the minaret of the Risen Dragons. They pointed me to a structure towards the center of the city. I arrived at the entrance of the place of worship, before stopping as I recognized a familiar red-scaled Kobold.

“Nav—”

I started, but caught myself from exclaiming. Clearing my throat, I bowed lightly.

“Nav the [Warrior], it is a pleasure to see you again.”

The red-scaled Kobold stared at me, puzzled. His companions— a pair of Kobolds whom I had never met— fixed me with a suspicious gaze.

“Introduce yourself, [Mage]. How do you know the esteemed Nav?”

I narrowed my eyes. Nav was someone important? I never knew that. But instead of letting that expression show on my face, I bowed once more.

“I am Salvos the [Mage]. I have only met with Nav the [Warrior] once before, after I saved Xidra— the First Dragonling from the captivities of the Scale Sentinels and escorted her back to Unarith.”

“Is this true, Nav the [Warrior]?”

The other Kobolds gave Nav a dubious look. But he slowly nodded, still staring at me in shock.

“She… is speaking the truth. Salvos— Salvos the [Mage].”

He cleared his throat.

“What brings you back to Unarith. I was told by the First Dragonling that you had taken your leave from the city.”

Did Xidra tell him that I was a Demon? I didn’t remember telling him myself, but she seemed to trust him. Perhaps not as much as Hoxle. It was better for me not to assume for now.

I took a deep breath, carefully choosing my words before I spoke.

“I am in dire need of aid, Nav the [Warrior]. I seek the presence of the First Dragonling herself.”

He once again stared at me. Was he rubbing his eyes in confusion? Did Kobolds even have eyelids? I felt the urge to check but instead held still, carrying myself as solemnly as I could. I raised my head slightly and faced him with a pleading look.

“Please. Is this favor too much to ask from you?”

Finally, Nav sighed.

“Very well. I shall take you to the First Dragonling. Come.”

The other Kobold guards watched as I was led through the double doors of the building. When I was through, I smiled softly at Nav.

“Thank you.”

“What do you really want?”

He asked me with a frown. I shrugged, speaking more casually than before as we were led up the spiral stairway.

“I was telling the truth. I need Xidra’s help.”

“The First Dragonling can’t just entertain everyone who requests to meet her.”

I grinned.

“I’m not just anyone— I’m Salvos!”

Nav didn’t respond. We finally stopped at the floor of Xidra's room. The red-scaled Kobold rapped against the door, speaking.

“Xidra the [Herbalist], you have a visitor.”

The door slowly shifted open. A familiar face poked out, peering my way. Recognition filled her eyes and she fully stepped from the room.

“Salvos the [Mage]. What brings you back here?”

She greeted me, and I explained.

“I need your help, Xidra. We were in the Plaguelands when we were forced to run into a blight flower field. Now, my companion is suffering from both the blight and mana poisoning. She can’t restore her mana, and I think it might be bad if the blight continues affecting her when she runs out of mana. Please, I need a cleansing flower. For her.”

Xidra blinked, then waved her hand as if trying to calm me.

“Slow down, Salvos the [Mage]. Explain it again.”

I spoke slower this time, gesticulating as I started from scratch. Xidra asked a few questions, scratching a claw on her chin. I glanced over at Nav a few times, seeing how he would react to the mention of my Human companions. He did not seem visibly surprised. Which was a good thing.

Finally, Xidra gave me a reassuring nod as she placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Worry not, Salvos the [Mage]. Bring me to your companion. I will treat both her blight and her mana poisoning.”

I smiled gratefully at her. Then I quickly stuck my tongue out— that was how Kobolds smiled.

“Thank you, Xidra. This really means a lot to me.”

“You saved my life. It is only natural that I help you in your plight.”

She turned back to Nav.

“Nav the [Warrior], you shall escort Salvos the [Mage] and I to her companions. Alone. Do not tell others of the true purpose of this trip.”

“Yes, First Dragonling.”

He did not protest. Xidra returned to her room briefly, to fetch some ingredients. Then she returned with a satchel slung over her shoulder. Waving a claw to follow, she started down the stairs.

We were just leaving the vicinity of the Shrine of the Risen Dragons when a crowd appeared before us. The streets were not that busy earlier— it was evening, after all. Even if Kobolds did not need as much sleep as Humans, I noticed last time I was here that activity did slightly die down when the sun set.

My gaze focused on the figure moving through the streets, heading our way. It was a familiar figure. I recognized the dark scales anywhere.

Zix.

One of the Scale Sentinels who attacked Ghostlight.

He approached the three of us with his own procession. A dozen other Kobolds— both men and women— followed behind him. They were dressed in luxurious clothing, with intricate designs patterned on their robes.

His eyes fixed on me, and I felt the same feeling of being watched as when I first entered the city. Was that you? I shrunk back slightly, trying to hide myself behind Xidra. If he recognized me— but he couldn’t. There was no way he could.

I was a Human when he saw me near Ghostlight. I was a Kobold now. He couldn’t possibly have recognized me, right?

And yet, he still stared at me. I did not sense recognition in his gaze— only an inkling of suspicion. It was enough to make me nervous.

He bowed at Xidra.

“Xidra the [Herbalist]. I see you have decided to leave your high tower for once.”

“Zix the [Warrior], is there a reason for you to intercept me in the free streets of Unarith?”

The obsidian-scaled Kobold shook his head. He bowed, his tongue sneaking out of his mouth almost slyly.

“I simply wished to apologize to you. I have heard about what happened with Gexli. I can promise you his actions were not orchestrated by anyone but him. He was acting on his own, and we condemn him for it.”

“You can condemn him all you want, Zix the [Warrior]. That does not change the events that have occurred.”

“I assure you, we will punish his family and his followers—”

“Save it.”

She raised a hand, cutting him off. Xidra glared his way, before starting past him.

“There is no point getting the uninvolved hurt just to save your face. Your faction’s failure to kill me and your failure at Ghostlight will not be forgotten simply because you execute a few innocents.”

The whisper crowd grew hushed in an instant. Zix’s companions sputtered in outrage, filling the silence with their angry voices. I followed Xidra, glancing about warily. Were they going to attack us? I didn’t know how Kobold culture worked enough to be sure.

Nav was on guard, so I should be too. I was just about to conjure a fire dagger— just in case— before Zix spoke out. The gathering wisps of blue flame vanished as I gulped.

“Who is that with you, Xidra the [Herbalist]?”

The First Dragonling paused. She glanced back at Zix.

“She is the one who saved me from Gexli.”

“Oh?”

His tongue slithered back into his mouth as he folded his arms behind his back in parade rest.

“A [Mage] of her level was able to best Gexli in combat? And someone as enchantingly beautiful as her? I am impressed.”

I reached to scratch the back of my head— and quickly poked at my scales instead. To seem more Kobold-like. Bowing slightly, I tried to be courteous.

“Thank you, Zix the [Warrior].”

“What is your name, if I may ask?”

He gave me an inquiring look. I opened my mouth to answer.

“I am Sa—”

“She is with me. That is all you need to know about her.”

Xidra glanced at me with a look. I nodded slowly as she continued walking.

“Let us go. And do not bother us any longer, Zix the [Warrior]. I am in a hurry.”

The obsidian-scaled Kobold said nothing else. It was only when we left the city did Xidra speak.

“Zix is dangerous, Salvos. His evolution offers him a sharp intuition. If he figures out your true identity, he will turn the entire city against you. And there will be nothing I can do to save you.”

“What?”

I stared at her, frowning.

“He’ll have me killed just because I’m a Demon?”

I knew the answer even before Xidra spoke. It was one I was used to hearing by now.

“Yes.”

A note from MelasD

Consider voting for Salvos on RR.

133. Blessing

A note from MelasD

This is the third chapter of today's triple chapter day. If you haven't read 131. Zombie Horde or 132. Seeking Help, go back to read those now!

133. Blessing

Daniel stood up abruptly as I approached him with the pair of Kobolds following after me. It was night now— the sun had fully set by the time I returned to my companions. I raised a hand placatingly, glancing back at Xidra and Nav.

“They’re friends.”

“Uh, right.”

The Human man was rightfully apprehensive. He sheathed his sword, although he didn’t let go of its hilt. He stepped away from Edithe who was still lying on the ground, unconscious.

Xidra stepped forward, appraising the red-haired woman’s condition.

“Is this the one afflicted by mana poisoning?”

“She is— I’m Daniel, by the way.”

Daniel nodded warily at her. She bowed back slightly.

“Greetings, Daniel the [Warrior], I am Xidra the [Herbalist].”

He hesitated.

“...I can see that?”

She ignored his comment, instead kneeling over Edithe. I pulled Daniel over to the side, whispering to him.

“What are you being rude for? She’s helping us!”

“Wait, I was being rude?”

I rolled my eyes.

“Are you stupid? Can’t you tell that Kobolds are very formal— geez, and you say I’m bad at reading social cues.”

His face turned red as he glanced over at Xidra. He opened his mouth, as if to apologize, but I stopped him.

“Let her heal Edithe first. You can apologize after.”

Xidra the [Herbalist] inspected the red-haired woman for a moment. Her eyes narrowed before she shook her head.

“Salvos the [Mage], you never told me the extent of the blight’s effects on her.”

“Is it that bad? We were forced to escape through a blight flower field. I thought since I was fine, it shouldn’t be that much worse for her too.”

“Perhaps. However, levels do make a difference when it comes to ailments. Your Stats will help alleviate the workings of even poison, if you are at a high enough level. Well, certain kinds of poisons at least.”

I started forward, a worried look on my face.

“Is that why Edithe is in so much pain?”

“No. The blight will only exacerbate to this extent if it eats away at too much of your health, mana, and stamina. It grows worse if you do not treat it— or at least delay it with potions.”

“But she drank a lot of potions while we were in the blight flower field.”

“Yes. She consumed too much, which is why she suffers from mana poisoning. Just be glad that it is neither poisoning from drinking too much healing or stamina potions.”

I hesitated.

“What is healing potion poisoning? Or stamina potion poisoning?”

“Your muscles begin to rapidly atrophy due to stamina potion poisoning. And as for healing potion poisoning? You will slowly lose your ability to regenerate— heal naturally— over time. The consequences of both can be permanent if not treated soon enough.”

“What?”

Daniel piped up from the side with a frown.

“So, you can’t just be some kind of [Healer] who keeps regenerating your limbs in battle?”

“The circumstances for [Healing Mages] are different. But the result is the same: unfortunately, you will eventually die.”

Xidra produced a cleansing flower from her satchel. She held it out, peeling open its petals almost gently. She did not simply pluck out a single petal, but instead she pinched its center. A small droplet of pure, white sap seeped out, and she poured it into a vial of clear liquid.

It was not water— I peered over, identifying it.

[Elixir Base - A mixture of various ingredients used to form the base of a potent potion.]

The drip of sap discolored the clear liquid. It grew misty, like it was clouding over, until Xidra shook it. The liquid settled into the same white of the sap, and she nodded.

“This will do.”

Squeezing her hand, she crushed the cleansing flower and placed it in Edithe’s mouth. The red-haired woman was no longer coughing, but she still wore a grimaced face in her sleep. Xidra moved her jaw a little, to chew the powder, before tilting her head back and tipping the vial of white liquid into her mouth.

“What’s that for?”

I asked curiously. The Kobold woman explained.

“To cure her from the blight.”

“I thought you just had to eat the flower.”

“For more minor cases, yes. But severe situations such as this require more care. She will recover from the blight when she wakes up.”

Xidra stood back, dusting off her robes. I raised a brow.

“What about her mana poisoning?”

“That is a process that will take more than a day to fix, Salvos the [Mage].”

She backed up, nodding at Nav.

“We shall make our return to Unarith for now. When she is better tomorrow, we shall tend to her mana poisoning.”

—--

The two Kobolds left us alone for a day. Edithe woke up as the sun began to rise, groaning as she rubbed her head. I poked my head from her side with a face full of worry.

“Edithe, are you—”

She screamed.

“Gah, Kobold attack—”

The red-haired woman threw a punch which I instinctively caught and countered with a quick punch. She reeled back from the hit, groaning even louder. Daniel snapped.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean iot! She just struck out at me!”

Edithe winced, pinching her nose to stop blood from dripping out. Then she blinked.

“Wait, Salvos?”

I scratched the back of my head hesitantly.

“Hi. This is my Kobold Mortal Form.”

“Oh.”

She rubbed at her temples, as if she had a headache from the situation. Or maybe I gave her a headache when I punched her in the face. Who knows, really? It could have been from anything!

“You shoulda given me a warning or something. I feel like shit.”

Sighing, she tried to get back to her feet. She winced as she pressed her weight on one knee.

“Nope. Nevermind. That’s not happening.”

She collapsed back to the ground. I hovered over her, arms held out as if to catch her. But…. she had already fallen back down.

“Don’t push yourself, Edithe. You’re free from the blight, but the mana poisoning is still there.”

The red-haired woman nodded slowly.

“How... long have I been out?”

“Not long at all. We had someone cure you from the blight. They said they’ll check back on you again today.”

I sat down in front of her. She glanced down at her hands— they were shaking, trembling ever so slightly.

“For the mana potion poisoning. I see.”

“Yep.”

I watched her as she raised a hand. I sensed the movement of mana around her fingers. It was like she was trying to grab for the invisible strings, but they were too sharp for her touch. Like it pricked her every time she tried to get a proper grip on it.

Daniel plopped himself down next to me too. He held a small bowl in his hand. Passing it to Edithe, he spoke softly.

“Here.”

She accepted it gratefully, hungrily scarfing down her meal. When she was finished, she leaned back with a sigh.

“That was delicious. What was it?”

“Just some porridge. Nothing special.”

“Almost tasted like something I had at a Cyclops town before— how did you learn to cook such a meal?”

“Uh… my mom taught me?”

I crossed my arms, realizing that that was a dish from his world. I still had to scold him for how he endangered our lives back in the blight flower field. His stubbornness would have to be addressed at one point.

Just not right now.

We exchanged small, lighthearted talk while waiting for Xidra and Nav to arrive. I heard the rustling of a bush behind me and stood up.

“Don’t panic, alright Edithe? They’re Kobolds.”

“I know.”

She snorted.

“You’ve told me this a dozen times.”

I stepped forward to greet Xidra who came alone this time. I waved at her.

“Xidra! Wait, where’s Nav?”

I looked around for the red-scaled Kobold, but didn’t see him anywhere.

“He did not escort me today.”

The Kobold woman stuck her tongue out in her usual smile. Except, it seemed almost playful today.

“So, you came alone? Isn’t that dangerous—”

I was cut off as a shadow zipped past me from above. My eyes grew wide at the realization of what was going on. I slapped my palm against my forehead as I made an exasperated noise.

“Oh no. It’s that weirdo!”

Daniel and Edithe exchanged a glance.

“Weirdo?”

I conjured a fire bow and drew back an arrow. I aimed it slightly up, trailing at the figure that was rapidly approaching us.

“Watchh—”

“No you watch out!”

I shouted, losing the Blazing Bolt at Hoxle. The [Diviner] stared at the oncoming attack for a moment. He was dumbfounded. Then he sputtered and swerved out of the way.

“Oh, flaking scales—”

He crashed into a tree instead. And since the foliage here were pretty sparse— it meant the trees were thin, and there was not much to shield his fall. He tumbled through a bush, shouting curses until he came to a stop.

“Ouch…”

Xidra didn’t bat an eyelid his way. She spoke with the same regal voice she usually carried as she walked up to Edithe.

“Hoxle the [Diviner], when you told me you wanted to meet these Humans, I did not believe you intended to make a fool out of yourself in front of them.”

He hopped up to his feet, snarling.

“That was not my fault. I didn’t think that crazy Demon would try and shoot me down!”

“Hey!”

I raised a fist.

“I have a name!”

“Fine. That crazy Salvos just tried to kill me, aunt. Isn’t that, like, bad or something?”

He corrected himself, and I gave an approving nod. Xidra ignored him, much to his chagrin.

“Hey— aunt!”

He whined, and she instead reprimanded him.

“You are disgracing our family and the Risen Dragons with the way you are acting, Hoxle the [Diviner]. Behave.”

“But…”

Edithe watched on with round eyes. She drew her lips to a thin line, facing me.

“These are… Kobolds? The ones you talked about?”

“Yep. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

She shook her head, turning back to the scene of Xidra lecturing her nephew. Her gaze was fixed on it as she continued.

“I just didn’t think they would be so… Human.”

“We are not Human, [Mage].”

Xidra drew herself from Hoxle, who was scowling with his arms folded. I stuck a tongue out at him, forgetting that was how Kobolds smiled. He harrumphed.

“How many times must I tell you? I am not interested— oh, hey, a Human man.”

He stalked up to Daniel. My companion was taken aback by the Kobold with large wings almost shadowing over him.

“Wait, what are you—”

“You’re a [Warrior], huh? Nice sword. Looks kind of brittle though. Do all Humans use such weak equipment? Wait, is that a…”

I giggled at the sight of Hoxle pestering Daniel. But my attention was pulled towards Xidra, who had kneeled before Edithe.

“Greetings, companion of Salvos. I am Xidra the [Herbalist], First Dragonling of the Risen Dragons.”

The red-haired woman blinked, taking a second to gather herself.

“I’m Edithe… the [Mage]. Member of the Valiant Dreamers Company.”

Xidra accepted her introduction with an almost-pleased look. She was certainly not as apathetic as she was when meeting Daniel.

“I can understand why you hold these sentiments, Edithe the [Mage]. Especially for a Human who has never met a Kobold before. But I can assure you, the resemblance you see lies not in any shared culture between us. It is simply because we are people too, although your kind prefers to see us as monsters.”

The [Herbalist] spreads a few ingredients out on a piece of cloth. She seemed to be concocting something. First she grabbed some bright rocks— gemstones— and crushed them into dust. She set them aside as she churned a few dull-colored mushrooms into a sludge.

Edithe hesitated, chewing her lower lip.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean any offense. I just meant that you guys aren’t all that different from us. I mean— I should know that now because of Salvos. She’s…”

The red-haired woman trailed off. Xidra spoke affirmingly as she mixed more ingredients together.

“Yes. You are friends with a Demon. How peculiar, as I was under the impression that Humans and Demons did not get along. Of course, we both hold our prejudices against each others’ kinds. But I do not take offense.”

Sprinkling the gemstone dust into the now-glowing liquid, whatever concoction Xidra made puffed up with smoke. The color from it suddenly disappeared, and all that was left was a transparent drink. She held it up for Edithe.

“Drink this.”

“This is…”

My companion made a disgusted face. But Xidra was insistent.

“It will help with your mana poisoning.”

Steeling herself with a deep breath, Edithe held up the drink against her face. She looked at it for no longer than a mere moment before quickly downing it. When she was finished, her entire face was scrunched up, lips puckered together like she was on the verge of throwing up.

“T-thanks…”

She barely managed to choke out.

“You will begin to feel better in two days. When you do, you will have to consume these berries. They are rich in mana, but they are not designed to restore your reserves. Rather, it does the opposite. It will flush out the excess corrupted mana in your system. After all, mana poisoning happens when your body tries to produce mana from a potion even when it can no longer be sustained. So, the mana in your body becomes corrupted.”

“Wait—”

I piped up from the side.

“Isn’t that like the blight?”

“In a way, yes. However, it does not continuously corrode your mana supplies, Salvos the [Mage]. Not in the way the blight does. It works as a… reset. To your flow of mana.”

Edithe stared at the rainbow-colored berries on her hand.

“These are sageberries, aren’t they? They’re incredibly rare, aren’t they?”

“Yes.”

Xidra spoke simply. Edithe snapped her gaze up at the Kobold woman, the disbelief on her face evident.

“W-w-what? But… why would you give this to me? If you just leave me be, I can probably recover in a month or two.”

“Hm, perhaps. However, Salvos asked me to cure you, and I owe her my life.”

I beamed as Xidra glanced my way. When she continued, expanding on her reasoning, I lost some of that pride. You could’ve just stopped right there, you know? There’s no need for you to give another explanation! You could just say ‘it was because of Salvos’ and that’s it!

But, no. There was always more.

“Also, many of our kinds hold contempt against each other. Is it not better for us to sit together as friends?”

“Friends?”

Edithe worked her jaw.

“But didn’t we just meet?”

“Indeed. So, accept that as a token of my friendship with you. Hoxle the [Diviner] and I came out here to learn more about Humans. We do not wish to wage war with your Species, but to make peace.”

“I-I think you misunderstand.”

The red-haired woman raised her hands, almost defensively.

“We’re not diplomats from the Vaun Qiuer Empire. We’re just ordinary adventurers, here trying to level in the Plaguelands.”

“And the fact that you are in the Dead Zone working with a Demon shows that you are not ordinary adventurers.”

Xidra produced a cup from her satchel, pouring herself a drink. She held up a second cup and offered it to Edithe.

“Tea?”

“Oh, thanks.”

“And you, Salvos?”

“Gross, no.”

I stopped her from giving me any drink. I was fine with just sitting down and talking. Although, I didn’t really get to do much of that as Edithe and Xidra both seemed engrossed in their conversation.

“I do not misunderstand anything, Edithe the [Mage]. All I wish is to earn your goodwill. Because I know that you will return from the Dead Zone back to your lands, and when you do, you will not fade into obscurity. But instead, you will rise up into something greater, like a Dragon hatching from an egg.”

“That’s… Salvos for sure. And maybe Daniel. But me? I’m not really anyone special.”

The red-haired woman shuffled uncomfortably where she sat. Xidra sipped from her drink, craning her neck slightly towards me.

“On the contrary, from what Salvos told me of you, I believe you are the most special one here, Edithe the [Mage].”

“Hey! What about me?”

I frowned. Xidra smiled, but not in a Kobold way. Her lips curled up, revealing her pointed teeth.

“Certainly, you are special too. However, Edithe the [Mage] is the one risking her life every single day just to keep up with you, is she not? The fact that she is lower leveled than you, and a Human, speaks volumes of her worth.”

“Huh. That makes sense.”

I looked over at Edithe. She was confused. Like she did not understand what was going on. I grinned.

“You’re pretty amazing, aren’t you, Edithe?”

“What? I—”

That snapped her out of her stupor. She blushed furiously as she shrunk back.

“I think you guys are giving me too much credit. The only reason why I’m even alive right now is thanks to Salvos.”

“It does not matter whether you accept it. I have lived a long life and I have seen many different characters. Even if you are a Human and not a Kobold, it is all the same. Take my nephew, for example.”

We glanced over at Hoxle, who was not trying to grab for something on Daniel’s neck. The Human man was barely able to fight him off, barely keeping the necklace on. Xidra turned back to Edithe.

“The others in our family rejected him when he was a young adult. They believed he was too immature— too childish— to ever amount to anything. Now, he is the highest leveled member of our family. One of our greatest prides.”

The Kobold woman finished her tea and stood up.

“And even if I am wrong about you, you can simply take this as a blessing. That I made a mistake, and you are rewarded for it. So, accept this gift and my words.”

“Yeah!”

I nodded eagerly behind Xidra. Edithe opened her mouth. She held the sageberries in her hands. Then she pocketed it.

“I… thank you. Again.”

Xidra bowed her head slightly.

“Of course. It was a pleasure talking to a Human for the first time. Now, Hoxle the [Diviner], it is time to go—”

She turned around and stopped. She stared at her nephew who was now on the ground, wrestling with Daniel. She spoke flatly.

“What are you doing, nephew?”

The weirdo struggled, speaking in grunts as Daniel swatted him back.

“This Human doesn’t want to remove his Necklace of Obfuscation! What is he even trying to hide his Class for? Doesn't he know it's rude?!”

I snickered as the [Hero] kicked him back.

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3,000 words. Next chapter on Thursday. Consider voting for Salvos on RR. It literally only takes a second.

134. Overzealous

134. Overzealous

“Are you feeling better now?”

“A little bit.”

Edithe held up a hand, conjuring a small candle-like flame. The fire danced in her palms, almost like it was locked in battle with the air. She banished the spell and turned to me.

“I can start to cast more complex spells now— the sageberries really are helping.”

She smiled, and I nodded eagerly.

“They’re expensive, right? Xidra was so nice for giving it to you.”

“Well, more rare than expensive. [Mages]— especially ritualistic and experimental ones— tend to hoard them for themselves, so it’s kind of difficult to find anyone selling it. But if you can find a seller, it’s not going to be super costly like a Medium or High Grade artifact.”

“Wait, I thought rare things were expensive.”

I cocked my head. Edithe shrugged.

“That’s not how it always works— anyway, just know that it's complicated, alright?”

“Huh.”

I had always known Humans were weird, but this just confused me more than anything. I sat back down on the ground, deciding to focus on studying my scroll. Edithe had taken her sageberries a few days ago. Xidra checked up on the red-haired woman back then, and was optimistic about her speed of recovery.

“A few more days.”

I heard Edithe mutter from the side. I glanced up at her.

“A few more days until what?”

“Until we can get back to it. Return to the Plaguelands, no longer wasting more time here.”

“We’re not wasting time here, Edithe.”

Daniel spoke up from the side.

“This is a reprieve for all of us— it’s important that we get proper breaks, unless we get ourselves killed… wait, why am I telling you this? You’re not Salvos.”

“Yeah! You're not me! Don’t steal my lines!”

I nodded eagerly, agreeing with the Human man. As much as I hated to admit it, Edithe was beaing a bit overzealous right now. Especially after we had nearly died, and she was nearly crippled from magic.

While I enjoyed and preferred to remain active, I could understand when the situation called for otherwise. Just like right now.

“Xidra’s going to take a look at you again today. So, don’t do anything stupid until that happens!”

I waved a clawed finger at her, as if I was talking to a… me. I was still in my Kobold Mortal Form. It was better to remain this way until we were back in the Plaguelands. Or the Dead Zone, since I’m supposed to pretend to be a Kobold right now.

Edithe chuckled, making herself comfortable as she lay back down.

“Of course not. It’s like you said: I’m not you.”

I crossed my arms, nodding. Then I blinked.

“Hey, wait—”

Sure enough, Xidra the [Herbalist] returned after the sun had set. Each time she had visited, it was after evening had come and gone. But before morning arrived.

While Kobolds did not need as much sleep as Humans, I assumed that they still spent most of the day busy with activities, slowing down only when night came. I could have been wrong— that was what I had seen from the very few times I had been in Unarith.

Daniel stood on guard as Xidra made herself known to us— he glanced about warily, as if he could be attacked at any moment. But the Kobold woman waved a hand off placatingly.

“Hoxle the [Diviner] did not follow me today. You can be at ease.”

The Human man’s shoulder sagged. Nav, the red-scaled Kobold, followed behind Xidra. He had a bored look on his face, leaning against his spear as he stopped by a tree.

Xidra settled herself before Edithe, laying out her belongings in a neat pile.

“Take this, Edithe the [Mage]. This drink will help your mana flow ease back into normalcy.”

“Thank you.”

“Have you been practicing your magic?”

“I have…”

The two broke off into a conversation which I wasn’t really interested in. I sidled over to Nav, peering over at him.

“So… how have you been?”

“I have been doing my job, Salvos the [Mage].”

His voice came out almost like a hiss. He stared at me with a frown.

“And I can see you are back to being your normal self.”

“Yep! Trying to be a proper Kobold is hard.”

“I do not believe it takes much effort to be more reserved.”

“Perhaps.”

I tilted my head up. Then I grinned.

“But it’s not fun!”

I could almost see Daniel give Nav a sympathetic look. However, the red-scaled Kobold did not seem too enthused to receive any kind of pity from the Human man. He kept his gaze pointedly turned away from my companion, only facing me.

I crossed my arms.

“Do you not like Humans?”

“I am indifferent about his kind. However, I was informed by Hoxle the [Diviner] of your friend’s disrespectful use of artifacts to hide his true Class.”

“Is that a bad thing? Aren’t I technically hiding my Subspecies when I transform to my Mortal Form?”

Nav shook his head.

“It is a different case. A Skill like you have does not truly alter your identity. It simply matches your Subspecies to your closest Class equivalent.”

“Huh. But I always thought I was more of a [Rogue] than a [Mage]?”

“You mainly fight with magic, do you not?”

“I guess I do.”

The red-scaled Kobold cast his gaze back towards Xidra. He spoke softly.

“And I know your true Species. Your Subspecies even. So, it matters not.”

I scratched the side of my head. Truth be told, I did not quite understand this Kobold fixation on addressing people by their Class. I could obviously tell it was some kind of formality thing— and I did see my own Subspecies as a part of my identity— but I wouldn’t care too much if someone hid their Class from me.

Not unless it was someone I was close to. Or if it was directly detrimental in dire circumstances. I glanced over at Daniel, glaring. He wasn’t even looking my way, but I did so anyway.

Maybe that’s it? Kobolds have a different kind of social boundary from Humans— lying in such a blatant way is considered bad to them? It was something I probably should keep in mind when getting to know other Kobolds.

My thoughts were interrupted as Xidra stood up. I turned my attention to her, blinking.

“Are you finished?”

“I came here today solely to administer the necessary treatment to Edithe the [Mage]. Of course, we have exchanged some idle conversation with each other. And that is why I would like to request your presence, Salvos the [Mage].”

I straightened, pointing at myself.

“What do you need me for?”

“Your companion has made her intentions clear. She wishes to return to the Dead Zone to continue growing stronger. However, it is dangerous. Especially with the blight. As such, I have advised her to seek out the only thing capable of staving off its effects.”

She gestured for me to follow. I stared at her back as she spoke, raising her head to the sky.

“You will have to seek out the treasures of the Scale Guardians: the Totem of Incense and the Herald’s Brush.”

—--

Xidra led me back through Unarith. I was caught off-guard by her proposition at first, but she elaborated on what she meant on the way to the Shrine of the Risen Dragons.

“I will not guide you to these artifacts myself, nor will I give them to you for free.”

“Oh, uh, I don’t think we have enough gold— wait, do you Kobolds even use gold?”

“It is not for you to buy, Salvos the [Mage]. It is a trade offer.”

She stopped right in the middle of a small bridge, right over a stream that ran down in between fertile land growing with crops. The [Herbalist] looked past me, straight at the tall minaret of the Scale Sentinels.

“I have realized how dangerous the Zix and his faction truly are now. They will not stop at anything to bring us to war with the Humans. One such way they intend to do this is with the Totem of Incense.”

“It removes the blight, right? How does that lead to war?”

“If the Scale Sentinels get their hands on the Totem of Incense, they will be able to cleanse the Dead Zone of its blight. The buffer between the lands will be gone, and an invasion from either side can easily be waged.”

Xidra continued on, and I followed her. I felt a tingling in the back of my head as Nav looked around.

“Before the Dead Zone was formed by the [Necromancer] Lilian, war between Kobolds and Humans would occur almost every other decade. Of course, the severity of such conflicts varied quite greatly. But since the Dead Zone came about, it was reduced to once every century— and now, there hasn’t been a war for hundreds of years.”

Taking a deep breath, she clenched her clawed hand.

“If the Dead Zone truly were cleansed and war broke out—”

“Then we’ll be able to put an end to the Human problem. They will be wiped off the face of the world, once and for all.”

A deep voice cut her off. Three figures stood before us, cutting us off. Zix stood at the front, his arms were folded, but his single wing was spread out wide.

“Would that not be for the best, Xidra the [Herbalist]?”

Nav immediately took a step forward, placing a hand over the Kobold woman. She narrowed her eyes, and she did not back down.

“The extermination of an entire people is not the solution, Zix the [Warrior].”

“Would you prefer the end of all things, then? Because I do not see any outcome otherwise.”

I glanced between the two of them. Was this about that whole Apocalypse-thing again? This seemed like something maybe Edithe or Daniel would be interested in— not me though.

“You are too set in your ways.”

Xidra snapped back. She glared daggers at the obsidian-scaled Kobold.

“You do not believe there is any other solution beyond yours. I believe. And that is why I am trying.”

She started around him. Nav cautiously walked by her side, while I slowly slipped behind them. Zix scoffed.

“And that’s why you’re asking this outsider of yours to go on a fetch quest?”

She paused mid-step.

“Yes.”

Xidra spun around to face Zix. Their gazes clashed— the tension was almost electric.

“And when she finds the treasures of the Scale Guardians, I will ask her to do the only thing that should be done.”

“And what, pray tell, is that?”

Her eyes slide off of Zix, turning slowly to me. She faced me with a solemn look.

“I will ask her to destroy them.”

The obsidian-scaled Kobold stared at her dubiously.

“You think someone of her level can destroy some of the greatest artifacts our people have ever made?”

“No.”

Xidra continued forward, speaking softly.

“But Dragon’s flame can.”

His eyes widened as we left him behind. It took him a moment to gather himself, and when he did, he barked after us and pointed an accusing finger.

“You’re going to waste such powerful magic for that? You’ve truly lost your mind Xidra the [Herbalist]—”

None of us turned back once, even when we reached the Shrine of the Risen Dragons. I could no longer hear Zix’s angry shouting, but his rage had been almost palpable— I felt like I could still feel it lingering over me.

I looked over at Xidra, raising a brow.

“So… you want us to find both the Totem of Incense and the Herald’s Brush just to destroy them?”

“Destroy only one of them.”

She corrected me.

“The Herald’s Brush is far weaker. Its effects are only temporary, and it cannot be used to transport an army through the Dead Zone. However, the Totem of Incense will have to be destroyed.”

“Got it.”

It was really none of my business. And if we had something that could help us fend off the blight, it was better for us. I turned inquisitively towards the Kobold woman.

“Where are they at, anyway? Are you going to give me another magic compass to show me the path?”

“No.”

Xidra spoke simply, shaking her head. I frowned.

“Wait, then how are we supposed to find it?”

“Hoxle shall use his magic to illuminate a path for you. A vision of the way to go. And with those directions, you’ll have to search for the treasures yourself.”

I stared at Xidra. My jaw dropped, mouth hung fully open. Then I sighed.

“Oh no… I’m so going to get us lost, aren't I?”

The glamorous double doors of the Shrine of the Scale Sentinels were smashed open. Zix stormed in, followed by his two bodyguards. Bodyguards? As if he needed them.

However, he was glad they were with him today. If not for them, no one would have stopped him from killing that cursed Xidra there and then.

“That fool!”

His shout drew the attention of more than one [Cultist] praying off to the side. They were bowed over a golden fang— it was said to be the teeth of the last Dragon, given as a gift to Koboldkind before he departed to fight off the corruption.

A young Kobold woman— one of his servants— hurried over to him. She lowered her head, bending over almost parallel to the ground as she addressed him.

“High Zealot, how may I be of use to you?”

Zix turned his fury towards her. Did she not realize that he did not need anything from her right now? She was just like his bodyguards— utterly worthless. He was just about to snap when he stopped himself. He placed his clawed hand on his chin, speaking slowly.

“Yes, Iblo. You can be of use to me.”

His tongue slithered out in between his teeth as he smiled.

“Gather anyone above Level 90. Anyone who wishes to be of use to the Scale Sentinels. Tell them that I have a job for them.”

He glanced back at his bodyguards. He couldn’t have sent them both— one of them would insist on following him around. So, he chose the higher leveled one.

[Rogue - Lvl. 103]

“And Tarba. You shall be in charge of them.”

“What am I to do, High Zealot?”

“You shall follow that girl— the one with Xidra— once she leaves Unarith.”

Zix spun around, walking to another doorway guarded from either side by [Warriors]. She was familiar. He thought she was familiar, although he couldn’t place it. But it didn't matter.

“Follow her until she finds the treasures of the Scale Guardians. I want you to take it for the Scale Sentinels, and— kill her.”

“Yes, High Zealot.”

A note from MelasD

Hope you all enjoyed the triple chappie on monday. Thanks for reading, as usual.

It's the start of the new month, so consider checking out my patreon and help me reaching 1,000 patrons now that I'm a full-time author. I have big goals, so stay tuned. Donate here and get up to 20 chapters ahead!

135. Northeast... or Southwest?

A note from MelasD

Here's a shoutout to another female lead, nonhuman MC fic. It's by Epikos! I gave him a shoutout a while back for his other fic, but this one is better. Check it out! Realmshaker [A Giant Progression LitRPG] | Royal Road

135. Northeast... or Southwest?

The world spun around me— I could feel the wind grazing against my scales. The still night was unusually bright, as if some sort of magic limned the shadows creeping in every corner, revealing anything hidden from sight.

I flew higher and higher, away from Unarith. I saw the minarets disappearing below me. Those tall towers which dared to reach for the stars were now nothing but specks in the ground. I was spinning, falling, soaring.

I could not move. I was stuck in place while the skies and the earth that shifted, moving me towards the Plaguelands. I saw the blight billowing up— it covered the vast landscape like a blanket of green. Such vile magic, produced from the flowers planted by Lilian.

Craning my head back, I took note of the direction I came from. Unarith was to the… southwest? That was right, right? So, I had to head northeast.

I continued sailing through the air, carried through the Plaguelands, seemingly empty of its previous undead inhabitants. That was because this was not real. It was not a representation of reality. It was a vision.

What do you see? a voice asked me. It almost sounded like my own voice— as if it were my own thoughts. But I knew the real speaker behind it.

Xidra the [Herbalist].

“I see… dead forests. Hills, as far as I can see. They look like rocks wrinkling the ground from this height.”

Pay attention. Look at your surroundings. Make out anything unique— anything you can use to lead you to your destination.

I nodded. Sweeping my gaze through the landscape, I tried to discern anything I could, a sharp and distinctive feature, piercing through the veil of blight for me to see. I spotted a small town. It was run-down, half of it eaten up by a blight flower field. Beyond it was a plateau— its cliffs were steep, running down its sides in an inverted angle.

What else, Salvos the [Mage]?

“There is a valley. The same place where we confronted Gexli. And… a fallen city.”

The city I first met Xidra in. Where the blight grew thin— its pressure almost entirely alleviated.

I was flying faster and faster. The magic sustaining this vision was coming to an end soon. I could see the mana threads holding it together dissolve, begin to fall apart. I had to get to the Scale Guardians’ treasures before that happened.

Zipping between the broken buildings, I began to lose track of where I was, or where I was even going. I found myself being tugged along, like I was wrapped in chains, being whipped around sharp turns, yanked further and further into the city. I glanced about, trying to reorient myself. What was in my surroundings? There was a tower. Was it a part of a temple? The rest of the structure around it lay fallen, however it could have been a grand place of worship once. Slightly to its left, right at the edge of the city, was a mountain. It stood tall— taller than any hills I had seen so far. But just as it seemed to reach its peak, it had a depression digging down into its center. Why was that?

I didn’t have any time to ask questions. Because, suddenly, I was falling. I descended— through rubble and earth, straight down into darkness. I couldn’t see anything. Everything was blotted out. It was not just dark. There also wasn’t anything to see.

It was just dirt and stone. This was not a tunnel. I was simply going through the ground. My body was not physical— not in a vision.

Everything was a blur. I had no idea what direction was up or down.anymore. I just let it bring me to my destination. I burst through a wall, finding myself in a massive cave chamber. It was damp, with visible moisture filling the air. There was a thin layer of mist, coming from the pool or lake that comprised more than half of the floor.

Most of the land stuck to the left, towards a tunnel that led up. And to the right was the water, with an island in the very middle of it. There, in the center of that small piece of earth, lay a body.

The remains of a Kobold poked out of the earth, most of its body buried under the sand and dirt. It clutched onto something at its chest. It was like a spear, except it had long, white feathers sticking out where the spearhead should be. Its color was pure, unsullied from the Plaguelands and from time itself. The long handle was golden, decorated with gemstones and runes.

It was the Herald’s Brush.

Do you see it? Xidra asked.

“I… think so? I don’t see the Totem of Incense though.”

Find it. It should be with—

The woman’s voice was interrupted as more words popped into my head. Gah! I don’t think I can keep it up any longer!

Hoxle—

I desperately looked around the cave chamber. The Totem of Incense was supposed to be large. And yet, I saw nothing. There was nothing else here.

Sorry, aunt. I’m ending the spelll!

“No—”

I reached a hand out as I tried to protest. But the world was slowly shattered around me. It fell like a curtain of glass, each shard tumbling down into darkness as reality took the place of what was gone. I blinked, rubbing at my eyes.

And I found myself at the very top of the Risen Dragon’s Shrine. I was at its roof, under the decorated domed ceiling. I sat up, glancing over at Hoxle. He was panting, bent over and clutching his knees.

“Bring me back!”

I exclaimed, pointing at him. He shook his head.

“No can do. You already pushed me to my limit.”

I glanced over at Xidra who had her arms crossed. I gave her a pleading look.

“Can you get him some mana potions? I couldn’t find the Totem of Incense!”

“I’m sorry. That spell is not constrained by his mana reserves. No— he had projected you to a far away location. Somewhere he has never been before. He has no connections to it. It is the distance and the unknown that strains him. Even if he tries again, this time you may not even get to the treasures of the Scale Guardians.”

“But—”

Hoxle straightened and adjusted his robes. His exhaustion from before was almost gone. He held up a hand, clearing his throat.

“Nope. Sorry. I’m not using that Skill again. And even if you somehow convince me to use it, you’ll have to wait a day.”

My shoulders sagged.

“Aw.”

“It matters not, Salvos the [Mage]. You have seen where to go. You have laid eyes on what you needed to. The Totem of Incense should be close. I trust that you will not fail your task.”

Xidra spoke placatingly, placing a clawed hand on my back. I scowled, instinctively poking at the scales on my neck out of frustration. Certainly, I had made sure to pay careful attention as the vision progressed. I just had to relay that information to my companions, then we would reach the treasures just fine!

I faced the Kobold woman, scratching the back of my head. There was no hair there— just rough scales.

“So… Daniel, Edithe, and I will grab these treasures. Then we return and give you your Totem of Incense, which you’ll destroy?”

“That is right.”

She nodded, explaining.

“Once you return with the Totem of Incense, we will destroy the totem in front of all to see. A grand ritual will have to be held. Dragon bone will be crushed, grounded to dust, and turned to a blaze which captures the former glory of the Old Gods: Dragon flame.”

“Dragon bone?”

I cocked my head to the side. She smiled, glancing up.

“Yes.”

I followed her gaze. I didn’t see anything. Just the gilded ceiling, patterned with gemstones that almost seemed to glow, even in the dark. It limned the mural for me to see— I had previously thought it was a nonsensical design just to look aesthetically pleasing, but I now realized that the mural was incomplete. Before I could say anything, she turned around, gesturing for me to follow.

“Come, Salvos the [Mage]. It is time for you to leave and return to your companions. Tak your time. Gather yourselves. And when you are ready— when all of you are recovered and prepared for another adventure— you may venture into the Dead Zone, in search of our lost treasures.”

Xidra did not escort me all the way out of Unarith. She simply brought me out of the shrine, stopping at the double doors at the front, bidding me farewell. I focused my thoughts, repeating the directions from the vision to myself.

“Ok, first go northeast— no, southwest. Wait, no, I was right the first time. I think? Maybe it’s southwest. Yep, southwest. Alright, then when I reach the Plaguelands, look for a dead forest…”

My murmurings stopped as I glanced up. I narrowed my eyes, feeling the same sensation of before. That of being watched. [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] warned me that someone was not-so-sneakily trying to tail me. Was it Zix?

I looked back, past the few other Kobolds filling the street. None of them seemed to be the culprits. Their colorful scales were quite clear during the day— and it was morning— so most Kobolds wouldn’t exactly be the most inconspicuous unless they had a Skill of sorts.

Pretending to know where I was going, I slipped down in between some houses and walked over a wooden bridge. I passed by some scarcely grown crops, stopping to gaze at some odd-looking plants. The Kobold man who owned the land came out of his house to greet me, and I respectfully inquired him about what they were for.

He told me that they were cyric cacti, for attracting the Jerker Locusts away from their other crops. I listened intently until I saw a flash of green bending over and entering a small hut-like building. I excused myself and hurried after the figure.

I pushed aside the drapes hanging over the doorway, entering the shop. A Cyclops man stood over a counter, turning to face me at the slight jingle of the bells loosely held by a thread at the curtain-tips.

“Adan—”

Pausing for a moment, I corrected myself.

“Adan the [Trader], it is a pleasure to see you again.”

His one eye blinked as I walked up to the counter. He peered at me curiously, as if he had many questions. But eventually, he decided not to ask any of them.

“Salvos the [Mage], how may I help you today?”

I placed my hands behind my back as Xidra would, sweeping my gaze around the shop. The feeling of being watched was still there. I ignored it, focusing on what I could see. The display behind his counter was gone. It was the rows of hooks that held the Horn of the Caller I bought when I previously came here, right next to a side door leading further into the building.

The countertop was clear of goods too. In fact, most of Adan’s wares had been emptied— his stock was running low, and I was pretty sure he would leave Unarith soon. What was left were mostly generic goods. Potions you would find being sold by other [Traders].

I picked a healing potion off a shelf, as if inspecting it.

“I was planning on leaving the city soon— perhaps in a week’s time— to return to the Dead Zone. I am soon reaching my evolution, and I am afraid that my excitement may drive me to recklessness. Do you have anything that could possibly offer me extra protection in this shop?”

I shot him an inquiring gaze. The Cyclops man bowed slightly, speaking apologetically.

“I apologize, Salvos the [Mage]. As you can see, most of what I have brought to your wonderful city has been bought off me. All I can offer are the potions you see before you.”

“I see.”

I raised a brow slightly.

“Very well, I shall take them.”

Digging into my robes, I stopped myself from pulling out my coin pouch. That was definitely not what would be used by Kobolds to pay for goods. They did trades and bartering, not transactions.

My companions and I were running out of potions, so I did want to buy them off Adan. However, there was nothing I could give him. Nothing but what I had on me. And there was nothing I was readily willing to part with. Definitely not my Greaves of the Wanderer. Maybe my Ring of Lesser Protection. Or my Necklace of Obfuscation. There is also the Horn of the Caller, but that’s—

I paused as I felt at something else around my neck. It was a lesser-used artifact, thanks to it not being very useful, and not being able to be used a lot of the time too. My Amulet of Strength.

I produced the artifact for Adan to see, and gestured at the potion rack.

“I will take however many this Amulet of Strength can buy.”

He took a few moments to look at it, perhaps using a Skill to discern its worth, before he nodded and closed his hand around it. He gave me a number which I didn’t dispute, before grabbing an even spread of healing, mana, and stamina potions for me to keep.

I let him gently store it into my sack as I made ‘small talk’.

“I very much adore your wares, Adan the [Trader]. Doing business with you is always a pleasure.”

“Why, of course. It is my delight to be of use to you.”

I nodded, smiling as I stuck my tongue out.

“However, I was wondering if there was really nothing else you can offer me. Perhaps a kind of Draconic Scalemail? Armor that would greatly boost my defenses?”

“I apologize again, Salvos the [Mage], but—”

I glanced slightly to the back, the front door right at my peripherals.

“Surely there is something more here. Perhaps… in your back room?”

I glanced at the door, almost hidden behind the counter. He frowned and rubbed his chin. His mouth opened, but I spoke over him insistently.

“There has to be something valuable, no?”

His single eye lit up. He finally got what I was saying. He stuffed the last of my potions into my sack, finally amicable to my suggestion, as if he remembered a High Grade artifact he had been saving to sell at a later date.

“Certainly, there is more for you to see. If you, ah, just follow me to the back—”

“Tarba the [Rogue], don’t you think we should follow after her?”

The gray-scaled Kobold glanced back. He saw a younger man peering at him, the uncertainty evident on his face. He was Level 91— a high level for his age. But that also meant a lack of experience.

“Our target has disappeared into the back room. If we lose sight—”

“Silence.”

Tarba held up a clawed hand. He felt at the dagger hanging by his waist— the poison already coated on its tip. He faced the younger man— the others behind him shrinking back at his gaze.

“Holdo the [Warrior], do you wish to compromise us by revealing ourselves to her?”

“No, that’s not what I meant—”

The younger man started, but Tarba glared his way. He was the one in charge of this mission— he had to prove himself to the High Zealot. How could he let a foolish youngling’s mistakes cause him to fail?

“We cannot follow after her. We simply stay put and continue to observe her.”

Hesitating, Holdo glanced back at the shop.

“But what if she already knows we’re here? What if she realized we’re following her?”

“That is nonsense.”

Tarba shook his head, looking back into the hut-like building. His keen sight allowed him to see clearly everything that was happening there.

“She cannot possibly know we’re here. She is too low leveled. Look, the Cyclops is returning—”

He paused. His eyes grew wide, and Holdo blinked.

“What do you see, Tarba the—”

Tarba did not respond. Instead, he burst into action.

“Follow me!”

In a single jump, he crossed the distance to the shop and circled around it. He felt the woman’s presence growing weaker and weaker. The others following him were not as fast, barely able to keep up with him. He was fast, after all.

He had been confident in his speed, which was why he decided his evolution at Level 100 should make him stronger instead. He would catch this woman before she even turned another corner. At least, that was what he thought.

How? Tarba turned corner after corner, his sense of where she was going growing fainter and fainter. I am Tarba, [Shroudstalker] and [Enforcer Wyrm]. A low leveled [Mage] shouldn’t be able to— He ran as fast as he could, finally deciding to activate his Skills. Shouldn’t be able to escape from me!

But it was too late. His footsteps slowed and he came to a stop, realizing he had lost her. She was gone.

I skipped my way out of Unarith, glad to have gotten rid of that uncomfortable feeling of being watched. The city was far behind me now— the potions I had bought from Adan filling my sack.

I found my companions where I had left them. Daniel was scribbling in his diary, while Edithe was casting a simple fire spell. The pair turned to face me as I arrived. They opened their mouths— and I exclaimed.

“It was northeast! I was wrong, it was definitely northeast!”

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136. Growth

136. Growth

I stared down at the Runic Scroll of Starfall, trying to decipher the intricate workings of the mana that weaved its spell. I now understood how it worked— or at least, its effects. It would summon… a hail of stars? Balls of blazing fire. Ones that would come down with a fury that would ravage the land.

Something that was truly befitting a High Grade artifact.

Placing the parchment down on the ground, I straightened and raised a claw up. I was still in my Kobold form— the hand was more Human-like than my regular hand. It was scaly, up until my palms where it grew softer. I focused on the spell, on trying to replicate it. I knew I couldn’t cast the same magic just yet— it was beyond my level, and beyond my understanding of magical theory.

Edithe had been teaching me. But even if she was truly a master of magic— some kind of [Archmagus]— that didn’t mean I could learn it all at once. It was not long ago that I didn't even know what rocks were!

Wisps of flame blinked themselves into existence over the palm of my hand. They danced in a circle, chasing after each other, lighting a blue halo in the darkness of night. I slowly lowered my hand, letting the spell carry itself up, floating higher and higher.

It hovered nearly a head above me, combining into a single ball of fire. It was shaped almost like a flower petal— about the size of my hand. I pointed forward, releasing the magic.

And it dissipated.

“Aw.”

I stared at the bits of cinder flaking down to the floor. The magic within it was mostly gone. I scowled.

“I don’t think it’s powerful enough to launch out like small stars.”

I had to ask Edithe about it when she woke up. I looked over towards the horizon— I couldn’t see the orange ball poking its edges out. But I had a feeling it would be rising soon.

“No need to rush to wake them up. They’ll get up on their own soon enough.”

They didn’t like it whenever I did that. So, I let them sleep some more.

—--

“That’s the thing about these scrolls, Salvos. They’re designed for a very specific purpose and outcome. You can break it down, try to learn from it. But you can’t just copy its magic— not even when you’re transcribing another scroll.”

Edithe spoke as she hefted her Bag of Holding over her shoulder. It had been a few days since I returned from Unarith, and now she was fully recovered, ready to tackle the Plaguelands once more. I nodded slowly, back to normal, no longer a Kobold.

“Huh. That makes a lot of sense.”

“It’s a similar thing with enchantments— although they can be copied. But not with scrolls. Those can have their effects replicated, but not if you use the same runes and magical weaving as the original scroll does.”

I conjured the same wisps of flame.

“So… this can’t launch out like mini Fireballs?”

“Not in the same way the Runic Scroll intended.”

My shoulders slumped over. That sucked. I glowered as I followed after my companions. However, Edithe must have noticed my disappointment. She smiled as she gave me a reassuring look.

“Well, I think it’s impressive that you managed to even create this. Who knows? You may find a different use for this spell.”

“...thanks.”

I couldn’t lie and say that didn’t lift my spirits just a little bit. Daniel held up a compass, pointing northeast.

“Are you sure this is the way, Salvos?”

“Yep! I made sure to pay attention to where the sun was!”

I tilted my head up, seeing its current location in the sky. It certainly looked like we were heading in the right direction. I gave him a thumbs-up.

“Yep! We just have to keep going until we enter the Plaguelands. There’ll be a town that’s half-eaten by a blight flower field, a valley we have to cross, and a few other things we’ll spot to know if we’re going the right way.”

We returned back to the Plaguelands, greeted by the green-ish mist that covered the sky, and an arrow to the ground before us. A group of [Skeleton Archers] caught sight of us as we walked in, attacking us immediately before we could even react.

They were not the most dangerous undead, however it was still odd to see them so close to the peripheries of the Plaguelands. Was it because we came in from a different side? It was possible.

I charged the Skeletons, supported my companions from behind. Edithe blasted them with her [Storm of Ice and Fire], while Daniel engaged them with his [Aura of the Sentinel].

I had to leap quickly, closing the distance between us, using [Flame Burst] to snap away from the arrows that curved after me. Some of them even exploded or set the ground on fire. They blurred all around me— some even nicked my skin. But I eventually reached them.

I took them apart quickly. The dangerous part had been avoiding their volley of arrows. Each one not so effective at close range combat. I kept mostly to my [Barrage of Cinders], striking for the Skeletons’ limbs. Their joints were brittle— it was like fighting Golems.

And I could beat Golems relatively easily.

Defeated [Skeleton Archer - Lvl. 100]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

…

Defeated [Skeleton Archer - Lvl. 101]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

“No Ghouls were leading them, huh?”

The ivory bones crunched under my feet as I returned to Edithe, walking alongside Daniel. The red-haired woman shrugged.

“It’s better this way. We’re back here to find the Herald’s Brush and the Totem of Incense. And, um, destroy one of them?”

“The Totem of Incense. But they’ll destroy it themselves. We can keep the Herald’s Brush for ourselves.”

“It’s a good thing too—”

Daniel sighed, rubbing at his shoulders as if they were sore.

“I’m getting tired of this blight.”

Reaching into my sack, I produced a single cleansing flower for my companions to see.

“The blight isn’t going to be too much of a problem for now. Especially since Xidra even gave me this. To avoid… situations like last time.”

Edithe shook her head, speaking in a determined voice.

“It’s fine, Salvos. There’s no need to worry about me. I feel better than ever.”

I eyed the red-haired woman. Usually, I would be dubious of her words whenever she said something like that. But now, I could see that meeting with Xidra had changed something in her. It wasn’t a drastic change— however, it was enough to reassure me.

“Then let’s continue.”

—--

“Huh.”

“Don’t copy me! That’s my line!”

I folded two of my arms, and pointed accusingly at Daniel with one of my free hands. He blinked a few times, before ignoring my comment.

“You really were telling the truth.”

His gaze was fixed on the town. It wasn’t even really much of a town anymore. There were a few decrepit buildings scattered about. It made it quite clear that it was never really a massive population living here— perhaps it was some kind of farming town like Ghostlight had been.

Either way, there was a large wall of green gas cutting halfway through the town. It was like a curtain had been pulled over, abruptly blocking half the stage from view. The blight blanketed over whatever other remains of the town there was, with blight flowers clearly growing on the rotten wood of collapsed houses.

I narrowed my eyes, picking out a few figures lurking within.

“I’m never going back in there.”

Edithe spoke defiantly. I glanced back at her and nodded in agreement.

“Me neither.”

We tried to give the blight flower field a wide berth, warily keeping away from its perimeter so that nothing inside could just launch out and attack us. Unfortunately, that meant we didn’t pay attention to the dead forest to our back.

A Ghoul, leading a group of Skeletons, charged out and attacked us from between the spindly trees. I caught sight of the undead— the thudding footsteps of the bounding Ghoul, as well as the clacking of the Skeletons— before calling out a warning.

“Daniel, Edithe!”

I looked back at the both of them. They were readying their weapons— but behind them, I once again saw the shadows lurking in the blight. I remembered what happened the last time around. It was a bad series of events that led us into the blight flower field. We had been flanked from multiple sides.

It was the Plaguelands. A place that was above our level. Anything could happen. Even if we could have won this fight— it was only a single Ghoul— we might get attacked by something else. So, there was only one smart option to do here.

“Run for it!”

My companions were caught off-guard by what I said. They stopped to exchange a glance, only for me to exasperatedly gesture past them.

“Hello? Are you listening? Run!”

They made a dash away from the charging undead. I spun around, facing the Ghoul down. It moved fast— it had to be at least Level 105. If I used my Greaves of the Wanderer, I could have been able to outrun it. But my companions wouldn’t. So, I just had to distract it for a bit.

Raising a finger, I pointed at the Ghoul as I let out a growl.

[Title Skill: Zealous Call].

I focused only on the Ghoul. Not on the Skeletons or the [Zombies] hiding within the blight. I was not going to call down a horde on me. No— I knew better than that. I just had to draw the Ghoul’s attention. Its Skeletons would bumble after it, and it would leave the other undead in the area out of this.

Activating [Self Haste], I just barely dodged a savage swing from the Ghoul. I circled around it, backing up as its Skeletons came to its side. Then I released a [Flaming Breath], engulfing them in the cone of blue fire.

The Skeletons faltered, but the Ghoul charged right through. It tore through the flames. But I was no longer there. It spun around, seeing me getting further and further away from it with each [Flame Burst]. The Ghoul let out a terrifying shriek— a ring of gray energy shot out towards me, slowing my pace.

I scowled, realizing that the Ghoul would catch up to me at this rate. I grabbed for the strings of mana in the air around me, immediately weaving it into interlinking chains. A scythe’s edge ran down one side of the chains— the Sickle Grenade was far easier to form now that I was used to creating it.

It was just as I had expected. Sure, [Passive - Refined Casting] was useful for the short-term. But in the long-run, I would be able to cast magic at the same level of efficacy as it with time, practice, and experience. Swinging the Sickle Grenade above my head, I tossed it straight at the Ghoul leading the charge. [Title Skill: Zealous Call] was no longer afflicting it, but I was the only visible enemy within its surroundings.

The first blast only sent it stumbling forward, killing a few of its mindless minions. But the second knocked it off the ground— I had quickly created another Sickle Grenade, and threw it at the off-balanced Ghoul. More Skeleton bones went flying through the air as the Ghoul was knocked back.

I felt the curse leaving my body. The Ghoul was slightly hurt— maybe I could finish it off if I continued fighting it for a little longer. However, I didn’t intend on staying separate from my companions for too long. I took the chance I had and made a break for it. After all, I did level up from that encounter.

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 102]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

…

Defeated [Unarmed Skeleton - Lvl. 96]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 89] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 90]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

—--

I returned to my companions not long after. They were glad to see that I was safe, and our journey continued with not many other interruptions. The Plaguelands were dangerous, yes, but it was also vast, and we knew how to avoid unnecessary fights, especially when they hindered our goal.

It was night by the time we found the valley I had seen. I recognized it immediately— since it was where I rested with Xidra before confronting Gexli. With the blight’s effects weaker here, we thought it was a good place to set up camp.

They ate their Human foods and exchanged light conversations. Then Edithe retired to bed, while Daniel wrote for a little bit in his diary. I was studying the Runic Scroll of Starfall, messing with the flame I could conjure, and trying to figure out a practical use for it when the Human man snapped his book shut.

“I’m going to head to bed, Salvos. Please don’t wake us up in the middle of the night with some kind of explosion.”

“Of course I won’t.”

I snorted, letting the dancing fire— now more like a twinkling star than burning wisps making a halo— dissipate.

“You Humans need your sleep, and that’s fine. But if something attacks us, I’ll shout and scream until you’re awake even if you don’t want to.”

He smiled.

“You’ve grown quite a lot, haven’t you? Not only have all your directions been right so far, but you didn’t get lost when you went to draw that Ghouls attention.”

I beamed and raised my chin up.

“I have!”

I eagerly agreed with him. Then I paused. I stared at the Human man, remembering recent events. He raised a brow as I addressed him.

“And you should too, Daniel.”

“Uh, what?”

The Human man was puzzled— or was he only pretending? It was hard to tell. But I turned my gaze towards Edithe, who was sleeping soundly in her bed roll over at the corner of the alcove. I shook my head.

There was nothing I could tell him that would change his mind. I had already made my opinion on the matter clear. So, I just spoke the truth.

“I can understand your apprehension, Daniel. It’d be like if I were to reveal my nature as a Demon to someone like Saffron or Hadrian. I don’t know what will happen.”

He opened his mouth, but I cut him off.

“However— Edithe is your companion as much as she is mine. The both of you have fought alongside each other against a Greater Demon 20 levels above you, and have survived the Plaguelands alone together. It is not like she is someone you can’t trust.”

Hesitating, Daniel shifted on his feet. He chewed his lower lip, speaking softly.

“...I know that, Salvos.”

He sighed, glazing over at the sleeping woman with a sad look. Then he averted his gaze.

“The problem isn’t her, but me. I’m just… afraid.”

Getting to my feet, I placed a hand on his shoulder. A shadow was cast over his face, his gaze now resting on the palm of his hand.

“I know you are.”

I remembered what he told me about his past. About his world. It really was not fair for someone like him to be thrust into this situation. Unfortunately, that didn’t matter.

“However, if you keep hesitating— especially in the most dire of moments— eventually, you will make a fatal mistake. Someone might die. You might die. Do you really want that to happen?”

He was still uncertain— I could see it in his face, in the way he moved back away from me. But at least, this time, he didn’t just avoid the issue.

“I’ll talk to her about it. Not right now. But I promise, I will do it.”

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137. Straight Down

137. Haunt

More days passed as we traversed through the Plaguelands, getting closer and closer to our destination. While we did prioritize speed by avoiding unnecessary fights, we were still heading to a nebulous location. The fact that I knew of some landmarks to keep an eye out for didn’t mean that we were traveling in the exact direction we were supposed to go. Also, we couldn’t run from every fight, even if we really tried.

The Ghouls proved themselves to be rather problematic, chasing us with a speed that I could barely even match at times. We made an effort to avoid Ghouls to the best of our abilities, because if we saw them, we knew we would be forced into a prolonged chase or even a battle.

There were other undead in the Plaguelands that were not as fast as the Ghouls. Skeletons, [Wights], and these [Flesh Scum]— it was the first time I had seen them, and they were like walking corpses if you only removed their skin, each around Level 110— were relatively slow moving, so we didn’t have to fight them. The only other impediment we had to face came from the [Nightscourers].

We didn’t see much of them, but when we did, they came in a swarm. A large flock of [Nightscourers] harassed us for over a day, until we wiped them out entirely. Because of this, I leveled up twice.

Defeated [Ghoul of Fright - Lvl. 106]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

...

Defeated [Nightscourer - Lvl. 101]

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 90] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 91]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 91] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 92]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Perhaps it was because we were deep within the Plaguelands now— the undead we were facing were tougher, each giving more experience. Especially the Ghouls, since they weren’t swarm monsters. So, I felt like I was leveling faster.

The drawback was that each battle was more dangerous than against a group of brittle Skeletons, because not only did we still have to deal with the Skeletons, we also had to deal with the other undead in the Plaguelands. It was a trade-off— increased risks for increased rewards.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 92

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 6

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 4

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 100 (+5)

[Strength]: 80 (+5)

[Endurance]: 85 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 133 (+5) (+6)

[Agility]: 183 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 12

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 5

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 13

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

I raised [Flame Burst] to its max, considering that it was one of my most useful Skills right now. The same went for [Barrage of Cinders] and [Intimidation]. I also progressed in my own magical abilities— not just through leveling, but with what I could do with the spell I had learned. It hovered around me, like some kind of twinkling star.

It was not entirely useful just yet. But I eyed it— its potential— and I knew there was a lot more to learn about it. Dismissing the flaming orb, I turned my attention towards the city before us. Broken buildings jutted out of the ground like dangerous spikes. It had been a proper city once, with a wall that girdled its perimeter, and maybe even a castle’s keep somewhere within.

Maybe it had streets bustling with life, a rich market full of thriving merchants, and an Adventurers Guild where young men and women pursued their dreams of glory and triumph. It might have even had temples scattered throughout it— worshipping the Spirits that were summoned into this plane.

The people living here might have even relied on the adventurers and Spirits to help protect them in the case of a Kobold invasion. The odd-shaped mountain neighboring it would have served as a good natural defense against an attack. Monsters might have lived there, but how was that anything adventurers couldn’t deal with?

Regardless, that was all gone now. What lay before us was a husk of a city. It was in an even worse shape than the towns Lucerna had rampaged through, razed down to nothing but ashes. I had been here once before. However, I was alone and lost. I didn’t really pay much attention to its state back then as I was busy trying to find a way back to Ghostlight.

“This is it.”

I spoke simply, drawing the attention of my companions. The pair exchanged a glance before facing me.

“Are you sure?”

Edithe asked, looking back at the city. I was certain she could see what I saw— the way the blight almost seemed to disappear around the city’s edges. She knew. She just wanted to make sure that I did too.

“I’m certain.”

Stepping forward, I gestured for the two Humans to follow after. They walked at my back without protesting, proof that they trusted my directions, no longer dubious of my navigational skills. Well, I wasn’t exactly all that confident of myself. However, in this case, I knew I was right.

We reached the outer edges of the city undisturbed. No undead lurked around this area. Did it have to do with the lack of blight? Edithe told me that Skeletons and Ghouls and other such undead could exist outside of the Plaguelands. It was just that they were drawn to a blight, like wild Demons to their prey.

I felt the pressure of the unholy magic leave my shoulder— it didn’t make me move slower or make me weaker— it simply made it more tiring for me to do most things. Which wasn’t much of an issue as long as I had a supply of potions. We walked through the empty, broken city, tracing the steps I had taken during that vision. Or… the direction I had flown.

“You said you went underground, didn’t you?”

I turned around as Daniel asked the question. He scratched a hand on his chin, staring down at the stone and debris scattered across the dirt ground.

“Why don’t we just use magic to burrow down?”

Edithe shook her head.

“Firstly, neither Salvos nor I are [Geomancers]. And even if we were, we wouldn’t know where to go. We may just dig straight down and fall off the world.”

Daniel raised a brow. He said nothing. Although I knew what he was thinking— from what he told me about his world, Earth, it was spherical. Meanwhile, the Nexeus was not, and he found it stupid. I didn’t really care either way.

Shrugging, the Human man kicked a pebble aside as he trudged behind us through the desolate streets.

“I just think it’s better than searching through every fallen building for a hole that goes straight down to an underground cavern.”

“I didn’t go down a hole, Daniel.”

I shook my head, stopping right by a still-standing home. I poked at its side— and it collapsed, crumbling into a pile of dust.

“Why do old things always do that?”

“Because they’re old.”

Daniel crossed his arms. He glanced around, sweeping his gaze through the city.

“So, if you didn’t go down a hole, what happened?”

“I was snapped around buildings until I was pulled to the ground. I simply went through— it was a vision, not reality.”

We continued searching, scouring the entirety of the broken city until night fell. When morning came the day after, we finally found the spot I was sucked down.

“This… temple structure… this was what you last saw?”

I glanced around the ruins— there was a pillar standing in one corner. It probably made up one of the foundations of the structure before it collapsed. And the tower I had seen was there too. It reminded me of a minaret, except the architecture was slightly different.

Tilting my head up slightly, I found myself staring at the mountain with a deep depression at the top. The sun was peeking over it, still rising as it was morning.

“Could this have been a Kobold city? Why do they have minarets here, anyway?”

“That’s not a minaret, Salvos.”

Edithe shook her head. She gestured at the tall tower.

“It’s an obelisk. It belongs to the Den of Souls— every one of their temples have an obelisk dedicated to the Spirit Lord. Although, this one seems worn out. The carvings on it too faded. If it wasn’t, you’d be able to see the Spirit Lord in all his majesty on each side.”

“Huh.”

I glanced about.

“Well, this was what I last saw before seeing nothing but darkness. This fallen temple, that obelisk, that weird mountain—”

“Volcano.”

Daniel felt the need to correct me too. I nodded.

“Right. Volcano. And that fallen part of the city’s wall there…”

I continued listing other things that were around us. I only paused as I realized Edithe was no longer listening, her attention fixed to the rising sun. She spoke softly.

“...that’s not a volcano, Daniel.”

The Human man blinked.

“It’s not?”

“Look at its peak— that’s not a caldera nor a crater. That’s a hole.”

She glanced back at him.

“That was done by magic.”

—--

Sure enough, we scaled to the top of the mountain and found a massive pit, falling straight down to total darkness. The three of us glanced between each other. I took a step forward.

“If you guys are too scared, I’ll go down first.”

I conjured the fiery orb, letting it hover by my side as I started climbing down the cliff face. Following my lead, Edithe created a ball of light while Daniel was forced to rely on her magic to even see. He grumbled as he almost slipped, losing his footing.

“Gah— I need my own magic. Or a torch.”

“You know a basic Light spell is easy to learn, right?”

Edithe peered at him, climbing at a slightly slower pace than me.

“You could always pick up a tome and spend a month or two learning it.”

“Or I could use a torch.”

“I wish I had wings.”

I sighed as my companions held their conversation above me. I felt the patter of dust and the occasional pebble hitting my head, but it never was more than a minor hindrance. I paused, having an idea. My body was lit ablaze, and Daniel faced me suspiciously.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

“Trying something out with [Ember Core]!”

The armor slowly receded from most of my body as I focused it on my back. I molded its shape into that of wings— the same ones Hoxle had.

“You can do that?!”

Edithe stared at me, aghast. I looked at my wings.

“I guess so? The question is— do they work?”

“Wait, Salvos no—”

My companions called out at the same time. But they were too slow. I let go of the protruding rocksI had been grabbing onto, leaping down into the deep pit. I tried to move the fiery wings. And they did. But they didn’t flap like the wings of a bird or… wings. It was like they were flailing instead.

Also, they did nothing to slow my descent.

“Huh.”

I felt myself falling faster and faster, the light from Edithe’s spell almost vanishing as only my surroundings were lit up. I quickly created a kusarigama as the hole opened up around me into a larger cave chamber. I tossed the sickle edge of the weapon at the rock wall, grabbing tightly onto the chains with my four arms.

The kusarigama wedged itself deep into the stone as I clung on, pulling myself closer to the sloped earth. I slid down the rest of the way before letting the fire weapon dissipate, landing with a roll.

“That didn’t work.”

Scowling, I let the winged [Ember Core] vanish, returning back to the armored form it usually took on. I waited for my companions to reach the very bottom as well. The pair said nothing, just giving me a judging stare.

“What?”

I looked between both of them. I spread my arms out defensively.

“It was an experiment! Also— I’m Level 92! I never would’ve died from that!”

“Let’s just continue.”

There was only one way to go, and that was through a large passageway leading further down. I was feeling optimistic about it— I remembered seeing a tunneled entrance to the cave chamber that held the Herald’s Brush.

My companions took the lead, to which I begrudgingly allowed. They were too cautious sometimes! Experiments required risks!

Eventually, we found ourselves entering the same massive cavern I had seen in my vision. There were stalactites hanging off the ceiling, with a thin layer of mist filling the cave, almost blocking our vision. We waded our way further in, until we could make out the island sitting in the middle of the lake. I spoke softly.

“There it is.”

“How are we going to make it across?”

Daniel hesitated, shuffling his feet. Edithe and I looked over at him as he averted his gaze.

“I, uh, can’t swim.”

“You can’t?”

The red-haired woman shot him a piercing gaze. He shrunk back.

“I can’t swim well. Maybe I can waddle over— but that’s…”

“Embarrassing.”

Her words cut straight through him. He stumbled back.

“Look— I just never had to learn how to, alright?”

I rolled my eyes, dipping a hand into the water.

“It’s not even that deep, Daniel. It’s kind of shallow, actually. We can just walk across—”

I paused, feet raised and about to step into the lake. My eyes grew wide as my companions turned to me. The words resounded in my head as I took a step back instead, scratching my cheek almost shyly.

“This lake… is going to be a tiny bit tough to cross.”

The pair didn’t even manage to get a word out as the chill ran over us. A kind of frost that cooled at our skin, but didn’t actually freeze our bodies. Instead, it cursed us.

Now Entering [Lair: Haunt of the Wights ].

A note from MelasD

Heya. Once again I would like to plug my patreon here. I'm trying to hit my goal of 1,000 patrons, and would really appreciate if you help me out. Plus, you get to read up to 20 chapters ahead. Thank you!

138. Haunt

138. Haunt

Now Entering [Lair: Haunt of the Wights ].

I grabbed my companions, leaping back away from the pool of water ahead. The words resounded in my head once again, this time telling me that I was leaving the Lair as I felt the curse’s effect dissipate. Daniel and Edithe drew their weapons as I placed them back on the ground, although the confusion was evident on their faces.

“Uh, what’s going on, Salvos?”

“There was a curse, Daniel. But I’m not sure what it was from.”

The pair looked at me, waiting for what I had to say. I fixed my gaze on the lake— there were figures moving in the water, slowly rising up and forming ripples on its surface. I created a Sickle Grenade and pointed at them.

“[Wights]. Look. I’m not sure how many of them are there, but…”

I glanced back at my companions. They were Level 90 and Level 85. We were certainly higher leveled than when we last ran into a group of [Wights], however if memory served, these undead were around Level 110. And it was an entire Lair.

“We need to get ready. They’re coming!”

I hurled the Sickle Grenade forward as the first of the blue creatures dragged itself out of the lake. It had a twisted neck— a disfigured Kobold’s face that hung loosely off its body. It was smaller than even Edithe, and its clawed hands almost dragged on the floor as water dripped from a twitching finger.

The explosion didn’t knock it back, although it sent a pillar of water bursting out of the lake. I could see more of the [Wights] now. None of them looked like the corpse of a Human, each of them bumbling forward almost meticulously towards us.

These were not the first undead Kobold I had seen. However, their size and their original Species mattered not. They were [Wights]. And they had their sights set on us.

[Wight - Lvl 107]

[Wight - Lvl. 110]

[Wight - Lvl. 113]

“Edithe, Daniel!”

The Human man’s [Aura of the Sentinel] flared up, and Edithe blasted the approaching [Wights] with her [Storm of Ice and Fire]. I stepped forward, engulfing the forefront undead with a [Flaming Breath]. However, it walked through the fire like it wasn’t even there and brought a hand out to touch me.

I felt its curse pressing on my shoulders, trying to ground me to the earth. It slowed my movement, a different one form before, not draining my mana. So, they can use different types of curses then? Before it could touch me, I managed to stumble out of the way with [Self Haste] and a proceeding [Flame Burst].

Just as I hit the ground with a thud, the [Wight] swiped its hand at where I stood. The oppressive feeling bogging down my movements vanished. I felt like I could move at full speed again. And suddenly I felt a clawing at my chest. The light from the Ring of Lesser Curse Protection turned into a glare— shining even more so than before— as deep scars formed across my flesh. Black blood trickled down my leg as I grimaced, clutching at the wound.

“Stupid curses!”

I fumbled for a healing potion from my sack and downed it as Daniel stepped forward, engaging that same [Wight]. His blade curved around the undead, avoiding the slashing claws and striking straight at its blue flash. His [Aura of the Sentinel] dissipated for a moment as the weapon blurred, slicing off the undead’s head.

Defeated [Wight - Lvl. 110]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

“One down— and that’s one of my better Skills used!”

The Human man called out as he leapt back, only managing to land a single cut on one of the other approaching [Wights]. I growled, creating a fire bow and a Refined Blazing Bolt from the back.

“There’s over a dozen of them!”

It was a Lair. What else did I expect? I loosed the arrow at one of the lumbering [Wights]. The flames splashed over the undead’s head. Its movements were not slowed, although I could see its neck snap back from the impact.

A second arrow shot out, cutting through the thin layer of mist, setting the ground alight as it sped to the [Wight]. It didn’t come from me. Edithe lowered her staff as her Skill struck the undead, glancing over at me and calling out.

“Salvos— they’re too powerful for our individual Skills!”

“I can see that!”

I yelled as I fired another Refined Blazing Bolt out. The [Wight] actually moved out of the way in time, and the attack blasted another undead behind it. I clicked my tongue, creating another Sickle Grenade instead. That would have hit its mark, even if it did less damage total.

The weapon— my grasp over its magic— vanished. It flickered out of existence as multiple curses struck me at once. It wasn’t the same painful, clawing sensation of before. This one simply messed with my control over magic. It undid the threads of mana weaving together, untying the ribbons that made up the Sickle Grenade.

A [Lightning Orb] blasted the foremost [Wight], followed by Daniel running it through with his sword. The undead crumpled over, dead for good. But its companions pressed on. Edithe ran up to me, grabbing me by the arm as Daniel once again drew away from the [Wights].

“Back up! We’re faster than them— we have to take advantage of what we got!”

“And what is that?”

I narrowed my eyes, facing the red-haired woman. I felt a surge of energy run through me— my mana was not just replenished, but it felt invigorated. As if I could cast spells even beyond my level. Edithe drew her hand back as she spoke.

“Combination casting.”

“Huh.”

“Now hurry!”

The three of us continued to back away from the [Wights], keeping a good distance away from them as Edithe and I hurled spells their way. Every time they got close enough to inflict their curses upon us, we relocated much further back. It was almost simple; the [Wights] couldn’t move fast. It was like they were Infant Demons, slowly crawling towards us.

The problem was that they were relentless. Only one fell each time they caught up to us. It was like the darkness of night, it encroached on the day, no matter what we did to try and stop it. The [Wights] came, even as we fled back down the tunnel.

Edithe supported me as I loosed Refined Blazing Bolts down at the [Wights]. These ones didn’t just shine brilliantly, lighting up the cavern as they soared at their targets. They cut through the air, their white light bouncing off the walls, revealing their almost jagged edges. And unlike previous iterations of the spell, this one didn’t just pierce my enemies. They combusted— setting them ablaze with white flames.

Another [Wight] fell. I downed mana potion after mana potion— and so did the woman. We were careful not to push ourselves too hard. Neither of us wanted to get mana potion poisoning. Especially Edithe. Not again.

“Dead end, coming up!”

I called out as I glanced back. The [Wights] had pushed us all the way back to where we started. Right at the bottom of the pit, where I had landed. Enough time had passed that I was able to send another [Flaming Breath] down the tunnel. With all the undead clumped up together, I could catch them all with one single attack.

They were starting to falter. Their numbers were down to the single digits. But we were exhausted. I couldn’t even escape the blunt strike from one of the [Wights] after I used my Skill.

It knocked me back, tearing straight through my Ring of Lesser Protection. Then I felt the after effects crush my body— another kind of curse that broke one of my arms. My Ring of Lesser Curse Protection was no longer active. All my protections, apart from [Ember Core], were gone.

And even then, I was struggling to keep up that Skill. Once it broke, I would have nothing left. I staggered over to my companions, popping a healing potion open and pouring it over my wounds. Daniel covered me as I did, swinging wildly at the trudging [Wights].

Edithe ran over to my side, helping me back and raising her staff.

“Get back!”

She called out to the Human man. He was quick to follow her orders. Hurrying after us, he exited the stone passageway to the cave opening. What awaited us was a cliff’s face— a long way up through a vertical incline. We’d have to climb to even get out of here.

Edithe let go of me, keeping her staff aimed at the tunnel. She closed her eyes as icy wisps gathered around its tip. The entire room grew cold. A chill crept down her arm, covering it with a thin layer of sleet. The spell finally coalesced as she shouted its name.

“[Shield of the Misty Lord]!”

The [Wights] progress was halted. The tunnel was blocked by a thick wall of ice. It took the shape of a badge, the same kind the Adventurers Guild would give out for each rank. A glow left its center, red light branching out to the edges like a spider web crack.

Edithe glanced over at Daniel and I, panting heavily.

“That won’t hold them off for long. We have to flee, climb out of here before they break through.”

“But the Herald’s Brush—”

I started, but was cut off as Edithe shook her head.

“We’ll just have to return later. When we’re more prepared— fuck, how many [Wights] were there?”

“Too many for us to handle. It’s a Lair. Salvos, Edithe is right. There’s no point in taking unnecessary risks now.”

I hesitated, looking over at where the [Wights] were. Edithe’s Skill was still up. It would hold for a moment longer. However—

“They won’t stop coming. They’ll give chase. We’ll keep fleeing. And we might run into more undead.”

“We have no other choice, Salvos.”

Edithe placed a hand on my shoulder. But I was adamant. I placed a hand on my sack, pulling out a thin object.

“There is still a way.”

She blinked as she saw the rolled-up piece of parchment.

“You’re going to use the Runic Scroll of Starfall… here?”

“That’s right. There’s no point in keeping this scroll if I’m never going to use it when it’s needed. And right now—”

A crack— a proper crack formed on the surface of the ice. The red glow flickered, wavering from the banging by the [Wights].

I looked up at the far climb, then back ahead of us. I unfurled the scroll as the glyphs and sigils in it lit up.

“Now’s the time to use it.”

Edithe wanted to protest. I wasn’t sure why she was so against using the High Grade artifact.

“Even if you use it now, there may still be more [Wights] in the Lair!”

I shrugged.

“And there may be more [Wights] waiting for us aboveground. Everything has its risks. I’m taking mine.”

The [Shield of the Misty Lord] shook. The flailing of the [Wights] did more than just chip away at its exterior. Their powerful blows sent a trembling through the earth, chipping off pieces of the rock wall along with the ice.

My Runic Scroll of Starfall shone with a scintillating light. The sketchings on its paper began to overlay themselves into reality, forming a complex, almost lattice-like pattern in front of me. The ice wall broke, its glow vanishing as tendrils of mist poured in with the [Wights]. I opened my mouth—

And Daniel sighed. He stepped past me before I could cast the spell. His sword was drawn, held out at his side. I quickly stopped the scroll from doing anything as he rested his palm on his forehead.

“You know, Salvos, you really like to embarrass me, don’t you?”

“What are you doing? Are you crazy—”

I paused as he held my gaze. The [Wights] came slowly at him from behind, but I said nothing. I realized what he was doing— why he stood before me.

Edithe didn’t get it. She tried to rush forward. I stopped her as Daniel spun around, taking a deep breath and raising his blade.

“Salvos, let go of me— what is he…?”

“Edithe. There is something I must admit: I haven’t been completely honest with you. It’s a lie— a white lie, perhaps. But one that has nearly cost our lives many times. I lied because I was scared. Because I was afraid of what could happen. However, I will not run any longer. Because—”

His sword was wrapped in an incandescent sheen that could be seen from even the top of the mountain. It wasn’t just some fancy aura. It exuded power. One that even my greatest Skills couldn’t match. Closing his eyes as the first [Wight] reached for him, Daniel let out a deep breath.

“Because I am a [Hero].”

He blurred forward as Edithe’s eyes grew wide. A grin spread across my face as he swung his glowing blade, striking three of the mighty undead at once.

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

A note from MelasD

Heya. Once again I would like to plug my patreon here. I'm trying to hit my goal of 1,000 patrons, and would really appreciate if you help me out. Plus, you get to read up to 20 chapters ahead. Thank you!

139. The Hero

139. The Hero

A brilliant light overcame Daniel’s long sword. Its silver edge was wreathed by ribbons of a glowing aura. It coiled up to the tip of the blade, radiating power as it covered the weapon in its entirety. With a single swing, the [Hero] sliced apart three [Wights].

The powerful, mighty undead that had pressed us this far. The ones that moved like an indomitable and relentless force. They were killed in an instant.

There was a ringing in my head. The notification that the undead were slain tolled like a bell, marking their true deaths. It resounded with an echo as the streak of white light slashed forward, its energy dissipating from the initial attack, but still reaching out and pushing the other [Wights] back.

The scattering specks of glowing aura tore into the skin of the undeads. They reeled from the attack— more than they ever had from my [Flaming Breath]. Edithe stared on, mouth hanging agape at the onslaught unleashed with a single Skill.

The Skill of a [Hero].

I took a step forward, creating a Sickle Grenade. However, as the blue embers coalesced into my hand, Daniel leapt back and raised his sword.

“[The Will of the Hero]!”

His voice boomed throughout the cavern. He sounded different— like he was not the same person I knew. There was something in his words that drew me forward. It empowered me, giving me a surge of strength and determination.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 100 (+5) (+10%)

[Strength]: 80 (+5) (+10%)

[Endurance]: 85 (+5) (+10%)

[Wisdom]: 133 (+5) (+6) (+10%)

[Agility]: 183 (+5) (+10%)

I moved faster— my magic wove together as if I were some kind of master seamstress, working the threads of mana delicately and efficiently to create the explosive weapon. It blazed with the fury of the stars itself. I didn’t even realize that I hadn’t just created the Sickle Grenade by itself. I pulled the flames from the orb hovering around me— stealing its wisps to create something new.

The vigor I felt was electric. A hand rested on my shoulder. Edithe straightened, giving me a nod as I held the Refined Sickle Grenade above my head. My visioned fixed on the [Wights] befre us. There were still half a dozen of them left. I hurled the projectile at them, not letting go of the chains. The sickled edge detached from the fiery links, launching at the undead.

A powerful blast engulfed the [Wights], swallowing them in the blue flames like it was the deepest depths of the ocean. As the inferno raged before me, I held up the chains still clung onto in my hand. It morphed, shifting forms, as if it were growing another blade at its end.

This second Refined Sickle Grenade formed itself far faster than the first. However, just as I was about to toss it at the undead once again, I saw Daniel stepping forward. He met the [Wights] in battle, [Aura of the Sentinel] shining brighter than it ever did. This was his Skill. The Skill of a [Hero].

I let go of the Refined Sickle Grenade. I didn’t want to catch him with my attack. So, instead, I let the spell disperse. It receded back into the small, twinkling orb of flame it came from. It hovered around me, circling me slowly as it took on another shape. I dashed forward, leaving Edithe behind to support my other companion.

The dancing wisp expanded— it grew longer, into the vague shape of an arrow. The Refined Blazing Bolt hung in the air above me, following me as I leapt into battle. It had no bow to guide it. The bowstrings that normally held it were replaced by the mana twines, suspending it in the air as I manipulated it with my fingers.

The Refined Blazing Bolt snapped around me as I tugged the magic forward. It lanced out at a [Wight], boring a deep gash on its side before it flew back, spinning around my shoulders and launching forward again like a slingshot. I didn’t even have to get close to the undead. I could keep them at bay with the spell— it zipped around me like a fly, striking at anything that got too close.

At one point, one of the [Wight]’s managed to close the gap between us. I raised a hand and called the Refined Blazing Bolt back at me. It flew back to my hands, already changing shape back into a kusarigama. But it was not an ordinary kusarigama— its flames were white, the same as the Refined Blazing Bolt. I swung the weapon at the undead’s head. It didn’t even leave behind a cut— it was like it burned straight through their skin.

However, that didn’t stop the [Wight] from inflicting me with its curse. I leapt back, feeling the mana rapidly drain from my body. Before the feeling could sink in for long, I saw a tendril of fire snap forward and actually knock the [Wight] back.

“[Fiery Riposte]!”

Edithe nodded at me, and I grinned. Daniel ran his sword through the falling undead, leaving only a single [Wight] left in the battlefield. He stood across from it, holding his long sword out to the side as he glimmered with a golden aura. There was only one enemy left.

And I was not going to let him get that last kill. The Human man stepped forward as I charged it from behind.

A black light overlayed itself on top of my white flames— the darkness that shone with a violent intensity formed a blade as I leapt at the [Wight]. [Flame Burst] brought me next to it in an instant. I bared my teeth at it, bringing the kusarigama down straight at its head.

“You’re mine— [Radiant Slash]!”

The undead made a hollow noise as it died. It sounded like air escaping from a small tunnel. With that final breath, it collapsed to the ground, sheared completely in half. I grinned, spinning the kusarigama in my hand as I turned around.

It was just Daniel, Edithe, and I now. The [Wights] were defeated. They lay dead all around us. There was nothing left— nothing but an eerie silence. I glanced between my companions, realizing that neither of them were looking at each other.

Daniel shuffled his feet uncomfortably as he sheathed his sword. He opened his mouth as if he had something to say, but nothing came out. Edithe drew her lips into a thin line, wiping the sweat off her brow. Finally, she sighed.

“Well, that was dramatic.”

—--

Defeated [Wight - Lvl. 112]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Wight - Lvl. 108]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Skill [Star Forge] Learned!

Experience is awarded for learning a Skill!

Cleared [Lair: Haunt of the Wights]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 92] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 93]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 93] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 94]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 94] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 95]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

After a brief [Rest], I got back on my feet and inspected my Status. I had leveled three times from this encounter— it wasn’t the most dangerous fight I had ever gotten in. However, it was certainly difficult due to how resilient they were, and how powerful each strike they landed was. We managed to avoid their curses and their chilling touches— which, according to Edithe, was very deadly.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 95

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 6

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 4

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 100 (+5)

[Strength]: 80 (+5)

[Endurance]: 88 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 136 (+5) (+6)

[Agility]: 192 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 0]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 15

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

I maxed out [Flaming Breath] and [Radiant Slash], while raising [Ember Core] up to 15 Skill Points. As for my Stats, I distributed my available points to [Endurance], [Wisdom], and [Agility]. With that settled, I focused on the Skills I had available.

I had two. The first was [Horror’s Flare]. I already knew I had that Skill from when I leveled up. But I had another Skill now. A new one I learned, which came about from studying magic and experimenting. It was [Star Forge]— or the orb hovering around me.

I brought a clawed hand up, tapping it against the blazing wisp of ember. It didn’t feel hot— it was almost like a liquid, with sparks splashing off as I pressed my finger through it. It was interesting that I was awarded a Skill for something I was able to create by myself. Although, that was how it worked with [Fire Strike], wasn’t it?

Maybe if I had available slots, I’d have added it to my array of Skills. Unfortunately, I did not. So, for now, it remained an unused Skill. Just like [Horror’s Flare]. I wonder what it even does. I probably would never find out.

I approached my companions who were seated across from each other, backs resting on the opposite rock walls of the tunnel. Plopping myself in between them, I listened to their soft conversation.

“So… you’re a [Hero]?”

Daniel shifted slightly as Edithe asked the question.

“I am.”

He met her gaze as he spoke. I glanced over at Edithe too. She had heard him call out his Skills— she had experienced the incredible boost to our Stats from one of his [Hero] abilities. And yet, it was only starting to sink in for her.

“I see.”

The red-haired woman drew her knees into her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She said nothing more, and I turned back to Daniel. He opened his mouth, trying to work his jaw. He managed to fix its hinges as he steeled himself. With a deep breath, he spoke out.

“I didn’t mean to lie to you, Edithe. I know I should’ve said something sooner— however, I was used when I first came into this world. Because I was a [Hero]. I thought that… that if I told you, you’d start to see me differently. That you’d use me too.”

His explanation seemed to fall on deaf’s ears. Edithe didn’t visibly react. Her face was shadowed over. The Human man bit his lower lip.

“I know you wouldn’t do that. It was just an irrational fear I had. And even after Salvos kept prodding me about it, I… I was just scared.”

That was it, really. Daniel might have been a [Hero] now. But he was not born one. From what I heard of the Immortal King Alexander, the Oracle of Light Melissa, and the Quisling Zacharius, they were brave, they were mighty, and they were an unwavering force even in the face of their enemies.

Daniel was… nothing like them. Not right now. Perhaps he could be like them in the future. Right now though— he was a coward.

No. I shook my head, correcting myself. He’s an ordinary Human, out of his depth in another world. That was why I made that contract to bring him home.

Nevertheless, he was a [Hero] with powerful Skills. I never knew he had more Skills than just his [Hero’s Slash]! And he endangered our lives on more than one occasion by not using them, just because he was scared. Sure, we made it out of those situations— debatably— just fine in the end. However, there was always the possibility that one of us died, and he could have done something about it.

Daniel realized this as well. I had spoken to him about it, and he knew the consequences of his inaction. Gritting his teeth, he turned away from Edithe, almost shame-faced.

“I know it’s not any excuse—”

And Edithe sighed. It was not a heavy sigh— not one of disappointment. Instead, it was one of relief. She swung her head back, resting her palm on her forehead.

“You’re really a [Hero], aren’t you?”

The Human man blinked. He gave a hesitant answer..

“I am.”

She chuckled, shaking her head.

“All this time I thought I was— but I’ve actually just been competing with a [Hero] and a Demon. Honestly… Xidra was right, wasn’t she?”

Edithe stood up, back straighter than it ever was before. Wiping a single tear from one eye, she fixed a confident look on the Human man. A smile spread across her lips as she spoke.

“Thank you, Daniel. For telling me the truth. And for saving our lives back there.”

She placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a nod. Daniel stared at her. She just laughed once more.

“A [Hero] and a Demon. And I’ve been keeping up with them…”

“You’re not… mad at me?”

He was perplexed. I was too! I eagerly agreed with him.

“That’s right! You’re not mad at him?!”

“Why would I be?”

She glanced between us, genuine confusion on her face. I exasperatedly gestured his way.

“He’s a [Hero]! He has super [Hero] Skills! But because he’s scared you might find him out, he decided to hide it from you even when we needed it, like with Lucerna and the [Zombies]!”

“Uh, actually I did use [Hero’s Slash] during the fight with Lucerna—”

“Not the point!”

I glared at him before facing Edithe.

“He could’ve just used his [The Will of the Hero] Skill from the very beginning! There was no need for us to exhaust ourselves, risking our lives just because he was scared!”

“We’d still be risking our lives, Salvos. We might’ve been overconfident if he had just given us that boost right from the start. In every battle, any of us can die, even if we have a [Hero] on our side.”

I shrunk back a little bit.

“I know that, but… but he could’ve reduced that risk.”

Shrugging, she started down the tunnel, headed for the cave chamber ahead.

“Maybe. But what’s passed has passed. We didn’t die— sure, there were some close calls. Now though, he has told me the truth. And I’m just glad that I haven’t actually been falling behind. No— not to you, and not to him.”

I watched her as she disappeared in the shadows up ahead. Daniel and I exchanged a glance. The Human man made a sound of relief.

“That… went a lot better than I expected.”

I scowled.

“I’m still mad at you.”

“You can give me an earful later— let’s hurry after her.”

—--

We cautiously made our way through the cloudy water, making sure that there were no [Wights] left hiding in wait for us. The Lair was gone— although we already knew that— and the mist filling the massive cavern was starting to subside.

“All this means is that you could have told Edithe about it earlier!”

“I know, I know.”

“And what even was that Skill, [The Will of the Hero]? We could’ve used it when we were in the Brilsum Ruins!”

“I only got it when I hit Level 70, Salvos. With each Class advancement, I get a new [Hero] Skill. I can’t change them once it’s been chosen, but they also don’t use up a Skill slot.”

I threw all four of my hands up into the air.

“Seriously? That’s so unfair!”

He glowered.

“You’re not one to talk— you’re a Demon.”

“Both of you, shush.”

Edithe glanced back at us, rolling her eyes.

“I swear, you two argue like children sometimes.”

She waded her way out of the water, onto the island at the center of the small lake. I followed right after her, feeling my wet feet sink into the white sand. I focused on the object protruding from the earth just ahead of us.

“There it is.”

The treasures we came for. What was left behind by the Scale Guardians. The thing that could rid the land of the blight plaguing it.

“The Herald’s Brush—”

My eyes narrowed as they settled onto the ‘corpse’ grasping tightly to the first artifact.

“And the Totem of Incense.”

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140. Skills and Stuff

140. Skills and Stuff

[Totem of Incense: Mythical Grade - ???]

“Is this really the Totem of Incense?”

“It has to be.”

I grunted as I pulled the statue-like figure of a Kobold out of the ground. The sand and dirt covering it fell to the side in a deluge— it had been buried deep into the earth, and it took a bit of effort to yank it out.

“I mean, I identified it, and it’s called the Totem of Incense.”

I propped it up so that it would stand upright. It was about the size of a Kobold, meaning that it was just about three quarters of my height. About a head or two shorter than Daniel. However, that didn’t mean it wasn’t still heavy.

It probably had color once. Now though, it was all faded away, leaving behind a white figure with stains that came from time and erosion. Yet, I could sense the powerful magic within it. I knew— beyond just the fact that I couldn’t see what Grade artifact it was— that it was what Xidra said it was.

The Totem of Incense held the Herald’s Brush in its hands. It was clutched tightly to its chest, almost like a spear. I pulled the second artifact out, identifying it clearly this time.

[Herald’s Brush: Epic Grade Item - A brush that will cleanse the earth, the sea, and the sky from any impurities. Its effects are not permanent, however it does not require an exorbitant amount of mana to wield.]

“This is much lighter.”

I waved it around— the feathers at its tip swaying gracefully about, despite my rough handling of it. I spun it around my back, before jamming its dull edge into the earth.

“Yep— I’ll be carrying this. Daniel, you’ll carry the Totem of Incense.”

The Human man blinked. I crossed two of my arms as the other two held onto the Herald’s Brush.

“You’re a strong, [Hero], aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but—”

“Didn’t you get a Skill just for that at Level 40?”

He scratched his cheek.

“Uh, that’s [Passive - Hero’s Strength].”

“That’s right! You get some huge bonus to your [Strength]! So, you carry it!”

He sighed, reluctantly picking up the Totem of Incense. It didn’t seem that heavy when he hefted it over his shoulder. I nodded smugly as I watched him take a step forward.

And the entire Kobold figure disappeared. I stared at him.

“What?”

“What?”

He looked back at me, perplexed. I opened my mouth, trying to wrench some words out of it, but Edithe spoke up first.

“You have a Dimensional Storage Unit?!”

She took a step forward, her eyes lighting up. The Human man hesitated.

“Uh, yeah. It was given to me by the Elutra Kingdom when I was first summoned. I use it to keep anything important.”

“What is its capacity? What Grade is it? Wait, is it anchored onto that necklace around your neck?”

“That’s my Necklace of Greater Obfuscation. The Dimensional Storage Unit is this pen here.”

“This is… and what is its capacity?”

“It can hold up to 200 individual items at a time, although—”

He held up the object for Edithe to inspect, and the red-haired woman gushed over it. I watched on for a while, feeling my annoyance build up.

“Aren’t you supposed to be mad at Daniel, Edithe?”

I glared at the [Hero] as I spoke. I gestured at the pen, then vaguely behind us where the dead [Wights] lay. The mist filling the cave chamber had slowly dissipated. I could see much more clearly now.

“Not only is he a [Hero], but he hid all these cool things from us! Our life could’ve been so much easier up until this point!”

Daniel shrunk back. Edithe drew her lips into a thin line.

“Well, that’s definitely true.”

She glanced between Daniel and me.

“Look, we’ll scold him later. For now, we should just leave this place.”

“Fine.”

I scowled, turning around. I paused as my companions began after me. Then I doubled back and loomed over Daniel. He apprehensively met my gaze.

“Y-yes, Salvos?”

“Here!”

I pushed the Herald’s Brush into his arms. He stared at the golden, gleaming item.

“Store it in your stupid thingy! I’m not going to carry it!”

“...that’s fair.”

He didn’t protest any further.

—--

We returned back up to the top of the mountain, where the crater was located. It was now night. The sun had fallen, and my companions needed to rest and set up camp before we could traverse through the Plaguelands once more.

Daniel talked about his world, Earth, telling Edithe all about it as I listened to the side. I had heard most of this before. So, I wasn’t impressed. Meanwhile, the red-haired woman was fascinated by almost all facets of his old life.

“You mean that everyone owns an artifact that can double the speed of a [Beast Master]’s horse in their homes?”

“Well, not everyone— and only a few cars can travel that fast. But yes, that’s right.”

She stared at him with round eyes. It was like when Rachel found out Daniel was a [Hero]. Even though Edithe was an adult, their reactions were not much different. As if they were caught in some kind of a spell.

Daniel went on to list out all the things his world didn't have, which seemed to break Edithe from the illusion she was in. I rolled a few rocks around on the ground as I snorted.

“See? His world isn’t that amazing. I think the Netherworld is much better.”

The pair turned to face me, giving me a blank look.

“You don’t actually believe that.”

“You’re right, I don’t.”

As much as I hated to admit it, I was curious about this world of Daniel’s. I would like to visit it one day. Maybe once I reached Level 100 and received my Class, I ‘d be able to just cross worlds whenever I wanted. I could check out Earth for a bit once I dropped him off, maybe take a trip in one of these “planes” Daniel talked about— the ones that could fly across the seas.

“If you’re able to cross worlds, wouldn't you probably be able to fly by yourself at that point?”

“Yep, so?”

I stared at Daniel who seemed bewildered for whatever reason.

“Uh, nevermind.”

“It would be cool to have wings, but I also think it’s cool to fly on a plane! What don’t you get, Daniel?”

I scoffed, tapping a clawed finger on a rock. He didn’t say anything in return. After both Humans had their fill from dinner, Daniel went on to scribble in his diary with a relieved look on his face, while Edithe sat next to me as I played with my Star Forge. Or rather, it was just an orb of fire right now.

“Can I see that?”

The red-haired woman peered curiously at the magic. I beamed, showing it to her proudly. It floated next to her, not changing shape, but remaining an inert sphere for her to study.

“Interesting. It’s far more condensed than before. It’s almost like a ball of cloth— one which you can unravel and change into any shape you want.”

Nodding, I poured some magic into the orb, making it change shape. A ripple ran through the white surface. Spikes jutted out in all directions before it receded into a smaller ball. Then finally, it expanded.

A white scythe landed on my open hands. It felt solid in my fingers, but the flames wisping off it ran like water. It dripped blazing embers from the tip of the blade and the butt of the pole. The fire did not touch the ground. It simply vanished the moment after it fell. Just like the cinders from a campfire.

“Ta-da!”

I presented the weapon to Edithe. She ran a finger down the scythe, closely inspecting it.

“This is… a Lesser Grade Weapon.”

“It is!”

“You can create Lesser Grade Weapons now. Out of magic.”

“It’s amazing, right?”

Edithe drew back, placing a hand on her chin.

“That is certainly incredible. And the flames are white, even though your Passive only lets you create blue flames.”

“I’ll be honest, I don’t know what that Skill even does.”

I paused, and quickly amended my statement.

“Other than the obvious, of course.”

“Right. Well, from what I’ve learned, magical flames have different tiers to them. It’s in the same way adventurers have different ranks. Red flames conjured by magic are usually considered to be the weakest from starting [Mages], with white flames being the kind used by Diamond Ranks.”

“What about golden and black flames?”

“There are some exceptions, and those are two of them.”

“Huh.”

I never really thought about it that much. They just looked colorful and pretty to me! I let the Star Forge dissipate. It wasn’t a Skill, so keeping it up for protracted periods of time was a little difficult. Also, since I no longer had the Stat boost from Daniel’s [The Will of the Hero], I found it more taxing to maintain than before.

“What should I do with this Skill, anyway? Should I try replacing one of my lesser-used Skills with it?”

“I think you should just keep it for now.”

Edithe replied after a moment’s thought.

“Unused Skills do advance with Class advancements, almost like your regular Skills. Of course, it’s not guaranteed. You’ll always have to meet some kind of criteria to have a Skill change into something similar and better.”

I tilted my head up slightly, facing the night sky, twinkled by the stars above.

“So, both [Star Forge] and [Horror’s Flare] could become useful Skills I could use in the future?”

“Possibly.”

“Why didn’t anyone tell me this?!”

I sputtered, realizing how many Skills I tested and wasted. Edithe shrugged.

“Again, it’s a rare thing. But for something you’ll likely be using as often as Star Forge, I’m sure it’ll advance along with you.”

Scowling, I grumbled about the wasted potential. Well, sure, most of the Skills I discarded were not nearly as good as any of the Skills I had now. But they could be! Edithe smiled, looking at me weirdly.

“Honestly, Salvos, there’s still so much for you to learn. Magic has almost no limits as long as you keep practicing and improving. While you can grow faster with Classes or evolutions, they make you complacent, reliant on their abilities. Take your Runic Scroll of Starfall for example. While it is good that you have a scroll on hand that could cast magic above your level, wouldn’t it be better if you just knew the spell yourself?”

“I know that! All you [Mages] keep saying the same thing. First Saffron, then you, and then you again.”

She rolled her eyes, although she didn’t grace the quip with a response.

“While you’re growing really quickly, you need to slow down eventually. Otherwise, all your faults and your flaws will catch up to you. Look all around us.”

I stared at Daniel. The Human man was yawning, looking like he would fall asleep at any moment. Edithe grabbed my head and pivoted it around.

“I meant this crater. What do you think caused this?”

“You said it was done by magic.”

“That’s right. But it’s not done by just any magic. It was done by a Skill.”

She ran a hand through the rocks. I narrowed my eyes.

“How do you know that?”

“It’s too uniform. You can sense the mana in the air. The remnants of its blast. It was not spread out, in some kind of haphazard blast. That’s what magical Skills do. They regulate the outcome of the spell. However, with magic of this calibre, how long do you think it will take before whoever who caused this could use the Skill again?”

“A day?”

I wagered a random guess. Edithe shook her head.

“It could be a day. Or it could be a week, or a month, or maybe sometimes even a year.”

“That’s a thing?”

I felt my jaw drop.

“They’re rare. But the Immortal King Alexander was said to have a Skill that could level an entire country. And it was one he could only use once a year.”

She stood up, starting in the direction of her bedroll. Daniel was already in his, cozily tucked in, passing out the moment he closed his eyes. The red-haired woman glanced back at me.

“Sure, this Skill, whatever it was, managed to destroy the top of a mountain. According to Xidra, it was the Lich who killed the Kobolds transporting the Totem of Incense and the Herald’s Brush, and he was also probably the one to turn them into [Wights]. However, what would have happened if that one Skill wasn’t enough to defeat them all? What, then?”

I opened my mouth, but she cut me off.

“You don’t have to give an answer. I don’t have one either. However, it’s a delicate balancing act, and while you’re doing fine so far, what happens if you make a mistake in the future? It’s just something for you to think about.”

With those words, Edithe went to sleep, leaving me alone, the only one ever awake at night. What she told me made sense; I believed that was why I could still beat Daniel in a fight, even when he was close to my level. I fought him twice, and I won twice.

Daniel. A [Hero].

He was inexperienced, and his Class gave him too many advantages to properly gain those natural abilities and instincts when it came to fighting. Even with his current Skills, I was certain I could beat him in a fight if we were ever forced to do battle again. And if we removed both our Skills— I knew I could kill him easily.

As for Edithe, even if she had no Skills, she was still a dangerous fighter. She had proven it not long before, when she hadn’t advanced her Class yet. I should slow down eventually, especially with how risky it was to fight monsters and undead far above my level.

“...maybe I should go to magic school.”

I mused to myself. I glanced around— at my sleeping companions, then at the sky and the blight in the distance.

“But only after we return from the Plaguelands.”

All we had left to do was bring the Totem of Incense to Xidra, and we were done, right?

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141. Pricks

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141. Pricks

“Take this!”

My voice was carried with the wind as I swung the Herald’s Brush with all my strength. It created a gust, a powerful whirlwind which amplified my words, creating an echo that resounded in my ears over and over again.

“Take— this— take— this—”

The fan-head of the artifact was overcome with an ethereal light. The air current spiraling wildly began to sharpen its path. What was nothing more than a blur before became more defined— I could see the strong gust cutting apart the distorted strands of mana that was the blight. And slowly, they wove back together in place, being restored back to what they once were.

“Ha! Take that!”

I pumped a fist in the air, repeating my cheer. The pressure on my shoulder slowly dissipated. My actions were no longer hindered by the foul spell that had corrupted the land. Glancing back at my companions, I grinned.

“Did you see that? I beat it up!”

The pair exchanged a look.

“We did, yes.”

“Good job, Salvos, you defeated nothing!”

“It’s not nothing!”

I sputtered and crossed two of my arms. I waved my remaining two hands through the air, tugging at the mana strands as if it was something he could see. He couldn’t.

“I cleared the blight.”

“And the blight isn’t a living thing. Also, you didn’t do it, the Herald’s Brush did.”

Daniel wore a straight face as he made his retort. I glared at him, but Edithe started past the both of us.

“You two can bicker as we walk. Come on, we have a long way to go.”

I followed after her with a scowl, sticking a tongue out at Daniel. He pointedly ignored me as we settled back into the Plaguelands, traversing through the dangerous, blight-filled zone of the dead. Except, now we had a way to combat its invasive blight.

I grinned as I clutched the Herald’s Brush tightly in one hand.

—--

Our journey back to Unarith was not as long or arduous as our trip to retrieve the treasures of the Scale Guard was. Not only were all of us higher leveled now, we also had two distinct advantages we didn't have before: the first was the obvious use of the Herald’s Brush to clear the blight whenever we fought, and the second was Daniel the [Hero].

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

The Human man sliced the bounding [Ghoul] in half. Its tough skin was sheared through ,just like that. Previously, I had thought that maybe my [Radiant Slash] was comparable to his [Hero]’s Skill, but I realized now just how much more powerful his was to mine.

I ripped apart a [Skeleton Warrior], and with a [Flame Burst], landed next to a group of [Skeleton Archers]. I spun around, [Barrage of Cinders] active as I sent the undead flying. An arrow whizzed past me. I barely ducked under it, only to see it flying straight back at me at thrice the speed.

I brought a hand out as an orb hovered into my palms. It shifted, morphing forms into my own bow and arrow. I danced around the oncoming projectile as it continued trailing after me, before firing a Refined Blazing Bolt back at it.

The two arrows clashed mid air. There was a spark— a flash of light from the collision. While my Refined Blazing Bolt was a powerful spell, these were Level 105 Skeletons. They were no pushovers.

I still managed to finish off the last of the [Skeleton Archers]. With Edithe’s help, I managed to get out of the battle taking little damage from them.

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 105]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

…

Defeated [Skeleton Archer - Lvl. 104]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 95] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 96]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“Here you go.”

I handed the Herald’s Brush back to Daniel. The Human man placed a hand on it, frowning.

“Are you sure you want me to store it? It’d be a hassle, summoning it every single time we get into battle.”

“I already expended all of its uses today, so it’s fine.”

Waving a hand off, I gave him a reassuring nod. He shrugged, and the artifact vanished a mere second later.

While the Herald’s Brush was an Epic Grade Item, it had its limits too. I found that out a few days ago, when I tried to use it to clear a blight flower field, but its magic ran out. It wasn’t a per-use thing— rather, it depended entirely on how much blight it would have to clear.

Perhaps that was why it was considered inferior to the Totem of Incense. Its effects were temporary. Even if I purified a certain area now, the blight would slowly encroach back on it. It wasn’t the same with that fallen city we came from— that was likely the result of the Totem of Incense.

We pressed on, making our way back towards Unarith. It had been a week, and I only leveled once— mostly due to Daniel hogging all of the experience. The Human man no longer wore his Necklace of Obfuscation, and I finally got to see his level.

He was… lower leveled than me, as I expected. But much to my surprise, he was not that much higher leveled than Edithe.

[Hero - Lvl. 93]

In fact, considering Edithe’s currently level, he was right in the middle of Edithe and I.

[Mage - Lvl. 89]

Her progress since we arrived in the Plaguelands had been tremendous. However, especially recently, she was leveling at a rate that even I found impressive. That was unlike Daniel, who despite all his advantages, could barely keep up with me.

Since Edithe now knew that Daniel was a [Hero], I didn’t have to hold anything back when admonishing him.

She just laughed as she watched us exchange quips. Shaking her head, she muttered under her breath.

“A Demon and a [Hero]. Honestly…”

—--

We finally reached Unarith a few days later. I transformed back into my Mortal Form, taking the shape of a Kobold once more. I wrapped my tail around my waist, putting on the robes I had been given over my ripped Cloak of Shadows.

Well, at this point, it was no longer even a Cloak of Shadows; it was just some rags with a bit of residual magic left inside of it.

“This is… heavy.”

I held up the Totem of Incense, feeling my sharp teeth bite into my scales.

“Do I just carry this in?”

“Use this.”

Edithe handed me a Bag of Holding. I blinked.

“Can this even fit inside of it?”

“It can. I’ve emptied out most of everything I kept inside of it. Trust me.”

Dubiously, I tried fitting the Kobold-like totem into the mouth of the sack. Much to my surprise, it sank right in. It stretched unusually large before shrinking back to its regular size. I picked up the Bag of Holding, feeling its weight.

“Huh, it’s light.”

“If you study dimension magic, this is something you’ll be able to do too.”

I beamed as I hefted it over my shoulder.

“It’s a good thing that’s exactly what I’m planning to do then. I’ll be back soon!”

I left my companions, walking back to the small city. I saw its peaking towers, even from this distance. It was daytime. The vast, sprawling fields were lush, greener than when I had last been here. Was it because of the season? Daniel and Edithe told me crops grew better at different times of the year.

I roamed through the streets, searching for the Shrine of the Risen Dragons. I knew it was close to the center of the city, but I got distracted as I thought of Adan. I wanted to show him the Totem of Incense— maybe get his opinion, as a [Trader], of its worth.

It was a Mythical Grade artifact. I wanted to at least know what that meant. Alas, he left the city since I last saw him. So, I found Xidra no wiser than before.

Nav the [Warrior] led me to her. When I saw him, I greeted him respectfully, as a Kobold woman would. However, he needed a moment to gather himself first.

“I-Impossible. You’ve surpassed my level?”

He stared at me, almost cross-eyed. I bowed respectfully, keeping my voice neutral.

“I have risked my life and been through numerous life-and-death situations to carry out this task for the First Dragonling. I implore you, Nav the [Warrior], please let me speak with her.”

Sighing, he let me into the shrine. He brought me to Xidra’s room, although no one was there.

“Wait here.”

He spun around, leaving me alone. I had been here a few times before, however I never had the chance to properly pke about, investigating whatever I found interesting. When Xidra arrived, she caught me holding up a pendant, mid-[Identification].

I quickly placed it down and scurried back into my seat.

“Hi.”

I tried to act normal, although Xidra just let out a soft laugh.

“It is good to see you again so soon, Salvos the [Mage]. Although, it is slightly worrying too. How are your companions?”

“They’re fine— well, mostly fine. I think they were getting hungry when I left them. But once they have a stew cooking, they’ll be happy.”

“That is certainly reassuring.”

Xidra gave me a Kobold smile— tongue out, thin and long with a forked end. I returned the gesture, before holding up the Bag of Holding.

“Here.”

Her eyes grew wide as I gestured at it.

“The Totem of—”

She quickly cut me off.

“Yes, your… haul.”

Xidra glanced warily around the room. There was no one else in here. I could tell— I think.

She walked up to me, placing a hand on the sack, lowering it back down. She spoke in a softer voice than before.

“May I take a peek, Salvos the [Mage]?”

“Sure.”

I nodded, a bit uncertainly. She opened the Bag of Holding, although she took nothing from it. She stared with round eyes at the object held within and gasped.

“You really have it.”

“That’s what I said…?”

Xidra closed the Bag of Holding shut, pushing it back into my arms. She held onto my clawed hand tightly.

“You have done well, Salvos the [Mage]. However, if I may make one more request from you, I would like you to keep it.”

“Keep it?”

“Yes, for now.”

She turned back, walking to the pendant I had been looking at. She picked it up, before handing it to me.

“Here.”

I accepted it— I was bewildered, but that didn’t stop me from just taking the item.

[Pendant of Greater Protection: High Grade Armor - A pendant enchanted with a Greater Protection spell.]

“Take this. It is your reward.”

“Wait, wasn’t our reward the Herald’s… the other thingy?”

I finally asked her, perplexed. Xidra nodded.

“That was your reward for completing your original task. However, now, I have a second one to ask from you.”

“To keep the Totem of Incense with me? But that’s easy!”

“It is not.”

Xidra took a deep breath.

“While you have been gone, Zix has spread word of your mission to the other shrines. He is trying to cause unrest, accusing the Risen Dragon’s for desecrating the legacy of the Scale Guardians by destroying their treasures.”

“Why don’t you just destroy it now then?”

“It is not possible— the Totem of Incense is a powerful artifact. It was crafted by some of the most gifted men and women of the past. Only Dragon flame can destroy it.”

“I know! You told me that before. And the Totem of Incense is Mythical Grade!”

I crossed my arms.

“Mythical Grade? Hm, perhaps it is even greater than I thought.”

The Kobold woman pricked a claw on her scales.

“Nevertheless, we cannot simply call upon Dragon flame at any time. A ritual needs to be carried out. We have to make the preparations necessary to do so.”

She spoke slowly, her gaze turned towards the ceiling.

“As such, I am asking for your help to keep the Totem of Incense safe. If Zix finds out it has been recovered, he will use any means necessary to acquire it. Even if it means calling upon all of the Cult of the Old Gods.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“So, what do I do?”

“Did anyone take note of your return to Unarith?”

I tried to recall if I felt anyone keeping an eye on me when I arrived. No such memories came to mind.

“I don’t think so?”

“Then that is good.”

Xidra placed a hand on my shoulder, speaking in a low voice.

“Return to your companions, Salvos the [Mage]. Leave the city discreetly. Do not be seen or followed. Lest Zix will realize that something is amiss.”

She ushered me to follow her, and I did. We left the room and headed down the spiral staircase, going further down until we were beneath the ground.

“May the Nexeus be saved— Salvos the [Mage], it is of utmost importance that you are not caught. Once we have the ritual prepared, Hoxle will find you. He shall lead you back to Unarith, and at that point, there will be nothing left Zix can do.”

We stopped as we reached a decorated double door— it was large. Almost too large for a Kobold to walk through. Maybe if it was used by Cyclopes, I would understand its size. But as a Kobold, I couldn’t see what the point of such a massive set of doors were for.

Xidra nodded at the guards standing adjacent to it, and they pulled it open.

“This is a secret exit, used by the Risen Dragon’s in the case of an emergency. Follow the tunnel, and it will bring you to a house closer to the edge of the city. We have [Cultists] stationed there at all times. They shall aid your escape.”

I stepped through into the tunnel, glancing back at the Kobold woman one last time.

“Just leave the city and wait. That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“And I get to keep this Pendant of Greater Protection?”

“Yes.”

She repeated herself. I tapped a finger on my chin, then grinned.

“Well, that’s simple enough.”

“I wish you the blessing of the Dragons, Salvos the [Mage].”

“Thanks, but I won’t need it.”

I waved at Xidra as she headed back up the stairs. When she was gone, all that was left for me to do was take my leave. I quickly equipped the pendant while I could, spreading a rippling aura through my body. The guards began to pull the doors shut, and I entered the tunnel. I took a step forward confidently— and felt a prick on my neck scales.

I frowned.

“Wait—”

But the double doors were slammed behind me. There were no handles for me to push— no way for me back into the shrine. I narrowed my eyes. Was that my imagination?

I shook the feeling off. The prickling sensation was gone. It was only for a brief moment, but I felt like….

Like I was being watched.

A note from MelasD

Announcement:

I'm tired of reading the negativity in the comments. I've thought about this long and hard, and have decided not to read comments anymore. Here is an analogy as to why:

Authors are like chefs in a restaurant that only serves set menus, and readers on RoyalRoad are customers. We're serving you free food, and in return, we're getting shouted at because the salad served wasn't a Greek salad but a Caesar salad. Sure, most of the customers say "Thanks for the food", but every single day, there is one customer out of the few dozen that walks up to my face and shouts about how terrible my cooking is and how I should've given him a sirloin steak instead of a tenderloin. What needs to be understood is that it's a set menu, not alacarte. You can offer your suggestions, but you don't get to decide what is served, and you especially don't get to shout at the chef because it's not to your liking.

In restaurants, grocery stores, and any place with customer service, shouting customers would be removed by security very quickly. I'd love to block any toxic user from my comment section, but I know I'd just get a 0.5 star as a reprisal. As such, I won't read anymore comments. Simple as that.

I am aware that other authors have even worse comment sections. I am also aware that customer service workers have it worse than me since they're actually being shouted at in real life. However, for me personally, it's just terrible for my mental health, and I'd rather not have to start seeing a therapist because of this.

So, I've decided to take the best advice of those I know and withdraw from reading comments on RR. I have tried to read all my comments and reviews since I started in November of 2019. I currently am also working on a way for me to receive feedback without reading toxic comments, however that will be for the future. Feedback will always be appreciated, but if you really have a feedback you'd like me to hear articulated, you can mention it on my discord or subreddit. Those will be my main places of communication from now on.

Otherwise, thanks for reading and commenting, but the negativity I've had to face for the past year and a half is finally taking its toll, especially now that I'm no longer distracted by University, and especially since a single negative comment demotivates me from writing which punishes my actual paying patrons. They're the ones who have to suffer from a demotivated author, not free readers on RR.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

142. Myths

142. Myths

I watched my back as I made my way out of Unarith. That sensation from before— the brief feeling that I was being spied on— did not return. I left the tunnel and found myself in a rather large house, surrounded by a small field. They gave me some directions— some robes to remain inconspicuous.

I gratefully accepted their help, and left the city without an issue. I hurriedly made my way through the rocky hills, until I saw the green forest canopy ahead. There was no one following me, I was almost certain of it. So, where did that feeling come from?

I met my companions as they were eating their meals. Edithe was having a stew made from some plants and mushrooms, while Daniel decided to eat some of the rations he had on him. And by rations, I meant a literal dish served in a restaurant.

“Where did you get that?!”

I pointed at the filleted fish, seasoned with a brown sauce. He gestured at the pen on his lap, and Edithe sighed.

“Apparently, he has a dozen fresh, expensive meals kept in his Dimensional Storage Unit. In case he ever craves some good food, he can just summon one and have it right away.”

I blinked.

“Huh. That is convenient.”

“It is. Yet he doesn’t want to share any with me.”

“Why not?”

I shot him a questioning look as I sat on my knees, kneeling as Kobolds did. If I wanted to pretend to be a Kobold, I had to get used to acting like one.

Daniel scowled.

“Don’t do this to me right now, Salvos. I don’t have much left, and I am starving, ok? Using my [Hero] Skills isn’t as simple as you think— it’s very draining. And the Plaguelands isn’t really the nicest place to be in. Everywhere I go, I smell rotting flesh. I just want a nice, decent meal to relax.”

“You could share some with her, at least.”

He drew his lips into a thin line. Glancing over at Edithe, he hesitated for a moment. The red-haired woman tried to avert her gaze, pretending to be apathetic to the food. Finally, his guilty conscience won out and he offered her a slice of the fish.

“Here.”

She gobbled it down without saying a word. I stared at her in disgust, and Daniel blinked. She lightly covered her mouth with a hand, letting out a soft cough.

“Um, thank you.”

“Right… you're welcome.”

With that settled, I explained the situation to my companions. They were surprised to hear that I still had the Totem of Incense on me. I showed them the Bag of Holding, nodding.

“Yep. She asked me to take care of it for now. While she sets up the ritual for Dragon flame.”

“Dragon flame, huh?”

Edithe rubbed her chin. Daniel and I exchanged a glance.

“I’ve only heard about Dragons in my world as a… mythical creature. As in, it doesn’t exist.”

“The first time I heard about them was in Unarith.”

I shrugged. We faced Edithe.

“Do you know anything about it?”

“I… do. And honestly, what I know about Dragons here isn’t too dissimilar from what Daniel said.”

“You mean this world doesn’t have Dragons?”

Daniel raised a brow. She chewed her lips uncertainly.

“That’s what I used to think— I mean, there are stories. Tales that came during the Kobold invasions of the past. But they were mostly heard from prisoners. Kobolds we had taken captive, who cursed Humans, claiming that their Old Gods would smite our Species for our sins, delivering divine retribution to all of Humankind.”

“And did that ever happen?”

I leaned forward, almost excited.

“No.”

“Aw.”

I deflated. Edithe rolled her eyes, ignoring my disappointment.

“We’ve never seen a Dragon before. We’ve only heard about their kind from Kobolds, and I’ve only read about it in history books. So, I never really thought much about it. However, if these Dragons really exist, then this Dragon flame has to be a powerful spell. Grand magic, even.”

“Well, that makes sense, doesn’t it? Any magic that can destroy a Mythical Grade artifact has to be super powerful!”

“That’s not necessarily true.”

Edithe shook her head, and Daniel agreed. He held up his hand, summoning my blue jacket. I had given it to him to keep when I left for Unarith. I didn’t want to stand out, after all.

“This is a Unique Grade artifact, Salvos. And honestly, it isn’t really special.”

“Other than the fact that it repairs itself over time— without using any mana from me.”

I folded my arms, giving him a flat look. Edithe nodded.

“Daniel’s right. It really isn’t that special. Not for a Unique Grade artifact. The only thing that stands out about it is how it draws in mana from its surroundings. Otherwise, that’s a simple restoration spell. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

I scowled. I knew they weren’t insulting me, but I couldn’t help but feel offended on behalf of my blue jacket. It was mine, so it had to be special! Sure, it belonged to Daniel just a year ago. He did bring it from his world. However, it was mine now! And I was going to take good care of it.

Snatching the blue jacket from Daniel, I cradled it gently in my arms, protectively covering it like it was a Human baby.

“There, there.”

I whispered. Edithe chuckled, pulling out the Totem of Incense. She placed it down on the ground, steadying it so that it was standing upright. It was white— whatever color it once had faded away with time. Patting it on the shoulder, she began to explain.

“This isan example of an artifact that befits its status. I’ve never heard of such magic that could not just destroy the blight, but repel it in its entirety. It’s Mythical Grade, yes, but it can even be considered a higher grade.”

She left the statue behind, walking to my sack. She produced a piece of parchment, gesturing at it.

“On the other hand, this Runic Scroll of Starfall— it’s something I know should be a higher grade than it is. Perhaps the reason why it’s considered High Grade and not Mythical is because it’s a one-time use item.”

I felt my jaw drop.

“Really?”

“Yes. At least, if I’m reading its enchantments right, I believe the destruction it would cause is superior to most High Grade artifacts out there.”

The red-haired woman pointed at the new pendant hanging around my neck.

“That Pendant of Greater Protection Xidra gave you is a better example of what a normal High Grade artifact is supposed to be like.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“You mean it isn’t special?”

“It certainly does what it says it does. You can even test it out, if you want.”

I glanced over at Daniel. The Human man was listening from the side— well, he was pretending to listen. In reality, he was extremely focused on finishing his meal peacefully.

“Hey, Daniel.”

He raised his head, mouth full of fish, and made a noise.

“Mmph?”

“Punch me.”

I tapped my chest, and he blinked. Daniel quickly chewed and swallowed whatever food was in his mouth, before rubbing his ears.

“Excuse me, could you repeat that?”

“I said: punch me. With all your strength. That means don’t hold back at all!”

“But why would I—”

I stepped up to him, pressing my face up to his.

“Just do it!”

He scratched his chin, a bit unsure.

“If you say so…”

Daniel raised a fist and struck my chest; the impact knocked me back— it sent me stumbling. However, I didn’t fly back like I expected myself to. And the punch didn’t even hurt that bad. It was like his blow was softened, blocked by something separating us.

There wasn’t even a flash… I walked back up to Daniel, crossing my arms.

“Harder.”

“Are you sure—”

I glared at him, and he sighed.

“Fine.”

This time, Daniel steeled himself. He took a step back, pulling his fist back before thrusting it forward. I could tell he put more strength into this. It wasn’t a half-hearted hit like before. The thudding blow sent me flying back to a tree. There was a flicker of white aura— the same shimmer I saw whenever my Ring of Lesser Protection was damaged.

And yet, I got back to my feet unharmed.

“Huh.”

I dusted myself off, then grinned.

“You’re so weak, Daniel! You didn’t even leave a scratch!”

He didn’t hear the remark. He was too busy wincing, shaking his hand as if in pain.

“That… that felt like punching a brick wall. Except, I can probably smash past a brick wall without a problem. That… what was that?

I stuck my tongue out at him— a Kobold smile, but a Human insult.

“Maybe if you had been paying attention you would know!”

Edithe smiled as she approached me.

“Salvos isn’t wrong—”

He glowered, muttering to himself.

“...why are both of you against me now?”

The red-haired woman gestured at the Pendant of Greater Protection.

“The reason why you feel some pain from punching her is because of the Greater Protection enchantment. It reflects some of the damage she would otherwise receive back to the attacker. Most high leveled [Mages] learn the spell because of how useful it is in combat. Although, I’m sure they’d prefer a pendant that does the same thing. The spell itself is rather costly in terms of mana upkeep.”

“Woah.”

I gasped, staring down at the little necklace with admiration, while Daniel rubbed his hand with a groan. Beaming, I looked up to Edithe.

“That’s awesome!”

“That’s what High Grade artifacts should do. It’s the kind of equipment those at Level 100 carry. Of course, as I said, the grade of an artifact doesn’t always relate to its usefulness. Your Unique Grade jacket is an example of that.”

I hugged the blue jacket defensively.

“What do you have against my jacket?!”

“Nothing. I’m just using it as an example.”

“Why can’t you use something else?”

I snuggled it back inside my sack, where it would be safe from her insults. Edithe cast her gaze around, before stopping at the Totem of Incense. She had a thoughtful look.

“If the Totem of Incense is an example of an artifact that is possibly above its grade, then I guess the Herald’s Brush is the opposite. It should be a High Grade artifact at most, honestly. There are known spells used by [Priests] that can clear the blight temporarily— and with what I’ve seen of the Herald’s Brush so far, I don’t think it’s very impressive.”

“Huh.”

I tilted my head up towards the sky, picking at my scales with a clawed finger. An idea popped in my head.

“If the Totem of Incense is that amazing, why don’t we just keep it and run—”

“Absolutely not.”

Edithe retorted before I could even finish.

“Xidra has done a lot to help all of us, Salvos. There are many things I’d like to learn about Kobolds. I’ve… changed a lot of things since I met you. And I do not wish to betray her trust. That’d just be wrong.”

“I know, I know. I was joking…”

I pouted, plopping myself back down on the ground. Shaking her head, she stored the Totem of Incense back in the Bag of Holding and placed it next to her bedroll.

“It’s hard to tell with you, sometimes, you know?”

—--

There wasn’t much for us to do once the discussion ended. Daniel and Edithe wanted to simply relax— the Human man in particular was strongly in favor of it. And it was not like we could just return to the Plaguelands.

Maybe Hoxle could track us down even if we were that far away from Unarith, but there were a few risks. Could he even survive the undead there? He was a [Diviner]. That meant he didn’t have a combat Class. Maybe he could fight. But not as effectively as someone with a combat Class would.

It wasn’t really a risk I wanted to take either, so I agreed with my companions’ decision to sit and wait for Xidra to call for us. They went about their usual activities— Edithe did some reading and taught me some new concepts about magic, while Daniel wrote in his diary and shared some stories from his world with us. I had almost forgotten about the events of the day when night fell, and they went to sleep.

However, the prickling sensation— the same one that always told me that I was being watched— returned. I stood up, narrowing my eyes. I thought the feeling would disappear after a moment, but it didn’t. This is…

I frowned, beginning to grow alert. I conjured my Star Forge and called out to my companions.

“Daniel, Edithe—”

And a pair of ethereal, glowing chains shot out at me, wrapping itself around my arms and my jaw, cutting me off before I could finish.

A note from MelasD

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143. Chains

143. Chains

Glowing, almost translucent chains wrapped around me. I fell to the ground, trying to speak, but found my mouth muzzled by the same magical chains holding me down. I struggled, trying to get back up, finding the bindings to be too strong to break.

I let out a muffled noise as I watched figures creep through the trees. They were short— with clawed hands. It was obvious. They were Kobolds.

How? the thought crossed my mind in a panic. Then I remembered the feeling. The prick on my neck scales as I left the shrine. I was in a tunnel. In an enclosed space. I was certain no one was there. So, how did these Kobolds find me?

As the Kobolds drew closer, there was a stirring. Edithe sat up— did the thud from my fall wake her up? Daniel was still sleeping. It was just her. She opened her mouth and raised her staff, but another set of chains shot out.

They came from a Kobold at the back. He had a crooked stick— not a staff, per se. It almost looked like he was using it to help him walk. I glanced around, identifying each of the Kobolds approaching us.

That Kobold with the stick— a [Cultist]— was the highest leveled of the group. He was Level 104, and he had a single horn jutting out of his head, like a jagged spike. He turned to another Kobold— a [Rogue], the second highest leveled at Level 103.

“You… Tarba, you never told me she had allies with her.”

“I was under the impression she was alone, Res the [Cultist]. It seems I was incorrect.”

“And with Humans too? Disgusting.”

Res spat in the direction of Edithe. It seemed that their casual conversation finally woke Daniel up. The Human man sat up, scratching the side of his head, almost in a daze.

“W-wha…?”

He blinked, and was immediately bound in the same chains as Edithe and I. I rolled my eyes as I saw how easily he was apprehended.

Res grimaced.

“You are fortunate there were only three of them, lest my Skills will be beyond its limits.”

I narrowed my eyes. Then I focused on the wisp of flame hovering over me. I still had control over it, which was good. Alright, now grow dimmer.

I could control its shape and its form, after all. Making it smaller was no arduous task for me. I remained unmoving on the floor, lying in wait as the Kobolds walked around the encampment.

“It appears there is no one else on the premises.”

Tarba surmised after a few moments. He glanced down at me and my companions, fixing us with a hateful gaze.

“A Kobold working with Humans? How shameful.”

“Not just any Human. A [Hero]. One from another world. This is not just any form of heresy. It is heresy of the highest order!”

Res’ voice rose as he walked past me. I gritted my teeth. Just a little closer. He turned and started in the other direction.

“To think that the Risen Dragons are working together with Humans… that they have a [Hero] on their side…”

He trailed off as Tarba loomed over Daniel, raising a claw.

“Let’s kill the [Hero] and get this over with. Then we shall deal with their heresy when we return.”

“No.”

Res shook his head. His footfalls slowly approached me; I held still, listening intently to their conversation.

“We shall bring them back— the High Zealot will want to question them. And they shall serve as proof of the Risen Dragons’s heresy.”

He loomed over me— his scales were a lime green. Dirty. Like a plant that had been exposed in the blight for a day. He raised a hand, placing it on the side of my face. And I smiled.

“Now, be a good girl and—”

A flaming spear struck him in his chest. It lashed out in an instant, boring through his robes, eliciting a guttural scream from his mouth. He stumbled back, clutching at his bleeding chest. Tarba started forward as Res reached for the flaming spear, but it shifted.

It grew into a pair of chains that went straight for his neck. Res fell to the ground, gasping for his breath as more Kobolds rushed to his side. I felt myself growing frustrated. Die already, will you?

They tried to pull the chains off him, but they failed. It burned them. Seared their scales. Tarba was slowly heading my way as I focused on strangling Res. Aren’t you a [Cultist]? Why do you have such high [Vitality]?!

Tarba’s foot landed right to the left of my cheeks. He raised his claw, a twisted look on his face. And there was a clatter. The sound of metal breaking. A Human man’s voice drew the [Rogue]’s attention.

“How—”

“[Aura of the Sentinel]!”

A brilliant glow filled my peripheral vision. Daniel rushed at Tarba, barely missing him with a swing.

The [Rogue] leapt back, joining the other Kobolds as they finally pried Res free of the chains. He got up with a cough. As they did that, Daniel struck down with his blade, breaking my bindings as well.

I hurried to my feet, glaring his way.

“If you could’ve just done that, why didn’t you do it immediately?!”

I sputtered, pointing an accusing clawed finger at his face. He raised his sword and readied himself.

“I… couldn’t. Not until I used [Will of the Hero].”

I groaned.

“Then what took you so long?”

“I just woke up, alright? It took me a moment to understand what was going on!”

“Whatever— just free Edithe, alright?”

He nodded, running past me for the red-haired woman lying prone on the ground. Res pointed a finger at Daniel, his eyes burning with rage.

“Kill him!”

“No you won’t!”

I stepped between Daniel and the Kobolds. There were a dozen of them. Each of them were at least Level 90. Some of them were Level 95, and only Res and Tarba were over Level 100. Even if most undead were horde monsters— even if a Level 90 Skeleton couldn’t compare to a Level 90 Kobold. It didn’t matter.

I might have been wearing this body right now, but I was a Demon.

“[Flaming Breath]!”

The cone of blue flames spewed forth, like a tide washing over the land. It sent the Kobolds back. They scattered around it, avoiding the fire as they bounded after me. The first to reach me was Tarba.

He first tried to claw at my face, which I easily dodged. But after a quick spin, he produced a dagger. I saw a green gleam on its tip, and I knew to avoid it no matter what. I clinked my boots together, activating the effects of the Greaves of the Wanderer.

With a [Flame Burst], I backed away from Tarba in an instant. He didn’t even have time to react. I raised a clawed hand, conjuring another Star Forge. The [Rogue] came at me once more, but this time he couldn’t even reach me.

The blazing orb took shape as my body was engulfed in [Ember Core]. From the corner of my eye, I saw Daniel pulling Edithe up and freeing her as well. A group of Kobolds had split off from me and were surrounding them. And beyond that was Res.

He was standing off to the side. The biggest threat here. He must have Skills specialized in capturing powerful targets. I knew he was dangerous. So, I did the only thing that was logical.

I loosed a Refined Blazing Bolt his way. The [Cultist] didn’t even see it coming. It zipped past my companions and the Kobolds surrounding the pair. It left a trail of white flames on the ground, before piercing him through his sides. He screamed right as Tarba appeared to my back.

“Wha—”

“[Shadow Step]. Now die—”

I tried to pull away, but he was too close for me to properly react. He stabbed me in the stomach— and I grinned.

There was a flash of light. A shimmering aura protected me. The Kobold’s eyes widenedas I grabbed him by the forearm.

“My turn. [Radiant Slash]!”

I aimed for his head, of course. But he was quick. The attack ripped his arm off. He leapt back, whimpering as the limp limb fell to the ground with a thud. I followed up with a flurry of [Barrage of Cinders], but the other Kobolds barred my path. They intercepted me, meeting me five-on-one.

I bared my teeth— and made sure to stick out my tongue, smiling in a Kobold way at them. After all, how else would I let them know that I wasn’t even worried about them?

My Star Forge darted around me, almost like it was circling me over and over again, as I met these Kobolds in straight combat. The spell didn’t even take the form of a weapon at times— it simply splattered over them, like a wave of splashing flames, burning at their scales, taking them out one by one.

They tried to fight. They managed to break through my [Ember Core]. But there was another protection that was too much for them to handle. The Pendant of Greater Protection— it absorbed their strikes, almost hurting them too, letting me finish them off.

They fell one after another. They weren’t weak. They were tough. Maybe even tougher than the Level 100 [Skeleton Warriors] and [Skeleton Archers]. Alas, I could take on over a dozen of the Skeletons by myself, even if I was in my Mortal Form. And that was before taking into account all the artifacts I was currently using.

It was only after I slayed four of the Kobolds did the last one turn to run. But I was not going to let him escape. He had attacked me. They had tried to kill me and my companions while they were asleep. So, I pointed at the ground.

“Kneel.”

He did as he was told. I slowly sauntered over to his side and I created an axe. He quivered, before I chopped off his head with a single clean swing. I walked past his body. The effects of my greaves finally dissipating. I cast my gaze back to my companions— it seemed they didn’t hold back either.

Daniel used his [Hero’s Slash], and Edithe finished the last of them with her [Arrow of the Flame Elemental]. All that was left was Tarba. I searched for him amongst the bodies, before spotting a figure running in the distance.

Edithe began conjuring a [Lighting Orb] and called out to me.

“Don’t let him escape!”

“Got it!”

I dashed after Tarba as she hurled the projectile his way. He somehow sensed it coming, spinning around and striking it mid air. It exploded into sparks which showered the grass, setting it ablaze. My feet put out the small fire as I ran after him.

I was just barely managing to keep up with [Flame Burst]. That was, until he turned into a blur. It was like he was leaving behind a trail of smoke. Or perhaps it was what was propelling him forward. He vanished behind the trees as I grinned.

“Oh, do you want to race, huh? Fine. [Self Haste]!”

The world blurred around me. I sped after him, keeping pace— no, moving even faster than he was. He craned his neck back, staring at me in shock as each [Flame Burst] closed the gap between us.

He leapt up into a tree branch, suddenly shifting course, and I followed after. I tugged at the Star Forge keeping pace with me, creating an extended piece of chain. Tarba tried to repeat that trick a few more times. He took sharp turns— ones that would put me off.

But when he repeated it the third time, I tossed the chain forward. It didn’t have to touch him. He saw it coming, and tried to dodge out of the way. He was so focused on not getting caught, he didn’t even realize what was attached to the flaming chains.

“Sickle Grenade.”

The blast sent him flying. I crashed into him mid air, grabbing him in a tight hug. He struggled as we tumbled back to the ground, rolling over bushes and sharp shrubbery.

“You heretic! I will kill you! “

Targa struggled and shouted. I said nothing in response. I only opened my mouth a moment later, releasing a [Flaming Breath]. The fire burned him, finally shutting him up as he fell, dead.

“You’re noisy. It’s late at night— don’t you have any decency to all the sleeping Humans?”

I murmured under my breath, getting back to my feet.

When I returned to my companions, I saw them moving the bodies of the Kobolds around. Daniel was, as expected, looting their corpses. Edithe, however, was standing over the [Cultist]. She called out to us.

“Hey, guys, I think he’s still alive.”

We approached her, and sure enough, Res was still twitching on the ground. Daniel crossed his arms.

“What do we do with him?”

“I say we kill him.”

I piped up from the side. I created a scythe, swinging it over my head. My companions exchanged a glance. But before they could speak, a weird sound interrupted them. It sounded like rapid, pained breaths. Whimpering? No— it was… laughing?

That was right. Res was laughing as he turned over on the ground, facing us with a crazed look.

“You fools— the only person who is going to be killed are you three.”

“What are you talking about? We beat you.”

Frowning, I held the scythe over his head. He held up a scroll, tucked beneath his sleeves. It was slowly burning up— the parchment being eaten by fire, turning to ash.

“I have sent a [Message] to the High Zealot. Zix the [Warrior] knows about your heresy, girl. He knows about what the Risen Dragons are planning to do. Everyone in Unarith shall know that you aren’t a true Kobold. That you have betrayed your kind. And you shall be punished accordingly.”

Daniel and Edithe shared a panicked look. The red-haired woman took a step back.

“Fuck, then that means they know we’re here?”

The Human man drew his lips into a thin line.

“I… what do we do, Salvos? We may have to leave.”

“But Xidra’s request—”

Edithe bit her lower lip, not finishing what she was going to say. Res was laughing maniacally so hard, he began to cough. Shaking my head, I walked past them and lowered my scythe.

“That’s going to be problematic for the two of you, huh?”

I glanced back at my companions. Then I turned back to Res. He stuck his tongue out at me— and I knew he was mocking me.

“And punishment? That sounds tough. I wouldn’t want to be punished. So…”

I bared my teeth at him.

“It’s a good thing I’m not a Kobold then, right?”

He blinked as my form changed. His mouth hung open— and I bit his head off.

Defeated [Shroudstalker - Lvl. 103]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Protector Cultist- Lvl. 104]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 96] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 97]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 97] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 98]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

A note from MelasD

Big shoutout to one of my friend's book, the Extramundane Emancipation of Geela, Evil Sorceress at Large. It's her first time ever publishing a full book, so I hope you're all willing to give it a shot. It's a fantasy adventure with hilarious comedic elements. It's a really good book which is worth the $3.99 it costs. And if you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read it for free. Here's the synopsis:

A holy priest and an evil sorceress hunting for her ex-husband. What could go wrong?

Darkos, holy priest of Alerion, only ever wanted to defeat a great evil and complete his pilgrimage. But when he discovers his innocent, sweet, and catastrophically clumsy companion Geela is actually the exact evil sorceress he swore to destroy, his best-laid plans are turned on their head.

In Geela’s defense, she only needed an escort home because her ex-husband changed the locks. However, Darkos has grown on Geela, much like a beloved pet. Or a fungus.

Things might have gone sideways, but they can make this work. After all, Geela needs a minion to help hunt down her ex, and Darkos is convinced he can find a scrap of redemption in her cold, dead heart.

But Geela might not be the only one whose soul needs saving.

Seriously, consider checking out its preview on Amazon. You'll be sucked into the journey of Geela and Darkos and the shenanigans the pair goes through in an instant.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

144. The Truth

144. The Truth

We gathered the bodies of all the Kobolds that assailed us that night and buried them. Well, first we took their loot. And then we buried them.

They didn’t have too many valuable things which we could use; some of them had protection artifacts, or weapons that inflicted extra damage. I had no use for them, especially since I could create my own blades that were just as powerful— or even more powerful— than what they had.

And it was not like I could layer protection artifacts on top of each other— for example, now that I had a Pendant of Greater Protection, the effects of my Ring of Lesser Protection were basically nullified. According to Daniel, this was because stacking enchantments was not possible. If it were, someone could buy a dozen Ring of Lesser Protections and wield them all to match a Pendant of Greater Protection.

Considering the price of both in the market... I did not know the price of either in the market.

So, while my companions were busying themselves, sorting out what they got. I focused on my Status.

I was Level 98, getting close to Level 100. At that point, I would not only evolve once more— into an Archdemon— but also get a Class. Edithe said that I would simply start from Level 10 with the Class. I was likely going to get [Mage] or some kind of basic variation of it.

Although, since I had accomplished many different feats, it was possible I would get a rarer, more specialized Class that was befitting of me. Whether or not it would lead towards becoming a [Space Mage] was uncertain.

Those were things to think about later. For now, I focused on my current Stats and Skills. While I did end up winning the race against that [Rogue], Tarba, I struggled to keep up with him. Even if the Greaves of the Wanderer helped against fast opponents, it was not something I could use very often.

I have also been neglecting my [Wisdom] as of late. So, the only two Stats I raised were [Agility] and [Wisdom]. As for Skill Points, I raised [Ember Core] to its max, spending the remaining points on [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense].

It was my last Skill, and I felt like it was close to being maxed out as well. I wondered if it had been maxed out, I’d have been able to notice whoever was it that stalked me back to my companions. Or was I even followed? Perhaps that simply tracked me down.

If they had a decent level [Diviner] or [Tracker], it really wasn’t that difficult to find me so close to the city.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 98

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 6

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 4

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 100 (+5)

[Strength]: 80 (+5)

[Endurance]: 88 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 142 (+5) (+6)

[Agility]: 201 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 0]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 9

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

I returned to my companions once I was done sorting out my Status. They had piled up every artifact they found that could be of use or sold. The others were disposed of with the bodies.

I sifted through the rings and amulets— the swords with sharpening enchantments and the daggers coated with poison. I didn’t need those. I needed something magical or protective. Or something that helped me move faster.

Unfortunately, I only found two things of use for me. The first was a staff. It was what Res had on him. The [Cultist] doubled it as both a walking stick and a medium for casting magic. And apparently, it was quite effective at doing the latter.

[Cane of Retribution: Medium Grade Weapon - Significantly enhances the effects of a spell. Can be used three times a day.]

I considered taking this for myself. However, I knew how much more Edithe needed such an item, so I put it aside. And that left… this. Whatever it was.

[Dreaded Goblet: High Grade Equipment - Used in rituals to call upon the wisdom of the Old Gods.]

I stared at the artifact. It looked like an oddly shaped cup. I placed a clawed finger inside of it, finding that its insides were clean. It had a metallic surface, although its color was a dark green. Not something I saw often in metals.

Maybe this is that metal that Humans think are rare. What was it called again? Ori… orical… oricalculus?

That was close enough.

I turned to my companions, raising the Dreaded Goblet.

“This! I want this!”

The pair exchanged a glance. Edithe shrugged, and Daniel waved a hand off dismissively.

“Sure. You can keep it.”

“Yay!”

I exclaimed, holding up the Dreaded Goblet. I was curious what kind of wisdom the Old Gods— or Dragons, as they called it— would bestow upon me. Was it a boost to my magic? Or was it some kind of great knowledge? Maybe it was something that I could use to learn everything I needed to master interplanar travel and find Haec!

With those happy thoughts in my head, I pocketed the Dreaded Goblet, keeping it in my own personal sack of belongings as my companions divided up the rest of the loot. Edithe took the Cane of Retribution, while Daniel kept a poisoned dagger for himself.

It wasn’t something he truly needed— however, if he ever lost his long sword, he would at least have something to fight with.

Now that was all that settled, it was time to proceed with our next course of action.

“What do we do now?”

I finally asked my companions. This time, neither Daniel nor Edithe made a visible reaction. In fact, they didn’t respond, waiting for the other one to speak. I crossed my arms— I only had two, since I was still in my Kobold form.

“Now that this annoying Zix knows we’re here, we can’t just wait around for him to send more Kobolds after us, right?”

“But Xidra’s requisition—”

Edithe started, but bit her lower lip, cutting herself off.

“I understand that you want to help Xidra. She’s my friend too! However, if we stay here, we’ll be in a lot of trouble.”

“Salvos is right.”

Daniel nodded, stepping up beside me.

“For all we know, this Zix might be coming after with a small army of high-leveled bodyguards right now. We need to at least move our camp to somewhere safer.”

The red-haired woman was conflicted. Rightfully so. Not only did she owe her life to Xidra, they had gotten along in the brief moments they had with each other. But logic prevailed in the end.

“Fine, we’ll relocate.”

Edithe sighed, picking up her belongings.

“However, we’re not fleeing. We aren’t going to shirk our responsibilities. We made a promise, and we’re going to keep it.”

“Of course.”

I gave her a reassuring nod.

—--

The three of us found a cave by the side of a mountain a bit away from the forest. We chose this place as our hiding spot as it was much harder for anyone to get the jump on us with only a single entrance to our camp. Plus, we had a better view of our surroundings at this elevated ground.

I could stand guard and catch anyone who was approaching the cave from the rolling hills of gray below.

It was still night time. The sun hadn’t risen just yet. But my companions have decided to forego sleep. Apparently, their precious nap time was less important to them than their lives.

I was glad that they at least got their priorities straight on that front.

It was a little bit after the sun rose when I spotted the speck in the distance; it was a little black mark in the blue sky above. I saw it approaching us rapidly, and I narrowed my eyes.

“I think we have company!”

I readied a Refined Blazing Bolt. There was plenty of time to prepare, so I enhanced it further, until its flames were white. The approaching speck soon became clearer as my companions came to my side— I narrowed my eyes as I could finally make out what it was.

“That’s… Hoxle!”

Daniel and Edithe both blinked. They squinted, leaning forward, trying to make out the flying Kobold. The red-haired woman frowned.

“You’re right— wait, Salvos, what are you doing?”

I nocked the arrow on the fiery bowstrings, not glancing at Edithe.

“I’m going to shoot him down before he can crash on us!”

Daniel nodded, approving. But the red-haired woman stopped me from shooting the bow, stepping in front of me, blocking my way.

“Edithe, get out of the way! Aw, he’s already here.”

Hoxle the [Diviner] made an uncharacteristic entrance by landing lightly on just ahead of us. His feet touched the ground with a soft sound— not the usual smash and tumble he always did.

He stepped forward, a serious look on his face.

“Salvos the [Mage], Edithe the [Mage], and Daniel the [Warrior].”

Edithe and I stopped our bickering, and Daniel crossed his arms. I stared at the Kobold man.

“Hoxle the [Diviner], is something the matter?”

I could make a guess about what had likely occurred in Unarith— Zix received the missive from the dead [Cultist], and was probably trying to stir some trouble up for the Risen Dragons.

I was right.

Hoxle explained that the Scale Sentinels were gathering an army to scour the plains beyond Unarith for us. They were willing to search every nook and cranny we could be hiding in to slay us and retrieve the treasures of the Scale Guardians.

“And they are not alone. They have found allies amongst other factions— the Hollow Claws, the Sacred Fangs— those that belong to the Cult of the Gods. They will do everything in their power to kill all three of you.”

“So, what do we do then?”

“Xidra the [Herbalist] no longer wishes to burden you with her responsibilities.”

I stared at Hoxle, defiant.

“We want to help her. She’s our friend.”

Edithe stepped up beside me, although Daniel was a little less enthused about it than us. The Kobold man shook his head.

“She expected that. That is why she sent me here. To bring you to her.”

Before any of us could ask the obvious questions, he began to elaborate.

“Firstly, she would like to take the burden of protecting the Totem of Incense before its destruction off your shoulders. It was a mistake of her to pass it onto you— her fear was her own undoing.”

Hoxle almost seemed to scowl as he spoke— perhaps he and Xidra had clashed about this before. I could see the sparks.

“Secondly, she would be able to offer you protection in Unarith. The Scale Sentinels won’t be able to act so freely against another faction. Especially one as influential as the Risen Dragons. Now that you’ve been discovered, there’s no point in keeping up a blanket of secrecy when it would only be to your detriment. We’ll be able to delay whatever actions the Scale Sentinels will take so that you can escape without being hunted. Even fool them into thinking you’re still in the city when you’re long gone. There are plenty of things we can do to aid you.”

My companions and I exchanged a look. Leaving Unarith without an army chasing after us sounded quite nice.

“Lastly—”

Hoxle’s gaze glazed over me. He glanced between the two Humans. There was apprehension in his voice as he continued.

“Xidra would like to speak to both of you about the truth.”

“The truth?”

Edithe blinked. She turned to Daniel who seemed just as confused as her.

“What truth are you talking about?”

The Kobold man sighed.

“The truth about the end of the world.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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145. Revelations

145. Revelations

We approached the city of Unarith from high above. The peaking minarets— towers that reached for the skies— looked like thin sticks poking out of the ground from this height. I felt the wind blowing on my face, and saw the sky like an ocean above me.

I had never actually seen the ocean; the most I saw was a portrait of it, hanging on the wall of an inn or a tavern. I have seen lakes— other bodies of water. But never the ocean itself.

Edithe told me that it was a beautiful sight: when the sun set over the line where the sky met the sea, an orange glow reflected off the water surface, sparkling, glittering like gold. I wasn’t infatuated with gold as Humans were. I didn’t see the value in it, other than when I was pretending to be a Princess.

However, I certainly thought that the vast sights to behold in the Mortal Realm were far more captivating than the blandness of the Netherworld. Everything about it was the same. Meanwhile, everywhere I went in the Mortal Realm, I would experience new things.

Like right now, I was experiencing flight for the first time. And so were my companions. The three of us were being carried by Hoxle into Unarith. He lifted me from under my arms while Daniel and Edithe clung onto his legs; he could have just carried us all in a hug, but it was too uncomfortable for him.

He didn’t enjoy too much physical exposure with others.

“So, Hoxle…”

Daniel started, right as we began our descent to the Shrine of the Risen Dragons. The Kobold glanced lazily down at the Human man, his flight uninterrupted, his wings continuing their loud flapping behind him.

“Did the Scale Sentinels mention anything else about us? Any… specifics about our Classes or Levels?”

“Nope. Whatever missive they got must have been short— the Scale Sentinels don’t seem to know anything beyond where you were located, and that you were Humans working with our faction.”

“Well, that’s good.”

The [Hero] adjusted something around his neck. His Necklace of Greater Obfuscation. He equipped it after the sneak attack last night. I didn’t mind if he kept his Class secret from Xidra or Hoxle— they may have been my friends, but they weren’t his companions.

We arrived at the Shrine of the Risen Dragons soon after. Hoxle didn’t crash by some miracle, instead gently letting us off under its domed roof. Xidra stood there, waiting for us, her hands hidden behind her back.

“Salvos the [Mage], Edithe the [Mage], and Daniel the [Warrior], it is a pleasure to see you all again. Although, the circumstances are less than ideal.”

I returned the greeting just as a Kobold would. While it was now known that I was working with Humans, I wanted to maintain the guise of being a Kobold. Especially since more eyes would be fixed on me than ever before, and I may not even know it.

“Xidra the [Mage], I apologize for the situation we’re in. I take full responsibility for the problems that have risen overnight.”

I didn’t actually believe that. It just seemed like the appropriate thing to say. Xidra gestured for us to follow— Hoxle included— as she headed down the stairs.

“Yes, yes.The past night’s events have been… tumultuous, to say the least. But not unexpected. I have made some precautions in the event that this would happen.”

“What kind of precautions?”

I raised a brow. Xidra paused by a window. She nodded at it, and I peeked through. The Shrine of the Risen Dragons was located in the center of a large plot of land— it was surrounded by fields, tilled and growing with lush vegetation, the ones that produced a fresh and bountiful harvest.

However, the fields looked different from when I last saw it. I saw plants… moving? Daniel told me all plants moved. He told me that they were alive. However, I have never seen one actually crawl through the dirt, like a predator lying in wait for its prey.

It looked like a flower. Except, its petals formed a face. Its thorns reached out, digging into the earth like tendrils. It was bent over amongst the other undergrowth, about as tall as I was as a Kobold.

This wasn’t the only creature lurking in the fields. There were others. Most of them were smaller. They were even more well-hidden. I wouldn’t have noticed them if Xidra didn’t point them out.

“What… what is that?”

I gaped in awe at these tiny, little creatures. The Kobold woman smiled. A Kobold smile.

“These are my guardians. I have called upon them to protect my domain. To keep outsiders away from this shrine.”

“You can do that?!”

“It is a part of my Class.”

She explained, continuing down the stairway until we were just outside of her room. She pulled the door open, letting us enter before her.

“I am a [Hearthkeeper of Fauna]. It may not be a combat Class, but combat is a part of what I do as a leader of the Risen Dragons. To ensure the safety of my people, I must fight. And this is one way that can be achieved.”

“Are they… living things?”

“The critters you saw are not blessed with life, but are animated by mana. It is the same way Golems and undead can move. But my Nature Spawns are even more limited in thought. And their levels are not impressive. The highest among them is 40, while most are barely above 10.”

“Huh.”

I stopped, turning to face the Kobold woman as she entered the room.

“Wouldn’t Zix be able to… just kill all of them?”

“That is very perceptive of you, Salvos the [Mage].”

She shut the door behind her. Hoxle didn’t follow after. He seemed to have stopped to cast a spell of some kind outside.

“My Nature Spawns are a precaution. They are not there to prevent an assault, only to deter one. I have other such deterrences, such as the simple barrier I had my [Runemages] set up around the shrine. And the small army of guards stationed right at the entrance, of course.”

The Kobold woman shook her head, taking a seat across from us on an orange wooden chair. A rounded table separated her from us. It didn’t have any refreshments— too which, good! I’d rather not hear my companions noisily chomping down on some snacks while we were having an important conversation!

“No— the main reason why the Scale Sentinels won’t be able to act is simple: the law prevents them from doing so.”

Daniel and Edithe blinked while I glanced between them, confused by their reactions. Xidra chuckled, making herself comfortable in her seat.

“I am aware that Humans view us Kobolds as relatively primitive. We don’t have castles or palaces as you do, nor do we have walls protecting our cities. But that is because we do not believe they are necessary. Nature itself can serve as our barriers. Look at where this city is located— there are no monsters lurking these plains, no armies marching down our borders. The Dead Zone guards our left, and the tall mountains watch our right.

“And if nature itself does not suffice, then magic can do anything that your walls can. That is the difference between Humankind and Koboldkind. We do not focus on creating the appearance of strength, we trust and believe in our strength, acting only out of necessity. Furthermore, we do not war with each other. Not in the same way Humans do.”

I cocked my head, asking the question both my companions probably had in their minds.

“Then how do Kobolds make war?”

“We clash in ideas. In philosophies. In beliefs. Not in land or power. When factions wage war against one another, they do not do it to lay claim over a shrine. It is because of ideological purposes. After all, ideas persist. They do not erode with time. There is a continuity with ideas that nothing else has. Ideas are true power.”

Xidra adjusted her robes, dusting it down, and taking a deep breath.

“Enough about that. I have requested to speak with both Humans for a reason. It is a vital one. One which I believe you should know. The reason why Kobolds and Humans have been in war for thousands of years.”

I raised my hand.

“What about me?”

“You? You can stay.”

“Yay!”

I beamed, happily placing my hand on my lap, swaying like the hands of a broken clock as Daniel and Edithe took over. The Human man was first to speak.

“Hoxle… the [Diviner] mentioned something about the end of the world. He didn’t want to elaborate any further and told us we should save any questions we had for you.”

“Indeed. Not all of the younger generations are as invested in the scriptures of old. While Hoxle the [Diviner] may be aware of the basics about what is to come, he would not be able to give either of you answers that I would find satisfactory.”

“And what is this end of the world, anyways?”

Daniel crossed his arm. He was dubious. Or maybe suspicious; I couldn’t tell the difference.

“It is what it sounds like. It is the end of all things. The final days for every living being that walks the Nexeus. The deletion of the world. The Apocalypse.”

“I think I have heard about this before.”

Edithe leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. She glanced over at me and Daniel, beginning to explain.

“It’s in the history books. Well, some versions of some history books. There are various historians with various different accounts— regardless, I once read about this Apocalypse. It was cited to be one of the reasons for the first Kobold invasion of the Human lands. And that Humans were the root cause of it.”

For whatever reason, Daniel scowled and muttered something in English under his breath. Something about Humans… and destroying the environment?

Xidra faced the red-haired woman with a smile. Except, it was not a Kobold smile. She looked like she was trying to mimic a Human smile. I found it cute— endearing— but my companions were slightly horrified by it.

“That is correct, Edithe the [Mage]. But only to a certain extent. Certainly, Koboldkind had hoped to prevent the Apocalypse by invading the Human lands. However, that was foolish of us. That should have only been our final option. But we saw your Immortal King, and we were afraid. So, we attacked. We waged war when war wasn’t necessary. When talks— dialogue between our people— would have sufficed.”

“Wait, so you’re saying that us Humans were truly doing things that’s causing this Apocalypse?”

The Kobold woman tilted her head back, as if in thought.

“Causing it? Perhaps not. But exacerbating it? Yes. Your Species has wrought more than you know. And it is not something of the past. It is something Humans continue and will continue to do, unless stopped.”

“That’s…”

Edithe frowned. While she definitely wanted to come into this conversation with an open mind, what she was hearing was probably hard for her to accept. If I was understanding this right— Xidra basically agreed that Humans, while not responsible, were very much contributors to this whole ‘end of the world’ thing.

The red-haired woman met the gaze of Xidra, almost challengingly.

“And what is the cause for this Apocalypse? What are Humans apparently doing right now that makes you say that?”

The First Dragonling; Xidra the [Herbalist]; the Kobold who I saved, and both mine and Edithe’s friend sighed. She got to her feet, staring at both Humans as she gave her answer.

“Summonings.”

Xidra’s voice came out in a whisper. It was soft. Almost distant. It was the way one would speak to a child when telling them the harsh truth. Edithe’s eyes grew wide, and Daniel’s hands dropped freely to his sides.

“With each summoning ritual your kind conducts— for every Spirit, Demon, and [Hero] you bring to this plane to carry out your selfish desires— you leave a hole in our world. While each is small, tiny in the grand scheme of things. They accumulate. And it will destroy everything that keeps the Nexeus intact. It will tear down the very fabric of our reality. When that happens, this world, and everything in it, will fall into the void. Gone, lost outside of time and space.”

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146. Apocalypse

146. Apocalypse

“Eons ago, when the world was still whole, the Nexeus served as a hub. As a place for travelers— visitors from other worlds— to pass through, to find rest and reprieve, a brief stop in their journey across the vast void.”

As Xidra spoke, recounting the history of the world, Daniel and Edithe stayed silent. They listened, thoughtful, a stark difference to mere moments ago. Both had been doubtful. Such an accusation— it was almost too much to believe. And yet, the enormity of it was too much to just ignore. Such a bold claim.

My companions had to heed the First Dragonling’s words.

“These are no ordinary folk. They are Worldwalkers, Planeshoppers, Realityskippers, Gods. and Devils. If our world was left unguarded, they would have been free to do as they wish. Wrought what they desire to our peoples. But the Old Gods, the Dragons, stopped them. They ensured that their stay in the Nexeus was fleeting. That no permanent damage was left behind in the thin fabric of reality that holds this world together.

“They were not fools. They saw the potential— of what could be done. Every hole that was opened was sealed shut. Every Worldwalker tracked, their actions monitored. If there were Devils and tricksters amongst them, they would be banished, whatever mischief they’ve caused would be reversed. But perhaps they never understood the true impact caused by otherworlders.”

Daniel drew his lips into a thin line. He faced the Kobold woman, almost apprehensive.

“What do you mean by… true impact caused by otherworlders?”

“The space that is torn open will never be the same. No repairs can ever truly be made. Even if each hole is filled, it becomes weaker. More vulnerable. But that is not all— when an otherworlder stays in the Nexeus, their very presence disrupts our reality. It warps the boundaries of the world. Erodes it. Wears down the very earth they walk in, corrupting the soil and the dirt and the grass and the sand.”

There was a gulp. I glanced over at the [Hero]— the so-called ‘otherworlder’— in our group. Those were harsh words. But Xidra didn’t know of his origins. She wasn’t aware that he was a summoned [Hero].

Edithe took over for him. She leaned forward, her eyes narrowed. The shock from before was mostly gone.

“And how do you know this? What makes you certain this is all… true?”

“It was all written in scripture. Left behind by our ancestors. Inscribed in stone— on the tablets in the Draconic Peaks. We have copied their writings, preserving it so that all our children should know the truth.”

“What about Demons?”

I piped up, curious. I wasn’t particularly worried— sure, this seemed like a big deal. My companions were concerned. I just didn’t care as much about this whole Apocalypse thing as they did.

“Isn’t the Netherworld, the Spirit Plane, and the Mortal Realm all part of the Nexeus? What’s wrong with summoning Spirits and Demons then?”

“You are correct.”

Xidra nodded.

“Simple crossings through the various layers of the same world does not erode the fabric of space. Not by itself. But when the world is already weakened, from the mistakes of time long passed, then each small action— especially when carried out by tens of thousands of Humans every year— will slowly whittle away at what is left. The loose thread tying our world together will only grow thinner. Even if a single bug cannot destroy a single crop, a swarm of locusts can destroy a field.”

“Huh.”

I didn’t understand that analogy. I quickly had the First Dragonling explain it to me. Then I leaned back, finally comprehending.

Edithe and Daniel were concerned. Rightfully so. That meant that both were somewhat responsible for this Apocalypse. They may have made little impact by themselves, but knowing that they contributed to it had to be unnerving.

“This is… concerning.”

The Human man let out a nervous chuckle. Edithe was a lot more poised. Her face was covered in wrinkles.

“If this is true, we have to do something about it. But just the three of us alone won’t be able to make much of a difference. We’ll have to speak to Hadrian, Gabriel, Baris. The others— anyone we can. This is…”

She began to list names. Contacts. Anyone she knew. She turned to Daniel, asking him if he knew anyone important. He hesitated, and told her that he would write up a list and give it to her later. I frowned and cut them off.

“What can we even do about it?”

The question was directed to Xidra, but my companions overheard it too. Heads turned, facing me. I continued.

“This seems important and all, but the question remains: what can we even do about it? In the first place, isn't this the job of those Old Gods you keep talking about?”

“It is. Our ancestors, Dragons, left this continent long ago to halt the end of the world. We know not what happened to them. Just that they left us here, aftering bringing our people to safety.”

I raised a brow, and she explained.

“This continent— Sanctuos— was never where us Kobolds lived. We came from the far east. From a land that was lost to the void. The same goes for any Species that lives here. Any that isn’t a Cyclops, of course.”

I glanced back at Edithe. She shrugged.

“This is the first I’m hearing about this too.”

“Do you Humans not know anything? I thought you had schools and academies!”

“We do— but I’ve never been in one. And even if I have, I don't think I’d have learned this. This seems like something big. How can it all just be lost to history? What about the Elves? The Dwarves? The Beastmen? The Cyclopes? Do they not know anything about this?”

“We know nothing about the Beastmen. Our kind have not interacted with theirs in many millenniums. Cyclopes are dubious; they treat our religion as they treat every other culture that interacts with theirs. But as for the Elves and the Dwarves— the Dwarves are vaguely aware of our scripture, but they refuse to accept it. Only Elvenkind knows of the truth. Their long lives let them remember a time long ago. Perhaps slightly differently from us. But they know it is the truth. However, they are too busy squabbling between themselves to care. Not too different from Humans.”

Xidra spoke, a lamenting look on her face. She glanced down at the palm of her hand, the scales covering it were old, nearly flaking off, and it didn’t help that she was likely pricking them with her claws when stressed.

“This is just… a lot to take in, Xidra.”

Edithe shook her head, before quickly qualifying.

“No offense. I want to believe you. I really do. But this is a lot.”

“I understand your apprehension, Edithe the [Mage]. That is why I only wished to speak with you, and nothing more.”

“You don’t want us to… do anything?”

“I do not. This is, hopefully, the first step to building a relationship with Humankind. I wish to reconcile the differences between our Species. Not force you to work with us before we can come to an understanding.”

That made sense. Daniel nodded, agreeing with her. Edithe however, bit her lower lip. She looked like she wanted to do something even more. But the Human man placed a hand on her shoulder.

“As much as we want to help right now, we have to do our own research first. I’m not saying we shouldn’t trust Xidra. Perhaps she really believes what she is saying. But it may not actually be true.”

“Daniel the [Warrior] is correct.”

The Kobold woman spoke, much to both my companions’ surprises. I peered at her as she continued.

“While I have utmost faith in the sacred writings of our ancestors, it is something that could have possibly been tampered with. Interference by zealots to push their own agenda. Other such forgeries. And it is natural of you to be dubious of its origins. So, worry not, Edithe the [Mage]. I have told you what I wanted. What happens next needs not be rushed.”

She gestured for us to follow after her. I was quick on my feet, at her side in an instant. My companions dragged themselves across the floor, lazy, or maybe still caught up in the revelation made by Xidra.

“For now, I will do whatever is necessary to ensure your protection. If you need to travel across the Plaguelands, I will have Hoxle—”

“No.”

I shook my head, waving a hand at Edithe’s Bag of Holding.

“There is no need for that. We promised you we would keep the Totem of Incense safe until its destruction. Especially if Zix the [Warrior] decides to act brashly. You say that there may be laws preventing him from doing as he wishes, however I have seen Humans act outside the law. Humans, Kobolds, Cyclopes, Demons— we are fickle beings. Words alone cannot stop us. Especially if we are beyond motivated to act.”

Daniel, Edithe, and Xidra stared at me. I cocked my head.

“What?”

“...it’s nothing.”

Xidra sighed, bringing us out of her room.

“Very well then. If you insist. We only have a little more preparation to make for the ritual to be complete, but I will ensure that you are properly accommodated.”

—--

For the next two days, me and my companions stayed in the tall minaret, in guest rooms close to the rooftop. It was not the most comfortable room we had been in. Especially since the three of us had to squeeze together in that small space.

It only made sense. Kobolds were smaller than Humans; they didn’t need as much room to sleep in. And this was a place of worship— they didn’t prioritize making it fancy or anything like that.

We spent most of that time holed up in our room. We weren’t Kobolds. I mean, I could have gone out pretending to be a Kobold. It wasn’t like I transformed out of my Mortal Form once. But Daniel and Edithe were Humans. Neither of them could do much to hide that fact.

Even if the Risen Dragons were less discriminating against them than other Kobold factions, they still stood out. So, it was better for them not to wander about.

The pair of Humans spent most of their time discussing the details of the Apocalypse. They wrote down everything they found important. Each piece of information they could possibly learn more about. Things they could ask Xidra to elaborate upon.

However, before either of them had the chance to speak with Xidra once more, there was a ruckus. Something happened which required the First Dragonling’s attention.

A clamor came from outside. Beyond the barriers set up by the Risen Dragons. The Nature Spawns were riled up. A crowd gathered around the shrine. There was a bellow. A shout.

“Let us in! We wish to speak to the First Dragonling!”

Zix the [Warrior] stood with a retinue of his followers, arms folded, dressed in decorated garbs. I glanced out the patterned window, staring at him as he provoked the crowd around him.

“Gaze upon their cowardice, people of Unarith! The Risen Dragons have holed themselves up since their heresy has been revealed! The First Dragonling refuses to show her face. Come out, Xidra the [Herbalist], and accept your crimes!”

I glanced at my companions, seeing nervous looks cross through their faces.

“Do you think they’ll try something?”

“I’m… not sure, Salvos. But that Kobold was the one who razed Ghostlight to the ground.”

Edithe pursed her lips. Daniel placed a hand on the hilt of his longsword.

“We should be prepared for anything.”

“Right.”

I nodded.

I prepared a Star Forge and waited, watching Zix with uncertainty. He could be trying something here. Perhaps he might be trying to build up a mob— one that would swarm the Risen Dragons. But that was reckless. Too reckless.

If not, then what else could he be doing?

I soon found out.

Xidra stepped out of the entryway of the shrine, marching up to the angry crowd, flanked by high leveled Kobold guards and Hoxle. She stopped right at the edge of the barrier, meeting Zix’s gaze. Before she could say anything, he raised a hand and pointed at her.

“By the primeval traditions of the Old Gods, I challenge you, Xidra the [Herbalist], First Dragonling and leader of the Risen Dragons, to the Trial of the Scales!”

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147. Trial of the Scales

147. Trial of the Scales

The Trial of the Scales. It was an ancient Kobold tradition where two Kobolds from opposing factions dueled each other to resolve a dispute. To the death, of course.

Daniel called it barbaric, but I thought that it was a pretty neat idea. It would prevent unnecessary bloodshed from either side— excluding one of the two in the Trial who would die! Still, one death is better than a lot more.

Not that I cared too much about that whole Human morality debate. It was simple for me: if you attacked me, I would defend myself and kill you. Not unless I didn’t want to kill you.

It wasn’t codified, enumerated in some long body of text; there was no point in trying to justify something that was senseless. Especially when wild Demons and monsters were involved. Mortals too, were not excluded from this. While most Humans seemed to be entirely ‘sane’, you never knew what was truly going on in their minds.

Many of them acted just as wild Demons did.

The same applied to Kobolds.

Zix was overcome with wrath. He had stormed the Shrine of the Risen Dragons with a mob at his back. They came with the fury of a storm. Xidra couldn’t just ignore the fire and brimstone brewing outside of the barrier. She approached him, and he took that as his chance.

In front of the entire city of Unarith, he challenged Xidra to the Trial of the Scales. She was a [Herbalist]. A non-combatant. So, obviously, she refused. Instead, a champion would fight in her stead.

There were a few [Warriors] she considered. But some of them were… apprehensive about it.

“Tiss the [Warrior], why will you not represent the Risen Dragons in battle?”

She wasn’t angry, just curious more than anything. The Kobold man was Level 102. Certainly not on the same level as Zix. However, he apparently had a good evolution— one which let him stand a chance against the High Zealot.

He shook his head, turning his back to her.

“Apologies, First Dragonling. I do not agree with our faction’s stance to destroy the Totem of Incense. It is a sacred treasure that should be guarded, even if not used to war with the Humans.”

There was a moment of hesitation as he glanced back at Xidra for a moment.

“...perhaps that is the reason why others within the Risen Dragons chose to speak out when they heard of your decision.”

Xidra narrowed her eyes.

“What does this mean, Tiss the [Warrior]? Explain yourself.”

He winced as she fixed him with a glare.

“I have... made no such actions myself, First Dragonling, but there are others who were unhappy. They were the ones who told the Scale Sentinels of Salvos the [Mage]’s return. That is how they knew where to find her.”

“Traitors, within the Risen Dragons?”

A dark look came over her face. She gritted her teeth before waving a hand off.

“Begone, Tiss the [Warrior]. We shall discuss this another time. This is not something that can be allowed to continue.”

“Yes, First Dragonling.”

With that, the Kobold man left. He stalked through the open doorway, passing me by, his gaze averted towards the ground. I remained poise, even after he left, waiting for Xidra to call my name before entering the room.

“Come in, Salvos the [Mage].”

I greeted her with a light bow of the head, stopping in the middle of a colorful, circular carpet. This was not Xidra’s room, but another place in the shrine. An office, as Daniel would call it.

“What is it that you wished to see me for?”

She fixed me with an inquiring gaze. I nodded, gesturing behind me and vaguely in the direction of Tiss.

“Xidra the [Herbalist], I was simply concerned about the current circumstance you have found yourself in. Tell me: are you truly going to be dueling Zix the [Warrior] in battle?”

“I do not wish to battle him myself, for if I do, I would surely lose. Unfortunately, no other [Warrior] in our faction wishes to step up and face him. Not for the stakes that have been set.”

“Not even Nav the [Warrior]? Or Hoxle the [Diviner]?”

Sighing, Xidra took a seat as I remained standing before her. She rested a hand on her head. She was tired. Weary. The suddenness of the past two days was too much for her; especially now that she learned of the traitors within the Risen Dragons.

“Nav the [Warrior] is keen— eager to fight at my behest. But his level is too low. He would surely be slaughtered by Zix the [Warrior]. Only Hoxle the [Diviner] stands a chance, but he is not a combatant. Even with his evolution, he likely will lose his life and our efforts will go to waste. Alas, I do not believe there is much choice. It is either my nephew fights, or no one does.”

I tilted my head back, in thought.

“What happens if you refuse his challenge?”

“Refuse the Trial of the Scales?”

“Yes. What happens if you just… don’t show up?”

Xidra frowned, the face she made making it clear that that was not a possibility.

“It would mean humiliation for the Risen Dragons. Perhaps if I had not confronted Zix the [Warrior], this could have been avoided. An open challenge is not the same as one made in-person. I foolishly chose to face him, rather than letting his incendiary words die down with time. Now, all that is left is for me to deal with the consequences myself: I have to give an answer by sundown.”

“Huh.”

Tapping a clawed finger on my chin, I paused to consider anything that could help her, any idea or suggestion that would possibly be useful. But it all boiled down to a simple thing: one which I had only known since I was born.

“Why don’t I fight for you?”

She blinked.

“Pardon, Salvos the [Mage], but could you repeat yourself?”

“I said: why don’t I fight Zix in this Trial of the Scales?”

“You’re… you’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Why wouldn’t I be serious?”

I cocked my head.

“Zix the [Warrior] has tried to kill my friends. He has tried to kill me. And now, he’s trying to kill you. I’m not going to let it happen, even if it means I’ll have to face him in this Trial of Scales.”

“But you are almost 10 levels below him, Salvos the [Mage]. And unlike you, he has an evolution. A high leveled one at that. This will not be an easy fight— not for you.”

Xidra was worried. Rightly so. I saw what Zix did to Daniel not too long ago; the Human man was incredibly sturdy, and he barely got out of that fight alive. I was outmatched. At least, in my Mortal Form.

“I know it won’t be easy. Even with all my artifacts— even if I borrow my companions’ artifacts— I still stand a chance of dying. My Greaves of the Wanderer haven’t even recovered their effects yet! However, I want to do this. I believe I can do this.”

I meet her eyes, determined. She wanted to argue. Protest. There were things she wanted to say. But eventually, she just acquiesced.

“Very well, Salvos the [Mage]. If you honestly wish to fight for the Rise Dragons, then I will gratefully accept your help. However—”

She raised a hand, drawing my attention.

“Just know that for the Trial of the Scales, no artifacts will be allowed from either of those participating in the duel.”

I stared at her in shock. My mouth hung open as she waited for me to respond. I felt my lips quivering. And I smiled.

“Good. That’s even better for me.”

—--

“Are you sure you want to do this, Salvos?”

My companions were concerned. I expected this. They would protest— try to convince me not to go and fight. That was why I chose not to tell them about it until after Xidra already agreed to let me represent the Risen Dragons.

There was not much time for arguing; the Trial of the Scales dictated that the duel would happen tonight, after the sun sets. Each side would bring their own champion to fight. Zix, of course, brought himself. He was dressed in the traditional dueling garments. A pair of white robes. Ones that would be stained in the blood of the combatants.

“Yep. I’m certain.”

I gave my companions a reassuring smile as I patted down my robes. It was a bit of a tight fit, but that was how these robes were supposed to be. My companions exchanged a glance, a bit unnerved by how I stuck my tongue out. But that was just how Kobolds smiled; they had to get used to it.

Edithe bit her lower lip.

“I know I said I wanted to help Xidra, but this is… going a bit far. Zix is strong, Salvos. You remember what he did in Ghostlight, right?”

“He beat up Daniel, yes.”

I gave her a sage nod. The Human man rolled his eyes.

“He also burnt that town to the ground. He’s a cruel, merciless bastard.”

“But Humans do that all the time. And Demons too! I don’t see why that matters.”

“It matters because you know he’ll use underhanded and dirty tricks— anything he can to win.”

The red-haired woman glanced out of our tent. We were in the center of Unarith, at a large field barren of any plants or vegetation. The ground was rocky, and there was an arena set up out of stone just ahead. Surrounding it was a large crowd of Kobolds— possibly half the city itself came to watch this spectacle.

The sky was tinted a burning orange. The sun was beginning its descent, and the Trial of the Scales would start soon. I had to be ready. But my companions were still worried.

I should be the one worrying over them! There was a group of guards from the Risen Dragons surrounding our tent. And that was not for my safety. It was for the safety of the two Humans. The fact that they were even here— even if they were not visible to the public eye— had drawn a lot of ire from those who followed the Cult of the Old Gods.

Most of the city was unsettled at worst. But Kobolds were not currently at war with Humans. They didn’t just slaughter Humans at first sight. At least, not the majority of them. There was an extreme minority which were ready to act. I spotted them inciting unrest and spreading hushed whispers about how Humans were here to corrupt the land.

“It’s fine.”

I shook my head.

“I also have a few tricks up my sleeves.”

Raising a hand, I created a kusarigama made of white fire. It was a Medium Grade Weapon— a Refined Sickle Grenade.

“I can’t bring any artifacts, but I can make my own!”

“It’s still not enough to level the playing field. Salvos, I—”

I placed a clawed hand on Edithe’s shoulder, cutting her off. I was relaxed, and she could see it. I wasn’t a Kobold. I never planned on fighting fair either.

“You’re right. I can’t just go into this fight unprepared. That’s why both of you are here, rather than waiting up in the Shrine of the Risen Dragons.”

She blinked. Then her eyes lit up.

“That’s right!”

She hurriedly spoke, excitement clear in her voice.

“I can lend you one of my Skills— probably [Restore Skill]. But that’d be very useful, especially in a duel! And Daniel can give his [The Will of the Hero] to you too, before the fight!”

“That’s right. Although, I’d probably have to give it to you now, just to remain discreet.”

The Human man rubbed at his chin. I glanced between the two of them; they seemed more agreeable now. I clapped my hands together, grinning.

“So, is it settled then?”

They were still nervous. Why wouldn’t they be? I could hear a tiny voice in my head, warning me of the dangers that came from doing this. After all, I had no reason to do this. This didn’t matter to me. It brought me no benefits.

But I cared about Xidra. And I wanted to do this. If I only ever did things for my own gain, then I would be no different from a wild Demon, mindlessly killing everything I came across. My companions nodded. They met my gaze, and spoke the same words.

“Just don’t die, Salvos.”

—--

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 100 (+5) (+10%)

[Strength]: 80 (+5) (+10%) (-4)

[Endurance]: 88 (+5) (+10%) (-4)

[Wisdom]: 142 (+5) (+6) (+10%) (-4)

[Agility]: 201 (+5) (+10%) (-4)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 0]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 9

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Borrowed Skill - Restore Skill] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

“Are you ready?”

I looked up at Xidra as she approached my tent. My companions were no longer by my side. They left me on my own after giving me whatever boons they could. I was simply waiting for the duel to begin.

“I am.”

“Very well. Follow me.”

The First Dragonling led me through the thin flaps, out into the area. I stepped up the delicately chiseled stone stairway, following behind her as jeers came from the watching crowd. My companions were girdled by a group of Kobold guards from the Risen Dragons, out of view from most of the audience, only visible through the gaps between the metallic shoulder armor.

I took a few quick breaths, readying myself for the battle that was to come. Daniel’s buff would not last forever. Although, the borrowed Skill may not dissipate for a while. I had to end this quickly. I was not looking for a protracted, drawn out battle.

“When the bell chimes a third time, the Trial of the Scales shall begin. Salvos the [Mage]...”

Xidra faced me pensively. I nodded, reassuring.

“Do not worry about me, Xidra the [Herbalist]. Just ensure that my companions are safe.”

“I shall join them and make sure their safety is absolutely certain.”

She nodded, glancing back in the direction of Edithe and Daniel. There was something else she wanted to say. She opened her mouth— but shook her head.

“Thank you.”

Those were the last words she said before she left. And then it was just myself and Zix. The High Zealot had been in the arena since the sun was still in the sky. He sat, legs crossed, waiting, silent.

I took my place across from him. We were separated by fifty paces. I could cross that distance in an instant. All I needed was to get one good strike in, and finish the fight.

A gong resounded in the background. It was the first bell. It drowned out all the chattering of the crowd gathered. Most of them were in support of Zix. Of course they were.

The High Zealot slowly got to his feet as the bell was struck a second time.

“You, [Mage], why do you serve Xidra? Do you not realize how foolish her ideals are? They will surely lead us to our doom.”

“Maybe.”

I shrugged as I unfurled my tail from around my waist. It wasn’t very Kobold-like of me. But I had to prioritize winning the Trial of the Scales over pretending to be a Kobold.

“But I’m helping Xidra because I want to. And because I don’t like you.”

His eyes narrowed.

“You sound… familiar.”

“What about you?”

I looked over at the bell-ringer. He reeled back to strike the third gong. I bared my teeth.

“Why are you doing this? Why do you insist on waging war with the Humans?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s because—”

The third bell rang. I leapt forward with a [Flame Burst], activating [Self Haste]. I came forth like a speeding arrow. There was no stopping me. I would hit my target no matter what.

Zix’s eyes grew wide. He took a step to his side, but I growled.

“No you don’t!”

For a brief moment, Zix froze. And that was enough for me. I raised a clawed hand as it was engulfed in brilliant black flames. It shone with its sable light so bright that those watching went blind.

Just for a split-second.

“[Radiant Slash]!”

I dug my claws into the High Zealot’s chest. He was the leader of the Scale Sentinels. One of the leading factions that were a part of the Cult of the Old Gods. I knew what killing him meant. The implications behind it all— I was ready to embrace it.

It was one of my greatest Skills. I could shred through a Ghoul with it. The same thing should have happened with Zix, right?

Wrong.

The black light faded as the Skill’s effects came to an end. I stared in shock as my claws only barely pierced through the Kobold’s skin. It drew blood, yes. He was bleeding, but not profusely. It wasn’t just a minor wound. And yet, Zix was unfazed.

It didn’t even come close to killing him.

“Was that it? How pathetic.”

Zix the [Warrior] grabbed me by the arm and flung me to the side. I crashed into the earth, tumbling and breaking through the stone ground as the fire around the arena ignited. It formed a patterned wall, boxing us in this small space.

I stumbled back up, wincing as blood dripped from the cuts all over my scales. The High Zealot walked forward leisurely. His bleeding had already stopped. A savage grin was spread across his face.

“[Passive - Weaker Regeneration]. [Passive - Obsidian Scales]. [Passive - Enhanced Vitality]. Did you think that was enough to kill me?”

He shook his head, the disappointment clear in his voice. A familiar image seemed to coalesce behind him. It looked like a Kobold— but no, I saw it somewhere else. Was it… the murals in Shrine of the Risen Dragons?

“You ask me why I am doing this? It’s because the Apocalypse is coming. The world shall end. Not unless I put an end to all the scourges that plagues the Nexeus… starting with heathens like you.”

Zix raised his claw, and the image struck down after him. It tore the ground open. It ripped apart the earth, bearing down on me with the fury of a Dragon.

A note from MelasD

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148. Darkening Horizons

148. Darkening Horizons

An ethereal creature came crashing down at me. The image of a Dragon tore apart the earth, shredding through the ground, blending it into mud and spraying it into the air. A [Flame Burst] pulled me to the side just in time. I barely avoided the attack. It was the kind of Skill I expected a [Hero] to have. Not some random Kobold man!

“[Wrath of the Old Gods]. Hrmph, so you survived its fury.”

Zix strolled past the carnage he had wrought, casual, ignoring the falling debris and dust around him, each nonchalant stride bringing him closer and closer to me. I growled, activating [Ember Core] as he came to a stop ten paces away from me. With that single Skill, he ravaged half of the area, turning it into a cratered mess jutting out with the occasional spiky rocks and rubble, poking out like shattered teeth hiding in the sand.

The crowd was deathly quiet now; the damage Zix inflicted upon the land was enough to even instill fear within the watchers. I couldn’t see my companions from where I was standing, but I had no doubts that they were clutching at their chests and worried for my life.

I shook my head, dusting myself off.

“That makes no sense.”

I steadied myself, facing down Zix as he loomed over me. He was large for a Kobold. His scales were the same color as the night. But that didn’t matter. I tugged at the threads at my fingers as I spoke out.

“You’re saying that you want to kill all Humans just because a few of them are doing bad things?”

“No.”

He let out a mirthless laugh. It sounded more cruel— the kind of chuckle I’d expect from a wild Demon. The flames girdling the arena cast a sheen over his obsidian body; the fire danced in his eyes, flickering, swaying, reflecting a burning hatred in them.

“I do not simply wish to eradicate all of Humankind. I will bring their [Heroes] to their knees, tear down their monuments to both Spirits and Demons, and cleanse the Mortal Realm of all the heretics who dared challenge the Cult of the Old Gods.”

I blinked.

“That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?”

“Perhaps, but it is the only way the world—”

He didn’t get to finish. Once again, Zix was so caught up in his own words, he let his guard down. I dashed forward as the Star Forge came into existence right behind me. Its twinkling form shifted. It contracted, then began to expand as I lashed out at the Kobold man with a [Barrage of Cinders].

Bracing himself, Zix held up his arms in a cross. But I pulled away at the last second. [Flame Burst] yanked me to his right as the enlarged Star Forge snapped down at him. The warped orb of fire began to twist and turn, spiking out from all sides as a significant chunk of my mana disappeared, before it finally combusted.

The blast shot up out of the ground like a white spear. One that consumed everything within it, incinerating even the ghost of the ashes caught within the flames. It lit up the night sky. A beacon for all those around Unarith to see.

But that wasn’t all. I stepped back from the raging inferno and unleashed a cone of blue flames into the mix. The blazing wave washed over the earth, turning it into a deep black. If this arena ever had arable soil— if it ever was capable of growing crops— it was no longer the case now.

It’s a good thing Zix talks a lot. It was something I noticed, even back in Ghostlight. He enjoyed hearing himself speak. It was something that resonated with me. The sound of my own voice was alluring, especially when I wasn’t in my Mortal Form. And I often made the mistake of speaking too much in battle.

But I wasn’t the one making this mistake now.

I was grinning. I created a kusarigama, ready to strike whatever burnt remains of a Kobold came stumbling out of the flames. But the smile soon slipped off my face. My tongue receded back into my mouth as I saw the obsidian-scaled Kobold walking out of the fire. He halted as my magic dissipated. His robes were entirely burnt off, the wound in his chest still there. And his body was singed, covered in light burns. But otherwise, he was unharmed.

I stared at the High Zealot as he showed a grin of his own.

“H-how…?”

***

Edithe couldn’t believe her eyes at what she saw. She just witnessed Salvos let loose some of the most powerful magic the Demon had ever cast, only for Zix to shrug it off with only a few scratches to his body.

The red-haired woman knew it was magic above Salvos’ level. She knew that Salvos could only conjure such powerful flames that quickly thanks to Daniel’s boon. But it wasn’t enough to even come close to killing the Kobold.

“That’s fucking bullshit!”

Daniel glanced her way, startled by the sudden outburst. Edithe didn’t feel embarrassed. She couldn’t help but curse. That was because she saw something only she could see. Perhaps Salvos might be able to discern it if she really looked for it. But Edithe highly doubted that was high in the Demon’s priority list right now.

“What is wrong, Edithe the [Mage]?”

Xidra stepped up to the red-haired woman’s side.

“What’s wrong? You tell me what’s wrong— how the fuck does Zix have a dozen different layers of spells protecting him against fire?”

“Does he?”

“And it’s not just regular spells. They’re Skills! They have to be Skills. There is no way he was able to cast magic that uniform so many times over himself.”

Edithe watched as Zix leapt at Salvos. The battle in the arena resumed after the brief interlude. The powerful magic from Salvos had taken many of the onlookers out from their immersion from its intense heat. But now, they were starting a soft chant. A susurration that was slowly spreading through the crowd of Kobolds surrounding the arena.

It pissed off Edithe. Why were they all on his side? There had to be some supporting Salvos, right? Well, if they were present, they were being awfully quiet. Maybe only Xidra and the few guards from the Risen Dragons were actually rooting for Salvos.

And they were here, far to the side, almost entirely separated from the arena.

“That is… an interesting observation.”

Xidra’s voice drew Edithe’s attention away from the fighting. Zix was relentlessly pressing Salvos with powerful strikes. The Demon managed to avoid most of them, but failed to rally any sort of proper counter attack which could harm the Kobold. So, they were at a stalemate.

“What do you mean? What’s wrong?”

The tone of Xidra’s voice clued Edithe in that something was amiss. Xidra crossed her arms, her face twisting to a scowl.

“Zix the [Warrior] may be powerful, however he lacks the capacity to cast such magic. His Class is a variation of a [Monk]. He draws power from his own will. He does not use mana or magic in the sense which you are describing. The same goes for his evolution. My nephew can attest to that.”

She glanced over at Hoxle, and he nodded.

“Yep. We’re [Dragonets]. Well, I’m just an ordinary [Dragonet] since I haven’t gotten past Level 40 yet for it. But even if he somehow reached Level 100 for his evolution, I don’t think he could’ve possibly been given a super [Mage] kind of an option along the way. We’re a very physical Subspecies, you see.”

He flexed an arm and spread his wings out wide. Edithe ignored it, instead looking at the arena in anger.

“That damn cheater!”

She stomped a foot on the ground right as an explosion resounded in the background. Zix took to the skies, avoiding the blast of rock and debris that hailed back down from the blast.

“He’s using others’ Skills— no, artifacts too, to give him his extreme fire resistance. Does that bastard not know honor?”

“I mean, we did cheat too, but, uh…”

Daniel spoke in a small voice. Edithe glared his way, promptly shutting him up before he could continue.

“We have to tell Salvos about this. The only way she’ll be able to defeat him is if she fights him without using her magic.”

She started forward, only for Xidra to put a hand out.

“Assisting a combatant during the Trial of the Scales is strictly forbidden by its rules. You will violate the sanctity of this duel if you speak up.”

Edithe frowned as the chanting in the background grew louder. She wanted to argue— but time was running out. Salvos only had half an hour before [The Will of the Hero]’s effects came to an end. And while the duel hadn’t raged on for that long, the Demon was given the Skill before the fighting started.

“Both Zix and Salvos have already broken the rules to this stupid duel. And if their damn chanting is allowed, I don’t see why I can't just shout a few words too. I’m going up there, Xidra the [Herbalist], and with all due respect, you can’t stop me.”

Shaking her head, Edithe stepped past Xidra and shoved her way through the retinue of guards boxing them in. She was going to expose herself by walking out, but she didn’t care. Salvos had to win this. After all, the penalty for losing was death.

***

Zix zipped through the air, coming straight for me as I loosed a white Refined Blazing Bolt his way. I backed away from his flying figure. He barely paid heed to the attack. The fire splashed off his scales like I was pouring some hot water over him. It burned him, yes. But it wasn’t even coming close to killing him.

Something was wrong. I could tell, something was just not right about this.

He struck the earth like a falling star. The impact sent me stumbling back as he drew himself back to his feet.

“You are nothing more than a heathen, lost in your ways, believing the foolish lies of the Risen Dragons. There is no salvation for you. Your only redemption is death.”

Zix charged me, once again accompanied by a Dragon at his tail. It was a different Dragon from before. While the previous one had silver scales, this one was crimson in color. These were not real Dragons. Merely projections, created from his Skills. But it didn’t matter. They brought with them their might, and that was enough to send a chilling fear down my spine.

I desperately threw myself away from the attack. The Kobold man moved as if he was a lance being thrust forth. He didn’t turn or pull after me. The image vanished as he stopped right by the flames marking the edge of the arena.

I panted as I picked myself up from the pile of rubble I landed in.

“Why do you keep calling me that? I’m not a heathen!”

“Oh?”

He spun around to face me.

“You claim not to be a heathen, yet you fight for Xidra. You even work with the scum of Humankind, despite their repeated acts of heresy against our Gods. Tell me, how can you make such a bold assertion with such a straight face?”

“It’s true! And it’s Xidra the [Herbalist].”

I glanced over to the side, searching for my companions. I narrowed my eyes as I spotted a small scuffle happening close to the area. A familiar red-haired woman and black-haired man were standing there, caught by a crowd. It looked like they were being escorted by a few of the Risen Dragon’s guards, but were swarmed by a dozen members of the angry audience. Although most of them were too low leveled to do anything against either of them.

“Salvos!”

Edithe called out, waving an arm as she bounced up and down right by the wall of flames.

“Stop using fire magic against Zix— he has multiple layers of potent fire resistance magic protecting him!”

I paused as the words slowly registered in my mind. There was a roar— more Kobolds swarmed my companions at her words. They were shouting, crying loudly about cheating. Edithe fired back with her own accusations as she shoved Kobolds off her.

Zix made an irritated sound.

“Hrmph, outside influence? During the Trial of the Scales? Truly, the Risen Dragons have never fallen lower than today.”

“You say that, but aren’t you cheating too?”

I could feel the effects [The Will of the Hero] waning. I had to settle this fight now. I just had to bait Zix into another monologue—

The obsidian-scaled Kobold leapt into the air, carried higher and higher by the single, flapping wing at his back. I watched him ascend above even the tallest minaret in all of Unarith. Heads turned. Eyes were fixed on the black dot in the sky.

“Did you think that trick would work three times? Surely you must have expected me to learn about your antics by now.”

“That’s no fair! Come back down here!”

I was about to create another bow and arrow, but stopped myself. Instead, I picked a large rock off the ground— one about the size of my head— and tossed it his way. He drifted to the left of it almost indifferently as it missed him. Even though I threw it as fast as I could!

“This world is filled with wrong. It flows with sin and evil and death. There is much left to cleanse. But I shall fight for what is just. For all that’s right, for all that’s good. I shall do what I must. Until I take my last and final breath.”

An idea crossed my mind. I just had to toss the rock faster so that it would hit him. I created a pair of chains and hooked it around a piece of debris that was my size. Zix continued, but this time, there was power in his words.

“[Calamity Shall Come, The World Will End, So May The Old Gods Give Me Strength].”

His voice boomed throughout all of Unarith. It drew the attention of the angry crowd that was trying to swarm my companions. Xidra’s eyes snapped wide open. Gasps left the mouth of more than a single Kobold.

“That is… a Grand Skill. His evolution— did it already reach past Level 100?!”

Someone whispered. Was it Xidra? I wasn’t sure.

Then darkness seemed to brew over me. I thought it was just clouds floating over the stars and the moon in the sky? But it wasn’t. It was a shadow. One that grew larger and larger over me.

Zix morphed. His arms and legs began to misshapen. Part of his limbs seemed to retreat into his now-bloated body. Then his back curved forward into a hunch. A crooked shape that continued to extend in length. His wing, once alone, was now joined by another. And they spanned twice the size of his new body.

He was… he looked like a Dragon.

“This is but a peek into the divine power of the Gods! Sing me your hymns, oh little girl. Cry, scream, and beg for forgiveness. Perhaps you will be shown mercy in the afterlife.”

A note from MelasD

The last bit spoken by Zix was written in Iambic Heptameter. I'm trying to experiment in writing in more diverse styles, so apologies if it came across as awkward or amateurish as it was my first time.

Here it is in stanza form:

This world is filled with wrong. It flows with sin and evil and death.

There is much left to cleanse. But I shall fight for what is just.

For all that’s right, for all that’s good, I shall do what I must.

Until I take my last and final breath. [Calamity

Shall Come, The World Will End, So May The Old Gods Give Me Strength]

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149. Dragonet

149. Dragonet

I gaped up at Zix as he hovered above me. His body had deformed into a crooked, hunched figure. His arms and legs seemed to sink partway into his body, the limbs losing half of their range of motion from before. He quadrupled in size, and his wings doubled even that in length. Everything about him was larger. That included the wounds I had previously inflicted on him. The hole in his chest was now the size of my person. The small cuts covering his body were now deep gashes. But that didn’t matter. Because—

He looked like a Dragon. I have only seen the images of Dragons, but I knew that Zix was meant to look like one. He wasn’t entirely similar. For example, his face was not nearly as large— his mouth didn’t protrude nearly as far as I would’ve expected. Neither was his tail as long as the ones the Dragons in the murals had.

In fact, his tail looked quite stubby, like the broken stump of a tree sticking out of tall grass. He was supposed to be a Dragon. He was supposed to look similar to it. But his appearance was just obscene.

I took a step back as Zix spread his wings wide.

“Tremble, crumble, from my splendor. Falter fool and lose your luster.”

“Why do you keep speaking weirdly?!”

I wrapped my fire chains around a large rock and hurled it up at him. The stone was as large as me— a piece of debris that jutted out of the ground. It had an oblique shape to it. An edge that was rather sharp.

Zix’s eyes narrowed. He flapped his wings a single time, and the force of air that beat down slowed the projectile’s momentum enough that it wouldn’t reach him. I braced myself under the force of the wind. It didn’t knock me off balance, but it sent all the pebbles on the ground rolling away from my feet.

Surprisingly, the flames around the arena weren't snuffed out by the gust of air. They danced violently, whipping back and forth, but otherwise stayed burning with the same ferocity as before.

There was a slight pause as the strong winds came to a stop. Zix’s gaze bore down at me, like a hawk eyeing its prey. The stone I threw came crashing behind me as I deactivated [Ember Core]. It was pointless, really. With Zix’s current power, he’d be able to overwhelm the magical protection with a single blow. And it didn’t burn him back either. Right now, it was a drain to my mana.

“You still dare challenge me? Even knowing what I truly am?”

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Kobolds kneeling, bowing before the floating Kobold man. But that was just it. He wasn’t one of their Old Gods. He was—

“You’re not a Dragon— you’re just a Kobold pretending to be a Dragon. Look at you! You’re fat and ugly and crude!”

Zix blinked. Then he roared.

“Insolence!”

He swooped down after me. The wind nearly tossed me into the air— it was like a cyclone, created by nothing but his wings. A natural disaster from a man alone. But a man he was. Still Mortal. Definitely not one of these Old Gods.

I activated [Self Haste] and jumped. I didn’t go in any particular direction. I simply let the hurricane take me like it wanted to. I had a small figure— maybe if I wasn’t in my Kobold Form, I wouldn’t be carried by the whipping winds.

It sent me flying back towards the edge of the arena. Zix flapped his wings once more, propelling himself my way. He folded his body and dove at me like an arrow. He moved fast. Too fast to react when I made a sharp turn.

I used [Flame Burst] at the last second. I avoided the flames, keeping within the arena as I skirted around its perimeter. I watched as Zix’s eyes grew wide. He beat his wings in a panic, trying to slow down from hitting the flames.

Zix couldn’t stop— not without grounding himself. He veered into the earth and tore through it, leaving a large divot as he tumbled to a stop. The tips of his wings touched the fire. I saw a flicker. The dancing flames singed Zix’s scales. It burned the Kobold, more than my magic had with my greatest Skills.

So, those aren’t just regular flames then.

Not staying idle, I dashed forward and seized the only chance I had. Zix tried to take to the air once more. But I managed to reach him. He swatted at me, but missed as I flipped over his claws. I landed on his back and wrangled the chains around his neck.

Zix hissed, letting out an incoherent noise. He wheezed and coughed as he stumbled back. He let out heavy, sharp breaths, but only air came out. There were no flames. No lightning. No ice. It was just his angry panting as he squirmed on the ground.

“If fire isn’t going to hurt you, how about this?!”

I chomped down the back of his head. He let out a guttural scream. It wasn’t one of pain, but of pure rage. I tugged at the chains, trying to lead the rampaging Zix into the wall of flames. He thrashed around. He didn’t realize what I was doing. Not until he felt the heat washing over him. He growled and burst back up into the sky as I desperately clung onto him.

My chains fell loose. I could only grasp onto the flying Kobold’s scales with my claws and my mouth. He spun in the air, twisting, trying to shake me off him. I managed to hold on— until everything flipped. Zix growled as he rapidly began to descend back to the ground.

“I will crush you!”

“Uh-oh.”

I saw the ground quickly approaching, stone and debris protruding up, ready to skewer me through. I let go of the Kobold’s obsidian scales, pushing myself to the side and into my own free fall. The world, once slow due to the effects of [Self Haste], began to speed up. The Skill’s effect came to an end.

I landed on all fours, but wasn’t able to steady myself before Zix was snapping his jaw at me. His gaping mouth closed in on me. I would have been eaten in a single bite. Which was disgusting!

A [Flame Burst] saved me. But Zix didn’t let up. He pressed forward, swiping his claws and bearing down at me with his ravenous teeth. I focused as I saw his flurry of attacks come my way. He was too large. Too quick. I would get hit eventually.

His movements— began to decelerate. The watching crowd slowed once more. I could see the dust behind Zix shooting up into the air, a plume that billowed up almost lazily.

[Restore Skill: Self Haste]!

I swiftly avoided the rest of Zix’s frenzied strikes. I led him closer and closer to the edge of the arena. He frowned and backed away.

“Do you really think you can trick me—”

“Nope!”

He paused. And I charged forward. I went straight for his chest, aiming for the open wound left behind by my [Radiant Slash]. I dug my claws into him, ripping, tearing, trying to burrow into him like some kind of Centinel.

Zix cried out in pain. He reached for me with his stubby arms, and I skittered out of the way, crawling around to his back once more. It was a familiar movement for me. One that was easier now that I actually had arms and legs. It’s definitely easier than crawling with just my body!

“What’s wrong, can’t reach me?”

My strength was waning. The buff from Daniel was going to come to an end within the minute. I concentrated on nothing but creating a pair of fiery chains, white and solid, one that didn’t waste mana burning, but was reinforced beyond anything I had ever made before.

We were in the sky once more. I could see the sable dome spinning above me. The stars were trailing in circles overhead. Zix was trying to crash into the ground again. He thought tht it would throw me off. But I didn’t jump this time.

I threw the chains around his back, around his body, tangling into his wings. I tightened the magical bindings as Zix struggled to spread his wings wide to no avail. He was no longer in control of where we were going. We were both plummeting wildly to the ground now.

“You fieeeeeeeeeeeend!”

He cursed at me as I let go of him at the very last moment. The Kobold smashed into the ground, breaking apart the rock and stone below. They pierced his scales and tore apart his wings. He picked himself back up, standing on shaky legs.

“You shall feel the wrath of God for your sins! I will make you pay!”

I crashed into his back and sent him stumbling forward. He stopped right before the edge of the arena, where the wall of flames was located. He managed to catch himself from falling into it, although he was a scale’s length away from being burned by the fire. I grabbed the white chains, still wrapped around Zix’s back, and bellowed.

“I am not a fiend!”

He swiped at me, but I leapt over the attack and pulled at the chains with the weight of my entire body. I flipped over the dancing fire, landing on the other side as I hauled Zix over to me. He was tired, angry, and most importantly, off-balance.

“I am Salvos, and I will not let you stop me from seeing my companion again!”

He couldn’t brace himself. He wasn’t prepared for the searing pain that was to come. He fell face-first into the flames. And that was it. He roared, he floundered, he flailed, he screamed, he cried, and he died as the fire burned the scales off him.

The wall of flames lowered itself like a curtain at the end of a play. It revealed the charred corpse of Zix as he lay on the ravaged arena, alone. There were gasps. A quiet susurration ran through the crowd of onlookers.

“The Divine Flames have gone out, the Trial of the Scales is over!”

“She killed the High Zealot!”

“Impossible—”

Those who had come in support of the Scale Sentinels were in disbelief. They thought that their eyes were fooling them. I ignored them asmore important words resounded in my head.

The words of victory.

Defeated [Abbot of the Reckoning (High Zealot) - Lvl. 106]

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the Title High Zealot!

Experience is awarded for winning the Trial of the Scales!

That wasn’t just it. There was more.

General Skill [Advanced Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 6] -> [Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 7]

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

But most importantly was what came after.

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 98] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 99]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] Level Up!

[Asura Changeling – Lvl. 99] -> [Asura Changeling – Lvl. 100]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Greater Demon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Asura Changeling] - Lvl. 100

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 7

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Mortal Form] - Lvl. 4

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 100 (+5)

[Strength]: 80 (+5) (-4)

[Endurance]: 90 (+5) (-4)

[Wisdom]: 150 (+5) (+6) (-4)

[Agility]: 201 (+5) (-4)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 5]

[Advanced Fire Creation] - Lvl. 30 (Maxed)

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Ember Core] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Flame Burst] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Flaming Breath] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Self Haste] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Evolution Available]

[Title Available]

[Class Available]

A note from MelasD

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150. What an Idiot

150. What an Idiot

[Evolution Available]

[Title Available]

[Class Available]

That was… a lot to take in at once. But it made sense. Level 100 was a massive milestone which very few people ever reached. I have only seen a dozen Humans at over Level 100. Hadrian was one of them. Al… Alan? That was his name, right? Alan Cromwell of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s Elite Spearshield Forces was another… I think.

Nevertheless, I could now evolve into an Archdemon. And I now had a Class available. It was what I have been working towards all this time. I could become a [Space Mage] now.

Uh, it’s not that simple, Salvos, I could already hear Daniel saying, first you’ll have to—

I didn’t care. I was Level 100. I beat Zix. And now, my job here in Unarith was finished.

My companions were wading towards me. Xidra could destroy the Totem of Incense. We could return to the Plaguelands—

“Cheater!”

A voice cried out. I blinked and saw an angry Kobold pointing an accusing finger at me.

“You cheated! You went over the Divine Flames while it was still up!”

There were a few nods in agreement. I took a step back, placing a hand on my chest defensively

“I didn’t cheat! There was nothing in the rules that said I couldn’t leave the arena!”

“Salvos the [Mage] is right. The Trial of the Scales does not state that leaving the bounds of the Divine Flames meant a forfeit. She is the victor.”

Xidra stepped up behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder. But that was not enough to placate the audience.

“You received outside help! Those damn Humans helped you win!”

“That’s not allowed!”

I frowned.

“Well, Zix cheated too! He had… uh, artifacts! And Skills from his friends! That’s cheating!”

They ignored me. They didn’t care for what I had to say. Was Zix cheating? Yes. But they all knew it.

Unarith wasn’t a small village. It was a city with a population of thousands. Maybe even over ten thousand. As such, it had dozens or even a hundred different factions within its bounds. Only one or two dozen of those factions were part of the Cult of the Old Gods— a coalition of factions which the Scale Sentinels were an influential member of.

The other factions were either on the Risen Dragons’ side, or disinterested parties. The disinterested parties had no reason to show up for the Trial of the Scales, and the Risen Dragons were experiencing inner conflict over the destruction of the Totem of Incense.

As such, most of the Kobolds gathered here were rooting for Zix. They were part of his faction, or they were part of the Cult of the Old Gods.They were the ones who helped him cheat. Or, at the very least, they were aware of what plans he had to win the duel.

This realization sunk in as my eyes darted around, wary. They wouldn’t accept the result. Even now, they were trying to block Daniel and Edithe from making their way to me. I hurriedly whispered to Xidra.

“First Dragonling, I believe that trying to subdue the audience is a fruitless endeavor.”

Now, more than ever, I had to maintain my facade. If these Kobolds found out the truth about me, they would react violently.

Xidra narrowed her eyes. She realized something was amiss too. Her mouth opened, words began to come out—

But someone grabbed Daniel. The Human man pushed his attacker off him. But it was already too late. There were gasps. A Kobold held something up in the air— a necklace. One which hid the Classes and Levels of an individual.

It was no longer around Daniel’s neck. And everybody froze.

I sighed.

“Daniel, why are you so f—”

“He’s a [Hero]!”

“That Human is an otherworlder!”

“Kill him!”

The ice shattered. The once simmering anger erupted out of the geyser, a pillar of boiling water bursting into the air. The crowd of Kobolds broke out of their stupor. They roared and charged my companions. What was once just a brawl turned into something far more deadly.

Their shovings became clawed strikes, aimed for the throat. They loosed spells and Skills at my companions. They screamed for death and violence.

“Slay that otherworlder! Bring an end to the scourge which afflicts our world!”

They came at my companions in a wave, washing over the dirt ground, a flood of fire and fury. It wasn’t just directed at them either. Some of their wrath spilled over and came for Xidra and me. I kicked a Level 30 [Warrior] back, placing a protective arm over her.

“We need to get out of here!”

“No.”

She spoke simply, shaking her head.

“Take your companions and flee the city. That is the only place you will find safety.”

“What about the Totem of Incense?”

I looked at Xidra with wide eyes. The Kobold woman gave me a reassuring look.

“Do not worry, Salvos the [Mage]. You have done your part. I will ensure that it is taken care of— there will always be pushbacks. Those against what I do. But bringing change was never going to be simple.”

She stuck her tongue out in one final smile of farewell.

“Know that for what you’ve done, you will always have my support on your side. If you ever visit our lands again, the Risen Dragons and our allies will offer you shelter and protection. Not just in Unarith, but in Lullin, Hirane, Sarton— any of our cities, you will find friends within.”

“Thank you, Xidra the [Herbalist].”

I hugged her tightly as the clamoring around us intensified. Her bodyguards were surrounding us, keeping us safe and boxed in. Hoxle swooped in from above, knocking away those who were higher leveled before they could even come close.

I leapt over Xidra’s bodyguards, diving straight into the angry mob. I hopped on their heads and headed straight for my companions.

“Come on! Let’s get out of here!”

I yelled, offering both of them my hands. Edithe whacked her staff across a green-scaled Kobold’s head, while Daniel slammed his fist on the ground and sent a group of Kobolds stumbling back from the impact.

My companions grabbed onto me as I flipped over a hail of glowing arrows. We avoided the magic and the Skills and the swinging swords and the spears. The rushing mob couldn’t keep up with my speed. After all, most of them weren’t combatants. They didn’t come here for a fight. But most importantly, they weren’t Level 100 either.

They tried to give chase. They were slowly left behind, fading into a multi-colored mass, barely visible in the distance. And we left the city of Unarith behind.

—--

“You’re an idiot.”

I stared at Daniel with my arms crossed. He buried his face in his hands.

“I know…”

“Why can’t you just do things right for once?!”

“I’m trying.”

“Try harder!”

I threw my arms up in the air, and he just groaned miserably to himself. Edithe walked up behind me, her lips drawn into a thin line.

“I’m upset too, Salvos, but you can’t really blame him for what happened. The Kobolds there were just looking for a reason to be angry. Even if Daniel had been more careful, they’d have eventually attacked us all anyway. Whether it be because you cheated, or because I helped you cheat, or because we’re Humans, or because he’s a [Hero]. It would have ended the same way.”

“Whatever.”

I rolled my eyes, breaking away from my companions.

“I’m going to go and evolve because I’m Level 100 now. Don’t let anything attack me while I’m doing that.”

“Alright. And congratulations.”

Edithe smiled at me as she took a seat next to Daniel. The Human man was now murmuring abusive words at himself as she patted him in the back. I ignored him, instead transforming back out of my Mortal Form, freeing myself from the very limiting scaled body of a Kobold.

“Much better.”

I stretched all four of my arms and flexed my clawed hands. My claws were far sharper than a Kobold’s, with a longer reach too. I enjoyed pretending to be a Kobold for a little while, but just as it was with being a Human, it got dull once enough time passed.

I sat down on a tree stump. The wood was old and rotting— not yet shriveled up and withered away like the trees in the Plaguelands, but simply dead, unaffected by any blight.

We were far from the Kobold lands. We ran towards the Plaguelands, of course. But we didn’t enter it. We set up camp right at the periphery where the ground began to change, but before the brown smog of blight was even visible. Or smellable.

It wasn’t exactly a safe place. However, we knew the Kobolds wouldn’t follow us here. At least, not immediately. So, we had time to rest and recover. Or in my case, evolve.

I couldn’t help but grin as I focused on the words in my head.

[Evolution Available]

Now, what kind of options will you give me this time? I was very excited to see what I got. The world vanished around me as I entered my mind, my consciousness still there, but my vision fading.

Species Evolution:

[Greater Demon of Pride] -> [Archdemon of Pride]

Requirements for three Subspecies evolutions have been met!

Yes! I’m finally an Archdemon! I wondered what Lily would say. She was still in the Brilsum ruins, right? Her Fairy friends left her behind, and she couldn’t return to the Spirit Realm. I should pay her a visit again— maybe teach that jerk Archdemon Belzu while I was at it.

Subspecies Evolution:

[Asmodai Succubus]

An [Asmodai Succubus] is one of the final evolutionary paths for a [Succubus]. Charming but deadly, an [Asmodai Succubus] carries herself with pride and intelligence, doing what is necessary to thrive even when shunned and estranged. She doesn’t stoop below her station, instead using deceit and power to overcome any obstacle in her path.

+25 to [Wisdom]

+15 to [Endurance]

+10 to [Vitality]

+10 to [Strength]

+5 to [Agility]

[Succubus]? Again?

I kept getting it as an option whenever I evolved. It certainly had a good distribution of Stats, But when I asked Daniel about it a while back, he told me to absolutely never choose it as an evolution.

While I took his warnings in stride, I wasn’t too entranced by what it offered me. It was too vague, and it would probably take away [Racial Skill: Mortal Form] from me. The only draw it had was the fact that it was one of the final evolutionary paths for a [Succubus]. Did that mean the [Succubi] evolution only reached Level 100?

It was likely that I would never see the [Succubus] option ever again. And that tempted me. My curiosity drew me towards it. If I could evolve into a [Succubus] just to see what it was like for a day before making a final decision— like with a Skill— I would have.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. I probably wasn’t going to become an [Asmodai Succubus]. I had two other options, after all.

[Asura Changeling Matriarch]

An [Asura Changeling Matriarch] is a direct evolution to an [Asura Changeling]. Proving herself to be a powerful Demon worthy of respect, an [Asura Changeling Matriarch] rules over those around her, turning them into her minions. She is a natural ruler, and she will make it be known that she is a Demon above all others— by force, if needed.

+20 to [Wisdom]

+15 to [Strength]

+15 to [Endurance]

+15 to [Vitality]

+5 to [Agility]

These evolutions were… a lot more personalized than before, huh? They were far less specific, but both evolutions so far offered me what I needed in terms of added Stat Points.

An [Asura Changeling Matriarch] sounded good. It was the natural progression to my current Subspecies, [Asura Changeling]. It was a safe option. I’d get to keep [Racial Skill: Mortal Form], and my four current arms.

Maybe I might even become more terrifying. I could scare Daniel a bit at night— as punishment for his mistake earlier today, of course.

I also liked its description. Matriarch. That word had a nice ring to it.

Matriarch Salvos.

It was like having a Title without actually having a Title.

I held off impulsively choosing this evolution, and took a look at the last option available.

[Daeva Cambion]

A [Daeva Cambion] is the next step in a [Changeling]’s evolution. A [Daeva Cambion] has learnt what it’s like to live amongst Mortals and Spirits. Now, she must adapt to truly be accepted by their kinds. However, she does not forget her roots. That she is a Demon will always be known by her and those she trusts. It is her essence and her strength.

+20 to [Wisdom]

+20 to [Agility]

+15 to [Vitality]

+15 to [Strength]

+15 to [Endurance]

...alright.

I didn’t know what I wanted now. [Daeva Cambion] didn’t just offer good Stats all around, it also piqued my interest. Because it came closest to describing me.

Also, it was something new. It was something different. It had the same allure as both [Asura Changeling Matriarch] and [Asmodai Succubus]: it not only assured me that I wouldn’t undergo drastic changes, but I was also curious about this new experience.

What did it even mean by ‘next step in a [Changeling]’s evolution’? Did that mean it was better? Surely it was, right?

I was torn between [Daeva Cambion] and [Asura Changeling Matriarch]. On one hand, [Asura Changeling Matriarch] gave me what I wanted. It guaranteed that I wouldn’t shrivel up into some kind of two-armed Human-like creature— which was probably what choosing [Asmodai Succubus] would do— while also letting me keep my Mortal Form. It was a good choice. It was the smart choice.

And yet, I found my thoughts drifting towards [Daeva Cambion]. It was shrouded over. I could just barely see it peaking out of the thin mist. I could make out its shape, but not what it was. And I could tell— I knew it offered me what I wanted.

The questions I had: I needed it answered. The vyings of my heart brought me towards this veiled goal.

[Daeva Cambion].

I knew not what it was. It simply was all I could think about. Maybe it would be a bad decision. Maybe the uncertainty behind what it offered was too much of a risk to pick. However, there was a chance. There was a possibility that it’d be something wonderful.

Plus, it offered the best Stat boost. That couldn’t possibly be too bad, right?

Evolution Complete!

[Greater Demon of Pride] -> [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies [Asura Changeling] -> [Daeva Cambion]

Gained 30 Stat Points!

[Wisdom] +20

[Agility] +20

[Vitality] +15

[Strength] +15

[Endurance] +15

Gained 3 Skill Slots!

Gained 9 Skill Points!

General Skill [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] Obtained!

General Skill [Racial Skill: Mortal Form] becomes [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality]!

Skill [Self Haste] becomes [Haste]!

Skills [Advanced Fire Creation], [Ember Core], [Flame Burst], and [Flaming Breath] consolidates and becomes [The Primordial Spark]!

Skill [Wings of the Netherworld] is now available.

Available Skill [Horror’s Flare] becomes [Demon’s Mark].

Available Skill [Star Forge] Becomes [Nebular Construct].

A note from MelasD

Just an FYI, Salvos Volume 3 is officially over on patreon at chapter 168. I will be releasing the eBook version soon.

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151. The Next Step

151. The Next Step

When I woke up, I was lying in a puddle of black liquid, a thin white molt of my skin shed on the ground beneath me. I blinked as I took in the stars above, twinkling in place, hanging from the sable sky like a mural painted on the ceiling of a domed roof. It was pretty.

I wondered what those stars were supposed to be.

Daniel said they were massive balls of hot gas located very, very, very far away. But they couldn’t be. Maybe that was what stars were in his world. However, that couldn’t possibly be the case in the Nexeus.

I got to my feet as I wiped myself down. I paused, staring at my arms. There was something different about me. Of course there was. I just evolved. My body changed every single time. And I didn’t keep the same base Subspecies. The last time I evolved from two nearly-unrelated Subspecies, I experienced rather drastic changes.

But unlike my most recent evolution, I didn’t get a pair of extra arms. Instead, I lost two of my arms!

“Wait, what?”

I patted myself down, reaching for my back, making sure that they weren’t hiding from me. Nope. They weren’t under my shoulders, nor were they at my waist. I even checked my legs, but nothing!

“Aw, I can’t believe it!”

Throwing both my hands in the air, I found the feeling of disappointment was only exacerbated because I now could clearly see what was missing. It didn’t feel that weird. It probably wouldn’t impede me in fights by that much. Just a few hours ago, I was pretending to be a Kobold, fighting against a fake-Dragon with only a single set of clawed hands.

However, I couldn’t deny that it was still upsetting.

“And my arms are shorter too…”

In fact, my whole body was smaller. I wasn’t an [Imp], running around two heads shorter than Daniel. Neither was I a lanky creature with a hunched back and hands that reached my knees without bending, looming over most Humans I met like I was some kind of Cyclops.

I was… more level, now. I stood as tall as Edithe, only slightly shorter than Daniel. I didn’t feel like I needed to stretch my back to stand up straight, and my shoulders weren’t nearly as broad as they were before. I still had my horns. They protruded from the sides of my head, angling more forward than up. My claws were as sharp as ever— and my silver-white skin unchanging in its color.

I narrowed my eyes, raising a hand to touch my cheeks. Rough, I thought. But not hard, like when I was a [Changeling]. I brought my fingers back slightly towards the side of my head, feeling my ears. And pointed.

It seemed like I was back to being an [Imp], now. Or no— I was more akin to a typical [Fiend]. I remembered what Haec looked like. The way I was built was more similar to him… apart from the size and color, of course.

“How is this the next step in a [Changeling]’s evolution?”

I wondered as I bent over, picking up my blue jacket and ragged cloak. I was naked, but I didn’t have any of the body parts Humans had. Or Kobolds. Or Cyclopes. Just a few silver-gray marks and lines that ran over my body.

I wore my clothes so Daniel wouldn’t be embarrassed, although I was pretty sure he didn’t care as much when I was not pretending to be a Human. Even as an [Imp], he had no issues with me walking around without clothes. He also didn’t care for Ignavare or Lucerna’s naked bodies, so I didn’t even know why I was even doing this.

Bad Mortal habits!

Shaking my head, I got dressed as I took in my new Status.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 100

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 7

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 30]

[Vitality]: 115 (+5)

[Strength]: 95 (+5)

[Endurance]: 105 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 170 (+5) (+6)

[Agility]: 221 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 14]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Haste] - Lvl. 1

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x6

Right now, the two things that stood out to me were [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] and [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality]. The latter drew more of my attention to it. It was curious. It was a change to my original [Racial Skill: Mortal Form]. Its wording… made me nervous.

Why did it change from ‘Mortal Form’to ‘Partial Mortality’. Did that mean I was part Mortal now? Surely not, right? The description of [Daeva Cambion] emphasized that I was a Demon through and through.

I wanted to investigate what it was. But it scared me a little bit. So, I decided to take a look at the former Racial Skill first.

“[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence]!”

I raised my clawed hand up in the air as I spoke. Then I waited with bated breath. I expected a black aura to be exuded from around me— a darkness to envelop my being, filling me with power.

I waited for it. I waited for anything to happen. But I just stood there, looking like an idiot until a voice drew my attention from the side.

“Salvos?”

I turned around, blinking. Edithe stood next to a tree, a hand pushing aside its leaves to the side.

“Is that you?”

I beamed, pointing a thumb at myself.

“That’s me!”

“You look… different. Is this your new evolution? You’re an Archdemon now, I see.”

“Yep! I’m still not sure what I think of this. But I’m still Salvos no matter what!”

I crossed my arms defiantly, and Edithe rolled her eyes.

“I never would’ve thought otherwise. Just didn’t expect your evolution to be finished so quickly.”

“Why’s that?”

“Well, I was just basing it on my own experiences. I’m usually knocked out for the whole night whenever I advance my Class.”

“Huh.”

I tilted my head back.

“How long was I out?”

“About an hour— Daniel went to sleep a little bit after your skin started shedding. He was too disgusted by it. I stayed up to keep watch.”

“Thanks.”

I smiled at the Human woman as she approached me. She inspected me, walking in a circle around me as I twirled around, showing my new body off.

“What do you think? I’m a [Daeva Cambion] now!”

“I think you look much less terrifying than before.”

“Aw.”

My shoulders sagged. Edithe smiled, patting my back comfortingly.

“If it’s any consolation, you do look scarier than as an [Imp].”

“Thanks…”

I murmured, still pouting. She let out a soft chuckle.

“So, what were you doing? I heard you shouting the name of a Racial Skill and making a weird pose.”

“I was trying to figure out how one of my new Skills works. But it’s not doing anything.”

Edithe came to a stop right in front of me.

“It’s a General Skill, right? Racial Skills are usually General Skills, from what I’ve heard.”

I nodded.

“It’s called [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence]. It’s a new General Skill I got from evolving.”

She placed a hand on her chin, in thought.

“That’s a bit tricky. General Skills are a lot less instinctual than Skills you gain from Classes— or in your case, Subspecies— so you can’t really intuit what it does. You’ll usually have to infer from its name. In this case, maybe try to channel something… I don’t know, something demonic from within you? It’s a better shot than just calling out the Skill’s name.”

“Are you sure?”

I cocked my head, a little dubious. Edithe shrugged.

“You may as well try.”

“If you say so…”

I closed my eyes, focusing on anything I could discern as demonic. At first, I tried thinking of claws and horns, but that clearly didn’t do anything. It wasn’t like claws and horns were exclusive to Demons. When that produced no results, I concentrated harder on my most primal thoughts.

The desire to level up. The wild nature to kill everything in sight. Just for my own gain. Just so I could become something more. There was a tingling sensation within me. Something that tried to break free from my body. But that wasn’t right. Not yet.

I was getting close. I tried to grasp for what was there— delve deeper into my wildest desires. However, there was nothing else there for me. I may have had some instinctual need to evolve, but it wasn’t overwhelming. It never was. That was what made me distinct from the wild Demons.

Instead, my mind was transfixed on the images of the wild Demons. I couldn’t help but think of the Hellhounds and the Hellbeasts; the Fiends and the Djinns; the Legions and the Gadarenes. They were all so different. They came in all shapes and sizes. They were never the same, neither in their thoughts nor in their words, not in what they want or in what they try to do.

I was Salvos. I didn’t want to be like them. But I could take things from them. I could learn from them. I could use it all to become better. To survive.

And it was in thinking of these Demons, the feeling broke free. My body morphed. My arms shifted. I was not unfamiliar with transforming. And yet, this felt odd. This felt different.

I grew taller, just like when I changed back from my Mortal Form. But I didn’t stop growing, even as I reached my previous height. I stood a head above what I did before, my mouth protruding like the skull of a dead animal. My teeth numbered in the dozens, sharp and thin, more than able to rip a Human’s head off in a single bite. And my horns were longer than ever.

My transformation didn’t stop there. Blood poured out from my sides as something tore free from within me. More arms— not just an extra pair, but four individual arms grew out of me. I had six arms, just as I wanted. In fact, this was everything I had wanted and more from my evolution.

I was bigger. My body was more lean, shoulders not as widely spread apart as before, but I had extra arms and a longer set of legs to run faster. My claws were like short daggers, and I could touch the ground by simply bending my back slightly forward.

However, the part which made me smile the most was my Status.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 30]

[Vitality]: 115 (+5) (+5%)

[Strength]: 95 (+5) (+5%)

[Endurance]: 105 (+5) (+5%)

[Wisdom]: 170 (+5) (+6) (+5%)

[Agility]: 221 (+5) (+5%)

“This is…”

My voice came out like a croak. A soft whisper, gravelly, the kind I expected that would leave a Ghoul’s mouth.

“Amazing!”

I threw all six of my arms up in the air as Edithe stared at me.

“Look at me, Edithe! Are you scared of me?”

“A little bit. If I didn’t know you, I’d probably run away, screaming for my life.”

Grinning, I waved a hand off playfully.

“Oh, stop it, you…”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

Edithe retorted with a judging stare. I couldn’t help but excitedly jump up and down as I took in this transformation. Sure, I would have preferred it if this was my standard form. But I took a chance, and it still gave me what I wanted.

I paused as something caught my eye. It was a sleeping figure. It lay in a bedroll, just behind some trees ahead of me. A playful smirk spread across my face as I looked over at Edithe.

“Please don’t.”

She begged, and I didn’t listen

Daniel went to sleep feeling terrible about himself. Not only was he berated by Salvos for the entire trip out of Unarith, he knew she was right and couldn’t help but agree with her. Everything was going smoothly until he screwed up.

Salvos won the duel despite Zix’s cheating. Xidra was going to placate the crowd and destroy the Totem of Incense without any more trouble. Then Daniel just had to let an angry Kobold steal his Necklace of Greater Obfuscation from right under him. Nevermind the fact that Daniel was about 70 levels above the damned thief, the thief was a [Gardener] too!

He messed up. Just as he always did. But Edithe comforted him. She told him to go to sleep— that a good night’s rest would make him feel better when he woke up.

He believed her. He truly did. And that was where he messed up a second time. Because he woke up, screaming and scrambling for his sword.

“Ahhhhhhhh—”

Daniel drew his long sword, pointing it at the terrible monster that loomed over him. Then he paused as he heard a garbled sound coming from its mouth. He narrowed his eyes, identifying it, and smacked his forehead.

[Cambion - Lvl. 100]

“Salvos…?”

The Demon girl fell to the ground, overcome with laughter. She clutched at her stomach with four arms as she wheezed, using the last two to wipe at her forehead and point at him respectively.

“Look at your face! You really thought I was some kind of monster! You’re such a coward, Daniel!”

The young man stared at the laughing Demon. He looked up and saw Edithe standing helplessly at the back. Sighing, he walked up to Salvos who still lay there, defenseless.

And he kicked her in the stomach.

“Ouch— yep, I deserved that. But it was still funny.”

“So, that’s a new Skill of yours, huh?”

“Yep. [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence]. It also gives me a big boon to all my Stats! A five percent increase!”

“I see.”

Daniel stroked his chin and looked over at Edithe. The red-haired woman seemed to have the same idea as him as she nodded.

“It’s probably a timed Skill, like Daniel’s [The Will of the Hero], Salvos.”

Edithe explained, gesturing at the Human man.

“You should probably transform back. Do some experiments— see how much time is needed before you can use the Skill again. In the meantime, why don’t you try out that other Skill of yours?”

“[Partial Mortality]?”

I blinked. Edithe fixed me with a look, and I scowled.

“Aw, fine.”

I disappeared behind some trees, dragging my clothes with me. My body morphed once as I returned to my regular self, still a Demon, but not as fear-inducing as moments before. Then I focused on my other Skill, [Partial Mortality].

It was a lot easier to learn than [Demonic Essence]. Because it worked just like [Mortal Form]. There was only one slight difference, and it was how my white skin almost seemed to peel back from my fingertips to my chest as the change occurred. Previously, it was more of a gradual shift in all my joints. Like my body was being crumpled in, before expanding out. Also, the transformation took much quicker than it normally did.

When it was finished, I looked no different as a Human than I did from back when I was a [Changeling].

I stepped out to meet my companions, fully clothed, lazily raising my hands to my sides.

“Happy? I’m a Human, yay.”

“You don’t feel anything different?”

Daniel raised a brow, arms folded across his chest. I walked towards my companions and shook my head.

“Nope, nothing—”

I stopped. My eyes grew wide.

“Wait, actually…”

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 30]

[Vitality]: 115 (+5)

[Strength]: 95 (+5)

[Endurance]: 105 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 170 (+5) (+6)

[Agility]: 221 (+5)

“My Status didn’t change. I don’t have any debuffs to my Stats!”

I leapt into the air, pumping a fist.

“I can actually fight at full strength while pretending to be a Human!”

My companions exchanged a glance.

“That’s… very good, Salvos.”

“It is.”

Daniel yawned in agreement behind Edithe.

“However, it’s late, and I want to go back to sleep. I’ll celebrate with you in the morning.”

I glared his way as he turned around, stumbling back to his bed roll.

“Meanie.”

“To be fair, Salvos, you were the one who scared him awake just a few minutes ago. I can understand his attitude. Didn’t you say you were going to be more mature a few weeks ago?”

“I did! But he deserved that, Edithe! Also— can’t I have some fun from time to time?”

“You can. Just like he can be ‘mean’ from time to time too. Fair’s fair.”

I frowned and spun around, looking away from the red-haired woman for not siding with me.

“Fine. It’s not like I needed him, anyway. I have other things to worry about.”

Other things like...

[Titles Available]

[Classes Available]

First my Class. Then my Title.

I paused as the world began to spin around me. My knees grew weak and my body wobbled. I blinked as Edithe peered at me.

“What’s wrong, Salvos?”

“It’s nothing!”

I tried to wave a hand off, but couldn’t suppress an odd sound from leaving my mouth.

“I just… feel very… tired—”

I couldn’t finish what I was trying to say. My legs buckled and I collapsed to the ground, snoring, fast asleep.

A note from MelasD

You can see the new cover here on my subreddit.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

152. A Dime a Dozen

152. A Dime a Dozen

“Ugh, what happened?”

I groaned as I sat up, rubbing my head. There was this dreadful feeling hanging over my head— a haze that seemed to cloud my memory of the moments before I collapsed. Why did I lose my consciousness? My mind slowly whirred. Was I knocked unconscious?

I blinked, the implications of such a thing settling in. Was I attacked?

I leapt to my feet, glancing around, creating a Star Forge at my side. Readying myself for an attack from any direction, I stood steadfast, peering through the foliage of trees, only to see a bright light peeking over the horizon.

“Huh. It’s… morning?”

“It is.”

I nearly jumped as a voice answered me. Daniel sat under a tree, yawning as he faced me. I looked at him, then at the red-haired woman napping off to the side. Wasn’t Edithe the one supposed to be keeping watch?

Why was Daniel the one awake now?

“What happened?”

I was very confused. Perplexed by the whole situation. The Human man just sighed, speaking bluntly.

“You fell asleep, Salvos.”

I stared at him.

“What?”

“Yeah, you transformed into a Human and immediately dozed off.”

“...you’re lying.”

He shrugged.

“That’s what Edithe told me. You can ask her when she wakes up— or just go back to sleep. It’s up to you.”

Standing up, Daniel stretched his arms and legs before sauntering over to the campfire. He produced some foodstuff, no longer looking at me as he spoke.

“Since you can sleep now, why not try having some breakfast? Maybe you’ll actually like it.”

I watched the Human man in disbelief. He was lying— he had to be lying. And yet, a groggy feeling stopped me from getting to my feet. It made me feel lazy. Like I didn’t want to move. Like I just wanted to lie down and let darkness take over me.

My eyes widened, and reality shattered.

“NOOOOOOO—”

—--

My companions stared at me as I rocked back and forth, hugging my legs tightly to my chest. They were having their first meal of the day. Breakfast, or whatever you called it. The smell of the food wafted my way, but I didn’t indulge in such disgusting practices like them.

I was a Demon, not a Human!

“You sure you’re not going to try any, Salvos?”

Edithe proffered me some dried meat. I shook my head vehemently.

“Absolutely not! I don’t have to eat, nor do I want to eat!”

She exchanged a dubious look with Daniel. He grinned as he scarfed down his food.

“Well— of course. You don’t have to eat, just like you don’t have to sleep too, right?”

I glared at him.

“I don’t need to sleep! I stopped feeling sleepy the moment I transformed out of that stupid Human form!”

I crossed my arms, scowling. I was now back to being myself, no longer pretending to be a mortal. I had my enchanting horns and comforting claws back on me.

“It’s because of that [Partial Mortality] Skill— when I transform into you stupid Mortals, I get your dumb, dumb, dumb needs to sleep and eat too!”

I made sure to emphasize the last ‘dumb’ to make it clear how dumb I thought this dumb situation was. Somehow, Edithe still didn’t get it.

“Come on, Salvos. It really isn’t that bad. Maybe the reason you’ve always hated food is because you never really had a need for it. You could just transform back to a Human and give it a little taste test, right?”

“No!”

I stood up, stamping a foot on the ground.

“I will not do that! I’m never going to be a Human, or Kobold, or Cyclops ever again!”

Spinning around, I marched five steps— and sat down. My companions watched me come to a stop, blinking. They spoke at the same time.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

I hesitated.

“I… um, have to choose a Class. So, I’ll be blacking out now.”

Class Available:

Requirements for twelve Classes have been met from reaching Level 100 in your Subspecies!

Twelve?! I had twelve Class options for me to choose from? Edithe told me that most Humans only got five or six Classes to choose from during their first ever advancement. I got double that! I excitedly began sifting through my choices.

[Warrior]

A [Warrior] is a beginner Class specializing in melee combat. A [Warrior] fights with their brawn over their brain. They rarely use magic, preferring to bring the fight to their enemies than otherwise.

+3 to [Vitality]

+3 to [Strength]

+1 to [Endurance]

+1 to [Wisdom]

+1 to [Agility]

Huh. That sucked. It was just so… basic? There was no way I was choosing the straightforward [Warrior] pick as my Class. Next!

[Mage]

A [Mage] is a beginner Class specializing in magic A [Mage] manipulates mana to do their bidding. They rarely get their hands dirty in combat, using spells to defeat their enemies above all else.

+3 to [Endurance]

+3 to [Wisdom]

+1 to [Vitality]

+1 to [Strength]

+1 to [Agility]

Another beginner Class? Alright, moving on.

[Archer]

An [Archer] is a beginner Class specializing in...

Again? Skipped.

[Rogue]

A [Rogue] is a beginner Class specializing in...

Seriously? How many ‘beginner’ Classes were there?

I was Level 100. An Archdemon. I have vanquished thousands of foes and overcome enemies double my level. I have achieved feats that no one else in entire nations could ever hope to match.

From the Netherworld to the Plaguelands, I survived the harshest environments, escaped encounters with the strongest monsters and Demons, and mastered powerful magic through sheer talent alone.

I was Salvos.

I wasn’t going to accept any beginner option for my first ever Class!

I still have eight more Classes to choose from. The next one better be good!

[Runner]

A [Runner] is a beginner Class of the [Messenger] path...

…

[Baker Apprentice]

A [Baker Apprentice] is a beginner Class of the [Baker] path...

Three more. Surely there had to be at least one good option—

[Deacon]

A [Deacon] is a beginner Class of the [Priest] path…

[Smith Apprentice]

A [Smith Apprentice] is a beginner Class of the [Smith] path...

Why?

Isthis happening because I was mean to Daniel?

I promise not to be mean to Daniel ever again.

Please just give me something that’s not a beginner Class. It doesn’t have to be super special. Anything will do! Just something that’s not for beginners!

[Precise Archer]

A [Precise Archer] is an [Archer] who has demonstrated accuracy beyond the beginner level. Their marksmanship would be lauded by lords and ladies, praised for their ability to strike each and every one of their targets without any aid from their Skills.

+5 to [Endurance]

+3 to [Strength]

+3 to [Agility]

+1 to [Vitality]

+1 to [Wisdom]

This was… something. It was certainly better than what I was given so far. But I wouldn’t really say it was good. It was better. That was it.

Hopefully things kept improving.

[Summoner]

A [Summoner] is a [Mage] specialized in Spirit summoning. They have befriended Spiritkind and made a pact with them. Now, they do not fight alone, instead accompanied by the Spirits whom they have found as allies at their side.

+5 to [Wisdom]

+3 to [Endurance]

+2 to [Vitality]

+1 to [Strength]

+ 1 to [Agility]

A [Summoner] wasn’t a basic Class, huh? I was pretty sure Edithe explained it to me once. One could become a [Summoner] at nearly any level. Its requirements were fairly simple: you simply had to be a practitioner of magic while interacting with Spirits a great deal.

It wasn’t really anything special. But… if I became a [Summoner], I’d be able to summon Mistshard and Druma, wouldn’t I?

Or would me being a Demon get in the way of that?

I was definitely considering this path. Maybe it would even help with becoming a kind of [Space Mage] in the future!

[Diabolist]

A [Diabolist] is a [Mage] who has studied Demonkind, becoming a pariah, living in exile from society. They have seen the desolation of the Netherworld, spoken with ambassadors of the Demon King, and met Archdemons of great power. The [Diabolist] seeks this power, learning the ways and magicks of Demons, no longer interested in the teachings of mortal men.

+8 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Vitality]

+5 to [Endurance]

+2 to [Strength]

+2 to [Agility]

Now this— this is good.

This seemed like the kind of Class you’d get at Level 40, not Level 10. It was exactly what I was hoping to get, considering everything I’ve done. I would’ve chosen it, no questions asked, if not for the description.

Learning the ways and magicks of Demons? This Class… maybe it was very beneficial for mortals. However, I was already a Demon. I already knew ‘Demon magic’, right?

I still had one more option. I hoped it would be good.

[Adept of the Fae]

A [Adept of the Fae] is a [Mage] who seeks out the mysteries of Fairykind. They wish to learn the mystic arts which make these Fairies so special— the secrets which the Oracle of Light, Melissa, kept to herself until her death. This pursuit may be a foolish one, with no teacher to guide them, but a [Adept of the Fae]’s curiosity will drive them forward in their path regardless of the consequences.

+10 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Vitality]

...consequences?

This description made me wary. The Stat Points it gave out were very specialized too. Once again, it felt fitting. Like the [Diabolist]. But this took it a step even further.

I was only worried about what it said towards the end. It was ominous. Yet, it would further my goal, no?

Fairies were masters of space magic. That was how they could cross from the Spirit Plane to the Mortal Realm all by themselves. I needed to learn how to do that. I scoured the sprawling Motharis Mountain Range in search of the dangerous Brilsum Ruins Dungeon just so I could speak with a Fairy.

It was time for me to choose. I had a dozen options. Most of the Classes were worthless to me. Only [Summoner], [Diabolist], and [Adept of the Fae] had any worth.

[Diabolist], however, was… almost redundant. It would let me master Demon magic. I was a Demon. I knew Demon magic by default. Maybe it was a Class that Human [Cultists] lost their minds over, if they got the option for it. It definitely had the best Stat boost of all my choices. It might be the strongest of them.

But it was the least useful to me.

So, all that was left was [Summoner] and [Adept of the Fae]. If I chose the former, I might be able to see Mistshard and Druma again. We’d be able to fight alongside each other, just as we once did over a year ago.

Edithe wouldn’t have to be upset that she wasn’t a [Summoner] any longer, because I’d be able to summon her Spirits for her any time she wanted. However, did she want that? Could Mistshard and Druma even keep up with us now that we were around Level 100? And going back a little bit, was it even possible for me to summon Spirits as a Demon?

It was too uncertain. I wanted it. I vied for things to return to what they once were. But I had accepted that things changed, and even if I tried to reverse things to the old, it wouldn’t be the same.

Honestly, there really was only one option for me the entire time. I was given twelve Classes. Only one of them truly suited me.

[Adept of the Fae]. Could it be dangerous? Probably. But a vague, nebulous warning wasn’t going to stop me. It gave me what I wanted and needed, both at the same time.

It was the only logical choice for me.

Class Chosen!

You now have the Class [Adept of the Fae]!

Gained 5 Stat Points!

[Wisdom] +10

[Vitality] +5

Gained 3 Secondary Skill Slots!

Gained 3 Secondary Skill Points!

Secondary Skill [Banish] is now available!

Secondary Skill [Spatial Sight] is now available!

—--

“Ouch… my head.”

Waking up from an evolution never really felt like anything. It was like the world vanished for a moment, reappearing shortly after. However, waking up from getting a Class was painful.

Whatever change that went through me didn’t affect my body at all. It only affected my mind, and it made my head ache with intense pain. I glanced up, blinking as I saw a figure standing over me.

Daniel had his arms cross, a sneer spread across his face.

“Good morning, sleepyhead. How was your nap?”

I stared at him. Slowly, I got to my feet, and he braced himself.

“Wait, that was a joke, don’t—”

I walked past him, murmuring to myself.

“You promised not to be mean to him. Just ignore him. You promised—”

He blinked as I continued on my way.

“...oh thank god, I thought my balls were screwed.”

I didn’t hit him. I had other things to do. I still had a Title to choose, after all. I got them at Level 100, so they should all be good, right?

Title for Great Feats:

Requirements for two Titles have been met!

You now have three Titles available!

Titles:

(Unarith’s Fiend)

You have slain the High Zealot of Unarith and brought chaos and fear into the city! The terror you have caused makes you a Demon in the eyes of the Cult of the Old Gods, bolstering your spirit and your pride!

+5 to [Vitality]

+7 to [Strength]

+3 to [Endurance]

+3 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Agility]

(Scale Champion)

You have won the Trial of the Scales, bringing victory on behalf of the Risen Dragons! They see you as their champion, the brave warrior who fought for their cause, earning you their praise and gratitude!

+4 to [Vitality]

+4 to [Strength]

+4 to [Endurance]

+4 to [Wisdom]

+4 to [Agility]

(Savior of Falisfield)

You have liberated Nixa’s largest province of Falisfield from a rampaging Greater Demon! You have saved the city of Silvergrove from falling, and avenged all those who have been killed in the destruction! You are a hero in the people’s eyes!

+3 to [Vitality]

+5 to [Strength]

+5 to [Endurance]

+3 to [Wisdom]

+3 to [Agility]

...these Titles sucked.

I’m sticking with what I have for now.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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153.1. Partial Mortality

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

153.1. Partial Mortality

We didn’t venture into the Plaguelands now that I was done with my evolution. Instead, I focused mostly on testing out my new Skills. As much as I didn’t want to, the first we started with was [Partial Mortality].

My companions wanted to investigate further into how it worked and see how often I could transform into a mortal. I was reluctant at first, but after they gave their reasoning, I conceded and began some tests.

“We don’t know how this works, Salvos. It’s far more restricting than your [Mortal Form].”

“What even good is this dumb Skill? I don’t want to use it ever again!”

Edithe sighed, rubbing at her temples.

“You’re no longer impeded in combat while transformed as a Human. Sure, it comes with its own drawbacks to you, such as needing to sleep or eat—”

“You don’t know that! Maybe I won’t need to eat!”

She gave me a blank stare, and I hesitated.

“Maybe I won’t need to eat…?”

“...anyway, it not only means that you can fight at full strength while a Human, it also means you can blend in better in Human, Kobold, and Cyclops societies too. It’s hardly a negative, Salvos.”

“It is to me.”

I grumbled, turning around.

“But fine— I’ll test it out.”

I didn’t transform into a Human this time. Instead, I wore my Kobold robes with my blue jacket on top of it, and transformed into a Kobold. As I noticed before, the way my body morphed was a lot smoother. It also happened faster, and in mere moments, I was looking up at Edithe as a Kobold.

“Now what?”

I cocked my head. The red-haired woman exchanged a glance with Daniel. She drew her lips into a thin line.

“Now we wait for you to— Salvos?”

She blinked, and I fell face-first on the ground, asleep.

—--

A few days passed as I consistently switched in and out of my various mortal forms. I learned many things during that time— first of all, there still wasn’t a timer to how long I could remain a Human or Kobold or Cyclops. In that sense and only that sense, it functioned in the same way as my previous [Mortal Form] Skill.

However, it differed in the way it dealt with sleeping and eating. Previously, I wouldn’t have to sleep or eat when I transformed. Now, not only did I have to eat and sleep like a mortal, it happened every single time I transformed.

“This is stupid!”

I threw my hands— bulky, Cyclops hands— into the air. Edithe, however, was captivated by this.

“Interesting, so it forces you to sleep and eat the moment you transform, resetting and starting your eating and sleeping schedules each time for each form. That means you can’t just transform to a Human right outside of a city… well, you can. But you’ll just have to sleep seven or eight hours before you can enter.”

I scowled.

“You Humans are so lazy! And I have proof right here. As a Kobold, I only need three hours, and as a Cyclops, only six.”

“Six isn’t that much shorter than seven, you do know that, right?”

Daniel piped up from the side.

“Still less lazy than you!”

I stuck my tongue out at him— and it was fine, since I wasn’t a Kobold right now.

That wasn’t the only thing I learned. There was also a cooldown: it took roughly half a day before the Skill could be used again. That meant that I had to wait twelve hours to pass before I could change back from a mortal once I turned into one. It also meant I had to wait the same amount of time before I could become a mortal once more.

That gave me a lot of time to practice and test out my other Skills.

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 100

Class: [Adept of the Fae] - Lvl. 10

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 7

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 123 (+5)

[Strength]: 100 (+5)

[Endurance]: 108 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 184 (+5) (+6)

[Agility]: 241 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 14]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 1

[Haste] - Lvl. 1

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 1

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 1

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x3

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 3]

[Banish] - Lvl. 1

[Spatial Sight] - Lvl. 1

[Unused Secondary Skill Slot] x1

I had a lot of new Skills. And despite that, I still had a lot of Skill Slots left over.

2 Skills came from my new Class, while 5 came from my evolution. At first, I was surprised I only got 2 Skills from my Class. But Edithe reassured me it was normal. After all, my Class was only at Level 10.

She never heard of [Adept of the Fae] before, which told me as to how special the Class was. In fact, its Skills were certainly above what I expected from a Skill at that level.

“[Spatial Sight]!”

I snapped my single eye shut as the Skill’s effects activated. The world around me vanished for a brief moment, only darkness filling my vision. Then, suddenly, everything became more.

I still couldn’t see. But it was as if I could absorb the information of what made up my surroundings. It was similar to seeing the threads of mana filling the air, weaving the world into existence. However, instead of focusing on the general mana density around me, the Skill allowed me to pick out the mana exuded from the object and the space it filled in this dimension.

“Can you see me?”

I heard Edithe’s voice coming from my left. The red-haired woman was standing six feet away from me, where I had last seen her.

“Yep.”

“What am I doing?”

“You’re just standing there— no, wait, you’re holding onto your staff with your left hand, aiming it at me as if you’re about to cast a spell.”

There was a pause. She shifted slightly, taking a step back.

“How about now?

“Nope. Can’t tell what you’re doing. Can’t even see you anymore.”

“Try bringing your [Spatial Sight] to your left. Like you’re looking my way, but without your eyes.”

I furrowed my brows.

“Alright…”

Right now, my field of vision encompassed everything in a sphere around me. It let me see the grass at my feet, the thicket behind me, and the empty spot where Edithe once stood to my left. I concentrated entirely in that direction, and this bubble… changed.

It was like it was being pulled further and further towards the left. The trees vanished from my vision as my view of the left side expanded. Edithe’s being slowly seeped back into my mind— the rough figure of her person stood in the space I was perceiving.

“Woah, I see you now.”

“How about this?”

A voice called out. Not Edithe, but Daniel. I heard the sound of something being thrown. A round object, about the size of my fist. It came into my [Spatial Sight] just a second later. I couldn’t fully process what it was, just that it came quickly.

It only had three feet to cross before it hit me from behind. I could catch it. Or dodge it. But I decided to test something out. Raising a hand, I pointed at the flying object.

“[Banish].”

A hole opened up in my [Spatial Sight]. It sucked whatever it was into it, shooting out of another hole about five feet to my right. It traveled at the same speed as before, unperturbed by the sudden shifting through space.

I blinked as [Spatial Sight] ended. I glanced over at the object that was thrown— it was an apple, half-eaten by Daniel. He grinned.

“Thought you might want to try it, since you’re probably getting hungry right now.”

I rolled my eyes, not validating him with a response. Although my stomach did rumble a bit.

Instead, I turned to Edithe who was now standing nearly ten feet to my left. Her head was tilted back, as if she were in thought.

153.2. Partial Mortality

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

153.2. Partial Mortality

Instead, I turned to Edithe who was now standing nearly ten feet to my left. Her head was tilted back, as if she were in thought.

“So, you can keep the Skill up for five minutes. You can perceive everything in a five foot radius around you. You can only use it once a day. And you can expand your vision by sacrificing vision on one side.”

“I think it’s only sort of like that. There’s a limit to how much I can shift my [Spatial Sight].”

“It’ll probably be less restrictive the more you level the Skill. The radius too will increase.”

“I still prefer [Banish].”

I glanced over at Daniel who had picked up his apple and was in the middle of biting into it. I pointed a finger at it, using the Skill once more.

“[Banish]. Look, it only takes a minute before I can use it again!”

The Human man blinked as the apple in his hand disappeared. He was almost ashamed when he had to pick it back up again. I raised my head slightly.

“Although, I wish it could teleport larger objects. Like people.”

“Teleportation of any kind isn’t really the kind of Skill most people would get at Level 10, let alone Skills that teleport other people. Those are a lot more complex, and typically require a small ritual to be made or else it won’t work.”

“So, you’re saying I can’t teleport my enemies very high up into the air so that they fall and die?”

Edithe nodded, and I groaned. There went that plan.

I had a lot of other Skills to test out. Most of them I did already test out. The only ones I haven’t had the time to use were [Demon’s Mark] and [Haste].

I couldn’t really use the former. My instincts told me it was something I used on people. And I wasn’t going to test it out on my companions, only to have it curse them with a thousand years of pain or something equally as egregious as that.

But [Haste] on the other hand. I could tell what it did, but I wanted to test it out.

“Are you guys ready?”

I looked over at my companions. They shrugged.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Uh, I guess?”

“Alright.”

With a deep breath, I raised a hand and spoke softly.

“[Haste].”

As expected, the same effects of [Self Haste] overcame me. Each movement I made was far faster than it normally was, speaking included. Sure, I could slow down my speech enough so that others understood me. But it was annoying to do, so unless I really wanted to be heard, I typically just spoke really, really, really fast.

There was no difference. No difference except for the fact that my companions were moving nearly as quick as I was.

“WhatisgoingonthisfeelsveryweirdohfuckI’mgoingtopuke—”

Edithe was running around, almost unable to control where she was going. She just barely went around a tree before circling back at me.

“SalvosthisisgoodandalllbutIwanttoamekitstop!”

I chuckled.

“You can’t. You’ll have to wait for it to end.”

“You’vegottobefucking—”

She was cut off as Daniel slammed into her back. They both tumbled onto the ground, and just lay there, refusing to get up.

“I. Hate. This.”

The Human man spoke deliberately, pausing for an elongated period of time before saying each word. I proffered them both my hand.

“Come on, you’ve got to get used to it. Learn to speak like this, and move with [Haste] active like it was your normal speed.”

They both begrudgingly got back up. I ran ahead of them, gesturing for them to follow me. They couldn’t keep up. Not only was my [Agility] higher than theirs, I was also pretty sure the Skill was slightly less effective for them as it was for me.

Eventually, the Skill ended. And both of them nearly tripped and fell because of the sudden change in speed.

“There, there.”

I patted both of them on the back as they went to take a seat and rest. The sun was setting, and they already had a fire going from earlier. My stomach growled once more when I smelled the scent of the food cooking over the flames.

I tried not to think about it.

“I’ll be able to change back out of a Cyclops, then we’ll finally be able to return to the Plaguelands, right?”

“Yeah. We’re leaving tomorrow morning.”

Nodding, Edithe bit into a skewer of roasted meat.

“Honestly, I’m almost not looking forward to it.”

Daniel added to the side, waving his own bit of food.

“We won’t be able to eat good once we’re back in the Plaguelands. And that stench— uh, not a big fan of it at all.”

I just stared at him, not saying anything. A small smile spread across his face as he scooched over my way.

“What’s wrong, Salvos? Want to give it a try? There’s nothing wrong with eating, you know. And now that you actually need to eat, who knows, maybe you’ll like it.”

I felt my mouth watering as Daniel offered me his skewer. What he said made sense. Certainly, I had a need to eat while I was a Cyclops, or Human, or Kobold. Satiating that hunger was not a bad thing.

But I have made fun of my companions for eating in the past, despite them giving that exact same reason all the time. Sure, I was never really serious. I understood that they would literally die if they didn’t find proper sustenance. It just felt like I would lose something if I tried food now, and found that I liked it.

However, that was a good thing, right? I’d be indulging in something that was not only necessary for my survival, but also tasted good— or so they claimed. A tiny, little bite wouldn’t hurt anyone, right? I might as well try it, right?

I took the skewer from Daniel and stared at it— at the slightly overcooked sides of the meat, and at the light smoke rising from being recently taken from the fire. It was coated in a sheen of its own oil. Apparently something that was delicious to Humans.

I raised it as I slowly opened my mouth... and threw it at the Human man’s face.

“Nope! I’m not trying it! I will never ever, ever eat your stupid food!”

I didn't bite into a single piece of food, and later transformed back from a Cyclops as my companions went to sleep.

A note from MelasD

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154.1. Blaze of Glory

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

154.1. Blaze of Glory

“Are we ready?”

I looked over at my companions. The pair had just finished dismantling the camp, and now they were doing a last second tally of all the equipment we had on us. We didn’t have too big a supply of potions, since we never actually got to bring any from Unarith with us before Daniel’s mess up. However, we did have the Herald’s Brush.

And that made all the difference in the world.

“The biggest problem with the Plaguelands is the blight. It works like a very slow curse, much less deadly on its own, but very dangerous when it impedes our movement during a fight.”

“You ignored my question!”

I pointed an accusing finger at the red-haired woman. She scoffed.

“And you ignored my explanation. Yes, we’re ready.”

“Good.”

A grin spread across my face as I took a step forward. I wasn’t nearly as tall as I was before, unless I used [Demonic Essence] to transform. But that Skill, just like [Partial Mortality], could only be used once every twelve hours.

It was like the opposite of a consolidation. A single Skill, [Mortal Form], broke off into two different Skills. I was currently my normal self. I wouldn’t say this was a transformation. I looked similar to when I was an [Imp], and I kept all the advantages such as mobility.

But right now, I didn’t need mobility.

“Are you guys ready?”

They clearly weren’t. But they nodded apprehensively anyway. Spreading my arms wide, I spoke softly.

“[Wings of the Netherworld].”

And there was a crackle. It sounded like the ground itself was being ripped open. Black blood poured out of my back like lava seeping out of the earth. And wings, built like bone and ivory, burst out of the crack.

It was dripping with black blood. It protruded from my upper back, close to my shoulders. They weren’t even full wings— they were merely the skeletal outlines of one. And yet, they felt real. They felt full. And it hurt.

I grimaced as I moved my wings. It felt like I had just been stabbed, and now the knife was being twisted inside of me. I wasn’t actually being damaged from my wings, but it felt painful, just briefly. I spread it wide open as I turned to my companions, baring my teeth in a smile.

“[Haste].”

There was a flicker. As if something passed through both Daniel and Edithe. Their movements suddenly sped up. It didn’t affect me. I specifically made it exclude me from my own Skill.

“Now, let’s see if you can keep up. If you guys reach the Plaguelands before me… I’ll try one of your stupid Human foods.”

Edithe didn’t really react to that, but Daniel was suddenly brimming with motivation.

“Alrightwhenarewegoingtostart—”

“Go!”

I exploded up into the air with a single flap of my wings. They didn’t have feathers. They were like ribs with gaps between each protrusion. And yet, it carried me higher and higher. There was some sort of magic to these wings. I could see it tugging at the threads of mana around it. It even expended some of my mana. Although, it was enough for me to worry about it.

I laughed as I flew up straight into a cloud. I dove straight through the fluffy thing, meeting no resistance as it opened up right around me. Below me, I could see my companions running through the forest, heading for the Plaguelands in the distance. They zipped through the canopy of green as I soared through the sea of blue and white above.

It was wonderful. Flying felt so liberating. I could see the world spreading out, the landscape neverending, the scenery always changing. Twirling, spinning, grinning, I was in no rush to reach the Plaguelands. I saw a few birds flying on the same level as me. I scowled and flew even higher.

The sky almost seemed to change the higher up I went. The blue dome hanging above became… less full. It became deeper, but emptier. Even as the stars filled the sky with their dim glow. I wondered why that was as I continued flying, just with my back facing the ground.

Then I heard a screech. The air changed. It grew fouler around me. A noxious gas rose up, and I knew I reached the Plaguelands. I spun around just in time to spot a violet figure darting straight at me.

I went under the attack, barely dodging the snapping jaws of a [Nightscourer]. The undead bird’s wings were torn open, similar to mine. However, its body was covered in rotting flesh, a creature of decay and rot staring back at me. And it wasn’t alone.

[Nightscourer - Lvl. 103]

[Nightscourer - Lvl. 105]

[Nightscourer - Lvl. 101]

A small flock of the undead gathered around me. They flanked me from all sides as I floated right over a dark cloud. I smiled. And there was a flash. My being was wreathed in blue flames. However, it wasn’t a raging fire that spread through my arms, my wings, and my legs. It was like a second skin— one that wisped off embers and sparks, burning anything that touched it.

The undead didn’t react. They simply came at me, unbothered by the heat exuded from my flaming armor. Shaking my head, I opened my mouth and unleashed a plume of flames. It burned all around me, an inferno that enveloped the [Nightscourers].

I spun around as the fire raged on. It didn’t stop. It wasn’t like my [Flaming Breath], which ended after a few seconds passed. It persisted, like a wildfire, only ending when there was nothing left to burn. I only stopped when a [Nightscourer] crashed into my side.

My armor took the brunt of the attack. It would have held up if the undead didn’t suddenly flicker and wrapped its wings around me. My eyes narrowed. I noticed the embers dying. My Pendant of Greater Protection activated, protecting me from whatever draining effect this undead was inflicting upon me.

After a brief moment of struggle, I shoved the [Nightscourer] off me. I took a deep breath, and there was a pause. Something was being built up within me. Four [Nightscourers] flew straight at me right as I released it.

A disc of flames shot out. It came out fast, not an all-consuming fire, but a concentrated attack which tore through the undead before exploding into a lustrous sphere of white. The [Nightscourers] fell all around me as I resumed the faux flaming breath. And that was not all I did.

I knew not to let them get close now. So, I conjured sickles, swords, scythes, spears— any weapon to ward them off. I didn’t just swing the weapons at them, although that worked too. They were created around me, two or three at a time, shooting out, dancing, tracking the fleeing [Nightscourers].

A flock of undead attacked me, and a flock of them died here. They were around my level. They weren't swarm monsters. But I could kill them even when I was Level 80. Individually, yes. However, I was 20 levels higher now. And this Skill— it was only a single Skill. [The Primordial Spark]. It was more than enough to deal with the last of them.

Because it did everything [Advanced Fire Creation], [Ember Core], [Flaming Breath], and [Flame Burst] did, and more. I could also see Star Forge in this Skill. It was all-encompassing, fitting for the name it had.

Defeated [Nightscourer - Lvl. 105]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Nightscourer - Lvl. 104]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

154.2. Blaze of Glory

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

154.2. Blaze of Glory

Defeated [Nightscourer - Lvl. 105]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Nightscourer - Lvl. 104]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

“No levels? Huh.”

They were far too close to my level for [Daeva Cambion] to reach 101. But I expected something from [Adept of the Fae]. I thought I’d have leveled 10 times in that Class from defeating a bunch of Level 100 monsters.

“Maybe it’s because I didn’t use any of its Skills? I’ll have to ask Edithe how it works later.”

For now, I descended. I had already reached the Plaguelands, but was caught up in a battle. My companions, unfortunately, didn’t see it.

“Took you long enough.”

Daniel grinned as I landed before them.

“Looks like we won. You know what that means, right?”

“I reached the Plaguelands before you! I was just attacked by stupid undead!”

“No one saw it, doesn’t count.”

He shrugged. I sighed.

“Fine— I’ll try one of your dumb Human foods.”

I raised a finger before he could jump in joy.

“However, only after we return from the Plaguelands. I’m not going to be transforming into a Human anytime soon. Especially not just to eat your gross stuff.”

Daniel paused.

“I’ll take what I can get, I guess.”

Edithe shook her head, walking past the both of us, murmuring.

“Both of you are so childish…”

The Human man blinked. Then he sputtered.

“Hey, wait—”

“Heh. You’re such a kid, Daniel.”

I smirked as I followed after the red-haired woman. He stared at me as his face turned red in embarrassment. I waved a hand off.

“Don’t be upset, I’ll buy you some toys, ok?”

—--

Things were different. For me, at least. I noticed how my companions fought. They were definitely improving and leveling, but there was just a jarring difference between Level 90 and Level 100. A gulf, created from an evolution and getting a Class.

I was propelled far beyond each of their individual strengths. While Edithe had always been far behind me in terms of her combat abilities, Daniel was actually close. I was pretty sure I’d beat him each time we fought, even with his [Hero] Skills. However, it would be close.

Not anymore.

“[Banish].”

The glowing arrow disappeared somewhere to my left. I dashed forward, straight at the [Skeleton Archer] as it almost seemed to frantically nock another arrow on its bow. I reached it before it could do anything else. My clawed hands were lit ablaze as I quickly tore it apart with [Barrage of Cinders].

A dozen. I dismantled a dozen different Skeletons, all in under a minute. On the other hand, my companions were only just now finishing off the same number of undead. Daniel kicked a [Skeleton Warrior] back, raising his sword.

“Wait!”

I called out to him, and he paused. I walked up to the last surviving Skeleton. It lay underneath the [Hero]’s feet, struggling to get back up.

“I want to test something.”

Placing a hand on its skull, I took a deep breath and uttered the name of a Skill.

“[Demon’s Mark].”

I prayed— I hoped for the sake of me and my companions— that this was a tracking Skill, something that would let me find Edithe or Daniel if I ever got lost. Alas, it was not meant to be.

A symbol burned itself on the Skeleton’s skull. Then it seemed to expand, covering the entire undead in a red sphere. My eyes widened.

“Get back!”

My companions quickly backed away from the Skeleton. I leapt away with a single faux flame burst. The undead crawled back to its feet, stumbling forward as the translucent sphere followed after it.

Then a spire of fire shot out of the ground beneath it. It incinerated the Skeleton, turning its bones to dust and ashes. It shone brightly, a pillar for all to see, marking the earth with its bright light for an instant.

The flames dissipated, and the flash was gone. Nothing was left of the Skeleton. It couldn’t even try to escape from the attack, because it followed after it.

“Huh.”

I stared at the ground, scorched black despite the blight. I let out a nervous chuckle as I turned to my companions.

“It’s a good thing I didn’t test it out on you guys, right?”

They didn’t say anything. They just silently turned and walked away.

Defeated [Skeleton Archer - Lvl. 101]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Skeleton Warrior - Lvl. 102]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 10] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 11]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 11] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 12]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

155.1. Wishful Thinking

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

155.1. Wishful Thinking

As it turned out, I could only use [Demon’s Mark] once every three hours. I was surprised. A Skill with as much destructive power as that would normally take a whole day before I could use it again. But I was Level 100 now. The next time I was evolving would be at Level 150. It made sense that the Skills gained during my evolution would be somewhat exceptional.

Also, there was more to it.

“Unused Skills have both pros and cons, Salvos. Not choosing a Skill you obtained means you may never have the chance to experience what that Skill does, especially if it’s a good one. However, if you leave it untouched, there is always a chance a Skill would advance— or in your case, evolve— along with you. And those Skills become extremely valuable, most of the time. After all, upgraded Skills are generally better than new Skills.”

“Huh. That’s pretty good.”

Edithe nodded as she continued.

“That’s why I never understood why you always chose and tested all your Skills whenever you evolved. It’s better to leave the ones you think are unremarkable untouched. You’re wasting its potential, otherwise.”

While she was in a lecturing mood, I decided to prod Edithe about how leveling my Class worked. I leveled a few times since entering the Plaguelands, mostly only when I used its Skills in combat, never really during any other time.

“It depends on your Class description. As a combat Class, [Adept of the Fae] probably levels from fighting and killing things like most other combat Classes. But since it’s ‘secondary’ to your Subspecies, it only gains experience when you actively use it in battle. The more you use your ‘main’ Class, or Subspecies, it’ll detract from the leveling speed of your secondary ‘Class’. The only other way you can actually level it up is by doing things related to its description.”

I tilted my head back up, pursing my lips.

“I don’t really remember what it said, but I think it mentioned something about Fairies? And learning from them, maybe?”

“That sounds right. And it means that it’s probably not going to be easy to level [Adept of the Fae], since it requires more exceptional circumstances.”

“Aw, really?”

The red-haired woman gave me a wry smile.

“That’s the advantage and disadvantage of having a rare Class, Salvos. Beginner Classes like [Warrior] may be inferior to [Adept of the Fae], but they’re able to gain experience from simple training and doing basic drills enough times. The requirements for your Class are higher, but the payoff is better.”

I scowled at first. But slowly, I let out the biggest grin onto my face as I realized what that meant.

“More time in the Plaguelands, yay!”

“...Edithe, why?”

Daniel gave the red-haired woman the most pained expression I have ever seen on his face. She just shrugged.

“You’re getting close to Level 100 too, aren’t you? I don’t see the harm in sticking around until you’ve advanced.”

“I know that, but… just…”

I pointed accusingly at the Human man.

“You just want us to return to Human lands as quickly as possible so I have to eat your stupid food!”

“And you just want to delay it for as long as you can.”

He crossed his arms. I rolled my eyes, pausing only when I saw the outlines of Skeletons approaching us from afar. Fire engulfed my body as I turned away from Daniel.

“It’s not like we’re in any rush to return anyway, are we?”

Fiery blades appeared around me. They shot out at the undead, ripping apart their ranks from afar, even before they could come near us. He sighed.

“I am not, no. But Edithe is, isn’t she? Which is why I’m surprised she’s fine with this suggestion.”

An arrow zipped our way, and I used [Banish] to divert it away instead of dodging. I had to get whatever experience I could from these encounters for my Class.

“We told Hadrian that we’d be borrowing her for a while, didn’t we?”

“That was half a year ago, Salvos.”

Edithe was the one to speak. Turning to face me, she gave me a rueful look, even as she blasted apart the undead from the distance.

“A lot of things can happen during that time. I can’t lie and say I’m not worried about my friends. I’d like to return and help the Valiant Dreamers in whatever way I can, especially with the way the company war was looking before I left.”

“You guys were winning!”

I spoke, exasperated, waving my arms around. Another arrow came speeding at us, and I teleported it away once again. I spotted a Ghoul amongst the Skeletons. It came bounding at us, far faster than the Skeletons could hope to move.

“We were winning, only after suffering significant losses, Salvos. The Iron Champions also outnumbered us. I haven’t received any updates from my company for a long time. I’m worried about them. Just as I’m sure they’re worried about me.”

My shoulders sagged as I saw Edithe’s face turn dour. I stopped conjuring weapons to shoot out at the undead, even as the Ghoul was getting closer. Then I shook my head, concentrating at a single ball of fire in the palm of my hand.

It burned red at first, before turning blue, then white, and finally, black. It expanded into crescent shape, like the moon. A bow, with the same-colored strings attached to it. That was not all. I created an arrow in a similar way, and nocked it onto the bow.

This weapon was made of fire, but it was not burning. It didn’t exude any heat. It was entirely physical, created from magic, turned into a solid object.

[Nebular Bow: Medium Grade - A bow created from the Skill, [Nebular Construct].]

[Nebular Arrow: Medium Grade - An arrow created from the Skill, [Nebular Construct].]

I loosed it straight at the Ghoul, and the bolt dug itself deep into the undead’s chest. It stumbled from that first hit, before I fired a second one straight at its head. It let out a guttural cry as it tried to gather itself. I simply finished it off with a few more Nebular Arrows sent to its head.

“Fine. I guess we can return to the Human lands. I have a Class now, anyway. I could go and speak to Lily for advice, or ask Saffron about enrolling me into one of your Human academies to learn more about space magic.”

We finished off the rest of the undead, just like that. Even Ghouls were no longer as difficult to kill as they once were. [Nebular Spark] was a very good Skill. It created weapons that persisted even after a few days. I didn’t have to expend any magic to upkeep it. I could collect the Nebular Arrows from the Ghoul’s dead body and reuse them for future fights.

Edithe placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a grateful look.

“Thank you, Salvos.”

I blinked. Then I beamed.

“Of course! You’re my companion, not a minion, after all! I can’t just order you around!”

Although, I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t a little unhappy about it. I mean, this meant I wouldn’t get to see the Lich. Which sucked! Because I really wanted to see him!

155.2. Wishful Thinking

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

155.2. Wishful Thinking

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 12] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 13]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

...

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 15] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 16]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 100] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 101]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

My new Class was leveling nicely compared to my Subspecies. [Adept of the Fae] had leveled 6 times in less than a week, while [Daeva Cambion] only leveled once. Granted, I was stepping back during the fighting just a little bit, letting Daniel soak up the experience, so he could get to Level 100 as soon as possible.

We were heading back to the Human lands. We had a map and a compass, and two Humans who were able to actually read that stuff. Most of the Plaguelands hadn’t been mapped out, so navigating our way back was still a little bit difficult. However, as long as we knew the general direction we were going, we’d be able to return to the Vaun Qieuer Empire eventually.

While the Plaguelands was certainly less dangerous to us, especially since I was Level 100 now, we didn’t simply throw caution into the wind. Daniel made sure that we camped out in places where we weren't just out in the middle of the open for any horde of undead to attack us, and instead had some sort of shelter to protect us.

We cleared out a small, ruined town full of Ghouls and Skeletons before settling down for the night. It was flanked by a blight flower field to the left, and a vast, open flatland to the right. It was late, and we were forced to make do with what we had.

My companions set up their camp as they usually did, but instead of having the usual inane conversations, we were talking about more serious things. Such as what Daniel would do when he returned from the Plaguelands.

“You could always just follow me to the Brilsum Ruins, you know?”

I offered him the suggestion as he chewed on some dried meat.

“While we’re there, we could deal with that Archdemon problem and speak with Lily— kill two wild Demons with one rock.”

“The expression is ‘kill two birds with one stone’.”

Daniel snorted, before taking a sip from his flask. Was that alcohol? His face was a little bit redder than usual.

“I’m just not sure… about what I want to do. What if what Faith said really was true? That the Inoria Empire was evil? Shouldn’t I go back to help her?”

“You told us that she manipulated and used you in the past, Daniel.”

Edithe almost looked annoyed at the Human man.

“You’d be fucking stupid to trust her again.”

“I know that, I know that.”

Taking a deep breath, he drew his knees closer to his chest and hugged them.

“It’s just that— I have a responsibility, don’t I? I’m supposed to be a [Hero]. And yet, people out there are dying because I’m too scared to fight. I could make a difference. I could save so many lives. But I’m just… here. Scared. Afraid.”

“Yep, you’re a coward, Daniel.”

I nodded, agreeing with him. He let out a heavy sigh, and Edithe winced.

“Not helping, Salvos.”

“It’s the truth.”

Perhaps it was because he was drunk, but the Human man didn’t make any sort of retort. That was better for me, since I could continue.

“However, despite being a coward, you’ve been by my side, even against all odds, you still fought. You never ran, leaving me alone. You’re a coward. But that has never stopped you from fighting before. It has never stopped you from doing what you want.”

It was an attempt at cheering him up. Maybe I could have worded it better, but I had no reason not to be blunt with him. It was better for him to hear things like this. Just like when he kept his secret from Edithe for so long— skirting around the issue wouldn’t bring any results with Daniel.

“As… harshly as Salvos is putting it, she’s right. You don’t have to follow her. You don’t have to save the princess—”

“Hey! I’m a Princess too!”

The red-haired woman ignored me, instead gently resting the tip of her fingers on the back of his hand.

“You can do whatever you want. You don’t have to decide now. Just think about it, alright?”

Daniel looked up at her. He stared at Edithe with a grateful smile. Then it slipped away as he buried his face into his hands once more.

“And what about that whole Apocalypse thing? What are we going to do about it? We have to do something, right?”

This time, Edithe was stumped too. She hesitated, trying to work her jaw, but nothing came out.

“I… that’s… fuck, good question.”

“Why do you have to do anything?”

I fixed both of them with a puzzled look. The question took them by surprise. They both turned to me at the same time.

“Uh, because it’s something that affects all of us?”

“Everyone will die, Salvos. If what Xidra says is true—”

“Then it doesn’t matter.”

I raised my shoulders in a shrug. Then I shivered slightly as a cold chill swept over our camp. The fire flickered with the wind, almost growing smaller from the breeze.

“If these Dragons couldn’t do anything about it, how are we supposed to stop it? Also— what if Xidra is wrong? Maybe she thinks she’s telling the truth, but maybe someone lied to her. Neither of you have to do anything about it.”

There was a pause. Edithe and Daniel exchanged a glance, as if deciding who should speak first. They seemed to settle on the red-haired woman as she started.

“Salvos, even if—”

I raised a hand, cutting her off. A prickling sensation ran through me. The one I always felt when I thought I was being watched. But it was different this time. It felt… real. Almost overwhelming.

I leapt to my feet, grabbing my Nebular Bow, nocking it as I turned around. A heavy mist encroached on the ruined town, surrounding it from all sides. The burning fire was snuffed out as another freezing zephyr swept over our camp, and my companions drew their weapons, growing alert as the veil of darkness fell upon us.

“Someone is…”

I didn’t finish. A figure stepped out from the mist. My eyes grew wide as I saw yellow bones. A black robe. A skull with fire for eyes, glowing a bright green. An ethereal voice left its mouth like a whisper.

“Hello, my beautiful Lilian. It has been so long since I last saw you.”

[Lich - Lvl. 143]

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Salvos Volume 3 now available on Amazon!

A note from MelasD

Amazon.com: The Plaguelands: A Monster Evolution LitRPG (Salvos, Volume 3) eBook: Lewis, V.A.: Kindle Store

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to announce that The Plaguelands: Salvos Volume 3 is now available for purchase on Amazon!

The book is 180,000 words and goes up to chapter 168, which is about a dozen chapters ahead of what RoyalRoad is at right now. And if you've ever been interested in any of the side story chapters I've written but couldn't afford the $10 on patreon, the ones written so far are all added to this version of the boook too!

That means you have chapters dedicated to Saffron, Hadrian, Jaakko, Rachel, and Faith. While these chapters are very much lore and plot relevant, you don't necessarily have to read them to understand future plot events. But if you do read them, you'll get a sneak preview of things to come in the future regarding the direction the story is heading.

I do hope you consider buying the book. But if you can't buy it due to your own financial situation, I ask that you at least leave a review or a rating for the book on Amazon, as it would really help me out a ton <3

Thank you all for reading as always. Chapter will be up tomorrow, per usual.

Amazon.com: The Plaguelands: A Monster Evolution LitRPG (Salvos, Volume 3) eBook: Lewis, V.A.: Kindle Store

If you'd prefer, you can read all these chapters ahead and more in my patreon here | Patreon

A note from MelasD

Amazon.com: The Plaguelands: A Monster Evolution LitRPG (Salvos, Volume 3) eBook: Lewis, V.A.: Kindle Store

156. Weak Hero

156. Weak Hero

[Lich - Lvl. 143]

“Hello, my beautiful Lilian. It has been so long since I last saw you.”

An ethereal voice spoke out, wispy, as if his words were made of smoke. I aimed the Nebular Bow at him, feeling a chill creep up my shoulders, wrangling around my neck, threatening to suffocate me.

“You’re… the Lich? There’s no one here called Lilian. What do you want?”

I was excited to meet him. He was supposed to be a Human who transcended the need to sleep or eat. A [Hero] who came to this world and became incredibly powerful unlike Daniel. However, I was now nervous. Afraid, even.

Because he didn’t come here to befriend us. The magic I sensed gathering around him— it was filled with the intent to kill.

“Foolish Demon.”

He spoke dismissively, his flaming eyes flickering. His sable robes were untouched by the gust of wind billowing behind him, blaring like the alarms in my head, warning me to flee. I stood my ground as a cackle left his unhinged jaw.

“I have slain thousands of your kind with only my left hand, and brought down those far above your level with only my right. Do not challenge me or you will perish.”

I didn’t back down. Flame and ember engulfed my being as my companions readied themselves for this powerful enemy.

“Tell us why you’ve come here, Lich.”

Daniel boldly stepped forward on wobbly legs. He was still drunk. That idiot.

The Lich’s head tilted. He peered at the [Hero]. There was a moment’s pause as his flaming eyes seemed to burn through the Human man. Finally, he shook his head, disappointed.

“Pathetic.”

“Hey! You don’t get to call him pathetic!”

I stood beside my companion, nodding. Daniel blinked, facing me.

“Salvos…”

“Just because he’s weak, and stupid, and very bad at fighting despite being a [Hero], doesn’t mean he’s pathetic at all! Unlike you, he’s still alive!”

“...why did I think you’d actually defend me?”

Daniel sighed as I shot him a thumbs-up. The Lich ignored us. His gaze slid over our slipper figures, resting gently at Edithe.

“Ah, Lilian, you haven’t aged a day since I last saw you.”

Edithe narrowed her eyes.

“Wait, you’re talking to me? I’m not Lilian—”

He almost seemed to hover as he drew closer. We tensed as he continued.

“Why did you leave me, my darling? My gorgeous red flower. My…”

His voice trailed off. A word was said, but I couldn’t understand it. I rubbed my ears as Daniel cringed.

Edithe stared at him.

“What was that?”

“My lovely Lilian. Come here…”

Again, the word was cut off. I cocked my head as I saw Daniel buried his face in his hands.

“What’s he saying? He’s speaking English, right?”

The Human man nodded. Slowly, he faced me with his red cheeks, murmuring in English.

“He’s saying ‘my bae’. He’s calling Edithe ‘bae’.”

“Huh.”

I didn’t really get what was wrong with it, but Daniel was overwhelmed with embarrassment. Edithe was confused as well. But she didn’t have time to voice her thoughts as the Lich decided the time for talk was over.

“Return my beloved to me, and you will have my eternal gratitude. Keep her, and know that no salvation awaits your future.”

He was mad. He thought Edithe was Lilian, ignoring her words that she was not. We had no choice. I wasn’t just going to part ways with my companion because a bag of walking bones told me to. This would be our toughest fight yet. But just as we defeated Lucerna, we’d beat him back.

I glanced over at Edithe, and she nodded.

“No.”

I spoke simply, loosing the Nebular Arrow straight at him. The bolt slowed, being covered from its tip in a frozen box. It halted mid-air, before dropping to the ground and shattering into tiny icicles. I narrowed my eyes.

The Nebular Arrow wasn’t hot, per se. However, its base form was still created from fire. It shouldn’t have been frozen like that. Not that easily.

“Weak—”

The Lich didn't finish. Edithe leapt to the side, unleashing a blazing arrow straight at him. He raised a hand in her direction, creating a wall of solid ice. A powerful blast erupted from Edithe’s Skill, but it left not even a dent on the mirror-like surface.

“Daniel!”

My body was shifting. I beat my foot forward, placing my two arms on the ground to steady myself. More arms sprouted out next to my shoulders as I morphed into a taller, hunched form with a skull-like face.

The Human man placed a hand on my shoulder, nodding.

“[The Will of the Hero]!”

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 123 (+5) (+5%) (+10%)

[Strength]: 100 (+5) (+5%) (+10%)

[Endurance]: 108 (+5) (+5%) (+10%)

[Wisdom]: 184 (+5) (+6) (+5%) (+10%)

[Agility]: 241 (+5) (+5%) (+10%)

Edithe was knocked back by a strong gust of icy wind. Her body was coated in a thin layer of ice. However, it didn’t freeze her. It shattered her barrier, but the magic grew immensely weaker when it reached her.

I leapt past the flying red-haired woman, my claws being overcome with a black flame. I barreled straight for the Lich, dodging spikes of ice as they shot out of the ground. A burst of flame carried me over it, [Haste] taking effect on me and my companions.

“Kneel.”

I pointed at the Lich as I descended upon him, a falling star from above. The Lich’s fiery eyes dimmed for a moment. He stood still, unable to react.

“[Radiant Slash]!”

And I dug my claws deep into his chest. They tore through his robes— there was some kind of protective enchantment there. But it broke under the pressure from my attack. His bones caved in, his ribs shattering, his skull flying off his spine.

A grin spread across my face as I bared my teeth.

But no words resounded in my head.

“What…?”

The fallen skull moved its jaw.

“[Rimebloom].”

I leapt away as the Lich spoke. But it was too late. The ground beneath the pile of bones turned death-white. A sphere of ice exploded out, instantly freezing everything within its radius. It consumed the whole town, spreading out into the field of blight flowers and the rolling flatlands, turning it all into a frozen sculpture.

My companions— perhaps it was because they were far enough away, they managed to react. They used my [Haste] to flee, caught only at the edge of the ice blast. But even with my Greaves of the Wanderer, I couldn’t avoid the attack. I was sent flying away, my flaming armor shattering into pieces, and my Pendant of Greater Protection losing its magic.

A thin layer of frost crept over my body. I tore it away, breathing heavily.

“How did he do that?”

I stared at the Lich as his body slowly repaired itself, the fallen bones flying back up to his body as he sauntered over to his skull, picking it back up. Edithe coughed as she picked herself back up.

“He’s a Lich— we can’t destroy his body. We have to find the place where his life force is stored.”

“But that means…”

We couldn’t kill him. Even if we threw the most powerful spells and attacks his way, the Lich would always survive it.

He couldn’t be defeated.

Spinning around, he faced us. He said nothing, his time for talk over. Raising a hand to the sky, he spoke softly.

“[Comet Hail—”

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

Daniel swung his blade over his head. The weapon gleamed with a white energy that lit up the night. The Lich caught the Human man by the arm, a freeze grip that halted his attack entirely. The energy was released past the Lich. The remnants of white light striking out, tearing down the frozen houses to the ground.

“I know all your tricks, boy. I have walked your footsteps. I have done more than you could ever hope to accomplish.”

The [Hero] struck out at the Lich with his free hand. A deafening thud echoed as I rushed over to help him. His fist connected, but it didn’t even leave a crack on the skull. The Lich shook his head.

“[Comet Hail].”

The sky darkened. The mist from before gathered into clouds above. White clouds. One that rained meteors of ice. My eyes widened as I saw chunks of frozen rock falling at the earth, moving faster than even the arrows of the [Skeleton Archers]. It tore apart the earth, a powerful magic that would permanently change the landscape into a field of craters.

I bounded around the falling ice meteors, watching as my companion struggled helplessly in the Lich’s grasps. There was a crack. A scream. And I reached the Lich, striking at him from behind with a [Barrage of Cinders].

It forced him to let go of Daniel. I broke his brittle bones with six rapid strikes. Then I grabbed him and tossed him into one of his own falling comets. The large chunk of ice smashed him back down. It exploded on him and dug deep into the earth.

But that wasn’t all. [Demon’s Mark]. The pillar of crimson flames shot out of the earth, its heat felt even from where I stood. It melted the Lich’s ice. The frozen wasteland he turned this place into was now being dried up in an instant.

I bent over Daniel. He wasn’t moving.

“Daniel, are you—”

I paused. His right arm was limp. But more than that, it was entirely shattered. I could see the whites of his bone peeking out of his skin, blood seeping out around it, instantly freezing from the extreme weather.

“Healing potion, where’s the healing potion?”

“Behind you, Salvos!”

Edithe called out as she blew apart a falling comet. I spun around, letting out a plume of blue fire from my mouth with a roar. The Lich returned with a cold breath. A zephyr that froze even my most powerful flames.

“Begone, Demon.”

He flicked a finger, and a lance of ice shot at my shoulder. I stumbled back, gritting my teeth.

“You—”

I gathered everything I had. Right now, I was stronger than I have ever been. I raged with my fire, baring my teeth at him. [The Primordial Spark] erupted like a wildfire that spread out at the Lich.

But he shook his head.

“[Ray of Frost].”

It was a simple sounding Skill. It didn’t sound like it’d do much. And yet, as he raised his hand, a beam of ice shot out and cut through the earth. It didn’t just dig a shallow hole, one that barely scratched the ground’s surface. It left a scar behind where it cut.

It opened up a canyon where it touched the earth. A massive crevice that fell deeper than even the deepest caves I have ever been in. It came at me, a magic that made my most powerful flames wink out of existence in a mere moment.

I braced for the attack. It would kill me. But I couldn’t dodge it. Not this. It came—

“Stop!”

A voice called out. Edithe stood before me, her arms spread wide. The Lich’s magic… disappeared. A ravine lay before her. But she stood in defiance against this destruction.

“I’ll go with you. Just please, don’t hurt my friends.”

I stared at her.

“What are you doing, Edithe?”

She glanced back at me, a wry smile on her face. Behind her, the tempest of ice comets came to a halt. The Lich approached her, joy clear in his voice.

“You’ve finally come back to me, Lilian. Yes, they may live. Thank you for bringing her to me. Oh, thank you.”

His tone changed. He sounded grateful towards us. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but he took Edithe by the arms from behind. I sputtered.

“You—”

“Salvos.”

She placed a hand on my shoulder. Slowly, both her arms wrapped around my neck. She shook her head and whispered.

“Take Daniel and get out of here.”

The Lich pulled her away as she drew her hands back. I paused, seeing what was in her hand. Nodding, I hefted the Human man over my shoulder. I ran off before the Lich could change his mind, although he likely wouldn’t.

He was too preoccupied with Edithe. He didn’t even look once at me as I disappeared into the distance. I glanced back, watching Edithe as she walked away, following after the Lich, heading to the northwest.

And then she was gone.

A note from MelasD

It's a new month, the BEST time to become a patron. Read up to 20 chapters ahead here in my patreon! Help me hit my goal of 1,000 patrons now that I'm in my second month as a full-time author!

Also, fun fact, but I wrote 150k words in July woot!

157. Frozen

157. Frozen

Daniel stood in a bustling city. It was an almost nostalgic sight. It was not the nearly medieval buildings he was so familiar with nowadays. There were no gothic towers peeking out of the corner of his eyes. Neither were there tall walls girdling around the city, keeping out the monster from beyond, built to fend off armies of thousands of [Mages].

Instead, it was a modern city. It was filled with the blare of traffic— cars were honking, screeching down intersections, with drivers shouting at each other for their own bad driving. The sidewalks were bustling with people going about their day. Some of them were staring down at their smartphones, too preoccupied to even see where they were going. Others were chatting with their friends, practically hugging each other.

But wait, this wasn’t right. Wasn’t there something… a pandemic going on?

The young man was confused. Puzzled. He looked around, trying to find any semblance of reality at what he was seeing. Then he paused. He saw a young woman standing before him. Brown hair. Hazel eyes. A kind smile on her face.

Daniel’s heart stopped. Aren’t you…? The question crossed his mind. But he threw it aside, reaching out desperately for her.

“Emily—”

And reality shattered.

Blinking, Daniel found himself standing before a grave. There was crying, sobbing. A single teardrop streak down his cheeks, and he was now in his college dorm. His roommate was livid, demanding to switch rooms.

Daniel sat atop a pile of garbage, plastic bags, empty pizza boxes, all the trash he hadn’t bothered to clean up. He watched his roommate storm out. And he wished he was dead. No— he wished to start life anew. In a better world. In a place where he actually meant something to those around him.

There was a flash. A glint of gold and silver. Daniel covered his eyes, and he was now surrounded by knights, a king sitting on a throne. Beautiful ladies flocked to him. Gorgeous women he would never have hoped to show interest in him.

One of them in particular caught his eye. Her orange hair stood out like the sunrise at dawn. Her name was alluring, a beautiful word that seemed to fit her personality.

Faith.

Daniel was caught in a web of lies. He didn’t know what the truth was. He was happy— content. He was a [Hero]. For the first time in his life, everyone looked up to him. Children stopped him in the streets just to speak with him for a moment. They listened intently to what he said, an illusion he was happy with believing. Until everything came falling down.

The world froze over. Green flames burned away the web that had caught him so tightly in its snare. A powerful blizzard raged all around him. He glanced around, searching for his friends.

“Salvos? Edithe?”

No response came. The sky darkened overhead. The green flames coalesced into bones, building a towering figure over him. His eyes grew wide as a giant skull stared down at him.

“You are no [Hero].”

The ethereal voice came at him from all sides. He felt his legs giving out. He trembled before the overwhelming enemy. He couldn’t do anything.

Daniel spun around, running from the Lich. The Lich laughed, and the world around him crumbled. He fell into a pit of darkness, screaming, hoping someone would save him.

That was, until a sharp pain stung him across his face.

—--

“Daniel! Daniel! Wake up already!”

Salvos slapped the young man across the face. He leapt to his feet, blinking.

“Ouch— what is wrong with you, Salvos?!”

He looked around. He was in a dark cave, only a small blue fire lit up its interiors. Then he stared at Salvos, and she breathed out in relief.

“Oh, you’re alive. Good.”

“No thanks to you. You slapped me.”

Daniel narrowed his eyes. Salvos raised her claws defensively.

“I only did it because you didn’t want to wake up!”

Shaking his head, he let out a sigh. There were plenty of other ways she could’ve tried to wake him up. He knew she probably only slapped him because she wanted to. In fact, why did she even need to force him awake?

Daniel paused, the events of earlier racing through his mind. His eyes grew wide.

“My hand—”

“It’s healed.”

Salvos held up his arm. It was wrapped in hastily put together bandages, lying next to a few empty vials of healing potions.

“I tried using your healing potions, but they didn’t work. I wasn’t sure why. I think it had something to do with the Lich’s ice— it froze your blood. I had to burn it off before I could properly heal you. So, um, sorry for using half of your potions.”

She scratched the back of her head, avoiding his gaze. Daniel stared at her.

“Uh, thank you.”

He felt slightly embarrassed now, for assuming she was messing with him. He looked down at his arm, inspecting it, flexing his hand. There were some scars, but otherwise he could move it without a problem.

“I’m assuming you used all the high quality healing potions, didn’t you?”

Salvos grimaced, and he rolled his eyes.

“Of course you did.”

“We still have some lower quality potions! Just… not the ones that can regenerate a lost arm.”

She gave him an uneasy smile. Daniel shook his head, mentally taking stock of what he had left in his Dimensional Storage Unit.

“Alright, so we still have seven medium quality healing potions, nine—”

“Wait, that doesn’t matter right now!”

Salvos cut him off, waving her arms. He blinked as she spoke hurriedly.

“We need to find Edithe. The Lich took her!”

“The Lich… what? Why? How?”

The young man didn’t know how to react. But she continued.

“He would’ve killed us! He had this ice beam which tore the earth apart! But Edithe stopped him— she told him to take her and let us go.”

Salvos’ shoulders sagged the more she spoke. Daniel opened his mouth, trying to figure out what to say. But nothing came out.

The Demon girl steeled herself and continued.

“We have to find her. Save her from him!”

“We can’t.”

Daniel spoke faster than he would’ve wanted. It was a cruel thing to say. Especially to Salvos who would never leave behind her companions. But the Lich was far beyond their levels. It was suicide.

“The outcome won’t change if we go after him now. We’ll lose, just as we did before. We have to return to the Human lands, find allies.”

“That’ll take days, Daniel. What if the Lich does something to her by then?”

“He’d have already hurt her if he wanted to. He wanted her alive.”

Salvos frowned. She crossed her arms, meeting his gaze with a wisdom he didn’t know she had.

“There are worse things than death, Daniel. You know that better than I do.”

He flinched. There was a flash. A memory. Was it because of that nightmare he had that Salvos’ words stung harder than ever?

“Even so, it’d be stupid for us to go after the Lich. We’ve had this discussion many times, Salvos.”

“It’s different, this time.”

She faced him seriously. Daniel frowned.

“Why?”

“Because this is our best chance at finding them.”

Salvos stood up, glancing out of the small cavern they were hiding in. She placed a hand on her chest— something was off, Daniel could tell.

“Edithe told me to come find her after a day passes. I saw where the Lich was taking her. Northwest.”

The young man stared at her dubiously.

“How are we even going to find the Lich? The Plaguelands is… large. Even if you know the general direction she went, that doesn’t mean we’ll be able to find her.”

Salvos smiled.

“Because Edithe took my Horn of the Caller.”

Daniel remained silent. It was ridiculous. They lost to the Lich very easily earlier. They’d lose again. Edithe was, more often than not, pragmatic. Sometimes she’d be stubborn and hardheaded. But when it came to herself, Daniel knew she was the one to sacrifice herself if a situation turned awry. So, why did she do this?

Salvos seemed to know what he was thinking.

“When we were fighting the Lich, Edithe told us that there was no use attacking him. It would regenerate from whatever attack we could muster. Not unless we found where his life force is stored.”

Daniel tapped a finger on his chin, understanding.

“Edithe thinks the Lich will bring her to it. And then we can destroy it together.”

“Exactly.”

Salvos nodded.

This was a risky plan. Daniel didn’t want to do it. He still felt the sharp pain in his arm from when the Lich crushed it with his icy grip. But they couldn’t just leave Edithe, right?

It was foolish. It was a [Hero]’s thoughts. Maybe Salvos disagreed. She wasn’t a [Hero], nor did she think it was foolish in any way. She thought it through, and she believed it would work out. Daniel, on the other hand, thought it through, and he only saw failure. However, despite their constant disagreements, their arguments and their squabblings, they both agreed on one thing:

It was the right thing to do.

“Are you certain about this?”

She met his gaze, her golden eyes unwavering.

“I am.”

“Good, then we’ll need this.”

Raising a hand, Daniel summoned the Herald’s Brush. Salvos blinked. Then a grin spread across the Demon girl’s face as she saw it. She grabbed a hold of it, nodding.

Then she paused, as if remembering something.

“I just hope I don’t get teleported to another plane of existence again.”

“...wait, what?”

“Do not be afraid.”

The Lich held out a hand for Edithe. They stood on a tall stairway, leading up to a ruined castle. Its foundations were falling apart. If not for the immense magical Edithe sensed filling the walls and the bricks of the keep, she was certain it would have collapsed by now.

Behind her, the Plaguelands sprawled out, riddled with blight flower fields, the brown smog rising up like a thick blanket, covering the sky towards the horizon as well as the rising sun. She saw more undead than she had ever seen in her life on the way to this castle. Hundreds of them. Thousands. Enough to fell a country.

[Zombies], Skeletons, Ghouls, [Wights], [Revenants], Draugr. They all listened to the Lich. They bowed to him as he passed, almost floating, his foot seemingly never leaving the ground and never touching it at the same time. The lowest leveled of the undead were at their 50s. The highest was Level 120.

A pair of [Revenants] guarded the massive gates leading into the keep. They held ethereal weapons in their hands— some sort of magic which enchanted a chosen item they touched with power.

Edithe was led through various halls and chambers, each of them in a state of decay, what were once glorious rooms taken over by time and death. She paused right by a painting, the only thing that had its majesty preserved throughout the whole keep.

It depicted a red-haired woman. Not Edithe— she had a pair of dazzling purple eyes and a skin so tanned it seemed like she had been working in the sun all her life.

The Lich stepped up behind Edithe.

“Ah, Lilian, you have not changed since I last saw you. Even after all these years.”

“I… I am not Lilian. I don’t even look anything like her.”

He ignored her, brushing his cool, prickly fingers over her cheeks.

“When I came into this world, I had nothing. They took me from my world, took my life away from me, and turned me into their slave. But when I met you, you freed me. You gave me a reason to live. A life without you is a life with… nothing.”

The Lich continued on his way, musing only to himself, uncaring of what Edithe said. He took her to a room with a set of double doors at the front. She narrowed her eyes as he gestured for her to enter.

“What is this place?”

“It has been so long since you’ve last been here, it is no wonder you have forgotten. Enter, my dear, for it is your beloved room. The room where I first met you. Where our love bloomed and the seeds of our future together were sowed.”

Edithe hesitated. That’s… But she entered anyway.

Her eyes grew wide as she stepped into the room. She froze right by the doorway, her mouth hanging open. The Lich patted her on the back and turned around.

“It has been a long day. I am sure you are tired, my beloved. Now rest while I tend to our kingdom.”

He slammed the door shut, leaving Edithe behind, all alone in the dark, empty room. Except, if it were empty, Edithe would have happily sat on the violet bed and begun planning her escape. But she wasn’t alone.

Of course she wasn’t.

Because she stood in a room filled with corpses.

These weren’t skeletons. If they were, she’d be fine. Instead, she was in a room full of bodies of women. All of them with the same fiery red hair Edithe had. And they were frozen, faces full of horror, eyes filled with terror.

Edithe clutched tightly onto the Horn of the Caller hidden in her pocket, glancing out the window, past a frozen figure of a woman longingly staring into the outside.

Wait for the sun to set. When the moon is at its highest. Salvos and Daniel will come for me— I know it.

A note from MelasD

Chekhov's Horn.

A lot of the time, authors tend to write something and have it all connect later on and say they planned it when they didn't. I know, because I've done that before. But this isn't one of those times.

I planned this Lich encounter since before V3 even started, and I even had the Horn of the Caller in my notes then. Salvos was initially supposed to get it from Adan BEFORE they separated in 110-ish, but I completely forgot to give it to her. So, I, uh, had to bring him back in Unarith.

Anyway, I read the comments yesterday to see if anyone guessed what Edithe took from Salvos. While no one did, WalkingInWonder was the only one who mentioned it. So, congrats!

It's a new month, the BEST time to become a patron. Read up to 20 chapters ahead here in my patreon! Help me hit my goal of 1,000 patrons now that I'm in my second month as a full-time author!

158. Mad

158. Mad

I wasn’t sure how far the Lich would take Edithe. Neither was I the best tracker. In the Netherworld, when Haec was captured by Lucerna, I managed to track him down because of the trail of blood left behind. It was easy to follow, especially since the stone ground was a pure, clean white.

The black stains stood out in this clean canvas, a direct road to Lucerna’s Lamp. It worked because there was nothing else to the Netherworld. It was a desolate landscape full of rocks… and wild Demons. Maybe there was more to it. I just never saw it.

The Plaguelands, on the other hand, was far more chaotic. I’d run into any number of undead if I wandered aimlessly for a day, unlike the Netherworld where I could go for days seeing nothing else. Also, the blight obfuscated my sight. It was difficult to see beyond the nearest hills, especially this deep in the Plaguelands.

That was not including the way the blight would rot the landscape. Whatever tracks, trails, or paths left behind by the Lich were eaten away by the foul magic. So, Daniel and I were headed in a nebulous direction.

We returned to the site of our defeat. The entire area was torn apart, its face changed by the powerful magic of the Lich. It was not difficult to find this spot, what came next required a lot more care.

“Are you absolutely certain, Salvos?”

Daniel fixed me with a dubious look. I nodded.

“Yep. The Lich took Edithe by the hand and brought her there.”

“And that direction is…”

“Northwest!”

I exclaimed, gesturing at the sky.

“Look, so the sun is up there, so north is there, and west is there, making northwest here!”

“I don’t know, Salvos…”

“Just come with me!”

I grabbed him by the arm, yanking him after me. The sun was at its zenith, beginning its descent towards the horizon. Once that happened, the world would return to darkness. And we would have only a few hours before Edithe decided to blow the Horn of the Caller.

Anyone within ten miles of it would be able to hear its call. It was an artifact suited for someone who often found themselves lost, away from their friends, wandering around alone. Like me. But I never had the chance to use it.

And it found a more suitable owner with Edithe. The red-haired woman was captured. Not against her own free will— although I was sure Daniel would disagree with that. She said she’d use it after a day passed, once we recovered.

The Lich was bringing Edithe somewhere, and we believed it was a place where we could find its source of its life force and destroy it. We just had to find her.

Ten miles wasn’t the vastest distance. However, with the speed the Lich was walking, I believed— or hoped— that ten miles was enough for us to hear the artifact’s effects.

Daniel and I waded through the blight, crawling through the Plaguelands. We moved at a brisk pace— not fast enough that we’d completely miss the Lich’s Lair, and neither slow enough that we wouldn’t keep up with his glacial pace.

The blight grew thicker and thicker the deeper we went. Blight flowers stood on their lonesome. Scattered and spindly, a smattering spread wide. Not the sight of a field, but the showing of a foul magic’s yield.

No place was free from the blight. The blight was no longer just a billowing wall coming from a field, diffusing to its surroundings. It came from everywhere. From the fields and the lands between. Daniel made a face of disgust. I wasn’t bothered by it.

I only focused on one thing. And that was finding Edithe.

“Leave us alone!”

I cried as my claw sheared through the [Wight]. It let out a ghostly scream as the life flickered out of its eyes. Another came forward, reaching to touch me, as if to brush its fingers kindly over my cheeks. I opened my mouth and screamed.

“Where is Edithe?”

I knew it wouldn’t answer. It couldn’t answer. I engulfed its entire being with blue flames. Then when it dissipated, I grabbed the [Wight] by the hand and flung it over me. Daniel sliced up, and it fell apart.

“Relax, Salvos. And stop shouting— you’ll attract more undead to us.”

“Aren’t you mad, Daniel?”

I turned to the Human man. He stepped over the dead [Wight]. The last of the ones we encountered.

“The Lich took Edithe.”

“And if we want to defeat it, we’ll have to conserve our energy.”

I narrowed my eyes as I identified him.

[Hero - Lvl. 98]

When was the last time he leveled? I shook my head, pressing forward. I spotted a group of Ghouls bounding after us, readying [The Primordial Spark].

“We can rest once we find Edithe. If something happens to her because we’re too late… I can’t allow it.”

Daniel stared at me. He pursed his lips as he spoke in a hesitant voice.

“You’ve never lost anyone close to you before, have you?”

I blinked.

“I have not. Why does it matter?”

He readied his sword, not facing me.

“It’s nothing. Come on, they’re here. Try to kill them without drawing the attention of even more.”

I bared my teeth as my fire enveloped the foremost Ghoul.

“I won’t.”

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 16] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 17]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

...

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 19] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 20]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 101] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 102]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Salvos (Death of the Destroyer)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 102

Class: [Adept of the Fae] - Lvl. 20

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 7

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Zealous Call] - Lvl. 3

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 123 (+5)

[Strength]: 100 (+5)

[Endurance]: 108 (+5)

[Wisdom]: 190 (+5) (+6)

[Agility]: 245 (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 5

[Haste] - Lvl. 5

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 1

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 10

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x3

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 5]

[Banish] - Lvl. 10

[Spatial Sight] - Lvl. 10

[Unused Secondary Skill Slot] x1

“What did he do to you?”

Edithe placed a hand on the ice sculpture. A woman with red hair stood frozen in time. Her hands were placed on her chest, her mouth open, as if she had been talking moments before she was turned to ice.

She wasn’t like the other women here. The rest were dressed in adventurer’s clothing. They had armor and equipment, as if they came to the Plaguelands to do battle, but were captured when they faced a foe far beyond their level. This woman, however, wore a long, silken dress. Like a noble.

There was no reason for someone like her to have been anywhere close to the Plaguelands. It was a story Edithe would’ve loved to hear. It was the kind she read in books and saw in plays. Unfortunately for whoever this woman was, her story ended as a tragedy.

Edithe didn’t want that to be her fate. Her fingers tightened around the Horn of the Caller. If only midnight could come faster. She saw the orange glow of the sunset. The vague shape of an fiery circle pierced through the veil of blight. But she couldn’t use the Horn of the Caller. Not yet.

She lay on the violet bed and faced the ceiling. It was the only place she could look at without seeing a possible future for herself. What did these women do which made the Lich kill them? There were a myriad of possibilities. Shutting her eyes, she tried to think of what she could say to avoid death.

Not long after, exhaustion set in, and she dozed off without thinking of any feasible plan.

—--

Edithe was startled awake when the door creaked open and a voice blared into the room.

“Lilian, my dear Lilian.”

The Lich drifted towards the red-haired woman, his arms spread wide.

“I have tended to our marvelous kingdom. Come, embrace me, for the night has begun and we can share our love once more!”

She quickly scrambled to her feet, nearly stumbling back when she saw how vigorously the Lich approached her. Taking a deep breath, she offered him an uneasy smile.

“My… dear Zacharius…?”

There was a pause. She waited to see if the Lich would react violently to the name. He did not.

“How fares our kingdom? Are the people fine?”

“They are glorious, my lovely Lilian. This paradise we’ve built is flourishing, teeming with milk and honey. The other kingdoms may quarrel over us, threaten our borders, but our people know that they’re safe as long as you and I continue to live.”

“Live, right.”

Edithe hoped that she didn’t make a weird face. Or if she did, the Lich wouldn’t be able to parse it. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched.

“Now, my darling Lilian, that night has settled upon us, shall we partake in our nightly activities?”

A shudder ran through Edithe as she realized what this meant. He brushed his finger over her cheek.

“I have been feeling tired lately, my gorgeous Lilian—”

“How about a night stroll, my… um, great Zacharius?”

The red-haired woman bit her lower lip, cursing that she couldn’t think of an appropriate word in time. The Lich, however, didn’t pay it any mind.

“A stroll, this late at night?”

He tilted his head, and she hurriedly nodded.

“Don’t you just viefor a change in scenery? See how our beautiful land is under the sparkling stars of the night?”

“That is… a marvelous idea, my dear Lilian!”

The Lich forcefully grabbed Edithe, like an excited child trying to drag his mother along. But Edithe was not his mother. Nor did she find the icy grip of a skeletal hand to be comparable to the soft grip of a child.

They headed down the run-down halls, headed for a pair of decrepit double doors up ahead. Edithe paused for a moment as she caught a glimpse of a tall, arched entryway. Rotted red carpets led to the inside, and a throne sat atop an incline of steps at the very end of the room.

She narrowed her eyes as she saw a black box sitting on the cushioned chair.

Is that the phylactery? If it was, then that was likely where the Lich’s life force was stored. She had to destroy it.

Edithe spoke up, slightly apprehensive.

“My dear Zacharius, how about we take a break?”

“This early into our walk?”

He glanced back at her, and she rubbed her shoulders.

“I am feeling rather weary today. Perhaps we could rest in the throne room? Ask our servants to bring us a late meal?”

These were just suggestions— the kind made in casual conversation. Unfortunately, Edithe didn’t know the Lich. She barely knew the history of Lilian or Zacharius. They were only ever talked about under the context of Zacharius’ betrayal, never about what they sought to build.

“We do not have servants.”

The Lich’s words stabbed Edithe like a knife. She felt her legs growing weak, and her voice quivering as she spoke up.

“Oh…? W-we don’t?”

The flames in his eyes dimmed. He peered at her, not saying anything else. Was this it? Edithe couldn’t just let it all end her. She waved a hand off, letting out a chuckle.

“My dear Zacharius, that was a joke. A rather crude joke, of course. That’s right, we don’t have servants. After all, this is paradise, yes? Come now, let’s just continue our walk.”

She hesitated. Should she have said all that? She might be digging herself deeper into her grave here. The Lich remained silent, and Edithe almost closed her eyes in resignation.

“Haha… hahaha.”

The Lich began… laughing?

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.”

He bent over, slapping his knees as he erupted into terrifying laughter. Shaking his head, he wiped a nonexistent teardrop from his eyes. Edithe took a step back, unable to bring herself to laugh with him.

“My beautiful Lilian, your sense of humor truly has always been far beyond my feeble comprehension. Yes, how silly of me, to think that you’d ever need to rest. Come, let us enter the garden.”

Edithe found herself being pulled along by the Lich, sighing in relief. Now all she had to do was survive for a little longer— convince the Lich to keep his hands off her for the night— and she’d be able to escape with Salvos and Daniel.

She stepped out into the garden… and froze. There was a glint. Light reflected from the moon above. She took in the blight flowers, the crumbling stone, and the ice sculptures spread throughout the front patio alone.

Oh no. The realization sunk in that Edithe wasn’t the first one to have thought of this plan. And that it was not as simple as she thought it would be.

A note from MelasD

I got this comment on chapter 67 by a user called TheMintyMan

I like this story because it's as if we got a normal isekai story but from the perspective of the much more popular side character

I like this comment because it's true.

It's a new month, the BEST time to become a patron. Read up to 20 chapters ahead here in my patreon! Help me hit my goal of 1,000 patrons now that I'm in my second month as a full-time author!

159. A Heroic Act

159. A Heroic Act

Edithe felt her heart racing as she followed the Lich down the dilapidated steps. They were covered in moss and lichen— part of the aesthetic of the ancient garden, overgrowing with dead plants and blight flowers. Taking in a deep breath... she almost puked.

The stench here was far more rancid than anything she had ever smelled before. It was a beautiful perfume of death and disease. The only thing that could’ve made this little night stroll better was a few corpses added to the mix.

And there they were. Edithe saw the glints— she caught sight of the frozen redheads. They stood in varying degrees of defiance and fear, a stark contrast to the more resigned women in the bedroom.

There were dozens of them. Maybe even over a hundred alone, just out in the garden. This was the fate that awaited Edithe. Faced with the Lich, entrenched in a myriad of lies, there would come a time when it all came cascading down, and with nothing else to die, she would die.

She was afraid. More than she had ever been before. It wasn’t something like the company war, where there was a chance of fighting back. The Lich was far above her level. Anything she attempted would result in her death.

“It is beautiful, is it not, my Lilian?”

The Lich’s voice was ethereal— creepy. It sent shivers down her spine, especially with the cold aura he seemed to exude.

“It is indeed beautiful, my Zacharius.”

She copied his speech pattern. That was the only hope she had in fooling him long enough for Salvos and Daniel to arrive. Except… could they even find her? It wasn’t even close to midnight. There were still a few more hours to go before she should blow the Horn of the Caller.

Well, she could try it now. But would her friends even be ready?

“Everything we touch turns to gold, my dear Lilian. If only they understood that. They’re too afraid. They are far too obsessed with doctrine of a time long gone. The Immortal King Alexander fooled them. He has led them all astray.”

Edithe heard a crack. She glanced down, seeing the balled fists of the Lich. His hand was shaking, trembling, as if overcome with anger. The first real sign of emotion he showed, beyond his deep obsession for Lilian.

“The world is ending, but he has erased it all from their memories. Instead, he formed a pact with the Spirit Lord and turned necromancy into a scorned art, just so Spirit summoning may reign. He threatens the very existence of the Nexeus for his own gain. What a… capitalistic pig!”

The Lich’s eyes burned with fury, the kind that chilled Edithe with fear of reprisal just from standing near him. And yet, there was something to what he said which piqued her interest. Against her better judgement, she spoke slowly, drawing the Lich’s attention.

“And yet, the Kobolds still oppose us.”

She flinched when the Lich twisted his neck to face her. But what she said was true. At least, partially. Everyone knew that it was the Kobolds who slew Lilian and Zacharius. With a bated breath, Edithe waited for the Lich’s response.

“Yes, they oppose us. Even when we offered their Scale Guard peace. A chance to work together for a better future. They met with us and betrayed us. Broke the treaty. Took my life from me. And killed my beautiful Lilian—”

He paused. Edithe’s eyes grew wide in fear. Was this it for her?

“Why are you…?”

But the Lich shook his head.

“My mistake. They took you away from me. Temporarily. But I have found you now, my darling Lilian. And I have brought you back to me.”

“Yes…”

Edithe didn’t pry any further. If she said anything else— he’d have her head. She got lucky, this time. It wouldn’t happen again.

“They took everything from me. But slowly, I am regaining it all. My memories. My beautiful Lilian. All of it. Once I have it all back, I’ll be able to finally do what is right. I’ll be able to save the world.”

“With me by your side, of course, yes?”

The Lich nodded, a satisfied look passing over his skull face.

“Yes, together.”

Edithe’s heart was beating faster and faster. But it was no longer of fear. What the Kobolds said was true— this was all the confirmation she needed. Salvos wouldn’t care. However, if she could somehow convince Hadrian and Baris that this was true… maybe even find proof in the history books… then something could be done.

She was excited. But that feeling was snuffed out as the Lich turned to her.

“Ah, yes, I’ve almost forgotten. My beautiful Lilian, I have a request for you.”

“What is it, my h-handsome Zacharius?”

He moved his jaw, the teeth clattering with no muscle to move them. But an ethereal voice still seeped out.

“I have lost my [Hero] Class in death, my dear Lilian. Without it, I am far too weak to carry out my duty to protect the Nexeus. However, now that you’re here, your great magic will surely restore me of what I’ve lost, yes?”

Edithe froze. What could she say? She highly doubted that even the real Lilian would be able to return his lost Class to him. If it was never preserved in the first place, that meant that Lilian couldn’t do it.

That was the only valid response, right?

“I apologize, my dear Zacharius. It is not within my domain of power. If I were able to cast such grand magic—”

“Oh, you jest! You are the greatest [Necromancer] to have walked this world. If not you, then it is impossible.”

Edithe jerked as he grabbed her arm. He brought his face close to hers, a peering gaze that stared straight into her soul.

“I-I c-cannot—”

“You must jest, my Lilian. Unless… you are not truly my Lilian, are you?”

Was this how the other women met their end? He made a demand for something that no soul could possibly accomplish?

She breathed deeply, trying to steel herself. Speaking placatingly, she raised a hand.

“My Zacharius, I assure you—”

Edithe ripped a dagger out of her pocket, stabbing it at the Lich’s arms. He hissed as he stumbled back, his bones rapidly decaying as he looked down in shock.

“This is… corrosion magic?”

She pointed at him.

“[Arrow of the Flame Elemental]!”

A fiery bolt struck the skull of the Lich. It sent him reeling back, blowing his head off his neck. It didn’t smash it into a thousand pieces. It was just something else to delay him.

Spinning around, Edithe pulled out the Horn of the Caller and blew it with all her strength, Then she ran deeper into the garden, hearing the heavy thumping of her heart, and the screams of a maddened Lich behind her.

“YyyyYOOuuuuUU aRE NoT mY LILIANNNNNNNNNNN!”

Edithe pocketed the Horn of the Caller and the Fangs of the Devouring Deep. It was a good thing she kept the weapon with her. The Lich would heal from any attack inflicted upon him. But the corrosion magic would allay his regeneration.

It would buy her time. Hopefully enough for Salvos and Daniel to arrive.

Snow began to descend from the sky. The ground was covered in a thin sheet of sleet. Edithe sighed a misty breath, knowing that they had to come soon.

***

Defeated [Ghoul of Despair - Lvl. 108]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Wight - Lvl. 109]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 20] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 21]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 21] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 22]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

“Did you hear that?

“I did, Salvos.”

I exchanged glances with Daniel. It wasn’t midnight. Not even close. And yet, Edithe used the Horn of the Caller. That meant—

“She’s in trouble. Come on!”

Dashing forward, I cast [Haste] on my companion. He ran forward as I felt a sharp pain running through my back. My [Wings of the Netherworld] spread wide as I took off into the air, the Herald’s Brush in one hand, Daniel in the other.

There was a blight flower field ahead of me, in the direction I heard the blare of the Horn of the Caller. I couldn’t see past it. Not unless I removed the blight.

“Be useful, you stupid thing!”

I swung the Herald’s Brush. The smog— with a greenish hue at night— slowly vanished. I saw [Nightscourers] flying above me. I downed a mana potion as [The Primordial Spark] flared up around me. It was stronger now that I raised its level. I could create up to five weapons at once. I launched them at the flying undead, keeping them away from me.

Below, I saw a horde of Ghouls, Skeletons, [Zombies], and [Wights] giving chase after us. But they couldn’t reach us. I cleared the land of the blight, their flowers wilting rapidly as their foul magic was countered by the Herald’s Brush.

The curtain fell, and I spotted a castle in the distance. Ten miles was far. But I was over Level 100. I reached the keep moments later, still carrying Daniel.

A pair of black undead shot up after us. They were shrouded in a dark mist, wielding ethereal weapons as they came after us. I pursed my lip.

[Revenant - Lvl. 116]

[Revenant - Lvl. 118]

“Can you take care of them, Daniel?”

“Just find Edithe!”

I nodded, letting go of him. His sword was wreathed in a bright light as he fell on the first [Revenant]. It let out a shrill screech. The other tried to ignore him, but he pulled it by the leg, dragging it down with him.

I made laps over the decrepit castle, trying to spot the red-haired woman, wherever she could be. I caught glints of blue and white: figures made of ice, standing in courtyards, in balconies, in the garden—

A giant wall of ice shot up, and my eyes widened. There. I recognized that Skill— it was Edithe’s [Shield of the Misty Lord]. It was shattered a moment later. Dark clouds gathered over it as I dove straight down.

My body rippled with energy. My form shifted as cracks resounded from my body. I saw a figure looming over Edithe, her legs turning to ice.

I growled.

[Title Skill: Zealous Call]!

His head snapped my way. Edithe blinked as the magical ice stopped forming under her. She broke out as I zipped past the Lich.

“Over here, you stupid skeleton!”

The Lich’s eyes burned with fury and anger. The green flames filled his eye sockets entirely, his gaze trailing after me with pinpoint accuracy. I watched Edithe stumble away as the Lich raised a single finger at me.

“[Ray of Frost].”

I made a sudden turn as the beam of ice shot out. It froze everything in its path. Even the things it didn’t touch. Then the ice cracked, and the earth broke with it. [The Primordial Spark] blazed around me— a sphere of flaming armor that protected me from the freezing effects of the attack, even as I managed to avoid it entirely.

My fire froze, slowly breaking apart, just like everything else. But I mostly escaped unscathed. When I glanced back at the destruction wrought from that Skill, I saw half of the Lich’s keep had crumbled to the ground. The rest was still being kept up by some great magic, one that I didn’t spend time investigating the source of.

The Lich let out a roar.

“You Demon, how dare you. How DARE YOUUUUUUU!”

He was no longer under the effects of [Zealous Call]. And yet, he directed his rage at me. He clapped his hands together, and spikes of ice shot up from the ground. I weaved around the magical terrain, avoiding anything that jutted out, barely escaping with only the slightest of scratches.

“Salvos!”

A voice called out to me. I saw Edithe gesturing towards the keep and running in its direction.

“His phylactery— his life force— it’s in the throne room!”

I nodded.

“Go destroy it—”

I was cut off. I stopped flying. I didn’t know why, but I started freefalling. I looked back— and saw my wings were frozen. Turned to ice. They fell apart behind me, an agonizing pain that accompanied my descent. I glanced up, barely seeing a sphere of frozen ice falling with me.

The Lich lowered a hand, shaking his head.

“I had aimed for your head, but… your wings are fine too.”

I came crashing down before him as he spread his arms wide.

“Now, perish. [Rimebloom].”

A note from MelasD

It's a new month, the BEST time to become a patron. Read up to 20 chapters ahead here in my patreon! Help me hit my goal of 1,000 patrons now that I'm in my second month as a full-time author!

160. Lilian, My Lilian

A note from MelasD

Quick little shoutout to a novel I've previously shouted before, except the author has published it to Amazon. Check it out if you're interested in The Weapon Spirit!

Amazon.com: This Cursed Sword is E Ranked: A Fantasy Progression Saga eBook

160. Lilian, My Lilian

“[Rimebloom].”

The ground beneath the Lich turned white. An explosion of frost shot out, freezing everything within a dome around him. My eyes grew wide as the blast came. It chilled my skin, a layer of sleet that almost impeded my movement.

Still, I moved. If I didn’t, I would have died. I leapt out of the way, propelled by a burst of flames. Behind me, the wall of ice came. It froze everything it touched, even the flame barrier around me. It caught me by my legs, freezing it in an instant. I tumbled to the ground, struggling to move. I still had my six arms, but the damage done to my lower body was undeniable.

I whimpered as the Lich shook his head, approaching me.

“You shall suffer, Demon. You will not die a painless death.”

There was a flash. I spun around, creating a pair of flaming blades. They shot out at him, but he simply pointed. A cold breeze knocked up into the air. They exploded a bright blast up above. But it didn’t touch him.

“Did you really think I was lying when I said I have slain countless of your kind?”

Crawling away, I shot more flaming projectiles his way. They barely impeded him. He flicked a finger, and more cold wind sent them up and away from him. But I tugged at them, lancing them around his back. They pierced his spine— they tore through his tattered robes.

The Lich still walked. He didn’t care. Not for any harm I could inflict upon him. With a grunt, I created a Nebular Sickle Grenade. I hurled it as hard as I could, grasping onto the chains so that it would stay on target.

His eyes dimmed. He knew he wouldn’t be able to deflect it. Instead, the Lich raised a wall of ice to block the attack. The explosion shattered the crystalline barrier. It didn’t completely tear it down, instead leaving a large hole in the center, concentrated where the attack struck.

I saw the Lich through the hole in his barrier. His ice barrier sheeted over the ground, the garden, and himself. He bore a hateful gaze, one of scorn and fury. His own weapons made of ice formed over him. They came to existence, shards which gleamed in the night.

“I will have my Lilian back, even if your king tries to take her from me. I shall—”

He was cut off as fire and ice rained down on him. I glanced over at Edithe, staring at her wide-eyed.

“What are you doing? Why did you come back here?”

“I can’t let him kill you, Salvos.”

She dashed over to my side, grabbing for me as the Lich was caught in her magic. I groaned as she pulled me to my feet.

“Your legs—”

She blinked. I focused my fire over the ice, trying to burn myself free.

“It’s no use. His magic is too powerful.”

Edithe opened her mouth— and was blasted back by a plume of cold wind. I fell back to the ground and glanced back at the Lich.

“My Lilian, you’ve returned!”

She gritted her teeth, shaking off the frost that formed over her skin. The red-haired woman got to her feet, standing next to an ice sculpture, glaring at the undead [Hero] before her.

“I am not your Lilian, you insane bastard! [Fiery Riposte]!”

Flaming winds, just like the Lich’s icy zephyr, shot out towards him. It blasted him back, sweeping him off his feet, launching him deep into the thicket of dead trees.

Edithe panted as she stumbled over to me. She hauled me over her shoulders, gasping.

“Come on, we’ll destroy his phylactery together.”

My wings were gone. I tried to grow them back— use [Wings of the Netherworld] to force another set of wings out of me. But it didn’t want to. Was there a cooldown to the Skill’s use? That never happened before.

I was slowing Edithe down. She was exhausted. The Lich was behind us, somewhere in the garden, just waiting to strike. I couldn’t just lay and let her do all the work. I saw a flicker coming our way.

He was screeching, a shrill shriek that sounded completely inhuman. The Lich launched out, his clawing hands reaching for the red-haired woman.

“REEEEEEEEEETURN HER TO ME!”

His insanity was beyond my understanding. Did he see Edithe as Lilian, or did he realize she wasn’t Lilian? I would’ve thought it was the former, if not for the fact that he was trying to kill us both.

The Lich held a spear made of ice in his hand. It wasn’t like any other spear I had seen before. It was the size of a tree trunk, the kind that would tear down a city’s walls in an instant, magic resistance or not.

He hurled it our way. Edithe spun around, staring at our impending demise. Any barrier she conjured would be crushed in an instant. Same with me. There was only one thing I could do.

[Demon’s Mark]. I marked my own arm, before ripping it right off. I winced— I still had five more arms, but it hurt. Black blood dripped down as I tossed it at the incoming spear. The pillar of flames shot up, incinerating even the ice spear, my arm along with it.

I wonder if I can grow that back.

I didn’t want to find out. Right now, I had to get up. I had to force myself up or Edithe and I would die here. My flames burned over my legs, but the Lich’s ice refused to budge. So, I did something else. I took a deep breath, layering the flames over my leg. Then I tugged at its strings of mana, manipulating it just as I did the floating swords and floating spears.

I felt my lower body move. I pushed myself off Edithe’s shoulder, steadying myself on the ground. I stood taller than before, an extension added to my legs so that it would bend at the tip of my frozen feet into a crooked shape, like the hind legs of a goat or some other animal.

The flames from [Demon’s Mark] dissipated. The Lich came, a storm of ice creeping up behind him. Edithe placed a hand on my shoulder, nodding. I felt a surge of energy wash over me. I bared my teeth.

“[Lend Skill: Restore Skill]. [Beacon of Guardians].”

“Thanks! I’ll be right behind you.”

She dashed away as a glow overcame my body; I was too tall to stand straight on two legs. So, I bent over, clawing my hands on the ground as the Lich raised a hand. Ice spikes jutted out of the ground as I bounded around it.

“Stand still!”

Just as before, the Lich’s eyes flickered for a very brief moment. It was enough for me to close the distance and radiate a powerful black flame from all of my claws. I barreled straight through the Lich, using [Radiant Slash] to rip him apart. Then I spun around.

And now—

“[Restore Skil: Demon’s Mark]!”

I placed the tip of my finger on the Lich’s skull, barely grazing it as I ran for Edithe. The Lich’s body began to reform, but a blast of flames blew him apart once more.

Edithe was hurrying up a stairwhen when I found her. She threw the double doors into the keep open, charging in as I reached her side.

“Where is it?”

I asked as we turned corner after corner. She pointed.

“There!”

I spotted the grand archway leading into the throne room just up ahead. I ran past Edithe, conjuring a Nebular Bow and Arrow as I reached its entrance. A black box sat on a chair, atop an elevated platform. I aimed and fired a shot—

And a hand jutted out of the ground, grabbing the arrow from mid-air. It was a blue hand, cold, almost like that of a [Wight]. But far, far larger.

Out of the black brick floor, a creature crawled out. It tore its way from the ground, a hulking undead that stood double my height as it currently was. Its head nearly reached the ceiling, a deformed face staring down at me. Its hand caught on fire briefly, the effects of the Nebular arrow afflicting it, but it was snuffed out soon enough.

[Draugr - Lvl. 121]

It roared. Edithe cursed as she stopped behind me.

“Fuck— that’s going to be a problem.”

As if that wasn’t bad enough, a blizzard entered the hallway behind us. The walls froze over as the Lich made his approach, arms spread wide.

“My Lilian, oh my Lilian, why have you betrayed me?”

His voice came as a song. A lullaby, sung to children, to terrify them into an eternal slumber.

“First, my family. Then, my friends. Even in this new world, I was sent to my death. Lilian, my Lilian. The Kobolds did this to you, didn’t they? They turned you against me, just as they turned against me. I hAd NotHiNG You wERE aLL I HAD! WHY WON’T YOU COME BACK?”

I turned my Nebular Bow towards him, an arrow already strung and ready to loose. But the Lich halted. Footsteps echoed behind him. A voice spoke up, followed up by the sound of a sword being drawn.

“She’s gone, Zach.”

Daniel stood behind the Lich, his sword drawn, his body coated with a golden energy. He spoke casually, almost as if he was friends with the Lich. Taking a deep breath, he continued in English.

“Let it go, bro.”

“The fake [Hero] wishes to challenge me again?”

The Lich cackled, conjuring dozens of icicles around him. He aimed them at Daniel, each the size of a large spear, as his jaw dislocated in a grin.

“You will lose more than your arm, this time, boy.”

Daniel shook his head, stepping forth.

“I am not a boy. Why not see for yourself?”

I narrowed my eyes, and even the Lich paused.

[Hero - Lvl. 100]

He was Level 100 now? But wait—

“Go, Salvos, Edithe!”

He shouted, rushing the Lich. The spears of ice shot out at him as he parried them, closing the gap quickly. I spun around, focusing the Draugr, pelting it with even more Nebular Arrows. It brought a massive hand down, trying to crush me.

I rolled out of the way as Edithe dashed under its legs. She raised a hand, pointing at the phylactery. The Draugr raised a foot. Daniel reached the Lich. And I opened my mouth.

A cone of flames blasted out, burning the Draugr’s face. Daniel swung his sword, meeting the Lich’s own frozen blade. His sword shattered, and the Lich grabbed him by the neck.

“You… you have not advanced your Class, have you?”

“Of course not.”

He grinned as a layer of frost creeped over him.

“I didn’t have the time.”

The Draugr stumbled back, falling to the ground as Edithe leapt to the side. Lightning crackled on her fingers, a smirk spreading across her face.

“[Lightning Orb]”

A ball of lightning shot out, streaking at the unprotected box. There was no barrier around it. Nothing left to keep it safe. Edithe’s magic obliterated the box entirely, sending a plume of black smoke into the air. Ashes and dust.

“For every woman you’ve ever kidnapped… it’s over.”

Edithe spoke, her voice low.

It was destroyed in an instant. The life force of the Lich was gone. He could no longer regenerate, recover from any attack struck upon his feeble bones.

I nearly breathed out a sigh of relief too. We did it, I thought, relaxing slightly.And the Lich dropped Daniel, his flaming eyes dimming into mere sparks.

“No, no, no, NO, NO, NO!”

He rushed past me, swatting me aside with a blast of cold wind. I groaned and rubbed my head.

“Why isn’t he—”

Edithe sent another [Lightning Orb] at the Lich. It blasted apart his left shoulder, but he ignored it. She paused as he hurried up the steps, scrambling for the broken black box. His bones zipped back at him, reattaching themselves as threads of mana quickly weaved them back together.

I stared, blinking. Edithe was at a loss for words. She lowered her staff as the Lich sweeped up whatever remained of the box into his arms. He spoke slowly— and we understood what happened.

“You destroyed my Lilian. All that was left of her… gone… forever…”

We were wrong.

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161. Self-Destructive

161. Self-Destructive

“No, no, please don’t go.”

The Lich desperately tried to gather the dust and rubble from the ground, hugging them into his arms, only for it to fall, scattering, dispersing like the pollen of a flower on a beautiful spring day.

Edithe stared at this sight, unable to react. It wasn't the solemnity of it which caused her to hesitate. No— the very weakness Edithe had been targeting proved to be nothing more than a box full of ashes. That meant that the Lich…

“Why aren’t you dying?!”

Salvos cried out as she loosed more Nebular Arrows at him. It broke his bones, it set him alight, but it never once bothered him, not in his mourning. The Draugr swiped down at Salvos, drawing the Demon’s attention.

Daniel stumbled over from the hallway, glancing around the chamber as the battle between Salvos and the Draugr raged on. Edithe just stood there, wide-eyed, nearly dropping to her knees.

“We’re all going to be killed… we need to leave, now!”

She spun around, only for Daniel to grab her by the hand.

“What’s going on?”

“The Lich is—”

“Give her back.”

Edithe was cut off, even before she could explain the situation. There was a moment’s pause where the Lich stood silent. She took it as her chance to yank Daniel away from whatever came next. And it was a storm of wrath and death.

“Give mE bAcK my LiLIAAAAAAAAANNNNNNN!”

The Lich spun around, the green in his eyes blazing like small suns. His fury directed at the world itself. Rage. Rage against all that had ever wronged him. He brought his hand up towards the heavens, calling forth a calamity from his fingertips.

“[Comet Hail]. [Rimebloom]. [Arctic Death].”

Spikes of ice shot out of the ground. Frozen boulders tumbled through the air. An explosion of frost froze everything close to the Lich. It was an unbridled anger that did not discriminate between friend or foe.

The Draugr screamed, falling to its knees as it was ripped apart by the Lich’s spell. Salvos leapt away as the rooftop came crashing down. The powerful magic that held together the castle’s walls couldn’t withstand the overwhelming tempest brought about by the Lich’s anger.

But wait, why didn’t the Lich do this sooner? This was the very same power he demonstrated in their first encounter. Why had he been holding back?

Edithe paused, and Daniel shouted.

“Edithe!”

He pushed her aside as the ground broke open. They narrowly escaped from the massive icible that shot up like a sword. She scrambled to her feet as the pair left for the hallway. Glancing back once, Edithe caught sight of ice and fire exploding out of the throne room. Then the entire chamber collapsed.

“Daniel, this entire castle— it’s not just reinforced by some magic. It’s being kept together by the Lich’s life force itself!”

She spoke as they ran through crumbling corridors. Daniel glanced over at her.

“Are you certain?”

“Yes! It has to be. Why else would the Lich hold back for so long? It’s his fucking phyalctery—”

Edithe didn’t get to finish. The ground behind them gave way as a crevice ate up the earth. And from beneath the darkness poured out a plume of arctic wind. One that turned everything it touched into ice.

“[Open, My Cold Heart, And Freeze Time Itself].”

A Grand Skill. One that ripped a hole in the earth, releasing a deluge of white. Edithe saw it coming. It rapidly approached her and Daniel.

The [Hero] gritted his teeth and stood before Edithe. His arms were spread wide, and a glow overcame his body.

“[The Will of the Hero].”

Would it work? Did it work? Daniel didn’t know. He was afraid. Very, very afraid. He might have lost his life here. But he had to act. He had to do something. Even if that something was risky.

Daniel didn’t know much. He didn’t grow up in this world, learning things just as others did, naturally picking things out until it was common sense. No, he was summoned to this world, a lost, lonely young man.

He was taught everything he knew in the short span of a few months. One of the things he learned was how powerful a [Hero] was. With each advancement, he’d get a [Hero] Skill. [Hero’s Slash], [Passive - A Hero’s Strength], and [The Will of the Hero] were the ones he got so far. These Skills were special. Faith told him they were. When he asked why, she simply said that they were nearly equal to a Grand Skill.

So, whether it was a foolish attempt at protecting Edithe, Daniel threw himself in front of the Grand Skill that would’ve consumed them both, and prayed for the best. All [The Will of the Hero] did was boost his Stats, right?

But that couldn’t be it. Daniel never tested it out, but it had to have done something more. So, he prayed that it would protect them. He hoped that it would somehow save them. A barrier of protection, even if momentarily, would have kept them alive.

There was a flash. As if two great powers collided. He felt a searing cold run through his body, but it somehow didn’t kill him in an instant like he thought it would.

But his head spun. The world around him turned into a twisted mess. He found himself lying on the ground, next to debris and dust as Edithe kneeled over him. His Draconic Scalemail was destroyed.

“Daniel, Daniel—”

She shook him awake. He drew himself to his feet, feeling a burning sensation on his hands. But he forced himself up.

“What happened?”

He tried to view his Stats, only to find that there was no boon. His Skill protected them, and that was it. It ended there and then.

“We survived, somehow.”

She gave him a small smile, but glanced around.

“But the castle is still standing. Part of it is. Look.”

Pointing past all frozen desolation, Edithe’s gaze landed on a single tower. The only thing left of the Lich’s keep.

“That’s Lilian’s room. We just have to destroy it now and we can defeat the Lich.”

“Right. But where’s the Lich?”

Daniel staggered forward, trying to see if he could find where the Lich was located. There was no signs of the Lich. Not anywhere close to them.

“This is our only chance. Hurry!”

Edithe ran forward, conjuring a spell in her hand. Her staff was gone. Just like Daniel’s sword. There was too much destruction. He was surprised that they were even alive.

The red-haired woman loosed a powerful ball of fire at the base of the tower, damaging its brick surface, but not bringing it down. She clicked her tongue.

“Help me out here. It’s fucking tough!”

Daniel nodded and ran up to the tower. He couldn’t throw a punch, his hands were too damaged for it. He kicked at it, using his Skills and everything he could muster up. But that was just like a miner picking away at a mountain.

It barely broke apart the brick layer. He was just too tired. Too exhausted. Too injured to tear down the tower. It was reinforced by immense magic— if it was a regular wall of stone, Daniel knew he could bring it down.

“We need something more powerful. Something that can tear it down completely.”

Edithe grunted as she stepped back, closing her eyes and conjuring an even stronger spell.

“Step aside—”

She tossed the ball of fire and lightning, only for it to freeze mid-air. It exploded into a million pieces of ice as Daniel and Edithe spun to face the Lich. He was hovering in the air behind them, a sorrowful look on his skull face.

“This is all that’s left. Everything else has been taken away from me. I will not let you rip the last vestiges of Lilian away from me.”

The pair of Humans backed up. They were going to die here. Daniel accepted that fact. Even as Edithe stared defiantly up at the Lich, he had already given up.

“We never took anything from you. You came to us and kidnapped me. My friends only tried to bring me back.”

The red-haired woman, even in the face of overwhelming power, did not surrender. Daniel didn’t understand it. There was no point trying to reason with the Lich.

That was what he thought until he saw what Edithe saw. A flash of white and silver. A dim glow.

Daniel stepped forward, standing beside Edithe. A man from another world together with a red-haired woman, both opposed to the Lich. That sight made the Lich hesitate. Then scream.

“Why? Why? WHY? Why did it all go so… wrong?”

It was a morose cry. One that threatened the pair’s very lives. Swords of ice formed around the Lich. But Daniel spoke out, making the Lich listen before he killed them both.

“Did it, Zach?”

It was in English. And it made the Lich hesitate.

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe things didn’t go the way you wanted it to. Maybe others were the ones responsible for hurting you. But what you did after was your own fault. We never once threatened you.”

Taking a deep breath, he spoke insistently, not letting the Lich get a word in.

“Even when Salvos sought you out, she wanted to befriend you. That never happened, because we had to go back. We were finished with the Plaguelands. This destruction you see? The current state you’re in? It’s because of how you reacted after things all went wrong.”

Was Daniel speaking to himself? Or was he speaking to Zacharius? He didn’t know. He just knew that his words were getting through to the Lich. It made the Lich think for a moment.

“You can end this now, Zach. That’s your real name, isn’t it? Or is it Zack with a k? Let us go, and we’ll leave you be.”

Daniel drew his lips into a thin line, waiting with bated breath for a response. The Lich had a thoughtful look.

“I…”

But that moment of thought came to an end. Insanity returned to his burning eyes. The Lich spread his arms out towards the air.

“For what you’ve done to me, to my Lilian, you shall die a gruesome death.”

It was an eerie calm the Lich spoke with. No longer as crazed as before. But still, insane. Daniel sighed.

“Fine.”

He grabbed Edithe and jumped to the side, shouting.

“Salvos, now!”

From behind the Lich, the Demon girl leapt into the air, her hands unfurling a scroll. Its runes were already glowing. They came to life, symbols which filled the air. Then a circle seemed to form, a hole that led to an abyss of nothing.

“Runic Scroll of Starfall.”

The Lich spun around, confusion clear in his face.

From that darkness, the hoole in the sky, twinkling balls of light shot out. They quickly expanded as they came, like a star that came crashing down to the earth. But they didn’t crash from the sky. They came from the hole, a small ball that grew in size the closer they drew to the Lich.

They soared through the air, left, right, up down, coming at him from all directions. At first, the size of a fist, then the size of a head, then the size of a person. It wasn’t made of rock or ice or fire. It was a ball of light. Magical. Purely made from mana. It sparkled like the stars in the sky. And it exploded with calm blasts, as if it were underwater.

The golden light blasted the Lich down into the tower. It blew apart the unsteady foundations of the last remaining structure of the castle. It turned it into rubble and dust as the Lich was caught amid the explosions.

Dozens, hundreds of these little ‘stars’ came down at the Lich. It swerved around his barriers, whatever he fired back at Salvos didn’t come into contact with falling stars The Lich screamed as he tried to fight back, but his spells grew weaker and weaker.

His voice lost its ethereal ring. He sounded like a Human. A sad man, broken from millenia of loneliness.

The salvo stopped. And Salvos hopped down next to Daniel and Edithe.

“Are you guys ok?”

Daniel nodded as he got back to his feet. Edithe wiped at her forehead, letting out a sigh.

“That was a close one. Is he…?”

She glanced over at the fallen tower. The dust from the explosions was beginning to settle. A figure stood within. The Lich stumbled out, and Salvos readied her weapon.

“Why is he still—”

“Wait, Salvos.”

Daniel held out a hand. He walked up to the Lich, meeting the undead’s gaze. The green fire in his eyes were gone. There was only a husk standing before them.

“I only wanted… I just wanted… to be happy…”

“We all want the same thing, Zach. Everyone wishes to be happy.”

The Lich’s hollow eyes bore into Daniel.

“So, why did they betray me? Why did everyone…?”

Daniel shook his head.

“Not everyone did. You were hurt and betrayed by others. Because of that, you betrayed everything you had left. You lived, Zach. You survived your betrayal. You could’ve continued being a [Hero]. Instead, you did all this.”

Gesturing at the fallen castle around them, Daniel turned back to the Lich. The Lich stared at the destruction he had wrought. Then at his own hand. He spoke softly.

“I… see…”

And the Lich crumbled to a pile of ashes.

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162. It's Coming Home!

162. It's Coming Home!

Defeated [Risen Draugr - Lvl. 121]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

...

Defeated [The Remnants of Zacharius (Quisling of Fate) - Lvl. 143]

Abundant experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 40 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the Title Quisling of Fate!

Skill [Faux Limbs] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 22] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 23]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

...

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 25] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 26]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 102] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 103]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

…

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 104] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 105]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

“Oh, I leveled three times!”

Pausing, I tilted my head back.

“Technically I leveled seven times since my Class leveled four times too!”

I glanced between my companions, an excited look on my face. They were tired. The battle had drained them greatly. I was also at the precipice of just falling over and passing out. The well of mana within me was practically exhausted. I had used all the mana potions I had, and was barely able to even cast a spell by the time the battle ended. However, I found my energy returning to me as I went over all the notifications in my head.

Frowning, my companions sat up.

“Wait, how did you level…?”

Daniel narrowed his eyes, and Edithe smacked her forehead.

“Of course.”

“What?”

I identified both of them. They were Level 102 and 95 respectively. I expected them to level at least by 5 levels, considering that they should’ve gained about as much experience as me when they were a lower level. But they did not.

“It’s because the experience you gain from killing something comes from how much damage you contribute to defeating it. It’s not an equal split, of course. But since the Lich just regenerates before the source of its life force is destroyed, all our contributions don’t… really count. At least, not as much as after the fact.”

“Huh. And I was the one to destroy it.”

I cocked my head.

“But you still leveled twice, right?”

“Yes, but that’s mostly from running and surviving an encounter with something that’s literally 50 levels above me. Same with Daniel.”

“I probably gained more than Edithe because of my experience multiplier as a [Hero].”

Daniel shrugged. The red-haired woman nodded. Two levels was still a lot, especially from a single enemy. A total of eleven levels split between the three of us was not an unimpressive number. However, I dealt the finishing blow to the unprotected Lich, which was why I leveled as much as I did.

Seven levels was the most I’ve ever gained from a single encounter. Even against that large Demon, I only leveled twice. Against Lucerna? Four times. And even with all the other feats added into the mix, the three of us only leveled a total of 10 times back then.

We didn’t accomplish as many feats for killing the Lich as we did stopping Lucerna’s path of destruction. It had something to do with the perception— we were seen as heroes for stopping Lucerna there and then. While the Lich was far more feared than Lucerna ever would be, he wasn’t directly threatening the lives of thousands of people at that moment he died. So, back then, we gained experience for many more things than simply killing a Greater Demon.

Of course, we did more than just level now. As Edithe said, running and surviving from such a powerful enemy was an impressive feat in itself. But it was a personal accomplishment. That was the main difference.

Bonus Stats is awarded for the following feats:

Surviving at near death for a prolonged period of time!

+5 [Vitality]

Showing physical and magical durability even when stamina and mana are depleted!

+5 [Endurance]

Performing feats of magic far greater than your magical limits!

+5 [Wisdom]

That was not all, either. I also received a new Title option for defeating the Lich. And it wasn’t something I hogged for myself even! My companions got it too!

Title for Great Feats:

Requirements for one Title have been met!

You now have four Titles available!

I ignored the other Titles I had already taken a look at, focusing only on the newest one.

Titles:

(Liberator of the Plaguelands)

You have freed the Plaguelands from the thousands of years of rule from the Lich of Zacharius the Quisling. The blight will not vanish in a day, nor will the undead leave their lands. But with enough time, perhaps life will flourish here once again.

+25 to [Vitality]

+25 to [Strength]

+25 to [Endurance]

+25 to [Wisdom]

+25 to [Agility]

“Woah.”

I blinked, and my companions gasped. We exchanged a glance.

“Did we all get the same Title?”

“Seems like it.”

Daniel rubbed his temples, for once, not because I was pestering him. But because it was almost too much to take in.

“This is awesome!”

I pumped a fist in the air.

“I’m taking it— wait, do I lose my previous Title Skill if I change my Titles?”

“You do, Salvos.”

Edithe was smiling. Did she already replace her old Title?

“But with these added Stats, it’s likely that it’ll be better than what you previously had.”

“And how do you know?”

I peered at her.

“Try it.”

That was all she said. I was slightly apprehensive. I didn’t know what I’d get. But Edithe reassured me, so I went ahead with the change anyway. [Zealous Call] had been useful up until now, but maybe it was time for a change.

Title Lost!

(Death of the Destroyer)

[Vitality] -5

[Strength] -5

[Endurance] -5

[Wisdom] -5

[Agility] -5

General Skill [Title Skill: Zealous Call] Removed!

Title Gained!

(Liberator of the Plaguelands)

[Vitality] +25

[Strength] +25

[Endurance] +25

[Wisdom] +25

[Agility] +25

General Skill [Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] Obtained!

General Skill [Title Skill: Recall Skill] Obtained!

My eyes grew wide.

“Wait, [Recall Skill]...?”

“Yeah. It’s exactly what you think it is.”

Edithe grinned. I had to sit down. That was a lot to take in. It meant that any Skill I had in the past could be used again, even if only for a short period of time.

“You probably can only use it once a day, if we’re lucky. Once a week if not. I highly doubt it’ll allow you to cycle between any of your old Skills within a single battle.”

“That’s still very impressive!”

I looked over at Edithe, waving my arms wildly.

“You know what that means, right? I can test out any new Skill I get without worrying about losing it ever again!”

“Relax, Salvos. Yes, yes, I know what that means. I’m a little bit excited about it too.”

She giggled, and the realization of what she meant sunk in.

“You could try summoning again!”

“If the Spirit Lord ever decides to forgive me? Yes.”

“That’s awesome!”

I hugged Edithe, and she laughed.

“Come on, Salvos. You’re suffocating me.”

“Oops.”

I pulled back away from her and glanced over at Daniel. The Human man was smiling too, but not nearly as excited as I thought he’d be.

“What’s wrong, Daniel? Is something bothering you?”

I asked the question as I sidled up next to him. He blinked, then shook his head.

“It’s nothing.”

He paused. His gaze slowly turned to where the Lich once stood. Taking a deep breath, he sighed.

“Well, actually, it’s something. I just… feel bad for the Lich, you know?”

“You feel bad about someone responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocents?”

Edithe frowned, crossing her arms. He winced and quickly corrected himself.

“No, that’s not it. Let me rephrase.”

Daniel closed his eyes and placed a hand on his chest as I raised a brow.

“I feel worried. That I may fall down the same path as Zacharius. So far, things have gone well for me, Edithe, Salvos. Ever since I realized I was being lied to, things have been getting better in this world. I met the both of you, and you have both been so kind to me. Now I finally feel like I have a place where I belong. But… that won’t last forever, will it?”

He drew his knees towards his chest, hugging it.

“Things won’t always go the way I want it to. It pains me to even say this, but one of us may die. All of us could’ve died here. We were lucky to even survive, let alone kill the Lich. If something like that happens, would I be able to continue being who I am and not go insane as the Lich did?”

Edithe pursed her lips as Daniel finished. She didn’t have an answer for him. These were heavy questions— very complex thoughts which required delicacy.

I snorted.

“I don’t see what the big deal is. If you already know that, there’s no need to worry about it. Just try your best not to do the same things he did.”

“That’s easier said than done, Salvos.”

“Everything is easier said than done! Stop overthinking things, you idiot!”

I lightly bonked Daniel’s head with a fist, then hugged him.

“Anyway, you won’t go down the same path as Zacharius because you’ll return home to your friends and family. I promised you, didn’t I? I’ll find a way to bring you back.”

He stared at me. There was a pause where he didn’t say anything. Then he lightly pushed me off him.

“You do realize that being hugged by five arms from one person is slightly terrifying, right?”

I bared my teeth in a grin.

“I have a new Skill now— I can hug you with even more.”

“Please don’t.”

Daniel whimpered, and that was that.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 105

Class: [Adept of the Fae] - Lvl. 26

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 7

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 1

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 128 (+25)

[Strength]: 105 (+25)

[Endurance]: 113 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 200 (+25) (+6)

[Agility]: 250 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 5

[Haste] - Lvl. 5

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Banish] - Lvl. 20

[Spatial Sight] - Lvl. 15

[Unused Secondary Skill Slot] x1

—--

“Rest well. I will make sure your families know of what happened here.”

Edithe stood before the destroyed garden, bowing. She spoke softly to herself, not meant for anyone in particular to hear, although I still picked it up.

The ice that had frozen over the landscape was gone. The statues had melted, leaving the rapidly decaying corpses of all the women who had been captured by the Lich. There had to be dozens of them in this courtyard alone.

Edithe said there were likely even more in the ruined castle. Most of them looked like adventurers, which was a surprise. The only adventurers that would ever venture this far into the Plaguelands were Diamond Ranks. But it made sense. The Lich must have been doing this for a few millennia.

Zacharius the Quisling came to this world after the Immortal King Alexander and the Oracle of Light Melissa. He was the reason why there was a lull in [Hero] summonings for so long. Never once before did people consider that a [Hero] would betray those who summoned them.

With all the resources that were spent in the summoning ritual, people decided that there were other, more useful grand magic that could be cast instead.

“So, what do we do now?”

I asked Edithe as she slowly walked back over to us. I glanced out into the rest of the Plaguelands, making out far fewer undead surrounding the Lich’s keep than before. His magic over them was gone. They had no reason to gather in this specific spot anymore.

“I think this adventure of ours has lasted long enough.”

Edithe spoke simply, glancing over at Daniel. The Human man made a noise in agreement.

“Mhm, we’ve had far too many close calls here in the Plaguelands. I think we should just head straight back to the Human lands.”

“Aw. Are you sure? Daniel’s at Level 100 now, Edithe. You just need a few more levels to reach your next advancement! Give it a week of fighting Draugrs or [Revenants]—”

“No.”

Both my companions spoke at the same time. Edithe crossed her arms.

“I’ve had more near-death experiences in the past year than most people have in their lifetime. I’d rather not take any more risks for now.”

“Then we could just kill those [Unarmed Skeletons]! Maybe it’ll take a few months at that rate, but...”

I paused as I saw the incredibly reluctant looks of my companions. Daniel raised a hand.

“We’re just tired of the Plaguelands. The blight, the constant fighting, the undead— we just need a breather.”

“I can reach Level 100 on my own, Salvos. I appreciate the thought, I really do. But we’re not you. You grew up in the Netherworld, so you’re used to it. We’re more used to not having a close call with death on a daily basis.”

Edithe offered me a wry smile.

“I hope you understand.”

I scowled.

“Fine.”

Then I perked up, an idea crossing through my mind.

“So, since you guys want to return as quickly as possible… what do you think of flying?”

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163. Proudly Awake

163. Proudly Awake

It seemed like it took a day for me to regrow my wings after it was shattered by the Lich. Considering that this was a Skill that produced magical wings, it made sense that it could just regenerate with enough time. My real limbs, on the other hand, couldn’t just grow back.

I sighed as I took a look at myself. My body was transformed, [Demonic Essence] taking effect hours ago when the sun rose, making me larger, with more arms, a more terrifying appearance all throughout. However, something was missing. The arm I had ripped out and thrown at the Lich was gone. Even after I applied some healing potion on it. Even after I waited a day to transform back.

“It won’t regrow, Salvos. That’s not how transformations work. If it did, you can recover from any wound you take in your transformed state just by reverting to your normal self.”

“But my wings—”

“Are made of magic and blood.”

Edithe gestured at the black ooze dripping from my bone-like wings. I grimaced.

“At least I have [Faux Limbs] now, right? Although…”

I focused on the Skill, activating its effects. It could only create up to two limbs at its current level, and they only lasted for about an hour.

Flexing the flaming clawed arm replacing my missing limb, I hesitated.

“It feels a bit weird. Like it’s not at full strength yet.”

“That’ll probably only happen when you maxed the Skill. Come on, let’s go already.”

Edithe grabbed hold of one of my arms, and I nodded. I held a hand out for Daniel too, but he scratched the back of his head.

“Uh, are we sure this is safe?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

I cocked my head. He murmured something.

“Well, you see, uh, if something happens— like, if we… you know, drop…?”

“You’ll live. You have like 200 [Vitality], don’t you?”

“Just about, yeah. But—”

“And you’ve got a second Class now, too! Stop whining and hurry up already!”

I rolled my eyes, emphatically waving my four free arms at him. He sighed, edging forward.

“If I die…”

Daniel was cut off as I yanked him up into the air. With a single beat of my wings, we were off, the fallen castle disappearing rapidly behind us. I soared over the clouds of blight, laughing as the Human man screamed, begging me to slow down.

I did not. My companions wanted to return back to the Human lands as soon as possible, so I would ensure it happened.

I wasn’t sure how long the trip would take. I caught sight of the blight flower fields, the ruined villages once home to so many people, and the undead lurking far beneath me. They scoured the barren earth, a relentless hunger driving them, insatiable, in search for something they would never find.

I almost pitied them. They were wild creatures. No thoughts beyond the barest instincts that drove them. Worse than rocks.

It was a long trip. A whole adventure. But finally, it was time for us to leave the Plaguelands, returning stronger than ever.

—--

“Uh, oh. I spot people.”

In the distance, a group of adventurers were entering the Plaguelands. I wasn’t sure if they caught sight of me. But I hurriedly dipped down, hiding behind a blanket of blight before landing.

“Oh thank—”

Daniel fell to the ground, practically hugging it like he was Zacharius and the earth was Lilian.

I scrambled to put on my clothes. My blue jacket, my pants, my shoes— my everything— as I transformed back from [Demonic Essence] into my regular form. I tossed the hood over my head, and it got caught by my horns.

“Umm, we have to avoid those adventurers!”

They were just up ahead. We had to go around them. I frantically gestured to our right, trying to get my companions to move.

“What’s wrong, Salvos?”

Edithe blinked as I yanked the fighting Daniel to his feet. He was trying to equip my Necklace of Obfuscation. I pointed.

“They’re coming!”

“Can’t you just transform?”

“Yes, but—”

“Hey!”

An unfamiliar voice called out. I instantly spun around, hiding behind Edithe as panic settled in. Oh no, if they see me like this—

“We saw your summon fall from the sky! We just wanted to check if everything was alright?”

A group of four approached us. They wore uniforms— I recognized these uniforms from somewhere. Were they a part of a company?

The one who spoke was the leader of the group, a rather burly woman with an axe on her back.

“Is everything… alright?”

I couldn’t see them, but I was pretty sure she was looking at me. I took a deep breath, and stepped out.

“Y-yes, everything is f-fine.”

I barely managed to speak. They exchanged a glance. Edithe and Daniel looked over at me. I was a Human now. There was no sound, no slow transformation that alerted others that something was happening. [Partial Mortality] allowed for rapid shapeshifting, unlike [Mortal Form].

Its only downside was—

I stumbled forward, grasping at Edithe’s shoulder. The red-haired woman steadied me, and the adventurers frowned.

“Are you alright?”

The adventurers— they were around Level 105— had looks of concerns on their faces. I was about to fall asleep right there, the drowsiness taking over me, clouding my vision. They seemed to identify each of us, and one of them, a young man, snickered.

“These idiots are too low leveled for the Plaguelands. Of course they’re having a hard time dealing with the blight.”

I snapped awake.

“I’m completely fine!”

That was a lie. I was doing my best to not fall asleep there and then. But it wasn’t because of the stupid blight—

“Go home, little girl. This isn’t the place for someone at your level.”

I narrowed my eyes. The man wore a smug look on his face. He was only a level above me, the lowest of his group. But he adjusted his badge as if it was something important, only for the burly woman to snarl.

“Cody, shut up!”

“Yeah, shut up!”

I echoed her sentiment, stepping forward on wobbly feet. I was too angry to fall asleep right now.

“We’re not low leveled! I’ll have you know, we just came back from killing the Lich of the Plaguelands!”

Edithe and Daniel stared at me. The red-haired woman hesitated.

“Salvos, maybe we shouldn’t…”

I ignored her. Instead, I emphatically stamped a foot on the ground and crossed my arms.

“That’s right! We just killed [The Remnants of Zacharius (Quisling of Fate)]! I’ll have you know, he probably could kill all four of you with the snap of his bony fingers!”

Cody, the jerk who mocked me, paused. He looked back at his companions. Then he burst out laughing.

“This girl is actually delusional— ha, good one.”

Even their leader seemed to be slightly amused. She tried to stymie her team’s laughter, but a grin crept across her face betraying her words.

I scowled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Look, I’m sorry Miss, while I respect any adventurer willing to take a risk out here in the Plaguelands, what you’ve said is just, well, ridiculous.”

She shook her head, wiping a tear from her eye. I glared at her with a single open eye. The other one was shut, the bags underneath my eyes weighing my eyelids down.

“It’s the truth.”

“Do you have any proof?”

“I-I…”

I didn’t think of taking anything. I always created my own weapons, and everything else was provided by my companions. I had nothing to show.

I pursed my lips, trying to think of anything I could show them to prove I was better than them. Maybe if I challenged them to a duel—

“Actually, I recovered this.”

A voice came from behind me.

Daniel produced an object in his hand. It flashed into existence, the magic of his Dimensional Storage Unit conjuring it out of nothing. It was a skull. But not just any ordinary skull. It had a pair of dim green flames glowing in the center of its eye sockets.

I blinked as I realized what that was.

[Skull of Zacharius the Quisling: Unique Grade Item - It is the skull of Zacharius the Quisling. Having been turned into a Lich at the moment of his death, the former [Hero] Zacharius haunted the Plaguelands for many millennia before being vanquished in battle.]

“That’s…”

The burly woman’s eyes grew wide. Cody stepped back, his jaw hanging open.

“T-this has to be a trick!”

“It’s real.”

Another man spoke. He adjusted his glasses, his voice steady.

“The magic emanating from that… it cannot be a fake.”

“But—”

“See? I told you.”

I smirked. The burly woman bit her lower lip. Then she took a deep breath, bowing as Cody sputtered.

“I apologize for our disrespect, truly. We were just skeptical because the Lich has existed for thousands of years. The idea that it would just perish never crossed our minds.”

“You are forgiven.”

Edithe glared at me as I spoke in a haughty voice. The burly woman proffered me a hand.

“I’m Katie, the leader of our group. It is an honor to meet you, Miss…?”

“Me?”

I raised my chin as my eyes closed.

“I’m Salvos, the Liberator of the Plaguelands.”

She shook my hand as I felt satisfied with myself. Now that that was settled and I proved my point...

General Skill [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 1] -> [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

“Huh.”

The words resounded and I cocked my head. Then I collapsed, snoring.

—--

When I woke up, I no longer smelled the blight and death. The putrid stench of the Plaguelands was nothing but a memory in my nostrils, something that seemed like from a time long ago. I sat up abruptly, rubbing my head.

“Ow, ow, ow. Why does waking up feel so painful? Did I travel through time?”

“You fell asleep, idiot.”

Daniel stared at me. I frowned.

“Rude.”

“Sorry, it sounded funnier in my head.”

I glanced around at the room we were in. It was a rather large room with a desk and three beds. The floor was carpeted. The drapes were a colorful red, hung over the windows. It seemed like the kind of place Saffron would stay in. By that, I meant rich.

“Where are we?”

“We’re in the Crystal Palace, the most expensive inn in Huthwaite.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Wait, you have money?”

“Katie is paying for us. And we will have money once we collect our reward.”

“Reward for what?”

“For killing the Lich. The Adventurers Guild and various other companies, including the Forsaken Company, have a bounty on the Lich’s head. Literally. And since you decided to make a scene earlier— Edithe’s collecting that reward now.”

“Huh.”

Daniel didn’t look away from me. I felt like he was glaring.

“What?”

“You better not ruin this. If you get us in trouble so we have to pay a thousand platinum fine—”

“I won’t, I won’t.”

I snorted, getting to my feet. I dusted myself down— my clothes were especially dirty juxtaposed to the fancy carpeted floor.

“How did I get here?”

“I had to carry you all the way here. You were pretty heavy, you know?”

He rubbed his shoulders as he made the comment. I didn’t react.

“Of course you wouldn’t care about that.”

I stumbled forward, heading for the doorway. Daniel watched me go.

“Where are you going?”

I gritted my teeth, not feeling like answering him. But my silence was betrayed by the sound that came from my stomach. I glanced back at him, apprehensively speaking, not meeting his gaze.

“I, um, feel hungry.”

And Daniel laughed.

“So, Salvos, are you ready to have some delicious Human food?”

For some reason, Daniel was the one with a hungry look on his face. I raised a hand slowly.

“Maybe I don’t feel so hungry anymore?”

My stomach growled.

“Fuck…”

A note from MelasD

credit for meme to pixel on my discord. This is for a comment someone left in the previous chapter

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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164. Cathartic

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Rise of the Firstborn

As the inhibitor rises and the eternal flame is quenched, our lands shall be freed, and only then will the Princess be set to flee.

It began with ice.

A relentless, bone-chilling tickle of frost that stretched across the lands of Axulran, crawling over the mountain crests and freezing the grassy meadows. Frozen in time, the kingdom fought for political control all across the region of Ellixus, paying no mind to the death and torment they may cause along the way.

Cateline Bennett, a princess consumed with ice, found herself lost in a foreign kingdom with nothing but her wits to survive. As she explores this unknown land, she unravels her past and discovers that the magic she had concealed for so long could unleash chaos so intense, it could destroy the world as she knew it.

With her untapped magic and new friends, Cateline must vanquish the enemies that threatened the world of Denzethea as they knew it, else they, and all they knew, would crumble to ruin.

Rise of the Firstborn | Royal Road

Check it out!

164. Cathartic

There was a rumble in my stomach as I sat, waiting for Daniel to return. The Human man had hurriedly gone downstairs to gather a platter of food— an array he was going to spread out for me to try.

“Hurry up already or I’ll transform back!”

I groaned, and my stomach groaned with me. He was taking too long. I was getting bored. And even though it had only been about ten hours since I activated [Partial Mortality], I felt like I could already revert forms.

Was that what leveling the Skill did? It would be useful to be able to switch forms far quicker than it currently was. It might have also helped me stave off the need to sleep, and maybe even the need to eat. Initially, at least.

I didn’t think that a Skill that was called [Partial Mortality] would ever rid off something mortals apparently needed on a daily basis.

It wasn’t that much of a problem, honestly. If I didn’t want to eat or sleep, I’d just refuse to use the Skill ever again. It wasn’t like I never infiltrated a Human settlement as an [Imp]. So, I waited for Daniel to return. I made a bet with him— I suggested that if he beat me in a race, I’d try one of his Human foods just once— and I lost the bet somehow.

He must’ve cheated! He had my [Haste] boosting his speed!

But a bet was a bet. And he was finally going to give me a taste of the ‘greatest Human cuisine I’d ever find’.

After what felt like forever, Daniel finally returned hauling in a cart full of foodstuff. Fancy plates covered in mirror-like cloches were placed on the table before me. He even had a tablecloth thrown over it, with a candle in the middle just to set the mood.

He set out a fine selection of drinks— different kinds of alcohol such as ale, wine, whiskey— and I knocked them away, spilling it all over the tablecloth.

“What are you doing, Salvos?!”

“Gross, I said I’d try your Human food. Not your Human drinks!”

I crossed my arms. He scowled.

“You didn't need to do that. You got wine all over the tablecloth!”

“We don’t need a tablecloth! Just hurry up and give me your dumb food!”

Sighing, Daniel set the plates down on the sticky table. He had four different plates, each of them covered by the gleaming cloche, just waiting to be opened.

“First on the menu: a delectable, medium rare steak.”

I blinked as he revealed the first plate presented to me. It was a block of meat, sizzling hot, with smoke still rising from its brown exterior. He held up a knife and fork, slicing into the steak, cutting it open to reveal a red interior, some blood dripping down onto the plate. He stabbed the fork into the slice of steak and held it up.

“So, Salvos, what do you think?”

I had to admit, it smelled kind of nice. It was like the perfume Humans used to make themselves smell better, except it was put on the food.

“Give me that.”

Snatching the fork away from Daniel, I bit into the slice of steak. I didn’t want to waste time debating with myself. The moment was now, so I was acting now. I chewed on the piece of steak, my eyes growing wide.

Daniel leaned forward in anticipation.

“What do you think—”

And I spat it back out at his face.

“Ew, it tastes nothing like it smells! It’s disgusting!”

He wiped his face, snapped his eyes shut, and took a deep breath.

“Alright… that was…”

Shaking his head, he unveiled the second plate.

“That didn’t go so well. But maybe you’re not much of a meat eater. So, how about something simpler? This is a Cyclops delicacy, a bowl of rice with some fish on the side. What do you—”

“Gross, no!”

Once again, I spat it out at Daniel’s face. His left and right cheeks were smeared in saliva and half-chewed food. He grabbed a napkin and cleaned himself.

“This time, maybe try swallowing the food before you make a decision, Salvos, ok?”

He smiled kindly, although I could tell it was very forced. I nodded.

“Fine.”

Daniel handed me a bowl with a pair of wooden sticks.

“This is something from Earth. My world. It’s a home cooked dish, stir-fried noodles with vegetables. Surely you’d like it somewhat, right? It’s mom’s recipe after all.”

I was dubious at first. It took me a moment to figure out how to use these ‘chopsticks’ Daniel gave me. I tried a string of this noodle, and I paused.

“This…”

I started to chew slowly, feeling the texture of the noodle in my mouth. I made sure to get a good taste of what it was like, absorbing it into my memory. He peered at me.

“Well?”

“It doesn’t taste like anything.”

I shook my head.

“I think it’s disgusting.”

“Seriously?”

His shoulders sagged. I nodded.

“Seriously! It’s like eating a rock— have you tried eating a rock?”

“Have you?”

“I have.”

“...I probably should’ve expected that.”

Daniel looked exhausted. He wanted to resign— to give up. But he steeled himself. He slapped himself on his cheeks, readying himself for the final plate.

“This is the last option. Are you ready? No man on Earth has ever resisted the alluring tastes of its drizzling oil spilling all over your taste buds. I present to you the greatest biological weapon America has ever invented: the burger.”

Daniel was proud of himself. He wore a smug look on his face as he explained.

“I was never much of a chef back on Earth, but a burger is relatively simple to make. I spoke with a Level 47 [Chef] working in the inn and had him reproduce the exact same—”

“Brughghaehw! Ew! You eat that?! It doesn’t even taste like rocks like the others! It tastes like Human excrement!”

“I give up. Wait, how do you even know how…? Actually, nevermind.”

The Human man slumped over on a chair, rubbing at his temples. I patted him on the back and tried to comfort him.

“At least you tried.”

“I just don’t get it. So, this entire time, it wasn’t because you were a Demon? You just never liked the taste of food?”

“I guess? I mean, it smells nice. But it doesn’t actually taste anything like how it smells.”

“Do you have some kind of scent synesthesia or something? Are your taste buds broken?”

Daniel seemed to inspect me, poking me on my cheek. I glanced over at the half-eaten plates of food. It was a waste. The steak and the noodles actually smelled nice. The rice and the fish didn’t have much of a smell to it. The burger smelled like it would kill me from the inside. It tasted like it would kill me from the inside.

In fact, didn’t Daniel say something about how burgers were a biological weapon? I wouldn’t be surprised if eating burgers was responsible for tens of thousands of deaths a year in his world.

The Human man rambled on about how it made no sense why I couldn’t eat most of the Human food when I now had to eat food and all that boring stuff. I ignored him, still feeling hungry. Maybe I’d just finish the steak or the noodles to fill my stomach. I brought a hand over to the plates, and hovered it there.

I caught sight of something hiding within the sticky table cloth. Tiny little critters— ants, smaller than my fingertips— that crawled its way towards the food. My stomach rumbled again.

“Salvos, Salvos? Are you even listening? What are you—”

I picked up a handful of ants and put them in my mouth.

“What the fuck are you doing?!”

He jumped back, horrified. I crunched down on the insects. And for the first time ever, felt my mouth watering from eating food.

“This is… delicious!”

My eyes went round. I glanced over at Daniel who seemed to edge further and further away from me, before turning my attention back to the long line of ants on the table waiting to be eating. I snagged even more of them and began to feast on the critters.

“I’ve never tasted anything like this before!”

It was like I unlocked a new sense. One which I have never experienced before. Was this what eating food was like? It was wonderful!

A fly buzzed by my ear. It was quite big for a fly. It headed straight for the leaves mixed in with the noodles, and I grabbed it out of the air. I chomped down on it.

“Daniel, you have to try this—”

I looked over at the open doorway, hearing the heavy footsteps fade away.

“Huh.”

—--

“—and then she started eating bugs?”

“Yes, Edithe. You have to protect me from her. She’s a monster!”

“Hey! I’m not a monster, I’m Salvos—”

“I know, I know.”

The red-haired woman rolled her eyes and pushed Daniel off her. He stumbled forward, next to me, then hurriedly skittered back behind Edithe for protection. I bared my teeth at him, which made him shrink back since there were ants stuck in them.

“Salvos.”

Edithe placed a hand on my shoulder, meeting my gaze. A smile spread across her face.

“Ignore Daniel. I’m glad you found something you finally enjoy eating. Just make sure you don’t eat something that makes you sick, alright?”

I beamed.

“I won’t! And I found out I can eat without pretending to be a Human too! Isn’t that amazing?”

I tilted my head back.

“I wonder what Centinels taste like.”

She laughed and gestured for me to follow her.

“Come on, there’s something outside waiting for us.”

“There is?”

Edithe led us down the hallway of the inn. Daniel kept a wide berth away from me as we started down the stairs. I was curious about what was awaiting us down below. I blinked as I saw adventurers gathered in the common room of the inn.

They were all wearing the same uniforms— I believed that meant they were of the Forsaken Company? It was apparently a very big company. One of the Three Honorable Companies. Each of their fighting power rivaled or even surpassed that of nations.

I glanced around at the standing figures. I picked out Cody and Katie amongst them. They all stood respectfully facing us.

“What’s going on, Edithe?”

The red-haired woman smiled.

“Just follow me.”

We took a step forward— and the adventurers began to clap. It came all at once, a cacophony that nearly startled me, blowing me off my feet. I blinked. Then I realized they were clapping for me.

No, for all of us.

I slowly walked behind Edithe as she nodded at the adventurers. Most of them were below Level 40. There were only a few who were Gold, with even less Platinums. But the Diamonds? There were four of them. And they were the ones who gave us the most respect.

Because they were the only ones who have ever been to the Plaguelands— seen the powerful undead that walked the blighted earth. Cody hung his head low, speaking softly.

“I am sorry for what I said earlier, Salvos, Liberator of the Plaguelands.”

I paused, staring at him. Then I grinned.

“It is fine. As long as you understand that.”

“There’s more, Salvos.”

Edithe tugged me along, pushing the double doors of the inn open. I covered my face as the morning light shone in, taking a moment to acclimate to its brightness.

And the clapping grew louder. More than that, there were cheers, hollering, and shouting. I thought I was being attacked. But I saw a massive crowd standing before me. They looked at us with awe and wonder. The people of Huthwaite gathered before us.

People I have never seen before. Or wait, I knew some of them. Were there people from Ghostlight mixed in as well? Yes there were! I saw Jaden, the boy [Innkeeper], standing with the crowd. He was cheering, just as everybody else.

A feeling rose up within me. It was the very same one I felt back when I saved Silvergrove and slayed Lucerna. It was pride. Not just the pride of knowing that I accomplished something, but the satisfaction that came from being recognized by others. I did not shy away from this.

Daniel looked like he wanted to hide behind Edithe again, but for a different reason. Edithe took it all in stride, not really ashamed, not really enjoying it. But me? I embraced it. I basked in the moment, in the attention and in the praises. I raised my chin higher, smiling from ear to ear.

A man stepped forward from the crowd. I knew the badge on his shirt as signifying that he was in charge of the local Adventurers Guild. He held three badges in his hands, a blue gem in the middle of it.

“Salvos, Daniel, and Edithe. For slaying the Lich of the Plaguelands, the three of you are hereby promoted to Diamond Rank.”

He attached it to our clothes and stepped back.

“I know it is not a befitting reward for the feat you have accomplished, but unfortunately, the Adventurers Guild is not as resourceful as I’d like. If it were, there’d be no need for companies, right?”

The man chuckled as a woman took his place. She seemed almost familiar. It took me a moment to realize she was the guard captain who fined us a few months back. She nodded at us, a vastly different look from what she had then.

“The three of you, for your efforts in aiding the Vaun Qiuer Empire and killing [The Remnants of Zacharius], are rewarded the medallion of heroes. It is given by Emperor Nor Maran to only the noblest of individuals, giving you the privilege of having his ear whenever you are in need of help.”

These medals were fancy. They were etched with complex symbols and adorned with shiny crystals. I tapped on its hard surface as the guard captain continued.

“You will also be given property within the Capital city of Morningvale. It will be issued to you when you fill out these documents—”

Edithe’s eyes bulged as she accepted the pieces of paper. I ignored it. It didn’t matter to me. Daniel seemed uninterested as well. I wasn’t sure why it mattered so much to the red-haired woman.

Instead, I took in all the stares. The looks given to me by so many faces. Was it adoration? Admiration? I spread my arms wide, absorbing this feeling. Today, I discovered that eating was not so bad— not when I was eating what I liked. But even if it was a new, fascinating thing for me, the taste of food would never rival this.

This was what I loved. Recognition. From others, more than just myself. Of my actions and of what I have done. Knowing that the near-death experiences I had was not something only I knew about, but others were aware of as well.

It might have weirded others out. Humans thought of pride as something vain. They looked down on the idea of arrogance. But I didn’t. I wasn’t a Human. I was a Demon, and I was going to savor this moment.

“I am the Liberator of the Plaguelands, the Death of the Destroyer, the Savior of Falisfield, and many more. But most importantly, I am Salvos, and you will remember my name!”

A note from MelasD

When I used to actively read web serials, there was one common trope which I frankly found annoying. It was the protagonist who hated attention. They hated praise. Anything good anyone said about them? They demeaned it.

So, I decided to write Salvos.

And she revels in it.

Volume 3 isn't over yet. Not yet.

Also, moar fanart! This time, by Brack. It's inspired by the Frank Sinatra poster!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

165. Companion Construction

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to I Got a Rock

Before enrollment in magic academy, a young mage must purchase or acquire a familiar to provide protection, assistance, and companionship.

The rich are able to afford such beasts as dragons, griffons, feathered serpents, and more.

Isak is not rich.

Isak’s parents got him a rock.

“It will work or your money back!” the local mad mage said when he sold the 'pet rock' to his mother. And while the young human from the Western Wastes was still coming to terms with that new reality he was on his way to Black Reef Institute for a year of learning everything a young mage could need to become a mage of legend!

Vital rituals! Astronomy! A wide variety of spells! Survival in a hostile land! Potions! Bonding with your familiar to take full advantage of their unique abilities!

A familiar that was, once again, a rock.

But as Isak soon discovers that rock is so much more than any could have dreamed of, he’ll need the help of his newfound friends to discover the rock’s untold secrets and still have time for that brutal test on Core Spells!

I Got A Rock | Royal Road

165. Companion Construction

We left Huthwaite a day after, gold filling our pocket, new titles to our name, and property to own. I didn’t see the point of any of this. I much preferred the cheers of people, chanting my name. I’d have stayed in the city for longer just because of that.

But we had to leave. We had things to do, places to go. Edithe had to return to her company, while I had to speak with Lily. Daniel also finally decided on what he wanted to do.

“Wait, are you serious?”

I stared at him, in shock. Edithe blinked.

“I’m with Salvos on this one, are you really sure you want to do this?”

Daniel nodded.

“I made my decision. I’m stronger now. Smarter. I have two Classes and a rare Title. I’m more experienced and I know about their manipulative tactics. I will return to the Elutra Kingdom.”

“After all they did to you, you’re going back to help them?”

It wasn’t that I disagreed with his decision. I was just surprised by the suddenness of it. He shook his head.

“I’m not going to help them. No— Faith told me that the Inoria Empire was planning on a mass summoning ritual. One that would sacrifice all the citizens of the Elutra Kingdom. If this is true, then someone has to stop it. Someone has to step in. But only if it’s true.”

“So, you’re going to investigate first?”

I snapped my fingers, and Daniel drew his lips into a thin line.

“I’ll try. I can’t just stand idly by knowing that millions of lives are in danger and I can do something to stop it.”

I grinned.

“I’m impressed. You’re actually sounding like a [Hero] now.”

He scoffed, walking forward.

“I have always been a [Hero]. But a hero? That’s something I’m trying out for the first time.”

Then his shoulders sagged.

“I just hope I don’t die in some dumb heroic sacrifice moment.”

Edithe patted him on the back.

“We’ll just have to buy all the equipment you need to ensure that doesn’t happen. We have the platinum, after all.”

The Human man brightened. He greedily pulled open a pouch full of a hundred platinum. That wasn’t all we had. Each of us had a bag of 100 platinum coins on our person. In our bag, we had another 300 gold. That still wasn’t it. The rest was too much to carry or collect all at once. So, we stored the remaining 2,700 platinum, 573 gold, and 1045 silver pieces with the Merchants Guild.

Apparently, there were a lot of rewards to be collected for killing the Lich. Daniel said that it should have amounted to over 10,000 platinum coins total, but not everyone wanted to pay up the money. Some companies or countries or organizations had placed the bounty hundreds of years ago, so they said it was not valid.

Edithe suggested that we tried to press for it, but Daniel thought it wasn’t worth it. We were still getting thousands of platinum coins from this.

“We have more money than a small country even has!”

He sighed wistfully as we sat on a carriage, on the way out of the Vaun Qieur Empire.

“I’m going to buy all the best equipment. Since that damn Lich broke my longsword, I’ve felt practically naked.”

“But you’re wearing clothes?”

I cocked my head.

“It’s a metaphor. I’m just so used to having a weapon on me at all times, I don’t feel complete without it.”

“I have to admit, I’m the same way.”

Edithe chuckled. She gestured at the air, pretending as if she was holding something.

“Ever since my staff was destroyed by the Lich, I’ve felt oddly vulnerable. I’m glad you flew us back as quickly as you did, Salvos. We avoided a lot of possible mishaps that way.”

“I am pretty amazing, aren’t I?”

I beamed, leaning back. Then I peered at my companions.

“But can you guys not fight without your weapons?”

“We can, Salvos. My staff, however, was enchanted to boost my spellcasting. I do have the Cane of Retribution, but it has more of an active effect than the passive effect of my previous staff.”

“And my longsword was made out of mithril. It’s supposed to be one of the toughest materials out there. It’s said to be equivalent to the eldergreen wood used by the Elves or orichalcum used by the Dwarfs.”

“Huh.”

I glanced between the pair. They had basic equipment, bought from the local smith in Huthwaite. But they didn’t really have anything extravagant. Daniel’s Draconic Scalemail armor was also destroyed by the Lich. Really, despite being Diamond Rank, the three of us had basically no gear.

We did have some gear when we set out for the Plaguelands the second time, after Ghostlight was destroyed. But after all the battles we had, we now had nothing.

Edithe and Daniel excitedly exchanged ideas on things that they could buy. All the scrolls and potions and equipment they could afford with all the money they had.

“If we find a high enough leveled [Alchemist], we could even get a Potion of Regeneration for you, Salvos.”

The red-haired woman turned to me, smiling.

“A what?”

“It’s a potent potion, far superior to even the highest grade of healing potion. It can help you regrow lost limbs, remove all your scars from your body, and return you pretty much to your physical prime.”

My jaw dropped.

“Woah. Yes please! Give me that!”

“Well, we’ll have to find an [Alchemist] capable of brewing one. They require a lot of rare ingredients, so they’re pretty hard to find even amongst the highest leveled [Alchemists]. I know Gabriel has never bothered making one due to how difficult it is.”

I was starting to get excited, just like my companions. Thankfully, our money wasn’t ripped away from us like the past few times it happened. Daniel especially was happy. But I didn’t really understand why they fussed over the different types of weapons they could buy. I never used them.

I could always make my own weapons. Or, actually, why didn’t I just make some weapons for them?

—--

We stopped in a few cities on the way out of the Vaun Qieur Empire. Edithe wanted to drop by our given properties in the Capital city, but unfortunately it was close to the northeastern end of the empire. We were headed in the opposite direction, to the west.

So, we would only claim our lands later. Edithe was simply happy that she now had a last name. I didn’t get what it meant, and she explained.

“It means a lot, for a commoner like me. I grew up without a father, Salvos. Only my mother looked after me. And she was a prostitute. A nameless whore in the slums of Viechester.”

“Isn’t that rude?”

“Not really. That’s how she used to refer to herself. Then she died. But now I am not just given land to call my own, but I can take on the title of a noble too? I, a commoner, became part of the nobility in the biggest empire in the world?”

She laughed, shaking her head.

“It’s like a dream come true for any girl!”

Speaking of dreams, since I leveled up in [Partial Mortality], I didn’t feel the overwhelming urge to fall asleep whenever I changed to a mortal. I still had the need to sleep. There was no change to the amount of time I needed to sleep as a ‘Human’. But I wouldn’t just flop over whenever I transformed.

Now it took an hour for the exhaustion to seep in and for my eyes to begin failing me. I wondered if I leveled the General Skill enough, would I be able to delay sleep for up to a day? Maybe even more?

But I’d have to sleep eventually. Because that was how you blended in with mortals.

And I tried my best to blend in. I ate their food, even if it was stale, but only when others were around. When I was on my own and hungry? I had a bag full of worms, flies, and other bugs saved up for some munching.

Daniel was disgusted by it. Edithe, not so much. Although she wouldn’t try a cockroach even when I offered her one.

Not a lot of things were happening in this journey. We were just… going back to Viechester. There, we’d split ways. Each of us on our own separate journeys. It was uneventful. But we were spending time together— kind of like a family.

But I had a surprise for them. I wasn’t idle, even if there wasn’t much to do on our trip. Whenever they weren’t paying attention to me, I’d practice my creation magic. So far, I have been using [Nebular Construct] to create Nebular Weapons. Each one, on their own, were Medium Grade. They lasted far longer than any weapon I created previously, the arrows I kept were still usable even after days passed.

Yet, the magic was waning. I knew it would dissipate eventually. I needed something that could last forever. The Nebular Weapons were like the Spear of Flames. They could maybe keep form for a few months. But it would disappear eventually. No— I wanted something better than that.

If that Demon with the crooked horn was capable of creating something as powerful of the Spear of Flames as only an Archdemon. Or, I assumed he was an Archdemon. Then I should be able to make something even better, right? Because I was Salvos.

I didn’t just use [Nebular Construct]. I experimented. [The Primordial Spark] was an amalgamation Skill of various other Skills including [Advanced Fire Creation]. It had to have retained some aspect of that Skill.

So, I used both Skills: [Nebular Construct] and [The Primordial Spark]. I used them together. First, I created a blueprint of what I wanted with [Nebular Construct], then I built over it with [The Primordial Spark]. The process of this weapon creation was not done in a day. Even if I excluded all the failed attempts which took up weeks of my time, the final product took a long time to finish and perfect.

It was like I was a smith, using the flames to heat the sword so it could be tempered. But instead of simply making it stronger, I wanted to make something that would never erode. Something that would last for as long as I lived.

General Skill [Advanced Mana Manipulation] Level Up!

[Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 7] -> [Advanced Mana Manipulation - Lvl. 8]

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] Level Up!

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 2] -> [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 3]

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] Level Up!

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 3] -> [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 4]

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 26] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 27]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

“Huh. So, General Skill experience is added to my Class.”

“Did you say something, Salvos?”

“Nope!”

We were far beyond the borders of the Vaun Qieur Empire now. We switched carriages a few times, no single carriage able to carry us all the way to the Sunmere Republic. We had just crossed through Nixa, entering the borders of the Sunmere Republic, when I decided to finally unveil my gifts to them.

“I have something to show the both of you.”

I spun around as we entered the fancy bedroom of the inn. They exchanged a glance, slightly wary of what I was hiding behind my back.

“Salvos—”

I ignored Daniel, instead revealing the weapons I had spent the past half a month creating.

“Ta-da!”

[Primordial Longsword: Medium Grade Weapon - A weapon created by Salvos, gifted to her companions. It can be enchanted, upgraded, and tempered just as any other weapon. Inflicts minor fire damage.]

They stared at it with wide eyes. Daniel picked up the longsword. It was made of metal throughout, down to the handles. The crossguard jutted out from the hilt like horns, twisted up into the air. The blade was lined with a gray, and the rest of it was a pure white.

“This is…”

He swung it once, and what almost seemed like a trail of black smoke followed behind it.

“You’re giving this to us?”

“I am!”

I nodded eagerly. I glanced over at Edithe who was inspecting the staff I had given her. It was very much like her old staff, except with a gray and white shape that seemed to coil into each other to the very tip of the staff.

[Primordial Staff: Medium Grade Weapon - A weapon created by Salvos, gifted to her companions. It can be enchanted, upgraded, and tempered just as any other weapon. Minor enhancement to fire magic.]

“You made this, Salvos?”

Edithe was baffled. I could see her eyes glazing over the intricate network of mana threads used to design the staff.

“Yep!”

“The amount of refinement behind it… it’s made out of magic, but it’s real. It would take decades for it to even begin to lose form. And it’s not even difficult to repair— you can bring it to an [Enchanter] to restore it whenever it starts to degrade.”

She glanced over at me, her mouth hanging open.

“You could sell this for hundreds of gold.”

“It’s for you.”

I shook my head, vehemently forcing it into her hands. She accepted it, still in shock.

“I—”

I hugged her. I tightly clung onto the red-haired woman— my companion— and spoke softly.

“Thank you, Edithe.”

Looking over at Daniel, I grabbed him and pulled him into the hug as well.

“You too. The both of you are my companions. You accept me for who I am, more than anyone else in the Mortal Realm. Thank you.”

They were surprised at first. They didn’t know how to react. But slowly, they accepted the hug as I continued.

“A part of me will be with the both of you, even when we separate, alright? When you’re fighting those jerks in the Iron Champions Company, I’ll be there with you, Edithe. When you’re killing those jerk [Cultists], I’ll be fighting by your side, Daniel. Don’t forget it.”

I paused, taking a deep breath. Then I exclaimed.

“And especially don’t die!”

They chuckled. Daniel shook his head as Edithe smiled. She lightly tapped me on the forehead.

“We should be the ones saying that to you!”

A note from MelasD

V3 still not over.

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166. Knock Knock

166. Knock Knock

Vamont was a city located right at the edge of the Sunmere Republic. It was at the border which ran close to Nixa and the Elutra Kingdom. We could see the Motharis Mountain Range from here, the undulating crests very close to the city, with a road that ran up one of the shorter mountains.

We were still a while away from Viechester— perhaps another three or four days if we traveled non-stop via carriage— but we were in no rush. And our driver didn’t want to take us all the way to Viechester. He dropped us at Vamont and suddenly had a change of heart after a day.

“I apologize, Miss Salvos, but you’ll have to find another wagon or carriage to bring you to your city. This is as far as I’ll go.”

“What?”

I stared at him, nearly dropping my bag. Edithe and Daniel stood behind me, just as surprised at this turn of events as I was. I pointed an accusing finger at the carriage driver.

“You said you’d take us to Viechester!”

“That was before we arrived in Vamont. I’m sorry, but I’ve heard rumors. Monsters coming down from Motharis and attacking travelers. Even entire caravans have been completely destroyed. I can’t bring you there.”

“But we’re Salvos, Daniel, and Edithe! We’re the Liberators of the Plaguelands! We were given the medallion of heroes by the Vaun Qieur Empire! We saved Silvergrove!”

He shook his head, taking off his cap. The driver was a weary older man, a former [Warrior] who now rode carriages for a living. Apparently, he used to be a soldier for one of the Eastern Kingdoms a long time ago.

“I’ve seen too many people die in my time. Even if they were the greatest commanders on the field, or the bravest adventurers. I will not take any risks.”

With that, he grabbed the reins and took off. I could only watch as our ride left us. I had nothing to say. I was speechless. But Daniel wasn’t.

“...he didn’t even give us back our gold.”

—--

“We got scammed, that’s what happened.”

Daniel was still not over the fact that the carriage driver stole our money. I didn’t care about Humans and their materialistic obsession over those shiny coins. I was just annoyed that we had to take even longer than necessary to get to Viechester!

I was eagerly awaiting to see Rachel once more. She would’ve been absolutely blown away by the fact that I was over Level 100 now! Maybe I could even impress her with tricks from my [Adept of the Fae] Class!

There was so much we had to catch up on. I was so excited— but our trip was delayed because we couldn’t find any carriages that were willing to bring us to Viechester.

“Wait, why not? We have the gold!”

I sputtered, and the wagon driver turned away from me. She wasn’t that high leveled. Not like our previous carriage driver. Her wagon wasn’t even fancy, it could barely even fit all three of us into it, but she was the last one we approached after an entire day of asking around.

“It’s not about the gold, Miss. I’m not getting killed for no damn reason like Kenny did!”

She shut the door on us, leaving the three of us stranded. I cocked my head.

“Who’s Kenny?”

It seemed like no one wanted to travel the roads beyond Vamont. In fact, the city was unusually crowded. Vamont was not the biggest city I’ve been in, not even close. But its streets were so packed, I almost thought we were in a city twice the size of what it actually was.

“This sucks.”

I glowered, and my companions followed after me. They had on them various potions and artifacts. They hadn’t been idle. They spent a lot of their time in these cities shopping and buying brand new items.

They had their Primordial weapons with them too— the ones I created and gave them just yesterday. I was quite proud of what I made, seeing the white and gray metal held by my companions.

But that was not all the new equipment they had. Their armor was bought from a famed smith in the Vaun Qieur Empire. It was made of simple steel, tempered with Skills that made it comparable to mithril. Low Grade Armor, without any enchantments. After they saw an [Enchanter] in Nixa, it was now easily Medium Grade. I wondered what it’d take for it to be High Grade, but they said it would require far more specialization from a Level 70 [Enchanter]. Which were rare.

Other than just armor and weapons, they had rings and necklaces and other such jewellery too. These mostly had small effects— extra resistance to fire magic, ice magic, poison magic, etcetera.

In addition to all those Low Grade Equipment, Edithe got a bracelet too. It matched with mine; it served no purpose besides being purely decorative. I called it a friendship bracelet, and Daniel cringed for whatever reason.

“It’s not like we’re in any rush, Salvos. Just enjoy the moment.”

Edithe spoke as her attention was drawn by a street performer. A [Mage] was juggling rocks the size of his head, much to the awe of children.

“Look. You don’t see [Mages] doing such things in other cities, do you? These are sights you can only see in the Sunmere Republic.”

I narrowed my eyes, before pointing an accusing finger.

“He’s not even touching the rocks! He’s using magic to toss them around!”

“It’s still entertaining.”

The red-haired woman rolled her eyes. I glowered, crossing my arms.

“Can’t we just walk to Viechester? It really isn’t any trouble at all.”

“We could.”

Daniel nodded as he appeared by my side with a stick of meat. It looked like either lamb or beef. Gross.

“But we may as well just stay another night. Buy some gifts for our friends in Viechester.”

He flipped his hand, revealing a doll.

“See? This is for Rachel—”

I snatched it out of his hand.

“For Rachel, from me, right?”

The Human man let out a heavy sigh.

“Sure, sure. I don’t get why you don’t just buy your own present for her though.”

“I… um, don’t know what she likes?”

“Get her something any girl her age would love, Salvos.”

Edithe smiled as she started ahead, twirling to face me.

“Let’s see. While I hated to admit it, I was always jealous of other girls with their frilly dresses, while I was stuck with rags and cheap clothing. I’m sure Rachel would like something nice like that.”

I paused right before a shop— a [Tailor], supposedly Level 43. I snapped my fingers.

“I should make her feel like a Princess.”

Then I had an even better idea.

“I should make myself feel like a Princess!”

“Uh, Salvos—”

Daniel started, but I ignored him and rushed into the shop. My companions exchanged a glance. Edithe shrugged.

“That should keep her occupied for the next hour or so. Come on, I saw a nice restaurant right around the corner.”

—--

“Thank you!”

I left the shop with a pile of clothes in my hands. The [Tailor] waved at me, a big, beaming grin on his face, and a lot of gold in his pockets. I found Daniel and Edithe sitting in a tavern, a few empty mugs on the table, laughing.

“—and then Hana just lunged straight at the [Rock Golem], ignoring our plans completely. Suffice to say, Paul gave her a long lecture.”

“Oh man, Hana sounds like she was a massive pain to deal with.”

“She was definitely a pain in the ass, but Paul was a hardass too. That’s what I liked about both of them.”

Edithe sighed wistfully. She was drunk. Daniel was too. Their cheeks were burning with the alcohol— a light blush which almost glowed in the dimly lit tavern.

The Human man fidgeted.

“Edithe—”

“Hello!”

I plopped down on a chair, setting my clothes down on the table. It knocked over their drinks, spilling them on the nice fabric, much to my horror.

“Hey! Why’d you ruin my clothes!”

My companions blinked. Daniel sputtered.

“Wait, why are you blaming me for that?”

“You didn’t make my clothes disappear!”

He stared at me, slack-jacked. The red-haired just giggled.

“Enjoyed your shopping spree, Salvos?”

“I did!”

I snatched a bug zipping around the table and stuffed it into my mouth. I spoke as I crunched down on it.

“The [Tailor] was annoyed by me at first because I kept asking questions, but when I set a bag of gold on the table, he stopped being rude and kindly gave me everything I wanted.”

“Money is very, uh, persuasive.”

Daniel placed a hand on the pile of clothes, and it vanished. The other customers in the tavern jolted, caught off-guard by it. But they didn’t question it. In fact, everyone had already been giving us a wide berth.

No one here was above Level 40. Most of them probably couldn’t see our levels. They probably assumed we were high Gold or even Platinum. Maybe some even suspected that we were Diamond Ranks. Whatever we might’ve been, they thought it best to avoid us entirely… for whatever reason.

The Human man faced me.

“Now you understand why I value having a disposable income, right?”

I nodded eagerly.

“Yep! I can’t wait to spend more gold!”

“...I don’t think you get it.”

“I’m glad you’re thinking of others, Salvos. I’m sure Sophia and the others would be grateful for your gift.”

I paused as Edithe took a sip from her mug. A bead of sweat trickled down the back of my neck.

“Um, yes! I totally meant to buy it for them too!”

“Honestly, you’ve matured a lot since we first met.”

The red-haired woman lightly placed the mug down on the table.

“I’m glad to see that. I can’t lie and say I wasn’t a little bit worried for you.”

I felt compelled to flex an arm and give her a reassuring grin. But I saw the serious look on Edithe’s face. Daniel, too, leaned forward, wearing a solemn expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just feeling sentimental. Especially since we probably won’t see each other for a while.”

I tried to wave a hand off.

“Come on, that’s not true. I’m just going to go and see Lily, and maybe visit Saffron’s magic academy. Enroll for a bit— until I reach Level 70 in my Class!”

Edithe pursed her lips.

“Don’t you know, Salvos?”

I cocked my head.

“Wait, what?”

“Most magic academies only let you graduate after a few years. They focus on learning and studying, leveling General Skills and, refining your own spellcasting without Skills. It’s not the kind of place which throws you into a Platinum Rank Dungeon for you to level up as much as possible. It’s for theory and application of said theory, through a very rigorous curriculum.”

Daniel nodded.

“Even if you’ve been leveling very quickly for your [Adept of the Fae] Class, that won’t be the case for a while. Especially if you want to learn the space magic needed to easily travel between the planes in the Nexeus.”

“But why?”

I was confused. My brows were creased, and I was rubbing my temples, trying to comprehend this. The red-haired woman shrugged.

“You’re halfway to Level 40, and you still only have two secondary Skills, right? If you level too fast, your growth won’t keep up. Academies would ensure you’re actually learning new Skills, even if they’re Skills you’ll never use. This is to produce the best Class advancement you can get, while outfitting you with the best Skills for your style of combat.”

I hesitated. There was a long pause as I absorbed this. Finally, when I could speak, I only said a single word.

“Huh.”

Edithe leaned back on her chair. She was less drunk now. She tilted her head back.

“I spoke about this to Daniel earlier. I’m happy to see how much you’ve grown, Salvos. You can be playful and immature at times— but you also know how to act when it really matters. So, I’m not worried. I know you’ll be able to hold your own without us.”

I stared at her, trying to find the words to say, only for my lips to quiver. Daniel placed a hand on my shoulder.

“You’ll be fine. You took care of yourself long before either of us ever met you.”

Why was he being so sappy? I glanced between both my companions. They were both making it such a big deal! I could always fly to them, right? Sure, I was bad with directions. And yes, they probably wouldn’t be easy to track down, what with Edithe having to deal with a company war, and Daniel having to investigate the Inoria Empire.

But it was always a possibility I could find them! So, why… why was I crying?

My companions hugged me as tears covered my cheeks. I tightly held onto their hands. I opened my mouth.

“I…”

And there was a gong. A bell rang from across the walls. There were shouts outside. The streets were filled with chaos and panic.

We poured out into a sea of panic. Humans were fleeing into their homes, pointing at the walls as adventurers and patrols of guards headed for the battlements. I quickly wiped my face and grabbed a man.

“What’s going on?”

He faced me, wide-eyed.

“I don’t know! But those are siege bells! We can’t be out in the streets!”

I let go of him as he ran into a nearby building. I turned to my companions.

“What is…?”

They were just as bewildered as me. The city’s gates were barricaded shut as a susurration ran through the walls. My companions and I hurried up onto the battlements, flashing our Diamond Rank badge to gain quick access up the steps.

The guard captain on duty was shouting orders as [Archers] drew their bows. I ran up to her.

“Hey, why are you guys closing the city? What’s happening?”

She shrugged me off, pointing.

“Why don’t you see for yourself?”

I blinked and followed her hand. My gaze settled at the base of the Motharis Mountain Range. I took a step back as I spotted the flood of creatures making their way down, headed straight for the city.

Daniel’s hands dropped to his sides.

“Oh no.”

We recognized these monsters. They were the ones that inhabited Motharis. Drakes, Wispcreepers, Saeves, Gatho Mammoths, Ground Cravers, Razorwings, Scavenger Yetis. There were more. Others I have never seen before. But they were a part of this impending horde. And the ones which I was most familiar with hovered over them all, leading them to Vamont.

Mindreapers.

A note from MelasD

Interesting thread on my reddit about Salvos' flame color. Reading theory like this is quite interesting because sometimes things may or may not be right :p

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167.1. Who's There?

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

167.1. Who's There?

An army encroached on Vamont. It came not from another Human country, but from the Motharis Mountain Range. Monsters of all kinds filled this giant horde. I recognized and fought many of them such as the Drakes and the Saeves. But they weren’t all that came.

Silver Rank monsters, Gold Rank monsters, and even Platinum Rank monsters. Monsters of all shapes and sizes. It was as if all of Motharis itself decided to descend from the tall peaks to trample over the weak Humans lying in wait below.

“There has to be tens of thousands of them…”

Daniel spoke, breathless. I glanced over at him, before turning back to the impending army. Both of us have seen this sight before; we had encountered many of them on the way to the Brilsum Ruins Dungeon, when we first sought out a Fairy Temple over a year ago now. They were natural inhabitants of the vast mountain range.

But when we arrived at the Brilsum Ruins, we found a nest of Mindreapers leading the monsters of Motharis, all controlled by an Archdemon by the name of Belzu. There were dozens of Mindreapers then, leading a small army of hundreds. Now, however, their numbers have grown to an exorbitant amount.

It looked like there were more monsters than people in the city. Most of them were smaller, Silver Rank monsters. But there had to be thousands of Gold Ranked monsters mixed amongst them. Maybe even more.

And the Mindreapers that were herding them? Hundreds.

Hundreds of Platinum Ranked threats. Each one, on their own, would be able to bring down a town on the outskirts of Nixa. I was pretty sure a single Mindreaper would be able to do more damage than Lucerna, even if they weren’t nearly as durable as him.

They were coming for Vamont. The city was in lockdown, preparing for a siege. They had archers lining the battlements— those above Level 40 already had their bows drawn, raining fire at the army so far away. But they must have only numbered in the bare hundred. Maybe even less.

“It’s pointless. Vamont will be destroyed.”

Edithe whispered, her hands tightening to balls. I met her gaze.

“So, do we leave?”

My companion narrowed her eyes.

“Leave?”

“Yep. Those are a lot of monsters. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many monsters in my life! We should run away, right?”

“I…”

She hesitated. Daniel clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“No, we can’t just leave Vamont.”

He spoke with finality in his voice.

“We have to help evacuate the city. We can’t just leave these people to die.”

Sure enough, I craned my neck and saw the streets were packed. An evacuation order had been called. Word was spreading of this monster army, and everyone wanted to leave now. City guards were rounding up the terrified citizens with the help of volunteering adventurers.

But there were no orderly lines. A stampede was slowly forming as the march of the monsters drummed closer to Vamont. [Mages] have joined the [Archers] in targeting the monster army from afar, but the monsters were now firing back as well. The wall shook and rumbled with each hit, which struck more fear into the evacuating populace than before.

The only reason why the crenellations didn’t just collapse was because of the [Barrier Mages] deflecting the attacks.

I scowled at Daniel’s declaration.

“Oh, so now you’re trying to be brave.”

He ignored my comment, and Edithe nodded. She took a swig of a potion before handing it to Daniel. With that drink, the pair shook off the last of the alcohol within their system and resolved themselves.

“We fight.”

They spoke at the same time. They were resolved to do it, whether or not I stayed. I could have left if I wanted to. They wouldn’t force me to do anything— they couldn’t force me to do anything, if I didn’t want to do it. Especially something as incredibly stupid as this.

I stared at them. Then I grinned.

“And you guys call me the reckless one.”

Edithe and Daniel exchanged a glance. The red-haired woman was the one to speak.

“Are you sure about this, Salvos? You don’t—”

“I know, I know. But I can’t just abandon either of you. So, I’m staying.”

It was the same thing with Haec. It was the same thing with them. I looked over past the walls at the army of monsters. These poor creatures had no say in what they were doing. Mind magic, illusion magic, and curses drove them to destroy this city. It was unfair to them. But it was us or them.

I chose me, of course.

The three of us marched up to the guard captain as she shouted orders at those on the walls. She was directing supporting adventurers to various different parts of the city, preparing for a battle within these streets. They knew they were going to die.

“Guard captain!”

Edithe stopped before the rough woman. She was a Level 72 [Warrior], wearing scars on her face. Probably one of the highest leveled individuals in the city— besides us, of course. She definitely could see Edithe’s level. And when she glanced over at me and Daniel, she straightened.

“Adventurers. Diamond Ranks, I presume?”

“Yes. Look, there’s no time for formalities. Tell us how we can help.”

Daniel stepped forward, nodding. The guard captain grunted.

“You’re a [Warrior], right? If you can take hits, I need you to position yourself by the gates, for when it falls. Hold the tide of monsters with the other [Warriors]. And you two [Mages], if you’re able to use long-range spells, we need you up here for as long as possible. We can’t let the walls fall.”

“Got it.”

Edithe immediately took her place on the crenellation, at the very fore, and began casting spells that eclipsed the magic of everything within the vicinity. Her [Storm of Ice and Fire] raged on in the distance, sweeping monsters off their feet, ripping apart the very front lines of the oncoming army. There were gasps and stares as [Archers] and [Mages] couldn’t help but look her way. The guard captain snapped, drawing their attention.

“Don’t let up! We need to hold them off until the city is fully evacuated!”

167.2. Who's There?

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

Shoutout to a friend of mine, CocoP. His book, Blessed Time, is now available on Amazon and Audible now!

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https://www.audible.com/pd/Blessed-Time-Audiobook/B09967TBBC

Some disasters can only be avoided if you know they’re coming...

On Karell, you are either blessed by the gods, granted a unique power and the ability to gain experience and levels, or you are forgotten. Micah Silver was a boy picked for greatness. Chosen by the gods to bear a mythic power, he longed to take his place amongst the heroes and legends he grew up reading about.

Unfortunately, his primary blessing only allows him to travel into the past by sacrificing his class, wealth, and levels--a psychological burden that Micah is reluctant to shoulder. But, even if Micah is unwilling, fate has a way of forcing you to face your destiny... and running away can cost you everything.

Over and over again...

Experience the start of a time-loop LitRPG Series where a reluctant hero is forced to fight against an impossible catastrophe. Using his talents for enchanting items and summoning creatures, he must retrace his steps and grow stronger in a potentially futile effort to prevent tragedy and

167.2. Who's There?

“Don’t let up! We need to hold them off until the city is fully evacuated!”

Judging by the haphazard mess of the streets below, I highly doubted that that would happen anytime soon. I didn’t join Edithe as she decimated dozens upon dozens of monsters at a time.

“I’m not really good at fighting from afar.”

The guard captain narrowed her eyes.

“I… then help your friend down below—”

But Daniel cut her off.

“Salvos, you can fly, can’t you?”

I paused, tilting my head back.

“Yes?”

“I know it’s a risk, but—”

“You want me to fly over them and burn them to slow their approach, don’t you?”

He pursed his lips but did not deny it. I hefted my sack and leaned it against the wall.

“I’ll do it. Just do your thing, alright?”

“Thank you.”

He ran down the steps as I took a deep breath. There was a spark. A blue glow that descended upon me. I wreathed my body in flaming armor. It almost solidified around me, protection equivalent to a Medium Grade Armor. Then I spread my arms wide, the flaming armor unfurling behind my back.

It covered the wings that sprouted from my skin, burning the black blood before anyone could see it oozing off me. Or would it be red blood, since I was ‘partially mortal’? A pair of brilliant, burning wings revealed itself as heads turned to face me. I grinned, lying as I whispered.

“Flaming wings.”

Was that even a real Skill? I just said it so people would think I wasn’t using a Skill that only Demons had. The guard captain seemed fooled by it, at least.

“That’s…”

I patted Edithe on the shoulder before leaping off the walls. The guard captain stared for a moment, before snapping at the other watchers to focus on the monsters.

As I soared through the air and got closer to the army of vicious, terrifying creatures, I readied myself for what was to come. I spotted the Saeves down below, already picking up rocks. The Gatho Mammoths wouldn’t be able to reach me, but the Scavenger Yetis had powerful ice magic to toss my way.

And the most worrying one of all were the Mindreapers. I squinted at the figures floating far above the others, like they were somehow better than the others. And they were, in a sense. They were what enabled this army to form.

I knew what to do. But first, I had to draw their attention.

I quickly zipped over the front lines of the army, releasing a flaming breath into their numbers. It incinerated everything in an instant as I flew over them, mouth open, spewing powerful, magical flames. Hundreds of monsters died. They stood no chance against me. The ones behind them tried to fight back. They slung magic and projectiles my way, but I mostly managed to avoid their flurry of attacks.

Some struck true. When a thousand pebbles were thrown, even I couldn’t avoid all of it. But I wasn’t an idiot. I knew what to dodge and what to ignore. The small orbs of fire would splash off my magical protection. But the lances of ice, the boulders that were hurled high up into the air, and the bolts of lightning would have actually been felt if I weren’t protected.

So, I evaded those. I made sure those didn’t touch me. I managed to stave off taking any damage for the longest while… until I heard the sound magic blaring in my ears.

Ground Cravers leapt up at me, screaming their unavoidable attacks. I blew them apart as fast as I could, seeing the ripple that ran over my body. My Pendant of Greater Protection managed to repel their assault. It was the only thing that stood between myself and the sound magic. It was a strong magical barrier over my body itself. However, it wouldn’t hold up against what was to come next.

I looked up at the Mindreapers rapidly descending upon me. They came by the dozens, the mild effects of their mind magic quickly amplifying as they edged closer and closer. I took a deep breath as a hot feeling boiled in my chest. Then I released it with an explosive speed. A sphere of flames shot out and exploded amongst the Mindreapers. A dozen of them dead from that single blast.

But more came. And the magic— the aura of protection around my body— grew weak. I unleashed one more powerful blast against the Mindreapers, before fleeing. I felt the Pendant of Greater Protection begin to fail as I sped back to the walls.

“Yep. Their mind magic is as annoying as ever.”

There had been a lot of close calls when I was in the Brilsum Ruins. And while I have leveled plenty and grown far more durable since then, I was still very much vulnerable to their magic. Back then, I struggled and nearly died fighting single Mindreapers. Now, one of them alone wouldn’t be a problem, but there were hundreds, all using their mind magic at the same time.

“Nope. I’ll definitely die if I engage them for too long. However…”

I glanced back at the army of monsters. A lot of Mindreapers had died. That didn’t break the monsters from their sleep-induced hallucinations. That much was clear from my past encounters with them. But now you could break them free with just the right push.

I bared my teeth and pointed.

“Kneel before your Princess!”

I screamed as loud as I could. My words were carried over the first rows of monsters. All at once, hundreds of monsters were freed from their sleep. It was an effect of [Intimidation]. It wasn’t like [Zealous Call], which instantly freed them from their madness. It only freed the ones who were being led by the dead Mindreapers.

They thrashed and turned against one another. Those leading the charge of the army were thrown into disarray. I didn’t get the experience for what they did, but that hardly mattered.

It slowed them nonetheless.

I landed back on the walls, laughing and spreading my arms wide.

“That was dangerous. Especially when they all concentrated their magic on me. Good thing I’m amazing at surviving, right Edithe? That could have gone very long if I stayed out there for too long.”

I glanced over at the red-haired woman— past the rows of adventurers and guards unleashing what they could at the faraway army. I was expecting them to cheer for me or shout praises for what I accomplished, but they were far too engrossed in what they were doing.

I shrugged and went to pick up my sack. I paused when it wasn’t there.

“Edithe, did you take my potions? Edithe?”

She didn’t respond. I looked over at her, not paying any attention to me. Then my eyes widened as I looked past her, at the city walls far from where I was.

“What?”

The crenellations around me vanished, bubbling into a colorless gas. I spun around in a panic as a shadow loomed over me.

A creature stood there. A winged being with a bulbous body. It had six legs, each bent at odd positions, crooked and wretched. It stared at me with obscenely round eyes, a crimson gaze that bore into my soul.

It was… not an it. No— it was a he. And he was here. I identified him and saw nothing. But the illusions were enough to clue me in to who he was.

Belzu himself appeared. He looked like an abomination of an insect, doubling me in size and height even when I was overtaken by [Demonic Essence]. And he smiled.

“Ah, those wings… a [Changeling], then? Or perhaps a [Succubus] or a [Cambion]?”

Shaking his head, he took a step forward. With the click of his leg, the world around me vanished, and his voice was all I could hear.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re in the way.”

[Hellprince - Lvl. 151]

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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168.1. Nobody

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

168.1. Nobody

“Salvos! Salvos, where are you going?!”

Edithe screamed as loud as she could, but the Demon girl flew away from the walls, happily landing on a nearby hill instead of the crenellations. The red-haired woman clicked her tongue. She had to stop Salvos. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t good.

She could sense the powerful magic, even amidst the fighting and battle. It drew Salvos to it. And Edithe was determined to stop it. Even if it meant that she had to leave the walls—

Salvos winked out of existence.

There was a flicker. Edithe blinked. And her friend was gone.

“What?”

The red-haired woman couldn’t help but stare. She didn’t know what happened. One moment, Salvos was there, the next, she was gone. Edithe grew worried. If something bad happened… but she couldn’t focus on that.

An army of monsters bore down on Vamont. Salvos staved off their approach with her efforts. But at some point during her attack, she must have gotten confused. She started attacking their flank, even as the vanguard pressed onward to the city.

Now, they were here. Edithe bit her lower lip as she saw the first of the Gatho Mammoths charging for the gates. They were followed by leaping [Rancor Mites] and hopping Saeves. The red-haired woman pointed her staff at them, focusing her [Storm of Ice and Fire] to allay their approach. The lower leveled monsters fell by the dozens as the flames and frost gathered in a sphere. A Gatho Mammoth fell, and so did another.

But the third one reached the gates. It slammed the metal bars open just as Edithe’s magic brought it down. She cursed internally as even more monsters poured through the gates. She had to concentrate all her magic on the broken gates. But something drew her attention.

A terrible pain set over. Edithe clasped her head as the [Mages] around her collapsed, bleeding from the mouth and screaming. She glanced up at the Mindreapers. A dozen of them hovered over her side of the wall. [Archers] and [Mages] struggled to loose their projectiles at them, but were quickly brought to their knees by the powerful mind magic.

Edithe turned her [Storm of Ice and Fire] towards them, but only one was caught within it. The others scattered around, still blaring their mind magic. The Mindreaper fell quickly as Edithe narrowed her eyes. Fine, if you want to play it like that—

Six Mindreapers circled over Edithe. They coordinated with each other— Mindreapers were known to be intelligent monsters. But that was their mistake. They blasted her with their mind magic at the same time, and she grinned.

“[Fiery Riposte].”

All at once, they were engulfed in flames. A powerful fire that could not be dodged. It was a replica of what they struck her with. It wasn’t exactly as strong as the magic they used against her, but it was enough to bring them all down.

Edithe hurriedly uncorked a healing potion and took a large gulp from it. She didn’t have the highest [Vitality]. And while that assault didn't come close to killing her, she needed to be at full health for the battle. There were tens of thousands of monsters out there. If she even let her guard down once, she could die.

And, unfortunately for Edithe, she did let her guard down. Just briefly with a single sip.

She glanced back up just in time to see a Gatho Mammoth ramming into the crenellations. The stone crumbled over as the red-haired woman was sent tumbling through the air. The walls of the city fell, and the evacuating city was left vulnerable to the encroaching horde.

[Hellprince - Lvl. 151]

The world around me vanished. It was like I was sucked into a darkness. The very same void which held me before I was born. Everything was gone, even if I could still feel the earth and grass beneath my feet. I saw none of it.

“H-how…?”

I shook my head, creating a Nebular Kusarigama. I couldn’t hesitate now. Only one thing was clear— the magic permeating the air was powerful. I was completely outmatched. I had to be on guard, ready for anything.

I glanced over at the shadows around me, hearing their whispers, threatening to lash out at any moment. I calmed myself, taking a deep breath.

“Lily said you were Level 138.”

It was a simple statement. I waited for any kind of a response. One came from my left.

“Lily? Ah, the Fairy who lived. So, you were one of those two rats she helped escape that night.”

I spun around and released a cone of flames in that direction, burning everything that could’ve possibly been hiding the darkness. It lit up the void. I saw flashes— flickers of a tree being burned. The grass was engulfed in my blue flames. But Belzu didn’t scream. He only chuckled.

“Did you think my illusions are limited to your sight alone? No. I can alter all your senses: what you see, what you hear, what you smell, what you taste, and what you feel. It is but a simple trick to fool a mind, no matter the level of the individual.”

His words came in scattered voices. Fragments broke in from below me followed by questions from my right. There was no way for me to discern where Belzu was. I narrowed my eyes.

“How are you Level 151 now?”

“You, yourself, were not an Archdemon, were you? Tell me, [Changeling]— are you a [Changeling]?”

“I’m Salvos.”

“Salvos, then.”

Belzu sounded satisfied. At least he was using my name and not calling me other things like girl or fool, as others kept doing.

“Do you truly believe you are the only one who levels? The only one who pursues a higher power?”

He spoke as something shot out of the shadows. A boulder came sailing at me. I leapt to the side as it shattered on the earth. I stumbled back, snapping my gaze around me. This time, a tree tumbled my way. I raised my Nebular Kusarigama, slashing in half, only for it to vanish without feeling.

I blinked, and was struck from behind. I rolled on the ground and turned back, seeing Belzu disappear into the darkness.

“I have labored long and hard to reach the Mortal Realm of my own capacity. Now that I am here, I shall not remain idle. I have amassed my army, I have evolved beyond a mere Archdemon, and I shall prepare for his arrival.”

“His arrival?”

The world around me warped. The ground returned, but it was a pale white. Hills and hillocks rose up, towering over me, creating a familiar sight. The sky turned red, and Belzu buzzed overhead.

“Your King.”

I leapt up after him, flapping my wings as rapidly closed the distance. Belzu grinned. And I slammed straight into a wall. I tumbled through the air as the world around me rolled, turning itself over.

Now, I stood on the crimson sky, and straightened.

“I serve no King. Only myself.”

“Oh?”

The ground below me shot up, but I didn’t flinch. It was an illusion. It faded through me like it was nothing. According to Lily, Belzu could cast illusion magic and curses. As far as I was concerned, no curses allowed anyone to cast earth magic.

“Ah, you lack a summoning collar. I should have noticed it before.”

I walked through the false attack unharmed. It was as if an entire chunk of the red sky fell out, displaced, trying to strike the ground.

“I am Salvos. I have companions. I have friends. But I will do what I want, never what others tell me to do. If I ever listen to something someone else says, it’s only because I wanted to do it myself.”

“Such a simple reasoning. So, you do not serve Regnorex then?”

I shook my head.

“I do not serve the Demon King. Nor do I serve the Devil.”

“Then you are like the Beast.”

Suddenly, the world around me shifted. It was like I was being carried through the Netherworld, seeing the rapidly changing landscape. The mountainous terrain dipped into a massive crater, and a creature rested dormant in the center. Around it lay the corpses of thousands of Demons. Infant Demons, Lesser Demons, Greater Demons, and even Archdemons.

[Fiends], [Succubi], [Incubi], [Hellbeasts], [Legions], [Gadarenes], [Changelings], [Cambions]. Nothing was spared from this creature. It bore the body of a wolf without fur. Its legs were clawed, that of a bear. And from its neck were the heads of many serpents.

Belzu’s voice echoed as it cracked an eye open.

“An untamed creature, obedient only to your fickle desires.”

“I am not fickle—”

The Beast roared. It turned its thirteen heads my way and unhinged their crooked jaws. A black light shone within its mouths, before releasing a dark beam of terrifying energy at me.

It was supposed to be an illusion. I knew it was an illusion. But an intense pain gripped me. It made me curl up into a ball as a seering hit overcame me.

“W-what is this…?”

“There are more things than you can understand. More things than you know. Perhaps, if you have never interfered with my business, you could have lived. Alas, you shall die today.”

I screamed as the pain grew worse and worse. I tried to get up. I tried to move. It was too much pain. I knew this feeling— it was the magic of the undead. It was a curse.

I writhed and cried while it drained me of my health and mana. Trapped in a bubble of Belzu’s powerful curse. The level discrepancy between us was clear. He tricked me, toyed with me, and now he was going to kill me. Even with my protections— my artifacts and Skills— it was… it was…

My eyes widened, even through the pain. My Pendant of Greater Protection still covered my body. My Ring of Lesser Curse Protection didn’t flash its usual light. Even my [Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] didn’t activate.

The realization settled in, and I knew what this was. It was an illusion. Belzu had trapped me in an illusion of pain. He made me believe I was truly being cursed, once I figured out I didn’t have to avoid his false attacks. This pain wouldn’t kill me. It didn’t even hurt me. It was just a sensation I felt on my skin.

I closed my eyes, immersing myself away from whatever sights Bezlu would conjure up. I had no reason to see what he showed me. It was never real in the first place. The pain was still there, but the less I focused on it, the more it receded.

I couldn’t rely on my senses. Not my five senses, anyway. There were other things I could trust. My instincts and my magic.

[Spatial Sight]. [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense].

The world opened up around me, even as I ground my teeth in pain. I saw the world through a sphere of space magic. The Skill had leveled since I first used it, and now I could see up to twenty feet in any direction. And I saw no one around me.

There were trees. I sensed the dirt and rock. I was standing on an incline, at the edge of a hill. Powerful magic muddled even my [Spatial Sight], but I could pick out that it was a different thread of mana, one responsible for the illusion.

Next, I focused on my other Skill. It was almost instinctual. It told me when I was being watched with malicious intent, and it let me know if I was in grave danger. Not always, but often enough that I trusted it. And now, it only told me one thing:

Belzu isn’t here.

I wasn’t in danger. Nothing around me threatened to kill me. The voices I kept hearing— what Belzu was saying— was nothing but an illusion. This entire time, I had been speaking to… myself.

I spread my wings wide open and took off into the sky. I kept going, even through the intense pain, past the web of illusion magic, until I was hundreds of feet in the air. I broke free from the illusion and the pain, before finally opening my eyes.

“Where am I?”

I glanced down, seeing a dark cloud covering the entire hill Belzu had led me to. In it, I sensed his magic, but didn’t see him anywhere nearby. I cast my gaze towards the city— towards the army of monsters surrounding it— and I saw the insect-like figure.

Belzu hadn’t been wasting his time with me. He was in Vamont. And his army circled the entire city, cutting off any escape.

“Oh no.”

With a deep breath, I burst into action, rapidly returning to the city, in search of my companions.

168.2. Nobody (End of V3)

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

168.2. Nobody

Screams echoed throughout the streets of Vamont. A woman ran with a child as a giant monster gave chase. It tore through the buildings, cracking the roads with each step, and letting out a furious roar.

It smashed its fists on the earth, sending a tremor which broke apart the floor beneath the woman. She stumbled, turning around in terror.

“No—”

“[Crescent Fury]!”

Even from afar, Daniel’s sword tore through the [Prima Saeve]. The giant ape crumpled to the ground, easily defeated by a single Skill.

The [Hero] landed next to the mother and child, offering them a hand.

“Thank you…”

“Get out of here. Go!”

He didn’t have time to accept their gratitude. He heard the stampede coming their way. A horde of Scavenger Yetis charged down the street, freezing everything in their path. The woman and child scurried away as he braced himself, readying a Skill—

“[Arrow of the Flame Elemental].”

A single bolt of fire shredded the Scavenger Yetis before they even reached him. A red-haired woman ran up next to Daniel, panting, downing a mana potion.

“Are you alright?”

“Edithe… I’m fine. I thought you were—”

Edithe shook her head, dusting herself off.

“I took a little fall. Nothing too bad.”

She glanced around as Daniel sighed in relief.

“The city is surrounded from all sides. Half of the monster army broke off to block the only escape. We need to help them break the siege!”

The red-haired woman started for the southern gates, but Daniel didn’t budge. He looked over the death and destruction around them, speaking softly.

“Why are they doing this? Why are they…?”

Edithe hesitated.

“I… I wish I knew the reason behind it as well, Daniel. But it doesn’t matter right now. What matters is we save as many people sa we can—”

She was cut off by a scream. It was more like a shrill shriek. Daniel and Edithe exchanged a glance, before hurrying over to the source of the noise. They saw a man collapsing over some rubble, around a pile of corpses.

Daniel reached for the fallen man.

“Are you alright?”

“Wait!”

Edithe grabbed him, pulling him back. He blinked.

“What—”

And the fallen man spun around, clawing for Daniel. Edithe blasted him back with a [Lightning Orb] before he could touch the [Hero].

“That’s… a [Crypt Horror]. An undead.”

She stared at it. Then she looked over at a figure standing on top of a roof. Daniel identified it.

[Crypt Lord - Lvl. 74]

It raised its arms, and there were more cries. Edithe whispered.

“It’s raising the dead.”

Then she cursed.

“Fuck, it’s bringing the dead back to life. They’re trying to make an even larger army!”

Before the corpses could turn into [Crypt Horrors], Edithe blasted the [Crypt Lord] apart. The twisted bodies dropped back to the ground as the [Crypt Lord] fell. But that wasn’t the only one.

Daniel spun as he saw the undead marching down the streets all around them. A city was being turned into an army, all for a Demon to use. Their plans to evacuate Vamont fell apart as its entire population was decimated. If this was really Belzu’s doing, he would have an even larger army once he left this city.

“Behind us!”

A swarm of [Crypt Horrors] bounded after the pair of adventurers. Edithe raised her staff, conjuring flames and frost. But as Daniel drew his blade, he paused. His eyes widened as he looked overhead.

“A little help here?”

“There he is.”

Daniel stared at a figure, hovering at the very center of Vamont. He almost thought it was an insect buzzing around him at first. But it was simply because it was a distant figure. But it was there.

The Demon. Belzu. It floated, surrounded by a hundred Mindreapers. It had a bloated body, with a pair of rapidly flapping wings. Its red eyes scanned the city, like a careful leader, strategizing, moving his troops to adapt to the evershifting battlefield.

“We can end this now.”

Daniel stepped forward, a glow overcoming his sword, and power rippling through him. Edithe blinked.

“That’s… both your [Hero] Skills?”

But there was more. Daniel steeled himself as he raised his sword. He had reached Level 100. His Class advanced. He gained a second Class. And a new [Hero] Skill. Each equivalent to a Grand Skill.

He would finish Belzu now.

Daniel found himself running forward, his feet carrying him over a great distance in an instant. With a leap, his sword shone. [Hero’s Slash]. A Skill, on its own, that could bring down an opponent many times above his level.

But that wasn’t just it, was it? There was more. [Will of the Hero], and…

“[A Hero’s Rage].”

Daniel was shrouded in glowing plate armor. His sword tripled in size as it tore the sky asunder. Lightning and thunder struck Belzu as he brought his blade down and sheared the Demon in half.

“Die, you Demon!”

He saw the Demon’s eyes bulge wide. It was a combination of his greatest Skills. Even an Archdemon would perish to this. Belzu’s body split in half.

“How…?”

And his lips quirked up.

“You missed me.”

There was a laugh as Daniel tumbled back to the ground. He glanced up, seeing Belzu appear a dozen feet to the right of where the [Hero] struck.

“A [Hero]. How very interesting. I have only heard of your kind in stories and tales.”

Daniel landed with a crash. He stared at Belzu, mind uncomprehending. His [Hero] Skills, all gone to waste, just like that? Belzu shook his head and drew closer to Daniel.

“Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I am the Lord of Lies. It is a pleasure to meet you, [Hero].”

“Get away from him!”

An [Arrow of the Flame Elemental] tore through Belzu, and he once again appeared a dozen feet to the right of where he once was. Edithe ran over to Daniel, pursued by dozens of [Crypt Horrors].

“Daniel—”

And the world around the adventurers shrouded over. A darkness overcame them, with a wicked chuckle coming from Belzu. The pair were suddenly trapped in the dark.

“Reveal yourself, fiend!”

Daniel shouted, as Edithe narrowed her eyes. Belzu gave a simple reply.

“No.”

And the man was knocked onto the ground. A creature snarled and struck him as Edithe was tackled. The pair of adventurers struggled, trying to fend off their invisible foes.

I can’t see. He punched out, feeling something get knocked back. But something bit his shoulder and he winced. He couldn’t see. Neither could Edithe. They were attacking everything in a panic. They were surrounded. They had no choice. Not until they could break free from this illusion—

A scorching wave washed over Daniel and Edithe as the [Crypt Horrors] screeched and burned. The flames burned at the pair of Humans too, but it was weak. It wouldn’t have killed them. Then, before they could react, multiple pairs of hands grabbed them and took off into the air.

Daniel struggled, trying to push himself off whatever vile creature grabbed hold of him. But when they escaped the sphere of illusion, he saw who it was and paused.

“Salvos?”

The Demon girl was overtaken by her [Demonic Essence]. She carried both Daniel and Edithe with her five arms, wreathed in flame armor.

“I got you guys!”

Salvos flew higher and higher as Mindreapers flew after her. Her eyes were shut tight, but her brows creased as their mind magic settled on the three of them.

“Keep them off me, Edithe!”

“Got it!”

The red-haired woman sent them scattering with a wave of her own magic. Belzu almost seemed to squint at them, speaking casually.

“So, you escaped. Hrmph.”

Salvos soared past the buildings and fallen towers as the last of the Mindreapers were defeated by Edithe. The Demon girl made a sudden turn and flew up as Belzu sighed.

“[Desecration of the Mind.]”

She screamed as her body flashed. A pendant and ring flashed, before quickly fizzling out. Salvos bit her lower and whispered.

“[Haste].”

And they blasted into the air, further and further away. Belzu almost seemed amused.

“You survived its effects, how interest—”

Daniel couldn’t hear what else he had to say. They were already past the city’s walls, quickly leaving behind the city as Salvos almost seemed to fly for the stars. The [Hero] realized what was happening.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

“Living!”

The city was nothing but a speck in the distance. All he could see was the orange glow of the dark sky, painted a furious red by the raging flames. Smoke rose in a single, billowing plume from Vamont. Daniel held out a hand. There had to be thousands of people, still trapped in the city sieged by monsters. But it was too late.

They were far from the city. Salvos wouldn’t turn back.

“We can end this now! We can—”

“Die. We’ll die.”

Salvos cut him off. She eyed him with a solemn look. He paused.

“We ventured to the Plaguelands, Daniel. We met with Kobolds far beyond our levels. We fought a Lich that lost his mind. But each of those battles? They were different.”

“I…”

“The odds were against us, yes. Perhaps we took greater risks than we should have. However, each time we fought, we stood a chance of winning. Even when we were reckless, we were never suicidal. But this? If we went back to fight Belzu, we would only die. Nobody will be saved. He would add us into his army. That's it.”

Daniel stopped struggling as she finished. He grew silent. The city vanished over the horizon as Salvos continued to fly further into the Sunmere Republic. Edithe said nothing either. She was too exhausted to speak. Neither one spoke for a bit. Not until Salvos whispered.

“I want to be like him.”

Daniel paused.

“What?”

He stared at her. Salvos nodded, glancing back.

“Him. Belzu. I want to be like him.”

Daniel wanted to snap at her. Be like that monster? Belzu, the Demon that wrought all the destruction and death behind them? He was razing an entire city to the ground! But… Salvos never cared about that, did she? She was a Demon. And to her, she was thinking of only one thing when she said that.

“I want to be stronger.”

End of Volume 3

Author's Note:

End of Volume 3. The longest volume in terms of time in real life so far. I had to take many breaks due to finals and school stuff, but it's finally over. Even the final chapter took a delay to finish. It even ended up being nearly two thousand words longer than I thought it would be.

3,888 words.

I tried my best to make it 'good' and give you a sense of how much stronger Belzu is compared to Salvos and her companions. He isn't a pushover, nor is he meant to be one. He's the real deal.

And as for the the volume as a whole? I always intended for this to happen. When I outlined Salvos Volume 3, I had a simple goal: escalate the problems until it becomes something Salvos and her companions can't handle. And while it didn't end too badly for Salvos and her companions... well, the people of Vamont ended up suffering a less-than-kind fate.

Volume 3 focused a lot on Salvos leveling and evolving, while focusing mostly on her companions' character development rather than hers. I'm not going to say much about Volume 4, but it definitely won't be the same as Volume 3. As always, each volume is different, and I hope you guys are looking forward to the next volume as much as I am!

Next chapter will be tomorrow, because I'm an idiot who doesn't take breaks ^.^

Also, here's a poll! Go and check it out and give me your honest opinion on what you thought of V3! End of Salvos Volume 3 poll

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

169. The Return (Start of Volume 4)

169. The Return

It was night. The fallen city lay dormant, a forgotten husk of what it once was. At the height of its glory, the moonlight would limn the streets with a golden white. The cobbled road had been chiseled with decorative patterns that drew the eyes of nobles and peasants alike, and a steep wall had once girdled the periphery to fend off any invaders who dared to encroach on the city at twilight or dawn.

Tall houses and busy shops flanked the streets from both sides. Street vendors would shout at weary travelers and pilgrims as they made their way to the temple lying in the heart of the city. A second, sturdier wall protected this crowded inner city. Only the richest lived there. They collected tribute from those beyond their banclite wall as they played the facade of [Priests] and lords. The greed of the nobility.

Alas, it was all gone now. Their greed had driven the city to despair. Their place of worship wrought the anger of the Fairy Queen herself. The former city of Brilsum was now a Dungeon, claimed by monsters and animals and nature. Its gilded roads were cracked and ruined, scarred by the magic of a [Hero]. The only good [Hero] to have walked the Nexeus— this world.

Melissa the Oracle of Light.

It wasn’t divine retribution. It was simply retaliation. There was a reason why the Fairy Queen herself refused to join the pact with the Spirit Lord. They wished to be left alone, unbothered by mortals. And yet, Humankind thought it wise to bother Fairies, seek out their mounds, and build places of worship around it. Of course the Fairy Queen wouldn’t just let it stand.

Call it revenge or call it unnecessary, the Fairy Queen befriended Melissa and asked her to do one simple thing: fell all the Fairy temples and punish their worshippers. Melissa, for her part, carried out her duty diligently, forever bringing an end to the blasphemous Court of the Fae.

Oh, how Lily wished she had met the Oracle of Light. If only once, in the Fairy’s life, could she meet a Human that wasn’t so vile and crude. With a shake of the head, she flew back down to the Brilsum Ruins. Gazing at the beautiful, destroyed landscape was a favorite pastime of hers, only ruined by the pesky [Vurats] that came with the day.

She flitted through its empty streets, darted between crumbled homes, and hovered over the rubble of fallen crenellations before seeping through the cracks of debris. This pile of rocks was once a temple, with a domed roof top that climbed far beyond any other structure in the city. It stood taller than even a palace. It resembled none of that now.

Lily descended further below, into the basement, down a complex of tunnels dug out long ago. An escape route that had all its exits collapsed. She arrived at the central chamber. A mound of stone and dirt resembled the shape of a hive, with small holes barely big enough for Lily to squeeze through. It was a Fairy’s Mound. This had been where she lived with her brothers and sisters. Not before two of them had been slain and they were chased back to the Spirit Plane.

With a sigh, Lily nestled herself within the cracks of the Fairy Mound. She wished she could return with them. But her Class was far too low leveled. Yes, her Subspecies was in the 100s. However, only her Class related to space magic. And as it currently was, she couldn’t cross planes within the Nexeus on her own.

She closed her eyes as another day passed. Fairies didn’t need sleep. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t sleep. Especially with how exhausted she felt, just waiting for time to passt for any of her siblings to return for her. Chances were, they thought she was dead. Maybe eventually, it was going to happen. For now, she waited as she succumbed to her dreams—

Lily jolted awake as she heard a rumbling from above. The ceiling shook, and she frowned.

“What is that?”

“Why are there so many of you!”

I unleashed a furious fireball from my mouth. It blasted apart the swarm of [Vurats], the low leveled monster completely defenseless against my magic. The problem was, however, there were thousands of them.

I had seen [Vurats] before. They were almost always monsters that appeared on their own, in the middle of the night, to feast on corpses rather than to attack me. These were different. They were—

Defeated [Locust Vurat - Lvl. 15]!

Little-to-no experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 50 levels below you!

[Locust Vurats]. Barely even a Silver Rank threat. They were far smaller than normal [Vurats]. They were each the size of my hand, with rapidly beating wings and claw-like legs. These were swarm monsters by every definition of the term ‘swarm’. I was pretty sure I stepped on its Lair while on the way to the Brilsum Ruins, because there were a lot of them. Sure, my flames burned them even without coming close to touching them. The heat from my fire itself was enough to light those a dozen feet away ablaze. But it would take forever to kill them all.

And the worst part? I barely got any experience from killing them.

“Ugh, leave me alone!”

I wasn’t here to fight them. I did plenty of fighting just barely a month ago, thank you very much. I fought through the Motharis Mountain Range and ventured into the Brilsum Ruins for one reason only: to find my friend, Lily!

“Be quiet!”

[Intimidation] drew hundreds of them to a stop at once. With that brief reprieve, I scampered down an alleyway and hid in a barely standing house. The buzzing of the [Locust Vurats] grew louder as they collected themselves and flew past my building. But they didn’t enter it. They continued on, in search of me, too mindless to check every nook and cranny I could be hiding in.

“Idiots.”

I whispered under my breath as I slumped over on the floor. I didn’t touch anything. I learned my lesson from the last time I was here— everything was old and decrepit. It could come falling down in an instant.

The swarm of [Locust Vurats] eventually left entirely; I could no longer hear their swarm passing through. I took this chance to press on, exiting the building and taking in my surroundings.

I was in the Brilsum Ruins, the Platinum Rank Dungeon which I visited nearly a year ago now. I had barely been Level 50 when I first arrived. Back then, there were Mindreapers leading hordes and hordes of monsters, patrolling the city, assailing anyone that dared enter its premises. Now, it was empty.

An eerie quiet held the Brilsum Ruins. Other than the swarm of [Locust Vurats], I hadn’t encountered a single other monster within this Dungeon. It was like they all just left, vacating the Brilsun Ruins for somewhere else.

And they did. I saw them leave— their departure brought them down from Motharis, straight to Vamont, a city at the edge of the Sunmere Republic. Their numbers had exponentially increased by then. The one leading them, Belzu, was above even an Archdemon now. It was a short siege. In the span of under an hour, they tore the city down and razed it to the ground.

So many Humans died that day. And his rampage continued. But for me personally, it meant that I could go to the Brilsum Ruins without having to sneak around in search of what I wanted. Or rather, in search of who I needed to see.

“Now, where are you, Lily—”

Leave, Archdemon!

A voice shouted in my head. I jerked back and spun around, completely caught off-guard by the mind magic. It took me a moment to regain my bearings, but when I did, I immediately brightened.

“Lily? Is that you? Where are you?”

I have no reason to reveal myself to you, Archdemon. If Belzu sent you to finish the job, tell him that he would have to find me himself.

“What?”

I took a step back, offended.

“I’m not with Belzu! It’s me! You don’t remember me? I thought we were friends!”

I frantically waved my hands around, sputtering, spitting saliva into the air. There was a pause. A moment of silence. I felt my shoulders sag as I thought she left me alone. Then there was a flash, and a little Fairy appeared before me.

“You— you’re Salvos?”

Lily blinked as she floated in front of my face. I nodded eagerly.

“That’s me!”

Her eyes narrowed. She peered into me, as if inspecting a toy or an artifact. It wasn’t much of a surprise that she didn’t recognize me. While my clawed hands and horns remained unchanged from when I last met her, I no longer stood as tall and lanky as I once did, with arms that reached down to my knees, and feet as large as my head.

My face was no longer like the skull of a dead animal. Instead, it was relatively round and without a snout. My teeth were as sharp as before, but no longer as numerous. In terms of my face alone, I looked just as I did as an [Imp].

“You certainly sound like her. But you’ve changed quite a bit since I last saw you, haven’t you?”

“Yep. I evolved— twice! I’m higher leveled than you now!”

Scoffing, Lily flew back away from me and crossed her arms.

“It seems you have been busy. I would laud such leaps in strength if it were not so needlessly reckless. You’re a Demon, are you not? Time is your ally, not your enemy.”

I grinned.

“It’s good to see you too, Lily.”

She giggled, and I laughed.

“So, why have you returned, Salvos?”

The Fairy shook her head. She was a tiny thing. She was about the size of my head. Slightly smaller. She radiated a bright light, as if her entire being was made of gold. Only her eyes were of a different color. They were like the void— a black which swallowed even her own light.

I really wanted to touch her, but I knew she’d slap me for it. She was just such an ethereal and pretty thing, I almost lost myself staring at her. But I gathered myself and answered her question before she got annoyed at me.

“I need your help—”

I paused as a ringing in my ear grew louder. Lily groaned as she glanced up at the dark shadow pouring over the blue dome overhead. An oppressive buzzing sound encroached on us. I stared at the swarm of [Locust Vurats].

“Again, seriously?”

“Pesky things.”

Lily sighed and raised a hand. A portal opened up before us. She gestured for me to enter.

“Come, let’s speak somewhere where we won’t be bothered.”

My eyes grew wide as I took in the space magic she cast. I could see the intricate design webwork of mana threads now, thanks to my Class. It was complex. I wanted to study it. But Lily ushered me in.

“Hurry up!”

I did as I was told, entering the cave on the other side of the portal, before it shut behind us.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 106

Class: [Adept of the Fae] - Lvl. 28

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 2

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 4

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 130 (+25)

[Strength]: 105 (+25)

[Endurance]: 113 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 200 (+25) (+8)

[Agility]: 253 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 5

[Haste] - Lvl. 5

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 4

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 1]

[Banish] - Lvl. 20

[Spatial Sight] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Secondary Skill Slot] x1

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

170. Lily the Fairy

170. Lily the Fairy

I stood at the center of a cave complex, with various tunnels leading away from this chamber, although most of them were collapsed and were blocked by rubble. Before me was a Fairy Mound. It was the little Lair Lily lived in. The only way in was through the cracks on the mounds, each so small only a Fairy or a rat could fit through it.

“Those [Locust Vurats] won’t bother us here.”

Lily almost seemed to sigh as she turned to face me. Then she crossed her arms.

“So, you’ve come here to ask for my help.”

“Yep!”

I sat crossed-legged as Lily flitted down to meet my gaze.

“I knew that Belzu was no longer in the Brilsum Ruins since he came down and started attacking Human cities. Since it was safe, I decided I could safely seek you out.”

She nodded sagely. Then an annoyed look crossed her face.

“Let me guess, you’re going to ask me to help you defeat Belzu, aren’t you?”

“Nope!”

“Well, I’ll tell you it’s not going to happen. He’s extremely powerful and— wait, what did you just say?”

Lily stared at me as I shook my head.

“I said nope. I’m not going to ask for your help to deal with Belzu. In fact, I don’t even care about Belzu.”

“But you said he’s destroying cities and rampaging across the Human lands, is he not?”

“Yep. Poor Humans. I wonder how they’re going to deal with him?”

I tilted my head back, in thought. Lily inspected me, and I shrugged.

“But it doesn’t matter to me. I’m not a Human. I don’t care if a thousand Humans die, or a million. As long as my companions are safe.”

“Are they safe?”

Lily narrowed her eyes.

“Last time you came here, you were with a Human man. Where is he?”

“He’s doing his own thing. And so is Edithe. She’s my other companion— you don’t know here. Anyway, I already said my goodbyes to them, and I know they can take care of themselves.”

“What about others? Do you not have friends who you’re worried for?”

“I have a few. I was worried about them for a bit. But they are in Viechester, and Belzu didn’t stay in the Sunmere Republic for long. I waited for a few weeks just in case he decided to attack my friends, but so far, it doesn’t seem like they’ll be in danger anytime soon.”

“Where did he go?”

“He went straight to Nixa, besieging a few more towns and cities on the way. I think he doesn’t want to deal with the Rising Veterans Company yet, since, you know, they’re an Honorable Company and all.”

She placed a small hand on her chin. I cocked my head as she spoke.

“And you’re just fine with this? You don’t care that he’s killing all these Humans? That he could grow strong enough to conquer the Human lands?”

“Not really. Not unless he threatens my friends or my companions.”

“You… you’re quite simple, aren’t you?”

“I’m Salvos!”

Lily snorted as I waved a fist indignantly at her. Placing her hands on her hip, she flew up to the top of her Fairy Mound.

“So, tell me, Salvos, why did you come here? What could you possibly need from me, if not to help your Human friends?”

“To help me, of course!”

I stood up, grinning.

“As you told me last time, I went ahead and got a Class! It took me a while, but I can now cast space magic.”

I pointed to a nearby rock, and it vanished. It appeared a dozen feet to the left as Lily cocked her head.

“Ah, so this has to do with your request from last time.”

“Yep. I want you to teach me space magic, Lily. Please?”

I made sure to remember my manners. Edithe stressed that I maintained an air of respectability even when she wasn’t around— especially since she wasn’t around.

A thin smile spread over the Fairy’s face. She floated back down to me, hovering right before my face. Then she slapped me across the cheek.

“Ow— what was that for?”

“First of all, saying ‘please’ won’t change my mind.”

She slapped me again, and I glared at her.

“Secondly, reaching Level 100 in under a year from Level 50 is not ‘a while’.”

“Don’t hit me!”

I reached out to grab her before she could slap me again. But she swatted my hand away and flitted back.

“Now for your first lesson— try and catch me only using your Class.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“You heard me. I’ll be somewhere in these tunnels!”

A portal opened behind Lily and she zipped through it. It took me a moment to react. I raised my hand.

“Wait—”

But she was gone.

“Huh.”

—--

“Lily? Lily!”

I called out the Fairy’s name, but she was nowhere to be found. I poked my head into one of the holes of the Fairy Mound, hearing a quick notification that I entered a Lair, before pulling back.

“Hm. So, she really wants me to catch her with my Skills. Alright then.”

My Subspecies’ Skills weren’t allowed. That meant I only had two Skills to work with.

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 1]

[Banish] - Lvl. 20

[Spatial Sight] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Secondary Skill Slot] x1

[Banish] was mostly useful for redirecting incoming attacks; it would hardly have any application here. That left only [Spatial Sight]. Surely Lily planned something for me to do with that Skill.

...

Wait, did she even know what Skills I had in my Class? Edithe once told me you could only see the Skills of others if you had [Advanced Appraisal]. And that was a very rare Skill to have. I really doubted that Lily would somehow have the Skill.

So, she likely didn’t know my Skills. How did she even expect me to catch her? Whatever she wanted me to do, I decided to start with [Spatial Sight].

I closed my eyes, and the world opened up around me. It was a kind of vision which didn't rely on my vision. It saw through the threadwork of mana— specifically, the weavings of space itself. It expanded around me, a sphere that went two dozen feet in every direction.

My senses permeated through this sphere. The stone, the air, and even the damp water dripping off of the ceiling were a part of this grid in space. They existed, taking up different, well, amounts of space. It was hard to explain. It was like the presence of these objects seemed to warp space itself. But only a little bit. And it was through this I could distinguish a pebble at my feet from the Fairy Mound behind me.

That wasn’t all, of course. I could also distinguish between the different kinds of mana within my [Spatial Sight]. But it was almost like it only had two groups. The first was the magic that manipulated the fabric of space, while the second was a muddled amalgam of all the other magic turned into a vast blanket.

I tried to scour through every object that laid within my sphere. Lily wasn’t in the Fairy Mound— that’d have been too expected. Neither was she hiding inside the walls. Of course she wouldn’t be anywhere near me. But how was I going to find her?

Wait, is that…? There was a trail of space magic. Almost like a tiny piece of string, left behind by a seamstress after she finished sewing together a beautiful tapestry. I grabbed hold of this ‘string’ and followed it down a tunnel.

I continued on, only a single lead bringing me closer to Lily. I frowned, before concentrating the sphere in various different directions. It would let me see further to my left or right by taking a more oval shape than it would if [Spatial Sight] remained a perfect sphere. I paused when I sensed something entering the edge of my sphere to the right.

I hurriedly tried to focus my sphere towards it. But even as my [Spatial Sight] spread out to the right, it vanished.

She’s… moving around. She’s running away!

I snapped my eyes open and bolted forward, seeing a sharp turn in the corridor just up ahead. Lily might have been a flying Fairy, but I was fast. Even without [Haste].

I caught sight of the glowing ball the moment I spun around the corner. Lily giggled as she waved at me.

“Hurry up, slowpoke!”

I bared my teeth, accepting the challenge. With a single leap, I closed the distance and nearly grabbed the Fairy. Her eyes grew wide as my clawed hands closed around her—

And she vanished, appearing dozens of feet behind me. I nearly tripped as I turned around. Lily was rapidly disappearing and reappearing, some kind of a teleportation Skill which she could repeatedly use.

“That’s cheating!”

“Nope, it isn’t!”

Her voice echoed down the corridor as I bounded after her.

“Come back here!”

Lily’s form flickered and popped up just in front of me.

“Boo!”

I was caught off-guard by the sudden shift in direction. I jerked back, and Lily teleported past me again.

“Hey!”

It was a chase. One where Lily led me around wherever she wanted me to go. Without her Skills, Lily was slower than me. Far slower than me. But without my Skills, I couldn’t keep up with the fast-teleporting Fairy.

But I could see her. I could follow her. So, even when [Spatial Sight] ended, I could still track the trail of space mana threads she left behind in her stead. I wouldn’t lose her now. No matter where she tried to hide, I managed to find her.

I wasn’t sure what she wanted me to do, just that she wanted me to catch her with my Class Skills. I tried using [Banish] to disrupt her teleportation. The moment she reappeared, I dropped a rather large rock on her head. She swerved around it, giving me a brief moment to leap up and reach for her.

But she just pointed at me, and I was suddenly a foot to the right of where I was.

“What?”

“[Displaced Space].”

Lily grinned at me as teleported away.

“I didn’t exactly move you, more like I moved the space around you!”

“Come back here!”

This continued for hours and hours. Maybe even a full day. She strung me around the network of tunnels as I desperately clung to the invisible trail of spatial threads she left behind until she came to a halt.

I leapt up into the air, wrapping my hands around her, and collapsed back on the ground.

“I did it! I caught you!”

Lily sighed.

“I ran out of mana. So, you only technically caught me.”

“Wait, you only said I had to catch you!”

I let go of the Fairy, sputtering. And she nodded.

“You did catch me. Good job. You passed the test, I guess.”

I stared at her— at the inexpressive face of Lily. I opened my mouth.

“Um, is that it?”

She smirked, peering into me.

“I don’t know. Is it?”

I expected her to say something— to know exactly what she was saying. But all she had was a hunch. And her hunch was right.

I sat back up as I realized I missed a notification during the chase.

Skill [Spectral Tracking] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

“I got a new Skill! I got [Spectral Tracking]!”

I hopped to my feet, excitedly bouncing up and down. Lily’s training actually worked! I was beaming from ear-to-ear as I looked over my Status. Alright, I just have to accept the Skill—

“Are you serious?”

Lily furrowed a brow, and I paused.

“What?”

“Why are you excited over getting that Skill? Don’t tell me you’re actually going to add it to your Status, are you?”

I shifted uncomfortably on my feet.

“Am I… not supposed to?”

She sighed.

“How many secondary Skill Slots do you have available, Salvos?”

“I have one left. Why?”

Lily crossed her arms, rolling her eyes.

“And you’re thinking of using it for this random new Skill you got? That defeats the purpose of it entirely!”

I tilted my head to the side.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you’re not going to choose a Skill. You will keep on training for more Skills, but you will not choose one. Not until you get the best Skill you can get!”

I was still confused. I stared at Lily, uncomprehending.

“Huh?”

“What, did you think that you’d just get one Skill and that was it? Everything is finished? If things were that simple, anyone could just learn how to travel through space like that!”

She brought her small hands together, making a sound more akin to a snap than a clap.

“You asked me to help train you, Salvos. And I will. When we’re finished, you’ll have at least half a dozen new Skills to choose from before your next Class advancement!”

A note from MelasD

After receiving extensive feedback and criticism for Salvos as being not a monster evoltion LitRPG, I have gone ahead and created what I believe is to be the perfect monster evolution LitRPG.

Check it out!

Monster: A monster evolution LitRPG that everybody likes | Royal Road

171. Fairing Well

171. Fairing Well

As a Fairy, Lily didn’t need to sleep, just like me. But apparently, unlike me, she could fall asleep whenever she wanted to. Which was odd. I didn’t understand why you’d go to sleep if you could choose not to.

“You’re still a young Demon.”

Lily flitted over to the Fairy Mound, sitting crossed leg at the very top of the rubble.

“When you live for centuries, you’ll realize that experiencing every moment of it starts to be a bore. Whether we spend most of our lives awake or asleep, it doesn’t make a difference for you and me.”

“Why not?”

I cocked my head, and she grinned.

“Because time is on our side.”

She spread her small arms wide.

“We’re no mortals, at the mercy of age and illness. Humans, Dwarfs, Elves, Beastmen, and even Kobolds are beholden to their lifespan. If they wish to overcome it, they are pressed to fight, to level, to become something more than just a meager mortal. But Demons? Spirits? We’re born free from the shackles of time.”

I could only stare at Lily as she made her speech, a satisfied look on her face. My jaw hung open, letting out a single word.

“Woah.”

The Fairy nodded.

“Good. Now if you understand that time is insignificant to us, I will go and take a nap, thank you very much.”

She flickered into the Fairy Mound, out of sight. I paused, feeling the sense of wonder slowly fade away and logic return to me.

“Wait, did you just give that entire explanation to justify why you should sleep?!”

I only heard her snores in return.

—--

“So, for today—”

“I don’t think it’s been a day. I’m pretty sure you only took a few hours of napping.”

Lily glared at me for speaking over her. She crossed her arms, repeating herself.

“So, for today, we’re going to be continuing your training by doing the same thing.”

I raised my hand.

“If we’re going to be doing the same thing, you didn’t have to say all that, did you?”

She rolled her eyes.

“We start... now.”

And she vanished. I shrugged.

“What? It’s a legitimate question!”

It was a repeat of just a bit ago. I managed to recover most of my mana and stamina. Lily did too, but since I actively knew how to track her down now, it wasn’t so hard finding her. Catching her, on the other hand, proved to be as difficult as before.

Only when she ran out of mana did I manage to get my claws on her. We collapsed. The Fairy was in my hand as I lay on the ground, grinning and panting with her.

“I did it again! I… wait.”

“Let go of me already!”

Lily snorted, and I did as she told me to. She spoke as she dusted herself off.

“What is it? Why do you have that confused expression on your face?”

“I just… I didn’t get a Skill for it.”

That was odd. I got a Skill for catching her earlier. But now… I got nothing?

The Fairy wasn’t surprised.

“Did you think you’d get a Skill every single time you chased me and caught me? Or even every time you push yourself to your limits? No— Skills are only learned when there’s actually something for you to learn!”

I blinked.

“Um, doesn’t that just mean what it means?”

“Yes, I said what I said!”

“This confusing conversation is making me confused.”

I rubbed at my temples, but Lily sighed. She flitted up to meet my gaze.

“Look, let me ask you this: how did you catch me the first time?”

“I, um, found you with [Spectral— but no, I don’t have the Skill yet. So, first, I used [Spatial Sight] to familiarize myself with the unperturbed space. After that, I found the disruption in space you created with your magic. Then I followed it until I found you. And finally, I chased you until you gave up while keeping track of where you’re going?”

I wasn’t entirely sure if that was the right course of events, but it sounded like it was right. Lily nodded as if that didn’t really matter.

“Yes, yes, yes. Now, how did you catch me the second time?”

“Oh, I just did the same thing! Although, I think I skipped the first step?”

“You did.”

She agreed, and that was apparently where the problem lay.

“You can’t expect to learn anything new by doing the same things over and over again. Refining your Skills or skills has its place. It’s not bad. If we repeat this training lesson ten more times, I’m certain you’ll get faster and faster each time— even if barely.”

Taking a deep breath, she floated upwards. Further away from me. And she shone brighter as she continued.

“But if you truly want to learn new things, you’ll have to donew things! You’ll have to change!”

Lily snapped her fingers, and another portal opened behind her. She flew back into it, facing me.

“Try to catch me again. This time, don’t follow my trail!”

It closed shut behind her as I took a moment to register what just happened. I tilted my head back.

“So, you don’t actually need to take a break?”

—--

The third time I caught Lily, things played out the same with only one key difference: I decided to find her with the same tactics, I continued to chase her, and won when she grew tired, but I paid careful attention to her too.

I observed how she moved. The spell she cast each time she teleported. I saw the way it unraveled the threads of mana in the air. Space magic. Something I could hope to replicate. I ran after her as she blinked in and out of existence, repeatedly getting further and further away from me.

I didn’t learn it immediately. It took me a few days to learn this Skill, since it happened so briefly each time, I couldn’t grasp all of it at once. I dissected each individual component of the spell, until I learned how to do it. Even then, it wasn’t the exact same Skill Lily used. It was my own variation of it, which in turn rewarded me with a more refined and uniform Skill to use compared to my rough magic.

Skill [Short Range Teleport] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 28] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 29]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Even after I learned that Skill, Lily wasn’t done with this same routine. We continued this little act as time— I wasn’t sure how long down in this cave, whether it was days or weeks— passed. I learned another Skill. And I even leveled in [Rest] for the first time in a while!

Skill [Astral Grip] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

General Skill [Rest] Level Up!

[Rest - Lvl. 4] -> [Rest - Lvl. 5]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 29] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 30]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

I was pretty sure that was only possible since I no longer downed potions on a daily basis, letting the General Skill actually take effect.

Anyway, during that time where I’d be in the middle of a [Rest], Lily would oftentimes go to sleep or hide in her Fairy Mound. But there were the rare occasions where she’d actually come out and just chat with me. She rarely ever talked about herself, but instead she prodded me to regale my story of how I reached Level 100. This was one of those times.

“...and then Daniel somehow lost his Necklace of Greater Obfuscation to a [Gardener]. A [Gardener]! Can you believe that?”

“Mortals are oftentimes incompetent. Especially Humans. I am not surprised that he made such a blunder.”

I threw my arms in the air.

“Right?”

I continued on to talk about the Lich, Zacharius, and how the three of us— me, Edithe, and Daniel— freed the Plaguelands from his tyranny. I expected this part of the story to blow the Fairy’s mind. When I told Rachel about this, the girl literally jumped into the air and screamed in excitement.

Lilly… didn’t react like anything close to that. She was listening. She wasn’t ignoring me. But her mind seemed preoccupied. The Fairy’s ball of light flickered, and I cocked my head.

“Is something wrong, Lily?”

She jerked back, caught off guard by the question.

“Something… wrong?”

“Yes.”

I nodded and poked a finger at her side.

“You look worried about something.”

“I… that’s not it.”

Lily took a deep breath as she floated up, concealing herself in a brighter sphere. I couldn’t make out her features now, but she still spoke.

“Why did you even come to me for help, anyway?”

I frowned. That question had an obvious answer.

“Because you can teach me— that’s what my Class said!”

There was a pause. I was certain she was tilting her head inside of her own glowing bubble.

“I don’t even know what your Class is.”

This time, I was the one to jerk back, taken completely off guard.

“Wait, you don’t?”

“Of course not!”

She scoffed so hard, the light around her dissipated. Jabbing a hang in my direction, she spoke accusingly.

“You’re not even showing me your Class— you could be a [Rogue] for all I know! I just see you as a [Cambion].”

“Huh?”

It was a confused ‘huh,’ not my usual one of understanding something new. This whole time, Lily had been teaching me without… knowing anything about me?

“But you— I’ve—”

I was actually speechless. I pursed my lips and stared at the Fairy.

“Do you even know what level I am for my Class?”

“Nope!”

Lily leaned back, lying in the air.

“Absolutely clueless.”

“I… see.”

She waved a hand, uncaring.

“Honestly, I don’t even know why you never switched your Status to display your Class over your Subspecies. It’s kind of reckless of you. Although, do you even know how to do that?”

I hesitated.

“N-no…?”

Lily narrowed her eyes. I shuffled uncomfortably where I sat. Then she burst out laughing.

“Seriously? You mean no one has ever told you?”

“I just reached Level 100 barely three months ago, ok?”

I defensively gesticulated, as if that made a difference. She wiped a tear from her eye as she stopped laughing.

“Salvos, you really need to stop and take things slowly for once. You’re going to run straight into a wall if you keep going this fast. And trust me, you won’t break through it. You’ll splatter all over it into a mess of black goo.”

“You keep saying that.”

I scowled.

“I’ve already started taking things slowly since I left the Plaguelands, alright? Just tell me how to do this already!”

“Alright, alright.”

Lily giggled. I didn’t know if it was at my embarrassment or because she found the imagery of me being smashed across the wall funny. After gathering herself, she explained.

“Just think of your Status. Once it’s up, focus on your Class, not your Subspecies. That way, others will see your Class instead of your Subspecies when they use [Identification] on you.”

“That’s it?”

I raised a brow. She gave me an exaggerated nod.

“That’s it. Try it.”

Snapping my eyes shut, I did as she instructed. It took a single moment, and I was pretty sure it was done. I looked hesitantly at Lily.

“Try identifying me now?”

“Hm. You’re a Level 30 [Mage]. That’s not bad. You’re only about 30 levels below me in your Class.”

“Only 30 levels below… that close?”

Sure, that was twice my level. But I expected her to be in the 70s or 80s. Close to 100s.

“You must be mistaken about what I’m capable of doing, Salvos. If I were better or higher leveled, I wouldn’t be stranded here in the Mortal Realm. I’d have been able to flee… like my brothers and sisters. When Belzu attacked us.”

Her face sank for a moment. Lily looked… morose. I stared at her, unsure of what to say. I tried to place a finger on her back to comfort her, but she shook her head and flew up.

Looking down at me, she spoke.

“I can’t teach you the theory and magical complexities behind space magic. I can only help you learn how to level smarter.That’s why, tomorrow, we’ll be learning the practical applications of your Skills while getting you an even better array of Skills.”

I pumped a fist in the air.

“Yay!”

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172. Cosmic Compression

172. Cosmic Compression

I was excited about what Lily had in mind for me tomorrow. She told me that she would give me more specialized training than what we had been doing before. Which made sense, since she was training me without even knowing my Class or levels beforehand. Speaking of, she finally decided to ask me about my Class and Skills now that she was trying to tailor a test for me.

“So, you’re an [Adept of the Fae]?”

She raised a dubious brow, and I nodded.

“Yep! I got the Class and everything! It asked me to seek out the secrets of Fairies!”

Snorting, the Fairy threw herself back, lying in the air.

“Of course it’d tell you to do that. Do you know what that Class was originally used for, Salvos?”

“No, what is it?”

“It was used for worshipping Fairies.”

“Huh.”

I frowned, tapping a finger at my chin. That meant—

“It was used by those people who made Fairy Temples?”

“Yes.”

She nodded and flitted up.

“It’s an archaic Class— almost nonexistent these days, probably. But those who sought out the wisdom of us Fairies were the ones who originally built those shrines and monuments on our behalf. They ignored our complaints, telling them to leave. They continued to harass us, until our Queen had enough.”

I perked up.

“That’s when Melissa the Oracle of Light destroyed the city of Brilsum, right?”

“And many more.”

“Woah.”

I found it amazing, even if Daniel and Edithe didn’t. I expected Lily to share the same sentiments as me, but she actually seemed upset over it.

“Stupid Humans, wroughting their own destruction.”

She sighed.

“It was justice. Vindication. I wasn’t around during that era, but I spoke to those who were around. You may envy them, Salvos. Think that such praise and worship are something to strive for. But believe me, it wasn’t anything you’d imagine. It was an obsession. Fairies were being kidnapped and experimented on. They were being dissected, as if something about our birth makes us better at space magic?”

Lily paused. Her eyes went hollow.

“But the death— the misery that came after. We did it to protect ourselves. However, it still was a terrible, terrible thing.”

“Humans are stupid, yes. But people die every day. Also, it’s not like it bothered you, right? I don’t see what the problem is.”

“Just because it doesn’t affect me doesn’t mean I can’t feel sympathy towards the suffering of others.”

I frowned, placing a finger on my chin.

“But why?”

“Every mistake a person makes is a mistake you can fall into yourself. Every moment of pain, despair, and anger they feel is something you will feel once in your life. Listen carefully Salvos, your Class is not inherently evil. But those who previously walked down that path were so.”

She shook her head.

“You may walk down their same path. Or diverge from it. It is up to you. Just know that if you continue down this route, you will be reliant on us Fairies. Dependent on us. Maybe even a parasite, like those Humans of the past.”

Parasite? That was a harsh word.

“I’m not a parasite, I’m Salvos!”

“I know.”

There was a flicker. She looked away from me.

“But you’re young. In a decade or a century, who knows how you’ll be.”

Lily flew back to her Fairy Mound, waving at me.

“Get your rest. We’ll be busy tomorrow.”

—--

“Where are we going?”

Lily led me out of the cave, back into the Brilsum Ruins. We stood out on a cobbled street. Its stone was cracked, as if chiseled. The lines that cobwebbed the surface were so haphazard but uniform, that I couldn’t tell if they were from wear or a deliberate carving.

“You’ll see.”

She was quiet. Her glowing figure led me forward, a bright ball just like the sun. I followed her until we exited the inner city of Brilsum, past the fallen banclite walls— the powerful anti-magic materials, nothing more than dust and debris.

I heard a light buzzing growing louder. I narrowed my eyes as I saw the [Locust Vurats] in the distance, a swarm of thousands of them. Maybe even tens of thousands. They were small. Far tinier than the ordinary [Vurat] counterpart, which were more akin to the size of a dog. These were like really big bugs. And they were very annoying.

“Ugh, they’re coming again.”

I prepared to breathe fire at this swarm blanketing the sky. But Lily lifted a small hand.

“Wait.”

She pointed at where they came from. Something in the distance. It looked like it had once been a mansion, so glorious in how it stood. But it was covered in nature and vines. Or at least, it had been, until the [Locust Vurats] came.

Now, it was decorated red and black. The corpses and bones of dead animals, monsters, and people dyed over the walls of the manor.

“Do you see that? That’s the Lair of those annoying [Locust Vurats]. They were attracted by all the corpses littering the Brilsum Ruins the moment Belzu left. But unlike regular [Vurats], they don’t just feed on the dead. They see it as a treasure. So, they take it, and hoard it. Not to eat. Not to feast. But to keep.”

“Huh.”

That sounded weirder than storing food to eat for later like Humans did. Why couldn’t you just eat whenever you were hungry, rather than keeping it for when you were hungry later? It wasn’t so difficult to just grab the bugs off the air and munch on them for a snack.

“But the [Locust Vurats] can disperse. It’s not difficult to make them flee. All you have to do is take their treasures from them. That’s your task for today, Salvos. Clear that mansion of the corpses. Spread them far and wide. Break up this Lair so the [Locust Vurats] have no reason to stay in this Dungeon any longer.”

I blinked and pieced something together in my mind.

“Hey! You just want me to deal with your pests for you!”

“I could wipe out this entire Lair by myself, if I didn’t know that their dead would draw out even more of them. No, Salvos. I want you to use your head. Not your claws or your flames. But with your Class and with the magic you’ve learned. Or will learn.”

Lily crossed her arms as she opened a portal behind her. She zipped into it as I protested.

“But I don’t have any offensive space magic spells!”

“That’s the point!”

The portal closed, and I was left with a swarm of [Locust Vurats] closing in on me.

“Well, that’s annoying.”

And they came. The monsters clouded over me, casting a dark shadow in my surroundings. They were barely in their 10s. Only a few were in their 20s at most. They were very much a Silver Rank threat. A party of Silvers should’ve been able to clear a Lair of them.

Or at least, a smaller Lair. This one was massive. Maybe a Gold Rank threat. But only at most. It was something I could very easily clear now that I knew where they were all coming from, considering I was a Diamond Rank. But Lily said no flames. Only my Class.

With a sigh, I darted forward. They [Locust Vurats] gave chase, but they couldn’t keep up with me. I didn’t run on all fours. It was a simple sprint. Just as Humans did it.

I couldn’t even hear their muffled buzzing as I reached the Lair in an instant. No [Haste], no magic. A few hundred feet was simple enough to cross. I avoided the [Locust Vurats] attacks with ease. Then I saw the walls— the stained blood and grime. Rotting innards were dangling off the windows and balconies.

It was something I was sure Daniel would find gross. I didn’t care. I got to work.

“[Banish]. [Banish]. [Banish]—”

It took about one second between each of the Skill’s use, now that it was maxed. It could also move objects far larger than an apple. I used the Skill to collect the bodies into a pile in front of the mansion, before heaving it onto my back and dashing off.

The [Locust Vurats] gave chase. But I reached the canyons around the Brilsum Ruins and dumped the pile of bodies into one of the vast gouges. I wasn’t bothered by them as I ran back. They were busy buzzing around the pile of corpses I stacked up.

I returned to the manor and cleaned its walls of the bodies, repeating the same action until its exterior was good as new. Well, except for the stained marks and the vegetation growing over it. I made sure to spread the piles of bodies apart as Lily told me to. Then I moved into the inside of the large building, beginning to wade my way through it as well.

It wasn’t as easy, trying to avoid the attacks of the [Locust Vurats] while inside. But with my Pendant of Greater Protection, I came out completely unharmed. I had just finished gathering the first pile of rotting bodies from the inside of the mansion when I spotted another cluster of [Locust Vurats] making their way back to the Brilsum Ruins.

With them, they carried one of the first piles of bodies that I had thrown into the canyon surrounding the Brilsum Ruins. I paused, realization sinking in before spinning around. Just as I anticipated, I spotted another group of the monsters doing the same with their own bundle of corpses.

They returned, pouring the gross body parts atop the mansion as I watched my hard work go to waste.

“Are you serious?”

I swatted a [Locust Vurat] into a gooey mess as it flew too close to me. I sighed.

“This will take a while.”

And it would have taken even longer, if I continued trying the same tactic over and over again. The issue here was that the [Locust Vurats] were drawn to the bodies. I had to get rid of them proper.

The first thought that came to mind was to burn it all. But I couldn’t use my fire. I had to do something else— something with space magic.

My second instinct was to just run even further. Bring the bodies to a place where even the [Locust Vurats] couldn’t reach. Maybe past the canyons, back to the lush forests surrounding the mountainous terrain we were in.

Maybe if the bodies were smaller, I could just toss them all far away individually. But they were big! They took up too much space—

I paused. But I use space magic. I glanced at the heap of bodies that [Locust Vurats] had now gathered as I casually darted around and avoided the stinging monsters.

And I bared my teeth.

I raised both of my hands, focusing just as I did a few days ago. There were various different ways I managed to catch Lily with, other than just tiring her out. One of them made use of grabbing her, even when I wasn’t near her.

Lily said it was equivalent to a basic Levitate-type spell, except reapplied to living beings. She actually praised me for what I managed to do. She said it was a good Skill.

[Astral Grip].

I didn’t have that Skill. I wasn’t going to add it to my repertoire yet, as Lily recommended. I was certain that having the actual Skill would be far more effective than my poor attempts at using unrefined magic to grab objects with what felt like a very weak invisible hand that could stretch over long distances.

But that was the point of my training. I worked from when the sun was high in the sky until it set and returned the next day. I expanded my grip from not just a simple hand, to something that could entirely wrap itself around a small pile of bodies. Then I squeezed.

I squashed the piles of bodies together until they were large enough for me to carry. Like balls of ripped flesh and broken bones. Then I ran to the end of the Brilsum Ruins before tossing it with all my might. It went sailing so far and fast that even the [Locust Vurats] couldn’t keep up with it. And I repeated this over and over again, returning to the mansion to crush the piles and piles of bodies into many different balls of meat.

I picked up two at a time, running off and throwing it into the sky. The [Locust Vurats] that went chasing after it never came back. And I was finished by the time the sun was setting once more.

“That’s a job well done!”

I dusted my hands off as I used my new spatial hands to crush any [Locust Vurats] that dared approach me. Since they were actual living creatures, it was harder to get a proper grip around them and squeeze. Especially since they resisted. But they were low-leveled. So, it worked.

It was like some invisible force contorted the insect-like monster— even the air seemed to be sucked inwards. Then their bodies would crack and smoosh together after moments of resisting. I grinned as I looked through the notifications in my head while the monsters scattered.

Defeated [Locust Vurat - Lvl. 15]!

Little-to-no experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 50 levels below you!

Cleared [Lair: Nest of Locust Vurats]

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Skill [Cosmic Compression] Learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 30] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 31]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

As if that were some sort of cue, I sensed a disturbance in the air around me. A portal opened up and Lily appeared. I beamed at her, wiping away the muck from my face, before shooting her a thumbs-up.

“I did it, Lily! That was easy work!”

The Fairy said nothing as I excitedly began to tell her how I failed at first, and what I did to learn an actual offensive Skill in space magic.

“And it’s like I’m holding it with my hands, right? Except these hands are very large and invisible—”

“Salvos.”

Lily interrupted me. She wore a solemn face. I didn’t know why. Not until I saw the second glowing ball of energy appear from behind her. Another Fairy— slightly larger than Lily, and with a blue glow instead— flitted down next to her.

She drew her lips into a thin line as I blinked.

“We… might have to end your lessons earlier than I expected.”

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173. Remembrance

173. Remembrance

I sat in the cave filled with dancing lights of iridescent colors. Red. Blue. Green. Yellow. Spheres of varying sizes flitted and floated around the chamber, giggling and laughing, like young adventurers who had just reached their first advancement into Gold rank.

Watching them still, I got to my feet. I took a step forward, and they came to a stop. One of the orbs that bore the color of the sun came down to me. Lily. My friend and mentor. Her jubilant smile vanished as she faced me.

“I’m sorry.”

There was nothing else to be said. I lowered my head, speaking only one word.

“Why?”

“My brothers and sisters have returned for me. They know not that I was alive, but now my Queen calls for me. For us all to return.”

“I see.”

If my companions— Daniel or Edithe— were here, they’d press Lily further; they were oftentimes engaged with matters that didn’t affect them. It was the same with Xidra. It was the same with Lucerna.

Me? I had my answer. Lily had to go back. A dozen other Fairies came back for her. They were each Level 100. One of them— the same blue one which accompanied her to fetch me— was far above my level. I couldn’t see her Subspecies or his level. She had to be above Level 156.

“What will you do now?”

Lily tilted her head, and I shrugged.

“I’m not really sure. I’d like to improve my space magic. Level it until I can travel to the Netherworld and back here, you know? I miss my first companion.”

I didn’t even know if Haec was alive or dead. All I knew was I had to at least try and find him.

“I think…”

My eyes turned towards my bag, resting against the stone wall. There was something inside of it that I had. Something I was piqued by for quite some time.

“I might go to a Human academy. One specialized in teaching magic. I have a friend who can help me get into one, I think.”

“Maybe that’s the wisest move for you to make.”

She placed her small hand on my shoulder, smiling reassuringly.

“As I’ve told you before, I am not the best teacher for you if you desire to travel through the planes of the Nexeus. I, myself, struggle with it. Theory is lost to me unlike with mortals who obsess over the intricacies of casting spells. If you do find yourself in one of these academies, maybe you might even find yourself able to cross planes by Level 70.”

I bowed my head.

“Thank you.”

“There is no need to thank me. All I did was make you do some chores for a few weeks. It’s something you can do yourself, even without me.”

She scoffed, but I shook my head.

“Your lessons have been invaluable to me. You’re really amazing— not just because you’re a Fairy, but because you’re Lily!”

I beamed brightly at her, only for her to lift her chin up high.

“Why, of course. You better remember to respect your elders even when you surpass me in total levels next time!”

“I will!”

And with that, it was over. Our short lessons came to an end.

“It’s time, Lily.”

The blue Fairy spoke with a voice of frosty rime. Lily glanced back.

“Yes, honored Rose.”

Flying back up to her brothers and sisters, Lily addressed me without once looking away.

“There are many things happening with this world right now. It moves in cogs and pieces. Even Bezlsu himself is only a part of a greater whole. These are things only my Queen understands. She is wise and ancient. Older than even the Spirit Lord or the Demon King. She was there when Worldwalkers roamed the Nexeus. She witnessed it all. And she was never idle.”

A portal opened up behind her, revealing a world of black beyond. It was odd to look at. Something about it just seemed off to me. Not in any physical sense, but the way its space seemed to contort and turn. And it wasn’t just blank either. There were smears across this dark canvas— glowing clouds of gold and violet and orange. Tiny dust particles, clustered together, glittering, sparkling like the stars.

At least, that was what they looked like. I squinted as I saw them move and shift. They weren’t just colorful clouds to watch from a distance. They were thousands and thousands of Fairies, flying about in this void of a world. I blinked, and Lily spread her arms wide.

“What you see here— it is the Celestial Palace of the Fairy Queen. It is the fruits of her labor. It is paradise itself. Perhaps, one day, depending on the path you choose to walk from here on out, you may be able to see me once again. Travel to the Spirit Plane. Scour its edges. And you will find all of Fairykind in this sanctuary.”

“Goodbye, Lily.”

I waved at her, but she paused. Even as her brothers and sisters entered the portal. She floated right at the edge of it, the blue Fairy waiting patiently behind her.

Lily’s bright face darkened for the first time.

“And if we never meet again, Salvos, do not cry and do not weep. You are still young. You may treasure me now as your friend and your mentor. But you shall live a life so long that our time spent together is lost like a single grain of dust in the vast desert of Anis. Memories are a painful thing. It is best for you to simply forget when it hurts.”

I stared at her. The Fairy I have known for a short period of time. Even compared to Haec or Edithe or Daniel. She was a friend, not a companion. And yet, I spoke insistently.

“No.”

She blinked, and even the blue Fairy paused. Both were intrigued by my response.

“I will not forget you, even if this is the last time we speak. As long as I live— even if I never die— I will remember your name. Lily. Because memory is all that matters. Remembering the face of a person you meet. The way they speak. The way they act. The impact they’ve imparted on you. Your interactions with them. It is what makes them distinct. It is what separates them from all the others. Without memories, the world would be a sea of nothing but rocks.”

I met her gaze, defiant.

“If I should lose my memories, I would rather die.”

Lily didn’t respond for a moment. Then she chuckled as she spun around, the portal beginning to close. She spoke solemnly as she entered through the hole in the world.

“That is true. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t hurt you. Farewell, Salvos.”

“Bye.”

I watched as the portal closed. The bright lights that lit up the cave were gone. Now, only I remained here. And I sighed.

“Ugh. I’m going to have to contact her, aren’t I?”

I shuffled over to my Bag of Holding— I purchased it with some of the money I was given by Daniel and Edithe— and produced a small object, about the size of my hand. It was a round object made of gold, kind of like an oversized gold coin, with a crest engraved onto it.

The symbol itself was of a smiling man picking fruits from a tree. The tree itself stood not on its trunks, but on its roots as if they were legs. It was the insignia of the Merryster Family. A Dukedom in the country of Nixa. And it was given to me by one of their daughters: Saffron.

We met briefly— so briefly— during an escort mission over a year ago when she was headed to some magic academy. She told me to use it to contact her whenever I needed aid or help, since it was enchanted by some sort of communication magic. And now was the time. It was perfect, considering I wanted to enroll in one of these magical academies.

There was, however, a slight problem which had vexed me for a while now.

“How am I supposed to get it to work?”

—--

“The thing is, Saffron never told me how to use it.”

I scowled as I recounted my story.

“She’s like Edithe, always talking about refining your magic. Expanding your understanding of how the world works. At least Lily just made me do things which made sense. How am I supposed to make sense of things I didn’t understand?”

It upset me. And my companion for the day was clearly just as upset a I was.

“It’s stupid, right? Now I have to go find her myself.”

I turned to the eagle as it stared at me, perplexed. I lay on my back in the air as my wings casually flapped every-so-often, letting me keep pace with it. It tried to dive away, but I dove alongside it.

“And I know I gave a whole speech to Lily about remembering things, but I don’t actually remember what academy Saffron was going to. Which… kind of embarrassing, right?”

The eagle landed on the edge of a crevice, where branches were haphazardly put together. Eaglets cuddled with each other as their mother stood over them, feeding them pieces of meat. I snapped my finger, and one of the eaglets jerked back, falling from the nest.

I caught it as I spoke.

“You’re right! I should go to her home instead! I mean, I know where Nixa is… I think. And once I’m there, I can ask for them to bring me to Saffron!”

The eagle made a high pitch screech, and I rolled my eyes.

“Here’s your baby. You don’t have to be so defensive. It’s not like I’m going to eat it.”

I set the eaglet back into the nest and flew up, nodding at the eagle.

“Thanks for your help! And for listening!”

I made sure to carefully ascend far into the air before taking off at my full speed. I didn’t want a strong gust of wind to knock the eagle’s nest over. It— well, she was nice. I was too used to calling monsters and animals an ‘it’ at this point, to blend in with Humans.

But unlike most bugs or things like Centinels and undead, animals weren’t mindless creatures incapable of thinking. Most of them were very smart.

I soared over the Motharis Mountain Range. I flew above its tallest peaks and highest mountains, seeing the land unfurl below me. Forests of green and hills of gray and white. Yet, there was almost a deathly stillness that held Motharis. When I was here before, it was teeming with life. I could see Gatho Mammoths traveling in packs, and the more predatory Drakes hunting on their own.

Now, I barely saw any monsters. There were the occasional creatures wandering about. Small animals, yes. But it was still far too empty. Belzu couldn’t have emptied the entire mountain range of monsters, could he? I didn’t believe that. But… if he took such a significant portion of the monster and animal population with him, the remainders would leave too, wouldn’t they?

I arrived at Nixa not long after. I passed by completely evacuated cities as well as ones trampled over in a path of destruction. There was smoke in the distance, almost all around me. Bezlu wrought death everywhere he went. He did more than just destroy towns and cities. He decimated the entire ecosystem of Motharis. The effects of his actions would be felt for decades to come.

I didn’t actually care.

What bothered me was the fact that I needed to transform back into a mortal now that I was back in Human lands.

“This sucks!”

I transformed right before I landed in a small town not at Belzu’s path of destruction. The people there were held by an eerie quietus. I ignored it and muttered repeatedly to myself as I entered an inn.

“This sucks! This sucks! This sucks!”

I slammed the coins down on the countertop before the [Innkeeper] could say a word. I entered a random room, slamming the door shut behind me before my body finally succumbed to sleep.

“This sucks— oh, hey I leveled in [Partial Mortality] again.”

General Skill [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 2] -> [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

A note from MelasD

IS THIS THE FABLED ACADEMY ARC?

IT CAN'T BE, RIGHT?

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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174. Attacked Again

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Isekai Police by Vnator. It is an isekai litrpg with a strong lead.

When evil kings summon kids from Earth to be used and abused as fast-leveling soldiers in their petty wars, the Isekai Police will be there to stop them. A group of ex-isekai protagonists in their own right, they utilize their collective skills to fight for the end of summoning abuse.

Artyom Choi, cynical ex-hero and founding member of the organization, is sent to investigate the presence of an Earther on an innocently idyllic World where no summoning has supposedly taken place. His mission: rescue the Earther and figure out how he got there. Dark secrets lie beneath the surface of paradise, however. Will he be able to find this new hero and get out before whatever malicious forces brought them there doom them both?

The Isekai Police (aka "Earth's Advocates") | Royal Road

174. Attacked Again

After getting the needed sleep disguised as a Human, I left the small town and was ready to fly off for the Merryster estates. I didn’t need to wait to transform. My cooldown between [Partial Mortality]’s use had decreased with each level I gained. Now, it only took five hours before I was able to change forms again.

A voice called out to me as I spread my wings out, disguising it with my blue fire. I turned to an elderly woman. She was being assisted by her grandson as she hobbled over my way.

“Please, Ms adventurer.”

She bowed her head deeply as passersby stopped to stare.

“Is that granny Elia?”

“What’s she saying to that adventurer?”

“I can’t see that girl’s level—”

With a deep breath, the so-called granny Elia spoke.

“You who are so powerful and wise beyond your years, a Diamond Rank adventurer who has seen death and destruction unbound. I beseech you, save our town of Sleetrock. Protect us from that vile Demon’s rampage.”

There were gasps. Whispers.

“That young girl is a Diamond Rank adventurer?”

“Can she save us?”

“Mommy— is she a [Hero]?”

I looked at her, before turning to the townspeople. It was a small village. They probably had a hundred people living here at most. They weren’t in the route of Belzu’s path of mindless slaughter. However, they could be at any point in time. Each and every single one of the people here could be killed by Belzu without being able to put up a fight.

I smiled at them.

“Absolutely not!”

And I took off.

—--

I wasn’t being cruel. If Daniel or Edithe were here, they’d certainly say I was being unnecessarily mean or evil or whatever other words mortals liked to make up. First of all, that old woman insulted me by calling Demons vile!

That wasn’t very nice.

But beyond just that… well, I couldn’t kill Belzu for one. And for another, if I helped them, it’d be like when I first became Gold Rank all over again. Getting pestered with incessant annoying requests.

I didn’t want that!

So, I gave them no aid. I left the town without even once glancing back, headed straight for the Merryster estates. I had, of course, asked the [Innkeeper] for directions. He told me I could find the lands of the Merryster Dukedom in the province of Houndmire. It was one of the lands adjacent to Falisfield— the place which I saved from Lucerna— and close to the Capital city of Nightsveil.

Belzu’s rampage didn’t bring him that close to the Capital. Not just yet. Although I caught sight of a Human army amassing around it. [Archers], for whatever reason, tried to shoot me down from my flight. Some of their bolts came awfully close to me despite being at this high of an altitude, as I spun and twirled out of the way at my full speed.

There had to be some Level 100s standing on the battlements of the sprawling city. One of their arrows even honed in after me, forcing me to use [Banish] to get rid of it. And with that singular act against a possible Level 100, I leveled in my Class.

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 31] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 32]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

“Huh.”

I spread my arms wide, welcoming the challenge.

“Try that again!”

But that [Archer] must have given up. Whatever Skill he used to reach me must have had a cooldown. It was definitely a powerful Skill. I was certain it would pierce through the aura of Greater Protection around me if it struck through. I didn’t think it would kili me though, if I had flaming armor too.

Nevertheless, I continued. Past Nightsveil, over the palace that was gripped in fear. I went to the lands beyond. Past rolling fields and farmland, which were still full of [Farmers] tilling away at their fields. I saw the land change and tilted my head.

“Is this it?”

It was a heavily forested area I landed in. The entire region seemed like it was for logging and gathering timber. The forests weren’t uniform either. Some of them were marshlands with trees very similar to the crest I had.

“I think this might be it.”

There was a mansion surrounded by a thick forest and a large plot of land around it. I saw figures rushing out as I came closer. Some drew their bows and crossbows, while others wielded wands and staffs as well.

I rolled my eyes.

“Seriously?”

I didn’t want to deal with this, so I dove straight down. As quickly as I could. They could barely get their first volley of projectiles out by the time I crashed, knocking them off their feet with a gust of wind.

Most of the guards here were in their low 20s, and a handful of them were above Gold Rank. I leapt out at the Gold ranks, grabbing them by their necks. There were three of them, so I simply created a [Faux Limb] to hold onto the third.

They struggled and squirmed but they couldn’t break free. The other guards readied their weapons, before being swept off their feet by an invisible hand. I didn’t even once glance at them as they were lifted off their feet.

“Wha—”

“She’s a monster!”

Someone screamed, and I bared my teeth.

“Well, yes. But no.”

I tossed them all aside, marching up to the front door of the mansion. I kicked it open, and a figure stepped forward with a broadsword.

“Halt, intruder! You shall not get any further!”

He stood before a cowering woman, hugging a boy and a girl. He was Platinum Rank in level— somewhere in his low 80s. I started forward and he swung his blade.

“[Shatterstrike]!”

I narrowed my eyes and stepped past the attack. It tore apart the tiled floor, like an incredible earthquake concentrated in a small area. He hefted his blade, and I spun around and kicked him in the face.

There was a flicker. A flash. He had some kind of protection artifact on. He only stumbled back from the hit. I raised a brow.

“How dare you assault the Merryster estates! I am Feirdun Merryster, second heir to the—”

He flew back as I struck him with a fiery strike. The flames broke whatever enchantment protected him. He smashed into the wall, bleeding from the nose. I was about to land a follow-up attack when I paused.

“Wait, Feirdun Merryster?”

The man struggled to get to his feet. I stood over him, raising a hand. He winced— but I shook his hand.

“Hi! You’re Saffron’s brother, aren’t you? I’m Saffron’s friend! Nice to meet you!”

His eyes glazed over.

“Uh, what?”

—--

I sat at a couch in the Merryster mansion, kicking my legs up as I spoke casually to the woman and man across from me.

“...and you came here to ask where my daughter is?”

The woman— Zahra Merryster— was apparently Saffron’s mom. She was dressed in decorated robes which looked like they were merely aesthetics at first, but closer inspection revealed the etchings to be protective enchantments against all kinds of attacks.

“Yep! I completely forgot where she went! And I need her help, so…”

“Liar!”

Feirdun slammed a fist on the table. He quickly accepted a cloth dipped in healing potion from a servant and dabbed it on his nose.

“You can’t possibly believe her lies, do you Mother?”

“But I have a crest!”

I protested, holding up the gold object Saffron gave me. Feirdun scowled.

“You could’ve stolen it. Just like how you attacked our estate!”

“I didn’t attack anyone! You guys attacked me first!”

“You—”

“That’s enough.”

Zahra spoke with finality in her voice. She kind of reminded me of Edithe, even though her black hair was nothing like Edithe’s red. Her tone seemed to startle the boy and the girl sitting beside her, and she ran a hand through their head.

“Everything is fine, Lucie, Warren.”

They were almost identical, apart from their genders. Tugging at her sleeves, they spoke one after another.

“Mother, will she not hurt us?”

“She’s so high-leveled. But she smells—”

“It’s alright, my dears.”

Zahra shooshed them and faced me with a gentle smile.

“While I’d like to believe your story, Ms Salvos—”

“It’s just Salvos!”

“...right. But I’d like to voice the same concern as Feirdun. I’d like some reassurance that you do not have any malicious intent against my family.”

“I…”

There wasn’t really anything I could do to prove myself to them. In times like this, I needed someone else to vouch for me. I tilted my head up as I remembered something.

“Saffron had a… friend? She had someone accompanying her when we met! A servant like that man over there!”

I pointed at one of the men dressed in a suit, standing to the side of the room. Zahra paused.

“Ah, do you mean Matthew?”

“Yes! That’s his name!”

“Fetch Matthew for me.”

She waved a hand, and her servants ran off. Feirdun glared at me with his arms crossed, murmuring under his breath.

“If father and brother were here, they wouldn’t even entertaain…”

“But they’re not here, Feirdun. They sallied forth to protect our kingdom from that Primeval Demon.”

He spat.

“They have. And they shall slay that evil monster before returning with haste!”

“I’m certain they will. But while they’re gone, you are in charge. You can’t be this brash if you hope to be a leader like them.”

“I…”

“Look.”

Zahra glanced over at me.

“You’ve been disrespecting our guest for the past hour. It was a misunderstanding which can be resolved with words alone. That’s one of the most important aspects of being a leader.”

Feirdun bit his lower lip. Then he bowed his head deeply.

“I… apologize for my rude words.”

I wanted to just wave a hand off casually. But listening to Zahra really reminded me of listening to Edithe. I could hear one of her lectures already playing in my head. Etiquette. Decency. Etcetera. All the things required to blend in well as a Human. So, I stood up and bowed back.

“No, no. It’s my fault. I erred in thinking I could simply fly into your estates without alarming your guards. I should’ve made my arrival known to prevent any sort of misunderstanding. I sincerely apologize for my actions.”

Zahra smiled.

“Thank you, Salvos.”

With that, the door swung open. A man I recognized entered the room, his eyes flickering towards me but saying nothing. He addressed only Zahra.

“My lady, I heard you have need of my presence.”

“Yes, Matthew. This young lady here has spoken in great detail about her relationship with my daughter, Saffron. While I do not doubt the veracity of her words, I was told you could corroborate her story, is that correct?”

“It is, my lady.”

“Then it seems the air has cleared.”

I sat back down as Zahra told me where Saffron was. Apparently, she went to a country called Shedos. To the northeast of Nixa. Or east from the Motharis Mountain Range. It was squeezed between the Helbir Plains and the Eastern Kingdoms, famous for its enclave of Cyclops lands right by the ocean.

The academy Saffron attended was called Mavos Academy. It specialized heavily in magic, with most of its graduates reaching Platinum Rank in level when they were finished with their education.

“It is famous enough that you can stop anyone in Shedos and ask for directions to the academy without getting lost. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding it.”

“Thank you, lady Zahra. Or… Lady Zahra?”

I cocked my head, and she laughed.

“Unfortunately, unlike my daughter, I never was quite interested in receiving the Title of Lady. I hold a more… prestigious Title than that of a mere noble.”

She winked at me before standing up. The boy and girl hopped to their feet and eyed me. They tugged her robes, and she nodded.

“Would you like to join us for dinner? It’s getting rather late and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to make the trip while exhausted.”

I looked at Zahra. Then I glanced at the pair of curious children. For whatever reason, they wanted me to stay. And I guess it couldn’t hurt. Especially since it would only be courteous for me to accept their invitation. But—

“Sure. But, um, do you serve bugs?”

The whole family paused. Feirdun lost his scowl. Even the servants blinked. They stared at me as I scratched the back of my head.

“Preferably, raw.”

—--

The next day, I woke up as the sun rose, all ready to head to Mavos Academy. But a figure stopped me as I stepped out of the front door. Matthew nodded at Zahra before approaching me.

“Apologies, Ms Salvos. But lady Zahra has requested I make a delivery to Lady Saffron.”

He lifted up a rather luxurious Bag of Holding, showing something inside of it. It looked like a bottle. I sniffed the air, but he quickly closed it and the smell dissipated.

“This is an elixir of great import that I have been tasked to hand to Lady Saffron. I was supposed to leave for Mavos Academy a month ago, but unfortunately the roads have been closed for only the armies of all the noble families to use.”

“Because of Belzu, right?”

“Belzu?”

He creased a brow, and I pursed my lip.

“I mean that Demon.”

“Yes, Ms Salvos.”

“It’s just Salvos.”

I snorted before waving a hand off.

“And sure, you can come with me. Just know that I won’t fly slow for you, alright?”

“I will keep that in mind, Ms Salvos. You have my thanks.”

I bade the Merryster family farewell as I took off into the air, holding Matthew from under his arms. I glanced back down once to see the pair of children excitedly talking to each other. Which was odd, considering they were very quiet even during dinner last night.

As I looked back up, I caught a glimpse of the Bag of Holding Matthew was holding. It was probably very expensive. I could see the way the mana weaved into it was refined. Space magic that far exceeded my level. But I wasn’t focused on that.

There was something else. It bothered me slightly. I barely got a whiff of it. It was stored too quickly for me to properly inspect it. But that elixir Matthew was carrying…

Why did it smell of blood?

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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175. Mavos Academy

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to The Glint Spear:

The world of Luminos stands ready to watch this century’s climb to the top of the Glint Spear. With the promise of world shaping power at the tip of the Spear, every nation from the zealous Gaylen Divinity, to the illustrious Basteel Empire have sent their best.

Alphonse and Maki arrived at Mirefield with a retirement plan. A simple stick-up, and their pockets would be lined for years. Little did they know, they’d find themselves tricked into undertaking the climb to the top of the Glint Spear, pushing them to their limits.

With their lives balanced on the tip of the spear, will Alphonse and Maki become the heroes Luminos deserves, or two more corpses at the base of the Glint Spear?

The Glint Spear | Royal Road

175. Mavos Academy

Mavos Academy.

It was one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Its name was respected by even the highest-leveled individuals. It was said that Helena Warshade, the leader of the Rising Veterans Company herself, went to Mavos Academy when she was a mere teenager.

She credited her experiences in Shedos as to why she became such a competent leader. She stood out as a [Mage] because she didn’t just throw bigger and bigger explosions at her enemy. Rather, she used her magic to work with her allies, boosting them in battle. Even boosting herself in battle.

That was the beauty of magic. It ranged from destruction to enhancement to transmutation to creation; it was such a wonderful thing. And Mavos Academy was the best place to learn it.

The previous emperor of the Vaun Qieur Empire, Iven Maran, even encouraged the young, burgeoning [Mages] of his Empire to attend Mavos Academy. Of course, with the worsening of relations between Shedos and Vaun Qieur after his son, Nor Maran, took the throne such rhetoric was no longer a thing in the empire.

Even still, that didn’t mean Mavos Academy was any worse than it was a hundred years ago. In fact, its standing had only risen. Research and the accumulation of knowledge for a nearly millennium old institution meant that information only compounded. Humankind’s understanding of magical theory only continued to expand. Properly-trained [Mages] of the present day were superior to properly-trained [Mages] of the past. Of course, that stipulated that their levels and equipment were equal.

Which would only logically lead to the outcome of modern [Mages] winning, since the training of modern [Mages] were far more comprehensive than [Mages] of the past. Because, a thousand years ago, [Mages] only cared about the practical. Five hundred years ago, [Mages] only cared about the theory.

Now, it was both the practical and the theoretical. This was the rigid and harsh curriculum Saffron Merryster had undergone for the past year. She’d wake up, head to training first thing in the morning. Her own magic was rather unique, if she had to say so herself. The manipulation of particles. Be it dust or sand or even water.

She could turn liquid into solid, solid into gas. Others less keen-eyed would think she was a kind of [Elementalist]. But they’d be thrown off by her lack of control of fire. Saffron saw it as an advantage, especially in training. The other [Mages] in her class didn’t know what to make of her.

Only a few knew of her secret. One of them was Valda. A child prodigy who reached Level 40 at only fourteen years old. While she and Saffron weren’t really friends, they were acquainted enough to have a quick chat on the way to their lessons after training.

“I see you’re as elusive as ever in battle, Saffy.”

The little girl grinned as she skipped alongside Saffron. The pink-haired woman didn’t bother responding to the degrading nickname she had been given.

“Elusive is not the term I’d use, Valda. The role of a [Mage] is to avoid combat when necessary. And if it does devolve to battle, it is only best to avoid taking unnecessary damage.”

“Isn’t that just what elusive means?”

“The term I’d use is intelligent.”

Unlike Saffron, Valda was a kind of [Battle Mage]. That meant she preferred getting up close against her enemies. It seemed foolish at first, considering her young age. But when she landed a powerful [Stone Fist], those who laughed at her would end up crying on the ground.

“While I admire your combat abilities, Valda. I fear that you are too reckless. Especially with the coming storm, it would be wiser for you to learn some control.”

“Why would I have to do that?”

She was as carefree as ever. Her blonde hair was tied into a single braid which bounced up and down with her.

“I’m still in school. There’s not much for us to worry about, is there? Maybe when we’re seniors you can lecture me about all the problems of life and whatever you want to say before we graduate. Then I might listen.”

Saffron shook her head. Valda was too immature— too foolish— to understand. The news had already reached Mavos Academy. Everyone was whispering about it. They dreaded it. It was far away. Across many great countries. The Honorable Companies were aware of it. The Eastern Kingdom Alliance was preparing for it. But for now, it was left unattended.

A Primeval Demon had come to the Mortal Realm. And with it, it brought an army of monsters.

It had already brought low dozens of large cities, leaving hundreds of thousands of innocents dead. It replenished its numbers with each city it destroyed. The world quaked as they heard of his rampage.

“It is already happening, Valda. I fear that we might be called to act sooner rather than later.”

Saffron’s father and oldest brother had already left for Nightsveil, the Capital of Nixa. They weren’t going to engage the Primeval Demon— an army of 50,000 from the Sunmere Republic had already been vanquished before it left for Nixa. They knew of its might. A coalition of many great countries was needed to fell it.

It was a ridiculous thought. To think that even Diamond Ranks like her father would be helpless against such a monster. But she knew it was true. She just hoped the Primeval Demon had no plans to march on Nixa’s Capital anytime soon.

Valda snorted and raised a hand. She snapped a finger, creating an invisible bubble around them. It was a spell to prevent anyone from eavesdropping on them. Even with magic.

“Look, Saffy. I know you have a whole [Hero] complex and everything. But we’re students. We can’t do anything about any Demon. Not even a Greater Demon.”

“It is our heritage. It is because of this complacency this has occurred. As [Demon Slayers]—”

“Vampires.”

The little girl spoke simply. She waved a finger, keeping her voice casual.

“We’re Vampires. There’s no such Class as a [Demon Slayer] or a [Demon Hunter]. Those are silly Classes they made up to convince everyone that us Vampires are good after oppressing our kind for thousands of years.”

Saffron hissed. It was supposed to be a secret. If someone powerful enough tried, they could eavesdrop on them!

“We served the Immortal King faithfully and were rewarded—”

“Our predecessors did. Not us. We have no obligation to deal with any Demon that shows up just because some dusty old man in my family helped another, even more ancient man ten thousand years ago.”

“Valda—”

“If a Demon shows up here in Mavos Academy tomorrow— even if it’s a Greater or Lesser Demon— as long as it’s harmless, I see no reason to do anything about it.”

The pinked-haired woman opened her mouth. There were a thousand things she wanted to say. But she caught herself. She realized— remembered— that Valda came not from a noble family. Whatever heritage she had was stripped away.

Of course she wouldn’t view the duty of being a Vampire as fondly as Saffron did. Sighing, Saffron snapped her finger and dispelled Valda’s spell.

“It’s just something for you to consider, Valda. I have an alchemy class to get to, and I’m sure you’re just as in a rush as me to get to your enchanting class.”

“See ya!”

Valda scurried off down the gilded hallway, pulling open a thick set of double doors and entering a lecture hall. The bell rang just as Saffron stepped into her alchemy lab. She took a seat as the [Alchemist] professor began giving his lecture when something vibrated in her bag.

There was… a sound. A soft tune. Like that from a music box.

The [Alchemist] narrowed his eyes, snapping his gaze at Saffron as she hurriedly picked up her bag.

“Saffron Merryster. Is that an enchanted toy you brought to this class?”

“No, professor Ivem. This is… this is…”

Heads turned to face her as she pulled out the round object she kept in her Bag of Holding at all times. It was a crest. But silver, almost an exact counterpart of another one she had.

“This is… my receiver?”

“It’s actually working!”

I brightened as I saw the crest glow. The inscriptions limned with a wispy light. I watched as the threads of mana seemed to form itself in the air through a great distance, before I heard the voice on the other end.

“Who is—”

“Saffron!”

There was a pause. A young woman’s voice came out from the other end.

“Salvos?”

“It’s me! Yes, it’s Salvos!”

I beamed, smiling from ear-to-ear as if she could see me. I heard a sound coming from the crest. As if someone was talking to Saffron from a distance.

“Right, I’ll excuse myself. I thought—”

There were more voices. They sounded like whispers. I couldn’t hear what they were saying. But a door slammed shut and they faded away. Saffron spoke up again after a sigh.

“I was in class— why are you calling me? Is there an emergency?”

“Oh, nope!”

“...nope?”

I nodded as I lifted the man I was carrying slightly.

“Matthew was just teaching me how to use this artifact you gave me. Apparently, I’m supposed to focus the magic on the whole object, not just the inscriptions and runes. Which is weird. Most scrolls I’ve used required more precision when activating their effects.”

“That’s… so you don’t need anything from me? Wait, why is Matthew there?”

“He’s just here, guiding me to Mavos Academy. And I do need something from you! But I think it’ll just be easier for me to explain when I’m down.”

“Guiding you to… what? And what do you mean when you’re down? Where are you, Salvos?”

“Oh, I’m right above Mavos Academy!”

I turned away from the crest, looking straight down at the palatial-like structure lying before me. It reminded me of a castle. Almost similar to the keep that the Lich lived in. But this was larger. Far larger.

And not just in size alone. Its spires— tall towers brimming with mana— rose up to meet even the clouds. They weren’t uniformly colored. Some of them were blue, others were green, and more were black. They came in different shapes too.

One looked like the kind of tower I’d see on a castle wall, while another was more similar to a minaret. Thin. Like a needle jutting from the ground.

The rest of Mavos Academy was just as uniquely shaped, as though a bunch of different buildings and structures were haphazardly put together inside of a castle. It was expansive in its structure alone, not including the vast garden it had at different parts of the academy.

I spotted what looked like a thicket of trees, no different than the one I’d see while out in a light forest. But across from it was a dense foliage dangling with vines and a thick canopy. It was murky like a swamp, with a river cutting through it. But the trees were far too tall, rising to a hundred feet in height. And at the base of this jungle were bioluminescent plants.

“Huh. This place is pretty nice. Where are you at?”

“I’m in the east wing of— wait, Salvos don’t—”

“East wing? Got it! I’m coming down now!”

I swooped down, scanning over all the students I saw milling about. They were walking, chatting, and screaming as they pointed at me.

I ignored them, instead focusing on the artifact in my hand. It tugged on specific threads of mana in the air, traveling through it, creating a rippling and vibrating effect that was so minute but still visible to my eyes.

Following it, I landed by a black brick building with stained glass windows as its front doors were thrown open. Saffron ran out, her eyes wide.

“Salvos—”

She paused when she saw me slowly descending. My wings receded, and I let the flames covering them dissipate. The pink-haired woman was dressed in a uniform with a knee-height skirt and a white blazer. There was an emblem— some sort of sigil— into her shirt, right over her left breast.

Her mouth failed to work. She just stared at me.

“Y-y-y…”

“It’s been a while!”

I raised a hand as my feet finally touched the ground. There were screams and shouts from all around me. Chaos at the courtyard I flew over. Students were scrambling into buildings as higher leveled [Mages] raced out with weapons raised.

Saffron shook her head, snapping herself out of her stupor. She glanced over at her butler.

“Matthew, why didn’t you sto—”

She paused. I dropped the man to the ground, and he hadn’t gotten back up. His eyes were glazed over as his jaw hung open. Hehad fainted at some point in time because I was flying too fast.

I took a step forward, grinning and spreading my arms wide, ready to embrace Saffron. But a voice thundered from above. A dark cloud descended from a tall tower, an elderly man held a sword out, pointing it at me.

“WHO DARES INVADE MY ACADEMY?!”

I felt a sensation— a powerful compulsion to flee and run from the voice. It was… [Intimidation]? Or something similar.

The elderly man leapt from his nimbus cloud and landed just before me. It was not a soft landing. The ground shook unnaturally as he approached me. He raised his blade. It was a longsword with a crooked guard that curved up like horns.

[??? - Lvl. ???]

Light gleamed from its blade as he aimed it at me. His white, flowing beard began to whip with an unseen wind as the hair on top of his head stood up. I sensed power from him. A Skill that dwarfed any of mine. It was the same powerful I sensed from only the Lich and Zix before.

A Grand Skill.

And he directed its intensity and fury at me. Even just by standing near me, Saffron dropped to her knees in fear. His voice boomed once more.

“NAME YOURSELF, INTRUDER!”

“I’m Salvos!”

I replied casually, waving a hand at him. He paused, suddenly uncertain. I scratched the back of my head as he creased a brow.

“And I’m here to enroll into Mavos Academy…?”

A note from MelasD

Early chapter today to end off the week. Thanks for reading as always!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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176. Facade

176. Facade

Saffron always believed herself to be someone who was raised with poise. She carried herself with class. Dignity. And she would never grovel before anyone.

But that was not because of her pride; Saffron simply believed that she was someone with enough manners to avoid such situations. She never spoke disrespect to anyone who never deserved it. Always held her chin high, but never above those who’d punish her for it. It was grace— something she thoroughly refined through her life.

Yet, now she found herself in the exact predicament she strove so hard to stave off.

“I apologize for my friend’s actions!”

She bowed deeply, forcing the silver-haired woman’s head down with her.

Salvos. A young woman with a bright complexion. She had cheerful golden eyes, and an excitable personality that reminded Saffron of a child. And while it was amusing and even endearing at times, it was not a form of entertainment when Saffron was embarrassed because of it.

Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder’s gaze bore down on Saffron’s shoulders. She didn’t look up. Her eyes were faced down, staring at the glass floor below. She could see how high up they were. They stood at the very top of the tallest tower of Mavos Academy. The place where the Headmaster himself resided.

The tower itself protruded like a needle, growing thinner and thinner until it reached this platform. It was an oval room that was far too large for how easily it balanced on the tip of the tower. There was magic at play here. One which should’ve reassured her that this wasn’t dangerous.

If not for the fact that she could see how high they were above the rest of the academy.

A mile. No— maybe even taller. The other towers of Mavos Academy reached up, poking above the low-hanging clouds. But they were merely half the height of this grand structure.

A slight shiver ran down Saffron’s spine. She wasn’t some sort of [Tank] with a very high [Vitality] who could just duck and roll to survive such a fall. But she felt like— with the right spells and preparation— she’d be able to survive such a fall. Or so she hoped.

Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder snapped, drawing her full attention to him.

“This is not a mistake that can be rectified by a simple apology.”

He paced around his desk and ran his hands through his beard.

“Your friend—”

“I’m Salvos!”

Salvos piped up, smiling. He narrowed his eyes.

“Yes, you. You didn’t make a mere singular error. Your lapse of judgement was conducted for a prolonged period of time.”

“What do you mean?”

She cocked her head, and he glared.

“First of all, you entered the airspace of Shedos without a flight permit. Flying is only allowed by those who have paid to undergo a rigorous test to learn and understand common flying etiquette. Without it, you’d be allowed free rein to spread terror as you did by flying into Mavos Academy.

“Huh. I didn’t know that.”

“Next, when you actually arrived at Mavos Academy, you saw the day barrier over the school and decided to tear your way through it with your own magic. If you had caused significant enough damage, the [Mages] maintaining the spell would’ve thought you to be enough of a threat to expend unnecessary resources for the emergency barrier. That would have been hundreds of platinum wasted for no good reason.”

“I thought it was there to keep out monsters!”

“Lastly—”

The Headmaster’s brows snapped together.

“When students and members of the faculty fled from you in fear, how did you not once think you were making a mistake and paused your course of action?”

“Uh…”

She had no reply. Instead, she just scratched her chin.

“Because I didn’t think about it…?”

He stared at her. His irritation had bubbled up, simmering like a burning cauldron. But instead of bursting out like a failed alchemical mixture, it released in an exhausted sigh.

“This is… as expected.”

Saffron blinked. As expected? Salvos was also surprised. He continued as he flicked a finger, and papers shot up around him.

“Salvos. Savior of Silvergrove. The unknown young woman who slayed the Greater Demon terrorizing an entire country two years ago. Who remained unaffiliated with the Adventurers Guild and was immediately granted the Rank of Gold.”

He dismissed the first sheets of paper, before more flew up around him.

“Salvos, the young woman responsible for eradicating a cult to the northeast of Warrington. Salvos, the ally of the Valiant Dreamers Company. Salvos, the first who reported on the Primeval Demon in Motharis. And most recently, Salvos, the Liberator of the Plaguelands. The one responsible for freeing the Plaguelands from the Lich of Zacharius himself. That is you, correct?”

Saffron… gaped. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets as she faced the silver-haired woman, trying to work her jaw. Salvos did… all that? That’s impossible! But—

“That’s me!”

Salvos just nodded eagerly, not even a hint of hesitation in her voice. The Headmaster rubbed at his temples.

“In a few years, you’ve accomplished what many prominent figures in history could never even rival. For someone to achieve these feats, you’d either have to be a genius that outshines even the Immortal King Alexander himself, or be a fool so incredibly lucky that you’ve managed to survive for this long despite your recklessness.”

“Hey, that’s rude!”

She paused. Then she glanced at Saffron with uncertainty.

“Wait, that’s rude, right? Did Clayton just insult me?”

The Headmaster of Mavos Academy took in a deep and annoyed breath.

“However, now that I have seen your antics, I am more than certain it is the latter and not the former. So, Ms Salvos, Liberator of the Plaguelands, tell me: what sense possessed you in the past month to decide pursuing a proper education over a suicidal death fighting in the Bloodied Gulf?”

There was a moment of hesitation. Salvos didn’t know what to say. Eventually, she managed to muster up a shrug.

“It’s because I… I’ve never heard of this Bloodied Gulf place?”

Clayton shut his eyes as Saffron gave her an urgent look. Are you crazy? Do you want to get yourself killed?

Saffron had only seen Clayton once before, so she wasn’t sure what kind of a character he was, but she had heard rumors of his hot temper. He wasn’t quick to anger. Yet, when he was truly angered, his wrath was unmatched by anyone else in the world. After all, he was over Level 160. One of the highest-leveled individuals in the world.

And very likely the highest-leveled Human [Mage] in the world.

“Also, it’s because I realize that I’m still… so weak. Too often, I have had to rely on chance to survive.”

Salvos spoke up, serious for the first time. Her gaze glazed over for a moment, as if she were recalling something from the past.

“I’ve seen strength which I can’t match. And I wish to attain it for myself. I have goals. Things I want to do and can’t do if I continue doing things as I always did.”

“So, you’ve had an epiphany. A sudden jolt of wisdom that points out all your glaring flaws.”

The Headmaster crossed his arms, taking a seat. She nodded.

“Yes. But it wasn’t sudden. It was something I slowly came to. And only fully realized when I fought Belzu.”

“Belzu?”

He frowned, and she shook her head.

“The Demon rampaging through Nixa.”

“Ah, of course. The Primeval Demon. And you’re saying you fought it?”

“I tried to.”

Salvos scowled.

“He defeated me without even being there. With nothing but his residual magic, I was completely overwhelmed. I only survived because of the artifacts I had on me, and my companions.”

“I see.”

Clayton Skyshredder seemed to consider this for a moment, before turning his attention to Saffron. She tensed up as he spoke.

“Saffron Merryster. You are the one who recommended that Salvos enroll in Mavos Academy, are you not?”

“Y-yes!”

She squeaked, much to her own embarrassment.

“And why did you think it was a good idea for someone as crass as her to enroll in our fine institution?”

“I thought—”

Saffron took a calming breath. She was making a fool out of herself.

“I believed that Salvos would have learned much in Mavos Academy. It is as you’ve said, Headmaster. She is unrefined. The lessons she can be taught here would be invaluable. And it’d be a symbiotic relationship. Mavos Academy could produce someone whose name goes down in history, while she’d be able to realize her full potential.”

Nodding, Clayton glanced over at Salvos.

“And do you agree with Lady Saffron, Ms Salvos?”

The silver-haired woman paused. A thoughtful look crossed her face.

“I think so?”

He clicked his tongue.

“Do you believe you’d be able to carry the name of Mavos Academy with dignity and respect?”

Salvos opened her mouth. But she didn’t say anything. She tilted her head up, tapping a finger on her chin. Then she breathed deeply, steeling herself. When she met his gaze, she was completely cool.

“I will.”

The Headmaster stood up.

“Very well.”

Documents and pieces of paper followed him as he walked around his desk, stopping only before the pair of women.

“You cannot enroll in Mavos Academy’s main school itself. Its curriculum is suited for those— using a term you’d be familiar with— who are equivalent to a Gold Rank adventurer. However, Mavos Academy does have a program for individuals who have reached Level 100 and unlocked their second Class. The School of Aspiring Elites.”

He snatched a piece of paper out of the air and handed it to Salvos.

“The School of Aspiring Elites doesn’t accept enrollment once the current class graduates. But it is currently the beginning of the academic cycle. So, I will be overriding that rule and accepting you into the school myself when you have met the regular conditions for entry.”

She read it aloud.

“A lump sum of 100 platinum. Being at Level 100 for my first Class. And reaching my first Class advancement for my second Class?”

Then she squinted at the last bullet point.

“And a ten page personal statement as to why I should be accepted into the School of Aspiring Elites.”

“Understand, Ms Salvos, that it will be read and its quality judged by various members of the academic board. So, what you write has to be compelling enough to sway a majority of the readers.”

There was no hesitation. She looked up, taking a pen out of the air and signed the sheet.

“I’ll be ready by next week.”

Both the Headmaster and Saffron stared at her. Only the former rspoke.

“Recklessness will only serve to punish you.”

“But I won’t be reckless.”

She smiled.

“After all, I’ve learned from my friend Saffron here, and I will reach my next Class advancement at Level 35.”

It was a bold claim. But it earned a chuckle from Clayton.

“So, you wish to be both the fool and the genius. Very well. I look forward to seeing your academic achievements when you do enroll into the School of Aspiring Elites. Until then, the both of you are dismissed.”

He waved a hand off, and the pair left.

—--

“You’re lucky Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder enrolled you himself.”

Saffron spoke as the pair stood on an enchanted platform, rapidly descending, protected by a bubble-like barrier.

“Honestly, even though this was such a hassle, it somehow ended up ending well for you.”

“Mm, yep.”

Salvos nodded, not exactly paying attention. Her head was raised as if she was thinking about something. Saffron glanced at her as the descent slowed and they reached the first floor.

“He rarely ever speaks with anyone— even kings and queens— and he’s the only one who could’ve gotten you into the School of Aspiring Elites. It’s a two year program, you know? You would have had to wait two years to try again.”

“Huh, really?”

They stepped out of the platform and left the tower. Matthew greeted them at the front, bowing to Saffron with an ornate Bag of Holding at his back. Saffron recognized what it was immediately. She pursed her lips.

“Salvos, I’ve missed my class—”

“Actually, Saffron, I’ve got to go.”

Spinning around, the silver-haired woman met her gaze.

“I want to catch up too, butI have to reach Level 35 as soon as possible and prove to Clayton that I’m not just a reckless idiot.”

“Oh, right.”

“We’ll speak again next time, alright?”

She was already waving as she ran off. Saffron blinked and folded her arms.

“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.”

“Lady Saffron, I have brought a package for you. From your parents.”

The young noble glanced at him, sighing.

“I do wish you brought two bottles with you. After the events of today, I may need a little more.”

“I apologize, Lady Saffron. But I did try to advise her not to destroy Mavos Academy’s barrier.”

She massaged her temples. Of course Salvos would ignore him— Saffron froze.

“Wait, Matthew, you told Salvos about the barrier?”

“I believe I tried to stop her. But she sped up and I must’ve lost consciousness at some point after.”

“But she said that she—”

Saffron bit her lower lip. Wait, did that mean…?

“What else did you tell Salvos? Did you tell her about the School of Aspiring Elites? About Mavos Academy’s Headmaster? And when did you teach her how to use the Communication Crest?”

“I taught her how to use the Communication Crest last night. And as for Headmaster Clayton and the School of Aspiring Elites, I spoke to her about it this morning.”

“You… did?”

Saffron blinked. And she realized that both she and Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder… were played by the fool herself.

“She did that all on purpose…”

The young noble scowled.

“That idiot.”

A note from MelasD

Me reading 175's comments about Salvos: "You fell victim to one of the classic blunders!"

Next chapter is an interlude.

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177. Interlude - Daniel's Debate

177. Interlude - Daniel's Debate

A young man sat in a bar, downing a tankard of ale. It tasted terrible. Incomparable to the beer he once drowned himself in years ago. There was a rambunctious atmosphere with people laughing and dancing and chatting and singing. He didn’t partake in any of that.

He was all by himself. Alone. Not just in the sense that he was brooding, with his unkempt black hair falling down to his shoulders, and his hollow brown eyes staring down at the yellow liquid as he stayed to himself. He was also all by himself, without his friends, in a country he had never been to before.

Salvos and Edithe. Those were the names of his friends. One of them wore the guise of a beautiful young woman with moonlight limned silver hair and a mischievous smile that hid a hint of childlike curiosity. The other was a kind and bold redhead, whose powerful magic rivalled that of her strong personality.

It had only been a few weeks since he last saw them, but they were the only true company he had for so long. And that was because of the last reason:

He was from another world.

Daniel Song. [Hero]. Coward. And a normal young man who grew up on the civilized planet called Earth. He didn’t have to fight every day of his life. Nor was he responsible for anyone but himself.

But now, he finally returned to the place where his adventure began. Where he lost everything he thought he had and was given everything he thought he wanted. The Elutra Kingdom.

It was where he was summoned into Nexeus. Told he’d be fighting for a grand cause. And realized that it was all nothing but a web of lies.

He left. But he came back. Because of rumors he heard. That of Demons and sacrifices. All he had to do was cross the border up ahead, and he’d be able to find out if princess Faith of Elutra had been lying to him again.

It was simple. It was only a ten mile trek. He could evade any guards that tried to stop him. Fend them off, even. Especially considering his level. A Level 103 [Hero]. He had a second Class too. But it wasn’t comparable to his [Hero] Class.

But he hadn’t left. A week passed, and he was still here. He stayed in this inn, sitting at its bar, drinking himself to sleep every day. Why didn’t he go? He had mustered up the energy— the courage to act— when he was around his friends. But now that Daniel found himself alone again, he couldn’t bring himself to fight.

What even was the point?

He waved a hand, asking for another drink. The [Bartender], for his part, didn’t question Daniel. No one bothered him during his time spent wasting away in the inn at this border town in the Inoria Empire. His level was more than twice the highest-leveled individual here.

They simply let him drink to his heart’s content.

And drink he did. He ordered another, and another, and another, even as his tab racked up from silver to gold coins. He didn’t care. He had the money. Thousands of platinum coins he could easily withdraw from any Merchants Guild.

Was Daniel being a coward? Of course not. He had already resolved himself to going through with this. Just… maybe next week. He wasn’t in any rush, right?

War wasn’t something that wasn’t resolved in a year or even two years. He could wait just a little longer. At least, that was what he was telling himself to feel better.

He sighed as he laid his head on the table, still gripping his tankard. He would’ve dozed off right there if not for the figure that approached him from his peripheral vision.

“Is this seat taken?”

A pretty voice asked. Daniel glanced up to see a young woman, around his age, with her brown hair tied into a braid. She smiled sweetly at him as he bumbled his way into sitting up.

[Farmer - Lvl 13]

“Are you… talking to me?”

He tried his best not to slur his words, although he was too drunk to be able to tell if he succeeded or not. She nodded.

“Yes! I was wondering if I could have this seat.”

She gestured at the stool next to him, and he slowly shrugged.

“I guess?”

“Great!”

Daniel tried to mind his own business. He avoided meeting her gaze as she pulled the seat out and plopped herself onto it. Why was she sitting next to him? There were a dozen other empty seats at the bar, but she chose to sit next to him. Why?

His drunk mind raced through all the possibilities, but it could only come to one conclusion. And it just made him want to shrink away. But she spoke up.

“I’m Amanda. What’s your name?”

“Oh, uh, I’m… Daniel.”

He scratched the back of his head, staring intensely at the cupboard of alcohol ahead.

“I’ve seen you around. You’ve been drinking every day for the past few weeks. Do you like alcohol that much?”

She giggled, and Daniel flushed.

“T-that’s… I just… have bad memories I want to forget. That’s all.”

It wasn’t a lie. He sunk his lips into his drink as he tried to wash away his sorrow. He wanted to go back. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to—

But he couldn’t. He couldn’t forget. He couldn’t go back. He couldn’t see—

“You’re an adventurer, right?”

Amanda’s cooed, her voice dragging him out of the echoing chamber of his miserable mind.

“I am.”

“I hear it’s tough work. My Dad used to be an adventurer— until he started a farm here. Now, I’m just a [Farmhand], trying to help her pops out.”

“I see.”

He didn’t feel obliged to give her more than a short response. He downed his tankard, ready to take his leave. But she leaned forward, hugging his hands, holding him down.

“Say, if adventuring is bad for you, why not try settling down like my Dad did?”

Daniel paused. Settle down? He considered that many times. He even tried, when he had just fled Elutra. But now… it was more of an alluring idea than ever.

He didn’t know why that was. Just that Amanda’s words were captivating. He blamed it on being drunk, so he tried to excuse himself once again.

“I’m sorry, but I—”

“Why don’t you have another drink? Let’s just chat for a bit.”

She circled around him, smiling.

“I’ve just been watching you sit all alone, as if you need someone to talk to. Come on, I’m sure talking about it will make you feel better, right?”

He hesitated. Well, the sun had just set, right? He glanced out the window, confirming that it was barely past twilight. Going to bed so early would be a waste of a day. He found himself being settled down by the girl as she ordered him another tankard of ale.

“So, tell me about yourself.”

—--

Amanda was beautiful.

Or at least, Daniel thought she was, even after he sobered up a bit. He stopped drinking as much, and spent more time just… speaking with her.

And she wasn’t just beautiful in looks alone. The way she spoke, the way she laughed, the way she smiled whenever they made eye contact— he thought she had to be someone with a soul as beautiful as she looked.

“...and honestly, I’m glad my Dad asked me to stay—”

She also wasn’t someone overly complex. She was a simple girl with a simple outlook in life. And that was what attracted Daniel to her the most.

Amanda placed a hand on his shoulder as his face burned from more than just alcohol. She opened her mouth— and the [Bartender] slammed an empty glass on the table.

“Sorry, bar’s closed.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Jerome.”

She stood up, proffering Daniel a hand. He accepted it, following her out of the inn. She glanced up at the stars.

“It’s a calm night.”

Her voice was cool like the night wind. Amanda glanced over in the distance, her face lowering.

“Sometimes, you can hear the sounds of armies marching into Elutra. The noises of battle and war. It’s just… scary.”

“I…”

Daniel wasn’t sure what to say. He saw her solemn look, and felt inclined to act.

“I can walk you home.”

She brightened and turned to him.

“Really? You’ll do that for me?”

“Yes.”

He was just accompanying a scared and lonely girl back to her farm, right? She lived just outside of the town, so he was doing what was right. Especially since monsters existed.

“Thank you.”

She hugged his arm once more and began to lead him down a beaten path.

“Say, are you really sure you don’t want to just settle down?”

Amanda spoke up as they left the small buildings behind them. Daniel pursed his lips.

“What do you mean?”

“With me.”

She was blunt, and that only made him blush even harder. He tried to avert his gaze, but she was pressed up to him now.

“I think I really like you. I know it’s only been one night. But I feel like we really connected there.”

“I—”

Daniel snapped his mouth shut, before he could say anything he’d regret. But it didn’t sound so bad, did it? To live a simple life without fighting and killing and war and politics? The life he had back on Earth.

No, he tried to tell himself. You can’t. You have a girlfriend—

But that wasn’t true, was it? Emily was dead. She died years ago, even before he was kidnapped to this world. And this girl… she did look like Emily, didn’t she?

Daniel wasn’t sure if it was because his vision was a haze, but Amanda’s brown hair, soothing voice, and round eyes reminded him of Emily.

She wasn’t an unrivalled beauty like he’d never seen before: she was plain and pretty. And she had a big, open heart. That entranced him.

But he couldn’t—

“What do you say?”

She paused, facing him with a smile. Daniel froze. If he rejected her here, that smile would break. And he’d be forced to watch it shatter like glass. He didn’t want that.

So, he took a deep breath, taking in the cherry sweet scent of her perfume. It was familiar, somehow. But it only emboldened him to protect her smile. Daniel opened his mouth.

“Ye—”

But he froze. He sniffed once again, standing this close to Amanda. Her perfume was at full force. It tried to choke an answer out of him.

She tilted her head as he pushed her away. The feeling grew muffled, but it was still there.

“You’re doing something to me, aren’t you?”

“W-what?”

Amanda stepped forward, but he shoved her back. Again, the feeling seemed to dissipate. It wasn’t fully gone. Not as long as Amanda was around him.

“What are you talking about, Daniel?”

She stared at him, aghast. He reached for his sword, but realized he must’ve left it in his room like a damn idiot.

“Stay back!”

He raised a fist.

“Why are you acting like this? Why—”

“Don’t play stupid with me. I’ve been affected by mind magic before. By a Skill that makes you lose your senses. I know what it’s like. You… your perfume. There’s something in it. I don’t know what kind of alchemical mixture it is, but you’re trying to seduce me.”

Amanda’s eyes widened. She tried to work her jaw. She seemed genuinely confused for a moment. Then her gaze darkened.

“Ugh, you really should’ve just gone along with it.”

“Wh—”

And she lashed out. A double-bladed dagger flashed into her hand, pulled by some magic, as she swung at him.

He took a step back, barely dodging the attack as it nicked his hair. Poison. He saw the green tips of the weapon. Can’t let myself get touched. He jumped away from her as she spun around, pulling a copper ring from her finger. It was had blended in with her skin, like it wasn’t even there, and now that it was gone, Daniel could identify her again.

[Rogue - Lvl 117]

She chuckled, shaking her head.

“You could’ve died a blissful death. In ecstasy. Happy. But now, you'll have to suffer.”

“Who are you?”

Daniel took up a defensive stance with only his fists.

“As I told you, I’m Amanda. But others know me as the Silent Serpent. One of the Harrowed Vindicator’s best assassins.”

She shook her head, smirking cruelly, any pretext of a kind girl she had from before gone.

“And you’re the [Hero] of Elutra, aren’t you?”

He didn’t answer, and she cackled.

“Say, what did you think would happen to you when you stepped foot into the Inoria Empire. You know, the country that’s hired assassins to kill you? Don’t you think someone’s going to decide and take that thousand platinum bounty on your head?”

She spread her arms wide.

“I’m the lucky one who got to you first. But honestly, you were so pathetic that I thought I got the wrong guy. I won’t be surprised if Edward the Shadower or Vern the Deft Killer found you first but decided you weren’t worth killing.”

Daniel narrowed his eyes.

“Are they also from the Harrowed Vindicators?”

“Of course.”

Amanda snorted.

“And there are many more out there searching for you. But I’ll be the only one to reap the reward.”

Her face twisted as she edged forward. Daniel took a step back, still slightly wobbly and dizzy from the alcohol.

“Say, you’re a [Hero], aren’t you? How about you show me what you’ve got!”

She dashed forward, like a bullet tearing through the air. She moved fast. Too fast for Daniel to dodge this time.

“[Savage Step]. [Pinpoint Strike]. [Charge of a Thousand Blade].”

Daniel didn’t try to dodge. He didn’t even try to run. All he did was raise a hand, speaking softly.

“[Will of the Hero].”

Light engulfed him. Her dagger went flying as his body flashed. Amanda blinked and stumbled back, but he grabbed her by the arm.

“How—”

“[Hero’s Slash].”

Daniel brought his fist down at her face. It was overcome by a gleaming light. It broke through all the layers of protection she wore in an instant. He smashed her into the earth, and a crater opened up below.

She lay crumpled at his feet, barely even twitching. Barely alive.

“Hgnh…”

Amanda tried to stand up, but he forced her back down, tightly squeezing her arms. She screamed.

“You tricked me! You played with my heart! You tried to kill me!

Her agonized cry slowly turned to a laugh. One that was still clearly in pain.

“This is… a [Hero]!”

She laughed and laughed as blood sputtered out of her mouth. Shaking her head, she completely ignored Daniel’s rage.

“Seriously, and I thought I could fight this?”

He slammed her back down and the ground trembled. But she still laughed.

“This is— good job, you did what thousands of others have failed to do. You bested me in battle. And with a single blow too!”

“Do you think this is a joke?”

Daniel was in a rage. He had never been this angered before. Perhaps it was because of the feeling of betrayal he felt— and all the sorrow he had pent up coming out at once. But all he saw was red.

She squirmed underneath his grip as her bones began to break.

“May— urk— be? It’s kind of funny. Especially considering that you’ll still die, anyway.”

He paused.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on now.”

She mustered up a grin.

“Did you think the assassins would stop with me? You’re in the Inoria Empire. And most of Elutra is now a part of the Inoria Empire too. Maybe if you return to the Plaguelands, you’ll be safe. But here? You’re in our territory.”

Daniel frowned.

“I see.”

He came here to help save Elutra— or at least, investigate what Faith had told him. But now, he now had high-leveled assassins coming after him like never before. And they only had one goal: to kill him.

Daniel, as miserable as he sometimes felt, knew he didn’t want to die. He wanted to return to Earth some day, and leave this world behind. But if even that was taken away from him? Well, he wouldn’t allow it. Not anymore.

“Well, it’s a good thing I have you here. Because you’ll tell me where the base of the Harrowed Vindicators is. And I’ll destroy them.”

It was a delay. A short delay. One which would take a few days or weeks or months. But hey, what were a few months in war?

He punched Amanda in the face once more, knocking her out.

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178. Surprise

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Warlock's Gate, a female lead litrpg fantasy! It is rather crunchy, so those of you who like that will enjoy this story!

In the empire of Orinthian, Fallon Gaumond, a young Warlock, is determined to be free from her father’s controlling demands and become a Sentinel. At her side, cloaked in shadows, is her Dementher familiar, Asmodeus, who is equally committed to seeing the Warlock grow to reach her full potential. But dealing with her overly hungry companion while keeping her secret, illegal visits to Highguard’s city dungeon hidden is the least of Fallon’s problems. As a Praeditus, she is expected to serve alongside her father and the rest of Highguard’s Praefecti to resolve the growing problem of refugees fleeing an adversary even the strongest Sentinel dare not face alone. The Gates which strike Orinthian with ever-growing frequency and pour upon these war-hardened cities merciless invading hordes of monsters from other dimensions who seek to pillage, burn, and slaughter everything that stands in their way.

Warlock's Gate | Royal Road

Check it out!

178. Surprise

I didn’t fly as I left Mavos Academy. I didn’t want to get in trouble a second time with Clayton, especially if it meant losing my chance of getting into the School of Aspiring Elites. I simply walked out. Time wasn’t of the essence to me. A week was a lot of time.

I could easily reach Level 35 before a week passed. All I had to do was find a bunch of tough monsters and kill them with only my Class’ Skills. The more difficult part of this was actually getting a Class advancement at 35.

I asked Saffron about it, as we were on our way down from the tower. She was the first person I met who reached their advancement before 40. She couldn’t give me any definitive answer.

Every Class advancement has a different requirement, she had said. To even get a Class advancement, you’ll have to meet specific requirements. It’s just that most of them require you to be Level 40. But there are some rarer ones which only require you to be at Level 30 or 35. Since the level requirements are lower, the actual requirements to get these Classes are far more specialized.

Now, all I had to do was do a bit of research and digging. The Mavos Academy library didn’t allow non-students in. But there was a city just a few miles to the west.

So, the moment I left the premises of the academy, I ran for it. I stayed away from the roads, of course. I didn’t want to scare anyone who saw me sending dust and dirt up into the air as I sprinted for Wimborne.

It was a city right by the ocean, with a glittering beach that ran three quarters of the way around its perimeter. Its walls weren’t tall. But it had a thin barrier that barely wasted any mana surrounding it like a dome. I was pretty sure the only reason they had it was because they were situated next to Mavos Academy.

I slowed down as I approached the city. I paused, glancing at the long line of people waiting to get in. There was one entrance used for [Traders], and another for adventurers. There weren’t that many adventurers, but the ones there looked friendly, to say the least.

I would’ve just marched up behind them, however I’ve learned my lesson. I closed my eyes and focused.

I was Salvos. Archdemon of Pride. [Daeva Cambion]. And also, [Adept of the Fae].

I just had to concentrate on that last part and— I hoped for the best. I stepped up behind a Level 48 [Mage], tapping him on the shoulder.

“Hi!”

He turned around.

“What—”

He blinked as he saw me. I hesitated. Does he see my main level? I tried to do what Lily told me. Did I do it wrong?

But the man didn’t step back in awe and wonder. He grabbed me by the hand, kissing it.

“Ah, greetings. I am Jacob Axworth. An adventurer and a noble. I know, it may seem foolish for someone with my status to pursue adventurer, but it is my passion. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss…?”

I cocked my head at the way he was acting.

“Oh. I’m Salvos. I’m new here.”

“A new adventurer, ah I see. Are you not with a team?”

I pointed past him as the line moved, and he shuffled forward without looking.

“I have a team! But they’re not with me right now, so I’m alone.”

“That’s terrible! How could they let a fine, young woman such as you wander such a dangerous city on your own?!”

He was aghast. He placed a hand on his chest, but I just raised my head slightly.

“Is Wimborne that dangerous?”

“Well, perhaps for someone at your level.”

He nodded knowingly.

“You see, adventurers are, as always, a rowdy bunch. And many of the men are persistent yet crass. They can’t take no for an answer. Normally, in one of the smaller cities, someone at your level would be able to ward them off just by being close to Gold. But alas, this city attracts Gold Ranks. Perhaps it is due to our vicinity to the famed and esteemed Mavos Academy, but the average level of adventurers residing here is 35!”

I frowned. Then I couldn’t help but grin. That was good! So, what I did definitely worked. For some reason, the man smiled as he watched my lips quirk up.

We reached the gates of the city and showed our adventurer badges to the guards. He had a company pass, which got a nod from the guards. But they stopped me.

“Those not affiliated with the Storm Swords Company will have to pay a 2 gold fee for entry.”

“Sure—”

I was about to dig into my pockets to produce the coins when Jacob spoke up.

“She’s with me. There’s no need to worry.”

He winked for whatever reason, and the guards reluctantly let me through. I smiled at him.

“Thank you.”

See, Edithe? I remember my manners! If only she was here to watch me navigate the intricacies of Human social interaction like some sort of master.

Jacob waved a hand off.

“It is no issue. I am rather influential within my company, you see. And I assure you, if you stick with me, you’ll be fine even amongst the most bovine and rude of men.”

He bowed slightly, proffering me his hand. I stared at him.

“Nope. Sorry!”

He blinked as I dashed past him, waving goodbye.

“Thanks for the offer though! I’ve gotta run!”

I ran off as he watched. Probably speechless by how respectful and well-mannered I was to him.

—--

“Does the Adventurers Guild really not have any records about this?”

“I apologize, but we only have a glossary of the local monsters around Wimborne. The kind of information you’re looking for is normally provided by companies or by libraries.”

But I already went to the library! I wanted to throw my hands up in frustration, but I stopped myself. I wasn’t going to cause a scene. I had to be socially aware, or whatever.

“Thanks for your help.”

I sighed, bowing my head, before bowing out of the guild. That was a waste of time. Maybe I could go to the local company. Storm Swords, right? I now had a friend there, anyway. And I was certain he’d be kind enough to help me!

I marched up to the company building at the city square. I knocked on the door, and fortunately for me, Jacob himself opened the door.

“Hey—”

I started, but was cut off as he slammed the door shut.

“Um, hello?”

I rapped on the door a few more times, but heard no response. I shrugged. Guess he’s busy. I headed off, aimlessly searching for anything that could help me.

There were people selling fish. Lots of fish. And some people were selling things like apples and pears and whatever fruits. Some were selling vegetables and bread. But most were selling fish.

I waded my way through the stalls of fishes and the weird whistling sound people kept making as I passed by them, reaching the docks. I walked down its side as [Fishers] shouted, trying to sell more fish.

I didn’t care about most of them. But one of them caught my attention. And that was because he wasn’t selling fish.

An older man stood atop a small wooden boat. He had a scar across his cheek and a single eyepatch over his left eye. His right leg was missing ,replaced with a wooden peg, but he still gesticulated wildly with all the energy of a man half his age and all their body parts.

“Aye! Listen ‘ere ye land dwellers. Ye know not the secrets of the deep! There be legends and stories of the things that lay beyond. The creatures that lurk underneath in the darkness hide secrets and artifacts that will make any man richer than a king!”

I halted before him, along with a pair of children and a burly man with crossed arms.

“What are you yapping about, old man?”

The burly man, a Level 64 [Warrior], frowned. The [Fisher] continued.

“Ye see, the ocean holds many things within it. Lost to time from storms and the things that come with it. A hundred years ago, when I was as old as ye, a Cyclops came to this very port to bring his wares to the land of the Elves. He was a fool who had never set sailed even once in his life! And he was in a rush to go. So he bought the vessel of [Fisher] not like I! One who had a crew already with it! And he left during the new moon, when the sea was at its highest and the clouds covered the sky.”

The children leaned forward, eagerly listening to his tale. And I did too. But the burly man seemed uninterested. Still, the old man regaled his story.

“The Cyclops embarked when all the wise [Fishers] were anchored in Wimborne! But the waves were too harsh. It knocked him off course. Out into the ocean beyond the Enclosed Sea. Where he was never heard from again. Not until now.”

The [Fisher] flashed a toothy smile as he produced a bottle with a piece of parchment within.

“I’ve found a map that takes you to the island where Gukzar was shipwrecked! He leaves notes within it. One that details the path he took and how he went there. He believes himself to be lost a hundred miles off the coast of the Elven lands, to the northwest of here. On a small archipelago with a volcano in the largest island.”

He chuckled, pocketing the bottle.

“Of course, Gukzar is long dead. Even if he survived the harsh monsters said to be in the island, he’d have passed from old age. But he claimed to still have his wares with him. Treasures so rare that even the Watcher himself would desire them! Secrets of Classes that have never been heard before.!”

I perked up as the [Fisher] spread his arms wide.

“Will you join me in my grand quest?”

I stepped forward.

“I will!”

The [Fisher] blinked. He stared at me, then scoffed, gesturing at the two children.

“Go away, girl. Play with the children as you’re supposed to. I’m making this offer to that gentleman over there.”

I paused as the burly man rubbed his chin.

“Huh?”

“I am not sure. I don’t think the risk is worth it. What level are the monsters on this island again?”

“Hello?”

“They are said to be between Level 40 and Level 70. So, it is surely something you’d be able to handle, yes?”

“I can help—”

“I’ll have to consult my team. But this seems far too risky when there isn’t any guarantee of a reward.”

“Why would I want to play with children when I can go?”

“Oh shut up, girl!”

The [Fisher] snapped, glaring at me.

“If you truly wish to go, then go by yerself! I will not take a girl like ye to a job for men!”

“Fine!”

I took a step back as he took in an annoyed breath.

“It’s to the northwest, right? An archipelago with a volcano near the Elven lands?”

“Yes, yes. Leave us alone. Now as I was saying…”

I produced a map Daniel had given me. He taught me how to read it, and I found Wimborne at the very edge of the ‘land’ area of the map, to the northwestern side of the Human lands. The Enclosed Sea was the body of water just above the Human lands, while the rest of the ocean beyond was just labeled ‘the deep.’

There was an arrow pointing to the Elven lands, although they didn’t show the actual detailed geography of where the Elves lived. There was a rough measurement of how much distance a hundred miles is on the map at the bottom right, next to the cardinal directions. And I nodded to myself.

“Alright. I can do this. I won’t get lost this time.”

The [Fisher] continued speaking with the [Warrior] as I readied to depart.

“Yes, I assure ye, the reward is ther—”

He paused as a blue glow overcame the docks. I spread my wings wide open, shielding the boney shape with a coat of flames. Everyone in the docks stared at me as I spread my wings wide, preparing to take off. The [Fisher]’s jaw dropped.

“Wh—”

And with a single flap of my wings, I was gone. I shot up into the air, trying to ascend as gently as I could so I didn’t knock away the crowd at the docks with the strong wind. It only toppled the old [Fisher] over— probably because of his peg leg. But I shouted an apology as I flew away.

“Huh. I wonder if I’ll get in trouble for flying without a permit.”

I sure hoped not. But I was already headed for my next destination— the archipelago with a volcano.

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179. Mountain Island

179. Mountain Island

I soared above the ocean, its pure surface reflecting the sky back up to me. Or was the sky reflecting the ocean? I wasn’t actually sure. All I knew was that it was blue just as the sky was blue. And it looked pretty.

It glittered and sparkled like there were thousands of crystals and gems sewn onto the layers of the rippling waves. I flew close to the water as my skin shifted. My body changed. And I was no longer a Human. No longer a mortal.

I was Salvos, a Demon, flying with my wings like bones.

I could do whatever I want! I was free to do whatever I wanted! Even as I cut a hand through the water surface, leaving a trail of splashing water behind in the sea.

Apparently, that was a bad idea.

I saw a shadow emerge from the deep sea. A figure of black, almost rotund from where I was. [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] warned me of what was to come, and I immediately zipped out of the way.

A large fish shot out of the water. It reminded me of the ones I saw back in Wimborne. Except… bigger. Much bigger. It was probably three times the size of a house!

It had four fins, two on each side of its body, and a jagged blade-like shape protruding from its back, gleaming black.

[Hollow Whaleshark - Lvl 43]

“Are you serious?”

I bared my teeth, accepting the challenge as I watched the monster sink back into the sea. It circled around me as the black blade on its back shone.

“Do you really think you can—”

I paused right in the middle of creating a Nebular Bow. I’m not supposed to use my Subspecies… Right, I forgot about that.

A beam of dark energy shot up, and I flew out of the way.

“Huh. How am I supposed to deal with you?”

It was large. Very large for a Level 43 monster. I had only a few Skills for my Class. [Banish] and [Spatial Sight] were of no use. But I knew some space magic. Like how to carry things with invisible hands. Or how to crush them. Or how to teleport.

But I couldn’t carry a monster this large. Nor could I crush it. Unless—

I narrowed my eyes as I watched the Hollow Whaleshark prepare to shoot up into the air. An idea crossed my mind.

“You’re gonna wanna try to level up more before you try and eat me, jerk!”

I dove down as it exploded from the water. It tried to clamp its jaws around me but I teleported past its dozens of layers of teeth, straight down its throat. Acid poured out of its insides. It began to rise as I went deeper down its gullet, before tearing through the side. I heard a screech as the entire creature shook. But I was too preoccupied searching for its heart to care.

“Probably not going to gain as much experience from doing this!”

I found the beating, deformed shape, held up by veins and arteries. I raised a hand from a distance, making a squeezing motion. And magic gripped the heart. It began to compress, crushed by space itself. I could feel it in my hands, even if I wasn’t actually touching it. It was very, very hard. Solid, like a rock.

Still, even as the entire monster’s being shook, I continued to tighten my grip around it. I grunted as I felt mana being inefficiently poured into the spell, tiring me. But I wasn’t here to refine my magic or use Skills.

I was here to kill monsters, level, and find a good Class advancement.

“Die you stupid thing!”

Blood seeped out of pores forming on the surface of the heart. Before it finally exploded.

It burst open from the top and bottom as its side was squished into a pulp. A sound resounded in my head as the monster stopped shaking, suddenly rapidly descending.

Defeated [Hollow Whaleshark - Level 43]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I tore my way out of the giant fish, wondering why I didn’t gain any additional experience. It’s because I didn’t just use my Class, isn’t it?

Oh well. There was plenty of time to go. And the best part was? I didn’t need to sleep!

I continued to fly over the ocean as the sun set and night fell over the world. Dark clouds gathered over the sky, bringing with it a storm. And soon, I found out, monsters of the deep too.

—--

Defeated [Hollow Whaleshark - Level 41]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [The Deep’s Tendrils - Level 46]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Aquatic Tigereel - Lvl 35]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 32] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 33]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

“I thought sea monsters were supposed to remain in the water!”

I wasn’t averse to fighting. I wouldn’t just attack anything without any reason; if there was due cause, I’d definitely fight a Human even if they didn’t confront me. But there was a spectrum from mindless to creatures which could actually think.

And these underwater creatures seemed to fall into the more mindless side of thinking. Maybe it only seemed that way because they were the ones attacking me, and the ones which were actually smart didn’t. Regardless, I held no apprehension about killing them.

They were just really annoying. And they didn’t give an amazing amount of experience either!

But eventually, the storm subsided. Light returned to the sky, and I could continue my search.

“So, the sun is rising from there, and that means I’m supposed to be going there. I see.”

I could see snowy lands to the east. I was certain that those were the Elven lands Humans kept talking about. As long as I was high enough up and could see it, I had to be traveling in the right direction, right?

“An archipelago and a volcano. I’m searching for an archipelago and a volcano.”

I continued on until the sun was at its zenith. That was when I spotted the first set of islands littering the ocean surface. It formed a semi circle, with the islands growing larger towards the center. I flew over it, narrowing my eyes.

It definitely seems like it was the right distance from the Elven lands. There even were signs of a shipwreck at the very edge of one of the small islands. But something was off.

“It doesn’t have a volcano!”

Instead of a mountainous peak at the center island, there was a massive depression. A hole. Like a crater. And around this basin was a rocky floor that seemed to almost leak into the ocean. I snapped my fingers.

“This can’t be it! Time to continue!”

I proceeded with my flight, grabbing a handful of snacks quickly as I passed over the island, nicking the bugs that swarmed over its canopy of trees. Another day passed, although it was filled with less fighting as no storm came at night.

A few monsters attacked me. But these were lower-leveled than the previous ones. So, I disposed of them with ease and no levels gained, crushing them out of the air. I passed by more islands— more archipelagos— and found nothing. A thought crossed my mind that I might’ve been lost. I mean, I was going further and further east, wasn’t I?

Not until the dawn of the next day. I saw a string of islands, like a line, with hills and valleys on each of them, progressively growing taller until peaking at the center island, before reducing in height as it continued.

“There it is!”

I perked up and began to descend. But I paused.

“Is that a mountain or a volcano?”

I was pretty sure that it was a mountain, not a volcano. Although, weren’t mountains just volcanos? That was what Daniel told me once. The only difference was volcanos threatened to shoot lava out from time to time, but not always.

And this perfectly fits the description that [Fisher] gave me. Gukzar the Cyclops had to be here, right? In fact… was that his ship over at the center island?

I headed straight down as I saw specks moving on the pearly white beach. Figures with swords and bows fended off creatures skittering rapidly out of the trees. The undulating shapes moved fast, even on the sand. And they dug into it too, leaping out like spring traps all around the beach.

I recognized the monsters immediately.

Centinels.

Their segmented bodies were covered by a thick shell that was always so annoyingly hard to break. They streamed out by the dozens, snapping their dangerous mandibles at the small figures protecting the ship.

I didn’t recognize these people. They didn’t look like Humans, which was the only reason why I dared approach them without transforming into a mortal. Well… Kobolds hated Demons too. But Cyclopes did not, right?

They weren’t that high-leveled. They were struggling to fight off the [Junior Centinels], so I highly doubted they could do anything against me even if they tried. So, I swooped down anyway, grabbing one of the Centinels as it leapt at a female figure.

She was short— about four foot tall, with incredibly pale skin, rosey cheeks, and bright orange hair. Her scream was high-pitched. Shrill. But she stopped when she realized the Centinel was just floating in the air, wriggling. She blinked.

“What in—”

I hurled the Centinel high up into the air, back into the forest, as I landed before her. I placed my hands on my hips, letting my wings return into my body, fixing her with a look.

“Hi, I’m Salvos!”

“Erm, h-hi? I’m Vis’anya…?”

“I’m here to save you and your leader!”

Her small eyes widened as I heard a skittering rapidly approaching me.

“Behind—”

I spun around, digging my claws deep into the [Junior Centinel]’s underbelly. Blood oozed around my claws as it struggled, before its entire body snapped in half, and I tossed it aside.

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 52]!

Little-to-no experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 50 levels below you!

They were too tough for me to deal with using my Class. Or at least, too annoying to kill.

Vis’anya stared at me with her jaw dropped as I let the Centinel for. Another voice— deeper in cadence, but just as high-pitched— called out to her.

“What are you doing, Vis? Pick up your bow! They’re swarming us!”

The man raised a gray staff, aiming it at an incoming Centinel. Vis’anya struggled to her feet, but I shook my head.

“It’s fine. I’ll deal with them.”

Before she could say another word, I spun around and opened my mouth.

“Burn.”

The Centinels froze before they were incinerated. All the dozens of them filling the beach were turned to ash, just like that. The sand, touched by my flames, turned to glass. A blue aura overcame the beach for moments, making it seem like it was the ocean or the sky. But it was over soon after it began.

I took a step back, dusting my hands off. When I spun back around, I saw a dozen little figures gaping at me. The man who spoke to Vis’anya had his eyes bulging out of its sockets. Then he dropped to his knees.

“H-how…?”

Then he hurriedly bowed.

“Oh mighty Demon, immortal of the Netherworld, why have you come here?”

The rest followed suit. Vis’anya too. Her head dropped to the sand as her pointed ears aimed at the sky.

“I’m here to speak with Gukzar!”

I announced. And I sauntered up to him casually, proffering my hand. He hesitated, cracking an eye open as he looked up at me. I tried to smile reassuringly.

“And there’s no need to be scared. Just call me Salvos, alright?”

“I-I… see, mighty— no, Salvos.”

He straightened, letting out a soft cough, but he didn’t meet my gaze.

“I do apologize, but we know not who this Gukzar is.”

“He’s a Cyclops, I think. He’s supposed to be this tall, one eye? You don’t know him?”

“Unfortunately, our crew hasn’t made contact with any Cyclopes any time in this decade.”

“Aw, that sucks.”

I glowered. So, this was the wrong place, after all! I’d have to go searching again, didn’t I? I was about to go when I paused, glancing around at these people, barely more than half my height.

“What are you, anyway? I’ve never seen people like you before.”

“Us?”

He didn’t seem too keen to speak, but he did so anyway, overcoming whatever apprehension he felt from being around me.

“We are worker Elves, serving under the High Ruler Saf’ylos’nusa. We were supposed to deliver a shipment of eldergreen wood to the Dwarven states when a storm wrecked our ship a mere two nights ago.”

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180. Centinels are Crap

180. Centinels are Crap

The Elf man I was speaking to was called Nes’te’rn. His voice was squeaky at times, especially when he was stuttering over his words. I crossed my arms, listening to his explanation as he told me the story of how he and his crew ended up on this island.

His Class wasn’t exactly built for fighting. He was a Level 72 [Shipmaster Spellcaster]. He had Skills which were supposed to help navigate the ocean and its rocky seas. But unfortunately, a combination of an unnaturally powerful storm and the monsters that came with it tore a hole in the ship’s hull two nights ago. Which was how they ended up here.

“And ever since then, we’ve been fending off Centinel after Centinel. They keep coming, no matter how many we kill”

I glanced over at the ship, lying on its side from being washed in by the waves. The Elves had pulled it further inland, but still at the beach, away from the dense forest apparently crawling with Centinels.

Sitting atop a broken wooden beam protruding from the sand, I nodded along as Nes’te’rn finished his explanation.

“We think there’s a Lair, deep within that mountain. They come only in the morning or at night. So, we’re forced to collect wood in the afternoon to repair what’s left of our ship. If we hope to leave this place alive.”

“I see, I see. That’s very interesting.”

I hopped off back onto the sand and patted a hand on Nes’te’rn’s back.

“Well, good luck with that. I currently have a dilemma myself. I’m currently searching for Gukzar. I think I told you this, but he’s a Cyclops. Supposed to be tall. And maybe old?”

I shrugged as I stepped past the Elf.

“He’s not here, even though I thought he would be. I must’ve gotten lost somewhere. See you guys around!”

I raised an arm as my wings spread out behind me. Nes’te’rn didn’t say a word he just watched as I was about to leave, but a voice called out.

“Wait!”

I glanced over at the Elf woman running in a hurry. She halted, panting with her hands on her knees. Vis’anya took a deep breath and gathered herself as I cocked my head.

“Yes?”

“Please don’t go!”

She sputtered, much to my surprise.

“Huh?”

“If you leave us, we’ll be killed by those Centinels. Our mission is very important to High Ruler Saf’ylos’nusa! If we don’t, she’ll be punished by Dominion As’triel!”

“I… don’t know who these people are…”

I tried to recall if I’ve even heard of them before today, but I was pretty sure this was my first time.

“Dominion As’triel is the newly ordained Matriarch of all of Elvenkind. She entrusted High Ruler Saf’ylos’nusa to bring back weapons of war from the Dwarfs. We were the ones who were supposed to… supposed to…”

Vis’anya’s voice trailed off as she glanced over at the shipwreck. I followed her gaze.

“I’m not sure if I’m seeing your point?”

I was perplexed. Genuinely puzzled by what she was trying to say. Vis’anya shook her head.

“Please, help us!”

“But why? I don’t know you. And I’m busy! I have my own problems.”

My logic made sense to me; I had no reason to aid these people, especially if it detracted from what I was trying to do. But she was insistent. And her next words actually surprised me.

“But you could!”

Vis’anya waved her hands exasperatedly, and I blinked.

“What?”

“You could know us! But not if we die here. You could know High Ruler Saf’ylos’nusa, if she isn’t executed by Dominion As’triel. Please. You dealt with those Centinels without any trouble. If you could just stay with us and protect us from them until our ship is repaired—”

“Enough, Vis.”

It was Nes’te’rn who spoke. He shot her a glare before facing me.

“I apologize on behalf of Vis. She is young, barely a burgeoning adult. I was naive like her when I was her age. I’m sure she’ll grow wiser once she reaches her 50th year.”

I went cross-eyed. 50 years old? I wasn’t even five years old! Or wait, was I? I was pretty sure I was around that age. But I might’ve been under five by just a little bit. Not that I really cared. Years didn’t exist in the Netherworld.

“Wait, but how are you so young at 50? How long do Elves live? Humans only live until a hundred, don’t they?”

Nes’te’rn turned to me from lecturing Vis’anya. She made a face at the mention of Humans, but Nes’ter’n didn’t visibly react.

“Ah, those are Human years. We Elves use a different calendar. Or so I’ve been told by Dwarfs who have spoken to Humans.”

“Oh, that explains it.”

So, Elves had a shorter calendar than Humans for whatever reason. Nes’te’rn looked like he was about to continue scolding the Elf woman, but I shrugged.

“I think I’ll help you.”

I tapped a finger on my chin, and the pair of Elves paused.

“You will?”

Vis’anya brightened immediately.

Nes’te’rn paused.

“But why? Why’d you change your mind?”

I turned to the Elf woman. She was half my height. Long and pointed ears that were almost like horns.

“Vis’anya… or do you prefer Vis?”

“Either is welcome.”

She nodded eagerly. I smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“I think you might have a point. I don’t know you, but I could get to know you. That’s an interesting thought I’ve never considered before. Plus, you guys don’t hate me just because I’m… this.”

I gestured at myself, and she shook her head vehemently.

“I’ve always heard about Demons! I’ve never seen one before! You’re the first I’ve ever met!”

“Really? And you Elves don’t hate me?”

“We hear about how you kill Humans— lots of Humans. We don’t really hate you. I kind of admire it, honestly.”

I beamed, raising my chin.

“Is that so? Well, since you think that. I’ll help you. But I won’t just protect your shipwreck. I’ll do you one better: I’ll kill all the Centinels in this island. Then you’ll be safe!”

I spread my wings wide as the Elves scattered across the sand watched. I wreathed myself in flames before shooting off into the forest.

“I’ll be back tomorrow with all of them dead!”

I was curious. I haven’t fought Centinels in a long while. The last time I went into a Centinel Lair, all I encountered were [Younger Centinels]. I was curious now, if there would be any [Older Centinels] or even [Senior Centinels].

I’d like to try them in a fight.

—--

[Passive - A Hunter's Sense] helped me find the source of all the Centinels in the island with ease. They came from the central mountain, towering over the forest and its lush green canopy. There was a large tunnel halfway up the steep slope, clearly burrowed through by the Centinels.

I saw the [Junior Centinels] lining the ceiling and the side walls. I simply burned them off with my blue flames, and they peeled off as their bodies shriveled up into balls.

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 51]!

Little-to-no experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 50 levels below you!

They weren’t a threat. Even as they leapt up at me. I easily dodged them and pressed on.

Now entering [Lair: Centinels Camp].

I dealt with all the [Junior Centinels] guarding the entrance and entered a large cave chamber full of Centinel eggs and [Younger Centinels]. I paused as I saw the small, squirming figures, constantly hatching and killing each other in a bloodbath.

“Here, I’ll help you guys with that!”

I gripped a handful of the tiny shapes with space magic and began to compress them into each other. There was a squelching sound as they let out a soft shriek, and after a few moments of hard concentration, they were squished.

Defeated [Younger Centinel – Lvl. 21]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

…

Defeated [Younger Centinel – Lvl. 34]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

I gathered their eggs as well, squeezing them as the figures within struggled to break free. They were squashed, but gave no experience.

“Huh. I should just burn them.”

I hurled balls of fire down at the eggs poking out like rocks and moved on, focusing only on the [Younger Centinels]. They weren’t hard to kill, to say the least.

The most dangerous part about this evolution of the Centinels were their speed and their terrible mandibles which could chew through rocks with ease. A party of Silver Ranked adventurers would have a lot of difficulty dealing with them. But I didn’t, since I wasn’t in danger of their attacks.

I flew out of the way with ease whenever they came leaping at me. Or catch them with my space magic. Or they’d just burn on my armor if they did land on my back.

It really wasn’t much of an issue. The biggest problem was how they seemed so intent on killing each other, that I received less experience than I should’ve for each kill.

I was getting bored of just using my Class to with the [Younger Centinels], wanting to use my flames and be done with it, when I heard a rumbling. The ceiling shook as a creature— no, a pair of creatures burst out from the ceiling. More Centinels poured down. A mixture of [Junior Centinels] and [Younger Centinels]. But a main, large creature which opened up that massive hole stood far taller than the rest.

It was about two dozen feet in length, with multiplied layers of sharp feet on its underbelly, below its shell. Its segmented body was protected by a thick carapace that seemed to sizzle with smoke— some sort of acid that could even eat through rock and stone.

[Older Centinel - Lvl. 83]

“Huh. Are these your children?”

I was answered by an ear-piercing shriek. The [Older Centinel] trampled over the other [Junior Centinels] and [Younger Centinels] as it lashed out at me, striking the hard stone wall and shredding it like it was paper.

“Woah, you’re fast, aren’t you?”

I floated above its head as it completely missed its attack. Baring my teeth, I grabbed the edge of one of its segments of shell, trying to pry it open with space magic.

“And durable too!”

It flipped around as acid poured out of its mandibles. I ducked out of the way, seeing that its underbelly, too, was protected.

It was a monster that was Level 83. A Platinum Rank threat. But here was the thing about Centinels. I’ve learned that while they had a strong layer of protective carapace over their body, their skin itself was far softer and weaker.

“So, I just have to rip that stupid shell out of your back, don’t I?”

I zipped through the air as the Centinel followed me, ripping apart its own children in a rage. Or maybe they weren’t its children. These were wild creatures. Maybe they just came to existence naturally, just like how I did.

Whatever the case was, I didn’t let go of its slowly denting shell on its back, somewhere around the middle of its long figure. Its shell wasn’t one long piece of armor, but separated pieces, like platemail. So, that meant I didn’t have to break its whole back to get to its soft body.

There were a few close calls, where the [Older Centinel] nearly struck me. It would’ve been dangerous. Not only was it not too far below my level, but as often said, Centinels had powerful bites.

My [Vitality] wasn’t the highest for my level. I did have a Pendant of Greater Protection and a set of flaming armor. But I wasn’t going to let myself get hit for no good reason.

It was going to take a while to even open it up for proper attacks. And it would take just as long to kill it.

“But it’s a good thing I have all the time in the world, don’t I?”

I grinned as it thrashed about, sending corpses of other Centinels flying and splattering on the walls and the ceiling. Laughing, I danced with the [Older Centinel] until it could dance no more. I broke it down bit by bit, slowly, with only my Class and my own Stat superiority.

When I was finished, the Centinels Camp was empty. A whole day had passed of non-stop fighting. But I won.

Defeated [Older Centinel – Lvl. 83]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Cleared [Lair: Centinels Camp]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 33] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 34]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 34] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 35]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Adept of the Fae] Level Up!

[Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 35] -> [Adept of the Fae - Lvl. 36]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

[Advancement Available]

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181. Friendship!

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Her Golemancer Girlfriend, a female lead, AI, LitRPG!

A slow-burn, fast-punching progression fantasy about power, love, and dungeon exploration. Updates daily.

Visit Fleettwixt! Enjoy its state-of-the-art mana trains, its sky-high towers, its diverse cultures, and of course its countless golems waiting to do your every bidding. Life in the capital city is a paradise...

...But that paradise comes at a great cost.

Enter Amelia Bluewood. Half-human, half-golem. All fury. A hometown in ruins, a girlfriend missing without a trace, a system malfunctioning. She's lost everything, but now, in Fleettwixt, she has a chance for revenge, a chance for answers, a chance to gain power.

Her human appearance hides a complex modular core that allows her to absorb souls to enhance and upgrade herself. No matter what it takes, no matter how many people she has to kill, she will gain the power needed to take on the powerful corporation controlling the continent.

The North Sunwell Company's days are numbered. Amelia Bluewood is never going to stop until she wins.

Her Golemancer Girlfriend | Royal Road

181. Friendship!

[Advancement Available]

I sat amongst the corpses of the Centinels, sifting through the notifications in my head, and feasting on the meat of the dead monsters.

“Blegh, this doesn’t taste that good. Or wait...”

Shrugging, I tried another chunk of meat, before deciding it wasn’t exactly bad.

“Tastes better than steak, at least.”

Class Advancement:

Requirements for three Class advancements have been met!

“Three Classes, huh? That’s not as many as I thought there’d be. But maybe that’s because I’m getting my advancement early. Oh well, let’s see what they are!”

[Dimensional Mage]

A [Dimensional Mage] is a [Mage] specialized in manipulating space and reality itself to their own will. Unlike their [Space Mage] counterparts, [Dimensional Mages] focuses on making slight alterations to what is already there rather than rapidly weaving the fabric of space to achieve their goals.

+5 [Wisdom]

+5 [Endurance]

+5 [Agility]

+3 [Strength]

+1 [Vitality]

“A [Dimensional Mage]? Interesting.”

I scratched my chin and smacked my lips as I finished my meal.

“But why didn’t I get a [Space Mage] option? That’s what Lily has, right?”

It might’ve been because I mostly used my spells for offensive purposes. Sure, I did train with Lily to learn other ways to use my magic. Especially creatively. But at the end of the day, I couldn’t just teleport a Centinel away when it attacked me. It would keep coming unless I killed it.

“What’s next? It better be good! I advanced at Level 36, you know? I’m amazing, so it must be amazing too!!”

And it was.

[Fairy Maiden]

A [Fairy Maiden] is a [Mage] who has earned the trust and blessings of Fairykind. Under the tutelage of a Fairy, a [Fairy Maiden] has learned many things. Yet, she still knows not the true secrets of the Fairy Queen or her goals. Perhaps, in time…

+10 [Wisdom]

+8 [Endurance]

+1 [Vitality]

+1 [Strength]

+1 [Agility]

“Woah…”

Something about this Class captivated me. Perhaps it was because it piqued my curiosity. I wondered what it meant. Secrets? Lily told me that the Fairy Queen was wise. She told me that there were a lot of things I didn’t know.

I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t the least bit interested.

But beyond just that, I found the boost in Stats to be alluring as well. While Stats mattered less now that I was Level 100— it played a bigger role in lower levels, considering how much a single Stat Point would be worth if I only had 30 total Stats, whereas now with almost a thousand, it was worth a lot less— they often served as a good indicator of the quality of Skills I’d get when I evolved.

Surely it would be similar for a Class advancement, right?

“And I’d be a Fairy Maiden! Lily would think I’m so cool—”

I paused. I tilted my head up slightly, remembering the warnings Lily gave me. She didn’t condone pursuing the path of those who worshipped Fairies to the point of obsession. I didn’t think that having a Class would mess with one’s mind. So, these people had to have just been insane on their own.

But did I really want to follow the same steps as those who Lily hated?

“We’ll see what the last Class is, then decide.”

It proved to be a difficult decision to make.

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus]

A [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] is a [Mage] of renown. The world is their playground. Its inhabitants are their friends, although some are their enemies. For those they abhor, they will show no mercy. But for those they love, they will show kindness everlasting. They are free. Not constrained to merely a single location in the vast world. They know there is more to existence than what is before them. Their magic lets them seek out things beyond their periphery, no matter what.

+8 [Endurance]

+8 [Wisdom]

+3 [Vitality]

+3 [Strength]

+3 [Agility]

“That… that sounds so cool!”

I hopped to my feet, pacing around the blood smeared floor.

“All three of these options are so good! Is this what it means to reach an advancement early on? I love all these Classes!”

But I could only choose one. They all seemed perfect for what I wanted, even if they’d achieve it in different ways; they each would bring me a step closer to mastering the magic I needed to know to return to the Netherworld.

It was tailored for me. But that was because I had worked towards it, right? Both [Fairy Maiden] and [Dimensional Mage] seemed like they were Classes I had met the conditions for from training with Lily. The only one that could’ve been more recent was [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus]. And even that could’ve been achieved long ago.

So, there was no secret. I had done everything right; I had listened to those who were more knowledgeable than me, and it all paid off. I just had to reach the right level for it to happen.

“I didn’t need to find Gukzar then, didn’t I?”

This fetch quest proved to be nothing more than just motivation for me to reach the level I needed. Which was good! At least I hadn’t wasted time doing something I didn’t need to do. I had to thank Vis’anya for convincing me to help her. Although, that was also partially because of Lily, I guess.

Lily was adamant that things mattered even if they didn’t affect you. I wasn’t sure what that meant. But I was trying to understand it, at least. Maybe if I continued to be kind to strangers, I’d be rewarded like this again?

That was possible. But it also seemed stupid at the same time.

Regardless, I liked all these Classes. And as I told that [Older Centinel], I had plenty of time. I gave myself a time constraint. A week to return to Mavos Academy. And I was done in half that time.

I wasn’t just going to choose a Class now, especially with how exceptional each seemed to be. I’d think about it. For now, I’d go back.

—--

Vis’anya and the other Elves were sleeping when I returned from the Lair of the Centinels. One of them was up, keeping watch with bleary eyes, but he didn’t notice me moving in the darkness. I gave him a little spook by sneaking up behind him. His high-pitched scream woke up everyone and drew them to action.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! It’s just me, see?”

I laughed as a few of the short Elves collapsed to their knees, tightly grasping at their hearts. Vis’anya and Nes’te’rn approached me with worried looks on their faces.

“You’ve returned.”

The Elf man spoke in an oddly low voice. I nodded, grinning.

“I took care of all the Centinels!”

Vis’anya’s eyes widened. She leapt into the air and cheered.

“She did it!”

All the other Elves dropped to their knees, forming a circle around me. She was the last to follow. Prostrating, she spoke softly.

“It is thanks to you, Salvos, Demon of the Netherworld, that we shall be able to complete our journey. I assure you, Dominion As’triel herself will hear about this. Your named would be lauded throughout our domain!”

I beamed, accepting the praise.

“Of course, of course. I know that I’m great!”

The Elves around me sang praises as I was at the very center of their attention. I felt cathartic, as I always did, whenever others revered me. I was so caught up in this moment that I didn’t even hear the joyful conversation between Vis’anya and Nes’te’rn off to the side.

“Praise the north winds, she did it! Thanks to her, the armies will be armed and ready as planned!”

“Yes… it is truly a wonder that she showed up when she did.”

Nes’te’rn sighed as I smiled, still not hearing this conversation as a few of the younger-looking Elves approached me with questions and starstruck eyes.

A relieved look crossed his face as I once again considered becoming a [Hero]. After all—

“Now, our invasion of the Human lands will not be delayed. War shall come, and we shall be victorious.”

It felt good doing the right thing.

—--

I stayed with the Elves until they finished repairing their ship, just in case they had any more trouble with stray Centinels. None showed up, and they departed the next day.

There was plenty of time before I needed to return to Mavos Academy. I wasn’t in any rush.

But once I was certain the Elves were safe, I bade farewell to Nes’te’rn and Vis’anya and took off. The latter girl seemed rather distressed to see me go, but that was probably because she was young and immature. I, who was old and wise in the ways of the world, understood that things were never constant.

Not even rocks.

So, I left them, shedding no tears, simply delighted that I could make new friends and reach my advancement. I soared back towards the Human lands, keeping note of the sun on the horizon. I knew I was headed in the right direction— or at least, I thought I was.

I could only confirm it for sure when I saw the archipelago with the cratered island in the center. It was only then I knew for certain I wasn’t lost. I spotted figures on the gray beach of the main island, with a canoe-like boat anchored just off shore.

I recognized the Humans standing there. It was the [Fisher] who told me about Gukzar. He was accompanied by the same bulky man as before, as well as other adventurers I have never met before. And they all looked upset at the [Fisher].

“You promised us treasure—”

“No one could have predicted that the volcano would erupt—”

“Oh, right, I’m supposed to pretend to be Human.”

I didn’t hear what they were saying; it was only fortunate that they were too mad to notice me, a Demon, flying above the clouds. I’d have loved to give them a little scare, but that’d probably be problematic for later on. I transformed back and continued back to Wimborne.

Once I spotted the port city, I swerved out into a swamp instead. I didn’t want to deal with anyone scolding me for flying without a permit. I could get a permit when I was finally enrolled into Mavos Academy.

Right now, I just had to resolve another requirement needed to enroll into the school. And to do that, I had to speak with Saffron.

Saffron Merryster was… awake.

It was long past midnight. It was past curfew for the students of Mavos Academy. But she hadn’t been in her room. She had been outside, attending a secret meeting with the cabal of other Vampires who attended the academy.

Well, she thought of them as a cabal. But truthfully, there were only two other members alongside Saffron. One of them was the young Valda, who refused to show up. That left only Saffron and the last Vampire.

A former adventurer by the name of Adney. He was gruff and crass, and Saffron would rather not have shared a room with him if he wasn’t a Vampire. But he was the only one who saw the same threat of Demons as her.

So, it was together they dined and drank in blood, leveling their Racial Skill of [Vampiric Essence].

It was almost disconcerted, drinking blood. Vampires couldn’t get drunk off alcohol. But if they drank even a glass of blood, one would grow tipsy. And that was Human blood. What Matthew had given her was Demon blood.

A single sip was enough for her to grow incredibly drunk. That was why she couldn’t consume it all at once. And that was why she decided to share it with other Vampires who could make use of it.

Unfortunately, she must’ve had one too many sips today, because she found herself stumbling back to her room, not maintaining even a shred of the stealth needed to not get caught.

“Regnorex… is at the gates…”

She slurred her words as she pushed her room door open. Somehow, no lecturer or teacher was out on watch. Which was good, because if she was caught, she’d be in a lot of trouble.

“My head… is a banging drum…”

Saffron would’ve shut the door and collapsed into the nearby couch in an instant if there wasn’t a figure already sitting there. She rubbed at her eyes, then blinked.

“...Salvos?”

“Saffron!”

The silver-haired girl jumped up in excitement and ran over to the noble Vampire.

“Where were you? They said you’re supposed to be here!”

“Wh— what? Who did?”

Saffron Merryster rubbed at her eyes, hoping that she was hallucinating. She was not. Salvos waved a hand dismissively.

“That old guy with the glasses. He was upset that you weren’t here. He went out to search for you, saying that he’d bring you back! I wonder where he went?”

The noble Vampire paused. Her eyes crossed together as she slowly registered what was being said.

“Y-y—”

“Anyway!”

Salvos interrupted her, pulling out sheets of parchment and a pen.

“I’ve got to finish this personal statement thing to enroll, and I need your help writing my words down.”

There were a lot of things racing through Saffron’s mind. She managed to get words out, although she wasn’t sure if that was the question she wanted to ask.

“You can’t write?

“I can write! Daniel taught me!”

The silver-haired girl spoke indignantly. But she hesitated a moment after, scratching her right cheek.

“But, um, not that well. See?”

She held up one of the pieces of paper. Her name had been written on it. Calligraphed across the page in the ugliest and biggest letters Saffron had ever seen.

“Look, it’s just ten pages. I’ll just dictate for an hour or so and you’ll write it down. It’s not too much for you, right?”

This was too much. Saffron wanted to faint. In fact, she passed out right there.

“Hello? Saffron? Are you alr—”

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182.1. Personal Statement

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Part 1 of 2.

182.1. Personal Statement

“Urgh, I must’ve had the worst nightmare from—”

“Hello!”

I piped up as Saffron jolted back. She crawled away from me, to the other side of her large bed, desperately hugging a pillow.

“S-Salvos?”

“Yes, it’s me!”

“This means that…”

She trailed off, and I cocked my head. A voice spoke up from the side, drawing both of our attention.

“That is correct, Lady Saffron. The events of the previous night were not a dream.”

“Oh no.”

The young noble buried her head in her hands, wanting to melt into her bed. But her butler continued.

“I have spoken with hall director Andrew. So there isn’t any need to worry. The issue has been resolved.”

She blinked.

“But how? The rules explicitly state that violating curfew could result in expulsion.”

“It is only a possibility if it is repeatedly violated. But this is your first time. And you have only been a violator this once. Also, if word gets out that the esteemed daughter of the Merryster family found herself in trouble at Mavos Academy, it’d be a scandal that’d plague the noble circles for years to come.”

Saffron narrowed her eyes as I glanced between the two.

“You bribed him.”

“If that is what you wish to call it, Lady Saffron.”

Sighing, she pulled herself out of her bed. She straightened and dusted her dress.

“I am not a child who needs to be pardoned with the help of others, Matthew.”

“Apologies, Lady Saffron.”

Saffron shook her head as I peered at her, waiting for a lull in the conversation. When I found it, I spoke up.

“So, anyway—”

She turned to me, speaking over me.

“No.”

“Um, no?”

“I’m not helping you.”

She folded her arms across her chest. I paused.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not going to be your scribe, Salvos. Unfortunately, even if it is the weekend, I still have duties to carry out as a student of Mavos Academy and as the daughter of the Merryster family. You’ll have to ask someone else to help you with your personal statement.”

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about that.”

I gestured at a few sheets of paper lying on the nearby desk.

“Matthew already helped me out!”

“I did what I had to do, Lady Saffron.”

For whatever reason, he sounded defeated. I shrugged, grabbing my personal statement off the table.

“I just wanted to ask for your help with reading through it. Maybe tell me what you think?”

Saffron seemed more open to this idea.

“That… is something I can do.”

“Thanks!”

I hefted the pieces of paper over to the noble woman. She sifted through it, furrowing her brows.

“Wait, you dictated all this?”

“Yep! I told him what to write.”

“This is…”

She started reading it aloud.

The infant floats in a sea of nothingness, existence but a mere eternity in darkness away from her birth. Logic dictated that this nativity is when the self is born, consciousness seeping into the fore of one's senses, distinction as a precondition rather than a prefiguration of life. Yet, this truism stipulates the priori of heightened perception: for consciousness being-in-itself as well as being-for-an-other.

I had been alone; no friends; no companions; nothing more to experience than the infinitude of death. I remember questioning the very verisimilitude of my own lugubrious existence, flummoxed by the superfluous phantasm of life. How could any epistemology hold merit if my own truncated extant was mere frivol?

The moments passed like teardrops, lost to a vast ocean. My life had no meaning— I was just another pebble on the ground, to be trampled without care. It was only upon meeting the others did what I perceive truly expand beyond my fringes. They were pulchritudinous things. Colorful. Exuberant. Different.

Subjects that I treated as objects, and subjects that treated me as an object.

I saw none of myself in these strangers—

“What the fuck?”

Saffron placed the first piece of paper down. I hesitated.

“Is it that bad?”

“No, no, I just— was caught off guard. This is… a lot more coherent than I thought it’d be.”

I beamed as she continued reading it, not shriveling in disgust at what I had Matthew write down.

“I like talking about myself.”

“You really do, don’t you?”

She finished going over the entire thing.

“This is… quite good, Salvos. You didn’t just talk about your own achievements, you also mentioned those who helped you and aided you in becoming who you are today. Honestly, most students who write these personal statements tend to fixate on themselves or others in their life. You have a good mix of both.”

I proudly raised my head, scratching a cheek shyly.

“I wouldn’t be who I am today if not for those around me.”

“I do pity these two friends you’ve extensively mentioned. But as I had suspected since I first met you, you are truly quite a remarkable individual.”

Setting my personal statement down, she gave me an approving look.

“This would be enough to compel me to accept your entrance into Mavos Academy.”

“Really?”

I perked up as she nodded. I believed her assessment, so that was likely settled.

“Now, all that’s left to do is to get the hundred platinum I need from the Merchants Guild and…”

Choose my Class.

I was still undecided, but I will have to pick on eventually, right?

[Dimensional Mage], [Fairy Maiden], and [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus].

—--

Wimborne’s Merchants Guild was quite small compared to its Adventurers Guild. Apparently, [Traders] and [Merchants] had a lot of autonomy here, considering the importance of the ocean route and the various ways Shedos connected the Eastern Kingdoms to the Helbir city states.

A high-leveled [Banker] had to come and hand me the amount I wished to withdraw, since there were apparently a lot of complications in suddenly taking a large sum of money with short notice. But it was all resolved, and I headed back to Mavos Academy.

For whatever reason, people were staring at me, whispering, and pointing fingers. I ignored most of them, even though [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] made me keenly aware of what they were doing. I walked down an alleyway and a man with a knife followed after me.

I was pretty sure he wanted to attack me, but another man stopped him. After exchanging a few hushed words, they hurried off. Which was strange. They would’ve seen me as a Level 36 [Mage], right?

They were both around Level 50. I would’ve thought they’d be more confident in their abilities. Unless, somehow, they knew I was truly disguising my level. It wasn’t like I made a scene any time recently.

Oh wait… I remembered what happened at the docks a few days ago. Oops. I didn’t mean to make a big deal out of it.

But I just did leave the Merchants Guild with a hundred platinum, didn’t I?

Well, things to learn for next time.

Saffron was busy gathering alchemical ingredients or something, so I didn’t really have anywhere to go. I decided that I might as well just submit everything to Clayton now, since I hit all the requirements.

I stood at the base of his tower, a bag of platinum coins in one hand, and a stack of papers tucked neatly under the arm of my other hand. The Headmaster arrived shortly after I spoke to a [Secretary].

He harrumphed as he saw me.

“So, you’ve returned.”

“I’ve done everything you asked me to do!”

I handed him the payment and my personal statement, which he didn’t accept by hand. They simply floated when I let go of it, hovering up to just above his shoulders.

“And you’ve already reached your next Class advancement?”

“I have!”

He tapped a leg impatiently.

“Well, what is it?”

“I’m still kind of undecided?”

I gave him a half-hearted look. He stared at me.

“You’re undecided?”

“Yep! I just kind of assumed that, you know, I can choose it later when I’m more decided. I mean, the requirement was to reach your next advancement, not undergo it, right?”

I didn’t even convince myself. And yet, somehow, he conceded.

“While one would say that is one in the same, I would admit that the rules are not particularly harsh on such a matter.”

“Wait, what?”

“There have been students admitted into our regular curriculum, of course, who chose to stave off their Class advancement. They are typically required to make a decision before the end of their first year, so you are not the only one to have come to this conclusion. However, such a situation has never happened for those applying to the School of Aspiring Elites.”

Clayton was uncertain. He ran a hand through his scruffy beard as I raised a hand.

“But that’s because most of those who apply for the School of Aspiring Elites are already experienced. I’m… not, right? You’ve said it yourself. I need guidance. And I feel like making a hasty decision would only cost me.”

He considered it. He wore a thoughtful look on his face as I shuffled uncomfortably, waiting in silence. I wanted to add more to it, but it seemed like he had heard enough and just needed to mull it over for a moment. Finally, he nodded.

“Very well. I will grant you a month, Salvos the Liberator of the Plaguelands. That is, if you are accepted, of course. You will hear back about your admission by the end of the week. Although, due to these extraordinary circumstances, you may receive your results sooner rather than later.”

I smiled in relief, bowing my head.

“Thank you, Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder.”

182.2. Personal Statement

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

182.2. Personal Statement

It was a nerve-wracking few days where there was complete silence from Claytron. I stayed over with Saffron as I debated the merits over each of my Classes. I mentioned each of the Classes I receive options for and their descriptions. She was, unfortunately, far too fixed on a single one of the Classes.

“You’re saying you met a Fairy.”

“Yep.”

“A rare Spirit that maybe one in every million people have even seen before.”

I nodded as she sat back on her couch. She rubbed at her temples before she continued.

“And you didn't just meet one of these archaic creatures only mentioned in history books, you’ve also made one teach you.”

“I didn’t make Lily do anything! I just asked, and she listened!”

That was a vast oversimplification. But the last thing I wanted was for her to find out about my true identity. Maybe this could be something I told her in the future. But I had a thought. Something which alarmed me slightly.

But if Matthew really had been delivering blood to Saffron, couldn’t she have been some kind of Vampire?

That meant she’d probably hate me a lot if she discovered that I was an Archdemon of Pride. I didn’t want that! So, I didn’t think I’d ever tell her the truth.

She could be a [Blood Mage] or some kind of [Cultist].

Those were always possibilities. I just didn’t intend on testing anything out.

Saffron sighed.

“Befriending a Fairy is something no one has done since Melissa, the Oracle of Light, Salvos. Let alone having it teach you. If there was a Class I had to pick between [Fairy Maiden], [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus], or [Dimensional Mage], I’d choose [Fairy Maiden], no questions asked.”

“But Lily advised against going down that path!”

I protested for whatever reason. It wasn’t like I couldn’t see Saffron’s point; I did, I truly did. I was very much intrigued by it as a Class. However, I felt like she was missing my apprehensions about it.

She snorted.

“A vague warning would never make me pass up the opportunity of a lifetime. Although, this may have less weight to you as it would for me, since you’re rather accustomed to such momentous things. The most I can say is what I’ve already told you: it is up to you to decide.”

I never really had such a problem with choosing a Class or a Subspecies before now. Everything always seemed so obvious to me. I’d just pick what best suited me! But all these Classes sounded like they’d be the same. Although they weren’t.

There were subtle nuances to them which would result in starkly different outcomes. For one thing, was a [Wordly Mystic of the Nexeus] even related to space magic?

The safest option seemed to be [Dimensional Mage]. It was what currently appealed to me the most. Yet, it was the one which would not have anything… special to it. But was special always better?

I decided to wait a bit longer. Maybe once I spoke to the mentors of Mavos Academy, they’d be able to offer me the wisdom needed to make a decision. Whatever the case was, without a place to stay, I lived with Saffron, eating bugs and sleeping on her couch until I heard back from Clayton.

The noble woman didn’t exactly say anything about my diet, but I could tell she was slightly disgusted by it.

Eventually, I received a letter from Clayton himself. It called me to the Tower of Truth— an edifice located at the central area of Mavos Academy. It didn’t rise up to meet the low-hanging clouds, but it had a domed roof decorated and gilded with gold and jewels.

Saffron saw me off at the entrance before I was brought into a large hall by Clayton’s [Secretary]. She sat me down in the middle of a large ritual circle shrouded in darkness. I saw no one in my surroundings, but I knew there were a dozen people hiding in the shadows.

Clayton was one of them. His voice boomed out as the ritual circle shone a brilliant red.

“Salvos, Liberator of the Plaguelands, Death of the Destroyer, and Savior of Silvergrove. Do you hereby swear that you do not intend to bring harm to Mavos Academy, its students, or any of its faculty?”

I cocked my head, surprised by the sudden question. However, I answered truthfully. I sensed the magic around me— I knew it had some sort of effect that would discern my words for its veracity.

“I am not enrolling into your academy with the intention of harming anyone or anything. I am here to learn.”

The ritual circle flashed green briefly, before Clayton continued with his interrogation.

“Do you swear that you have met all the requirements necessary to join the School of Aspiring Elites?”

“I have.”

“And that, as a part of our student body, you will not act in any manner that is deleterious or detrimental to Mavos Academy’s reputation?”

“I will not.”

“Will you abide by the rules set forth by myself, Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder, the hundred and third headmaster of Mavos Academy?”

“I will.”

Each time he asked a question, the ritual circle returned to its red glow. But each time I answered, it shone green. The questions kept coming for what felt like half an hour, until finally—

“Mavos Academy is an institution that aims to enrich Humankind and protect us against the terrible monsters living in nature, and the other Species of the Mortal Realm who hope to bring an end to our existence. Do you swear that you are not acting in any way as an agent that would actively aid our enemies, or would actively damage the progress or safety of our Species?”

“I act for myself, and only myself. I am not an agent of any other Species, nor do I come here with any desire to harm Humankind as a whole.”

It flashed green.

There were voices in the darkness. Murmurings. They held a short discussion, before finally Clayton spoke out once more.

“You have passed the screening. You have answered all the questions truthfully, and there is no evidence of any curse or mind-altering magic being cast on you. You are hereby a student of the School of Aspiring Elites.”

He stepped out of the veil of darkness, alongside other older men and women. Professors, lecturers, and teachers. They clapped softly as the ritual circle dimmed and candles flickered into existence along the walls, lighting up the room.

I felt a wide smile spreading across my face. Clayton returned the smile as he shook my hand.

“Welcome to Mavos Academy.”

A note from MelasD

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183.1. Orientation

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

183.1. Orientation

“We shall now begin your orientation.”

Clayton’s [Secretary] approached me, producing a sheet of folded paper. I accepted it as she adjusted her glasses.

“Ms Salvos, if you will follow me, I shall give you a brief tour of the academy.”

“Oh, alright.”

I glanced over at the Headmaster if he had anything else to add. But after welcoming me as a student and shaking my hand, he had gone off to the side to speak with a handful of older men and women. They spoke in hushed voices, about things I probably couldn’t care about. So, I simply nodded and followed the [Secretary].

“What’s your name?”

I asked her as we left the Tower of Truth. Apparently this large structure held the offices of many of the school faculty. I saw the runes inscribed on the walls and felt the strands of mana contorting around the entire building. I couldn’t study it in detail, since there was some other spell overlaid on top of it to obfuscate its detailed makeup.

“I am Marie Schofen. You may simply address me as [Secretary] Marie. More than that is not necessary.”

“Sure!”

I followed her down the steep white steps leading up to the Tower of Truth. Marie unfolded her own sheet of paper, unveiling a map, and gestured at the courtyard before us.

“This is the Central Square of Mavos Academy. It is, as you can surmise from the map, at the very center of the institution.”

“I see, I see.”

I nodded along as she listed the names of the various buildings located around Central Square.

“And that is the Thundercage. It is where [Aeromancers] practice their Flight spells and their lightning magic. There’s no need to worry about stray lightning bolts, since the four poles in each corner are effective conductors placed to draw the electricity. Next to it is the House of Amber, a building donated by the Amber family…”

It wasn’t like a city where all the buildings were uniform. But they weren’t haphazardly built structures either. They were all enhanced by magic. There was a thin tower, almost like a minaret, that reached up to a cloud. There was a dome-like building, holding in it what seemed like a small lake. I saw fish and sea creatures with long and undulating bodies floating through its glass panel walls. There were people swimming alongside them, much to my surprise.

There was a floating stadium; a crooked, spiral building; and what looked like a castle all in the Central Square.

“Moving on, we shall head to the west wing of the academy.”

“Wait, just how large is this place?”

I found my eyes glazing over the scenery. It was colorful, vibrant— full of life. It wasn’t crowded, since students were busy with classes and lessons. However, when I first came through the Central Square, I remembered that it was very much teeming with people rushing to the different buildings, some of them using magic to quicken their pace, only to be stopped by what looked like guards dressed in robes.

“Mavos Academy is a large institution. There is an estimated population of over 20,000 people living here.”

“That many students? I thought Platinum Ranks were rare!”

“They are. But not everyone living here is a student. And not student graduates. Furthermore, the curriculum is rigorous, and intended to be so. There is a drop-out rate of 73% over the course of all four years. The death rate is 2%, higher than any other academy in the world. In fact, this is the only academy in the world which regularly produces individuals equivalent to Platinum Rank. That is why we are sought out by every nation in the Human lands.”

“Huh.”

It was, honestly, like a small city.

Except, magical.

“You guys are pretty awesome, aren’t you?”

I heard a sigh from Marie, for whatever reason.

—--

We didn’t hold much small talk. Marie seemed quite brusque, to be honest. I knew when people didn’t like me— most of the time. And she clearly disliked me.

It was probably because she was lower-leveled than me.

[Secretary - Lvl 87]

I was surprised that her Class even reached that high of a level. But whatever the case was, she showed me around dutifully. I saw the vibrant botanical gardens in the east wing, and a dull, small desert enclosure in the south wing. There was a small rain forest with its own biome and natural environment on one side, while a fully artificial edifice rose up right next to it, made out of metal as a laboratory.

There were multiple libraries located throughout Mavos Academy. Each of them had their own unique design. One was built like a temple, reminiscent of the ostentatious designs the Sanctum of Elements had. Another was more sleek— neat. Not a lot of decorations. It showed just where books were, and that was that.

Marie gave me a detailed history of each location and their uses, before the orientation finally came to an end. When it did, she handed me a folder full of documents.

“What’s this?”

I cocked my head, and she replied.

“This is for you to fill out, Ms Salvos. To determine your schedule. Do try to submit this as soon as possible, as classes have already begun, so you are far behind your peers in terms of your education.”

“Oh, um, what do you recommend?”

I had no idea what I was looking at. I saw boxes— tables. There were checklists and names. I didn’t understand it at all. Marie shook her head.

“That is for you to decide.”

She turned around, about to leave me alone.

“Wait—”

I raised a hand, blinking.

“What about my… dormitory?”

That was what Saffron called it. Marie answered simply as per usual.

“Unfortunately, students in the School of Aspiring Elites typically find their own housing. The dormitories are reserved solely for those attending the College of Aspirations— those in the four year program.”

“Where am I supposed to stay?”

“There are other housing situations across the campus. However, they will not be partially reimbursed as student housing dormitories are. I suggest finding one now too.”

I watched as she left. I crossed my arms, frowning.

“As if! I’ll just stay with Saffron!”

183.2. Orientation

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

183.2. Orientation

“No.”

“Please?”

Saffron Merryster rubbed her temples as I pleaded with her.

“I’ll just sleep on the couch! I have nowhere else to go!”

“Don’t you have the coin, Salvos?”

“Yep! But I don’t know how to buy a house!”

“You don’t have to—”

There was a moment where she tried to work her jaw. Where she tried to speak. But something in her clicked, and she decided against it.

“You know what? Fine. But I will not accommodate you as I have done so so far. You will not be my guest. You will be a roommate. So, try not to make a mess, or I will be lodging formal complaints against you.”

“Yay! Thank you!”

I hugged her and entered the room, throwing myself onto the couch. My belongings were still here, since I had been staying over beforehand. Matthew gave me a sidelong glance from the kitchen as he washed the dishes from the night before.

“Also, Matthew will no longer be catching your meals for you. You will have to find those… bugs by yourself.”

“Aw. But that’s fine.”

I got to work, rather than arguing with her. I began sifting through the documents I had been given, trying to figure out what classes I wanted to take for my first ‘term’ in Mavos Academy.

“Ok, so, there are these classes… that’s a lot of classes. And they’re very specialized, aren’t they? Although, it looks like these two classes are full, and these other seven classes have been dropped. Hm.”

There was, fortunately, a class on space magic. And another on theoretical dimensional movement. Also, a class on summonings, which I thought would be relevant to me. So, I chose those three as my main classes.

I had to choose another two, unrelated to my concentration. I chose general rune study as one of them, since I was interested in understanding how enchantments worked. I would’ve liked to replicate something similar to the Runic Scroll of Starfall. Since I wasn’t an [Enchanter] or a [Runesmith], I highly doubted I’d be able to create anything equal to its level.

But I’d have been satisfied with being able to create Low Grade artifacts myself.

Lastly, I had to choose a lab class.

“What even is a lab class?”

I wondered aloud to myself. Saffron glanced at me, snorting.

“Lab classes are meant for practical learning, as opposed to the more theoretical lessons given from the other lectures. While the regular classes are practical with examinations that test your abilities on the field, those happen only so rarely. Working in a laboratory will require almost every lesson to be practical lessons.”

“Huh. And here there’s smithing, alchemy, herbalism, crafting, mining— there’s a lot of things here. What should I choose?”

“I suggest alchemy.”

Saffron peered over my shoulder.

“It is the most useful for someone such as you to learn. When you are out in a Dungeon or far from any civilization, it’d be useful to know how to use the ingredients at your surroundings to create your own potions, no?”

“You’re right!”

I looked over at the options listed. Most of the alchemy classes were full, except for two of them. One was by a professor William S. Bradern. The other was by [Alchemist] Raymond.

“Which of these classes do you think I should take?”

“I’ve heard good things about professor Bradern. However, he is a harsh teacher. For someone like you, who’s more… new to all this. I’d suggest taking [Alchemist] Raymond instead.”

“Alright then!”

I finished filling out the documents and left to submit them. Before returning, I stopped by one of the gardens to hunt for insects to eat. I snagged a few colorful-looking large critters, filling my stomach, and left with a burp.

It was past midnight by the time I was back in Saffron’s room. Or— our room, now. Matthew didn’t stay over in the dormitory. He found his own place to stay elsewhere in Mavos Academy. Saffron was already asleep, so all I did was collapse onto the couch, excited for the day that was to come.

I’m finally going to begin school.

It was nerve-wracking. There were still several hours before my first class started. I didn’t feel sleepy, for whatever reason. Did my [Partial Mortality] penalty vanish somehow?

Whatever it was, I didn’t sleep. I had no reason to. I didn’t feel like it. Instead, I stayed awake, happily planning all the events of the next day. I also considered the pros and cons for my various Classes.

[Fairy Maiden] seemed more appealing than ever to my mind, which was slowly growing more and more tired. But [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] sounded cool! And [Dimensional Mage] would raise the least amount of questions.

It was a tough decision. And I yawned.

General Skill [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 3] -> [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

—--

“Salvos, you’re going to be late!”

I blearily blinked my eyes open as Saffron pulled me out of the couch. I yawned, and she shoved me out of the door.

“Come on— I’m not going to be late because you overslept!”

I stumbled forward, confused at what was going on. Wasn’t I awake just a moment ago? I was pretty sure the sun had just risen, and I decided to rest my eyes for a second. But now it was higher up in the sky. It was nearly noon!

Saffron led me out of the dorm building and into the street. We were in the west wing of Mavos Academy, where most of the housing areas and food areas were located. I was still confused when I spotted the name written on a building in the distance.

“Your first class is at that building over there!”

She pointed, before running off in another direction.

“Don’t be late or you’ll be in trouble!”

I watched her go as I mindlessly headed to Shoveler’s Hall. I didn’t run, for whatever reason. I only realized that I was, in fact, five minutes late, when I stepped into my first lecture room. It was the class on space magic. It was a smaller room, compared to the others I passed by.

There were only a dozen students there, seated rather far apart from each other. The lecturer— an older lady with a single monocle— was drawing a circular shape on the chalkboard. They glanced over at me as I stood at the doorway, unsure of what to do.

She raised a wrinkled brow.

“I take it you are the new student?”

I struggled to get words out of my mouth.

“I, um, just enrolled— yes? I’m Salvos…?”

She nodded and gestured at an empty seat.

“Take a seat, young miss. And try not to cause any more interruptions.”

“Y-yes!”

I hurried over to the seat she pointed out. I found myself settling down next to a rather scrawny man who was studiously scribbling down on a piece of paper. He had a few books opened up as he glanced between his notes, the chalkboard, and the textbooks he had.

And it was then I realized I forgot to bring my bag.

It was my first ever day in school, and I made such a massive mistake. I was flustered, to say the least. With a deep breath, a single thought crossed through my mind. I condemned the thing that was at fault the most for these series of mishaps.

I hate sleeping!

A note from MelasD

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184. First Day!

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Mana Harvest, a litrpg, slice of life, fantasy!

★★Mana Harvest★★

A Wholesome Slice of Life LitRPG

Volume I of the Sword to Ploughshares Saga

◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆

For the last 20 years Cid has served the realm as a city guard.

One thing has driven him forward.

His eventual pension and what he plans to do with it.

A purchase.

Specifically in the village of Haven and the plot of land he's been eyeing to buy.

After a lifetime of fights and scuffles, its time for something new.

Time to be...

A farmer

For fans of LitRPG, Slice of Life, Resource Management, and Turnips.

**Mana Harvest** The Sword to Ploughshares Saga (LiTRPG) | Royal Road

184. First Day!

“According to the Axiom of Dimensional Truncation, the fabric of reality itself can be utilized to precipitate hastened travel. This idea was first discovered by the great [Space Mage] Helmut Brys. He postulates that since Faunia’s Second Law—”

I tried to listen. I did what I could to mentally take notes of everything the lecturer was saying. But not only was I weeks behind in this class so I didn’t know half the terms she discussed, but I also was too tired to even pay attention. I found myself, with nothing to focus my thoughts, nearly dozing off on multiple occasions.

It took me a while to even understand the rough idea of what the lecturer was trying to convey. Also— I didn’t know her name. Sure, it was written down somewhere in the documents I had submitted. But I didn’t think about memorizing the individual names of each of my mentors, since there were going to be a lot of them.

I wanted to raise a hand and ask a question, but I didn’t even know where to start. This was a bit overwhelming. School was… hard and not fun at all!

“Here.”

A voice drew my attention. I glanced over at the man I was sitting next to. He had slick red hair tied into a braid that hung around his shoulder. The clothes he wore were decorated, a gray vest with a pale gold shirt beneath. I looked past the jewelry he had adorned, straight at the badge pinned over his left breast.

It had a simple design— the same one I wore on my blue jacket. An ‘A’ and an ‘E’ were almost conjoined, although they had a contrasting black-white. They were separated by an ‘S’ which slithered down where they met. A bright blue, like the sky. Or a diamond.

It was the badge for the School of Aspiring Elites. We didn’t need to wear uniforms unlike the students enrolled in the College of Aspirations; they had different uniforms for different years, too. Saffron was a second year student, so she wore a black jacket alongside her gray shirt. First year students had white uniforms with a gray sweater. Third year students had black long-sleeved shirts and long pants with a red blazer. Graduating students were only given a badge, similar to us in the School of Aspiring Elites. There was no need for them to wear a uniform, for whatever reason.

Everyone in this classroom had a badge— no uniforms. Half of them, however, seemed to be fourth year students of the College of Aspirations. I wasn’t sure how it worked, but they were the only ones who could share classes with us.

My neighboring student was not one of them. He was from the School of Aspiring Elites like me. And he slid over a notebook with a pen.

“Take it.”

I saw a few notes already scribbled onto the page. But they weren’t incredibly detailed, nor did they seem like they were of today’s lecture. There were terms— definitions. And key individuals. The specific books and chapters they were referenced in were written next to it, and the dates of the lectures they were taught to the class. Essentially, he was giving me a very brief summary of the class up till today.

“You’re giving this to me?”

“Yes.”

That was all he said. He seemed brusque— straightforward. Still, I smiled gratefully at him.

“Thank you.”

He grunted, turning his attention back to the lecturer.

Even with his notes, I still had no idea what was going on in the class.

—--

“What’s your name?”

I caught the man once class ended. The lecturer— I learned her name was Claudia at some point— left the instant a bell rang. She didn’t stay behind to reprimand me or to answer questions. She came, she gave her lecture, and she left. That was it.

The red-haired man was in a hurry too. But I still wanted to get to know him.

“I’m Salvos.”

“I have heard about you, Salvos the Liberator of the Plaguelands. I am Lamarr of Traith.”

He continued walking, only glancing at me slightly. I cocked my head, notebook still in hand, and following after him.

“Traith? Where is that?”

“It is a country in the Easter Kingdom Alliance.”

“Huh.”

Lamarr didn’t elaborate. He headed down a set of stairs as I walked by his side. He walked briskly, not exactly trying to shun me, which was a good sign! It didn’t mean he hated me: it just meant that he was a bit rough. Which made sense, considering—

[Warrior - Lvl. 113]

Those tended to have varying extreme personalities. Some were boisterous and loud. Others were more straight-edged, like Lamarr!

“So, why’d you decide to be a [Space Mage] for your second Class?”

I peered at him as we exited Shoveler’s Hall. I was pretty sure it god its name by the shape of the building. It looked almost like a shovel. I continued.

“I’m still undecided for my second Class— I only got my advancement options last week, and they all kind of sound the same? But they’re different. I’ve been thinking about it, but every day, I want to choose a different option. It’s very difficult settling on just a single one.”

He paused mid-step. Students and teachers and others rushed around us as we stood under a lamppost. Turning to face me for the first time since I approached him after class ended, Lamarr spoke simply.

“I am not a [Space Mage].”

“Wait, you’re not? Then why are you in that class?”

“It is for my general education. There are requirements beyond your Class’ specialization.”

“Oh, I knew that.”

But for whatever reason, I thought everyone in the class had been [Space Mages] or of a related Class. Apparently not.

“Most of the students you will find in your lectures won’t share your second Class. It is common in the College of Aspirations. But for the School of Aspiring Elites, where enrollment numbered in less than a hundred, you will not find a lot of overlapping Classes with others. Space magic, however, is a popular subject. Which is why the class was rather crowded.”

“That was crowded?”

There were only a dozen students; it had been anything but crowded. Still, with how many Diamond Ranks there were in the world— it made sense why there were so few here.

“In response to your question: I am a specialized [Enchanter]. I decided on this Class when I realized my country lacks proper tools of war. Each of our soldiers are poorly equipped, so I thought that I’d be able to serve my people beyond the simple rule of law.”

“I see, I see… wait, rule of law?”

“Indeed.”

For the first time, I saw a hint of emotion creep up on his face— a slight curling of his lips.

“I am the Warrior King of Traith.”

I blinked, taking a moment to process this. He was a Warrior King? No, wait— he was a king. He ruled a country. As in, he led his people. And he wasn’t there right now.

“But, um, if you’re here, then…?”

I had so many questions. He waved a hand dismissively, starting away from me.

“My people are not reliant on only myself. A government ruled only by one man is no government at all. The senate is fully capable of keeping peace while I am gone.”

“Huh.”

I was about to follow him when I heard the tolling of a bell. I glanced up at a nearby clocktower. My next class was about to start!

“I’ve gotta go—”

I took off, running past Lamarr. He nodded at me, smiling.

“It was a pleasure meeting you. However, I advise you against using your Skills or magic to reach your next class.”

“Why not?”

I paused as he raised a hand. I looked at where he was pointing. A pair of guards dressed in platemail were escorting a first year student of the College of Aspirations away from a building. The student was saying something, but they ignored him and continued leading him to a castle-looking tower.

“It would violate Mavos Academy’s codes of conduct. And if repeatedly broken, it could result in expulsion.”

“Oh.”

Well, that sucked. I was going to be late again, wasn’t I?

—--

I was late for my next class. But the lecturer was nowhere to be seen when I arrived. So, I could, with much relief, find a seat and comfortably ready myself for the upcoming lecture.

It was a class on general rune study. The lecture hall was far larger than my first class. It was brimming with students from the College of Aspirations, not just fourth years. First years mingled with second and third years, while fourth years were more studious and reserved.

They were quite lively. I was excited to join in on the conversations, when I realized everyone sitting around me had moved away. A few of those who had sat in the same row as me moved to the back of the lecture hall. But the room had been full. So, many of the students were standing with their notes in their hands, refusing to sit near me.

I was perplexed. At least, until the lecturer arrived.

“Ah, apologies for my late arrival, class.”

A rather young man hurried in, adjusting his wrinkled shirt and combing his messy hair. He had an apologetic-but-not-really expression on his face. He didn’t even glance at us as he dropped his stack of notes on the front desk.

“You see— and I know I’ve said this before— but I was collecting different artifacts for us to study. Etching their runes onto my own parchments. But my dastardly nercat decided to knock over my ink pot—”

He paused when he realized no one was saying anything. It was as if he expected some sort of a response, like groans or jeers. He glanced over at us, frowning. Then he laid eyes on me.

“Ah yes, a new student is joining us today. I am sure some of you are quite apprehensive, but I assure you, you can sit down and act like you usually do.”

I blinked as I watched the students standing at the back hesitantly shuffle forward. They murmured and spoke quietly to each other, filling the empty seats. I tried waving at the third year and first year students sitting adjacent to me, but they only returned a small nod.

What’s wrong with them? The lecturer shook his head.

“Well, it’s good to have you here, Ms… what was your name again?”

“I’m Salvos.”

I helpfully added in a respectful voice: I didn’t want to disrespect my teachers, after all. He snapped his fingers.

“Ah, right. I am professor Lisbenon. And I’m sure I can speak for all of us here that we’re flattered to have someone as esteemed as you in our class today.”

I beamed.

“Thank you—”

Then I paused. I glanced around one more time. And I finally realized I was the only one from the School of Aspiring Elites in the lecture hall.

“I have to say, it is my first time teaching someone of your level in a class of mine. So, I should be the one thanking you for enhancing my resume.”

He laughed as if he had made a joke. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh. Normally, I’d just join in since it seemed amusing. But the class was dreadfully silent. He cleared his throat.

“Anyways, now that we’ve got introductions out of the way, let us begin our lecture. As I left off last week—”

I tried to focus. Pay attention to what was being said. But I had good senses. And I couldn’t help but notice the other students were whispering, pointing, and even staring at me. Professor Lisbenon opened a folder, producing a rather large sheet of paper. He pinned it against the chalkboard and explained.

“This is a foundational rune used back in the Alexandrian Era.”

“Who is she?”

“I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard of a Diamond Rank with her name before.”

“My older sister told me that she’s the Savior of Silvergrove.”

“Isn’t she supposed to be Gold Rank?”

Lisbenon droned on, his voice rather monotonous, except for the rare moments where he cracked jokes. I struggled to write down everything he said— I even drew the symbols he was showing us.

“It continued to remain the dominant form of rune etching used by most [Enchanters] even in the centuries after Alexander’s death, during the pre-Melissian Era.”

“No, that was years ago! She’s much higher-leveled now!”

“What level is she?”

“I’m not sure, but they call her the Liberator of the Plaguelands.”

“I hear she fought the Headmaster in a duel to get join the School of Aspiring Elites during the academic year!”

“Seriously? She’s insane!”

My ears twitched as I felt the urge to correct them about what happened. Sure, I would’ve liked that story to be true. But it wasn’t. I didn’t like falsehoods being made about my person: that wasn’t Salvos, that was some fake Salvos!

“Compared to the runes used today, you can see the stark difference in how much more simplistic our—”

“She’s gorgeous too. I wonder what her makeup routine is?”

“Oh, shut up Alana. That’s all you ever think about.”

“Don’t you naturally become more handsome or beautiful as you level?”

“You must’ve been hideous as a child, Jayden.”

“You—”

“Go talk to her—”

“How did she kill—”

By the time professor Lisbenon moved on from the history of the foundational rune— also called the Crux Symbol, used in every modern artifact— the lecture hall was full of chatter and conversations. He didn’t even try to stymie the noise. He simply continued with what he had to say. And while I liked being praise— I thoroughly enjoyed hearing others talk about me in a good way— I also found it very distracting.

Suffice to say, just like my first class, I learned nothing in my second class.

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185. Aspiring Elites

185. Aspiring Elites

“The Crux Symbol forms the very base of any modern artifact. It is what binds together the subsequent runes etched onto the Clean Medium— the object you wish to enchant. There can be minor modifications made to the Crux Symbol, depending on what you wish to do with it. However, its main purpose is to create a funnel for mana to enter and be stored within the artifact. After all, for any artifact to function, it requires the use of magic. The simple act of activating a basic enchantment is something everyone is capable of doing, whether they are a [Mage] or not.”

Professor Lisbenon said a lot of things which barely registered in my head; I tried my best to listen. But there was too much chatter. And he didn’t bother trying to get anyone to listen to what he was saying.

“I’m going to approach her after class.”

“That’s not a good idea. Diamond Ranks hate it when you do that.”

“But think of what advice she can—”

They kept whispering about me. Which was nice. But also distracting. And I was really trying to listen.

So, there is a Crux Symbol, and it looks like this. And it’s a good conductor of mana, right? Ok, I think I got that. Then I need to imbue it with… mana? Wait, that doesn’t seem right. Or is it right? I’m right, right?

Too frustrated with myself not understanding what was going on, I raised a hand to ask a question. Professor Lisbenon glanced at me for a moment, but he continued his lecture. I waved my hands from side to side, trying to draw his attention, and I was pretty sure I did. Still, he continued.

“As I’m sure you’re all aware, mana is woven into the forms of magic we want it to take. The process of enchanting an artifact is similar, in that you want to—”

The bell rang.

Lisbenon glanced up, blinking.

“Ah, would you look at the time. It seems class is dismissed.”

He quickly packed his things and left the room. I sat there, hand still raised, eyes twitching.

“Seriously?”

—--

My first day of classes have been bad so far, yes. But it could be better! I knew now that professors and lecturers didn’t care too much about helping students… for some reason?

Whatever! I was prepared to learn; I didn’t care about what these lectures did or did not teach me. I was going to study, regardless. First, I had to—

“Excuse me, sorry, coming through!”

“I was just wondering how—”

“No clue, sorry!”

I pushed my way through a sea of students trying to assail me questions.

“Is it true that you’re the one who—”

“I’m Salvos! That’s all you need to know! I need to get to my next class or I’ll be late!”

I reached the door just in time for a small figure to bar my path. A blonde girl dressed in a second year uniform curtsied, raising the edges of her skirt.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Salvos the Liberator of the Plaguelands. I do hope that is your preferred Title, if not, feel free to correct me for any mistakes I may make.”

I blinked.

“Um, that’s right, but—”

“I am Valda, a young genius such as yourself. As you can see, I am quite high-leveled for my age.”

I identified her. She was… how old? Maybe fourteen or fifteen? And yet, she was—

[Mage - Lvl 53]

“I was hoping to ask for any advice you may impart someone who is sure to head down the same journey as—”

“You’re barely even Level 50.”

I narrowed my eyes. She paused, taking a step back.

“Uh, yes. But that’s—”

“That’s quite low, isn’t it?”

I was at that level when I was only three! Or was I four?

Valda sputtered.

“Wha— no! It’s high… for my age?”

She seemed less certain than she was just moments ago. Her face burned red as she shrunk back. I shrugged. I guess it was different for Humans who were useless and weak as children.

Smiling, I placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t do what I do: you can make your own decisions. If you’re already in Mavos Academy, you must be doing something right. I’m sure you’ll become someone special.”

Valda’s eyes widened. Her jaw tried to work, but nothing came out. I ran past her, heading out of the door.

“Sorry, gotta run, bye!”

—--

The next class was alchemy, held by [Alchemist] Raymond. I wasn’t sure what to expect of him. He wasn’t a professor, but an [Alchemist]. What was the difference?

I didn’t know.

I would soon find out.

I ran into him just as I was about to enter the alchemy lab. We were in the Ladder Towers; it had an odd name, although it was fitting. For whatever reason, the building was shaped like a ladder with two tall buildings connected by multiple thin tubes made of glass. There were different biomes in each of the tubed connectors: some were lush green and overgrown with plants, while others were murky and covered with fungi.

My class wasn’t held in said locations. Rather, it was in a regular room in the left building of the Ladder Towers. [Alchemist] Raymond was an older man, quite high-leveled too. He adjusted a single monocle as he saw me outside of the lab room, about to enter.

“You! You there! You’re my new student, aren’t you?”

“Are you [Alchemist] Raymond?”

I glanced up at him. He nodded, wheezing a laugh.

“Yes, yes I am! You must be the famed Salvos. I must say, I am surprised that you managed to enroll into the School of Aspiring Elites in the middle of the first academic term. You must’ve given Headmaster Skyshredder a good reason!”

He pumped a fist. Although with how fragile he was, he barely moved his forearm.

“I did, yep! Is this your lab class?”

I gestured at the room ahead of us. The door was still shut, so I pushed it open for him. He nodded.

“It is, it is. I am sure your fellow students will be excited to hear of a new classmate!”

“I just hope they’re not too excited…”

I murmured quietly to myself. I stepped in after him and furrowed a brow.

“Um, wait, isn’t your class supposed to start in a minute?”

“Yes, yes it’s starting.”

[Alchemist] Raymond tilted his head slightly, a puzzled expression on his face. I stared at the classroom.

“It’s just that… why are there only three people here?”

Three faces looked up at myself and Raymond. They weren’t particularly keen or interested. There was a woman who looked like she was twice my age— if I was a Human. Seated next to her was a gruff man with a scruffy beard. He had scars all over his cheeks and under his eyes, the clear sign of a grizzled veteran. The last man looked like he was in his thirties. He flicked his blond hair back and winked at me as I met his gaze.

I ignored that and looked back at the [Alchemist]. He nodded, nonchalant.

“This class is only available for those in the School of Aspiring Elites. Come, come, we still have some time. Mingle with them and introduce yourself. I will prepare the class material.”

It wasn’t just that there were so few people in this class. The lab room was large, with multiple desks full of beakers, vials, and tools for alchemy and potion brewing. Everyone was gathered at the same desk, so I joined them, sitting next to the woman and across from the blond man.

“Hi, I’m Salvos.”

I nodded at each of them. The first to speak was the blond man.

He stood up rather than saying his name. Starting up to me, he kneeled to the ground, a charming smile crossing through his face.

“How beautiful. And such an elegant name too. I am Nolan— you may know me as the Mighty Warrior, but I’d prefer you to call me ‘darling.’”

He took my hand and kissed it. I cocked my head.

“Hi, Nolan. It’s nice to meet you.”

I would’ve called him by the name he wanted, but Daniel and Edithe warned me that some people would try to trick me into doing things that I shouldn’t do. This, for whatever reason, felt like one of them. Also, his name sounded familiar.

I was pretty sure I’d heard of him before, as he said.

With a flourish, he returned to his seat. The next to introduce themselves was the woman. She sat with her back straight, sipping from a cup of tea which wasn’t there moments before.

“I am Veronica Adash, sole heiress of the city state of Adash. I have not heard of your exploits until today, but I must say, I am very impressed by what I hear.”

“Thank you— wait…”

I paused, registering what she said in my head. She didn’t state it outright, but it was implied. She was… a princess! I wanted to exclaim and point at her— however, it’d be rude. And princesses liked properness. If I wanted to be her friend, I had to act like an adult!

“I truly am humbled by your sentiment, princess of Adash.”

I got to my feet and bowed. Nolan scowled as I did, but Veronica simply chuckled.

“You misunderstand. I am not a princess. I am an heiress: my city has been razed to the ground, and there is nothing left to rule over. Only its remains are left for me to inherit. Nothing more.”

I went cross-eyed.

“Oh. I’m s-sorry?”

What else was I supposed to say? Veronica didn’t seem bothered by it.

“It is fine. Perhaps I should have been more clear.”

I turned to the last man. The gruff man. He wore his badge for the School of Aspiring Elites alongside numerous other badges on his uniform. And it was a uniform. Just not for Mavos Academy. It was a black vest that looked familiar.

He grunted, glancing up to face me with his arms crossed.

“I am Gallus of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s Swordsguard Forces.”

I blinked. I had been trying to maintain some composure to give my classmates a good impression. But I couldn’t help myself now. I stood up and pointed at him.

“You— are you Alex’s friend?”

Gallus— who had been so stoic a moment ago— nearly fell over in surprise at my sudden action.

“I-I… who?”

“Alex Cromerth! He was part of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces too!”

It took the gruff man a moment to gather himself. When he did, he cleared his throat.

“C-Cromerth? I have heard of that family. A family of former commoners who were rewarded by the Emperor himself to become nobles. Although, I do not know of this Alex myself, I know that their family produces many notable individuals such as Hamlin Cromerth and Brielle Cromerth. If I may ask, how did you meet Alex Cromerth?”

“Oh, he’s dead.”

I spoke simply, and Gallus’ eyes widened.

“He is?”

“Yep! He was my friend… I think? But he died repelling some Kobolds from the Vaun Qieur Empire.”

“Those bastards— of course they would act now, when the Watcher has gone to the north. Did he die a valiant death?”

I was about to answer bluntly, saying that I had no idea since I only saw his decapitated head. But I was pretty sure that even though Gallus didn’t know Alex, there was a sense of camaraderie here, so Gallus must’ve wanted a certain response.

I decided to technically tell the truth.

“He fought bravely to the very end against those far higher-leveled than him.”

“Then he has brought honor to his name.”

Gallus lowered his head as a moment of silence blanketed the table. Nolan seemed annoyed that he held the shortest conversation with me. But it wasn’t my fault he gave me nothing else to say!

Veronica was uncaring, probably too desensitized by her own circumstances. I didn’t care: I just didn’t want to blow my cover. I remained quiet even as Gallus leaned back on his chair.

A voice spoke up, drawing all of our attention.

“Now, now. Introductions are over. Let us begin our lesson, shall we?”

I dutifully turned to face the old man as he laid out various vials of colorful liquids onto the table. As he did, Gallus whispered something my way.

“And Salvos—”

He pursed his lips, showing a very different expression from the stone-cold look he had earlier. I cocked my head.

“Yes?”

“It is the Swordsguard Forces. Not the elite Swordsguard Forces.”

“Huh.”

Alex must’ve lied to me.

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186. Alchemy

186. Alchemy

[Alchemist] Raymond was rather high-leveled, even compared to the other professors and lecturers in Mavos Academy. Professor Lisbenon was a Level 83 [Enchanter], while the space mage instructor was Level 95. Raymond was Level 124.

That put him at around the same level as Veronica Adash. Meanwhile, Nolan, Gallus, and I were all around Level 110. I was the lowest-leveled of the class, somehow. Not that it mattered! I bet I could’ve beat most of them in a fight!

However, I was curious why there was such a stark difference in level between Raymon and Lisbenon. I soon found out when he began his lecture.

“As you can see from the distillation process of the zorth mushroom from last week, an extract of what is called the zorth gel is left behind here. It may not seem like much, but it is necessary for the catalytic reaction for the creation of the Potion of Greater Fire Resistance from a Potion of Lesser Fire Resistance.”

I blinked. Wait, Potion of Greater Fire Resistance? Wasn’t that supposed to be something rare or expensive? Why was he talking about that in a basic alchemy class? Unless—

“Yes, yes, Salvos. I can see that you’re confused. Worry not: I have prepared the necessary ingredients for you so that you will not fall behind in the class. The practical nature of our lab sessions makes it necessary, although you will have to study up on the textbook on your own.”

Hesitating, I nodded along as if I knew what he was talking about.

“R-right. And just remind me, where can I purchase the textbook from?”

“You’ll want to go to Central Square and find Beaker Building, next to the House of Amber. It is made of glass, so it should be quite obvious. There, you’ll want to purchase the textbook on ‘Advanced Alchemical Composition.’ Make sure you get the second edition, and not the first edition. There have been major rewrites to the portions of the text on a few key reactive ingredients used for the potion upgrades. It’s just far more cost-effective in ingredients now, see?”

I smiled nervously, scribbling on my notebook.

“Yes… the book on ‘Advanced Alchemical Composition,’ and not ‘Basic,’ right?”

“That is correct.”

“Huh.”

I lowered my pen, and screamed internally. I took the wrong class! The class name didn’t tell me that this would be about advanced alchemy! Its name was just… Alchemy 1531: Alchemical Synthesis. Nothing in its name implied that it’d be complex things!

I didn’t say anything, even as I followed along with the class and [Alchemist] Raymond’s directions. He had us bring ingredients to a bunch of equipment— there were vials and syringes and various other tools used to measure the volume of different liquids. I eyed the labels of the different, glowing liquids. Some of them were solid. They had names tagged onto the glass surface.

Manticore blood. Powdered faded grass. Shadelight moss. Kzoth weed extract (DO NOT TOUCH.)

I narrowed my eyes as I spotted the kzoth weed extract. Wasn’t that the extremely rare ingredient Gabriel was gathering in Motharis for the Valiant Dreamers Company? I was pretty sure it was— it had been abundantly growing near Ghostlight too.

I was given a Potion of Lesser Fire Resistance alongside a few other ingredients such as the zorth mushroom extract and something he called the ‘diluted base.’

“Um, and what is this diluted base, exactly?”

I couldn’t help but ask, as I stared at the glowing liquid. The liquid itself was clear, but a dim light seemed to wisp off the flask. Threads of mana gathered around it, almost physical, like a seamstress had woven a thick blanket over the diluted base. It was brimming with pure mana.

Gallus was the only one who heard my question. He leaned forward as Veronica and Nolan proceeded to get to work with their own potions.

“It’s created from mixing multiple ingredients rich in mana in water or another low mana base. Through the process of magical conformation— which typically takes a year— the residual mana from the ingredients will seep into the low mana base, thus creating the diluted base.”

“Huh. But doesn't that take a long time?”

I cocked my head, and he nodded.

“For us layfolks, it does. However, [Alchemists] often have Skills to speed up the process. And they sell the diluted base in abundance— you can find it in any [Alchemist] shop in any city. Although this is a rather simple theory, Ms Salvos. Is something the matter?”

He had a genuinely perplexed look on his face; I didn’t give him an answer, instead turning my attention to [Alchemist] Raymond as the elderly man began to speak.

“Look, he’s showing us something.”

I spoke in a whisper. Raymond was demonstrating something over a rune of fire. He held up the Potion of Lesser Fire Resistance over the open flame, smiling.

“There is a certain delicacy required in enhancing a ‘lesser’-tiered potion. For this Potion of Lesser Fire Resistance, it needs to be bathed in flames equal to what it’s meant to resist. However, watch— too little heat, and nothing happens. But too much…”

Raymond tapped a finger on the side of the rune. It glowed brightly as the concentrated flame grew more and more wild. I narrowed my eyes as the reserved flame became a corybantic dancer. It was very hot. If someone below Level 70 was in this room, they’d be reeling from the heat. But since everyone was above Level 100, we simply watched.

The brown liquid in the vial began to bubble. The glass— enchanted to withstand the heat— cracked. But before it could shatter, the liquid itself sizzled and combusted, lit ablaze. The vial exploded, glass flying in every direction. I caught a piece of shard as an ear-piercing sound echoed in the room.

Gallus dusted himself off, uncaring of the bits of glass bouncing off his chest. Veronica lowered her minor barrier, uncaring, while Nolan shook his head, somehow not a single glass shard flew in his direction.

[Alchemist] Raymond laughed.

“As you can see, an incredibly violent reaction happens. But if you find the right heat—”

He activated the rune once more. But instead of playing with the intensity of the flame using the rune itself, he pointed at the fire.

“[Heat Control].”

The size of the flame didn’t change. He lowered a second vial of Lesser Fire Resistance next to the stable candle-like flame. But it burned with an intensity that almost rivalled the previous fire.

The [Alchemist] tipped the solution slightly, circling it as it bubbled, discoloring, and seemingly absorbing specks and motes of the fire into it. Then it turned to a more ruddy color. Like if a rose had melted into a glass. He drew it back, smiling.

“Now, now, I’m sure this is not a Skill most of you have. But at your levels, I am sure you are more than capable of finding an alternative to achieve the same effect. Once you’ve overcome this obstacle, you simply have to follow the formula I have provided for you. Do not forget that the zorth mushroom extract should be added exactly a minute after it cools down, lest it will not work.”

He shook his head, placing the burning hot vial down on a rack for potions. The wood sizzled as it came in contact with the glass, but just like everything else in the laboratory, it was all enchanted. Raymond continued.

“Beyond just Skills— and trust me, us [Alchemists] have a lot of Skills to aid our concoctions— there are a lot of other skills and abilities required to be an alchemist. You see, alchemy is something anyone can do to a certain extent because of its formulaic nature. The greatest benefit of being an [Alchemist] is the speed of our creation. After all, without my help, you’d have to wait half a decade for the zorth mushroom to decompose. But as a non-[Alchemist], as long as you have sufficient control over magic, you’ll be able to replicate what we do with enough time, or enough money to gather all the necessary ingredients in their final states.”

I nodded slowly, sort of understanding what he was saying. So, that meant that one of the advantages of actually going to Mavos Academy was gaining access to the different formulae for potion-making— since knowledge was concentrated at institutions of learning such as this.

If that’s the case, can I make my own healing potions? Mana potions? Or even— I had a thought, but Raymond’s voice interrupted it.

“Now, for today’s lab session, you’ll want to finish the concoction of a Potion of Greater Fire Resistance. Once you’re finished, you may leave at any point in time. You can use anything you have at your disposal, including the fire runes. But even these Advanced Burners are difficult to control at a higher intensity. I do not recommend this method as it will take far more trial and error than utilizing other resources. And that’s the job of an [Alchemist]: to be resourceful.”

That was all Raymond said before he drew away from the table. Returning to his own seat by the chalkboard, he began to read from a rather old tome. I blinked.

Was that it? We just had to act on our own?

I glanced around at Veronica, and sure enough, she was already getting to work. She raised a hand, pulling out a piece of parchment out of thin air. I recognized the artifact she was using immediately. A Dimensional Storage Unit. Just like Daniel’s.

She etched symbols on the surface of the parchment before pouring mana into it. The air above the paper vanished. There was a vacuum there in a small box area. She placed the vial in the center, and pointed.

A stream of fire shot out, but it didn’t burn at the paper of the table. She continued burning it, uncaring of what was happening in the background behind her. Gallus had drawn his sword and raised it to the ceiling.

“Hah!”

He grunted. The blade was overcome with white flames, searing hot. He dipped the blade into the liquid, and it began to bubble.

Nolan stood next to him, playing with the fire rune. When a small flame burst out, he smiled and pointed.

“[Replicate Skill: Heat Control].”

Everyone else was already getting to work, except for me. I bit my lower lip. Surely this had to be an easy task for me, right?

I specialized in fire magic. I could do this— I had to do this. All I had to do was do what Raymond did, before proceeding with the instructions listed in the piece of paper handed to me.

I proceeded to burn the bottom of the vial. Taking a deep breath, I recalled the fire Raymond used. The heat it emitted. The way the threads of mana seemed to form a mesh around it. I copied it, and my eyes widened as I saw the same discoloration happening to the liquid.

I did it? I did it!

I hurriedly looked over at the instructions to figure out what to do next— and paused when I realized that it was mostly symbols, rather than written words. I scratched the side of my head.

Come on, [Universal Language Comprehension], do your thing! And it did.

I took a step back.

“Um, so I want to...”

And I realized a minute had passed.

I quickly grabbed another Potion of Lesser Fire Resistance— Raymond had kindly provided quite a few to the side— and got back to work. As I did, however, I watched as Nolan walked away from the table with a smirk.

“I have finished.”

He declared.

That fast? [Alchemist] Raymond was approving. They held a short conversation, and he was out of the door. I pursed my lips, finishing the heating process of the potion once more. I waited a minute to add the zorth mushroom, and Veronica walked out of the room, finished with her own potion.

I looked through the instructions once again. Alright, first thing I want to do is—

Then Gallus left the room too!

And it was just me. I stood alone at the center of the alchemy lab. For once, the slowest in a group. Even if it wasn’t physical speed. [Alchemist] Raymond looked up, curious.

“Are you having trouble, Ms Salvos?”

I worked my jaw. Then I sighed.

“I thought this was… a basic alchemy class.”

I finally admitted. He quirked a brow. Pushing himself to his feet, he hobbled over to me.

“I see, I see. You’ve accidentally chosen the wrong class. It happens from time to time. Here, tell me, what are you unsure of?”

“I, um, am not really sure what to do?”

I gestured at the instructions.

“It’s telling me to… wait for the zorth mushroom extract to fizzle? But it’s not fizzling.”

“Hm, that would do it.”

He chuckled, shaking his head.

“You added too much of the extract, Ms Salvos. You’d like to add a single drop, else it will not react with the solution. And once you’re finished with that, you’ll have to add this new solution to the diluted base—”

[Alchemist] Raymond led me through the entire process, explaining each step. And when I was finished, I held up a Potion of Greater Fire Resistance. I stared at it. Then I turned to him.

“Thank you.”

“It is no issue. However, regarding your enrollment in this class…”

He trailed off, and I scowled.

“I’ll probably have to change classes, won't I?”

It would be a second day of having a first day of class. That’d be incredibly annoying! But Raymond tapped a finger on his chin.

“Theoretically speaking, you should be able to complete most of the assignments in this class without taking any basic alchemy theory.”

I blinked.

“I can?”

“Yes. Your biggest shortcoming of today was joining late in the academic term. However, since these lab classes tend to teach by example, as long as you pay careful attention and do your own studying, you’ll be fine— if not for the final assignment.”

“The final assignment?”

I raised a brow. Raymond nodded.

“For the final assignment, you’ll want to complete the creation of a potion in the ‘greater’ tier that is not what’s covered in class. For example, a Potion of Greater Cold Resistance. Or a Potion of Greater Protection. Maybe even a Potion of Invisibility or a Potion of Haste. As long as it falls within this list.”

He showed me a piece of paper with the names of a few dozen different potions. I paused as I caught sight of a certain potion. One I recognized the name of.

“It’d be too difficult for you to concoct such a potion all on your own—”

“I’ll do it.”

I stated simply. This time, Raymond was the one to blink.

“Are you certain, Ms Salvos?”

“Yep.”

I handed him the piece of paper, smiling.

“You said it yourself. To be an [Alchemist], I just have to be resourceful, right? There’s no point in giving up before I even try! So, I won’t drop this class.”

He was slightly dubious, but he didn’t press me. Instead, he simply ask a single question.

“I see. If that is the case, I will need to know what you will do for your final assignment.”

“I’ll make…”

I tilted my head back. This was an advanced class: I had no basic knowledge on alchemy— not yet. But as he said, I could possibly keep up with what was going on as long as I studied and followed his instructions. The issue was the final assignment.

What would I make? There were many different potions that piqued my interest. For one, a Potion of Waking was something I wanted. But there was something else in the list that I found more enticing— especially if I learned to make it on my own.

“A Potion of Regeneration.”

It was a potion that could restore lost limbs and cure curses. Only the most deadly of wounds was irreversible by the Potion of Regeneration. It was not going to be easy to make. And even Raymond seemed surprised by my choice. But I needed it.

I lost an arm in my [Demonic Essence] transformation. It couldn’t be recovered without a Potion of Regeneration.

“If I may recommend an easier potion for someone like you to create—”

“Nope! You may not recommend it to me.”

I grinned. He hesitated.

“But a Potion of Regeneration is considered complex, even for a greater-tier of potion, Ms Salvos.”

“I know. But—”

I was stubborn. All my companions and friends knew that. I wasn’t going to fold over just because my first day of class was a little difficult. I’d welcome this challenge with open arms and bared teeth.

“I’d like to learn how to make one. I came to Mavos Academy to learn useful things. Not boring things I didn’t care about. And this is something I can learn from this class. So, why would I leave this class or choose to learn something else?”

I was the last one today. But that was because I had been confused. I was trying to catch up where I was behind. And I especially struggled since I was under the wrong impression of the class. Now, however, I knew what was going on.

I was fully prepared to work hard to get what I wanted.

“Very well.”

[Alchemist] Raymond acquiesced.

“If you insist, then your final assignment shall be the creation of a Potion of Regeneration. As much as I’d advise against it.”

“I’ll do it. Don’t worry about me.”

It was a declaration. Was it even something I could do? I didn’t know But that was the point of me enrolling in this academy. I wasn’t going to wallow, lost and confused, like some kind of stupid child!

I was Salvos. I had survived the Netherworld where many others didn’t. I saved Silvergrove and liberated the Plaguelands! I killed Zix the High Zealot and the Lich of Zacharius!

I wasn’t going to lose to some class in some academy!

—--

The last class was on dimensional displacement theory. Specifically, how objects move through space when teleported by spells such as my [Banish] Skill. I took notes of everything professor Isais said, even things I didn’t know the meaning of. I would search up what it meant later.

This class was mostly filled with fourth year students of the College of Aspirations, and some third years. But there were two others from the School of Aspiring Elites like me. Surprisingly, Gallus was one of them. I didn’t get the name of the other, as I was too engrossed in learning.

There were far less stares and whispers because of their presence. And when the class was finished, I immediately left and headed around Mavos Academy to purchase all the necessary textbooks.

When I returned to Saffron’s room, it was only to tell her that I’d be spending the night out.

“Where are you going?”

The pink-haired woman frowned. I waved a hand off, gesturing at my textbooks and notebooks.

“To the library— to study!”

“Don’t stay out too late. And don't get caught by the hall director when you return!”

“I won’t!”

I waved at her before hurriedly heading out of the dorm, past the various libraries located throughout the campus, and out of Mavos Academy. I headed deep into the forest dozens of miles away from the school before I finally transformed out of [Partial Mortality].

I found myself a nice alcove by the side of a hill to settle into, and placed the various textbooks down in front of me. I had a lot of studying to do— a lot of catching up with the different curriculums of my classes. As such, I needed to spend as much time as I could trying to achieve this. And there was a problem with Humans— the need to sleep— which wasted a lot of time in a day.

I wasn’t a Human. I was a Demon. Even if I was in a Human academy, I wasn’t going to use my natural advantages to, well, my advantage. I was going to stay up all night, studying, rather than sleeping and dreaming about stupid things like eating bugs!

Lighting a single blue candle, I grabbed my pen and got to work. Studying, reading, learning. It didn’t feel like a lot of time passed until the sun was rising again. Only then did I gather my things and prepare to leave. Before I did, I glanced back at the alcove. It was a small cave in a nice secluded spot. I’d like to return to it again to continue doing this.

Maybe this could be my own personal place: away from Humans, all for myself—

Created [Lair: Study Spot of Salvos]!

Experience is awarded for the creation of a Lair!

“What the— I can do that?!”

I took a step back, grinning.

"That's so cool!"

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187. Tiring Learning

187. Tiring Learning

Before leaving my Lair, I made sure to cover up the little alcove with branches and leaves so that no one would find it. One thing I noticed when doing so was how I could feel a surge in the mana within the Lair. Not only that, I could feel a boost to my own abilities.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 130 (+25) (+3%)

[Strength]: 105 (+25) (+3%)

[Endurance]: 113 (+25) (+3%)

[Wisdom]: 200 (+25) (+8) (+3%)

[Agility]: 253 (+25) (+3%)

It wasn’t the most significant increase. But it would do a lot to aid me if I ever found myself in battle within my Lair. If I transformed with [Demonic Essence] too— the increase would be rather substantial.

If I was ever being chased by someone significantly stronger than me, I could retreat to my Lair for an advantage. Even as I left the forest, transforming back to a Human, and being hit with a slight drowsiness, I knew where my Lair was without even looking or thinking about it.

“That is good. That means I won’t get lost!”

I headed back to Mavos Academy, slightly exhausted, mostly mentally. The need for sleep was oppressive at times. I’d consider learning a Potion of Waking to stave off the need for sleep, if I hadn’t already chosen the Potion of Regeneration as my final assignment for my class on alchemy.

I needed my arm back when using [Demonic Essence]. Sure, having five arms was actually more terrifying than having six. But the more arms the better!

I patted myself on the back with [Faux Limbs]— it created an ethereal blue arm from my shoulder, and it didn’t burn me. Although I was pretty sure it’d burn others at least a little bit.

I nodded at Lamarr as I entered my first class. The King of Traith. He was a nice guy. He returned the gesture as I settled down, not late for class on my second day.

Lecturer Claudia arrived a moment later, just as the bell rang and class began. She started droning on about various axioms of space theory. I dutifully listened, jotting down notes. And unlike yesterday, the class didn’t feel like it lasted an eternity. Perhaps it was because of how focused I was, but I didn’t expect the lecture to end so soon.

I tried to catch the lecturer before she left, but she simply shook her head.

“You can speak with me during my office hours tomorrow.”

And that was that.

I still had some time until my next class, so I stayed to chat with Lamarr. It wasn’t anything serious. I was curious what it was like to be a King— or how he even got the Title.

“I was a gladiator.”

“A gladiator?”

He nodded.

“A warrior who fought for entertainment. I fought in the Pits of Dread for a decade, killing whatever foul monsters they wished to unleash upon me day after day.”

“Then what happened?”

I peered at the man. He didn’t look like the kind of man who fought every day for years on end. He shook his head.

“I fought smart. Gained the favor of the public. Never asked for anything for years. And one day, the previous king of Traith offered to grant my wish. Any wish within his power. I asked him for a duel— for his crown.”

My jaw dropped.

“And he accepted it? Isn’t that stupid?!”

“He made a foolish choice in the first place. He made the declaration in front of the crowds watching at the Pits of Dread. He couldn’t reject me. Even though he cheated, using all the artifacts he could, with his royal guards by his side, he lost. I won. Now, I am a king, and the Pits of Dread are gone.”

I cocked my head.

“Wait, why are they gone?”

I was genuinely puzzled, and so was Lamarr. He was surprised by my question.

“Why would I reinforce an institution responsible for my suffering?”

“But you’re free, aren’t you?”

“And there are many others who were not. To be king is to view the world beyond just your own eyes. Sit not just on your throne, but to sit at the dinner table with the poor and the hungry. These virtues are what has enabled my country to flourish, even when I am gone.”

Lamarr didn’t seem mad at me for asking the question. He simply gave me an explanation, and that was it. I slowly digested this information. It was almost similar to what Lily and Vis’anya had said before, but also not the same.

They were different lenses of the same tint. One which I didn’t truly comprehend, as much as I tried.

Lamarr continued to tell me about his duties as the King of Traith, and I asked him various questions. One of them, I was really curious about.

“Do you have a daughter?

“As of right now, I am unwed and without children.”

“That means your country doesn’t have a princess.”

I grinned, and he blinked.

“Why does it matter?”

I leaned forward, looking at him with pleading eyes.

“Adopt me so I can become a princess!”

He said no.

—--

The next class was general rune study. Professor Lisbenon was running late once more. I saw eyes dart towards me, even as I simply took a seat. The whisperings began, and I knew it’d distract me. So, I did what I should’ve done on the first day.

I glared up at those pointing and talking.

“Shut. Up.”

They froze. A few first years slid underneath their desks, and some second years hid behind their books. Then I smiled.

“I’m trying to study. If you’d like to talk to me, you can do so when I am free. I’d love to chat, of course. I have a lot of things to talk about. But after class, please.”

The students throughout the classroom hurriedly nodded. I caught sight of a familiar girl— Valda. She seemed to stare at me in awe, even as the others shrunk in fear. I shrugged, continuing to prepare for the class.

Professor Lisbenon arrived, giving some excuse, and began his lecture. One thing I realized from this class was that there wouldn’t be much learned beyond simple theory and history. Sure, some of the things taught could be applied, but this wasn’t a lab which actually went about to apply it. This was more of an introductory class.

That didn’t mean I couldn’t use what I learned. I paid careful attention to what was being said, specifically what I believe I could use when I was out traveling all by myself.

The class ended, and a flock of students encroached on me.

“Hey, Ms Liberator of the Plaguelands, I was wondering if you’d like to join our—”

“Ms Savior of Silvergrove, my brother wanted to know, as an adventurer, did you—”

“I said when I was free. I’m still busy!”

I ran off, ignoring them. I paused at the door and shook a fist.

“Also, my name is Salvos!”

Then came the class on alchemy. This was my hardest class by far. Not only was it an advanced class rather than an introductory class, I had no background on the subject at all. I found myself lost, even for today’s class, even after extensive research and studying the night before.

[Alchemist] Raymond didn’t slow his class for me either. And due to this being a class specifically for the School of Aspirit Elites, each lesson was dense. It had to be. We prepared a dozen different ingredients for the creation of an Elixir of Enhanced Agility.

The difference between a regular potion and an ‘elixir’ was generally on the duration of the effects. Potions were short term, while elixirs could last for days, weeks, sometimes even months.

While the Elixir of Enhanced Agility would’ve been useful for me, [Alchemist] Raymond recommended against ingesting it unless necessary. It would last for seven days, and the side effects after drinking it was less than kind. It included terrible headaches, nausea, and an exhaustion which would typically take two or three weeks to overcome.

“Most adventurers tend to consume such elixirs before delving into Dungeons. And it is not recommended that you consume a Potion of Speed or even Haste during the time the effect is active. The additional effects will add up only by a little, while the side effects will exponentially increase. Sometimes even to the point of being deadly.”

That didn’t sound nice. And it was not like we even finished preparing the elixir today. It would be completed next week. We simply prepared the base ingredients and a few of the base potions for it. Normally, such preparation would take weeks or months. But again, [Alchemist] Raymond had prepared everything beforehand so it could be done within the span of the class.

I left the lab, rubbing at my temples, tired and drained from the day. But I still had one more class to go to. A voice stopped me before I could leave the building. Nolan, the Mighty Warrior himself, called out to me, smiling.

“Ms Salvos, are you perchance having trouble with [Alchemist] Raymond’s lessons?”

He swiped his hair back as he approached me. I nodded, sagging slightly.

“Kind of, yep. “

I was also quite sleepy, which was the worst part about this whole thing. Nolan smiled and proffered me a hand.

“If it is no issue with you, I would love to provide my services to you. I do believe I am currently at the top of the class, and I do have a background in alchemy as well. One of my former party members tutored me rather extensively.”

“You’ll help me?”

I brightened, and he nodded.

“Why, of course. But I am sure you are currently busy, as I am. Will you be free on the weekend?”

“Yep! I don’t think I have anything planned.”

“Then in the afternoon, in Central Square’s library, will you meet me there?”

“Of course! Thank you so much!”

I bowed my head gratefully. Nolan simply waved a hand, dismissive.

“It is no matter. I have noticed you struggling, so I feel obligated to assist you. I shall see you then.”

What a nice guy. I was wondering if I’d have to ask someone for help, but it seemed like people were nice and went out of their way to offer their help to me instead!

The last class was once again uneventful. There was a moment where I realized what I’d been doing on instinct with [Banish] was actually complex. Other than that, I returned to Saffron’s room, ready to pass out.

“You seemed exhausted.”

“A little bit…”

I yawned, grabbing a bite to eat. It was a cooked steak, which surprised her.

“Not eating bugs today?”

I gave her a noncommittal shrug.

“Hunting for food gets tiring sometimes, and I just need some energy.”

I grabbed the rest of my notes once more, preparing to return to my Lair.

“Going out to study again?”

“Yep! Need to catch up. I’m still a bit behind in classes.”

Saffron narrowed her eyes. She crossed her arms, as if she wanted to say something. But all she ended up doing was bidding me goodnight.

“Don’t overwork yourself, Salvos.”

“I’ll try.”

I mustered up a smile before heading off. I practically ran out of Mavos Academy, back to the forest, transforming back out of [Partial Mortality] to my normal form, just to wash the exhaustion from my body.

I would’ve fallen asleep if I took a moment longer. Once I wasn’t a Human anymore, I let out a sigh of relief.

“Finally!”

I straightened, no longer bothered by the need to sleep. I returned to my Lair, getting my books up, reading through it.

All in all, school was pretty fun. The only issue was the need to sleep. But as morning came, and I transformed back to a Human. I smiled, refreshed.

“So, my sleep schedule resets each time I transform. Just as I thought.”

That was why I found myself drowsy the instant I transformed, and why there was such a long cooldown before [Partial Mortality] could be used. It was a slight hindrance, when done right, could be exploited such as right now.

The idea of accumulated sleep was pretty dumb. Why would I accumulate sleep from being a Demon who didn’t need to sleep? That was stupid!

General Skill [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] has leveled up!

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 4] -> [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 5]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

A note from MelasD

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188.1. Interlude - Edithe's Emancipation

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

188.1. Interlude - Edithe's Emancipation

A young redhead sat in a tavern, drinking her sorrows away. She leant back on her chair and sighed. A man approached her, the third one tonight. A short conversation ensued, slowly turning into an argument as she rejected him, and Edithe finally decided it was time to act.

Edithe, the red-haired adventurer, had been watching the young redhead for the past three hours. Edithe was certain she had found the right person. And now that the man was getting rough with the young redhead, Edithe moved.

Getting to her feet, Edithe marched up to the man, tapping a finger on his shoulder.

“Hey, you should leave her alone.”

He blinked and glanced at her.

“Huh? Are you offering yourself up to me, sweetie? Sorry, but you’re too old—”

He tried to grab the young redhead, but Edithe punched him. Edithe wasn’t the strongest adventurer for her level; she was a [Mage], first and foremost. But there was one advantage she held over the man.

He was Level 24, while she was Level 96, having leveled since leaving the Plaguelands. Her [Strength] far exceeded his.

The man went flying as the young redhead stumbled back, eyes wide. Heads turned. A few of his friends drew to their feet, pointing at Edithe. She simply glared at them, her eyes glowing with magic.

“Does anyone else want to bother us?”

They hesitated. Then they returned to their seats, murmuring to themselves.

“Good.”

Edithe smiled, turning back to the young redhead. The other girl stared at her in shock.

“W-who are you? What do you want?”

“You’re Josilyn, aren’t you?”

“Y-yes?”

The young redhead was nervous, on edge. She didn’t look like she was well-off. Her clothes were torn and tattered, clearly suffering wear from overuse. Edithe nodded.

“I was hoping to talk to you about your grandmother, Miranda the Infernal Mage.”

—--

“She was a Diamond Rank adventurer. The only one in my family to have ever reached prominence beyond this stupid, small town. Thanks to her, our family lived a luxurious life. At least, until she disappeared, and my idiotic mother threw all our wealth away.”

“What happened to her?”

Edithe brought Josilyn out of the tavern and to a booth in the Adventurers Guild to speak somewhere more private. A waitress briefly popped in, bringing her a glass of water— no alcohol.

“I… don’t really know. I remember when she left for the Plaguelands— the entire town gathered to watch her go. I was there too, of course. She told me she’d be back in a few months. And we never heard from her again. So… she probably died to the blight, if I’m being honest.”

Josilyn shrugged, uncaring. But not really. Edithe could see through the facade.

“It happened so long ago, so why does it matter? Did she owe your family money or something? Because we don’t have any.”

Edithe nodded. She understood how the other redhead felt. Things were shit right now, judging from her appearance, so why would she care about something that happened a decade ago? Even if it was the root cause for what was happening now, there was no reason to dwell on it.

But still, Jocilyn cared. Edithe knew she cared about it, just not in the material sense.

“Here.”

Edithe placed an object on the table. Truth be told, she knew just as much about both Miranda and Josilyn, even before speaking to the young redhead. Edithe had done her research— she was just making sure the facts lined up.

Josilyn blinked as she eyed the glittering pendant, placed on the table.

“W-what’s that?”

“Take it. It’s yours.”

“Mine?”

“It belonged to your grandmother. She had it on her when she died. It’s a Durability Charm. Wearing it will enhance your [Vitality] by 10 Stat Points. It’s quite the rare and expensive artifact. I believe it’d sell for a hundred platinum, minimum.”

The young redhead blinked.

“Uh, um, erm, what? Why are you giving this to me? Are you serious?”

“I am. Take it.”

Edithe pushed the amulet across the table, insistent. Josilyn hesitated for a second, her hand hovering over the Durability Charm. Her eyes narrowed.

“Wait, who are you, anyways?”

The red-haired adventurer smiled.

“I am Edithe Dawnrise, the Liberator of the Plaguelands, and Diamond Rank Adventurer.”

And Josilyn’s jaw dropped.

Edithe felt satisfied saying that. Not for the reaction— that made her feel awkward. But her name. Edithe Dawnrise. It was bestowed upon her by the Vaun Qieur Empire. From a girl living in the slums of Viechester, to now an honorary noble of the largest empire in the world.

She proceeded to answer all of Josilyn’s questions. And there were a lot of questions. Edithe didn’t mind it, even as the night dragged on and the conversation continued.

Josilyn needed closure, and Edithe came here to give it.

Edithe learned about Josilyn too. How the young redhead had wanted to be an adventurer as a child, but after Miranda’s disappearance, that dream vanished. Now, Josilyn was stuck working as a librarian— a job she hated.

However, despite the time Edithe spared and the answers Edithe gave, there was one thing omitted throughout the conversation. She never once mentioned the state she found Miranda the Infernal Mage in.

Frozen.

An icy statue, standing in the bedroom of a dilapidated castle. Fear in her eyes, staring out the window, and longing to go home.

The memory of it alone sent a chill down Edithe’s spine, although she didn’t let it show on her face. Finally, when Josilyn had run out of things to ask, Edithe bade her farewell and took her leave. Before she did, however, she gave the young redhead a hug.

“I’m sure this is a lot for you to take in. So, I want you to take it all in slowly.”

“But… what do I do with this? Do I just sell it?”

“It’s up to you. You can sell it, or you can keep it. Use it.”

Josilyn raised a brow.

“Why would I need to use it?”

“To become an adventurer. You said it was your dream, right?”

“It’s dangerous! And the pay isn’t exactly the best— I’m not sure if that’s… a good idea.”

Edithe nodded, starting away from the booth.

“You’re right. It’s entirely up to you. If you’re uncomfortable with the idea, afraid of the risks, you shouldn’t do it.”

Then she glanced back, grinning.

“But you didn’t become a Level 12 [Mage] just sit at a desk all day, did you?”

Josilyn hesitated. Then she lowered her head. Edithe nodded, leaving her and exiting the Adventurers Guild.

—--

“That was tiring.”

Edithe sighed, leaving the small town behind her. Belraut. It was a town on the eastern side of the Sunmere Republic. However, it was still further to the west of Viechester. And now, she had to head east. Past Viechester, to where Hadrian, the leader of her company was.

The reason was simple: the Valiant Dreamers Company— her company— was at war with Iron Champions Company. And they were preparing for a proper assault into Nixa.

“You’d think with that Primeval Demon razing down the north of the country, this fucking company war would at least be postponed.”

She muttered, and someone replied in a chipper voice.

“Well, if anything the Iron Champions Company did made sense, we wouldn’t be at war with them in the first place.”

A gust of wind washed over her. A pair of wings flapped softly, like the swaying of the trees during a warm spring breeze. Edithe looked up at the Pegasus as it descended, a pure stallion with dove-like wings. On its back was a man, slightly older than her. He wore a grin on his face, cheery and warm, just like the rising sun behind his back.

“Need a ride?”

[Beastmaster - Lvl. 117]

She stared at him. A dark skinned man with blue eyes and white hair. Ismail Zuland, one of the few Diamond Rank adventurers of the Valiant Dreamers Company. He had been in the Beastmen plains until he was called back by Hadrian. Unlike Uland Gredrun or Abdiel who didn’t respond to the call, he returned as soon as he could.

Rolling her eyes, Edithe hopped onto the back of the Pegasus.

“I still can’t believe you found yourself a Pegasus while away from the Human lands. I thought they were only native to Mount Soulcreep.”

“And I can’t believe you reached Diamond Rank from Gold since I last saw you. Seriously, how’d you double your levels in just a few years? Also— her name’s Dorothy, and she’s not any ordinary Pegasus. She’s mine.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry, Dorothy.”

Edithe ran a hand through the Pegasus’ mane, even as they soared through the air. They could’ve flown faster— arrived at their destination in under half an hour. But they took their time. They weren’t in a rush, and Edithe wasn’t fond of flying at high speeds after being taken for a joy ride by Salvos.

“I’m surprised you even remember me. You were almost Diamond when I first joined. I was barely even Silver.”

“How could I not? You left quite the impression, cursing Hadrian out for trying to flirt with you.”

Ismail chuckled. She glowered.

“I didn’t know he was the son of Baris, alright? I’d have turned him down more nicely if I’d known that.”

“He got what he deserved. And at least he’s a lot more mature now that he's the company leader.”

Edithe pursed her lips, remembering when Hadrian first met Salvos.

“Did he, though?”

The pair of adventurers arrived at their destination a few hours later. There were hundreds of adventurers gathered— most of them were Gold Rank, which meant this force was composed of only the best of the best.

A few faces looked up, staring at Ismail as he made his entrance with his Pegasus. They pointed and cheered, glad to see him there. And for Edithe too.

She didn’t realize it until after they landed. But many of the cheers were for her too. They greeted her, calling her name, waving at her as she walked through the camp. Adventurers chatted and laughed while others moved boxes and crates around— not all of them were of the Valiant Dreamers company. She recognized other companies. Allies.

The Northbury Troops had come to their aid, accompanied by the leader, Noah himself. The Crystal Spells sent a regiment of their [Mages] too, helping with the packing process, alongside with creating fortifications around the encampment. The Miners of Graydenn, the Dusk Horns, and even the Steel Crowns companies were here.

Not all of them sent their best. But they sent their aid. And that was enough to raise morale.

“Edithe.”

Baris approached her. The former leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company smiled, welcoming her to the encampment.

“I take it your meeting went well?”

“It went as well as it could’ve, I suppose. But now that all that’s settled, I can finally throw my full weight behind this war.”

“Very good. Come, Hadrian would like to have a word with you and Ismail.”

She nodded at him. While she’d wanted to help the Valiant Dreamers Company since she returned, she’d been busy finding the relatives of all the victims killed by the Lich. While she had never met those women, she felt a sense of obligation to at least tell their descendants of their ultimate fate.

That was why she had gone through the bodies. When the Lich died, the ice freezing their bodies melted, and their corpses instantly began to decay and rot. But most of them had artifacts— trinkets that somehow survived, which Edithe used to identify them.

It wasn’t easy. Out of the dozens upon dozens of women killed by the Lich, she had only managed to identify thirteen of them. And she had only been able to trace seven of their family trees to the modern times.

Jocilyn had been the last of them. So, Edithe could now fight for the Valiant Dreamers Company against the Iron Champions without any apprehension.

Baris led both Edithe and Ismail into a tent at the center of the encampment. A company war was treated like a real war, just with far fewer forces, but typically more specialized and with better fighters. Hadrian sat with a few other Platinum Ranks at a meeting table overlooking a map.

“We’ll want to avoid the Demon’s—”

They glanced up as Ismail waved a hand. Edithe shuffled her feet, slightly uncomfortable at the stares she still got from the Platinums. Especially those she knew like Celine. In a short span of time, she had overtaken them in levels.

It was almost disconcerting. But it wasn’t undeserved— she knew it wasn’t. She remembered every single day she spent in the Plaguelands. Oppressive, exhausting, and near-fatal. She could’ve died multiple times a week, only surviving due to pure chance and her friends’ intervention. And she was rewarded with a high level and a Title that exceeded any of their feats.

Still, she didn’t want them to treat her any different.

But they did.

“Leave us. I have to speak with Edithe and Ismail in private.”

188.2. Interlude - Edithe's Emancipation

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

188.2. Interlude - Edithe's Emancipation

“Leave us. I have to speak with Edithe and Ismail in private.”

The Platinum Ranks streamed out. Celine patted Edithe on the shoulder, much to the red-haired woman’s relief. At least that relationship was the same. But the one with Hadrian wasn’t. Now, Edithe was a strategic asset.

“Hello, Edithe, Ismail.”

Hadrian greeted them as the tent flapped shut, and Baris activated a ritual circle. Edithe saw strands of mana weaving into themselves to form a barrier around the encampment to prevent anyone from eavesdropping, be it magically or not.

“What’s going on? Why’d you need to speak with us?”

“Before I answer that question, I need to ask the both of you one thing: can I trust you?”

Edithe exchanged a glance with the [Beastmaster]. Ismail shrugged.

“Sure you can. Don’t see why not.”

“Edithe?”

He waited for her to respond. She tapped a finger on her chin.

“It depends on whether you deserve my trust or not. If you are truly someone who upholds the values of the Valiant Dreamers company, then I will trust you.”

“You’re making this more difficult than it needs to be.”

Hadrian sighed. He glanced over at Baris.

“Well, does it work?”

The older man produced a scroll from his pocket. Its surface was slightly burned, but it wasn’t completely turning to ashes. Which seemed like a good sign, if that scroll was what Edithe thought it was.

“The Scroll of Lies did not determine any substantive lie in their statements. They told mostly the truth.”

“That’s… reassuring enough, I guess.”

Edithe narrowed her eyes, glancing between Baris and Hadrian.

“Wait, why the secrecy? That Scroll of Lies— it’s a High Grade artifact, is it not? It’s got to be worth hundreds of platinum. Why would you use it here?”

Hadrian took a deep breath.

“I know this may seem sudden, but there is quite a pressing matter I need to disclose with the most prominent members of the Valiant Dreamers Company. That which would change the course of the company war. I needed to know whether I could trust the two of you.”

Ismail took a seat, looking at him expectantly.

“Enough with the exposition: just tell us what it is already!”

Hadrian closed his eyes, speaking as he exhaled.

“The truth is… Baris and I are Vampires.”

Ismail’s mouth opened—

“Oh, I already knew that.”

“Same.”

Edithe nodded in agreement. It was quite obvious with how Hadrian had spoken of Vampires in the past. Hadrian blinked.

“Wait, you do?”

“I told you you were never inconspicuous about it.”

Baris grunted, and he shrunk back.

“Wait, wait, wait. You guys are joking right?”

“Nope. Not at all.”

“I mean, I had a strong feeling about it?”

Edithe had been less certain than Ismail. But still, she thought it was likely. Vampires often hid their bloodline because the knowledge of their heritage would result in… well, people would be afraid of them. After all, with what they could do with their [Vampiric Essence]...

The red-haired woman remembered the Vampire she fought with Salvos and Daniel. How the Vampire seemed to control others. But it wasn’t control over actions, but emotions. They could sway how someone felt, which was not something you’d like to know before approaching someone.

Sure, the Skill itself wasn’t subtle. But still, that didn’t stop people from fearing them and treating them differently. Even if it was no longer of scorn as in the past, being secluded was arguably just as bad. So, they hid amongst Humans, as Hadrian did now.

“So, neither of you held any contempt for either Baris or I? That we could be manipulating you to fight for us?”

“Look, I’ll be honest, I barely even pay attention to what you or the old man says half the time .You couldn’t be manipulating me even if you tried.”

Ismail kicked his legs up onto the table, his shoes scrunching up the map. Shaking her head, Edithe spoke truthfully.

“I don’t believe either of you have ever tried to manipulate us, Hadrian, Baris. And while I am glad that you are… coming out?”

“No, you’re making this sound like something else entirely—”

“I can’t see how this matter is important enough for all this secrecy. Just tell us what this is about.”

Hadrian frowned. He looked over at Baris who simply nodded.

“Very well then.”

Snapping his eyes shut, Hadrian spoke softly.

“The Iron Champions Company is run by [Cultists], and we believe they’re trying to link up with the Primeval Demon in Nixa.”

Edithe paused. Her eyes grew wide, and even Ismail furrowed his brows.

“Are you serious?”

The [Beastmaster] sat up as he asked. Hadrian nodded.

“I am.”

“How?”

Hadrian explained.

“A few years ago, a cult appeared in Nixa. An unknown cult that no one has ever heard of. They called themselves the Church of Regnorex. They claimed to have direct contact with the Demon King of the Netherworld himself, using that as a means of inducting new members into their group. Normally, such a cult shows up every few years in various countries. They’re easily dealt with by the local company, or some Demon Hunters sent by the nobility of the area— Vampires.”

His eyes flickered as he spoke. Very few nobles were actually Vampires, but most Vampires were nobles. Then he glanced down at the map, at the spot where the Iron Champions Company’s headquarters was marked.

“The Iron Champions themselves investigated the cult. Bulan Dishar, one of their founding members, directly oversaw this investigation. No one thought anything of it— after all, a Diamond Rank alone could’ve wiped out any upstart group of peasants and [Farmers]. But somehow, sometime during the last few years, Bulan Dishar vanished from the public eye, and the Church of Regnorex continued to grow… until they halted all their activities and disappeared.”

Hadrian shook his head.

“We thought the Iron Champions Company had dealt with them and that was that, but as time continued to pass, more and more cults began to form in Nixa. They were small cults, just like the one that summoned the Greater Demon that terrorized Falisfield.”

Edithe drew her lips into a thin line at the mention of Lucerna. Her entire team was slaughtered. Even now, the memory was still there. Hadrian continued.

“But now, we believe that the Iron Champions Company was overtaken by the Church of Regnorex— that Bulan Dishar was murdered by this cult. And they seized control of the company’s command structure. That is why they declared war with us. Their pettiness is nothing more than a subtext for what they truly desire.”

“And what is it they want?”

Ismail cocked a brow. Hadrian hesitated.

“This is… something Baris only told me recently. But the reason why he formed the Valiant Dreamers Company went beyond just for the ideals it upholds.”

Edithe narrowed her eyes.

“What do you mean, Hadrian?”

She stared suspiciously at Baris who didn’t meet her gaze. Hadrian spoke slowly.

“The Valiant Dreamers Company was formed to… protect something. A great artifact of many millennia ago. Items entrusted to various of the most prominent Vampire families to safekeep— one of them being Baris’ ancestors. My ancestors.”

Ismail leaned forward, and Edithe waited with bated breath.

“The treasures of our Immortal King Alexander. The Crown of Alexander. The Sword of Alexander. The Breastplate of Alexander. The Greaves of Alexander. And the Boots of Alexander. Each of these five items were kept separate, told only to be gathered when Regnorex is at the gates of our Mortal Realm. They are to be protected and given to the greatest warrior then, to fend off the Demon King once more. Because they knew he would return once more.”

“Your family was given one of these artifacts?”

Ismail stumbled to his feet. Hadrian gave him a nod.

“The Sword of Alexander. A Mythical Grade Weapon.”

“That’s… look, if I knew how to use a sword, I’d be asking you to lend it to me right now.”

The [Beastmaster] was in awe. But Edithe took a step back.

“So, you’re saying the Iron Champions Company is using this company war as an excuse to destroy this artifact?”

Hadrian closed his eyes, nodding gravely.

“Yes.”

Edithe gritted her teeth.

“People are dying, not knowing what they’re fighting for. For a cause they know nothing about. And you want to keep this a secret? This isn’t right, Hadrian.”

“I agree with you, Edithe. I was more upset than you when I found out about this.”

“This isn’t something to just be upset about. We need to act. We need to tell the rest of the company about this.”

“We can’t.”

Baris spoke up, breaking his silence.

“If word gets out of this, many of our allies and our own members will abandon this war. They will not fight— not for us Vampires, because they’ll believe we tricked them.”

“That’s because you did.”

Edithe glared at him, but he didn’t flinch.

“Why did you have to form this company? Why didn’t you just keep it protected in some vault and hire mercenaries to guard it?”

“I couldn’t afford it, Edithe. My family was disgraced. We lost our lands, our noble titles, our platinums, all because of my father’s indulgence and irresponsibility as a Vampire.”

Edithe opened her mouth. But her face twisted when the implication settled in. Baris didn’t elaborate on what act was committed, but explained what happened next.

“When I formed this company, I had nothing. I couldn’t protect the Sword of Alexander on my own. I needed others to aid me. So, I sought out like-minded adventurers. I instilled the ideals which I truly believed in into each and every one of us dreamers. The very same ideals which drove me to protect the Mythical Grade Weapon, even when I had nothing. Because it was the right thing to do.”

Baris stood, entrenched in his position. Edithe wanted to argue. She disagreed with him. But she knew nothing she’d say now would make a difference. She was upset, and she needed to cool down to properly think this through.

“It isn’t. No— not when you forced this duty of yours upon us.”

She spun around, starting out of the tent. Hadrian tried to bar her path.

“You said we had your trust. You can’t tell the others, Edithe. We’ll lose this war… and with that Primeval Demon—”

“And you have my trust, Hadrian. I will not tell anyone of this. Not now. But my trust in you is waning. And Baris...”

She looked at the older man. His blond hair was almost white, the stress of the company war and his age accumulating on him. His face was wrinkled, creased with responsibility.

“I used to respect you.”

That was all she said before exiting the tent, leaving the three in silence.

—--

Even as Edithe pondered it over that night, she knew it wasn’t right. She knew this was not something that she could just gloss over. She was going to fight, yes. She wasn’t just going to abandon her friends— give up on the company war— now that she knew the truth.

She didn’t like it: she believed that the rest of the company should find out the truth, and choose for themselves whether they wanted to fight. However, she couldn’t act. If she did… as much as she didn’t want to believe it, Hadrian and Baris would probably restrain her— force her to remain quiet until the company war was over.

That wasn’t an outcome she wanted to suffer. Nor did she think it was the best course of action.

Instead, she looked at Hadrian, and she knew he saw what she did. She’d have to convince him. Get him to tell the truth to others rather than keeping it a secret. It was what she had to do to right this wrong. She had to do it… somehow.

Or if not— if that wasn’t possible— she’d have to win the war all by herself.

“...I wish Salvos was here.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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189. Office and Library

A note from MelasD

Big shoutout to An Outcast in Anoter World. Its author, Kamikaze Potato, was inspired to start writing by Salvos, which is probably the most flattering thing in the world, and he's finally taken the biggest step in his author career by publishing his novel.

I hope you all give it a shot. It's an isekai litrpg adventure that's sure to grip you instantly! I'll let its blurb speak for it.

Rob was an ordinary college sophomore when a pitch-back portal opened up on campus and tried to kidnap his best friend. An act of heroism resulted in him being taken instead, and he was rewarded for his efforts by being transported to another world with nothing but a sword and the clothes on his back.

On the first day, he almost died.

On the second day, he almost died.

On the third, he began to notice a worrying trend. And almost died.

Whether he encounters wolves, cliffs, dungeons, monsters, or diseases, every day is a struggle to survive. The one advantage he has is his newfound ability to gain Levels and Stats, making himself stronger in order to survive the hostile lands that he was unceremoniously dumped into. He'll have to gain knowledge of the innerworkings of the world and its magic - progressing both his strength and his knowledge - in order to stay alive long enough to get revenge on whoever kidnapped him away from everything he knew and loved.

Overcoming the wilds is just the first step in his journey; the locals aren't fond of humans, and discovering the dark past behind this new world's history of war and strife changes everything. As far as isekai adventures go, Rob drew the short straw in many ways, but it'll take more than danger at every corner to keep him down. He'll carve out a place in this world with his bare hands if necessary. He'll survive, and then he'll thrive.

Whether anyone wants him to or not.

--

An Outcast On Another World puts a great focus on story and characterization, making it perfect for fans of traditional fantasy stories, while still including plenty of skills, stats, classes, and progression for LitRPG-lovers to enjoy. The LitRPG elements are incorporated into the main story to construct a cohesive world that's easy to immerse yourself in. Rob's progression is weak to strong, and victories aren't handed to him on a silver platter. No matter how powerful he gets, mid-combat ingenuity is essential to achieving victory.

An Outcast In Another World has dark elements to its narrative, but I've included appropriate humor as a balance, and many readers have told me that some parts made them burst out laughing while other parts tugged at their heartstrings. I truly believe that I've constructed a memorable fantasy RPG story that all types can love, and that you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

An Outcast in Another World: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Book 1 - Human Insanity) - Kindle edition by Potato, Kamikaze. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

189. Office and Library

And just like that, the first week of class passed like it was nothing.

They said time passed quickly when you were having fun. I disagreed: time passed quickly when I was staring at rocks for days— or was it weeks? Maybe even months?— in the Netherworld, and I wasn’t having fun. Rocks were boring and dull, and I wish I found the original rock!

Anyway, I continued to go through the daily routine of my classes. I didn’t sleep. Not even once. Each time, I’d force myself through the day, gradually growing more and more tired until I could return to being myself at night. Then in my little Lair, I’d sift my way through the various books, taking notes, reading into things I didn’t understand for my classes and labs.

Daniel and Edithe liked to believe that I had a short attention span; that couldn’t be further from the truth. If I cared or wanted to, I could focus on something for hours— or days or weeks or months. The reason why they might’ve believed I was too energetic probably came from the fact that I was still quite new to the Mortal Realm.

Almost everything I experienced was new.

Whatever the case was, I studied through the night, only transforming into a Human with [Partial Mortality] during the day. I’d feel refreshed— comparatively to before I reached the Lair in the middle of the night. When I returned from Mavos Academy, I would be ready to pass out. When I became a Human for the first time, I simply felt drowsy.

That was the nature of how my [Partial Mortality] Skill worked. When I first got the Skill, the moment I became a mortal, I had to set my sleep schedule. Which was why I often passed out instantly, if I wasn’t prepared to be hit by an intense desire to fall over and close my eyes.

My need to sleep didn’t accumulate over the course of me being outside of my Human form. That wouldn’t make sense. I didn’t need to sleep: that wasn’t the nature of my Species— or at least, my Subspecies. Apparently, some Species of Demons had to sleep. Like Succubi.

I was glad I never became a Succubi, because apparently they not only had to sleep, but they had to sleep with Human men!

However, now that the General Skill had leveled, and if the transformations were timed right, I could elude sleep entirely. The only problem was that my actions were drawing suspicion from Saffron. She’d ask me questions with narrowed eyes, inquiring about where I was going.

I’d lie, of course.

“Oh, I’m going to the library—”

“It’s closed at night, Salvos.”

“Um, I go out after it closes to study in peace!”

“Where do you study?”

She would tilt her head, puzzled. I hurriedly thought up an excuse.

“Just in the parks?”

“The parks close at—”

“Outside of Mavos Academy! Anyway, I gotta run—”

That was always how it happened. But she was prodding me more and more. I had to keep up my facade somehow. I’d think about it later. For now, there was something else that drew my attention.

I reached Mavos Academy, hurrying through its streets as students lackadaisically exchanged conversation and wandered around the campus. They weren’t rushing to their classes, because most of them had no classes today. It was a weekend. And they took this time to relax.

Why? I didn’t know!

I had no idea why their days were classified this way. It was weird to me, but it was what it was.

I was in Mavos Academy because I had a meeting. Nolan was going to be tutoring me in the library at Central Square. When I arrived, he greeted me at the entryway, dressed in a fancy suit with his blond hair slicked back.

“Hello Ms Salvos.”

I crossed my arms.

“I told you the last time, it’s just Salvos!”

He chuckled, leading the way into the library. It, like any other library, full of books. But for whatever reason, its shelves were so extremely tall, an ordinary person couldn’t reach the top. It was an entire domed chamber, reaching high up to over ten floors, and the walls were filled with books all the way to the top.

The thing was, there were these platforms which floated up and down, letting people reach for the books they liked.

“Come now, if I called you Salvos, you wouldn’t be giving me such an amusing reaction.”

I scowled, then I laughed. Doing things on purpose to tease others was definitely entertaining.

We found ourselves a booth which oversaw the main domed chamber of the library. There was a glass panel which peeked through the bookshelves, where we occasionally found ourselves meeting the gaze of those who passed by on their floating platforms. Nevertheless, we focused mostly on learning different alchemical formulae. He taught me a lot of the basics— things which I never would’ve learned from taking just the Advanced Alchemical Composition class. But things which would’ve helped me in said class.

“I’ve meant to ask, Salvos—”

He used my proper name now that we were actually studying.

“What reason do you have for choosing a Potion of Regeneration as your final project?”

“What reason?”

I cocked my head.

“It’s because I want to.”

“Well, yes. But it is one of the hardest ‘greater’ tiered potions to brew, yes?”

“It is.”

I nodded, and Nolan continued.

“And you are a, well, rookie in terms of alchemy, correct?”

“I am.”

He leant back on his chair, raising a brow.

“So, wouldn’t it be more prudent for you to choose an easier greater-tiered potion to brew, such as a Potion of Greater Curse resistance?”

“It would!”

I definitely agreed with what he was saying. His logic was sound.

“Then why did you choose a Potion of Regeneration as your project rather than a Potion of Greater Curse Resistance?”

“Because I want to.”

Nolan furrowed his brows, and I tilted my head to the side; I didn’t understand why he seemed confused.

“I… see. Well, if you really do wish on proceeding with that, I guess I may be able to procure some study materials that would aid you towards that goal.”

“You would do that?”

I perked up, and he smiled.

“Of course. I just ask that you allow me to treat you to a night of dinner, in return.”

“Um—”

I didn’t really like food. Not most Human foods. But Saffron was already growing suspicious of me. I couldn’t have another person prying into me and possibly discovering that I wasn’t a Human!

I might get expelled.

“Sure…?”

Nolan blinked.

“Oh, that was unexpected. Well, when are you available?”

“Um… how about next week?”

Oh no, I had to train myself to eat proper food without throwing up. That was going to be annoying.

“Very well. Next week. Let us head out for a meal after one of our study sessions. Sounds good?”

I nodded, not really knowing what else to say. I didn’t want to think about eating; I hated it. Unless they served bugs. But I highly doubted that they did. I quickly changed the subject.

“So, what’s your second Class anyway, Nolan?”

“My second Class?”

He tapped a finger on his chin, a little put-off by the sudden shift in conversation, but otherwise open to talk about it.

“Well, I have told you that I have the Title of Mighty Warrior, yes?”

“You did, I think.”

“And while I find my combat proficiency at close range to be quite superb, at long range, I was lacking. So I decided I would like to bridge that gap to become a [Mage].”

“I see. And how did you choose your first advancement after?”

“It was only a matter of specialization once I became a [Mage]. I saw what fit me the most and decided from there.”

“What did you become?”

“A [Cryomancer of the Rime].”

“Huh.”

Was it really that simple? That Class didn’t sound too special, which made sense, since it was only a first Class advancement, right?

Although, apparently a lot of people never reached their first Class advancement, content with simply living their day-to-day lives.

I bade Nolan farewell once the noon bell rang, heading out to study a different subject— space magic theory. But I didn’t stay in the library at Central Square. Instead, I headed over to the faculty’s office, in search of lecturer Claudia. Her office hours were held today, and I had a few questions I wanted to ask her.

But as I was walking through the office for the department on space magic, I ran into Veronica Adash. I blinked, peering at her.

“Hi, Veronica. What are you doing here?”

She was gathering her notes as she exited a small office. She smiled at me.

“Greetings, Salvos. I am simply gathering my belongings before heading out for lunch.”

“Gathering your things?”

I narrowed my eyes as I caught sight of the name plate of the room she came from.

Office of Veronica Adash - Space 141: Theoretical Effects on the Fabric of Space from Summonings / Basic Dimension Theory

“Wait, you’re a lecturer?”

“A professor, but yes. Does this surprise you?”

“It does! I mean, aren’t you a student?”

“A student of the School of Aspiring Elites. But that does not bar me from being a professor for those in the College of Aspirations.”

“Huh.”

“Is something the matter?”

She cocked a brow, and I shook my head, just surprised.

“No, I—”

I paused. A thought crossed my mind.

“Wait, actually could you give me some help?”

“If it is within my abilities, I will offer you some aid.”

I sighed in relief.

“Alright, so you know how you’re supposed to have a second Class which reached its first advancement to apply for the School of Aspiring Elites?”

“I am aware of that stipulation.”

Veronica nodded. I hesitated.

“Well, you see, I haven’t really made my decision yet… so, I’m currently still at my base Class.”

She frowned.

“Why have you not chosen an advancement yet?”

“I’m not sure what to choose!”

I wanted to throw my hands into the air. Veronica glanced around the hallway, then she ushered me into her office.

“Come, let’s speak about this inside.”

I followed after her, feeling my shoulder sag slightly.

“I just… I think they’re all so good! I don’t know what to choose!”

She shut the door and took a seat across from me, behind a desk.

“That is quite the dilemma others would be envious of, but one that is more common than you’d otherwise think for those at our positions.”

Veronica gave me a hint of a smile, almost chuckling at her own joke. I rubbed at my temples.

“They all help me get what I want… I think? At least, they all sound like it.”

“They sound like it?”

“Yep! Their descriptions are all so similar— but so different at the same time! I almost want to choose the safest option, even though I know it is probably the worst option...?”

“That’s certainly how it often is.”

“That the safest is the worst option?”

“No— well, yes. But the fact that all your Class options are unique yet similar.”

She rubbed her chin.

“Let me tell you something, Salvos. There is one thing you should know that comes with being at our levels and having the experiences we do. We are inherently specialized. If there is something you strive to achieve, it will be something you eventually achieve at one point or another.”

I pursed my lips.

“Um, what does that mean?”

“The both of us are… special— perhaps you more than I. But we are still more special than the average person. Not because we are simply born better, but because of where are in our life. We have reached levels that many will never see, and at our stage, we have to consider the accumulation of everything we’ve been through.”

I was still confused, and she could tell. So, she explained.

“There is a reason underlying your desire for a specific Class, am I right?”

“Yep.”

“And is this goal… a fancy of yours? Is it a fleeting desire? Or is it something which you truly want? You will vie for it, even if it means working for the rest of your days towards it?”

“It’s the last bit, not the first or second one.”

“We are both similar in that regard.”

Veronica touched a locket hanging around her neck. There was a sigil inscribed onto it— the letter ‘A’ written in cursive, with a shield behind it. Her country. Or former country, since it was destroyed.

“So, if this is something which you are striving for and will continue to work towards, naturally, your experiences— what you go through and what you learn— will relate to this goal of yours. And as long as you stick to it, eventually, your Class will tailor itself to your liking. To reaching your goal.”

I paused. Veronica raised a hand, a cup of tea suddenly appearing.

“Even if your first advancement does not offer you the options you seek out, that doesn’t mean you will never be able to find what you’re searching for. You just have to be persistent, determined. It will all work out in the end.”

“I… see.”

My eyes widened, and she smiled.

“Essentially, what I’m saying is: do not fret. Choose the Class advancement which you wish. You have a goal in mind, and you will reach it, even if not now. Trust that it will be so.”

I nodded slowly.

“Thank you, Veronica. You’re very smart, aren’t you?”

“It was no trouble. I would hope to be able to teach someone half my age some wisdom, considering all that I’ve been through.”

She chuckled, and I laughed too. Mostly because I wasn’t actually half her age. After we split ways, I headed to lecturer Claudia’s to ask the questions I had— get the clarification that I needed.

Still, I closed my eyes, relaxed, knowing that it was finally time for me to choose my advancement.

[Dimensional Mage]. [Fairy Maiden]. [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus].

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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190. A Mistake

190. A Mistake

[Dimensional Mage]. [Fairy Maiden]. [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus].

I could only think of my three Classes, even as I went about my day, almost mechanical. I was still trying to study and learn whatever I could. Just a little bit distracted.

The thing about [Dimensional Mage] is that it probably won’t give me a Skill to travel through planes at this level. It’s too… simple. Maybe at later levels, when I advance my Class to 100, it may give me what I want.

What was its description again? I tried to recall.

[Dimensional Mage]

A [Dimensional Mage] is a [Mage] specialized in manipulating space and reality itself to their own will. Unlike their [Space Mage] counterparts, [Dimensional Mages] focuses on making slight alterations to what is already there rather than rapidly weaving the fabric of space to achieve their goals.

+5 [Wisdom]

+5 [Endurance]

+5 [Agility]

+3 [Strength]

+1 [Vitality]

Right. So it already had pretty good Stats. But it was limited.

The thing was, I wasn’t in any rush. I had all the time in the world. I could just choose this, the safe option, and wait until I reached Level 100.

It was as Veronica said: it would work out, eventually. I just had to keep at it.

Which was why [Fairy Maiden] appealed to me.

I thought about the Class, even as I sat through lecturer Claudia’s explanation on the various axioms of space theory. I nodded along, trying to parse what she was saying. But my thoughts were ultimately focused on the benefits of choosing a Fairy Class.

I knew the cons were how Fairy Classes were scored by Fairies. They often devolved into fanaticism which resulted in actually hurting Fairies— something which I didn’t want to do. I adored them. Like Lily. They were so different from Humans: I felt a kinship with them.

Nevertheless, I decided to ask Claudia about what she thought of Fairy Classes. Of course, I didn’t directly ask the question. I made sure to be elusive about it.

“Fairy-related Classes?”

She quirked a brow. I made up an excuse.

“I was doing some research the other day, and stumbled across the existence of Fairy-related Classes. Those that worship Fairies and gain their natural ability to manipulate space to their liking. If that’s the case, why exactly have I not heard of anyone with such a Class?”

Claudia furrowed her brows. Her forehead wrinkled as she thought about it, speaking slowly.

“Fairy Classes are… first of all, they are generally banned. Out of fear of invoking the wrath of the Fairy Queen once more, the Den of Souls have imposed a ban on attaining such a Class. But more than that— they are far too limited, as far as I understand it.”

“Limited?”

“It is common belief that Fairies are space magic specialists, but that cannot be further from the truth. Only those who come to the Mortal Realm are skilled space magic users. Those who are not just simply can’t cross over. My dissertation was actually on this subject.”

I piqued her interest. Claudia always seemed to be quite monotonous, even when she was teaching space magic theory. But now, she seemed invested.

“The kind of space magic you’ll thus be able to utilize if one goes down such a path with a Fairy-related Class will face the same limits a Fairy would have. What you learn will aid your Class only if it pertains to Fairies and their magic. It will punish such general space magic theories which are learned and studied here in Mavos Academy.”

“Huh. I see.”

By the sound of it, Fairy-related Classes were far more instinctual than theoretical like Human [Mage] Classes. Which sounded like it’d be a boon to me, if not for the other downsides.

I didn’t know how Fairies worked. Perhaps their magic only let them enter and leave the Spirit Plane. If that was the case, I wouldn’t be able to see Haec again. And its main drawing point to me—

[Fairy Maiden]

A [Fairy Maiden] is a [Mage] who has earned the trust and blessings of Fairykind. Under the tutelage of a Fairy, a [Fairy Maiden] has learned many things. Yet, she still knows not the true secrets of the Fairy Queen or her goals. Perhaps, in time…

+10 [Wisdom]

+8 [Endurance]

+1 [Vitality]

+1 [Strength]

+1 [Agility]

Was the fact that it spoke of something about the Fairy Queen. My curiosity was piqued. I wondered what that was. But… Lily said she’d tell me if we ever met again.

So, that wasn’t too much of a draw for me anymore.

The last Class option was [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus].

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus]

A [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] is a [Mage] of renown. The world is their playground. Its inhabitants are their friends, although some are their enemies. For those they abhor, they will show no mercy. But for those they love, they will show kindness everlasting. They are free. Not constrained to merely a single location in the vast world. They know there is more to existence than what is before them. Their magic lets them seek out things beyond their periphery, no matter what.

+8 [Endurance]

+8 [Wisdom]

+3 [Vitality]

+3 [Strength]

+3 [Agility]

Truth be told, I just liked its name. And it gave the best Stat Points. Even as I left Claudia’s office hours, heading back to the library for some last bit of studying, I could only think of this Class.

It felt like I was already decided.

Yes, I had all the time in the world— I could choose [Dimensional Mage] and probably be able to return to the Netherworld.

But Haec didn’t. I didn’t know what had happened to him, or if he was even alive. I had to know.

[Fairy Maiden] was interesting, but I just didn’t feel like it was a fit for me. I liked Fairies, but I didn’t worship them.

“[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] it is.”

I slammed my books shut, drawing the attention of a few students studying in the library. I blinked.

“Oops.”

—--

I left the library soon after, knowing what I wanted. I wanted to head to my Lair, but I remembered the main problem with advancing in Class. It would make me ‘fall asleep’. That meant I was vulnerable. Even if in my own space.

I didn’t like sleeping because of that. So, I returned back to the only place I knew was safe. Saffron’s room.

She wasn’t in her room when I entered. But I had the key, so I didn’t have any trouble going in. Matthew wasn’t there either, so I was free to do as I pleased. I grabbed a quick snack of some insects, before closing my eyes and passing out on the couch.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 106

Class: [Adept of the Fae] - Lvl. 36

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 2

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 4

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 5

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 130 (+25)

[Strength]: 105 (+25)

[Endurance]: 113 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 200 (+25) (+9)

[Agility]: 253 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 5

[Haste] - Lvl. 5

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 4

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 10]

[Banish] - Lvl. 25 (Maxed)

[Spatial Sight] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Secondary Skill Slot] x1

[Advancement Available]

I know what I want. [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus]...

It was a risk. It might not even have been a Class related to space magic for all I knew. But if it was, it might have helped me reach my goal sooner rather than later. And I would have had a cool Class.

So, I made my choice.

Advancement Complete!

Class [Adept of the Fae] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus]

Gained 10 Stat Points!

[Endurance] +8

[Wisdom] +8

[Vitality] +3

[Strength] +3

[Agility] +3

Gained 2 Skill Slots!

Gained 3 Skill Points!

Skill [Banish] becomes [Scatter Shift]!

Skill [Spatial Sight] and available Skill [Spectral Tracking] consolidates and becomes [Planar Navigation]!

Skill [Temporal Distortion] is now available!

Skill [Object Levitation] is now available!

Available Skills [Astral Grip] and [Cosmic Compression] consolidates and becomes [Mystical Projection]!

I sat up abruptly, blinking and glancing over at the clock, checking to see how much time had passed. Just as I expected, I had passed out for a few hours thanks to undergoing my advancement. Now, I was awake, looking around the room, trying to see if anything seemed different.

[Planar Navigation]. I had an available Skill and a current Skill consolidate into a single new Skill. That was the first time such a thing happened. Veronica was right when she said that things would work out at our levels due to our specialization!

I didn’t see any significant changes with my vision— not until I focused, narrowing my eyes. I saw the way everything seemed… ever-so-slightly pull themselves into each other. That was a concept Daniel talked about once, right? Gravity.

Everything with even a modicum of mass seemed to slightly tug at the things next to it, even going as far as to affect the space between them as well. It was an odd sight. The objects were almost bending, but they weren’t, really.

That seemed to be a passive effect of the Skill. I got to my feet, folding my arms together. I shifted slightly, annoyed by the way my clawed hands almost dug into my blue jacket.

I closed my eyes, speaking the Skill name softly.

“[Planar Navigation].”

And suddenly, the world opened up. It was like I could see everything around me and how it was overlaid into this plane, but… not at the same time. I didn’t get a sense of the objects themselves or how they moved. Just how they interacted with each other and the world in this dimension.

It was like [Spatial Sight], except it was far more detailed, and extended as far as fifty feet all around me. And even as figures entered and left this area of spatial vision of mine, remnants… strands of their being almost seemed to leave itself behind, allowing me to pick up and follow that trail unless enough time passed. And it wasn’t just five minutes.

So, it was like an enhanced version of [Spatial Sight] and [Spectral Tracking]. Which was… quite good, honestly. This way, I didn’t just have to rely on [A Hunter’s Sense] if someone was stalking me. I sat there, waiting to see how long it’d take for the Skill to end, but it turned out that it would remain active until I ran out of mana.

Which would take a while.

There wasn’t much to see either. The hallways slowly emptied as people returned to their rooms for the night, chatting and talking, before I decided to deactivate the Skill and activate my next new Skill.

“[Scatter Shift].”

I raised a hand, pointing at the various books I had laid on the floor. All six of them vanished, appearing in the air where I wanted them to appear, falling back to the ground. I blinked. Then I grinned.

“Woah.”

Unlike [Banish] which was limited to only moving a single object at once, I seemed to be able to teleport multiple objects at the same time. There was a brief ten second cool down between uses, but I was certain it would decrease as the level of the Skill increased. I was impressed, honestly.

It was a pretty good Skill, all things considered.

“That’s not to mention my other new Skills.”

I tapped a sharp finger on my chin, mulling over the available Skills I had.

“[Temporal Distortion], [Object Levitation], [Mystical Projection], and [Short Range Teleportation] which didn’t improve—”

The sound of a key turning drew my attention. I glanced over at the door, seeing it open, and I beamed.

“Welcome back, Saffron!”

The pink-haired woman stepped through the door, rubbing at her temples. She glanced up at me.

“Hello, S—”

Then she paused. She rubbed her eyes, before they widened. She stared at me for a moment as I cocked my head. She dropped down to her knees, pointing a finger. And I glanced down at myself.

“Oh no.”

Somehow, some way, I was not in my Human form. After undergoing my Class advancement, I became… well, a—

“Demon!”

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191.1. Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings

191.1. Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings

“Demon!”

The word rang out of Saffron’s mouth. The noble woman stumbled back, pointing a shaky finger at me. Then she spun around, ready to burst out into the hallway.

I narrowed my eyes.

In an instant, I was next to her. I raised a hand out, seeing my claws retract— my skin turning to a more olive or peach-like color, less pale, less silver. Already transformed back into a Human, I grabbed Saffron and shoved her back into the room.

She was wrapped in blue flaming chains, including her mouth so that she couldn’t speak. The door silently closed softly behind me as a few students of Mavos Academy poked their heads out of the neighboring rooms.

I scratched the back of my head as they looked over at me. I glanced around, wearing a confused face.

“Did someone say something? Haha, I could’ve sworn someone shouted something!”

I shrugged, nonchalantly returning to the room. There were murmurs— annoyed mutterings about their study sessions being interrupted.

“Must’ve been a prank, right?”

I opened the door and hurriedly slammed it shut. I wiped the beads of sweat forming on my forehead, sighing in relief.

“Whew, that was close.”

“Mffmfm! MfmfmmfFMMFFMFMMFFFF”

I stared at Saffron, wriggling on the ground, bound and gagged. I placed my hands on my hips.

“Now, what do I do with you?”

The pink-haired woman glared up at me as I ran a hand over the room’s walls. There were runes inscribed onto it— magic that would muffle sound from seeping out, and prevent outsiders from peeking it.

I squatted, meeting Saffron’s gaze.

“Look, it’s a misunderstanding. I’ll let you speak if you promise not to try anything, alright? Then we can talk our way through this.”

She stared at me, silent. Obviously. She couldn’t speak. I decided that it couldn’t hurt to at least let her talk, so we could resolve this without drawing blood.

I tapped a finger on the bands of blue flames covering her mouth. They didn’t burn her. I made sure to make it so it wasn’t the kind of flames that burnt… somehow.

“So, Saffron, I am—”

“Unhand me you Demon!”

Saffron snapped, speaking over me. A red aura overcame her. It was a familiar one. I saw it once before, back when that Vampire bandit boss commanded her followers to attack me.

And now, this same magic— or Skill— was being used against me. I stepped back, frowning. I felt a tugging at the back of my head. My sympathy for Saffron and her situation. I hadn’t wanted this to happen. Yet, the feeling grew stronger than before. Before it was quelled.

A glint drew my eye. My Ring of Lesser Curse Protection shone. And a Skill— no, a Title Skill— activated. [General Curse Resistance]. That feeling returned to the back of my head. My brows snapped together as Saffron blinked.

“Why isn’t my [Vampiric Essence] working?”

“[Vampiric Essence]?”

So, she was a Vampire. I had my suspicions, but this just confirmed it. I leaned forward, and she drew back.

“That won’t work on me. I just want to talk. Clear this up. Please?”

“Clear it up?”

Saffron’s face twisted.

“There is nothing to clear up. I saw your Subspecies. I know what you are. You are the enemy of the Human race. Regnorex is at the gates— and to think I thought of you as my friend!”

“We are friends!”

I sputtered, waving my hands in the air.

“If we weren’t friends, I’d have just killed you and gotten this over with!”

Her brows furrowed. Then her eyes widened.

“H-how many people have you killed?”

I groaned.

“No! Ugh, Saffron, listen to me—”

I grabbed her by her shoulders before she could say anything else. I took a deep breath, trying my best to explain.

“I am a Demon, yes. But I am not a wild Demon or a bad Demon like Belzu who’s ravaging Nixa. I am just a Demon. Like you are a Human… um, Vampire? However that works! I am Salvos. Even if I’m a Demon, I’m the same Salvos you’ve known the whole time!”

Saffron eyed me. She shook her head, completely ignoring what I said.

“Your kind is responsible for bringing death and destruction unrivaled to the Mortal Realm. Your ruler, Regnorex, slayed our guardian and protector, Alexander the Immortal King. His armies slaughtered thousands of my ancestors who fought valiantly to save this plane. Even right now, there is a Primeval Demon out there, killing tens of thousands of innocent lives, putting my family’s lives in danger. Tell me, Salvos the liar—”

I pursed my lips at the title she gave me. But I didn’t bother responding to that now. I was trying to defuse the situation, not make it worse.

Saffron continued.

“With all these facts in place, why should I trust you? Why should I give a Demon the benefit of the doubt?”

I sighed.

“Because I haven’t killed you.”

The noble woman paused. And before she could unleash another tirade on me, I spoke simply.

“Saffron.”

I stared at her. She wore a dubious— even mistrusting— look. One which wouldn’t be convinced by anything I said.

“Before I enrolled into Mavos Academy, they made me take a vow. The Headmaster himself carried out this ritual. And I had to swear that I am not an agent for any Species or organization that threatens to undermine Humankind. I passed the test. I am standing here right now, a student of Mavos Academy.”

I tapped a finger on my badge. The proof that I was in the School of Aspiring Elites.

“If you don’t believe me, will you not believe the facts? The truth? Use your logic, Saffron. Don’t you Humans pride yourself in being rational creatures?”

I could see the tension gripping Saffron abating— albeit only slightly. She hesitated, and I continued.

“I was the one who killed Lucerna, that Greater Demon rampaging through Falisfield. I was the one who first reported about Belzu to the Adventurers Guild. I have killed over a hundred [Cultists], and I have saved your life once before. I know you perceive the Netherworld as a monolith— every Demon there bow down and worship this… dumb Demon King. But that can’t be further from the truth!”

I remembered all the wild Demons— and not just them, but the others. Those who had been with Haec. Even that horned Demon that tried to disguise itself in a veil of intelligence, but was no less wild than the other wild Demons.

None of them had served Regnorex. I only encountered a handful of Demons who did. Those who didn’t far outnumbered the ones who were under the Demon King. It was not what Humans thought of it at all.

“I do not serve anyone but myself, Saffron. And I hold no ill will to Humankind, nor do I wish to harm you. Just think about it for a moment, alright?”

Saffron shifted as I finished. She averted her gaze, staying silent for a few moments. I waited for what she had to say— I hoped it wasn’t some stupid indictment against me because of my Species. Thankfully, her rational side won out.

“...fine.”

I cocked my head. Then I beamed.

“You mean you believe me?”

“I… believe the facts of the situation. Is that enough for you to free me?”

“No.”

I crossed my arms, stepping back.

“I need you to promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

Saffron still avoided my gaze, but she mumbled something.

“I…”

“I can’t hear you, Saffron. Promise me you won’t tell anyone!”

“Ugh, fine.”

The noble woman looked up. She spoke through gritted teeth.

“I swear, by the honor of the Merryster family and my lineage as a Vampire, that I will not tell anyone that you are a Demon.”

I raised a brow. I wasn’t sure if I believed that. But it’d have to do for now. I couldn’t keep her chained up forever, and I especially didn’t want to kill her.

“Now let me go!”

I let the chains dissipate as Saffron made her demand. She sprawled on the ground, groaning. She rubbed her shoulders, sore from being tightly chained up. I wasn’t able to treat her with the utmost care earlier, considering I was in a panic.

She drew herself to her feet, and I tilted my head.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to my room. Why, is that not allowed?”

She harrumphed as she spoke. I stood to the side, letting her march off back to her bedchamber.

“No— just please don’t break your promise, Saffron.”

The pink-haired woman paused at the doorway. She glanced back at me, then she scowled.

“I won’t.”

And she slammed it shut.

191.2. Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings

191.2. Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings

“That sucked.”

I sighed as I lay on the couch, the back of my right hand covering my eyes. While it might seem like I wasn’t really paying attention to my surroundings, truthfully I was using my new Skill, [Planar Navigation], to monitor what Saffron was doing.

I’d be able to tell if she tried to cast a messaging spell to Matthew, or if she tried to escape through the window. She didn’t do either of that, instead opting to retire to bed for the night after a quick bath.

The fact that I was found out by Saffron annoyed me. But I was also glad that it didn’t become a major issue. If the other students had discovered the truth about me, I’d have had to leave Mavos Academy. Fortunately, [Partial Mortality] allowed me to shapeshift between a mortal and a Human in an instant— as long as the cooldown time had passed.

If I still had [Mortal Form] as my Racial Skill, I’d have transformed too slow. The other students would’ve peeked out of their rooms to see a half-transformed Demon standing out in the corridor. Which was less than ideal.

I had done so well, avoiding being caught as a Demon for so long. And my only mistake was deciding to undergo my Class advancement. It was my first time even advancing a Class— and the circumstances differed from when I chose my Class for the first time. My Class choice had occurred when I was, well, me. I never would’ve known that I’d change back when I underwent a Class advancement.

It was irritating— especially having to deal with the consequences of being caught, such as constantly monitoring Saffron. And to put my mind off it, I focused on my new Skills. My Secondary Skills.

[Temporal Distortion], [Object Levitation], [Mystical Projection], and [Short Range Teleportation].

Right now, I had three Skill Slots available, and 13 Secondary Skill Points to spend. I wasn’t intending to do what I usually did, choosing a Skill at random and discarding it if I didn’t like it. I had four options, and I was going to choose three, leaving the last for future use.

The first one I decided upon was [Mystical Projection]. I knew I wanted this Skill because it was a consolidation of two good Skills. I concentrated on the Skill, adding it to my Secondary Skills.

Then I sat up, testing what it did.

[Mystical Projection]. I looked around, waiting to see its effects.

Instantly, I saw space bending around me within the vision of my [Planar Navigation] sphere. It looked like… arms were forming. But not just any ordinary arms. Long and massive arms that could stretch out to either ends of the room and more. It almost looked like wings, protruding from my back.

But they were arms. Invisible to my normal eyes. Yet, they felt as natural as normal arms did. I could pick things up with it, and I could settle them down gently. I could even claw at things, although it felt weaker than my regular clawing strike.

“Huh.”

With [Mystical Projection], I snatched a bug crawling on the walls a dozen feet away from me. I quickly retracted my invisible arms, bringing it to my mouth. I dropped the bug and crunched on it, before grinning.

“This is a good Skill.”

The next Skill I was interested in was [Temporal Distortion]. Unlike [Short Range Teleportation] and [Object Levitation], which were both rather intuitive. I wasn’t sure what Temporal Distortion would do. So, I was curious about it, and that was why I chose it.

“Now, let’s see— [Temporal Distortion].”

Instantly, the effects of [Mystical Projection] and [Planar Navigation] vanished. I blinked, almost in a panic, as I suddenly found myself in a bubble-like sphere. It was as if everything beyond this bubble was the ocean, and I stood in the only pocket of air deep underwater where the sun never shone.

Everything outside this bubble moved slower. I saw ants laboriously climb their way up the walls of the room, while the candlelight flickered slowly. It wasn’t a bubble I could control. I couldn’t move it from where it was placed. I paced around the bubble, trying to do something with it. Nothing happened.

I stepped outside of the bubble and realized that I could feel the effects of my other space Skills again. I looked into the bubble. It didn’t pop and disappear. And everything inside of it moved faster.

“Interesting. Although this Skill seems like it’ll be less useful than [Mystical Projection]. But I wonder if I can...”

I tugged at the strings of mana connected to the bubble. It was like I turned a switch. The bubble wobbled slightly, before steadying, and now everything inside of it moved slower.

“So, I can change the speeds of everything in the bubble, but only in the bubble. I see.”

It was like a [Haste] spell confined to a specific location. Except, it could also go slower. And I was pretty sure the speed could be adjusted to be even faster or slower once the Skill leveled.

“Very circumstantial. But under the right conditions, it could be very useful.”

I let it vanish, sitting back onto the couch.

“Now, for the last two Skills.”

[Object Levitation] and [Short Range Teleportation]. [Object Levitation] had some uses. If it did what I thought it did.

As for [Short Range Teleportation], it was a Skill that could make me move faster. But not too fast that it would be too significant of a change. Also, I could teleport without the Skill. So, it was ultimately not the most useful Skill to have right now. But it had the potential to become a better Skill, or even consolidate into another one of my Skills.

So, I left it alone.

Instead, I decided on [Object Levitation].

“Now, let’s see what you do.”

I raised a hand, activating the Skill.

And a bunch of cups floated into the air.

“Yep. It did what I thought it’d do.”

With that, I was done choosing my Secondary Skills. I distributed some of my Secondary Skill Points for now, depending on how useful I currently thought they’d be. But if one proved to actually be more useful than I initially thought, I’d focus on it more in the future.

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 5

[Object Levitation] - Lvl 1

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 3

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 4

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 3

“Alright.”

I glanced up, facing Saffron’s bedroom.

“Now, what is going to happen with that?”

She was still sleeping. For now, she might stick to her promise. But… was she really planning on keeping quiet forever?

A note from MelasD

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192. And Pride

A note from MelasD

Thank you all so much for 10,000 followers <3

To celebrate, I'll be giving shoutouts to a few fictions, starting with Speedrunning the Multiverse. It's a LitRPG Isekai Xianxia with a strong lead. Check it out!

Dorian achieved his life's goal: reach the peak of power. What now?

Do it all over again, of course.

But faster.

Speedrunning the Multiverse | Royal Road

192. And Pride

Saffron Merryster couldn’t get a wink of sleep.

She tried— she really tried. To ensure one’s performance both mentally and physically, one had to get a proper and healthy amount of rest. And she didn’t want to underperform, not in Mavos Academy, the academy with the highest dropout rates in the world.

But she couldn’t sleep. Because the young noble knew that just beyond her bedroom’s door was a Demon. An Archdemon of immense power. One that could end her life at any moment.

Logic told her that if that were the case, Saffron would already be dead. But her fear— the unsettling idea that this might just be the idea of a game for the Demon— kept her awake. So, she didn’t sleep. She lay in her bed with her wand in her hand. Even if she knew it wouldn’t save her, she wasn’t going to die without a fight.

A Demon, she thought to herself. This whole time, Salvos was a Demon. It almost made sense. The fact that Salvos had been so naive and ignorant of the world wasn’t because she was a foolish plebeian who hit her head as a child, but because she was a Demon.

Saffron almost felt betrayed just thinking about it. The fact that she was lied to and tricked— it upset her just as much as she now despised towards the Demon.

Salvos had warned her not to tell anyone. But Saffron couldn’t possibly remain silent. All Saffron had to do was wait until Salvos was busy… which wasn’t hard now, was it?

They both had classes tomorrow. All Saffron had to do was pull someone aside and tell them the truth about Salvos. Of course, it’d be hard to get anyone to believe Saffron. Somehow, Saffron was going to have to procure a Scroll of Lies. Even with her family’s connections… which were very limited as of right now due to the Primeval Demon in Nixa… she’d have a hard time getting such an expensive artifact.

Or maybe— She had an idea. It was one that required Headmaster Skyshredder’s help. She needed access to the Ritual of Veracity. But going straight to Headmaster Skyshredder just for potential hearsay from a single person was impossible, and getting his approval to use such an expensive ritual was even more difficult. She had to tell someone else first. Preferably, someone she trusted. And she had to prove that Salvos was a Demon to said person. Then her credibility would be increased.

Saffron felt slightly guilty for reneging on her word. But she had to swallow her honor and her pride to do this. For the sake of Humankind— as a Demon Hunter, defender of the Mortal Realm— she’d do anything she’d have to do.

No matter what.

“Good morning, Saffron!”

I cheerfully greeted the pink-haired woman. She stepped out of her room, eyeing me hesitating. I cocked my head, seated at the dining table.

“What’s wrong, not going to have breakfast? At least have some tea.”

I gestured at the porcelain teacup I prepared. I took a sip from it, before spitting it out.

“Ugh— it’s delicious.”

Saffron chewed her lips, starting past me.

“I am fine, Salvos.”

She didn’t meet my eyes as she spoke. Hefting her bag over her shoulder, she started for the doorway out of the room.

“I simply lack the appetite today. If you will excuse me, I shall be headed for my classes.”

“Alright! Have a good day!”

I waved at her. Saffron pulled the door open, pausing only when I spoke up once more.

“By the way, you didn’t forget about what you promised me last night, did you?”

There was dead silence for what felt like an eternity. It dragged out as I tapped my finger on the table.

“Well?”

“I-I…”

Saffron steeled herself, taking a deep breath.

“I didn’t forget.”

“You better not break your promise! It’s a promise, you know!”

“I won’t.”

“Good.”

I settled back into my chair, satisfied. She closed the door behind her, hurrying down the hallway as I nodded to myself.

“Yep, she’s definitely not going to keep her promise.”

Saffron had a class on alchemy today. It was, for multiple reasons— some of which might or might not pertain to her being a Vampire— the class she least excelled at. And yet, she was skipping out on her lessons, opting to instead catch one of the few trustworthy people she knew in Mavos Academy.

Valda. A fourteen year old child prodigy. And also— a Vampire. Just like Saffron.

She was one of two people Saffron trusted enough to conspire with. Saffron caught her right as she was about to enter her enchanting class. Pulling her to the side, Saffron glanced around to make sure that the hallway was empty before speaking.

“We need to talk.”

Valda crossed her arms, frowning.

“You just kidnapped me from going to my classroom. I’m now late because of you.”

“It’s important.”

The girl rolled her eyes.

“Look, Saffy, if you’re going to try and convince me to pack up my things to fight that Primeval Demon that could kill us both with a snap of the finger, I’m telling you right now: my answer is no.”

“That’s not it.”

Saffron shook her head. She opened her mouth to explain, but felt a terrible feeling run down her spine. It was a prickle, as if ants were pressing their tiny legs onto her back. She glanced around, and saw no one. Pursing her lips, she continued.

“It is about Salvos.”

“The Liberator of the Plaguelands?”

Valda blinked. Saffron nodded.

“So, you’ve already heard of her?”

“Of course I do. Everyone is talking about her. A sudden transfer student into the highly regarded School of Aspiring Elites, who won entry into Mavos Academy by dueling Headmaster Skyshredder himself? Of course I’ve heard of her.”

“Well, that’s not… actually… what happened.”

Saffron raised a finger, not sure where to even begin. She shook her head.

“Look, it’s something very important about her. And I need you to trust me.”

“Wait a minute.”

Valda’s eyes widened.

“Are you the supposed lucky roommate who gets to live with Salvos?”

“I am, and I have discovered a—”

“What the fuck. You lucky bitch!”

Valda almost exclaimed in excitement. Saffron paused. Then she narrowed her eyes.

“Hey, language.”

“I am not a child—”

“You are. You literally are, Valda.”

“Fine. I’m not a fancy noble like you, so I don’t need to watch what I’m saying.”

She snorted, and Saffron rubbed her temples.

“Whatever. I just need you to listen to me for one moment.”

“Why? Wait, is this about Salvos?”

“Yes!”

Saffron spoke in an exasperated voice. She continued before Valda could interrupt her once more.

“I am her roommate and I met her long before she attended Mavos Academy. And you have to know that she is harboring a dark secret.”

Raising a hand, Saffron whispered a word. A bubble began to form around them. One that would block sound from escaping from within the bubble. It would be hard for anyone under Level 70 to scry through this spell. And if they did listen? Well, good. The more who found out, the better.

With a sigh, Saffron spoke in a solemn voice.

“Salvos is—”

“Nope.”

Valda grabbed Saffron’s hand, lowering it and dispelling the spell before it could finish forming. Saffron paused, perplexed.

“Uh, what?”

Valda pointed an accusing finger at her face.

“I know what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to slander her because you’re jealous.”

“Why would I be jealous?”

“Or maybe you’re annoyed you’re forced to room with her. I don’t know. Point is, she doesn’t have any dark secrets, and I’m not going to listen to you make up some fake story about her just to get me on your side. I’ve read enough books to know where this is going, and I don’t want any part of your drama!”

Valda began to walk off, only for Saffron to grab her by the hand. Saffron gave her a pleading look.

“You have to trust me. It is important. The fate of the world is at risk if you do not help me.”

“I said no!”

Saffron drew back as the girl glared at her.

“Salvos is an amazing person who has done so much for Humankind. You can hear about her feats— the Titles she has gained in such a short time. Even Emperor Nor Maran of the Vaun Qieur Empire has sung her praises! That’s what you’re always on about, right? Doing what’s best for us Humans?

Valda waved her hands around, before staring down at her palms.

“And more than that… she was so kind to me. I have seen the way she treated others— that kind of compassion cannot be a facade. While others treat me like an ignorant, petulant child who entered the academy by luck, she gave me respect. I don’t care what ‘dark secrets’ you think she’s hiding. You should look up to her, not… whatever you’re doing. So, don’t you dare try and slander her name again!

She ripped her hand free of Saffron’s grip, speaking with finality in her voice.

“Especially not to me”

Valda stormed off, leaving Saffron alone. TSaffron stood there, even as Valda entered her classroom. The hallway was now empty, and Saffron was speechless.

“But… I was only trying to tell you the truth…”

“Sometimes, the truth sucks, and it’s better if you just didn’t say anything.”

Saffron jerked back as a figure appeared next to her. Salvos grinned, placing a hand over Saffron’s lips.

“Don’t scream. You’ll interrupt their class.”

The Demon with a Human’s skin gestured at the classroom next to them. Saffron slowly bobbed her head, feeling the cool touch of her finger. Perspiration dripped off Saffron’s face as she met the Demon’s gaze.

“H-how long have you been here?”

“The whole time. I followed you straight from the room. Kind of annoying, since I’m skipping a class right now. But hey, better to deal with this before it becomes a major issue, right?”

She chuckled, and Saffron let out a nervous laugh. Salvos ushered Saffron forward.

“Come on, let’s speak outside where we’ll have more privacy.”

“I almost had to kill you, you know?”

I spoke nonchalant, bringing Saffron on a stroll through Mavos Academy’s campus.

“I really didn’t want to, and I’m glad Valda didn’t let you say anything. You should thank her. Or maybe I should thank her?”

I wondered aloud to myself as the noble woman followed behind me, silent. I tilted my head, glancing back at her.

“Are you not going to say anything?”

“...what do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know— anything to make this less awkward?”

It was a helpful suggestion. One which elicited the first proper sentence from Saffron.

“W-where are we going?”

“Out of Mavos Academy.”

I replied simply. Saffron instantly came to a halt. She almost stumbled back, her entire body trembling.

“Y-you…”

“Relax. I’m not going to kill you or anything.”

My words did nothing to calm her, but still I continued.

“You refuse to believe that I can possibly be… good, no matter what I say. So, I’ll just have to prove it to you. I mean, I have to gather some sagetree sap anyway for my Potion of Regeneration. May as well kill two birds with one stone, right?”

Saffron paled, and I sighed.

“It’s an expression.”

“A very ominous expression.”

“I was trying to lighten the mood, ok?”

I took a step forward, but Saffron didn’t budge. She stared at me, very much dubious, and also quite nervous, shifting on her feet.

“How are you… exactly going to prove yourself to me?”

“Well, first of all, with the effort I’m putting in trying to convince you, I hope you’ll believe me by the end of all this.”

Then I spun around, baring my teeth as I steadily met Saffron’s gaze.

“And second of all, I will bring you to Adventurers Guild, ask some questions, find the location of all the damn Demon-worshipping cults in this country, and slaughter every single last one of them in front of you. Now, will that be enough to prove myself to you?”

She gulped.

“Y-yes…?”

There was a pause. An eerie silence. Then I smiled.

“Good.”

I clapped my hands together cheerfully, and skipped my way out of the school. Then I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Wait, this is like one of those school trip things, right? Daniel told me about them. This is going to be so fun!”

A note from MelasD

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193. Empathy? Or...?

A note from MelasD

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193. Empathy? Or...?

“What do you mean you can’t help me?”

I gave the receptionist behind the desk an exasperated look. He leaned back, speaking apprehensively.

“Apologies, Miss, but the Adventurers Guild itself isn’t all knowing, and cults are known to be elusive in their operations. We can give you some general directions— what we know about the region. But… if I may suggest, inquiring with local companies would likely lead to better results.”

“Local companies?”

I cocked my head. He nodded.

“Yes. The Storm Swords Company—”

“I know.”

I scowled.

“I went there before coming here. They dislike me for whatever reason. I thought Jacob was a nice guy, but it turns out he’s just a jerk!”

I didn’t know why he had been so nice to me at first, only to reveal his true colors now and turn me away from his company. Whatever the case was, I wasn’t going to get any help from either the local company of Wimborne, or the Adventurers Guild here.

I turned back to Saffron who was uncomfortably standing in the middle of the guild hall. With a sigh, I trudged back to her.

“It’s no use. They’re no help at all.”

“I-I see…”

She didn’t face me, even as I walked past her.

“Come on, let’s go to the next city. Maybe their company will be more helpful.”

Saffron followed me out of the Adventurers Guild, into the busy streets of Wimborne. The smell of gross fish perfumed the air, and I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

“Ugh, what’s with this city’s obsession with fish?”

“Obsession with fish?”

The noble woman stared at me, puzzled.

“Yep. Why does everyone here sell fish. They’re gross and stinky!”

“That’s… because we’re in a port city?”

“Huh. And?”

She didn’t say anything as I strolled ahead of her, headed out of Wimborne. I produced a map from my bag, trying to find the next closest city. I murmured to myself for a bit, in thought, when Saffron spoke up.

“I believe I may be able to help you locate some… [Cultists].”

I blinked and turned back to her.

“You can?”

“I have connections. Since… I am...”

She gestured at herself, and my eyes widened.

“Huh.”

That made sense. Saffron was a Vampire, so she’d likely keep a tab on the various cults around Mavos Academy— if there even were any. I smiled politely, offering her a hand.

“If you could please help me prove myself to you, I’d be very grateful.”

Pursing her lips, she eyed my hand with some reluctance. But eventually, she took it.

“Follow me. I know a few things off the top of my head, however my information may be outdated. I will have to speak with Matthew for more up to date details.”

“Sure— wait a minute, you aren’t just trying to trick me, are you?”

I narrowed my eyes, and Saffron blanched.

“No, I swear I am not!”

“Good. Because I really want us to be friends again, Saffron. Maybe even companions, you know?”

“C-companions?”

Saffron blinked as I ushered her out of the city. I smiled.

“Yep. Like Daniel! We’re companions because he knows who I am and he doesn’t want to kill me for it!”

“Daniel? Wait, that man you were with? He knows you’re a… and he’s fine with that?”

“He is. Although, he did try to kill me when we first met. Edithe too. Hm… everyone keeps trying to kill me when they discover that I am who I am. It’s kind of annoying.”

Well, not everyone. The Elves were nice to me! Adan and Xidra were too! But some of the Kobolds, like Zix, weren’t as nice, and I wasn’t sure what most Cyclopes thought of us Demons. Honestly, maybe I should’ve asked Vis’anya if there were magic academies in the Elf lands.

I probably should’ve tried attending their school instead. Oh well, I was here in Mavos Academy now, and I had to repair my relationship with Saffron.

She led me back to Mavos Academy, which reminded me of something.

“By the way, can your connections help me get sagetree sap? Oh, oh, I know! How about tempest-fused blood?”

Saffron hesitated, biting her lower lip.

“Sagetree sap is rare. You’ll have to speak with [Traders] coming from the east, since they’re likely the only ones who have them in stock. But as for tempest-fused blood… I may be able to help you with that.”

I paused. Then I snapped my fingers.

“Oh, right, because you’re a V—”

“Not so loud!”

Saffron placed a finger over her lips, and I smirked.

“Oh, so when I do it, it’s a problem, but you do it, it’s fine?”

She drew her lips into a thin line as I snickered.

“I-I…”

“It’s fine. Come on, where’s Matthew?”

—--

“Yes, Lady Saffron, I have been keeping tabs on the two main cults here in Shedos. I have marked their general base of operations on the map here, and you may inquire locals for further information. However, I have to say, their activity as of late has been… odd, to say the least.”

Matthew had been staying in a hotel in Mavos Academy. Yep, they had hotels, which were pretty much nicer version of inns— and why did the campus have a hotel in the first place? I had no idea!

“Odd, how?”

Saffron raised a brow. He explained.

“The two main cults are the Followers of the Demon King and the Netherworld’s Communion. I’m sure you’ve heard of them. And I expected their activities to spike ever since the Primeval Demon came down from Motharis, yet both groups have grown idle.”

“Idle? Do you mean that they’ve halted their activities?”

She rubbed a hand on her chin.

“Are you certain they aren’t preparing to leave to join and aid the Primeval Demon in Nixa?”

“Perhaps that is a possibility with the Netherworld’s Communion, as their activities have nearly completely ceased. But I do not think it is likely for the Followers of the Demon King. You see, they have been sending their members abroad. To Elutra.”

“The Elutra Kingdom?”

I spoke up for the first time since getting here.

“That’s where Daniel went! Wait, aren’t they at war with a bunch of [Cultists] right now?”

Saffron shook her head.

“There are rumors spread by princess Faith of Elutra that their enemy, the Inoria Empire, has been overtaken by a cult. But there is no clear evidence for such a claim. I’d have sent some of our thralls to investigate, alas the Primeval Demon’s presence is a more pressing matter to Father. He has rallied all of the thralls under our family.”

“What are thralls? Is that a type of Class or something?”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“They’re simply our servants. But enhanced and powered by Father. You see, at Level 100, us Vampires don’t receive a second Class, like ordinary Humans. We receive a Subspecies. One related to being a Vampire. And his Subspecies allows him to empower those under his family. Similar to a Class specialized for ruling or commanding.”

“Huh.”

“Was that too confusing for you? I could simplify my explanation, if necessary.”

She cocked an eyebrow. I waved a hand off.

“No. I’m just surprised you’d be willing to tell me all that.”

She blinked. Then she sputtered.

“T-that’s… I—”

Saffron took a step back, and I laughed, changing the subject as I gestured at Matthew.

“Anyway, you’ve been a lot of help. We don’t want to be bothering you, Matthew, so we should be going now.”

Matthew nodded.

“There is no need to worry. I am unbothered by your requests. I am, however, surprised that you have revealed your nature to Salvos, Lady Saffron.”

“That’s…”

She trailed off. I patted a hand on her shoulder, winking.

“Let’s just say Saffron and I exchanged some… secrets the other day.”

I grabbed her, practically dragging her out of the room. I waved goodbye to Matthew.

“Thanks for the help! We’ll be going now!”

We reached the door right as he called out to us.

“If I may inquire, what exactly are you going to do with this information?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

I grinned, glancing over at Saffron.

“The both of us are going to destroy these cults!”

For whatever reason, that elicited a nervous swallow from the pink-haired woman. I hoped she’d stop being so nervous around me. I needed to find a way to help her be more relaxed— lighten the mood.

An idea crossed my mind as I brought her out of the building. Turning to face Saffron, my lips curled up and I spoke.

“Saffron, what do you think of… flying?”

“Uh, what?”

—--

“Ahhhhhhhhh!”

Saffron screamed in my ears as we soared over the clouds. Her pink hair, usually neatly kept together in different hairstyles, was now a frazzled mess. Her eyes were bulging out of their sockets, and her gilded dress was covered in dirt and splattered bugs from our ascent.

I laughed, feeling the thrill of flight overwhelm me. Saffron, however, was less than thrilled to be flying.

“Please put me down! Please— I don’t want to die!”

“Just relax! I won’t drop you, promise!”

I glanced over at her, but my words did nothing to reassure her. I really wasn’t trying to frighten her, yet it seemed like everything I did only pushed her closer and closer to the edge. That wasn’t good. I was trying to do the opposite of that.

“I’ll slow down, here.”

Saffron’s eyes were snapped shut, even as I drifted to a more floating pace of flight. She was wriggling in my arms, struggling, which only made things worse. I held her tightly and gently so she wouldn’t fall. I spoke softly into her ears.

“Open your eyes. It’s not that scary. Look.”

“I-I…”

Slowly, she looked down at the world below the clouds. At the vast landscape that sprawled out into rolling hills, dense forests, and towns and cities teeming with life.

“See? It’s not that bad.”

“R-right. It’s…”

She glanced around. Not just at what was in our surroundings. But at a far-off mountain, peaking high above even the clouds with a snow-white cap. The azure sky looked like it held the ocean above us, sparkling and clear, while clouds fluffed its teething edge, decorating it to be a more comforting sight.

“It’s beautiful.”

Saffron breathed, and I nodded.

“It really is.”

It was a stunning sight, no matter how many times I flew up and looked down at the world. Perhaps it was because I had grown up in the Netherworld where everything looked the same. However, I truly thought the Mortal Realm was a marvelous place. It was full of rocks, yes, but also so much more. Meanwhile, the Netherworld was just… that.

I wanted to stay here. Not just amongst Humans. I wanted to travel to the Elf lands and meet the Dominion and the High Rulers Vis’anya talked about. I wanted to visit the Beastmen plains I had heard very little of. I still had yet to see a Cyclops city, and taste the delicious fishballs Edithe told me about. Although I was slightly dubious about the delicious part, I still wanted to give it a try. I tried to trust my companions’ words, just as they believed in me as a person.

“Saffron.”

My voice drew the attention of the noble woman. She looked up at me as I carried her under my arms.

“You’re my friend, Saffron. You’ve helped me out so much, especially since I enrolled in Mavos Academy. I don’t want you to hate me, because I like you. And now that you know the truth about me, we could even become companions.”

She said nothing. I continued.

“Just think about it. The Mortal Realm is such a beautiful place. I really like it here. My friends are here. My companions are here. Why would I possibly want to follow that stupid Demon King in trying to destroy it all? That doesn’t make any sense.”

I murmured more to myself than to her. There was a moment of silence as I let out a sigh. I didn’t want to say the next bit— I was going to make a promise I might regret. However, I went ahead and said it anyway.

“If… even after I killed all these [Cultists] to prove myself to you, you still refuse to believe me and choose to tell Matthew or the Headmaster about my nature, I will not kill you. I will leave Mavos Academy and finish my education for space magic somewhere else. It’d be annoying— I’d probably have to go ask Kobolds or Elves for their help instead. I really don’t want to leave, but I don’t want to kill you even more.”

It was an odd feeling. It felt like something Daniel, Edithe, and Lily kept lecturing me about. Empathy? Perhaps. Or maybe it was the feeling of loss over what could be. Saffron could be my companion, if she just chose to trust me. I didn’t want to be the one responsible for stopping this outcome from being a reality.

“So, I won’t kill you. I will let you decide what you wish to do when we return, and I’ll react accordingly.”

I finished. Saffron remained silent. There was no visible reaction from the Vampire. However, she didn’t meet my gaze. She avoided looking at me as we continued our flight to our destination.

Shortly after that, we reached Mistpire, a province to the southwest of Shedos. This was where the Followers of the Demon King resided. And where I was going to kill these[Cultists] responsible for making us Demons a hated Species in the Mortal Realm.

A note from MelasD

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194. Missive

A note from MelasD

Shoutouts at the end of the chapter today because the list is long as fuck. 37 novels lol. But for context, it's for the redditserials Derby competition which just launched the other day. I still have like another 40 novels to shoutout, so from now on, there'll be roughly 3 novels shouted out per chapter.

Here's a fun little bit of trivia I recently learned. I've given over 200 shoutouts on RoyalRoad, with most of them netting 1,000+ referrals minimum (I know people who get roughly 30 referrals a week even months after my shoutout, with almost 1,000 in the first week.) Even shoutout to Amazon get 800~ referrals. Assuming 1,000 referrals per shoutout as a low estimate, I've given over 200,000 referrals so far, minimum. Lol.

I could charge money for this.

Except I won't.

I ain't no sellout. Didn't publish Salvos to KU and lowered my $10 tier to $5 lmao. Decisions of a Uni student which the full-time author now sort of regrets, but alas! can't do anything about it now. Thanks for reading and check out the shoutouts!

194. Missive

Mistpire was a relatively small province, at least compared to the other provinces I had been in before. That was likely because Shedos itself wasn’t a large country. Even Nixa was larger than Shedos. And I considered Nixa to be quite small.

But that wasn’t really the case, since Nixa was actually a big country. Apparently it was bigger than most countries in the Eastern Kingdoms. It was just smaller than the Sunmere Republic or the Vaun Qieur Empire. Which probably explained my skewed perspective.

Regardless, Mistpire was where the supposed Followers of the Demon King operated. I decided on going after them instead of the Netherworld’s Communion due to their differing activity levels. Sure, as Matthew said, both had been idle as of late. But the Netherworld’s Communion had almost completely ceased all their activities, whereas the Followers of the Demon King have apparently been moving members across the border to Elutra.

We landed in the middle of a forest, just before a small farming town. I settled Saffron down beside me as my wings receded, and the flame disguising it dissipated. I glanced up at the sun’s position in the sky.

“We still have a few hours until sunset. Think we’ll be able to find their hideout before then?”

“I’m not sure if it’ll be that easy.”

Saffron pursed her lips.

“[Cultists] are elusive. Their cults are slippery, hard to pin down. Larger ones like the Followers of the Demon King may be easier to locate due to the size and scale of their operations, but it won’t take just a day to find them, Salvos. We’ll be here searching for days. Maybe even weeks.”

“Really?”

I tilted my head to the side as I trudged over the cobbled road. Saffron followed behind me, still wearing her school uniform— which, in hindsight, I should’ve asked her to change out of. I spotted travelers— [Farmers] on wagons— rolling down our way.

I waved a hand, calling out.

“Hey! You there!”

The [Farmer] eyed us, then he grinned as he pulled his wagon to a stop.

“Yes? How may I help you pretty young ladies? And a student from Mavos Academy too— my, am I lucky today.”

“Yep. Can you tell us if you know anything about the Followers of the Demon King? It’s a cult. They worship Demons. And we’re here to beat them up!”

I pumped a fist, and he paused. His face scrunched up as he turned away from us.

“T-t-the Followers of the Demon King? I-I-I h-have never heard of ‘em in my life.”

“Are you sure? They’re supposedly well-known around here.”

“Yes!”

He snapped, before tugging on his horses. With a scowl, he continued on past us.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a delivery to make.”

“Huh.”

“See?”

Saffron crossed her arms. She sighed, shaking her head.

“It’s not going to be that simple, Salvos.”

I shrugged as more travelers came down the road.

“Let’s try again!”

“Wait—”

She raised her hand, and I ran forward. I gestured to her to come after me.

“Come on!”

The Vampire took a step forward, unthinking. Then she hesitated. She had been about to run after me as per usual. But she must’ve remembered that I was a Demon, which made her demeanor change once more.

So close. I drew my lips into a thin line, even as I continued running up to the oncoming travelers. We were almost back to normal. This just meant— proved— that we could be friends again. The only thing stopping her was… well, her stubbornness.

Which meant a lot, coming from me.

I continued to ask the next few travelers I saw coming from the town about any possible cults in the area. Most of them brushed me off— quite rudely, at that— before hurrying on. It was obvious that some of them knew what I was talking about. A few of them could’ve been annoyed, thinking that I was trying to incite something. But at least half of those I spoke to were at least vaguely aware of the Followers of the Demon King.

The fact that they refused to share anything, even for money, annoyed me.

Saffron followed slowly behind me as I aired my complaints about them.

“Come on! Can’t they see that we’re high-leveled? I mean, sure, I’m not showing my real level right now, but I don’t want to give up the element of surprise, you know? When we show up to those [Cultists]’ stupid Lair— can they even have Lairs?— they’ll think we’re just a couple of Gold Rank chumps, and boom!”

I made a punching motion.

“I’ll kill all of them!”

The Vampire averted her gaze, even as I cheerfully talked about killing her mortal enemies, slaughtering all of them off the face of the world. For whatever reason, that made her more uncomfortable. I wanted to sigh. Nothing I was doing was working. Why were Humans so annoyingly complicated. This sucked.

We walked in silence, passing by the next few travelers without stopping them. It was getting late. The sky was now tinted orange, and there were fewer passersby than before. I was thinking of maybe using my tracking Skills to somehow find the cult, when Saffron finally spoke up.

“I… think you shouldn’t hide your levels, Salvos.”

I blinked, more surprised by the fact that she was talking than her suggestion.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re a Diamond Rank.”

She wanted to leave it at that, but I cocked my head, clearly confused. She explained after a moment of hesitation.

“Maybe your name isn’t famous here in the rural outskirts of Shedos, but anyone can recognize that a Diamond Rank adventurer is someone you can trust. Right now, we just look like a couple of naive students trying to get ourselves killed.”

“Huh.”

I tapped a finger on my chin. That made sense. But revealing that I was over Level 100 would mean that the [Cultists] would already be wary of me. I wanted to see the shocked look on their faces when they realized I wasn’t just an ordinary Level 36 [Mage]. Unless—

I grinned, turning to face Saffron.

“I have an idea.”

Her eyes widened as I explained the idea. She was vehemently against it, but I was already determined to see it through. I took off my jacket, handing it over to her, and she reluctantly wore it over her uniform.

“Alright, now let’s find some [Cultists]!”

Night fell, and Saffron walked through the empty streets of Farnsworth on her own. She stood next to a burning lamp, keeping herself warm even in the cold of the night. Shivering, she adjusted the blue jacket she had been given, and glanced around.

The work day was over. Most of the villagers of Farnsworth were returning to their homes from the fields. They laughed and they exchanged jokes as Saffron heard their rumblings grow closer. It’s time… She wasn’t looking forward to it, but she knew it was probably going to work.

Taking a step forward, she spoke out to draw their attention.

“Excuse me! Apologies, I am but a weary traveler, looking for a place to stay. I do not have silver to spare, and I am hungry.”

The [Farmers] paused. One of them snickered and elbowed another. Saffron’s actions drew not just the working men, but some of the women from their homes out.

“Oh, that poor thing…”

“She’s so young and pretty…”

“Jason, we should—”

There was now a small crowd. It was perfect. Saffron played her part, and she was waiting for Salvos to act next. With a deep breath, she tried to stall for time.

“Could any of you kind individuals please spare me some of your kindness and—”

And a shadow descended from the sky. A horrible monster crashed between Saffron and the [Farmers] of Farnsworth. Its back creaked as it straightened. It craned its neck, turning its head that bore the skull of an animal around, taking in the town.

It was like an amalgamation of the world’s most horrible monsters turned into one creature. Multiple limbs protruding from its side, each of them long and spindly, clawing the earth. There weren’t even an equal number of arms on each side of its body. Four of its arms dug into the soil, while its fifth and last arm was raised over its head, like some sort of antennae. Bone-like wings protruded from its back, slowly folding back into its back, cracking like thunder with each bending motion.

Its golden, glowing eyes stared deep into Saffron, and she screamed. The crowd exploded into shouts of terror. The men reached for weapons, while the women ran back into their homes. Children cried at the sight of the monster— no, it wasn’t a monster. It was a Demon.

Saffron dropped to her knees at the sight of the Demon. It grabbed her before she could move, picking her up and holding a claw to her face as she squirmed and gasped. Someone screamed for Saffron to be freed, but the Demon didn’t let go.

This had been part of the plan— the act Saffron had carried out so far. She knew who the Demon was. It was Salvos. Yet, Saffron’s reaction was no longer part of the act. Is she going to kill— She felt genuine fear here.

That was, until she heard it speak.

“I am… um… the Terror of Shedos! Yes! I am an Archdemon, sent here from Elutra! I, um, uh, erm, bear a message from your great King! Bring me to your cult, Humans! Or I will raze this town to ashes and kill everyone here, starting with her!”

Saffron paused. She couldn’t suppress her words as she stared at Salvos, whispering.

“Seriously? You didn’t practice any lines at all before doing this?”

“I wasn’t ready! You’re the one who started before I even transformed! Anyway, it’s working, see?”

A man— Saffron recognized him as the one who was snickering earlier— put down his weapons, bowing almost reverently at Salvos.

“Please... I can help you. I know where they are. Just spare us. I have a family...”

Salvos stomped forward, still carrying Saffron threateningly, but the young noble was more at ease now. The Demon leaned forward, baring her teeth.

“Show me.”

—--

“I told you that plan will work.”

Salvos grinned as she flew over the canopy of trees, headed for a distant mountaintop. The [Farmer] had directed them to Sherfil Peak, a small, inconspicuous hill at the base of a mountain range that carried over into Elutra.

This was where the Followers of the Demon King were purportedly located. Saffron believed it— cults like these often hid in mountain caverns, clearing out Lairs or Dungeons, appropriating them for their own use.

Saffron sighed, her breath caught in the wind even as Salvos flew at a slower pace for her sake.

“I knew that it’d work. It was just…”

“Just?”

“It’s nothing.”

The Vampire clung onto the back of the Demon as they began their descent. Now was the next part of the plan. The part which, for whatever reason, Saffron was dreading.

They were going to enter the den of a cult.

She had been raised all of her life as a Vampire— as a burgeoning Demon Hunter. And one of her jobs would be to face [Cultists] for their vile acts. Yet, she had never actually been to a cult before. Father had never allowed her to accompany him or his thralls. Even though she had always been eager, she was now overcome with a nervous fear.

“...maybe we should turn back.”

Her voice came out soft, almost inaudible to her own ears. Still, Salvos heard it.

“Why? We’re already here.”

There was a caldera at the very top of the mountain. Inside of it, Saffron saw dozens and dozens of figures moving about. All dressed in the eerie robes [Cultists] often bore.

“If we go back, how else am I going to prove myself to you?”

They began their descent, and Saffron grew more and more nervous. She opened her mouth.

It doesn’t matter anymore— But the words didn’t come out of her mouth. Truth be told, Salvos had done more than enough to prove herself to Saffron. It wasn’t any rationale or logic that kept Saffron afraid of the Demon.

It was just how Saffron was raised. It… pained her to admit it, but Salvos might’ve truly been good. Or at least, not a servant of Regnorex like Saffron had thought. Unfortunately, the young noble couldn’t blurt it out. Not in time.

The [Cultists] gathered around in a circle as Salvos landed, and a man strode forward.

“Greetings, oh powerful Archdemon, great [Cambion] of the Netherworld. I am Mikel, leader of this cult. To what may we, the Followers of the Demon King, owe the pleasure?”

They weren’t exactly at ease around Salvos. She was an Archdemon they couldn’t exactly control, but they weren’t just going to anger her by attacking her.

“I am Sal— Salfos.”

Salvos stuttered as she came up with her fake name. Saffron almost wanted to bury her head in her hands when she heard it. Seriously? That’s the best you could come up with? The [Cultists], however, remained ignorant of this. Salvos continued.

“And I have come from your allies in Elutra, with this sacrifice of a powerful [Mage] as a gift, and a message from the Demon King himself.”

“Our allies in Elutra?”

He ran a hand through his beard. Well, it was more of a stubble. Someone— a [Cultist] in the back— muttered to himself.

“So those idiots from the Inoria Empire are finally returning the favor, huh?”

“Shut up, imbecile.”

Mikel glared back at him. He shrugged.

“What? They just kept on making demands from us. I never thought they’d actually do anything to help— urk!”

He dropped dead as Mikel lowered a hand. Blood pooled out from the hole in his chest as those around him stumbled back, and the cult leader hurriedly bowed down to Salvos.

“I apologize for my minion’s idiotic ramblings. We mean no offense, and we gratefully accept this sacrifice of yours. We have been, ah, running low on resources.”

He glanced over at the heavy metal door to the side, and Saffron’s eyes widened as she spotted the blood smeared and stained along the outside walls. Her stomach lurched, right before she was placed on the ground.

“Of course. Here you go!”

Saffron tried to get up to her feet, but Mikel grabbed her by the arm. She tried to pull away, however he yanked her closer. Saffron was too overcome with fear and disgust to even think about using magic. Her knees were too weak. Her hands were shaking and numb.

“A beautiful sacrifice. It would be a waste if she were killed right away.”

Mikel raised Saffron’s chin as she glared up at him. He bent over, a smug look on his face. She spat at him, and his face contorted.

He slapped her across the cheek as she reeled back. Dusting his hands, he walked around Saffron, still inspecting her. He spoke casually as Saffron cursed.

“I am twice your level, woman. You best behave or your death will be, ah, painful.”

“Y-you—”

She remembered her training. Magic coalesced at her fingertips. A fire began to form, right before he struck her once again. He pinned her down to the ground, smirking, looking up at Salvos.

“Pathetic. And, ah, what is the message?”

“Oh, right.”

Salvos blinked, then tilted her head back as if recalling something.

“The message is simple—”

She bared her teeth.

“Die.”

And she bit Mikel’s head off.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Hey all, so today's shoutout is going to be a little bit unusual. It's going to be a much longer list than the others, but that's because I'm shouting out every single book in a competition for authors. For some context, r/redditserials hosted its annual Derby, which is essentially a competition where everyone writes a book under a pen name and publishes it at the same time. The list will be... quite long.

But I highly recommend you check them out anyway! Especially because I spent an hour changing the genius links to Amazon links because RR benefits from Amazon links, and if no one clicks them, I'll be sad.

One Last Sunset, a female lead litrpg.

Quickly approaching her 20th birthday, Cara Vacher must choose between being a Quest Giver or a Quest taker, as all Palanitians must. Her choice will define the rest of her life and risk her crossing paths with the most violent, power-hungry, and brutish of creatures: players. How will Cara survive in a world plagued by undying adventures long enough to find her missing sister? Meanwhile, Ivan just wanted to enjoy Alphabalde one last time before the server goes offline forever and takes an easy quest to find an NPC. But every time he finds her, he dies before he can complete the quest. What’s so special about this Cara Vacher anyway?

Find One Last Sunset here!

Liches Get Stitches, a female lead fantasy!

Evil stirs in the forest of Downing, spreading blight across the ancient boughs. Busy with troubles of her own, Maud the village witch just wants to be left alone. Peace and quiet should be easy enough when you’re dead, right?

Wrong.

Reborn as a powerful lich, Maud is suddenly faced with the attentions of all the righteous heroes, holy clerics, and nosy neighbours of the realm. Now instead of whiling away the days in her garden with her cat and her knitting, Maud must figure out how much force is required to crush a man’s spine, the proper storage solution to keep a spoiling cadaver, and how best to display the remains of the fallen for maximum scare.

Featuring people mulch, head bouquets, revenant geese, and some very deadly embroidery, undead paradise never looked so good.

Find Liches get Stitches here!

A Dance Among the Stars

Ursula must perfect an ancient dance in order to acquire untold amounts of treasure with the help of her old lover, Lothario (who happens to share the same name as her black cat).

Find A Dance Among the Stars here!

The Arbiter

Maria served dutifully until the star fell.

The order of the arbiters had been the only life she’d known, bound together in the service of Christ. The first woman ever on the cusp of ordination, only for the world to fall in pieces around her. A scholar in prison, speculating on the nature of God. A mysterious stranger, offering help that leads to as much tragedy as enlightenment. A bizarre illness, slowly spreading across the Spanish city of Alghuruba. All emerged with a falling star, burning its way down towards the earth.

Now her duties clash with knowledge mortals were never meant to understand, and Maria must ask herself a potentially disastrous question:

Is her justice and its truth worth the abandonment of everything she’s strived for?

Find The Arbiter here!

Beyond the Horizon

To go into The Next Horizon is to venture into a vast, barren void that few have returned from. Exactly what Deidre wants to do.

Seeking to disappear, Deidre joined the three-person crew of the SS Light Winds. Their goal, to find the SS Storm Shaker, part of the Karrack Expedition, the greatest fleet of airships to ever disappear into the Next Horizon.

Yet, in questing for her own death, Deidre is confronted by the cryptic crew of the Light Winds. There’s the chatty Anna Cutter, who seems to be struggling with something. There’s the mysterious Captain Matthias who seems to know far too much about his crewmates. They have their own reasons for going on this dangerous adventure, and these might just be a greater mystery than that of the Storm Shaker’s disappearance.

Find Beyond the Next Horizon here!

Brambles and Briars

Jack used to be one of the best Spinners in the business. Able to open and close pathways to lost fairy tales, he and his team were a well oiled machine.

Until they ended up in a reality that wasn’t as abandoned as they thought.

Until their survival depended on him leaving someone behind.

Until he lost the way back.

Now, years later, he has a chance to return. To find the missing member of their team. To heal his family.

To do that, he’ll have to get past the monster waiting for him. Harder, he’ll have to convince the team to make the attempt.

If he can manage both, he gains the world. If he can’t, he loses everything that matters to him, for good.

Find Brambles and Briars here, or on other retailers!

Chromatia

At the edge of the world sits the great tree through which all magic flows, and Beira– once the Magistra of Aird, now an old woman– is its caretaker. It is a lonely life, with none but the stories of the previous caretakers, carved into ancient menhir, to keep her company. But when the menhir start going dark and the color of magic turns to void, it is up to her to safeguard a strange child that seems to hold the answer in her song to Carrickeep, where they might prevent the world’s unraveling.

Find Chromatia here!

The Citadel at the End of the World

All magic comes from the Citadel.

As a child, Adela dreamed of going to the Citadel and becoming a mage, though the reality of her parents’ deaths made that dream a farfetched fantasy. When the caretakers at the orphanage discover her latent magical talent, she is given the opportunity to join the Citadel. Adela leaps at the chance. Power, wealth, prestige — she would have it all.

There is no fire without fuel, however, and magic is not without its price. The Citadel keeps many secrets within its ancient halls, many things it is willing to do in the name of the greater good. As Adela grows from pupil to mage, she will soon discover that there are costs she is unwilling to pay.

But the choice may no longer be hers.

Find The Citadel at the End of the World here!

Clear Skies, Clear Heart

What would you sacrifice to be remembered forever?

Moses Santiago owes money to the Bernetti family. The Queen’s henchmen would like a word with him about his loyalties. His career is in the gutter—and don’t even get him started on his love life.

Fortunately, Santiago is used to being in over his head. He’s a Wayfarer, an explorer that risks his life in search of fame and fortune. Together with his protégé Noemi Saldaña, Santiago is going to sail across the ocean for one final adventure, a journey to the final blank spot on the map: Verrazano’s Coast. If they can open a passage to the legendary island, all of their problems will go away.

There is one small problem, however. The Coast has sent countless explorers to their graves—including Santiago’s own adopted father. Explorers know that reaching the island is impossible.

But Santiago has never let the word impossible slow him down before.

He’ll risk everything for a shot at discovering what lies beyond the mists. Because Verrazano’s Coast hides a secret—and that secret is going to change the world.

Find Clear Skies, Clear Heart here!

The Crow King's Son

Rejoice, rejoice, a prince is born,

A gift upon us all.

Our prayers, our hopes, our dreams come true,

Now come and heed the call.

Lament, lament, a prince is born,

A curse upon this age.

Now steel your soul and whet your blade,

For coming war we’ll wage.

Oh wail, oh wail, a prince is born,

A bane upon this land.

Now cower, quake, or else t’will be

Your blood that coats his hand.

I come to you with tales to tell

And choruses to sing,

Of Carrow, Crow, of Smoke and Salt,

And of the Shadow King.

Four tyrannies so rule this land,

Four ways to bend the knee,

But in our plight so came the man

That dared to set us free.

And so begins the single life,

That heralds coming war.

Rejoice, lament, oh wail, oh wail,

The Crow King’s Son is born.

The Crow King’s Son is a short epic poem in ten choruses for lovers of poetry and fantasy alike. Whether you’re a poet yourself, a fan of this ancient form of storytelling, or have never read a line of verse in your life, this poem is for you.

Find The Crow King’s Son here!

Exit Point, a LitRPG Multiverse Adventure

Kasimir Yadmic has a slight isekai problem.

Every time he finishes a quest, his malfunctioning power-retention system throws him into a new world without giving him any choice in where he ends up.

Kas is tired of being shuffled from world to world. At first he hoped to find his way back home, but by now he’d settle for being able to stay in one place. But when his faithful dragon-cat Miri is kidnapped, Kas will do anything necessary to find her and get her back.

Settling down will have to wait.

Find Exit Point here!

Flightmaster Ryn

Davee is a Flier. It is her deepest joy in life, the most important part of her. She may be a fighter, a soldier, by profession, but that is what she does, not what she is.

The day has come, when she will say goodbye to her soulmate, the giant raven Ryn. In mere hours, she will be alone, bereft of everything that matters to her.

Little does she expect that the day will bring even darker changes than that. Betrayal is in the air and Davee will have to fly or die.

Find Flightmaster Ryn here!

Forbidden Arts

Do what ye will, an’ harm ye none. The only law that magical beings need to follow.

The Elder Council has tasked Lead Enforcer Mathilda Forsythe and her team to keep this law. When incomplete magic circles start cropping up, it is up to Mathilda to find out what they summon and who is distributing them, and why. With whispers of even darker magic coming in from the very edges of the realm, and the council in disarray, she must race to stem the tide of chaos before all is lost.

Is the darker magic affecting the Elder Council’s ability to communicate? Will she be able to find the one breaking the only law in time?

Find Forbidden Arts here!

The Midnight People

The bond between fae and owl is sacred.

In a magical ancient forest hidden from humans, young Oisin prepares to join the elusive ranks of the Midnight People – like his father before him.

But with a fear of heights and a kindly disposition, he is refused the chance to attempt the trials by the fae leaders. Unwilling to break his vow to his dying father and determined to become an owl rider, he turns to an unlikely source for help.

Willing to risk everything to keep his promise, Oisin will have to learn to trust the owls more than himself if he is to have a chance at joining the Midnight People.

The Midnight People is an uplifting short story, perfect for fans of fairy tales and folklore fantasy.

Find The Midnight People here!

Music Soothes the Shadow Beasts

Music is one hell of a drug.

Blake knew from the start this was a bad idea. But when your best friend is insistent on doing something stupid, you don’t leave him twisting in the wind. But going into the darkness, where the shadow beasts lurk to bring death is madness. Doing it to get a guitar is nearly suicide.

When Blake and Dustin find the guitar in question, it sounds like nothing they’ve experienced before, and playing it is ecstasy. The music seems to calm the shadow beasts, but as they play it more, it’s like they can hear the creatures talking in their heads. The magic makes them faster, stronger, and with every strum of the guitar, the two grow further apart.

Somehow, the music that soothed the savage beasts created one far worse. And if Blake doesn’t find a way to get his best friend back, the beasts may destroy them both.

Find Music Soothes the Shadow Beasts here!

The Obsidian Vanguard

Life on the high seas isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Stuck on a giant city-ship which travels a flooded world, Xavier Sterling would kill for a more exciting life. He gets his wish when a giant monster attacks the only home he’s ever known. Through the power of an ancient artifact, he is anointed as a member of The Obsidian Vanguard, an organization dedicated to keeping the galaxy’s kaiju population under control.

With the help of a jaded mentor and a giant robot that doesn’t care about the laws of physics, he’ll have to fend off an onslaught of city-destroying monsters.

Find The Obsidian Vanguard here!

The Pack-Lord's Hunt

Natalie’s entire life was turned upside down when she was attacked by a werewolf one fateful night.

The lone survivor of a serial killer, Natalie finds herself thrust into the center of a supernatural mystery. She finds new friends and allies, but struggles with the knowledge that her attacker is hiding amongst them. Before she can even finish adjusting, she finds herself called to compete in the Pack-Lord’s Hunt: a series of deadly trials to win gifts from their god.

Magic mixes with the mundane as Natalie tries to fit in with her new magical life. Can she survive the coming Hunt, or will she crack under the pressure?

Find The Pack-Lord’s Hunt here!

The Quiet

Ilia has never feared the sea.

But when her sister vanishes on a clear night under a river of stars known as the Quiet, Ilia is the only person in her village who believes Adana is still alive. To find the truth, Ilia will wade into the ancient lore of her people armed only with her childhood journal, her wits, and a trio of enchanted relics that have lost their magic. Adana is out there somewhere—but so are the mythical, fearsome beings who dwell in the deep.

A second-world fairy tale about believing in magic after we’ve grown up and about healing the old wounds that haunt us.

This book is written in British English and includes relative diction.

Find The Quiet here!

River Aeon

The River Aeon is a literal river of magic, one that confers a new life, immortality, and magical powers onto humans in a package deal called a Concept. The first of these Concepts, a hiker, became the Concept of Thought. They created life, and the City where all Concepts live, safe from the dying world outside.

But in the middle of being human and being a Concept is a limbo, for the Aeon’s magic does not say what the name of the Concept given is, and without the name, a Concept can not grow. One of these Concepts has been in limbo for two thousand years, as long as they can remember, but does not care. Because as a Concept, they don’t have to eat or move, and so can daydream as much as they like—which is for years.

This year, a human called Willow shows up and claims vengeance for wrongs they don’t believe have been committed. She does so by destroying the one thing they love more than their daydreams and stealing their magic, leaving them with weeks to live. And their Concept name is coming for them whether they like it or not, leaving them with more problems.

Will they learn to survive without their magic and daydreams, and avenge their loss? Or will their Concept magic unlock a new path to peace?

Find River Aeon here!

Unburdened, Unrepentant

A bullet in the back isn’t the only thing you should fear in the old west.

Demons, magic, and mayhem ensue as the battle for the west begins. Sage, an unordinary gunslinger hunts down one of the oldest demons in the land as a plague of murders spreads. Time is running out with the enemy growing in power with every second that passes. Will her shadow magic be enough to claim victory? Or will she be counted among the dead and forgotten?

Who will it be, humans or demons that prevail?

Find Unburdened, Unrepentant here!

Upon His Throne

A fantasy romance novella with a deadly throne, a fake heir, and a reluctant romance.

Azrae Silverserpent is a young demon woman that’s anything but happy with the state of her realm. A war with Elves, a broken engagement, an empty throne known for killing its kings, and a family to protect are difficult for a girl to navigate, especially when she’s already lost everything else.

The deadly Winged Throne needs a king, and her six year-old little brother is next in line. She is desperate not to sacrifice her brother for a broken kingdom, so when her thought-to-be-dead ex-fiancé reappears to become next in line once again, it looks like salvation.

Too soon it becomes wildly clear to her that this savior is not her ex-fiancé Rezuriel; he’s a common man dodging the war one twist of luck after the other, just like her. This vexingly charming stranger may not be the real heir to the throne of the crumbling Winged Realm, but he is her best hope for a future.

Find Upon His Throne here!

The Verdant Apocalypse

The end of the world is coming, not in fire, but in thorns. The Verdance, a cascade of misbegotten magical overgrowth, has already consumed an entire continent and now creeps across the sea, threatening to choke the globe in vines and thorns.

With the world desperate for solutions, the rogue mage Ourin has her unjust sentence commuted from execution to a suicide mission: to join an expedition into the depths of the Verdance, to find it’s heart, and put an end to the overgrowth once and for all.

Find The Verdant Apocalypse here!

Breathe

Half died in the first twelve years, another half will die before help from Earth can arrive.

On a world turned toxic by the Belch, an industrial catastrophe that spewed hundreds of tons of Xenochem-646 into the air, the survivors concentrated in one central city scrabble and scrape for every molecule of oxygen they can get. To breathe the unfiltered air is to invite 646 into your lungs, where it dissolves you from the inside-out until you’re nothing but a jumpsuit filled with red slurry.

Rose has spent half her life looking through the tinted lenses of a gassie, staring up at the massive corpo towers of the great titans of industry. Towers where she’s heard that some people don’t even have seal-welts, and the very hollow suits who caused the Belch are skimming oxygen and selling it at a premium to the Jacks whose planet they ruined.

But Rose has something the corpos don’t. She’s got access to excavation-grade explosives, she’s got a crew of willing degenerates.

And most dangerous of all, she’s got a plan.

Find Breathe here!

Entropy Inc

Nothing comes without a sacrifice, and life is not an exception.

Entropy, the arrow of time, has made life impossible, and all we can do is to await our ultimate fate. We can try to delay it, as we have done for sextillions of years, but eventually, we will all die.

If only we had more time…

If only we had a way…

If only we could break the laws of physics…

Or are the laws of physics already broken…

Find Entropy Inc. here!

They Called Me MAD

The only end to war is to end humanity itself, but scientists Zhores Zelmanov and Sophia Rasborov have a vision. They will engineer a new humanity to replace the old, and all that stands in their way are two other mad scientists, with their own plans for the world.

The two sides clash with their competing philosophies, feuding over what it means to be human, the nature of the soul, and what it takes to save the world. As the battles and bodies pile up, the conflict worsens until all that remains is revenge and bloody ingenuity.

Only one dream can win out, and the earth might not survive the fight.

Find They Called Me Mad here!

Black Spire

On the edge of town, an endless spire looms…

Myles Wentz has spent his life making arms and armor for self-proclaimed ‘heroes’ who climb the Black Spire in search of glory. Climbers who endlessly throw themselves at the spire in hopes of overcoming its challenges. None ever return.

When his oldest grandson expresses interest in becoming a Climber, Myles realizes someone needs to clear the tower once and for all. But he can’t trust the bumbling fools who waltz through his shop. He’s got to handle it himself. It’ll mean closing the shop, making his own gear, and abandoning his comfortable life. Just to potentially sacrifice himself on the altar that is the Black Spire.

It’ll take all of Myles’ life experience to overcome this challenge; he’s not fighting to save the world, just one boy from making a huge mistake.

Black Spire, the first of its name, was written as part of the Inkfort Press Publishing Derby. If you want to see a badass, grumpy older protagonist take on a tower, this one’s for you.

Find Black Spire here!

The Crypt Lord's Call

If Hell is full, where do the sinners go?

The answer – Godguild, a new universe filled with magic, monsters, and stats, where the afterlife is determined by progression. It’s not about being good anymore, and it’s not even about being strong. All that matters is being at the top.

After being sent to Godguild with everyone else, Theodore Goss plays along as an Afterlifer. Hard though it is, he’ll make it to paradise eventually. But when a vicious guild drags him into a skeletal dungeon run, Theo realizes the monsters have it much worse than him.

Theo helps the surviving skeletons build a new home. To ensure their continued survival, however, Theo needs to navigate the minefield of unfriendly mobs, monsters of every shape and eldritch size, and of course, Hell itself peeking in at the edges, all while plumbing the secrets Godguild is hiding.

It’s going to take more than levelling up to make it in this cruel world, and Theo is just the guy to go above and beyond.

Godguild is a LitRPG series where the protagonist brings intelligent mobs to his side by hook or by crook, all to take the fight to the system. With a healthy helping of crafting, base-building, and survival elements, it’s perfect for readers of Epic Fantasy and Gamelit, and for fans of Dragon Age, Guild Wars, and Dungeons and Dragons.

Survival? Maybe for now. But Theo is coming for Godguild itself.

Find The Crypt Lord’s Call here!

Forged and Forgotten

After two months of weathering countless attacks by monsters from a nearby dungeon, Mirza is on the brink of destruction. All its heroes have fallen, and no new ones are coming. Amidst the impending doom, Sylus, an enchanter with a mysterious past, tries his best to help the soldiers defend the city. When an opportunity arrives that will not only save Mirza, but also solve the mystery of his past, Sylus immediately takes it. Little did he know, a corrupted being was out to get him…

Find Forged and Forgotten here!

Herald of the Dark

The Dark is missing. And so will my life, if I don’t get him back.

As Herald of the Dark, one of the six ancients ruling the land, it’s my duty to manage his citizens and stop any threats toward his domain. It’s also my duty to find whoever kidnapped him. From me.

I might have trapped the Dark in my basement at some point in the past to siphon his power and enrich mine.

And now, I have a big problem in my hands.

If the Dark regains his power before I get him back, I’m dead.

If the other ancients realize what I’ve done, I’m dead.

If I get savaged to death in a fight while looking for the Dark, I’m dead. Mostly, because I’m the only one around with a resurrection card.

With time running out, my power depleting, and the other ancients sprouting nonsense about upcoming disasters, I will cheat, lie, steal, and stop at little to get the Dark back.

After all, that’s what got me this far.

Find Herald of the Dark here!

The Mists of Arathia

NPCs aren’t supposed to gain skills. They don’t go on monster-slaying adventures. But levelling up is their only chance of escaping the Mists…

Three years ago, the Mists devoured Arathia and killed two-thirds of the population. Those like Rey who survived the mysterious fog were permanently branded and thrown into a new world with monsters, levels, and skills.

Returning to their way of life seems impossible until Arathia’s resident crazy homeless guy proposes a plan that just might get Rey and his friends out of their dead-end village.

When they leave their safe zone, they find that the truth about the Mists is far closer to home than they ever could have believed.

And wait, what do you mean they’re not real people, but non-player characters in a new full-dive role-playing game?

Find The Mists of Arathia here!

Pop Smoke

Grab your go juice and kick the tires…

Two brothers on opposite ends of a secret war. One fights for what is right, the other for survival.

It’s been 200 years since the ‘Ascension’ of mankind, and 400 years since the multiverse split open and the apocalypse, known as the cataclysm, swept across Earth gifting humans with game-like abilities and strength.

Eli and his brother Aeton grew up seeing the stars from space, living on a space station they joined the Aggregate, an empire of aliens who use humanity as a weapon against all who oppose them.

When a mission to stop a rebellion goes south the two brother’s worlds are ripped apart by fate. Now, years later on opposing sides only one will make it out alive.

This book is a love letter to sci-fi and post-apocalyptic LitRPG.

Find Pop Smoke here!

Transit Point

The clock’s about to run out—but Adrin’s got one last play to make.

Serving in the personal vanguard for the Archon, the weaponized AI Adrin and his partner Linya take care of the quiet problems. The ones that threaten the throne’s stability. The ones that never see the light of day.

But when Adrin is deemed obsolete by the Archon’s advisory council, he’s faced with one final chance to prove his worth and avoid decommissioning—infiltrate a nobleman’s servers and eliminate the illicit AI being developed within. It won’t be a simple task, especially when the AI are locked deep inside deadly training simulations. Even if Adrin can make his way through the bloody games to his targets, the only prize waiting for him is a fight to the death.

A chance in the ring is better than a one-way trip to the junkyard, though, so Adrin sets himself to his final mission with single-minded focus. If the council wants him to play their games, he will.

And to the victor go the spoils.

Transit Point is a LitRPG adventure featuring real-time strategy mechanics.

Find Transit Point here!

Strange Evolution

Grifter extraordinaire David Latkey wanted a quiet night in.

Three thugs crashing into his house, intent on beating the stuffing out of him for unspecified reasons hadn’t been on the agenda.

Neither was fleeing barefoot into a creepy forest.

Running for his life, David just wants to get away. To hide. Escape.

Fate had other plans.

When they’d finished with him, the biggest ruffian whispered in David’s ear, “Lindsay says hi.”

Left beaten, bloody, and alone; David struggles to survive. They’d be back.

Through excruciating pain and fever dreams, he focused on the name Lindsay.

Everything changed that night. He changed.

Then, it was his turn.

Find Strange Evolution here!

Whatever Happened to Elisma, Ohio?

Whatever happened to Elisma, Ohio?

How did an entire city vanish from the banks of Lake Erie in 1975? And what does it mean for four teens who stumble on its abandoned streets in the summer of 1992?

Rachel Dallas and her three friends are about to be plunged into the midst of a decades old supernatural mystery. Lost while returning from a summer trip to the lake just before starting their final year of high school, they accidentally wander into the empty streets of a city not on any of their maps. Elisma, Ohio. Rachel finds herself tormented by nightmares, and a haunting presence that seems to be following her every footstep. And the more the ghosts of the past try and invade her present, the more determined she becomes to unravel their enigma.

Something happened to Elisma, Ohio. And someone knows. Rachel and her friends are going to find out.

Find Whatever Happened to Elisma, Ohio here!

195. Pot and Kettle

A note from MelasD

I'll be shouting three Amazon fics today.

The first goes to a brand new Amazon release, This Young Master is not Cannon Fodder:

On the surface, Xi Tianyi was the only son of Sword Empress Xi of the Buzhou Immortal Sect, the number one expert in the Huang Realm. His birth was noble, his status exalted. But the truth was that Xi Tianyi was actually a reincarnated man from a world known as Earth.

On Earth, he was no one special, but with his new life, Xi Tianyi aims to reign invincible: past, present, and future. Among his goals was to travel back to Earth and reunite with his family.

However, as Xi Tianyi proceeds further on his Immortal path, he discovers that rather than the protagonist, why does he seem more like the cannon fodder villain?

Amazon.com: This Young Master is not Cannon Fodder: A Cultivation Story (Tianyi Book 1) eBook : Haenlien, D.C., Dust, Fuyu: Kindle Store

The second goes to This Quest is Bullshit:

Life Quest assigned: Head to the next town over and pick up a loaf of bread.

At first glance, the absurd life quest seemed almost fitting for a Level 1 Messenger Girl, but Evelia Greene could hardly hide her disappointment. She'd never count herself among the number of brave adventurers defending Leshk from terrifying monsters. She'd never explore lost ruins and uncover ancient magics. She'd never earn a speeding ticket for running at superhuman speeds in a human-speeds zone.

Okay, maybe that last one wasn't quite as disappointing.

But when bakers go on strike, goblins attack, and bakeries spontaneously combust as Eve enters town, bit by bit this bullshit quest might just earn its Legendary difficulty and the sweet, sweet exp that comes with it. Things just might get a bit silly along the way.

Amazon.com: This Quest is Bullshit! (This Trilogy is Broken (A Comedy Litrpg Adventure) Book 1) eBook : Valentine, J. P.: Kindle Store

The last goes to Help Wanted:

A 30-something, pot-bellied, pot-headed restaurant manager takes in a teenaged runaway and tries to convince her that she is not, in fact, a banished elven princess from another realm...

It's the same-old-same-old for Melvin until one day a girl wanders into his restaurant and turns his whole world upside-down. Despite his better judgement, he takes her in an attempt to help her out. But who is really helping who more? And can Melvin cure her of her delusions before he himself loses his grip on reality? Join Melvin as he tries to juggle his fly-by-the-pants therapy with his own personal failings, lack-luster love life, and sex-addled best friend/ subordinates.

Amazon.com: Help Wanted (Send Help Series Book 1) eBook : Schuch, Brian: Kindle Store

Check them all out!

195. Pot and Kettle

Saffron Merryster (Lady)

Species: [Vampire - Human]

Class: [Evocation Elementalist] - Lvl. 54

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 3

[Identification] - Lvl. 8

[Racial Skill: Bloodlust] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Vampiric Essence] - Lvl. 7

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

Saffron Merryster was, for her age, considered to be rather high-leveled. She was only nineteen years old, and she was already Level 54 in her Class. That was talent. Even for a noble. Even for a Vampire like her.

Sure, Valda was even younger than Saffron. But the fifteen-year-old girl was even more of a genius, which was fair. There were varying levels of talent, but Saffron was undoubtedly on the upper end.

Yet, the young noble had never truly been in a real fight. She’d been trained in the art of dueling, yes. However, in a life-and-death situation where her opponent was stronger than her and more than ready to kill her? It never happened before. So, she froze up. Her body tensed. She couldn’t react, struck by an unrelenting anxiety that halted all her senses for a moment.

She had been completely overpowered. Everything she learned— all the sparring and classes she had taken— gone to waste in the first face of adversity. The worst part was it happened before. When her carriage had been assailed by [Rancor Mites] on the way to Mavos Academy. And just like the last time around, Salvos had been here to save her.

“Die.”

The words echoed throughout the open chamber. It forced the [Cultists] to drop to their knees, quaking and quivering helplessly. It was a Skill that struck fear into their hearts. One that, just for a brief moment, snapped them out of reality as their eyes glazed over stupidly.

Saffron wasn’t sure what kind of magic resulted in that effect. Normally, she’d be more analytical— try and parse what Salvos was using. But she was too seized with terror to be able to even begin deconstructing it.

That feeling was only worsened a moment later when Salvos chomped off Mikel’s head with a single bite. The Demon drew her head back, arching her back as she chewed the man’s skull, relishing the taste. Then she spat it out.

“Gross.”

It was a nonchalant voice that left her mouth, betraying the terrible appearance she wore. It almost reassured Saffron. It gave the young noble a modicum of relief, even in this situation, surrounded by hundreds of [Cultists].

The Demon’s golden eyes darted over the crowd of faces. A cruel grin twisted its way up her skull-like face.

“Huh. You guys are still alive. Didn’t expect you guys to be so incompetent. Here, let me help you.”

She bared her teeth, and the [Cultists] screamed. They unleashed magic on her. She leapt over the waves of fire and ice and stone and lightning, twirling almost gracefully for someone dressed in such a wicked form.

A bloodbath ensued as Salvos slaughtered them. The floor and the walls were stained with the crimson color of blood, and [Cultists] screamed in terror and horror as they tried to fend her off. But none of them had been over Level 100. The highest-leveled individual here had been Mikel. He was Level 93, but he had been killed in an instant, when his guard was down due to Saffron.

Saffron’s nose wrinkled. The stench of blood permeated the air. It was… sweet. Almost intoxicating. Younger Vampires had a stronger sense of smell than adults, and while Saffron was a young adult, she still had some of the residual ability to discern the quality of blood by levels. The higher-leveled someone was, the sweeter their blood smelled. The only exceptions came with the blood of Spirits and Demons. Those, regardless of level, smelled intensely sweet.

Her head went light as she glanced up, trying to gather herself to her feet. Her knees were weak. She couldn’t get up. She tried to stumble forward, but her senses were overwhelmed by fear and the tasty scent of blood. She tripped on something, falling face first before a body. Mikel’s headless body.

Blood pooled out of his neck, still fresh, having happened just moments ago. Her eyes widened, and her gaze sharpened as something drew her forward.

[Racial Skill: Bloodlust].

She bit into it, her eyes glowing red.

I had fought hordes and hordes of Skeletons. I had faced down a wave of Zombies, and slaughtered hundreds of them at once. I even flew against an army of mindless monsters, killing thousands before I was forced to retreat. These [Cultists] were far harder to kill than any of them. But it was not because of their abilities. Most of them were Silver Rank, with a rather inordinately substantial amount of them being Gold Rank. There were even a few Platinum Ranked equivalents mixed into the crowd.

But they were only minor hindrances. The biggest problem lay in the fact that they kept running!

“Come back here!”

I sent a plume of flames forward, incinerating the [Cultists] making a break for it down a stairway. I couldn’t let any of them flee. That would be problematic.

But the [Cultists] were scattering everywhere. They must have had a thousand different escape routes prepared if the mountain was ever besieged. And it made hunting them down very annoying.

It was harder to kill a hundred people who only wanted to run, than to kill a hundred people standing and fighting. The [Cultists] knew they were completely outmatched. So, they ran.

I leapt in front of a group led by a Level 86 cultist. He was a cultist, not a [Cultist], considering his [Mage] Class. I swiped for his head, and he created a barrier.

“Run!”

He screamed as I ripped the magical aura apart with my flaming claws. It lasted longer than I would’ve wanted. But once the barrier was down, he was helpless against me. He pointed at me, and a blue blast shot out. It was pure magical energy. One that actually damaged my aura of Greater Protection.

An interesting kind of spellcasting I rarely saw before. That didn’t stop me from tearing through his protective armor and killing him.

Defeated [Master of the Arcane Arts - Lvl 86]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy 20 levels below you!

“Hm. Maybe I should be using more of my Class.”

I ran forward as I activated [Mystical Projection]. I grabbed a pair of [Cultists] before I even reached them with the invisible protruding arms, and dragged them towards me. I sunk my real claws into their chest, quickly dealing with them.

This turned out to be quite effective, with me pulling two [Cultists] at a time back to me, before I finished them off, even as I ran forward.

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl 45]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Cultist - Lvl 61]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Perhaps it was because of a combination of using my Class and my Subspecies, but the simple message that popped up per kill was the fact that experience was awarded, rather than less or more depending on their level.

I narrowed my eyes as I watched a [Cultist] run for a metal doorway smeared with blood. It was old blood, and I was pretty sure there were people locked inside on the other side. She tried to pry it open as I finished off another [Cultist], and I simply pointed at her.

[Temporal Distortion].

Her movements slowed. The key clinked as it turned. But I was already next to her. She couldn’t even turn around in surprise before I ripped her apart.

I turned around, annoyed that I was caught in my own bubble of slowed time. It let the [Cultists] beyond move faster, even if it only made a minute difference. But tiny little changes to a battlefield often bore great implications.

I stepped out of my [Temporal Distortion] field just in time to see a man grab Saffron by the back of her head, placing a crooked knife to her throat. I paused. My eyes widened.

“Saffron!”

I called out to her, but the [Cultist] yelled.

“Stay back! I will kill her!”

I gritted my teeth, seeing him holding my friend hostage. He was a higher level than her. He was around Level 70, and Saffron didn’t look like she was in any condition to fight back.

“Let her go.”

I took a step forward, and he tightened the blade around her neck. My mind raced with all the options I had. [Haste] wouldn’t help me here. But there was another Skill I had. [Recall Skill] and [Zealous Call]. I was just about to use that combination, when the man screamed.

Saffron bit into his hand. He cried out in pain, and she spun around, striking his neck with her fingers. Her nails grew outwardly, sharp like knives in each finger. It severed his head right off. She tore into his body, biting off his flesh, like a hungry, rabid dog.

“Um, what?”

I stared at her as she continued to ravage the man. I hesitated. Then I walked up to her.

“Saffron…?”

The Vampire paused. She looked up at me, her eyes glowing red. There was a hiss— and she froze, coming back to her senses.

“I-I...”

I patted her on the shoulder.

“Good job.”

She blinked, and I ran off to deal with the remaining [Cultists]. There weren’t many left now. I managed to finish off the rest before they could escape. Saffron actually helped me, bounding around the open chamber and killing a handful of them herself. Although she seemed to protectively guard the door that probably held prisoners behind it.

And we killed the last of the [Cultists].

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 36] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 37]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 37] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 38]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

—--

“So…”

I walked up to Saffron, my [Demonic Essence] transformation ending as I returned to my regular self. I met the noble woman’s gaze. She tried to look away, wiping the blood off her mouth with the edge of her sleeve. Actually, it was my sleeve, considering that it was my blue jacket.

“What was that?”

I asked, crossing my arms. She hesitated. She didn’t want to meet my gaze. But I pressed her.

“Come on, you’ve got to tell me. That was pretty cool, you know?”

“It’s not cool.”

She sighed, closing her eyes. They still glowed red, even now.

“[Bloodlust]. It is a Skill us Vampires have. Each of us are born with it, and if we consume the blood of someone of a significantly higher level than us, we become stronger. Temporarily, of course. But also more… savage.”

“That was a little bit more than just savage. More monstrous, if I’m being honest.”

I spoke in a flat voice. She pursed her lips. I could see her fangs peeking through her mouth. She now had a pair of sharp incisors that were over an inch long, and claw-like fingers, just like me. I smiled as she shifted uncomfortably.

“But you did a good thing, Saffron.”

“T-that’s… I’ve never even killed… but wait.”

She looked past me, headed for the heavy metal door. With her sudden super strength, she ripped it open without any difficulty despite being a [Mage] at her level.

“Hey! At least wait for me to change—”

I frowned. Saffron stared into the room.

“Just as I thought.”

She shook her head, turning away. The room didn’t hold prisoners as I thought it did. It held within it a summoning circle. Empty cells and manacles. And a pile of corpses.

“Huh.”

Saffron started away, a rueful look on her face.

“If only we came a few days earlier… we could’ve…”

She trailed off and sat in the middle of the open chamber, right by Mikel’s body, gazing up at the night sky. I glanced back into the room with the pile of corpses. This wasn’t a pre-ritual setup. The ritual had been completed. A Demon had been summoned.

And the Demon had left. Probably to Elutra or the Inoria Empire or somewhere else. There were a lot of sacrifices here. Enough to summon maybe even an Archdemon. I wasn’t sure how Demon summoning worked, to be honest.

Saffron didn’t look like she was in any rush to leave, so I quickly looked through the room, searching for anything that piqued my interest. Maybe there might be a clue on how to return to the Netherworld— who knew?

There were also vials of blood and tomes regarding banned types of magic. I took them all and stuffed it into my sack. There were some gold and platinum too, but not much compared to how much I owned.

Then I returned to Saffron, and she stood up. She looked at me, speaking softly.

“Let’s go back, Salvos. I’m tired.”

I nodded and spread my wings wide.

—--

I gently flitted my way across the night sky, carrying Saffron in my arms. I asked her about what we should do with the dead [Cultists]— whether it was something we should report. But she just told me that she’d handle it.

Then there was silence. We flew over the misty clouds, slowly, so as to not frighten Saffron. I wasn’t sure what to say. I did as I promised, wiping out the Followers of the Demon King. But Saffron didn’t seem happy. She was upset. Both at herself and at the deaths of all those innocents in the summoning room.

I spoke up, trying to cheer her up.

“Hey, so, um… about your [Bloodlust]—”

She glanced up at me, furrowing her brows. She looked slightly annoyed. Like she wanted the topic. And I definitely wasn’t going to praise her about it again, since she seemed uncomfortable about it.

“I was thinking, since, you know, I’m high-leveled and all, I could maybe share some of my blood with you to keep in case you ever need it?”

Saffron paused. Then she looked away from me.

“Why would you do that?”

I sighed.

“To prove myself to you.”

With a deep breath, I began to explain.

“Look, I know our trip today didn’t go exactly well. But I’m still willing to do anything to make you believe me! I’ll even give you my blood! And I dislike losing my blood! It hurts and stuff!”

She didn’t say anything, and I drew my lips into a thin line. I was told by Daniel that school trips were supposed to be fun and exciting. He must’ve lied to me because this hadn’t been fun at all!

I waited for Saffron to respond. After a minute passed and she still remained silent, I began to deflate. Then finally, she spoke up in a soft voice.

“You already proved yourself to me, you idiot.”

I blinked.

“I did?”

She scowled.

“Of course you did. I was just being stubborn. I was… wrong. About you. We really aren’t that different.”

I narrowed my eyes. I wanted to open my mouth to protest the fact that I was Salvos and she was not Salvos, but she smiled.

“However, if you insist, I will gladly accept your offer of a tribute of your Demon’s blood. It’d aid me greatly in becoming stronger.”

Saffron met my gaze, and I blinked. Then I laughed.

“Yep! I’ll help you out! After all, you’re now my companion!”

A note from MelasD

Heya, if you guys don't mind, I'd truly appreciate if you could vote for me on TopWebFiction again. Thank you <3

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

196. Naive?

A note from MelasD

Bunch more shoutouts today.

The first goes to Saga of the Cosmic Heroes, a female lead story!

Second goes to Tentacles, loot boxes and apocalypse a litrpg!

Third goes to my good friend Selkie who just hit his one year anniversary on RoyalRoad!

The last goes to Blood Demon's Retirement a female lead slice of life!

Shoutouts will be shorter from now on because people complained that it was too long, and that my hours spent organizing and formatting shoutouts to give each person a good shoutout was annoying. So, minimum effort I guess for minimum space taken. All the better for me since this takes me five minutes unlike the hours I spent last week doing this for free lol

196. Naive?

I brought Saffron back to Mavos Academy. The noble woman was exhausted— her [Bloodlust] Skill expended a lot of her energy and impaired her cognitive abilities, just a few of several side effects of the temporary power boost. It wasn’t like my [Demonic Essence] Skill, which didn’t really have any side effects. Like, at all.

It was a very good Racial Skill and I was glad I got it. It could still be improved. I could only stay in my five-armed form for about six hours before I turned back. Although, that was before the Skill leveled up.

Saffron collapsed onto her bed immediately, passing out. I left her room, returning to the sofa. I was kind of exhausted as well, and since I couldn’t transform out of [Partial Mortality] just yet, meaning I wouldn’t be able to stay up all night and study, so I went to sleep.

—--

“Here you go.”

I blinked, looking up as Saffron handed a vial to me. I peered into the liquid inside of the glass. It was crimson like the twilight sky, yet there were dark clouds bubbling up within it. A gray smear moved about the liquid, alive, electric, bouncing from its fringes to the center of the red pool.

“What’s this?”

“Tempest-fused blood, procured as I promised I would. For your Potion of Regeneration.”

The noble woman set it down on the table as I lowered my textbook on the basics of weapon enchanting and all that it entailed. My eyes widened, and I excitedly grabbed the vial.

“You got this, for me?!”

“I said I would, did I not? A noble always keeps her promises.”

She snorted. I nodded eagerly.

“Yep, yep. Well, except for the one time you didn’t by almost outing me to Valda. That was yesterday.”

“Let’s… not talk about that.”

Saffron was just as upset about it as I was. She looked like she was slightly ashamed of her own actions. But things worked out in the end, and she was now my companion. As my companion, she was kind enough to get me tempest-fused blood, one of the most important ingredients for the creation of a Potion of Regeneration.

“Woah.”

I held it up, eyeing the moving liquid.

“Be careful with it. That vial is made out of special antimagic glass. It’s not as effective as banclite, but it is enough to suppress the effects of the tempest-fused blood from bursting out.”

“Bursting out?”

“Yes. Blood becomes tempest-fused blood when exposed to a mana storm. Well, any liquid, really. When it becomes tempest-fused, it contains the power of the storm within itself. It explodes with lightning, zapping things that come close to it until it expends all the mana it absorbed.”

“Huh.”

I gently lowered the vial.

“And what’s a mana storm?”

“It’s a natural disaster. Like a powerful volcanic eruption or a terrible tsunami. It is rare. Very rare. It happens only when the stars themselves fall from the sky, marking the earth with its radiance and light.”

“Wait—”

I cocked my head.

“The stars can fall from the sky?”

“They can and they do. But it does not occur often. Which is why tempest-fused blood is rare. Of course, there are [Alchemists] out there who are capable of replicating it. But their prices run high. This here is something a friend of mine had on him, passed down from his family. I bought it off him, since he didn’t really need or want it.”

“You bought it for me?”

I stared at her, touched. Saffron rolled her eyes.

“Consider it an apology gift.”

“Aw… thank you! Who’s your friend by the way?”

“Must I tell you who all my acquaintances are?”

“Nope. But I’m curious!”

She sighed, yet she told me.

“He’s a Vampire. Like me. Adney, a former adventurer who enrolled into Mavos Academy. Honestly, I tried to use your status as a famous adventurer to coerce him, but he had never heard of you before. So, platinum sufficed.”

“That’s silly. I’m Salvos! I’ll introduce myself to him if he really doesn’t—”

“That’s not necessary.”

Saffron cut me off before I could even finish. She sat across from me on the couch, sipping a cup of tea as she spoke.

“So, I have held up to one of my promises to you, Salvos. Now, while I am in no immediate rush, I was wondering if you could possibly fulfill your own promise to me.”

“My promise?”

I gave her a blank stare, and she pursed her lips.

“You… don’t remember?”

“I remember a lot of things! But no, I don’t remember this.”

The Vampire gestured at me, then herself.

“You promised me that… that you’d share some of your blood with me.”

I rubbed my chin, in thought. She waited, shifting uncomfortably. Then I snapped my fingers.

“Oh!”

I paused.

“That…”

“Is something the matter?”

“Well, I don’t know. Sharing my blood with you sounds painful…”

I scratched the side of my head. Saffron blinked. She tried to work her jaw.

“But y-you—”

She started, and I giggled.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

I waved a hand off dismissively.

“I was just teasing you. Sure, I’ll let you have some of my blood.”

I created a small flaming dagger, and pricked the very tip of my index finger. A single drop of blood slid down to my palm as I narrowed my eyes. Saffron leaned closer too, frowning.

“Why’s it… red?”

She asked, clearly puzzled. Her confusion was evident, and mine was too.

“I have no idea. Isn’t my blood supposed to be black?”

“That’s what I should be asking!”

Saffron sputtered as I shrugged.

“Maybe it’s a result of my Skill? I mean, it does force me to sleep and eat— neither of which I normally do— so maybe it turns my blood into Human blood as well?”

She furrowed her brows.

“That is indeed Human blood. It smells sweet, befitting of your high level. But…”

“What’s wrong?”

I faced her, raising my bloodied palm.

“Do you not want to drink this?”

“If I do, it wouldn’t be right now, Salvos. The blood of high-leveled individuals will activate my [Bloodlust] Skill, and it’s completely unnecessary unless I’m planning on trying to kill you here.”

“Do you plan on—”

“No.”

Saffron sat back, playing with an empty vial in her hand.

“What I need is Demon blood, not Human blood.”

“What’s the difference?”

“The blood of a mortal is not the same as the blood of Spirits or Demons. Mortal blood only gives a temporary increase in abilities. But the effects of drinking Spirit or Demon blood is permanent. And its results will always be the same, regardless of the level of the source of blood. It will empower my [Vampiric Essence] Skill. And if I can max it out before I receive my evolution at Level 100... “

She trailed off. Shaking her head, Saffron placed the vial before me.

“I’m not going to ask you to give your blood to me now. Just… whenever you can— what are you doing?”

I transformed out of [Partial Mortality] before her very eyes, and dug my own claw into my skin. Black blood seeped out, quickly filling the vial to the brim. I shut it with a cork, handing it back to the Vampire.

“Here you go!”

Saffron just stared at me. Then she massaged her temples.

“Y-you— did you seriously just do that?”

“What did I do?”

I tilted my head to the side.

“You just… you need to be more wary of others, Salvos. What if this had been a trap by me to reveal you to the Headmaster or a teacher?”

“You wouldn’t do that. You’re my companion!”

“Well, what if I lied about that too?”

She crossed her arms, but I wasn’t too worried.

“It’s fine! I know that no one is hiding around here. I’ve got a Skill.”

Since [Planar Navigation] wasn’t a timed Skill, nor did it have a cooldown, I was free to use it whenever I had to. I got into the habit of frequently activating it just to skim my surroundings for any suspicious activity. Right now, it was active because I was transformed out of [Partial Mortality].

“That still doesn’t change my point…”

Sighing, Saffron dejectedly accepted my blood.

“You shouldn’t be so easy to trust others, Salvos.”

“That’s true. But you’re not just ‘others.’”

I smiled as she raised a brow.

“What does that mean?”

“You were my friend before all this happened, Saffron. You taught me a lot of things, gave me an important family artifact, helped me out with getting into Mavos Academy, and let me stay with you even though I’ve inconvenienced you many times. Now, you’ve accepted me for who I am. Why should I still treat you with mistrust?”

“Because I could potentially trick you and ruin your life?”

I laughed, although Saffron was not as amused.

“Maybe that’s true, but that’s the same for anyone and everyone I meet and reveal myself to. But I don’t and won’t treat Daniel or Edithe that way. Also, the fact that you’re even lecturing me about this means you aren’t planning on tricking me or whatever. So, you’re not just some stranger to me, Saffron. You’re my companion.”

She opened her mouth. Then she hesitated. The noble woman shook her head, leaning back on her seat.

“You keep saying that, Salvos. What exactly does that mean?”

“To be my companion?”

Saffron nodded, and I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Hmm…”

“Do you not know what it means either?”

“I do! It’s just difficult to put in words.”

I folded my arms, scrunching up my face as I wracked my brain for the right words.

“To be my companion is to… be more than just a friend. To be someone I can trust in. To be someone who trusts in me and accepts me for who I am. To me, they matter more than anyone else in the world. They experience the world with me as I do with them. Even if we aren’t always together. Even if we sometimes fight or argue. We’re still bound together as companions.”

Somewhere, out there, Haec was waiting for me. My first ever companion. I trusted that he believed in my return, just as I trusted that he’d wait for me to return. And it was not just him.

Daniel and Edithe were having their own adventures. I wasn’t sure when I’d ever see them again. But a part of me was always with them. We’d always be companions, no matter what.

Saffron considered this for a moment before speaking out.

“So… family?”

“Family? No— I’m not related to my companions by blood. Unless you can become my sister by drinking my blood?”

Frowning, I considered the implications of this. If Saffron could drink my blood and become my sister, did this mean I was the sister of everyone I ate? After all, I usually swallowed their blood whenever I tried eating them.

She scoffed.

“No, I don’t mean it in that way. By family, I mean it in a figurative sense. A group of people— not necessarily a blood relative— whom you can confide with. People whom you know you can rely on, even in times of trouble.”

I blinked. Then I gave her an excited nod.

“Yep! That’s it! Exactly like that!”

Saffron took a deep breath.

“You know, now it feels like I have a heavy burden on my shoulder just from being your companion.”

“Hey, it’s not a Title I give out lightly.”

I grinned, and she stared at me.

“As in Title, and not title?”

“Yep!”

“Even though I don’t get any Stat boost from it?”

“It’s not an actual Title now, but it will be.”

“You are one egotistical girl, aren’t you? Yet, I don’t exactly doubt that as a possibility.”

“I know.”

“I wasn't really complimenting you by saying that.”

“I know.”

I repeated myself as I curled my lips. Saffron returned a smile. Then she stood up. Pocketing the vial of Demon blood, she started past me back to her room.

“Thank you.”

She spoke softly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“For trusting me. Even after I nearly betrayed your trust with Valda. I promise I will not betray your trust again.”

I stared at her, meeting her red eyes for a moment.

“I trust you.”

I nodded confidently. Shaking her head, Saffron continued and stopped by her doorway. She held up the vial of Demon blood.

“By the way, I’m probably going to drink some of this right now. Just to let you know, it gets me… drunk. So, uh, I’m probably going to go and pass out.”

“But it’s not even sunset.”

“I know. But yesterday was incredibly stressful, and I’d like to intoxicate myself now.”

Saffron slammed the door shut. I stared at the closed door.

“Huh.”

A note from MelasD

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197.1. Failure

A note from MelasD

Part 1 of 2.

Shoutout today goes to

Soul Flames a female lead fantasy.

Magic Girl Kari Apocalypse System a female lead litrpg.

Star Trek Voyager Another Timeline a progression sci-fi.

Everyone's a Catgirl! a litrpg harem.

Long Fang Cultivator vs System a litrpg xianxia.

Thick as Thieves a female lead steampunk.

197.1. Failure

A few days passed, and the school days blended together. A lot of my time was spent studying, practicing rune crafting, learning alchemical formulae, and researching spatial magic. I alternated between staying at the Lair and Saffron’s room, since she now knew I was a Demon, I could stay up all night without much worry while on the sofa.

Of course, I remained wary of other intruders possibly entering while I was myself and not a Human. I used [Planar Navigation] to keep an eye out, and managed to avoid any incidents. It was still slightly risky. Which was part of the reason why I still preferred studying at my Lair.

Another advantage of being away from Mavos Academy was that I didn’t need to keep on guard of potentially being found out. As such, I could use [Temporal Distortion] to create a bubble for me to study in. It was a genius application of the Skill, if I had to say so myself!

I’d speed up the time within my Lair, which in turn slowed the time that passed outside of it. The Skill itself could only last for fifteen minutes at its current level, and it could only be used once an hour. But that was a significant amount of extra time added to a day— or night, considering it was night whenever I went to my Lair— which allowed me to make up for the time I lost by going to fight those [Cultists] with Saffron, and more.

General Skill [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] has leveled up!

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 5] -> [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 6]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

“Huh. I wonder if that’s from studying or from using [Temporal Distortion] to study.”

It could be both. But I happily accepted my experience— and the additional boost to my [Wisdom]— before returning to Mavos Academy.

—--

“Therefore, space is a fabric.”

I sat in my last class of the day, taking notes as professor Isais wrapped up his lecture.

“While the layperson may believe that the world around us exists as a static object, in actuality, it is ever changing. It is malleable. As [Mages], we can then act as [Blacksmiths] do and mold space to our liking.”

He was a middle-aged man. Roughly thirty or forty years old with misty gray hair, and an unkempt beard colored a darker shade of black. He paced back and forth before his desk, a short distance away from the front row of seats where I sat.

Isais continued.

“But as you all know, this class isn’t just about the general theories on the various facets of space. It is about this dimension around us. How it can be bent. How it can be displaced.”

He snapped his fingers, and there was a flash. An electric screech resounded across the room as a bright light overcame Isais. I blinked, before he was gone. His voice drew my attention, coming from the back of the lecture hall.

“If these are all traits of our dimension— if it truly is something that can be woven— then it is something that can be torn open. And if you bend space in just the right way, ripping a hole on it at the right place, you’ll thus be able to move objects, animals, and even people through it just like that.”

Heads turned. The third and fourth years students of the College of Aspirations stared at their professor as he stalked back down to the chalkboard. A bell rang in the distance, signaling the end of the class. But there wasn’t a rush to leave. Instead, a susurration grew throughout the lecture hall as students whispered to each other, pointing at professor Isais in awe and shock.

I harrumphed, crossing my arms as Isais began to pack his things.

“What a show off. I can do that too! Well… ok, maybe I can’t teleport as far as he can. And maybe I can’t do it as quickly as he can. Maybe it even isn’t as flashy as his teleportation. But he’s over Level 100 as a [Space Mage]! What is there to be surprised about?”

I was too busy grumbling to myself that I didn’t notice the gathering of mana around his being. I looked up, eyes growing wide. I raised a hand, but it was already too late.

“Wait, professor, I have a quest—”

He teleported out of the room. I tried to use [Planar Navigation] to track him down, but he wasn’t anywhere within the building. I could follow the traces of thread he left behind with his teleportation, however it was quite clear that he had gone back to his office. And I knew what happened when I visited a professor outside of their allotted office hours.

“Oh, I’m sorry Ms Salvos, I’m currently busy preparing next week’s test, could you please return during my office hours? Ms Salvos, I’m currently having my lunch, please see me when I have the free time to assist you. I very much apologize, Ms Salvos, I am not currently available. What? ’m on break, Ms Salvos. This is my time to relax.”

I mimicked the various voices of my professors as the lecture hall cleared out around me. I packed up my things, stepping out of my seat, before I threw my hands up in the air.

“What do you mean you’re on break? You’re just sitting there and doing absolutely nothing! You’re literally wasting your life away!”

“Ahem.”

I glanced back as I heard a gruff voice cough behind me. I smiled.

“Hey Gallus.”

“Ms Salvos, I apologize, but you seem to be blocking the only exit to the room.”

“Oops.”

I stepped out of the doorway, letting him walk past me.

“Sorry.”

“It is no matter.”

Gallus was a member of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s elite... no, not elite, it was just called the Swordsguard Forces. The man was tall with a rough build and broad shoulders, so he could barely even fit through the doorway. I was in both an alchemy lab with him and this class, which I found quite surprising considering his appearance and Class. He was a [Warrior], so why would he be taking these classes?

He started past me, and I followed after him, driven by idle curiosity.

“Did you need something from me, Ms Salvos?”

“Say, Gallus, why is a [Warrior] like you taking classes on alchemy and space magic?”

I was a lot more casual with him now that I had gotten to know him slightly. We were in two classes together, and I knew he was only ostensibly stoic, but with a much softer interior. If I knew he didn’t like my casual demeanor, I’d have been more respectful in how I carried myself. But despite his seemingly brusque personality, he was quite sociable and nice.

“I have always been intrigued by the concoctions the [Alchemists] in my country create. Especially that of Damian the Maddened Artificer. He is the highest-leveled [Alchemist] in the world, and I have seen what he has made. It is not that which any sane mind would think of, yet he is more ingenious than any other Human alive today.”

We walked as he talked.

“When he was tasked by the previous emperor, Iven Maran, to create an Elixir of Immortality, he instead created a vial of wicked poison that nearly took emperor Iven’s life. Apparently, the poison induced an effect that would muddle your sense of time as it shut off your organs. It would drag out dying to what felt like an eternity to the one who drank the poison. Fortunately for emperor Iven, his son forced Damian to create a cure, and the emperor was saved.”

“Huh.”

I tapped a finger on my chin in understanding.

“So, you’re doing this to poison your emperor. Got it.”

The large man nearly tripped over his own feet. He stumbled back up, adjusting his uniform, decorated with medals from the Vaun Qieur Empire.

“T-that’s not what I intend or will ever intend to do, Ms Salvos. Please do not joke about that.”

I giggled, and he failed to suppress a small smile.

“No. I simply wished to learn the thought process behind such great [Alchemists]. Even if a little mad, there is something to learn from them— something about alchemy which must’ve influenced how their minds worked.”

“And what about space magic? Why are you taking this class with professor Isais?”

“That is a more personal matter.”

“How so?”

I cocked my head. Gallus furrowed his brows. Then he chuckled.

“I see personal boundaries are not obstacles for you, Ms Salvos.”

“Well, Mr Gallus, they are only if they’re there. You’re the one who seems quite excited to talk about it. After all, people like talking about themselves.”

I grinned, and he nodded honestly.

“While that is true, I can’t help but believe that you are replacing others’ desires with your own to reach that conclusion. Nevertheless, while my story is personal, it is not an interesting story.”

“I’m interested.”

I leaned in, patiently waiting for him to continue.

“I was raised by a family of [Summoners]. However—”

He was interrupted by the tolling of a bell. Gallus glanced up, frowning. He looked at the sun’s position in the sky. It was going to be setting soon. He shook his head.

“It seems that more time passed than I had thought. I will have to tell you this story of mine another time.”

“Aw.”

I deflated slightly, and he patted me on the shoulder.

“If you are truly interested, Ms Salvos, I can share my story with you another time. And perhaps you could tell me of your own too. That is— only if you are interested in speaking about your own self.”

I beamed, placing my hands behind my back.

“Of course I would! I love talking about myself!”

Gallus laughed as he bade me farewell. He was, despite his appearance, very nice. I liked him. He was a much better member of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s Swordsguard Forces than Alex Cromerth.

197.2. Failure

A note from MelasD

Part 2 of 2.

Two more shoutouts! Check them out!

Check out A Hero's Song - A Novel in Verse by Eric River. It's really impressive what this author is trying to do. I highly recommend it.

"If you’re into fantasy, subversive yet cliche

written to be fun, yet epic, do not look away

here’s a combination of a novel and a song

it all rhymes, and it's over a hundred pages long"

Check out Useless Strength in the Modern World by Sushi. It's a xianxia litrpg, and the author is a cool dude who's only 13! i don't know about you, but I was busy being a waste upon society when I was 13. Check it out and be nice.

Zhuge Lian, modern genius, just got rejected from all of his favourite dream colleges. Driven by depression and anger, he jumps from the balcony of his apartment in Guangzhou. However, as his nose hits the pavement, everything turns white. The Modern Strength System has arrived in his life, and after failing, Zhuge Lian will rise up once again!

197.2. Failure

After my conversation with Gallus, I returned back to my room, ready to eat a quick meal before heading to my Lair. But before I could go, Saffron stopped me.

“Salvos, if you have a moment, are you busy this weekend?”

“I don’t think I am. Why?”

The noble woman nodded, gesturing at the seat before her. She sat across the small dining table, slicing her way through a barely cooked steak. There was a second plate ready for me, and it also had a steak prepared for me.

“Come, sit. Matthew prides himself in his cooking, and he insists you do not eat bugs for once.”

“But I dislike—”

“You’ll have to learn to blend in when you attend social events, Salvos. I don’t want you to arouse any suspicion about yourself by eating spiders during a party.”

“I don’t even like spiders that much.”

I scowled, but she gave me a flat stare. Sighing, I sat across from her, copying her mannerisms, straightening my back, gently cutting into the steak and eating it without making a disgusted face. She didn’t ask me to mimic her, but I might as well learn something while I could. And what better skill to pick up than the traits needed to be a Princess?

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“It is regarding the other request you made of me besides tempest-fused blood. For sagetree sap.”

“Oh, you’re looking into that?”

“I made you a promise, didn’t I?”

Saffron raised her cup of tea, holding her pinky finger out. I did as she did, although I almost spit out the tea. It tasted like dried leaves.

“I have told you before that only [Traders] hailing from eastward sell them in these lands. Well, I have asked Matthew to collect information on such merchants, and he mentioned that a rather noteworthy [Trader] hailing from the Eastern Kingdoms is headed to Wimborne. It is possible that she sells the sagetree sap you need for your Potion of Regeneration.”

“Really?”

I stood up, turning away from Saffron, ready to be done with this impromptu lesson I subjugated myself to.

“Let’s go see her!”

“Not just yet, Salvos.”

Saffron’s words dragged my feet to a stop. I turned to face her, blinking.

“Why not?”

“Because, simply put, she has not arrived yet. She will be visiting and staying for the weekend, selling her regular goods in Wimborne, but also hosting an auction for only her most rare items in Mavos Academy’s very own Tower of Truth, before traveling further west with her wares. Matthew has managed to secure us both tickets to this event.”

“Wait—”

I stared at the noble woman.

“Is this why you forced me to eat this steak?”

“Indeed. I also needed you to preoccupy yourself with something while I explained the situation.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I’m not a child, Saffron.”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

She smiled slyly as she stood up.

“Now, I’m not saying that this merchant, Ivonne, has the sagetree sap you want. It is only a possibility, but the best one you have right now. However,t even if she doesn’t sell it, I promise you I will do everything within my power to help you. Even if it means buying a Potion of Regeneration myself.”

I paused. Then I protested.

“But this is for my final exam!”

“And it is also for your missing arm, is it not? That was what you told me a few nights. You could always choose a simpler task for your final examination. I am sure that an Elixir of Enhanced Strength requires far easier ingredients to procure—”

“No.”

I interrupted her before she could finish. I vehemently rejected her idea, stamping a foot on the ground with an air of finality.

“I want to do this properly. That’s why I enrolled in Mavos Academy. To learn. Not to take things easy. Sure, I may complain sometimes. But I’m actually curious about these things. I actually want to become more knowledgeable from my time here. Not cheat my way through it.”

Saffron narrowed her eyes. She met my gaze, and I folded my arms, clearly set on seeing this through.

“And what happens if you fail, Salvos? You do realize that Mavos Academy has the highest dropout rates in the world? And that’s only for the College of Aspirations. The School of Aspiring Elites has even higher standards. You may be academically dismissed for failing a single class badly enough. It usually only happens once you fail two classes. But not finishing your final assignment would mean you’ll lose out on a majority of your grade. You might be kicked out of the academy during your first academic term. They have to maintain their reputation, after all.”

Shaking my head, I spoke once more with even more determination.

“I won’t fail, and I won’t drop out of Mavos Academy, Saffron. I want to do this. I will do this.”

The Vampire— my companion— stared at me for a moment, before sighing.

“Very well. If that is what you insist on doing, I won’t stop you. Just know that you are unnecessarily making things more difficult for yourself. Your pride could be your fall.”

“Well, it’s just as you said a few days ago, I am egotistical.”

I raised my chin, speaking from my chest.

“I’m an Archdemon of Pride. So, you should get used to me acting prideful!”

Saffron finally acquiesced, and I smiled.

Honestly though, I had no idea I could even be kicked out of Mavos Academy for failing two classes, let alone one. It sounded like something I should’ve been briefed on during my orientation by [Secretary] Marie. But she never mentioned it once, strangely enough.

Oh, also, I was free during this weekend, right? For whatever reason, I felt like I wasn’t actually free.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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198. Forgetting

A note from MelasD

Shoutouts today!

Check out Elysium Mist, a Sci-Fi LitRPG!

Check out The Twins of the Aletere - Shadow of the Eclipse, a Female Lead Fantasy!

Check out Legend of the Spellthief, a Strong Lead LitRPG!

Check out Selena's Reign: The Golden Gryphon, a Strong Lead Fantasy!

Check out Between Mountains and Moons, a High Fantasy Progression Fantasy!

Check out Tales of an Unlikely Wizard, an Isekai LitRPG!

198. Forgetting

As it turned out, there was something I did forget. I didn’t remember it until the day before the weekend, when I was finishing up my lab session on Advanced Alchemical Composition. [Alchemist] Raymond had assigned us into two groups— which just meant that we worked with partners, considering the class was comprised of only four people.

Our assignment for today was to use our previously brewed Potion of Corrosions into a Potion of Corrosive Explosions. Yep, that was right. It was a potion that wasn’t meant to be drunk. Its design was to be thrown at someone as a kind of weapon.

It was relatively dangerous. A single-use Medium Grade Weapon. They were always far more effective than multi-use items. It would’ve even been harmful to me! And I was Level 106!

Although, that might’ve been due to my relatively low [Vitality] compared to a [Warrior] and the likes. The Potion of Corrosive Explosions would’ve been less lethal to someone who focused more on their [Vitality] at Level 100. For example, Zix could probably rampage through a blast of the potion.

Anyway, the dangerous nature of the Potion of Corrosive Explosions was the reason why we were given partners to work with. It was so we could combine our skills and Skills to ensure that neither of us melted our own faces off. The fact that potion-making was so dangerous was another reason why a non-[Alchemist] was often wary to attempt alchemy at a higher level. [Alchemists] like Raymond had a plethora of Skills to prevent things from going wrong, such as the lab being blown up.

Not that it was a very effective preventive measure. Raymond told us that he blows up a lab at least once a year due to experimenting and working with dangerous chemicals.

Since we were all Level 100, we’d probably survive if something went wrong with today’s potion enhancement process. With [Alchemist] Raymond here as well as our own individual Skills, the chances of the lab being destroyed in an uncontrolled corrosion explosion wasn’t highly likely. That was also the reason why this lab class wasn’t available to those in the College of Aspirations. Even fourth year student [Alchemists] would have their lives endangered just experimenting with the potions here.

I was paired up with Nolan who insisted on handling the dangerous liquids while I made the preparations for the potion’s tier-enhancement. We spoke casually, already friends from his various tutor sessions with me.

“Honestly, I am surprised you skipped out on class a few days ago. With how much you’ve been studying, I assumed you’d have attended every session.”

“Well…”

I trailed off, remembering the events with Saffron just last weekend.

“Something came up. I had to spend all day dealing with it.”

“Must’ve been quite important.”

He nodded, pouring an extract of effervescent liquid into the base Potion of Corrosion. There was a simmering— steam shot up. But nothing dangerous happened.

“It was! But I resolved it. So, it’s fine now.”

I smiled, glad that I now had a new companion. I grabbed the pre-prepared ingredients and mixed it into the diluted base to hand to Nolan.

“I’m glad for that. I do hope that no other such issues arise before our dinner meeting tomorrow.”

He chuckled, taking the now discolored vial of liquid. I blinked.

“Dinner…?”

Then my eyes widened. I finally remembered what I felt like I was forgetting! I had promised, for whatever stupid reason that possessed me at the time, to go with Nolan for dinner! I nearly smacked my forehead.

“Huh. Oh, um, that… you see—”

Nolan raised a brow. I twiddled my thumbs together.

“Can we, um, reschedule?”

“Oh, of course. Are you having another problem?”

“Nope! I mean, kind of? I kind of forgot about my promise…”

I paused. Wait, should I have said that? Humans were very delicate about their feelings. I had gotten too comfortable around him since he was my friend that my tongue slipped.

“That’s…”

He pursed his lips. Then I quickly waved my hands.

“Also! There is another problem! It’s actually for this class, see? I need sagetree saps, so I’m going to an auction tomorrow— it’ll be held here, actually, on campus! The famous [Trader] Ivonne will be selling rare… stuffs!”

“Right.”

Nolan hesitated for a moment before smiling.

“That is understandable. You do have a rather difficult task ahead of you, so how about the weekend after instead?”

“Sure! I’m glad you’re not offended. I was worried there for a second.”

I let out a sigh of relief, and Nolan chuckled.

“It’s not a problem at all, Ms Salvos.”

“Hey— it’s just Salvos!”

—--

I finished the rest of my classes and prepared to spend the rest of the night studying space magic theory. With the amount of focus I had been putting on alchemy, I was starting to fall behind in my other classes. I didn’t want that to happen. Thankfully, I wasn’t a Human who needed to sleep.

I packed my books, about to leave for my Lair, when Saffron stopped me.

“Just to remind you, Salvos, tomorrow’s auction will be a proper social event. While adventurers are often given a pass for their lack of… refinement. You will be attending as my guest. I do hope you don’t sully my name by…”

She eyed the rather large fly buzzing between my fingertips. I blinked. Then I quickly stuffed it into my mouth, crunching it down.

“I know, Saffron. You don’t need to remind me. I’ll have you know, I’m very good at dealing with you Humans and your fickle emotions now.”

I huffed, crossing my arms, pretending that I hadn’t just eaten a bug as big as my fingernails.

“Just earlier, I managed to avoid annoying Nolan because I forgot about our meeting tomorrow night. We arranged to have dinner next week, and this time, I won’t forget.”

“A dinner…?”

Saffron blinked. Then her jaw dropped.

“Wait, you’re going on a date?!”

“A date?”

I cocked my head. She gestured at me.

“A social engagement. You know, for individuals hoping to progress romantically.”

“Huh.”

I tapped a finger on my chin as Saffron just stared at me.

“I had no idea you were capable of love, Salvos. I’m… honestly quite impressed. Or wait…”

She narrowed her eyes, peering at me. I just stood there, my confusion was evident. She folded her arms.

“You had no idea you were going on a date. You assumed his invitation for dinner was just an innocuous invitation to eat some food.”

“Um… yes.”

I admitted, drawing my lips into a thin line. Saffron massaged her temples.

“And you accepted it without thinking. I can’t believe… actually, I can believe it.”

“Hey! I take offense to that.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Not only that, you even forgot about your date with him. And you’re saying you told him you forgot?”

“I did. Is that bad?”

Saffron groaned, a clearly conflicting reaction. On one hand, she could be groaning because she thought my question on whether it could be bad was stupid, and that the answer was obviously a ‘no.’ On the other hand, she could be groaning because the answer was instead a ‘yes,’ and she found my actions to be incredibly foolish.

It was quite difficult to discern which one it was.

“Salvos, you do realize that you most definitely offended him with your actions, right? Nothing about what you did is worth bragging about.”

“Hey— I tried my best. I just, um, forgot.”

“And why did you forget?”

“Because I didn’t actually want to have dinner with him?”

I scratched the back of my head. Saffron sighed.

“And there’s the issue.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose, walking back to her room, and gesturing for me to leave.

“I’ll have to explain this to you some other time. I’m going to lie down and inebriate myself with your blood.”

“Um, alright. See you tomorrow!”

I waved at her, heading out of the dormitory. I didn’t see what the big issue was. But apparently Saffron found it to be slightly problematic. Nolan hadn’t lashed out at me for forgetting about the date, and he clearly wanted to go out with me for dinner when he asked. So, why was there a problem?

—--

...as such, space exists all around us. It exists as a whole, just as individuals exist as wholes of themselves. However, this then begs the question, why are there different planes of existence to the Nexeus?

The Spirit Plane, the Mortal Realm, and the Netherworld are three distinct places in space. Or are they? Prior to the Melissian Era, our Mortal Realm was believed to be a separate world from the other two worlds. Summoning a Spirit was viewed as a similar act as summoning a [Hero], just with less resources expended. But after the Oracle of Light herself illuminated the world of the interconnectedness between the three planes, the fundamental understanding of space magic theory changed.

The Nexeus was now comprised of three planes. We all existed in the same fabric of space, just within different folds—

I read through my textbook for my class on space magic theory. The book was called The Origins of the Three Planes, and it explained how the world’s understanding of the Mortal Realm shifted throughout the past few millennia. It went in-depth, explaining how only the Mortal Realm had been called the Nexeus in the past, while the Spirit Plane was given a different name. The Paradius, while the Netherworld had been called the Damnius.

It wasn’t just a historical account, either; it explained the various different axioms that were introduced that resulted in these changes. I found it intriguing. Not just because it was about space magic. But because I could actually link some of what I learned with what I was trying to do.

Professor Isais mentioned something similar. That you had to fold space to move through it. So, if that was the case, couldn’t I return to the Netherworld with a powerful enough teleportation spell?

I glanced up from my textbook, staring at the overfilled sack of books and parchments just outside of my [Temporal Distortion] field. I stepped out of the quickened zone and sifted through the books. These weren’t textbooks or even things I could find discussed in Mavos Academy.

It was my personal belongings— the things I had on me before I arrived at Mavos Academy, and the things I got from the recent battle with the [Cultists]. I searched through all the worn tomes I could find. Anything that possibly elaborated on how exactly the Netherworld was then linked to the Mortal Realm or Spirit Plane.

Most of these [Cultists]’ only wrote about how amazing their Demon King, Regnorex, was, and how it was thanks to his gifts that Demons could be summoned to the Mortal Realm. Honestly, there were a lot of books. Too many for me to look through now. Especially considering that it was already sunrise.

I had to go to my professors’ office hours after this. So, I decided to push this endeavor back for next time. Before I readied to leave, however, I caught sight of my [Temporal Distortion] bubble, still active, and an idea came to me.

I decided to just see for myself how exactly this separation between planes worked. I closed my eyes, activating [Planar Navigation]. As expected, I couldn’t see into the sphere just before me. It was like vision had a black spot.

But it was very evidently a black spot that shouldn’t be there, because I could clearly see the space just before me with my very eyes. It was all the same space. However, time within my [Temporal Distortion] moved differently. And it somehow made it different from the space around me.

It was… it had to be a fold in space. Something was being done to make it this way, and I wanted to figure out what. To do that, I needed to improve my mastery over these two Skills. As such, I finally decided to expend the Secondary Skill Points I gained from killing those [Cultists] a few days ago.

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 5

[Object Levitation] - Lvl 1

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 5

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 4

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 5

I raised [Temporal Distortion] and [Planar Navigation] both to Level 5. Then I nodded as the bubble disappeared, and the sun eked its way up to its zenith. I’d investigate it further in the future. For now, I headed to speak with my professors and lecturers, taking down notes, preparing myself for my upcoming tests.

And then it was time for the auction.

A note from MelasD

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Join my discord or subreddit.

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199. Class

A note from MelasD

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199. Class

I met up with Saffron just before the auction, dressed in my usual blue jacket with my torn cloak wrapped around my neck. The noble woman wore not her usual school uniform, instead wearing a long one-piece red dress, tinged with a slight light hue to match her pink tresses.

She stared at me.

“Are you seriously going to the auction wearing that?”

“Yep! What’s wrong?”

Saffron sighed.

“It’s nothing. Your social grace is just as bad as ever.

“Hey!”

“Come on, let’s go.”

We passed Central Square and stopped right before the Tower of Truth. The streets were full of decorated carriages— a rather unusual scene in Mavos Academy. There was a long line that led into the building, with fancily dressed individuals waiting to enter.

Saffron held a slip of paper in her hand, showing it to a guard at the front. I wondered why they even needed such guards— he was a Level 80 [Warrior], which was impressive, but not so much so compared to the saturation of other high-leveled individuals here.

There were a handful of other students from Mavos Academy, but it seemed like most of the attendants here came from beyond even just Wimborne. Men in smart suits exchanged polite words with women in frilly dresses. There were nobles and merchants and adventurers, all prolific in their own right. They discussed the auction, driven by an excitement to know what would be sold here.

“It has been years since Ivonne Vigil last returned to the Human lands.”

“I hear she came from the Dwarf mountains. The artifacts she must have returned with— surely nothing under High Grade artifacts would be on auction.”

“I bought the Glaive of Rampage from her last auction six years ago. It’s still my most valuable weapon to this day. She claimed it was passed down from a Beastmen tribe as their greatest treasure, before they were lost to a swarm of Centinels.”

I heard a lot of excited chattering around me. There were standing tables prepared just outside the Tower of Truth, a place for social gatherings to take place. Saffron nodded slightly at a few men and women who passed her by. She only stopped to speak briefly with a man who looked no older than she was.

He had white hair, red eyes, and a charming smile.

“Saffron Merryster, it is a delight to see you here.”

“Gannon Norwood, it has been a while.”

She bowed her head slightly as she curtsied respectfully at him. The noble woman glanced back at me, and I copied her gesture.

“This is Salvos, Diamond Ranked adventurer. I am sure you must’ve heard of her.”

“Greetings, Ms Salvos.”

He took my hand, kissing it lightly.

“But I do apologize. I am not one who is up to date with the news. I may not have heard of you, however I’m sure you are quite the esteemed individual.”

I smiled, subtly suppressing the urge to say that that was true because I was Salvos.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you… Lord Gannon?”

I assumed he was a Lord because of the way he was dressed. But he just chuckled.

“Close. But I wouldn’t be caught being called a Lord if at all possible. No, I am but a senator of Shedos. I’m here to… peruse the treasures of our prestigious Ivonne Vigil. I’ve heard many things about her which I’d love to see for myself.”

I cocked my head slightly.

“Huh. How do you and Saffron know each other?”

They exchanged a look, and I blinked. I realized, in that instant, how they must’ve met. But they both spoke casually as Gannon waved a hand off dismissively.

“I have known Saffron since she was a child since I’m acquainted with her parents.”

“Oh.”

I paused. Saffron stared at me, and I opened my mouth. Her look grew desperate, before I smiled, carrying on with the conversation.

“So, you know Zahra?”

“Indeed. I’m quite impressed by what she’s done, raising her five children all on her own, each growing to be such stellar young men and women like Saffron here.”

Saffron laughed softly as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“You really don’t keep up with the news, do you, Gannon? It’s seven now.”

He blinked. Then he shook his head, muttering softly.

“Of course, of course, it seems I must’ve forgotten… or perhaps I wasn’t informed…”

The discussion carried on for a little longer before Gannon excused himself. I glanced at his back as I watched him go. Then I turned back to Saffron who was sighing in relief. I grinned at her.

“How’d I do?”

“You nearly gave me a scare, Salvos. I thought you were going to blurt it out loud for everyone to hear.”

I snorted, following Saffron as she led me up a short stairway to the entrance of the Tower of Truth.

“Hey! I know how to carry myself. I told you yesterday, didn’t I? I’m very good at carrying myself with poise. I totally wasn’t going to shout that he was a V—”

Saffron glared at me, and I smirked.

“Very nice person.”

She gave me a flat stare. Then she rolled her eyes.

“That’s not funny.”

“I found it funny.”

“Well, with you, I don’t know what’s a joke and what’s not a joke.”

The noble woman trudged over the bristly red carpet as she approached the gilded entryway just ahead. She pushed it open.

“Look, I know you’re trying your best to… blend in. But this is a rich event with a lot of famous individuals attending. Just try not to do anything that’ll make a scene, please?”

I gave her a thumbs-up as we entered the auction hall.

“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything that will—”

“You!”

A voice rang out, and a figure stormed through the crowd. I blinked as Saffron snapped her eyes shut in defeat. I stared at the man who marched his way up to me. His face was seething with anger, and I finally realized who he was.

“Jacob Axworth?”

A scene broke out before Saffron as she watched from the side, massaging her temples. They stood in a large hall— one normally used for students— with tables and cushioned seats prepared specifically for the auction. It was a prestigious event. Anything that happened here would spread like wildfire throughout the most powerful people in the world, so it would be utterly humiliating if a scene happened here.

Yet, one unfolded before her very eyes. Heads turned and voices whispered as Jacob Axworth, son of marquis Graham— one of the most powerful noble families in Shedos— came to Salvos shouting and screaming.

“I want her out of here, now, Father!”

Salvos just cocked her head, confused, utterly in shock as to why this man was shouting at her. Saffron didn’t even know what happened, but she could infer it easily enough. At some point, Jacob must’ve tried to ask Salvos out. But Salvos, not realizing what it meant, probably dismissed his attempts with… well, in her usual Salvos fashion.

“That idiot…”

“What’s going on?”

A man stepped up from behind Saffron. She spoke as she turned to face him.

“My friend just has a bad habit of being… impolite, when rejecting men—”

Then she stopped. Her eyes widened as she stared at the man before her. He was thin, not too ostentatious, apart from his natural red hair that stood out even in the decorated room.

“You’re—”

“I’m Lamarr of Traith.”

He nodded at her, before directing his attention to Salvos who was now being hounded on by the Axworth family. A crowd of rich-looking individuals watched on, clearly judging Salvos for what was going on. This scene held everyone’s attention. Everyone except for Saffron’s.

Her breath caught as she gasped, staring at Lamarr.

“The Warrior King of Traith…”

Saffron hurriedly straightened, fluffing her dress so that she’d be more proper. This was one of the most influential kings in the modern era. He was one of the highest-leveled [Warrior] kings in the world, earning the prestige of his infamous Title. The young noble had known that this auction would’ve been full of notorious individuals, but she didn’t expect to see someone like Lamarr here.

“I-I apologize for my friend’s—”

“It is fine.”

Lamarr shook his head. He watched on for a moment longer as Salvos began to grow defensive, almost looking like she was about to lash out. Saffron wanted to jump in to cool things down— maybe stop Salvos from getting kicked out. But the King of Traith spoke again.

“Are you telling me that this is happening because that impetuous child can’t handle a simple rejection?”

His face twisted. Saffron gulped, for whatever reason.

“Y-yes…?”

“Hrmph.”

He started forward, drawing the attention of Graham Axworth who backed up in surprise, although Jacob himself was still ignorant.

“King L-Lamarr—”

Lamarr ignored marquis Graham, instead placing a hand on the young Axworth man. Jacob glanced back, frowning.

“Unhand me, you fiend! I want this woman off this auction immediately!”

Jacob tried to shrug Lamarr off as Graham hissed. Unfortunately for Jacob, Lamarr’s grip was made of steel. The Warrior King squeezed his shoulders, speaking sharply.

“Do you not know who you are talking to, child? Do you not have any respect for those around you, entitled brat?”

“You—”

His face scrunched up in pain as he dropped to one knee. Now, Lamarr held his attention. He glared up at the red-haired man, even through gritted teeth.

“I am Jacob Axworth, Gold Ranked adventurer and heir of the Axworth Marq—”

“Quiet, Jacob!”

Graham shouted over his son. He gestured at Lamarr, who loomed over Jacob.

“That man is the Warrior King of Traith— one of the Seven Councilmembers of the Eastern Kingdom Alliance. You will not speak ill of him.”

Lamarr let go of Jacob, and the young man stumbled back. His eyes were wide as he stared up at Lamarr. Those who were watching exchanged hushed words, pointing, wondering why the Warrior King of Traith himself stepped in. Saffron, too, was struck with confusion.

That was, until Salvos blinked.

“Oh, hey Lamarr.”

“Salvos. I hope you’re doing well?”

He nodded at her. Saffron glanced between the two of them, slowly letting the realization sink in that they knew each other. That they were casual with each other.

“I’m doing fine now that I’m not being shouted at by that weirdo. And you were so nice to me the first time we spoke, Jacob. What happened to you?”

Shaking her head, she gave Jacob Axworth a look of disappointment. He glared at her.

“You damn bitch! How do you know the King of Traith? How are you…”

He trailed off as Lamarr stood over him, crossing his arms. Jacob shrunk back, and Lamarr spoke.

“Over a rejection, you’d choose to pettily insult someone you don’t even know. Do you truly believe you are entitled to anything from others? The person you are addressing is the Liberator of the Plaguelands. Salvos, a Diamond Ranked adventurer, lauded by the Emperor of Vaun Qieur himself, and someone far more influential than you or your family.”

There was pause. From the onlookers, a few heads exchanged glances. A slow susurration spread over the crowd as the name settled in. Graham’s face grew pale, although Jacob didn’t visibly react.

Salvos tapped her chin.

“I am? Well, I mean, I am Salvos, yes, but am I really more important than them?”

Lamarr nodded, turning his gaze to the crowd.

“You are. And if anyone deserves to be thrown out of this auction, it’d be the Axworth family for the sheer disrespect their heir has shown today. If the marquis himself had any shame, he’d punish his son this instant.”

“But—”

Jacob opened his mouth, and finally, Graham stormed up to him and grabbed him off the ground.

“Silence, boy! You have said enough tonight.”

He dragged his son away from the auction hall, harshly reprimanding the young man for what had just occurred. This drew the eyes from the onlookers— whispers— but Graham didn’t pay them any mind. Saffron knew that this was the best way he’d be able to save face after what Lamarr just did.

When they were gone, Lamarr turned to Salvos. The crowd had returned to minding their own business— their loud chatter washing back over the room. But it was quite obvious that part of their attention now settled onto the pair… and Saffron.

She stared at Lamarr and Salvos as they conversed.

“Thanks for that. I really don’t know what got into Jacob. He helped me when I first went to Wimborne!”

“Unfortunately, those raised in luxury believe that they are owed something by others, when they have done nothing to deserve it.”

Lamarr took a deep breath, calming himself. Then he gestured towards the front of the auction hall.

“Come, Salvos, let’s not be bothered by what happened earlier. I have a table reserved just before the podium. I assume you’re here for the auction and not to socialize, yes? You’ll have a good view of the artifacts that will be on display.”

“Really? Thank you!”

“And of course, you may bring your friend too.”

He glanced over at Saffron, who just blinked.

“W-wait, me?”

“Of course. Come on, the auction is starting soon!”

Salvos grabbed her by the arm, dragging her up to where Lamarr was waiting. He pulled a chair out for Saffron, and she rigidly sat down, still slightly in shock. She looked around as her mind slowly began to unfreeze itself.

This auction was crowded with people of great import in some way. Individuals who came from around the Human lands, socializing, gathering to get a chance to buy equipment from the famed Ivonne Sigil. That was why Saffron had emphasized propriety to Salvos— so as to not make a fool of herself, and Saffron, in front of dozens of influential nobles and adventurers and merchants.

But one thing Saffron had forgotten was that Salvos herself was just as important as many of those in attendance. No— Salvos was even more important. Her rise to fame was incredibly recent, so many, like Gannon, still hadn’t heard of her. But the feats she accomplished were things that put her above even some of the Dukes and Diamond Ranks gathered today.

Salvos. Liberator of the Plaguelands. The Savior of Silvergrove. Diamond Rank adventurer. An Archdemon of Pride. Although the last part was something only known to Saffron.

It was easy to give titles to people. Saffron always knew and understood that Salvos was a Diamond Rank adventurer. But only now did she truly understand what that meant. It meant rubbing shoulders with the likes of the King of Traith.

Honestly, the more she thought about it, the more Saffron was glad she reconciled her feelings about Salvos being a Demon.

The auction began soon after.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

200. Surprise Present!

A note from MelasD

Last shoutouts:

Check out The Tragedy of House Lacerta [Book 1: Angel of the Red Sun], a female lead post apoc story.

Check out Exiled Aristocrat, a reincarnation fantasy.

Check out The Demon's Rapture, a litrpg fantasy.

Check out Frameshift - Magic, Math, and Not Enough Context, a litrpg isekai.

Check out Memories of the Fall, a female lead xianxia.

I do hope that's all the shoutouts and I didn't forget anything. I'd be so annoyed if I forgot something. Anyway, I'm done. 60 shoutouts. Fuck my life lol. I've spent hours formatting all these shoutouts for free.

200. Surprise Presents

I really wasn’t sure why Jacob Axworth had been so rude to me every time after I initially met him in Wimborne. He’d been nice, helping me get into the city for free, even offering to show me around since I was new there. I was in a rush though, so I said no and ran off. I just didn’t know what happened after that that made him angry at me!

“I don’t get it, Saffron…”

“I’ll... explain it to you next time, alright?”

The pink-haired woman sat straight— almost too straight— and gave me a look. I cocked my head, trying to figure out what she meant. I knew she was telling me something, but I wasn’t sure what. I only knew she was on edge, slightly nervous for whatever reason.

Oh well, anyway, I turned to the King of Traith, smiling.

“Do you know when the auction will be starting?”

“It should begin soon.”

Lamarr nodded, seated on his chair with his legs crossed. He raised a glass of wine, taking a sip from it. And just as he set it back down onto the table, the lights dimmed. The grand chandelier’s flame grew smaller, some sort of enchantment that controlled its illumination levels.

The inane chatter that had filled the background ceased, and heads turned to face the stage up front. A man stood there, his arms folded. Someone I recognized. Everyone in this room must’ve recognized him. He stood tall, almost looming over everyone present. It sent a wave of susurration through the crowd gathered, with hands being raised, pointing, whispering his name.

Clayton Skyshredder, the Headmaster of Mavos Academy himself. He cleared his throat, a booming sound enhanced by whatever spells he was using, and everyone silenced themselves once more.

“Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, the esteemed Ivonne Vigil herself will start the biddings shortly. But before the auction begins, I’d like to remind all of you here, whether you are a king or an adventurer, a peasant or a noble, that this event is hosted by Mavos Academy itself. My institution.”

His gaze settled on me briefly, and I cocked my head. But he moved on quickly enough, looking over the entire hall.

“If any man or woman or child decides to cause a commotion here, the responsible party will be ejected and banned from ever stepping onto this campus ever again. I will not repeat myself on this matter. Thank you.”

With that, Clayton left the stage.

“Why did he focus on me when he said child? I’m not a child, and I’m not going to cause any trouble!”

I scowled, crossing my arms. Saffron rolled her eyes.

“Maybe it’s because of the little stunt you pulled when you first arrived at the school. It was only about two months ago. Also, there are plenty of children here, so he definitely didn’t single you out on that.”

Sure enough, I looked around and saw a few of the attending nobility were here with their children. Most of the parents had multiple children— there was something about nobles and having a myriad of offspring. There was, however, a lone man— some kind of [Trader]— who brought nearly a dozen children with him.

I turned my attention back to the stage as the curtains unfurled, revealing a woman standing before a podium. She was dark skinned with her hair tied into dreads. She didn’t wear the same luxurious dresses of the women here. It looked Cyclops-like in fashion. It was a two piece dress decorated in patterns and colors.

A thin smile spread across her face as she spread her arms wide.

“Welcome, dear customers. I am Ivonne Vigil, a humble [Merchant] here today to sell you my wares— if you will. Now, please, I am sure we’d all like to skip over introductions and just get right into it. So—”

She clapped her hands together, and a pair of burly men brought a large case up to the podium.

“Let us begin.”

They lifted the case open, revealing within it an ornamental sword. It had a ruby in the center of its hilt. Its blade almost seemed to glow red as Ivonne picked it up.

“This is the Crimson Aurablade, forged by the raging fires of a Dwarven [Magesmith]. It is unenchanted, yet it exudes a mystical effect. Be it a curse imbued onto the sword, or be it a magic unheard of here in the Human lands, I do not know. I simply can tell you that it is a High Grade Weapon, with potential still yet unlocked, fit for any [Warrior] who dares wield it.”

I leant back on my chair, not really interested in whatever this was. Saffron narrowed her eyes, trying to inspect the weapon from her seat. Ivonne lowered the sword.

“The starting bid is 50 platinum coins.”

“I bid 55 platinum!”

“The Crawford family is bidding 65 platinum!”

“73 platinum—”

I glanced over at Saffron, almost yawning.

“How long is this going to take? When are they going to get to selling the sagetree sap?”

That was why I had come here, after all. Saffron pursed her lips.

“And sold, for 127 platinum—”

“Didn’t I tell you, Salvos? Ivonne may not actually be selling sagetree sap. As I told you, it’s rare. And it’s mostly sought out by [Alchemists]. We’re here for the chance of getting it, not to assuredly procure it. Also, it will probably take a few hours. Maybe until midnight.”

“Aw. Seriously? This…”

I watched as the auction continued. Ivonne produced a large goblet, and it poured out an unending stream of wine.

“This is the Goblet of—”

“This will take a while.”

I sighed.

Ivonne Vigil didn’t have a short supply of items to sell tonight. Everything she magically conjured up from the back was sold for dozens of platinum, minimum. Which was surprising, considering how much a single platinum coin was worth.

I wasn’t actually sure about that. But from what Daniel and Edithe often said about it, it was worth a lot.

Resting my chin on my hand, I looked over at Lamarr who seemed just as bored as me. Or was he sleeping? No, wait, he was staring intently around the room? So, he was bored then! I decided to have a casual conversation with him.

“Hey, Lamarr.”

The red-haired man blinked, facing me.

“Yes, Salvos?”

“Have you ever heard of a thing called sagetree sap? You’re a king, right? Surely your country has some of those.”

He furrowed his brows, distractedly looking between me and the auction hall. A hammer was struck in the background as Ivonne’s voice echoed.

“Sold to the man in white!”

“Sagetree sap? Unfortunately, my country does not have the surplus of high-leveled [Alchemists] necessary to make use of such an ingredient. We are not the Vaun Qieur Empire, known for our alchemy.”

“But I was told they had sagetree sap to the east. And your country is in the Eastern Kingdom Alliance, right?”

“Indeed. But sagetree sap comes from even further east, Salvos. Beyond the Human lands. In the wilderness between the Dwarven mountains and the Elven forests.”

“Huh.”

I tilted my head back.

“Maybe I should just go and find it myself.”

“It is not easy if you are not attuned with nature. Sagetree sap can only be extracted from an old sagetree, ancient and close to death. Sagetrees themselves are sparse, only capable of growing in mana poor lands. The Human lands are rich in mana, which makes it difficult to grow here. There is no other way for you to gather sagetree sap than to find a guide, or to scour those dangerous lands on your own for weeks, possibly even months or years.”

“That’s… I’d have graduated by then.”

So, that was a no go. If I could speak to a guide, then I might as well just continue asking around if anyone [Merchant] or [Alchemist] was willing to sell it to me. Otherwise, I really was going to fail my class on alchemy.

I rubbed at my temples, annoyed that this was such a complicated process. Ivonne’s smile only seemed to mock me as she clapped her hands once again to draw all of our attention on her.

“Now this, my dear customers, is one of the rarest items in the world. It is an item that comes from the far east. Beyond even the furthest of the Eastern Kingdoms.”

I blinked, then my eyes widened. Was this going to be what I thought it was? I eagerly sat up, nearly jumping in my seat.

Ivonne continued as her helpers came forward, bringing with them a barrel.

“It cannot be found in the Human lands. It is one of the rarest natural resources in the entire world—”

I leaned forward, brimming with excitement, hand ready to be raised. Ivonne pulled the lid back, exclaiming

“The Fruits of Y’gdrazil!”

“500 platinum—”

I lowered my hand as eyes snapped in my direction, staring at me.

“Wait.”

Saffron sighed audibly, smacking her palm to her forehead. I sat back down and cleared my throat.

“Sorry, that was, um, a mistake.”

Ivonne simply smiled, facing me with her unchanging face, even as the attention of the room returned to her.

“Well, 500 platinum does seem like a fair base price. These are the Fruits of Y’gdrazil. The rarest fruit in the world. It is grown only in the home of the Elves, borne from the roots of their great tree Y’gdrazil itself, at the hearth of their frozen forests. While consuming one of these fruits will serve to fill your stomach, a delicious delicacy, no doubt. It will also achieve greater results.”

She picked one out from the barrel— it was about the size of her head. There had to be only around one or two dozen inside of that barrel. The single fruit had an iridescent skin, its color melding beautifully around its oval body.

“Consuming it will grant a 30% increase to all your Stats for a day. An increase that may seem negligible at first, until you realize that at the hands of a single Level 100, it can change the tides of an entire battle.”

There were gasps. Children tugged at their parents’ clothes, pointing excitedly at the Fruits of Y’gdrazil. They wanted it. Their parents wanted it. Barons and marquises and duchesses and adventurers vied for the fruits. Even Saffron and Lamarr had their interests piqued by it.

“The great tree Y’gdrazil is said to only bear its fruits once every hundred years. A hundred fruits at least. And it just so happens that I managed to steal a dozen of them to share with the Human lands.”

Ivonne tapped the side of the fruit, before placing it back into the barrel. She spread her arms wide.

“So, let us begin the bid—”

“Thief!”

A squeaky voice cried out. I spun around, staring at the corner of the room. I saw the lone man and his family of children standing to their feet. Then the man collapsed, his life leaving his body in an instant. Only the children remained standing, and they pointed at Ivonne who tilted her head.

“Kill that desecrator!”

I paused. I stared at those little figures as the shapes of their faces changed. They weren't children, dressed in fancy dresses or handsome suits. They looked much older than that, despite their height. Although, they didn’t exactly look Human either.

They had orange and white hair, pale skin, and pointed ears. They carried with them weapons made out of wood— bows, swords, and even spears— but still very much dangerous nonetheless. It was like they had been shrouded in some kind of powerful illusion just before. One that I didn’t even notice. They weren’t children. They were—

Elves.

“Destroy the fruits! Don’t let the Humans steal our sacred gifts! For Dominion As’triel!”

Oh, they were also all above Level 100.

A note from MelasD

200 chappies, woo!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

200 Special: Side Character Popularity Poll!

200 chapters of Salvos have elapsed. To celebrate, I'm going to be hosting a popularity poll!

It'll only be for side characters, because having Salvos herself on it is cheating. She'll win because, well, she's Salvos.

Vote on who your favorite character is, and tell me why!

You only have one vote. Choose wisely!

P.S. if you don't see your favorite character, it's because the poll is limited to avoid clutter. A lot of people are categorized into groups, and if your character is in that group, choose it. If they're not on here, just say their name!

201. Elf Attack

A note from MelasD

Today, I'd like to shill my own books. Melas Book 3 just released on Amazon, and I implore you, if you haven't read Melas yet, you should do so now! It's my first ever story, and I'd really appreciate if you gave it a buy or a download on Amazon.

Here's the synopsis:

A young woman is killed and is given the chance to reincarnate in another world with cheat-like magic powers. She accepts, only to find that this world treats magic users the same way hers did— by hunting them down for heresy.

She will be hunted by the Church, shunned by her peers, having to fight both people and monsters to survive. When faced with inquisitors, slavers, terrorists, and more, Melas will have no choice but to overcome them to seize her own destiny, or fail and run from it all.

It's a slow burn isekai progression fantasy following the story of Melas!

Abomination: Melas Book 1

The Witch: Melas Book 2

Demons' Den: Melas Book 3

Covers

201. Elf Attack

“Destroy the fruits! Don’t let the Humans steal our sacred gifts! For Dominion As’triel!”

A dozen little Elves dashed forth, rushing past the screaming nobles with their weapons drawn, aimed at Ivonne. The Human woman blinked as they charged, not moving or fleeing from the stage. There were shouts— screams. It came from throughout the room.

“Elves—”

“Why are they here?!”

“Someone stop them!”

An Elf raised her bow, aimed at Ivonne— no, at the Fruits of Y’gdrazil. They released the arrow, and it burst forward. In an instant, it crossed the distance to the stage. It was powerful. It'd have torn asunder the entire platform. But a figure moved.

Lamarr, the Warrior King of Traith, leapt into action. It was like he was ready for this. He drew a long sword, swinging it forward as it carried him up onto the stage. It was as though his blade had yanked him up, moving faster than he could. Then, the image of a shield overcame his entire body. It was larger than his being— it absorbed the arrow into its center, consuming the projectile before the projection vanished.

I blinked, confused by that Skill. Figures moved quickly, the Elves for the barrel of fruits, and the adventurers, nobles, and all those in between to intercept them. A voice called for me as chaos broke out— a battle between Humans and Elves.

“Salvos!”

Saffron shouted, stumbling back. I glanced over at her, and she pointed past me.

“Protect Ivonne—”

“And she may give me a reward, right.”

I nodded. I spun around, activating [Haste] as flame built up at my feet. It propelled me into the air, above the fighting. I watched an Elf knock away a charging Human adventurer. They didn’t try to engage. They only had one target. Ivonne and the Fruits of Y’gdrazil. I descended next to the Human [Merchant], leaving Saffron behind to fend for herself.

“Well, that’s not what I was going to say, but sure.”

The noble woman shrugged.

I grabbed Ivonne right as a large spike of ice streaked towards her. It froze the ground under it, leaving a trail of sleet, colder than my regular blue flames. I placed the [Merchant] down on the ground, looking her over. She dusted herself off.

“Are you ok?”

I asked, and she simply smiled.

“I am. But perhaps you should worry more about yourself.”

I cocked my head, and my [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] blared in my head. I spun on my heels, conjuring a Nebular Dagger in both my hands. I slashed up with the black blades, leaving a trail of flames where it swung.

An Elven [Rogue] parried the attack. He was four levels lower than me, but he was fast. He leapt back, throwing his dagger at me. It multiplied mid air, turning into a dozen different flying blades. I narrowed my eyes. Those weren’t just aimed for me, they were aimed for Ivonne too. The Elf snickered, and I grinned.

“Nice try!”

Flames exploded out of my mouth, pouring out like a splash of water, washing the throwing daggers out of the air. The Elf darted around me, moving faster than I could keep up. He reached Ivonne—

“Kneel.”

He froze for a second. And I sliced apart his back. He screamed, pulling away as I followed up with a second swing. He drew back, dodging it, glaring at me with a maddened gaze. I flipped my dagger in my hand, looking at his blood. The feeling of cutting through his skin was unnatural. As though he was protected by some kind of artifact that made his body tougher.

And he was faster than me too. This was going to be annoying, especially since he just had to kill Ivonne.

“Can you handle it?”

The [Merchant] spoke casually from behind me. I bared my teeth.

“Of course I can. I just have to kill him with a single strike.”

The Elf eyed me warily as another dagger flashed into his hands. He threw it as he darted to the side, and I swiped my hands at the dagger, unfurling a blue streak of flames. It knocked the dagger away before it could even multiply. Then I dashed to the side, cutting off his path as a powerful black flame overcame my weapons—

And he vanished. The Elf appeared next to his dagger, grabbing it as a grin flashed on his face. He struck for Ivonne, and I cursed. But a small smile crept over my face as his movements slowed.

I activated [Temporal Distortion] right over him, decreasing the speed of everything within the bubble. He didn’t come to a halt like with [Intimidation], but it allowed me to zip up to him before he could even reach Ivonne, my daggers raised in a cross.

Black-white flames gathered between my daggers, drawing the attention of the Elf as he twisted in the air. I brought the blades down at him, shearing through his body.

“[Radiant Slash]!”

It seemed like a long time had passed, but in reality, it only took a few moments. The fight was over. The Elf dropped out of the air in two pieces, a scorched mess burnt by my flames. I turned back to the battlefield, seeing how much had changed in such a short amount of time. Even though my fight with the [Rogue] didn’t take long, the earth was now scarred as bodies littered the ground.

This was a battle of Level 100s. Not all the Humans were above Level 100. Many of those at around Platinum jumped in the moment they saw the Elves. A few of them had died, alongside some bystanders. Many more Humans would’ve been killed if the Elves weren’t aiming for a specific target.

“You have stolen our treasure! We have caught you, thief—”

The lead Elf shouted, knocking Lamarr back. He stepped up onto the stage, and something caught him by the leg. An ethereal chain stopped him, wrapping around his body, holding him where he stood. More chains shot out past him, headed for his Elven allies as they tried to avoid them. They were caught, either by these purple, almost transparent bindings, or the swinging blades of the other Humans.

It didn’t take long, but the battle was already over. The Elves— only five of them were left alive— were apprehended. A figure hovered above them, bringing down an unbridled raged with him.

“You foolish Elves!”

Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder bellowed.

“Do you not understand what you have done? Do you not understand what this means, puny Elf?!”

He landed right before the leader of the Elves. I took a step back as he seemed to tower over them, more so than he should. Was it an illusion? Magic? Or just the gulf between his levels and theirs?

It didn’t make a difference. The leader of the Elves was a mere Level 110. He held Clayton’s gaze for a moment, trapped by the magical bindings of the most powerful Human [Mage] in the world. Then he grinned.

“I do, Human filth. It is war.”

His chains shattered. The Elf leader broke free from his bindings as Clayton raised a hand, a powerful ball of flames already forming. But the Elf leader didn’t care. He faced only the barrel of fruits before him. He swung a saber, and the ground was split open, the barrel smashing into a thousand pieces along with the Fruits of Y’gdrazil. Then he was incinerated.

I stared at the ashen remains of the Elf.

“Huh.”

And it was over.

Defeated [Flash Blademaster - Lvl. 102]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 106] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 107]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 38] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 39]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 39] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 40]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

—--

The battle ended, Saffron, thankfully, was smart and stayed out of the battle. So, she came out unscathed. A few nobles and merchants and lower-leveled adventurers were caught in the fighting. They didn’t survive, just out of being unlucky enough to be seated where they were.

Clayton Skyshredder spoke to Ivonne for a moment before escorting the chained Elves out of the Tower of Truth.

“...you knew this would happen.”

“How could I have possibly known this, dear Headmaster? I’m but a humble [Merchant]. I wasn’t aware of their presence in the audience as you were.”

He clicked his tongue.

“You instigated this. You were the one who led them here. I couldn’t have stopped them. Not without starting a war.”

“And now, there is still a war. But it is at the fault of the Elves, no?”

Ivonne shook her head, patting him on the shoulder.

“Thank you for saving me, dear Headmaster, but it is about time you bring our prisoners out of here. After all, the nobles are growing restless.”

“Hrmph.”

With that, Clayton was gone.

I stood with Saffron, making sure that she was fine, when I heard the footsteps approaching me from behind. I looked up, seeing Ivonne come to a stop just before me. The dark-skinned woman smiled, bowing her head slightly.

“I’d like to thank you for saving my life, Ms Salvos. To think that the Liberator of the Plaguelands herself would come to my rescue— I am honored.”

“Oh, it’s nothing!”

I beamed, giving Saffron a small wink from the side. Your plan worked! This was why helping others was good, sometimes. It had its benefits!

Saffron just rolled her eyes in response. Then I faced Ivonne.

“So, do you have a reward for me?”

She raised an amused brow.

“Why, straight to the point are we? Yes, I was hoping to repay my dear savior in kindness. Tell me, what is it that you desire? If it is within my power to obtain, I shall grant it to you.”

“Well… I was hoping to get the ingredients necessary to make a Potion of Regeneration. Say, some sagetree sap?”

Ivonne chuckled, turning her hand over. She revealed a tube of glowing golden liquid, one that I instantly identified as what I’d been looking for.

“Is this what you need?”

“Yep!”

I reached out to snatch it off her fingers, but Saffron cleared her throat. I blinked, remembering my manners. I bowed slightly.

“It is, [Merchant] Ivonne. I would truly appreciate it if you could gift such a valuable item to me.”

Well, I called her a [Merchant], but that was only because everyone else did. In truth, I couldn’t see her levels or her Class. She had some kind of obfuscation artifact, just like Daniel did.

Ivonne waved a hand off, placing the sagetree sap onto my open palm.

“This is the least I can do for the one who saved my life.”

I gratefully accepted the sagetree sap. For something that was so difficult to obtain, it really didn’t look like anything special. But I was very much glad to have received it anyway.

“Alright, so all I need now for my Potion of Regeneration is…”

I scratched the side of my head as I tried to remember what else I needed. Ivonne helpfully spoke up.

“A single shard from an Enigmatic Heart, yes?”

“Um, yes. It’s supposed to come from—”

“A [Lux Golmi]. A type of Golem that is said to be over Level 100. The only type of Golem that is said to reach that level.”

“Right, that.”

A thought crossed through my mind, and I hesitated. I opened my mouth, but the [Merchant] shook her head.

“I must apologize, my dear savior, but I do not have such an item on me. Perhaps if I had arrived from the southwest as I did a decade ago… alas, I came from the east this time. I only have within my wares things you can find from the Elven and Dwarven lands.”

“Do you know where I can buy this, um,, Enigmatic Heart thing from? I have the money.”

“Unfortunately, matters are never just about that of wealth. Those who have it tend to be [Alchemists], hoarding resources for their own research. Perhaps an adventurer has recently faced one of these powerful Golems, and has put up its Enigmatic Heart for sale. But this is not something that happens frequently. A rare occurrence predicated on chance. It’d be wiser for you to seek out one of these [Lux Golmi] yourself and steal a piece of its heart.”

“Huh.”

That answered pretty much all the questions I had. Well, all except for one.

“Where can I find these [Lux Golmi]’s?”

“They reside deep within the Rainforest of Monsters. I’m sure your Adventurers Guild can offer you more information. But I must warn you, my dear savior, the Rainforest of Monsters is a dangerous place. Even for Diamond Ranks such as yourself.”

“It’s fine! I’m the Liberator of the Plaguelands, remember? That place was also a Diamond Rank area, and I came out of it just fine.”

I flexed an arm, ignoring the fact that I lost an arm from the Plaguelands, and Ivonne just smiled.

“Perhaps the Rainforest of Monsters is even more dangerous than the Plaguelands.”

“Wait, really?”

I looked at Saffron for confirmation, and she shook her head.

“I’m not certain, but I’m under the impression that the Rainforest of Monsters is generally the safest Diamond Ranked zone. Unlike the Plaguelands and the Bloodied Gulf which claim many more lives a year.”

“Yes, yes.”

Ivonne nodded.

“The Rainforest of Monsters is safer. At least, if you tread carefully, as long as you do not venture into its deepest depths, where sunlight is blotted out by the canopy of trees, and the world is a permanent night. It is dangerous enough for the Watcher himself to warn against delving into the forest’s heart.”

“The Watcher?”

I looked between the two women, confused. Saffron explained.

“He’s supposed to be the protector of the Human lands. The highest-leveled Human in the world. There are rumors that he’s actually… a summoned [Hero]. I don’t really believe these rumors myself, but that could explain why he’s nearly Level 200.”

“Rumors are rumors.”

Ivonne stepped back away from us, her arms behind her back.

“Is the Watcher truly a [Hero]? Is the Watcher even a Human and not a Spirit? Is the Watcher even a man? These words spread whenever there is interest in an individual, just as I’m sure there are rumors being spread of you, my dear savior.”

“Me?”

I tilted my head to the side. Ivonne’s eyes flickered.

“Indeed. And while I’d love to stay and discuss these rumors, I must take my leave now. Once again, I thank you for saving my life, my dear savior.”

“Oh, sure. And thanks to you too!”

I waved at her as she walked off. She approached Lamarr, speaking with him as I raised a brow. I wondered for a moment what they were talking about. But I turned back to Saffron.

“So…”

I pocketed my sagetree sap, grinning.

“I just need one more ingredient for my Potion of Regeneration, then I can finally begin work on actually making it.”

Saffron eyed me, arms crossed. I wasn’t sure why.

“It’ll probably take a whole day for me to find one of these [Lux Golmi]’s. I could try to go tomorrow, but I have a test next week, and I should probably study for it. I should probably go next weekend, then?”

She tapped her fingers on her elbow, her gaze boring into me.

“Will you, Salvos? Will you really be doing this next weekend, and, I don’t know, not something else?”

“What else would I be doing?”

I gave her a puzzled look. Saffron sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You really forgot again, didn’t you?”

“What did I forget?”

“You have a date.”

She spoke flatly, and I blinked. I worked my jaw, raising a finger.

“...huh, I do.”

I just shrugged.

“I’ll just postpone—”

“No you won’t.”

A note from MelasD

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202. Interlude - Daniel's Demand

A note from MelasD

Get my Melas Books now on Amazon!

Abomination: Melas Book 1

The Witch: Melas Book 2

Demons' Den: Melas Book 3

202. Interlude - Daniel's Demand

Ever since Daniel Song had come to this world, he had been betrayed, traumatized, and hunted. He had been naive and foolish. He had been preyed on by the various factions that wanted to use him or wanted him dead. But now he wasn’t just going to roll over and let them trample over all that he had gained.

Perhaps, if he felt as empty as he did when he first arrived, he’d simply surrender in the face of adversity. However, he hadn’t been idle over the past three years. He didn’t spend all his time moping, even though he felt like he did. Daniel had done something— even if it didn't seem like much, it was everything that mattered to him. He had made friends. He had found a purpose. A reason to live.

And if the Harrowed Vindicators were threatening everything he had built, he was going to tear their organization to the ground. He wasn’t going to be a [Hero] because some princess from another world asked him to. He was going to be a [Hero] for the sake of himself. Now, all he had to do was find where these assassins were located, and he’d end them once and for all.

Unfortunately, it’d require a little bit of cooperation.

“—and I’m telling you, you’re not getting anything out of me.”

Amanda, the Silent Serpent, the assassin that tried to seduce and kill Daniel, lay in front of him. Her arms were tied up in enchanted bindings, an artifact she couldn’t escape from even at her level. After all, the young man was rather wealthy now. Money was of no object to him— he could buy anything he ever needed when he needed it.

“Don’t you value your life, assassin?”

He narrowed his gaze. Raising his sword, he pressed its tip right against her neck. There was a light sizzling— a property of the Primordial Longsword he had been given by Salvos. Amanda flinched from the pain, but still managed a sneer.

“Oh my. Are you threatening to torture me? How very [Hero]-like of you.”

Daniel clicked his tongue, drawing his blade back. He stepped away from her and sheathed his longsword. They were in a cave just a few miles away from Elutra, at the very fringe of Inoria’s borders. It was raining, and dark clouds shrouded the moon’s place in the sky, keeping the world in the shadows even as dawn soon approached.

“I’m not a [Hero]. I never even wanted to be a [Hero].”

“That won’t excuse whatever you intend to do with me.”

He glanced back at Amanda who was smirking. He glared.

“I won’t torture you. I said I’ll kill you. And considering that you tried to murder me just earlier? I don’t see how that’s a problem.”

“Again, a truly noble mindset befitting a [Hero] like you. Come on, then. Do your worst.”

Daniel gritted his teeth. Holding her gaze, he loomed over as he spoke in an angry whisper.

“Do my worst? This is not my worst, assassin.”

He spat as he said the word.

“You’ve heard of the [Heroes] of old, just as I have. The stories they tell of Melissa, the Oracle of Light. How she lay waste to entire cities, all on her own. How the Quisling, Zacharius, made a fool out of dozens of kingdoms, repelling their greatest armies alongside his lover, Lilian. And you know of Alexander. The Immortal King. He single handedly united all of the Human lands for the first time in this world’s history. He took on the might of the Kobolds and the Elves, and he won. That’s what [Heroes] are capable of. That’s what I am capable of.”

Amanda opened her mouth. Then she paused. Daniel grabbed her by the shoulders, not seeing the misty red light wisping off his body.

“If you won’t tell me where your headquarters is located, then fine. I’ll find it myself, make you watch as I burn it to the ground, then kill you.”

Her face paled as he let go of her, letting her drop back to the ground. She didn’t speak. Even as he stormed away from her. The young man wondered, for a brief moment, why he’d been so overcome with rage. But his rationale reasoned away those thoughts.

Daniel didn’t want to die. Maybe he did in the past. However, now, he was going to live. And he was going to return home.

If not? Well… he thought of Salvos and Edithe. Or Rachel, Sophia, Cless, and everyone else he’d met since he fled Elutra. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for him. It was something worth living for.

—--

If Daniel wanted to find the Harrowed Vindicators, he’d have to start searching the right places. He entered the city of Roguehollow. It was one of Inoria’s largest cities, located right at the edge of a valley between two small mountains. It also had a reputation for… disreputable things.

He paid the entry fee, bringing Amanda with him. It was fortunate that he was in the Inoria Empire. No one questioned why he brought a woman, bound and beaten, into the city. It was, unfortunately, not too uncommon of a sight here. All he had to do was pay an import tax on goods and services, and that was that.

“Pretending that I’m your slave. Truly, are you even a [H—”

Amanda was cut off as he glared at her.

“Shut. Up.”

The assassin pursed her lips before shrugging. Her fear from a week before had mostly dissipated, but she still mouthed off on him a few times. Honestly, Daniel considered buying a muzzle to just silence her entirely. But he didn’t want to waste time— he just had to glance at her once in a while, and she’d know when she went too far.

He stayed in Roguehollow for a few days, digging for information, asking around for any group or organization that was related to the Harrowed Vindicators. Amanda mocked his attempts.

“Just give it up. Do you really think we’d be so easy to track? Don’t be ridiculous.”

Daniel tried to ignore her. But her taunting continued.

“I’m going to die of boredom before you even get the chance to kill me. What happened to all your determination from before?”

“If you have nothing useful to add, please just be quiet.”

“Why don’t you just kill me and end my suffering already?”

He paused. Amanda smirked.

“Come on, don’t you want me to shut up? You have nothing to prove to anyone. Just finish me, and this little nuisance on your shoulder will disappear for good. Unless…”

She tilted her head back. Then she leaned forward, a twisted smile on her face.

“You wish to have your way with me?”

Daniel scowled and turned away from her.

“You’re disgusting.”

“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me that I was right—”

He slammed the door shut, leaving her behind in the inn. She was wrapped in bindings, unable to escape. And he was tired of being around her for days on end. It wasn’t like dealing with Salvos, who ultimately tried not to cross a line when teasing him. Amanda was trying to get him to kill her, or admit defeat. He wasn’t going to back down so easily.

The young man headed down to the bar of his inn. He just needed a drink. A good, strong drink. That was all he needed to get back in good spirits. Of course the Harrowed Vindicators would be elusive. It’d be hard for him to find them.

“Here you go, young man.”

The [Bartender] placed the drink before him. Daniel gratefully accepted the mug, downing it in an instant much to the [Bartender]’s surprise.

“Seems like you have a lot on your plate, don’t you?”

“I do, I do. It’s just…”

It was just a pain. How could he find a group that was built around stealth? It’d be impossible. He downed another mug of ale, and the [Bartender] chuckled.

“It seems like you’ve got quite the story to tell, huh? This old fellow doesn’t mind giving you an ear, if you’re in need of advice.”

“I’m fine. I just need another glass.”

Daniel shook his head. It was a practically an impossible task, finding the Harrowed Vindicators. He wouldn’t be able to track them down. Not at this rate. Not unless he brought the group to him.

His eyes widened as the [Bartender] shrugged, turning around.

“Suit yourself.

“Wait—”

He raised a hand out. The [Bartender] blinked, and Daniel cleared his throat.

“S-sorry. That was rude of me. Let me introduce myself. I am Daniel Song, an adventurer. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Daniel Song? Oh, so you’re a noble—”

—--

Was it stupid? Was it an unnecessary risk? All Daniel had to do was spread a rumor. But it was one that could cascade wildly out of his control. He could attract a dozen assassins, or a thousand of them. However, he would attract them. That was fully his intention.

They came under the blanket of night. It was a typical assassin maneuver. It would’ve worked too, if not for the fact that Daniel was a [Hero]. He had plenty of Skills. What kind of a [Hero] died in their sleep to an assassin?

[Passive: Danger Sense].

He woke up, right as they entered through the window. Daniel Song drew his longsword, parrying a sickle aimed for his neck. There was a loud clang, followed by a soft hiss. The sickle flew back to a man, standing by the window, its edge slightly singed.

The assassin was masked. He did not introduce himself, instead facing Daniel with only the intent to kill. There was a cackle from the side. Amanda grinned as she lay bound.

“Look who finally decided to show up. Edward the Shadower. You’re about two weeks too late. I got to him first—”

Her eyes widened as the sickle flew through the air, slicing at her. She ducked under the attack, cursing.

“What the fuck are you doing, you bastard?!”

“Tying up loose ends.”

Edward’s voice was muffled under his mask. His sickle was connected to a chain, almost like a kusarigama. Except, unlike a kusarigama, it was connected to another sickle at the other end. Daniel raised a brow at Amanda’s slew of swear words.

“You’re a damn asshole, Edward. You mother—”

The assassin moved, and Daniel readied himself. It was a small space. A room in a regular inn. The [Hero] should have an advantage, since Edward wouldn’t be able to move around so much.

But when Edward threw his chains next, it was more than just the glinting metal that moved. The shadows peeled off the walls, forming their own sickles, striking at Daniel from all around him. It tore apart the room.

“[Aura of the Sentinel].”

Daniel formed a golden shield around himself, repelling the onslaught of shadowed attacks. They halted, and Daniel widened his stance. He saw Edward through his barrier, readying what looked like a different Skill. It gathered the darkness of the room around the assassin, creating a pitch black dome of energy that looked ready to burst.

The [Hero] narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t a [Mage], but even he could sense the buildup of mana from that. It would cause heavy damage to the inn— maybe even cause civilian casualties. He had to end this now, before that happened.

“[A Hero’s Rage]!”

Was it a waste of a [Hero]’s Skill? Possibly. But it would let him strike Edward before the shadow attack could be used.

A glowing plate armor engulfed Daniel as his blade grew in length, longer than ever before. It sheared through the darkness around the assassin. Edward tried to leap out of the way, but was nicked on the leg. He screamed in pain as he finally unleashed his Skill.

The [Hero] stared as the attack came. He was too late— he braced himself and... his armor… absorbed the shadow blast. The assassin’s Skill didn’t level the entire inn as Daniel thought it would. It just seeped into Daniel’s plate armor, before he felt an energy build up at the tip of his sword.

He aimed it at Edward, whose eyes widened. A streak of shadow magic shot out, the exact same Skill that had just been absorbed, unleashed upwards, out the window, straight at the assassin.

Defeated [Shadower of Chains - Lvl. 120]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

General Skill [Hero Skill: A Hero’s Rage] has leveled up!

[Hero Skill: A Hero’s Rage - Lvl. 1] -> [Hero Skill: A Hero’s Rage - Lvl 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

It was fortunate, but thankfully, the shadow beam didn’t attract any attention from the streets below. It was just a line of darkness, making no sound, no indication that it was even there, and the assassin silently killed alongside it.

Daniel sank to his feet, panting as he let his glowing armor vanish. The coat around his longsword slowly disappeared, and he took in the following notifications that came after. He leveled to 104 as a [Hero] from that. Taking in a deep breath, he paused when he heard a sound.

“P-please…”

It was a woman’s voice. That of Amanda. But it no longer held the mocking tone it once did. Instead, the assassin was covered in cuts throughout her body, bleeding as she crawled on the floor. She must’ve been sliced up by Edward’s shadow sickles. And badly, too.

Daniel stared at her as she let out a gasp.

“H-help… m-me…”

Daniel raised his sword, wanting to end her suffering for her. That was until he realized she was pointing for a healing potion.

“I-I’ll help you hunt down the Harrowed… just p-please…”

Should he trust her? Or rather could he trust her? Daniel didn’t think his emotions would allow him to offer her even a semblance of trust until now. But he realized that his anger towards Amanda… dissipated? He felt exhausted now, more than anything, after the battle with Edward.

In fact, he didn’t even think he held as much animosity against Edward as before, despite nearly being killed by the assassin just moments before. Was this a side effect of his Skill? Did it use up his anger? Or rather, did it cause his anger to pent up unnaturally?

Daniel wasn't entirely sure. He just knew that he was tired, and he really wanted to find the Harrowed Vindicators without getting into any more night brawls. So, he unlatched the healing potion from his belt.

“Fine.”

He uncorked it, before kneeling down to meet Amanda’s gaze.

“I’ll give this to you.”

“T-thank—”

She gratefully reached for it, but he pulled his hand back. He placed a hand on her head, pushing her back slightly. She groaned in pain just from the touch.

Daniel wagged a finger.

“But I will not give it to you until you tell me everything you know about the Harrowed Vindicators— where they’re located, why they’re working with the Inoria Empire, and what levels are your greatest assassins.”

Amanda paused. She worked her jaw slowly.

“H-how will I know if you’ll keep your promise?”

“You won’t.”

He replied simply. She hesitated, even as blood pooled out of her stomach. Daniel raised a brow.

“Well? You’re going to bleed out. And you better not waste anymore words. I don’t think you’ll have the strength left to speak soon.”

“I-I…”

Amanda bit her lower lip. She tried to say something, but caught herself. She sighed. It was suffice to say, she spilled everything she knew.

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203. Stupid Stuff

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203. Stupid Stuff

“Aw, come on, Saffron!”

I threw my hands in the air. It was just a date… whatever that was. It didn’t matter— I was sure Nolan didn’t care that much!

“Why can’t I just delay it by one more week? It’ll be fine!”

“Absolutely not.”

The pink-haired noble marched ahead of me. We were leaving the dorm building, headed for our classes. She spun on her heels and crossed her arms.

“You’ve seen what happens when you disrespect a potential suitor by dismissing him so brusquely. I’m not sure whether Jacob Axworth was the first, but I’m going to ensure he’s the last.”

“But nothing bad even came from it!”

I spoke, exasperated. Saffron shook her head.

“You’ve managed to elude the consequences now, especially since Jacob Axworth was extremely petty, even for a noble. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be so fortunate in the future. What if King Lamarr isn’t there to bail you out the next time around? What if you get into real trouble, by angering the wrong person?”

“I’ll just deal with it as I usually do.”

I shrugged, and she raised a brow.

“By punching them in the face?”

“By clawing them in the face.”

I corrected her. She sighed, turning around. Saffron continued down the busy road as I followed after her.

“But why should I care about what they do? So what if they retaliate just because I’m a little bit rude? They’re not my companions. If they attack me because of a few words I said, then I’ll be in the right if I defend myself, no?”

“Unfortunately, the world of the nobility and the rich doesn’t work that way, Salvos. What matters is who you know and who knows you. Yes, I’ll admit, I’ve underestimated just how important you are, despite being aware of your status and achievements. It took the King of Traith intervening for me to fully recognize that.”

I beamed and gave her an eager nod.

“Why, yes, I’m quite important. I’m glad you finally recognized that.”

“That’s not what I’m saying. Anyway, I’m just offering to teach you some basic etiquette. To learn how to behave like a refined lady, befitting that of any noble.”

“Behave like a noble? And not just pretending to be a noble?”

Saffron raised an amused brow as I tapped a finger on my chin.

“You’re still new to this world of the upper class. Every small action you take is recorded. And it will be recorded— no one knows much about you other than the fact that the bare basics. You killed a Greater Demon. You fought for the Valiant Dreamers. And you liberated the Plaguelands.”

She listed off my most notable feats, crossing off her fingers as she finished.

“Now, they’ll want to know what’s your favorite food? What’s your background like? Who is this Salvos really?”

“Me? I’m Salvos!”

“Yes. Yes, you are. But they don’t know that. And they’ll want to know. You remember what Ivonne said— rumors spread when there is interest, and you are an interesting individual. That’s why, to prevent any suspicion from ever being raised against you, you’ll want to learn how to at least behave like a proper lady. The first way to do that is to treat your potential suitors like they’re actual suitors. Tell me again, who is it that’s attempting to charm you?”

“Nolan.”

I answered, and Saffron rolled her eyes.

“Yes, yes, Nolan. But Nolan who? There’s thousands of Nolans out there. You can’t expect me to know each and every one of them. Who is this Nolan? What has he done? What is he like?”

“He calls himself Nolan the Mighty Warrior? I think I may have heard of him before— he’s probably famous. I just don’t remember why he sounds so familiar.”

“Nolan the Mighty Warrior?”

Saffron wrinkled her brows. I cocked my head.

“Why? Is something the matter?”

“I’ve heard… things about his character. Dubious things. Especially regarding women. But that’s simply from rumors. I’ll have to ask Matthew to carry out a minor investigation into him. You don’t want to sully your reputation by romancing with a playboy like him.”

I opened my mouth, and she waved a hand off.

“I’ll explain later. We’re both going to be late for our classes. Just tell me, Salvos, are you going to accept my help to deal with this matter delicately? Or are you going to brush him off once more, possibly creating more problems for you to deal with down the line?”

I hesitated. Then I raised my hand.

“This is what nobles do, right? Like Princesses?”

“Yes. That is how any refined lady should act.”

I sighed.

“Fine. I’ll go searching for the Enigmatic Heart next time. I’ll go on this stupid date with Nolan first, if it means I can be a Princess.”

“Very good. My schedule is already fully booked today, but we’ll meet up again tomorrow. How does that sound?”

“Sure!”

I grinned, and Saffron was off. We both headed to our classes for the rest of the day. I put my mind off this date, focusing on studying for my upcoming tests.

—--

When all my classes were done for the day, I found myself sitting out in a busy park, next to Gallus, scribbling on a notebook as he leaned over, an eyebrow raised.

“What are you doing, Ms Salvos?”

“I’m revising. This is the symbolic formula professor Isais wants us to remember, right?”

I showed it to him. He frowned.

“I can’t read that, unfortunately. Your handwriting is… like a toddler squiggled all over a piece of paper.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know, I’ve improved significantly since two months ago.”

“I don’t know if I should be happy for you, or sad for you, Ms Salvos.”

His voice was casual, but he still addressed me formally. It was a habit of his, from growing up in the Vaun Qieur Empire. They often used honorifics— something I’d need to remember for the future. Gallus was fine with me calling him just by his name. But he was Gallus, not everyone else.

A loud buzzing sound drew my attention. The two of us glanced up, watching a beetle hawk, one about the size of my head, zip up the side of a tree to the canopy above. It was dark here, even though the sun hadn’t fully set just yet. That was because we weren’t truly in a park. It was more like… a botanical garden. Except, it was a miniature rainforest.

I came here because I wanted to know what a rainforest was like. Also, because I asked Gallus if he wanted to come and study with me. We had what was called a ‘midterm’ this week. It was an examination designed to evaluate our performance at the halfway point of the academic term. It wasn’t exactly at the halfway point— closer to the two-thirds point— but it was supposed to be important.

We exchanged notes to each other, sharing everything we knew about the class to ensure that we’d both perform well. It was the power of teamwork. I’d learned this back when I first met Haec: there were some things you couldn’t do alone, so you should do it with others!

I asked questions, he answered them.

“And what about this symbol? I don’t get how that’s supposed to make any sense?”

“It’s not something you’re truly supposed to create, Ms Salvos. You’re meant to imagine weaving the threads of mana around you into this shape. It may be hard to parse, but that’s why it is such—”

He asked questions, I answered them.

“...what exactly do you feel you’re doing when you use that Skill?”

“[Scatter Shift]? I’m not too sure. It just feels like I’m… plopping an item somewhere else? Look— you can see how its threads of mana…”

By the time we were both ran out of questions and answers, the sun had already long since set. We walked out of the misty rainforest, smeared by the ruddy lights of magical lamps that shone only during the night. We were both mentally exhausted, so we spoke of simpler things— things of lesser import, unrelated to theory and studies.

“...so, you went down this path of learning space magic because you met a Fairy as a child?”

It was technically the truth. I was, supposedly, still a child. At least, for Humans. I didn’t think I was one, but I wasn’t averse to lying and bending the truth when the situation required it.

“I met the Fairy again more recently. She was very proud to see how far I’ve come. However, she couldn’t teach me as much as she wanted. Something… happened? I’m not too sure, honestly. But she recommended that I go to an academy if I really wanted to better improve at space magic.”

“Fairykind has often remained elusive. I’m unsurprised that you were rejected, even if this Fairy was friendly to you. Although, that she’d direct you to an academy is interesting. I was under the impression the Fairy Queen had a vendetta against Humans.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s a personal vendetta… just an aversion.”

I scratched the back of my head as Gallus scrunched up his face in confusion. I quickly tried to change the subject before he could ask me to elaborate.

“So, what about you? You still never told me why you started learning space magic. Why are you taking this class with professor Isais?”

He chuckled, shaking his head.

“You really did remember, huh?”

“I did tell you: I’m interested.”

I leaned in, patiently waiting for him to continue. This was the thing I learned about Humans and mortals a long time ago— when I first delved into a Dungeon with Daniel and Edithe. It was that they were each, individually, interesting. The problem came when they were in groups and acted irrationally and stupidly. They became dangerous and annoying and often caused problems for both me and them.

“I was raised by a family of skilled [Summoners].”

Gallus spoke out, his gaze facing the heavens, staring up at the twinkling stars.

“However, they knew that not every child born in our family would have an affinity for summoning. So, to ensure that a child is not set down a path they don’t wish to pursue, we are raised alongside Spirits until the age of thirteen, where we’ll finally decide on a Class for ourselves. Whether we wish to be a [Summoner], or start down another path. As you can tell by my Class, I went down another path.”

He paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath. Then he continued.

“But there was a time when I almost became a [Summoner]. You see, I had a hot temper as a child, so I had difficulty bonding with most Spirits. I was more suited to working alone. At least, until I met Shiro.”

“Shiro?”

“My first ever summon, and my first ever love.”

I cocked my head, even as Gallus was entranced by his own thoughts.

“A [Tiger Beastkin]. With fur so white and pure, you’d think it was snow. We’d spend so much time together— my days seemed to meld into one when I was with him. I don’t know if he ever reciprocated my feelings, but I know that I loved him. Which was why it only hurt even more when I was forced to break my contract with him.”

“You broke your contract with him? Wait—”

I remembered Edithe and Mistshard. Their contract was broken, and now Edithe could never see Edithe ever again. No— Edithe couldn’t summon ever again. It was the wrath of the Spirit Lord. I didn’t understand it. I also didn’t get why Gallus had to break his contract, even when he explained it to me.

“I was fifteen when my parents found out about my love for him. They forbade it. I refused to listen, because I knew my feelings were true. So, they forced our contract to end, and my time as a [Summoner], too, ended.”

“Huh.”

I blinked.

“That’s weird.”

Gallus closed his eyes.

“I’m sure you find it odd. And I did too, at first. But I truly loved him. Even if he was a [Beastkin]. Even if he was a man—”

“No.”

I cut him off, furrowing my brows.

“Love sounds weird. You loved Shiro, so you did something that made it so you could never see him again? That’s weird!”

I murmured. Was this what Humans did willingly? Was this what Nolan or Jacob Axworth supposedly felt towards me? But that wasn’t right, was it?

Gallus stared at me for a moment, trying to work his jaw. The bulky man was at a loss for words. Then he sighed, rubbing his temples.

“I agree, Ms Salvos. Love works in strange ways. It makes you act irrationally— perhaps even foolishly. But I knew what I felt was true. And I couldn’t help but stand by my feelings. Now, I learn space magic so that I can see Shiro again. To speak with him, not as strangers in a temple, but to profess my love for him. I don’t need anything more than that— just a hole through space, a medium for us to speak, to know always that he’s safe, and to tell him how I’ve felt all these years.”

“That’s…”

When Saffron heard that I was going on a date with Nolan, she mentioned how she never thought I’d be someone who fell in love. And I agreed. I’d never fall in love. After all, Gallus was going through all that just to say he loved Shiro? That was—

“Love is dumb.”

Gallus only laughed.

“It really is.”

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204. Fancily Dressed

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204. Fancily Dressed

Saffron was fast asleep when I returned to the dorms after my late-night study session with Gallus. She said she needed to speak with me tomorrow, so I decided to stay here, transforming back from [Partial Mortality] to myself, rather than heading to my Lair.

I knew it was risky, but it was just one night. I’d be fine. And I was fine.

I didn’t use [Temporal Distortion] to study because it’d muddle my [Planar Navigation] senses. I just sat there, flipping through my notes, practicing my handwriting, and readying myself for my upcoming midterms.

When Saffron Merryster woke up, she burst out of her room and pointed a finger at me.

“You!”

“Me?”

“Yes, you!”

“Salvos?”

I cocked my head, and she marched up to me.

“You’ll be clearing up all your plans after your classes today. We’ll be busy.”

“Um, what?”

I stared at Saffron, perplexed.

“Didn't you say you’d look into Nolan or something? What’s this about?”

“I did. And it was just as I thought. He’s a playboy.”

She waved a hand off as I gave her an even more confused look. Shaking her head, Saffron continued.

“I’ll tell you more later. First of all—”

Saffron gestured at what I was wearing.

“You can’t be going on a date dressed in those garbs.”

I cocked my head.

“Why not?

“I’m saying you need better clothes, Salvos. A dress, tailored for a Princess like you.”

She snorted as my eyes widened in excitement. Rolling her eyes, she took me by the arms, dragging me out of the door.

“I’m taking you shopping.”

There was a pause. She spoke the last word emphatically. I blinked before I jumped into the air in excitement, exclaiming.

“I’m going to be a Princess!”

Saffron frowned.

“No, you’re not going to be a Princess. You don’t even have the Title— look, you’ll just be dressed well, alright?”

“Aw.”

I deflated. She hesitated.

“...but you’ll be dressed like a Princess?”

“Yay!”

—--

Edithe had taken me shopping a few times before. I never really enjoyed the experiences: she’d bring me to buy tight fitting clothes and uncomfortable dresses. They’d easily get torn up in battle, and if not, they’d be destroyed the moment I transformed out of [Mortal Form]— back when that was a Skill.

As such, I never saw the appeal of shopping. I did enjoy the time I spent with Edithe, just not the act of shopping itself.

However, as I stood in front of the mirror, staring at myself, I realized that I actually loved shopping. I just disliked poor people shopping.

“I’m… I’m a Princess…”

“No you’re not.”

I glanced back at Saffron whose head was buried in the palm of her hand. The [Tailor] smiled, clasping her hands together.

“Is it to your liking, Ms Salvos?”

I looked back at the mirror: I was adorned in a decorated pink dress, lined with gold at its hems that glinted from the chandelier above. Buttons made of pearls zipped up the dress at the back, as it flowed down past my legs. And it did go past my legs. The fringe of the dress carpeted the floor as I walked back and forth, twirling around.

“Yes! I love it! I’ll take ten!”

The [Tailor] paused. She exchanged a glance with Saffron. The noble woman just shook her head.

“Ignore her. We’ll take one.”

We exited the shop, strolling down the streets of Mavos Academy. And yes, we were still in Mavos Academy. They had shops and markets located all around campus, making it practically a small city of its own. Students didn’t need to go to Wimborne if they ever needed something important. The only thing the campus lacked that cities usually had were the guilds.

There were no Merchants Guild or Adventurers Guild here. It was just by the design of how Mavos Academy was. I was out of the expensive dress— it cost Saffron a whole 25 gold coins! Which seemed like a lot, if not for the fact that a platinum was worth a lot more than a single gold.

“Alright, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s buy you a proper dress for your date this weekend.”

“Wait, I’m not wearing that for this weekend?”

I looked over at the Bag of Holding that stored my pink dress. Saffron shook her head.

“It’s for any future social events you may be attending, like last week’s auction. We’re buying you a more… modest dress for your date.”

“Aw.”

My shoulders sagged for a moment. Then I realized it meant I could go around looking at more pretty dresses that made me look like a Princess. So, I instantly brightened.

“Let’s go find more dresses!”

Saffron rolled her eyes, leading me around campus, showing me to the various fancy shops she sometimes visited. As she did, she asked me about Nolan.

“So, how did you even meet him in the first place?”

“Nolan? He’s in my class.”

“And he suddenly asked you out on a date? Why would you say yes? This doesn’t sound like you, Salvos.”

I pursed my lips.

“I wanted to say no. But he’s been helping me with my studies! It’d be rude to say no, right? People always get upset about that.”

“So, the one time you tried being courteous, it backfired. Of course. “

Saffron sighed.

“Normally, yes, it’d be rude to rebuke someone who’s helping you, when they’re asking you for help in return, especially when it’d be no trouble for you to do so. However, when someone is… hm, how do I explain it? This requires more social grace than you’re used to, and it’s not easy to explain in words.”

“Hey! Rude.”

I crossed my arms. She ignored me as she brought me into a shoe shop. I blinked, looking around.

“What’s this for?”

“Shoes. Not those… boots you have. But actual shoes. Glass slippers and high heels. Try them on.”

She gave me a wide array to choose from as I sat down on a chair. I picked one out, slipping it onto my feet. Saffron spoke as I stood up.

“When someone is interested in you, you shouldn’t lead them on, not especially when you’re just doing it when you have something to gain.”

She paused.

“Well, you could. But it has to be intentional and handled delicately. With poise and care. Otherwise, you’d ultimately be losing out from this exchange when you burn your bridge with the man. You’re not a noble, but even still, the most important asset one can have is their network— their web of social connections. Right now, yours is still rather small. Setting a single thread alight will destroy almost everything you’ve made so far.”

Saffron spoke as I balanced myself on a pair of high heels. It was an odd feeling, walking on these. I wouldn’t say that I was in danger of falling over. I simply found the sensation to be off putting— like I was crawling over rocks again for the first time after my birth.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

I removed the high heels, changing to a pair of slippers. Each step I made clacked against the marble floor.

“I did want his help, but I didn’t mean to lead him on, whatever that means. We’ll just eat and be done with it. I’ll turn down his attempts in the future so you won’t make such a big deal out of it anymore.”

“Now, I have to ask you, Salvos. What are your expectations from this? What do you want from Nolan? Are you actually interested in him? It doesn’t sound like you are. But in the off chance that the date goes well, what do you want to happen?”

“Am I interested in him?”

I frowned.

“As in love? Gross, no.”

“It doesn’t have to be ‘love.’ It can just be a short fling. Something you do for fun. Have you never had a fling before, Salvos?”

My [Universal Language Comprehension] worked overtime to translate everything she was saying in a way that made sense. I shook my head.

“I have not.”

“Do you think you’d be interested in one?”

“Why are you asking me these weird questions? Can I get anything from it?”

I narrowed my eyes. Saffron shrugged.

“It’s something I need to know. When I researched Nolan, it turns out, as I told you earlier, he’s a playboy. He’s someone who’s notorious for getting a new girl every month, during his time as an adventurer. He’s said to have once been in a relationship with four women all at the same time in his party— at least, until he got in trouble with the Den of Souls for it in the Eastern Kingdoms. They are strictly against polygamy, and because of them, he eased up on his ways.

“Why does that matter?”

“I’m saying that he may only be looking for a quick fling— and if you’re interested in that too, it’s honestly not a big problem. So, are you interested in flings, Salvos?”

I changed back to my regular shoes, buying a pair of slippers and high heels each. I thought about Saffron’s question for a moment.

“No. I can’t say it sounds very interesting. It just sounds like more boring stuff. I could be studying, you know?!”

“Only you would say studying is more interesting than being in a relationship.”

She snorted, bringing me to another, less luxurious, dress shop. Here, we hunted for appropriate wear for the night of the date.

“And you’re not interested in ‘love,’ as you just said earlier.”

“Well, I think I love shopping.”

I opined, picking out a dark blue dress.

“Of course you do. But I mean a romantic type of love. And even if that’s what you’d fancy, you probably won’t find that with Nolan, which leads me to my point: you’ll have to make your intentions clear to Nolan during this date.”

“Make my intentions clear?”

I cocked my head, trying the dress on in front of a mirror.

“You’ll have to find a way to turn him down courteously. Without burning any bridges. Which, now that I’m saying it out loud, is probably going to be harder for you than it seems.”

Saffron crossed her arms, and a voice spoke from the side.

“It looks lovely, Miss.”

“You think? I think I look lovelier, though.”

I thanked the lady working in the shop and paid for the dress. She bowed at me, a big smile on her face at the gold tip I left her, as Saffron and I left the shop.

“Look, Salvos, I’m sure you have good intentions… probably. But you can’t just reject him and move on, like you did with Jacob Axworth.”

“Hey! I had no idea he was even asking me out on a date!”

“That’s the issue. You’re missing social cues.”

“I’ve been learning as much as I can.”

I scowled, and my companion nodded.

“You have. But this is a completely new social sphere you’ve never dabbled in before. You’ll be confused— lost. I think it’d be best if you simply… I don’t know, disgust him out so he wouldn’t be interested in you anymore.”

“How do I do that?”

I raised a brow. Saffron gestured at a nearby tree, growing at the side of the pavement. I spotted bugs crawling up its trunks. Flies zipped in and out of flowers. And a spider wove its web atop the tree branches. I blinked.

“Huh.”

—--

My midterms proved themselves to be relatively easy. It was hard, of course. But it wasn’t as difficult as I had fully expected them to be— I thought that they’d have stumped me!

I was so sure I wouldn’t even be able to finish most of my tests in time, yet I did. It was thanks to my rigorous studying. I managed to overcome my midterms confidently enough that I didn’t think I failed any of my classes. It was a big obstacle in my path, easily cleared thanks to my preparation.

But there was still another obstacle ahead of me. One that I was slightly less prepared for. One that I really didn’t want to partake in, and I wasn’t even sure if I could overcome.

It was time for the day of the date.

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205. Date

205. Date

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from a date. By how Saffron described it, I was pretty sure I was going to fumble my way through it entirely, or somehow insult Nolan the moment I greeted him. And while it was too early to say whether or not I’d completely screw up this date, so far, things were… going alright?

I mean, I greeted Nolan and I didn’t say anything that made him want to kill me, which was already better than what Saffron was expecting. But beyond just that, we spoke and walked, heading for the restaurant he had chosen out, almost like it was any other day after class.

Our conversation was completely normal. It didn’t feel any different from when we spoke yesterday, or even last week. He even called me by my improper name for a moment— Ms Salvos— like he usually did to tease me, and I called him out for it.

“So, where are we going?”

I glanced over at Nolan, following him through Mavos Academy’s campus.

“We’re going to the Crimsonbroth’s Seafood. It’s the best seafood restaurant on campus, and trust me, their crabs are to die for.”

“Oh. Why would you die for the crabs? Must we save them from being killed? I thought this was a date or something?”

Nolan chuckled, waving a hand off.

“We’re not going to literally die for them. It’s a figure of speech. It means that crabs are their specialty dish.”

“Huh.”

I blinked. Then I giggled too. That was silly of me— unfortunately, [Universal Language Comprehension] sometimes made mistakes. I was starting to doubt whether this was really a ‘date,’ as Saffron kept calling it. It just felt like we were having regular conversation as friends, speaking casually, and making jokes with one another. That was until Nolan shook his head.

“I’m honestly surprised, Ms Salvos.”

“It’s Salvos.”

I scoffed.

“And what’s so surprising about me?”

“I didn’t expect you to actually dress up for the occasion.”

He smiled. I paused, narrowing my eyes. It took me a moment to resist the urge to ask him what exactly was this occasion he was talking about. Instead, I prodded him with a gauging comment.

“Well, I’d like to look my best when I’m out on a date, yes?”

Nolan halted midstep. He looked over at me, wearing a silken dark blue dress. I raised a brow, and he nodded.

“Indeed. You look gorgeous tonight, Salvos.”

…

So, it really was a date.

Huh.

I guess that meant I was going to have to gross him out as Saffron said. She believed it was the best course of action, considering that very few people would believe that I liked bugs. And even if they did, it wasn’t really detrimental to an adventurer’s reputation, unlike some other things I could do to make this date a flop.

We reached the Crimsonbroth’s Seafood soon after.

Nolan was genuinely shocked. He’d gotten to know Salvos quite well over the short few weeks since they met, having helped tutor her in alchemy almost every day after class. And he was very much under the impression that Salvos, due to her naivety, would be completely unaware that he was trying to court her.

His interactions with her and his assessment of her character led to that logical conclusion; he thought he’d have to explain that this wasn’t intended to be an ordinary dinner some time during the evening. But he was left stunned when he caught sight of Salvos at the meeting place.

She normally wore an odd-looking dark blue jacket, with a bundle of rags wrapped around her neck, and her hair tied into a ponytail. That was not the Salvos that showed up for dinner.

Tonight, she let her silver hair flow freely like a steaming waterfall, curled and knotted by a braid at the very top. Her dress was colored her signature dark blue, although it was ornate, exuding an aura of elegance that was unlike her usual carefree demeanor. She swept across the marble floor in high heels, following Nolan with poise as they were led to their table.

Nolan had met a myriad of gorgeous women during his travels as an adventurer. But he’d never truly seen someone as beautiful as Salvos. Even as he settled into his seat, he could feel a sense of nervousness building up within. His heart pounded like a [Blacksmith]’s hammer in his chest. It was an unusual feeling for him.

But as he looked up from the menu, meeting Salvos’ gaze, he understood the authenticity of what he felt. He wanted to sigh, watching the way her sharp eyes turned to face their waiter. The way her head tilted to the side whenever she had a question, a simple quirk that seemed to capture her entire character, but was actually an elusive facade.

After all, she wasn’t just a clueless girl as she might seem. Salvos had depth, greater than any other character Nolan had ever met. She was a Diamond Rank adventurer. A hero in the eyes of many— someone who experienced the thrill of adventure as Nolan did. She was also a curious young woman, vying for knowledge, never satisfied with what she learned. And even more than that, she was a sophisticated, intelligent, and refined lady who proudly carried herself in a way that just made him respect her.

Salvos smiled at the waiter.

“Do you guys, um, serve any bugs?”

Nolan blinked.

What did she just say?

“Yes, I asked if you guys served any bugs.”

I nodded as the waiter asked me to clarify my question. The man shook his head apologetically.

“I’m sorry, Miss, but we do not have a dinner option for bugs here.”

“Well, you should, because I’m not going to be eating anything unless it has six legs, antennae, and is squirming on my plate, got it?”

“We’ll see what we can do.”

The water hurriedly left, and I turned to Nolan, rolling my eyes.

“Bad service, am I right?”

“Errr… right.”

He didn’t exactly meet my gaze as he flipped through the menu. It took him a while to decide on what he wanted to order. The waiter returned, bowing deeply at me.

“I must apologize, but our [Chef]’s are unable to accommodate this request. Is there nothing on the menu that would suit your tastes?”

I looked down at the menu for a second, and tossed it at the table.

“Nope! Only bugs. I just love the way they crunch in my mouth. They’re delicious!”

I made a chewing noise as the waiter hesitated. Then Nolan spoke out.

“Salvos, if I may speak with him.”

He ushered the waiter over, exchanging a quiet conversation. The waiter nodded as Nolan pointed at the menu, and I watched them.

Was it working?

Saffron told me to just be myself. Which was rude! But it wasn’t really untrue. If not for the constraints that came from Human social conventions. Sure, I didn’t care about adhering to those most of the time. But it sometimes mattered, just like how Kobold social conventions mattered, and Elven social conventions mattered.

The waiter drew back, nodding at Nolan, before taking his leave. I peered at Nolan.

“What was that about?”

“It’s nothing. I simply tried to get you to compromise for you.”

He waved a hand off before continuing.

“So, Salvos, tell me more about yourself. I must confess, I’ve been fascinated by what I’ve heard of you, especially with how rapidly you’ve risen into prominence over the past few years.”

“Oh, um, so I’m Salvos… although you already knew that.”

“I do, yes.”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the edge of the table. I tapped a finger on my chin. There were so many things for me to say about myself! I could talk about myself forever. But I caught myself. I was supposed to be trying to disgust him— make him lose interest in me. Which meant I should talk about…

“I really love bugs. They’re delicious. Have you ever tried them, Nolan?”

There was a pause. Nolan gave me a thin smile as he replied.

“Unfortunately, I have not. I don’t think—”

“You should try it. It’s really good!”

“I…”

“Have you ever just grabbed a handful of ants and stuffed them in your mouth? The best part is when some of them escape and they’re crawling all over your teeth, so you just lick your tongue all over it.”

I sighed wistfully, smacking my lips together.

“Delicious.”

“I’m… sure?”

He shifted uncomfortably as a server came, pouring us both a glass of wine each. Nolan was about to take a sip when I pushed my glass back.

“Sorry. Don’t like alcohol. Makes me throw up.”

With a deep breath, he downed his glass in an instant. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he adjusted his suit and spoke apprehensively.

“Is there any reason for… your… particular tastes, Salvos?”

I shrugged.

“It’s just how I am.”

“I see.”

The two of us sat in silence for a moment. I just stared at him, and he fidgeted, unsure of what to say. Then he tried changing topics.

“Did you hear about what happened last weekend? A group of Elves brazenly assault Mavos Academy, killing dozens of high ranking nobles and Platinums. They even killed two Diamonds in the battle.”

“Oh, yep, I was there.”

“It is such a tragedy. And now the various families who lost their— wait, you were there?”

He narrowed his eyes. I nodded.

“Yep. I saved Ivonne and everything. Got myself covered in Elf blood too!”

The idea of me being covered in blood didn’t disgust him, which I should’ve known. He was an adventurer like me, so gore didn’t disturb him, even if he appeared and acted like a noble. I tried thinking of linking this topic back to bugs, but his eyes flickered.

“Ah. So that’s why you postponed last week’s date.”

I paused. Then I nodded slowly.

“Yep. I had to attend it to get some ingredients for— wait, didn’t I tell you this?”

“This does ring a bell.”

Nolan placed a hand on his chin.

“Now I remember. I had forgotten it because I had... other things in my mind at the time.”

He left the words unsaid, but he probably was referring to the fact that I had openly told him that I forgot about our date back then. And to think that I believed I handled that well! That just showed I still had a lot to learn about how mortals worked.

“Let’s not dwell on these serious topics. I’m sure you’d rather not discuss such an event over dinner. How’d your midterms go, Salvos?”

“Oh. I did good! I think. I don’t know, actually.”

“So, do you not know or do you think you did well?”

He laughed, and I scowled.

“I’m unsure, alright? I feel like I may have done well, but I also may not? I’ve never actually taken a test before.”

“You have not?”

Nolan blinked. I paused.

“Um, no? Is that odd?”

Edithe had once told me that not all Humans went to school. It wasn’t weird for me to say that I never went to school before now, right? Nolan shook his head.

“Ah, no. I was simply surprised because you seem so intelligent, I assumed you received a formal education in your household when growing up.”

I beamed.

“Well, it may seem like that’s the case, but I’m actually just very smart!”

I was five years old and already in Mavos Academy’s School of Aspiring Elites. Human five year olds couldn’t even read properly, or something.

“Indeed you are. Also, our food’s arriving.”

Nolan nodded, turning as a waiter appeared with our dishes. I frowned.

“What did you order for me?”

“A crown tusked crab. It’s boiled in a sweet chili sauce which I’m sure you’ll love.”

I wrinkled my nose as the meal was placed in front of me.

“Hey, didn’t I ask for—”

“Something with six legs, antennae, and is squirming in front of you?”

Nolan grinned. He gestured at the crab.

“The crown tusked crab is the only crab in the world with six legs. Imported from the Cyclops lands, it has a pair of feelers— or antennae— and also, due to the boiling chili sauce, it gives off the appearance that it’s squirming, see?”

“But that’s...”

What he said was certainly all true. It definitely met the criteria I laid out. But I was obviously alluding to bugs, not to this! I opened my mouth, and Nolan spoke over me.

“I insist you try it first.”

“Fine.”

I crossed my arms, before grabbing a fork. I stabbed into a piece of the crab, already expecting to grimace from the taste. I bit into it—

And paused.

“Huh.”

I chewed slowly, tasting the rubbery texture of the crab. Nolan stared at me. My mouth dropped.

“That’s delicious! Well, the crab’s delicious. Everything around it isn’t as good. If you just served me the crab alone, it’d have been way better!”

I devoured the crab quickly— it tasted very similar to how a beetle or a roach, except it was cooked. It wasn’t as good as, say, a wasp. But it was very nice nonetheless. It could be improved if I ate it raw.

I caught myself when I realized that Nolan wasn’t saying anything. I cleared my throat, softly placing the fork back down onto the table.

“Um, I think it’s good?”

Nolan coughed.

“Right, but, errr… Salvos, you’re supposed to eat it without the shell. It’s not a soft-shelled crab.”

I blinked. I stared at the crab leg I had pulled out. It certainly had been crunchy in my mouth. But—

“I prefer it this way!”

—--

Our date continued, and we chatted about school and our own adventures. I left out the parts that implicated me as a Demon, telling him about how I managed to defeat the Lich and save Edithe. Nolan shook his head.

“So, you’re telling me that the Lich, the plague of the Plaguelands, and the remnants of Zacharius the Quisling himself, was actually just enamored over a single girl?”

“Pretty stupid, right?”

He paused. Then he smiled.

“I can’t say I don’t relate with him, but it does seem quite ridiculous when you consider the consequences of his actions over history.”

I blinked. I almost completely forgot that I was supposed to be trying to gross him out. I was just talking to him normally. I really didn’t understand— was a date supposed to be something special? Or was it another weird concept created by Humans just to make their lives more unnecessarily complex?

Either way, I was reminded of what I was supposed to do as I strolled with Nolan out of Crimsonbroth’s Seafood.

“What did you think of tonight, Salvos?”

Nolan faced me as a dark cloud hovered over the moon, blotting out its light. I was about to answer honestly, but my mission resounded in my mind, so I just opened my hands and shrugged.

“Could’ve had more bugs and it’d be better.”

He paused. His lips were pursed. Nolan squinted as he looked at me, and I hesitated.

“Yes?”

“Are you… are you doing this on purpose, Salvos?”

“Am I doing what on purpose?”

“You’ve never once brought up anything like this until… well, tonight. I’m just wondering if you’ve been purposefully doing this.”

I froze. I really needed to improve my social skills. I had thought I fooled him, but just like last time, I was completely off base. I averted my gaze.

“Maybe…?”

“Why?”

Nolan asked, not annoyed or angry, just questioning. I scratched the back of my head.

“Because my friend, um, said you weren’t a good person to women? Or something?”

“Ah. I thought so.”

Sighing, Nolan sat on a nearby bench as I stood in front of him.

“Perhaps you’ve heard of less-than-kind things about my character. And they may have been true. Once, in the past, I was a young man who was overindulgent in my actions with women. Yes, amongst nobility and the upper class, such actions are oft looked down upon. But as an adventurer, what I did wasn’t out of the ordinary.”

He closed his eyes, as if recalling a memory.

“But there was one thing I did differently than others. I was always honest with my intentions, Salvos. The women I fooled around with knew it would never become anything serious. I told them outright that I didn’t plan on settling down with someone yet. And since then, I’ve changed. Now, I’ve become a romantic. Now, I want to find love.”

I shifted uncomfortably as Nolan stood back up. He took my hand, kneeling on the ground.

“So, just as I was honest with my intentions in the past, I’ll be honest now. I believe that you may be the one for me— when I think of you, I know that I’m captivated by you. Around you, I am both content and anxious. I feel affection and apprehension when I see you. I know this is sudden, but I truly think I love you, Salvos.”

With a kiss on the back of my hand, he stood up. Nolan met my gaze as I cocked my head.

“And that is why I’d like to know your intentions with me, Salvos. Please be honest. I’d rather not pressure you into saying anything you don’t want to.”

“It’s fine, Nolan. You’re not pressuring me.”

I drew my hand back as I stepped back. I tilted my chin slightly, thinking for a moment about Nolan. He said that the first thing he thought of when he thought of me was how he loved me. So, I focused on what I felt when I thought of him—

“I think of you… as my friend, Nolan. You’ve been nice to me, you’ve helped me, and you’ve treated me well. But I don’t love you. At least, not in the same way you do love me.”

Nolan blinked. His head drooped, and he spoke softly.

“I see.”

I shook my head.

“It’s not because of what I’ve heard about you— actually, when we first met, you asked me if I had heard of you, the Mighty Warrior, before, right? Well, I accidentally lied when I said I didn’t. I’ve heard about you before, Nolan.”

“You have?”

He raised a brow, and I smiled.

“Yep. I met Lucy. I don’t know if you remember her. But she’s a girl you met back when you were only a Gold Rank. Back when you were passing through a town called Dawnwind.”

I only recalled this just the other day, after Saffron told me about Nolan’s women escapades. I didn’t think too much about it beyond just remembering it.

Nolan’s eyes widened.

“Ah, Lucy. Yes, I remember her. She wanted there to be something more between us, even if knew that we were never going to last. I warned her— I even told her to stay in her town. But she insisted on coming. And I couldn’t just leave her in the wilderness all on her own, could I?”

I nodded.

“And if you’re asking me what I think, I don't care about that. I don’t really care what others say about you, Nolan. I know the person I met, and you’re not a bad guy. You’re just… my friend, that’s all.”

Nolan gave me a pained smile.

“When you say it like that, it really does hurt, you know?”

“I’m sure it does. But you asked me to be honest, and that’s how I feel.”

I spread my arms wide, spinning around.

“Even if things aren’t always going great for me, I’ve always felt comfortable. I’m happy, and I don’t think that’ll change.”

Nolan chuckled, massaging his temples.

“At least one of us is.”

“I’m sure you’ll find someone else one day, Nolan. It’s just not me.”

He closed his eyes. With a deep breath, he smiled.

“Thank you. And I don’t blame you, Salvos. I blame myself for being foolish enough to declare my love for you on our first date.”

He hesitated.

“But… can I at least walk you back to where you live?”

I beamed.

“Of course. We’re friends, right?”

Nolan nodded, walking ahead of me.

“That we are.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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Abomination: Melas Book 1

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Demons' Den: Melas Book 3

206. Cleaning Up

A note from MelasD

Big Shoutout to Steamforged Sorcery by my good friend Actus. It's a Steampunk LitRPG with a Strong Lead. Check it out!

The Great War ravaged the face of the earth many years ago. In the years that passed, the world rebuilt, mixing machinery and magic to form something new. Great blimps took to the sky, belching steam and smoke as metal cities sprouted like weeds below.

Angel, a talented mage, scours the desert endlessly in search of lost knowledge. When it unexpectedly falls into his hands, he quickly come to realize that the world is far larger – and far more deadly – than he ever could have predicted. But no amount of danger is going to keep Angel from seeking out greater strength and traveling the world, claiming all the greatest treasure that it has to offer.

To most, the desert is a dangerous threat to be feared. To Angel, it’s a land of opportunity, waiting to be exploited.

206. Cleaning Up

General Skill [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 4] -> [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 5]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

“Huh.”

The date with Nolan tired me out, and I was finished with my midterms, so just for tonight, I gave myself a brief reprieve. That didn’t mean I’d go to sleep. Sleep wasn’t very relaxing. Instead, I left the dorm and headed for Wimborne despite my drowsiness, wandering around the city for the night. Unfortunately, it seemed that most Humans were asleep.

I stopped by one of the only open stalls, cocking my head.

“Do you guys sell any crabs here? Or, um, shrimps maybe?”

“Sorry, Miss, we only got fish ‘ere.”

“Aw. Are there any shops here that sell more than just fish?”

The [Fisher] shook his head.

“Most of the markets are closed right now, Miss. And we’re not Cyclopes who have their night markets or wet markets, full of all kinds of seafood. The coast here is shallow compared to their cities. We gotta sell what we can sell.”

“And that’s… fish?”

I wrinkled my nose. He shrugged.

“It is most of what we can catch without going too far out.”

It was a shame. I really wanted to try eating a crab without it being coated in that tasteless sauce. Maybe even bite into it completely raw, just to get the sense of what it tasted like without any of the gross artificial flavors Humans liked to add.

I left the market street, heading for the Adventurers Guild. There was a place I needed to go to during the upcoming week. I had a short period of time where I didn’t need to study as much, since I just completed my midterms. So, it was best that I headed to the Rainforest of Monsters as soon as possible to acquire an Enigmatic Heart. After all, it was necessary if I really wanted to create a Potion of Regeneration.

The receptionist at the Adventurers Guild barely glanced up as I sauntered in. It took me a moment to grab his attention.

“Hello? Hello! I’m here to ask a question!”

“Hm?”

He put down a book, lazily meeting my gaze.

“Did you need something, Miss—”

“It’s Salvos.”

I spoke simply, raising my chin slightly, and waiting for him to recognize my name in awe. He just nodded.

“Alright, Ms Salvos. Did you need something?”

I blinked. I scratched the back of my head.

“Um, do you not know me?”

“You’re an adventurer who needs something important for your important quest to help someone important, which is important enough for you to come here in the middle of this important night. Yeah, I know your kind.”

“What?”

I sputtered.

“No! That’s not it at all! It’s about—”

“Yeah, yeah, get on with it already, Miss. I don’t care which small lord or lady you’re helping with in your quest. Just ”

I glowered. I wanted to be nice. But this guy was a jerk! So, I slammed my adventurer’s badge down onto the table.

“Here.”

“Hm?”

He paused. His eyes widened.

“Wait, this badge is—”

A few heads turned. The Adventurers Guild wasn’t crowded, but there were still a handful of adventurers gathered here. Their eyes were caught by the glinting metal. The badge of a Diamond Ranked adventurer.

My badge.

There were a few gasps and whispers. I bared my teeth, leaning forward.

“Now, Mr Receptionist, will you be so kind as to actually listen to me? Or are you going to keep being rude?”

He gulped.

“U-uh, what did you need, Ms Salvos?”

—--

The Adventurers Guild of Wimborne didn’t have too much information on the Rainforest of Monsters. That was because the Rainforest of Monsters was too far away from Shedos, located all the way down to the southwest of the Human lands. I could probably cover that distance on a good day of flying, but I wanted to learn more about this dangerous place before going into it.

I learned from the Plaguelands. I had known very little about the Plaguelands, even with Daniel and Edithe’s guidance and what little cursory research I did beforehand. I thought that was enough, but when I was getting chased around by angry Kobolds for reasons that eluded me and attacked by a Lich that was obsessed with its dead lover, I realized that maybe I should be a bit more thorough to know what the greatest threats were in a single location.

The Adventurers Guild of Wimborne offered me what they knew, and suggested that I inquire more about the Rainforest of Monsters once I was in the country of Odra. It was a small country towards the south of the Sunmere Republic, bordering the Rainforest of Monsters… in a sense. They actually bordered an expansive flatland which went on for a hundred miles before the terrain would even shift into that of a jungle.

Odra was the leading nation in charge of the Alterian League, so they should have been able to tell me a lot more than what I learned here, considering that that league was in charge of repelling monster hordes from the Rainforest of Monsters.

Regardless, what I learned from my trip to Wimborne was that Humans were rude unless they had something to respect or fear. Oh, also, that the Rainforest of Monsters was far larger than the Plaguelands. But unlike the Plaguelands, it wasn’t just a single dangerous place. There were some parts of the Rainforest of Monsters that were populated with monsters barely at Level 10. The problem was that some of the deeper areas of the Rainforest of Monsters were filled with Level 100 creatures lurking with the keen intelligence an undead would never have.

Also, while Skeletons and Zombies— the undead that made up the bulk of the Plaguelands— were swarm monsters, many of the monsters in the Rainforest of Monsters were not swarm monsters. They’d be more equivalent to a Ghoul. But Ghouls, like every other undead, only had a single Class or Subspecies.

Apparently, certain rare Species of monsters underwent the same change that Humans would undergo at Level 100— they’d unlock a second Class. Or in the case of monsters, they’d get a second Subspecies. Centinels were one of such monsters. At Level 100, they’d become so grotesquely deformed due to having two Subspecies instead of just one.

I wanted to get a second Subspecies, if I was being honest, just to see what it’d give me. But us Demons got a Class at Level 100, in addition to their Subspecies. And I wasn’t unhappy with my Class. It had a very cool name. I just wanted another Subspecies as well.

Maybe I can unlock a second Subspecies at Level 200? Or maybe Level 150!

I returned to my Lair, transforming out of my [Partial Mortality] to refresh myself and clear myself from my need to sleep. I didn’t study, instead just sifting through the things I had, taking inventory of everything I kept in my Lair.

I had a lot of books which I still hadn’t read, taken from the [Cultists] I killed. I’d been meaning to dig into them, but many of them espoused the same things about Regnorex and how amazing he was. It was hard even finding a book that departed from that standard doctrine— one which delved into the procedure behind Demon summoning. And I’d read all of those at this point.

There were other things I owned. Old artifacts which I took off the corpses or treasures I uncovered. Many of them were worthless. Like this Amulet of Blood Extraction. It apparently was useful for drawing the blood out of the sacrifice used in summoning rituals.

I’d never need that. I just kept it in my Lair.

There were other trinkets and objects which I pulled out of my bags. They were dusty, untouched by me for months or even years. I began organizing them, making my Lair look nice, because I wanted to have a nice Lair.

I paused as I grabbed an object from deep inside one of my sacks.

“What’s this?”

[Dreaded Goblet: High Grade Equipment - Used in rituals to call upon the wisdom of the Old Gods.]

“Huh. Oh, what do I do with this?”

I remembered getting this back just before I fought Zix in a duel. I didn’t think too much about it, but what did it mean by the wisdom of the Old Gods? I was curious. However, I didn’t have any rituals to carry out. Well, I did have a lot of books on how to carry out rituals…

I’d take a look into it next time.

For now, I finished making my Lair look nice and tidy as the sun rose. I crossed my arms, satisfied.

“That’s good. Maybe I’ll show Saffron my Lair some time.”

I still had a week of classes ahead of me. And then once it was all finished, I’d finally get the last ingredient I needed for my Potion of Regeneration.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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Abomination: Melas Book 1

The Witch: Melas Book 2

Demons' Den: Melas Book 3

207. Break Time!

207. Break Time!

A week passed, and it was finally time.

“When will you be back?”

Saffron crossed her arms as I started for the doorway. Spinning around, I held her gaze and waved a hand off.

“I don’t know, but it’ll be fine!”

“You do realize you’ll only have a week before classes resume, right? It’s a one week break. You’ll need to keep track of time and actually plan when you want to return from the Rainforest of Monsters.”

There was only one week of break after midterms for us to take our time off; I was hoping that I’d be able to find an Enigmatic Heart quickly enough that I wouldn’t return back to school after classes resumed. We were about two-thirds of our way into the academic term. It’d be disastrous if I missed any of my classes now!

“I know, I know.”

I grinned, patting Saffron on the shoulder. She gave me a dubious look. But I produced something from my pocket.

“Oh, by the way. Here—”

She blinked as I handed her something. It was a metal flask, one used for drinking alcohol. Except, it didn’t have alcohol, instead holding within it the siphoned blood of a Demon. My blood.

“This is in case you want it.”

I handed her a second flask. A vial of red, Human blood. Also my blood, except when I was transformed to a Human.

“And this is in case you need it.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth watered the moment I handed both to her. Saffron cleared her throat and snatched the two bottles of blood away from me, keeping it in a Bag of Holding. Composing herself, she spoke softly.

“Thank you, Salvos. You are truly a dear friend. I bid you good luck on your journey.

“Bye! See you in a week!”

I waved at her as I ran out the door. I zipped my way through the crowds of students filling the hallway. The College of Aspirations had a week break too, so many of the students were leaving today to go on a short vacation or holiday to visit their friends or family.

Me? While I’d love to find Daniel or Edithe to check up on them, I genuinely couldn’t due to my own obligations to myself. I had to get a Potion of Regeneration. I felt a slight itch on my shoulder, even though I was a Human right now. Even though the loss of an arm didn’t bother me— not with [Faux Limbs]. Even though I looked more terrifying with five arms than six.

It just annoyed me that I wasn’t complete or whole. The scar I bore… it was nothing to be proud of. Quite the opposite, really.

—--

I drifted above the clouds, seeing Mavos Academy disappear far behind him. It took a while before the tallest tower of the magical school vanished from sight. I flew at a relatively fast pace— slow enough not to tire me out and fast enough to get me to my location as quickly as possible.

I just had to head in the right general direction for a few hours. Maybe even for a day. But when I was closer to Odra, I’d swoop down to a nearby city and navigate to the country from there. I continued flying, even as the clouds darkened on the horizon. I spotted a wall of smoke rising towards the southeast, and I knew that was where Nixa was. Belzu left behind a trail of destruction— one that wrought death and the possibility of death to those displaced from this.

The Humans were very angry and very afraid. I heard that they were mobilizing a great number of forces between many different countries. I wondered for a moment, how many possible friends or companions I could’ve made from those who were lost due to this conflict?

So many people from Xidra to Lily to Vis’anya to Edithe told me that I couldn’t just do whatever I wanted and ignore all the problems of the world. And I considered, for a brief moment, about intervening. Then I remembered what happened when I fought Belzu.

The illusions. His curses. How a single attack from him nearly broke through all my protections. How so easily his army felled an entire city.

Even if I wanted to fight against him, I couldn’t. I would die.

And I didn’t want to fight him either. In fact, the idea of fighting him never even crossed my mind. When I thought of Belzu, I felt not animosity or hatred, but a sense of aspiration. He was someone I wanted to become and surpass.

To do that, first I needed to get stronger.

That was why I continued to Odra, ignoring the razed cities and forests in the distance.

—--

I dropped from the sky. Night had fallen, and so did I. I landed at the closest town I could find, transforming to a Cyclops, and getting a room at an inn. It was late enough that the streets were mostly empty. And while a few heads were drawn towards my direction, being a Cyclops and all, nothing came from it.

I simply fell asleep and woke up after a few hours, fully rested, spending much less time in bed than as I would if I were a Human. I departed the next day, not before quickly asking for the way to Odra. I was currently in Florith, right at the edge of the Sunmere Republic. Odra would be directly down south from me. I thanked the [Innkeeper], giving him a gold coin for the room and the help. His eyes widened at its glint, before I ran off.

“Thank you, Ms Cyclops!”

“It’s Sal— Sal!”

I needed to get used to coming up with fake names, especially when I didn’t want attention drawn to myself. I left the town, soaring up back to the sky, heading straight to the south. Where Odra was.

I continued my flight, watching the landscape unfurl below me. While the Sunmere Republic had a rich and diverse landscape of various different ecological systems, the countries to the south had a far more dull and monotonous terrain. Everything just became more brown. The sprawling fields of grass shriveled up into unending fields of dirt and sand, rising up to short hills and valleys, specked with dried plants that barely survived the weather.

It almost reminded me of the Plaguelands. But there was no blight, billowing up, coating the landscape like a blanket of brownish-green fog.

It was… a desert. It wasn’t dry and devoid of all plants. However, with the cloudless skies and the barren landscape, it didn’t look like this was a place that people would normally live in. And yet, I saw the cities. Farms filled the outskirts of these settlements, growing an abundance of wheat and other agriculture. There were [Farmhelp] tilling the fields as [Farmers] used their Skills to let their crops flourish under the oppressive sun.

I made sure to transform back to a Human in case anyone spotted me. I made frequent stops, asking whether I was in Odra yet, until finally, someone said yes.

“You’re in Assain, Miss, right at the border between Odra and Zunus.”

“Bring me to your Adventurers Guild.”

I flashed her my badge and some coin. The woman stared. Then she hurriedly acquiesced.

—--

The thing about a sort of decentralized Adventurers Guild was that information wasn’t nearly as universal as it could be. Each local Adventurers Guild would usually know something the others didn’t, mostly because it wasn’t of enough import to spread it around— because the other Adventurers Guild in other cities didn’t care. Fact was, most of the heavy lifting regarding information and threats was handled by the adventuring companies.

It was only when a threat was so large— like Belzu’s presence in Motharis over a year ago now— that the Adventurers Guild would actively diffuse the news about it. Even then, unless companies cared about these problems, nothing would be done about it. Independent adventurers might have been plentiful, but they were also, on average, the lowest-leveled with the highest mortality rate.

When information was withheld from them, they wouldn’t be able to prepare themselves as thoroughly as someone from a local company when delving into a Dungeon. There was also the factor of how they’d be more reckless compared to those in companies, especially since they didn’t have access to the same resources as adventurers, but that was besides the point.

The point was, I couldn’t learn what I really wanted to about the Rainforest of Monsters without joining the Sandsword Company.

“I apologize, Ms Salvos, but I’ve told you everything the Adventurers Guild knows about the Rainforest of Monsters.”

“But what about an Enigmatic Heart? Don’t you know where I can find these [Lux Golmi] at all?”

The receptionist was a woman with tanned skin and curly hair. She gave me an apologetic look, shaking her head.

“All we know of the [Lux Golmi] is that it can be found in the deeper layers of the Rainforest. Near mountains or large rock formations. Other than that, we can’t say for sure.”

I scowled, pulling my shiny Diamond Rank badge from the counter. Even that wasn’t enough to convince the Adventurers Guild to help me. I heard a few murmurs— adventurers were pointing and whispering. Someone even approached me to join their team since they were Platinum Ranked, but I turned them down.

“I thought this was Odra— aren’t you guys part of the Alterian League? Why can neither the town guards or local Adventurers Guild tell me anything about the Rainforest of Monsters?”

The receptionist pursed her lips.

“The truth is, Ms Salvos, that the Rainforest of Monsters just isn’t as big of a threat as you might think it is. There are the occasional hordes of monsters that may head for the Human lands once every decade, but it’s hardly a constant trickling of undead or Centinels like with the Plaguelands or the Bloodied Gulf. We just send our coalition armies to crush the monster hordes, and that’s it. We rarely venture into the Rainforest itself.”

“That’s not very helpful. Nor does it make me feel any better.”

“W-we can tell you more about the [Lux Golmi] if you’d like... or check with the Swordsand Company or Merchants Guild if there’s an Enigmatic Heart for sale—”

“It’s fine. It’s not your fault.”

I waved a hand off, interrupting the woman. I grabbed a crawling centipede from the underside of the counter, biting into it with a crunch.

“Gross. No— just give me whatever notes you have on the [Lux Golmi]. I’ll read up on it later. I’m hungry now. Do you serve anything good like cockroaches or mosquitos?”

“Uh…”

She paled as I munched on the centipede. It really didn’t taste that nice. But I was starving, having been flying as a mortal for a while.

“W-we don’t serve any of those, but we can try to find—”

“How about seafood? Do you have any seafood here?”

The receptionist blinked. For whatever reason, she looked at me stupidly. I cocked my head, waiting for her to respond. Finally, she sighed.

“Would fried scorpion suffice, Ms Salvos?”

“Huh. Maybe?”

—--

Fried scorpion was actually not bad. It wasn’t anything amazing. But it didn’t taste dull like steak did. And it wasn’t disgusting either. So, I happily indulged myself in it before taking off for the Rainforest of Monsters.

I flew at a slower pace, sifting through the documents I’d been given by the Adventurers Guild, no longer within the borders of Odra. They gave me a very rough map of the Rainforest, and some information regarding the [Lux Golmi] and other lesser Golem variants. The average level of a [Lux Golmi] was honestly quite high— around Level 120. Just like undead, however, they didn’t have a second Subspecies or Class once they hit Level 100. So, despite their significantly higher levels, I could probably take one on without as much difficulty as some other monsters.

Like the Goblins or Orcs that populated the Rainforest of Monsters. While I requested no information on them, the Adventurers Guild issued me a free warning about how dangerous those monsters could be.

I’d try to avoid fighting them if I ran into them in the Rainforest. For now, I read up about the [Lux Golmi]. Apparently, they specialized in mind magic, just like a Mindreaper. Except, they didn’t just try to twist your sense to inflict excruciating mental damage to you. These [Lux Golmi] would unravel your mind as a way to distract you before beating you to death with their, well, deadly stone hands.

They were rarely ever alone, either. So, if I saw a group of high-leveled Golems, they’d likely be somewhere amongst them. I set out to search for any Golems I could first and foremost. I just had to fly quickly and—

A screech came from above. The sound itself sent a ripple through my aura of Greater Protection. I instantly activated [The Primordial Spark], forming an armor of flames around my body. I glanced up as a hulking falcon swooped down from above.

Its clawing talons grabbed for me as it continued its sound magic assault.

[Razorsoul Falcon - Lvl. 105]

I grinned, fire blooming around me.

“I haven’t had a good fight in a while. Care to entertain me for a bit?”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Get my Melas Books now on Amazon!

Abomination: Melas Book 1

The Witch: Melas Book 2

Demons' Den: Melas Book 3

208. Rainforest of Monsters

A note from MelasD

Quick Announcement:

I will be taking this thursday and friday (14 and 15 October) off, only to return next monday, as I will be flying to a wedding tomorrow. Schedule will be as per normal once I return on the 18th of October.

208. Rainforest of Monsters

[Razorsoul Falcon - Lvl. 105]

I found myself in an airborne battle, zipping over the rapidly changing landscape, and leading a massive monster after me. It was fast. Somehow, there was a constant gust of wind blowing out from its tail, and it had six wings carrying it forward. I had to admit, even with [Haste] active, I had trouble outflying it. At more than one point, it nearly grabbed me with its talons, even as its sound magic blared from its mouth.

“Eat this, stupid bird!”

A small wisp of blue flame twinkled into existence right by my shoulder. It unfurled like a flower, petals of cinder and ember peeling off, before instantly expanding and blasting out like a hail of falling stars. The [Razorsoul Falcon] dove up, barely avoiding the attacks, the tip of its steel-like feathers being singed by the heat.

I narrowed my eyes as a shadow engulfed me. The monster flapped its wings as it ascended like a rising curtain. It was about a dozen feet from beak to tail, with a wingspan that was even longer than the length of its body. Yet, I couldn’t hit it. Its [Agility] was too high. And despite its fast speeds, it also had powerful sound magic.

I dipped down before it could open its beak. I heard the shrill sound echo behind me, but its effects were far weaker over a great distance. The [Razorsoul Falcon] knew this as well, so it gave chase. The ground approached quickly in my descent as the monster trailer after me. Before I could crash into the grassy earth, I turned at the very last second, flying parallel to the rolling hills.

The landscape here was no longer that of a desert, turning more lush and green the closer I flew to the Rainforest of Monsters. In fact, I could see the tall trees in the distance, forming a wall of brown with their giant trunks, and marking my destination. I flew straight for that sea of trees. The tall grass brushed against my legs as I stayed low, even as the [Razorsoul Falcon] followed after me.

It closed the distance with each split second that passed. Its screeching grew louder and louder. I glanced back at it, unleashing a salvo of flaming projectiles. It blew apart the landscape. Blue blasts that scarred the earth, tearing up small hills and mounds like they were weeds in a field. The monster avoided the fury of [The Primordial Spark] as it bounced up and down, screeching the whole time.

It was louder now. An ear-piercing sound that sent a ripple over my aura of Greater Protection. Pursing my lips, I felt the wind beating at my face lighten up, and the effects of my [Haste] vanish. A burst of air shot the [Razorsoul Falcon] forward.

I pulled up just before I reached the Rainforest of Monsters, with the monster now snapping for my leg. I flew to the sky as it followed after me—

And I smirked.

I pivoted in the air, fire building up at my feet. With a single flap of my wings, I shot straight down, a hand raised to the side, pulling a fiery scythe out of a gathering of motes and sparks. I swiped for the [Razorsoul Falcon]. And it dodged to the side. My eyes flickered as its entire massive body nimbly pulled away from me, my scythe shearing off its feathers more than its skin.

I continued falling to the ground as the monster inhaled sharply, readying another blast of sound magic. Then I spun around, letting my scythe dissipate, grabbing for the trailing embers from my Flame Burst behind me. They solidified, forming chains interlinked all at once. They wrapped around the [Razorsoul Falcon] as it let out a panicked sound.

I tugged the chains, tightening it around the giant monster. For a creature of this size, you’d assume that it had a hulking physical prowess to back it. But I saw the range of its [Agility] and its [Wisdom] and even its [Vitality]. It couldn’t possibly have had incredible [Strength] too.

Just as I thought, the [Razorsoul Falcon] was bound and couldn’t break out. It struggled, tumbling out of the air, somehow still barely trying to avoid me even in its state. I held out a single finger, lightly touching the side of its wing. Then it fell as I flew back up.

It screeched once more, falling to the ground. I looked down at it. A glowing symbol etched itself on its skin. The monster glared up at me.

Before it exploded.

[Demon’s Mark].

Defeated [Razorsoul Falcon - Lvl. 105]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

A massive crater was left behind where the [Razorsoul Falcon] fell. Blue flames raged hundreds of feet out from ground zero of the explosion. I settled down next to a burning feather, crossing my arms as my wings receded into my back. With a snap of my fingers, my fire armor and the residual flames from the blast vanished. I glanced down at the half-burnt feather.

“Sound magic and wind magic. It was very strong too. It had to have been Level 100 in both its Subspecies.”

Was that why it looked so odd, even for a monster? It certainly didn’t look like any falcon I’d seen before. Shrugging, I continued forward, entering the Rainforest of Monsters, walking under the tall trees as the sun set behind me.

—--

The Rainforest of Monsters.

It was one of the few Diamond Rank regions in the world. It wasn’t just a Dungeon. If a Dungeon was a collection of Lairs, then the Rainforest of Monsters was a collection of Dungeons.

The battle with the [Razorsoul Falcon] proved it. It prefigured what was to come— or at least, I thought it did. I expected to fight a dozen different monsters, crawling out from the dense foliage, ready to pounce for my head. But… so far, there was nothing.

It was like I was strolling through one of the botanical gardens of Mavos Academy. Peaceful. Tranquil. I could hear the soft chirping of crickets, a cacophonous echo that was somehow gentle on the ear. Insects buzzed about, making not a sound, instead shining in the darkness of the night, glowing and dimming every few seconds like sparks from a fire.

I grabbed one of these insects out of the air and bit into it.

“Not crunchy.”

I shrugged and marched on. My body flickered for a moment as I walked past a tall tree. When I stepped around the other side of it, my skin was pale, not that of a Human anymore. I had a pair of horns protruding from my head, and clawed hands that could rip down the trees around me with ease. They really were tall too.

Some of the trees rose up to a hundred feet or more— giants that stood taller than the towers in some Human cities. They didn’t fully blot out the sky. I could still see some of the stars and even the moon overhead. But these were some of the tallest trees I’d ever seen. And apparently, I was only in the fringes of the Rainforest of Monsters.

“Alright, I’m done walking.”

My wings spread wide, crooked bones that didn’t send out a gust with each flap they made. I didn’t need to cover them with my flames any longer either. I flew up once more, this time, just to get a sweeping view of the landscape. Birds burst out of their nests— some of them monsters, others just animals, but none of them daring enough to attack me.

“How do I find these Golems? They’re supposed to be around rock formations, right?”

I spotted a few mountains and hills in the distance. But they were all forested over, carpeted with a thick layer of fauna. It was going to be hard finding any Golems like this.

“So, I just have to search faster.”

I exploded over the landscape, eyes darting around to any notable landmark I could investigate. It was an ocean of foliage and trees that just seemed to grow taller and taller. Their barks were wrapped in vines, and their branches were crawling with giant monsters that scrambled to hide as I flew over them.

I continued flying, unperturbed as the stars wheeled in the sable dome above. Then I blinked as a glowing spear seemed to shoot up at me. I caught it out of the air, slowing my flight. A giant silver beetle-like creature glared up at me, with what was almost like a harpoon nocked onto its back. It fired a second glowing spear, and I created a Nebular Bow.

“Take this!”

My Nebular Arrow shot through the air faster than the monster’s projectile. I easily flitted to the side of its attack, while my gray bolt lodged itself onto the monster’s back. It made a clicking sound as it hopped to the side, firing even more glowing spears my way.

I drew another Nebular Arrow back, this time pouring even more of my mana into the projectile. I descended and dodged its glowing spears with ease, while my Nebular Arrow seemed to be overcome with a blue flame. I nocked the Blazing Nebular Arrow, aiming for the monster’s head. I released just as I swooped over it. And it blasted apart the creature. Its head went flying as its blood splashed everywhere.

Defeated [Evolved Blackspike Beetle - Lvl. 108]

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

“Huh.”

The monster was an even higher level than the [Razorsoul Falcon]. Yet, it was far easier to kill. Did that mean it didn’t have a second Subspecies? It was almost like fighting a Ghoul back in the Plaguelands, so I’d assume so. Or maybe it did have a second Subspecies, but it was just far lower-leveled than what the [Razorsoul Falcon] had.

Either way, I took care of it with ease. Or so I thought.

As I was about to take back to the skies, another glowing projectile shot out at me. It was smaller than the glowing spear, more like the size of a spike, and it fired rapidly with a whistling sound. I didn’t even catch it or knock it out of the way. I let [Scatter Shift] teleport them out of the way.

I glanced up, grinning.

“Oh, there’s more of you?”

[Armored Blackspike Beetle - Lvl. 89]

[Evolved Blackspike Beetle - Lvl. 102]

[Blackspike Beetle - Lvl. 64]

Dozens of glowing projectiles were aimed at me as these monsters crawled out from beneath the ground. I took a step forward, hearing another notification resound in my head.

Now Entering [Lair: Blackspike Beetle’s Nest].

“So, you brought me to your Lair, huh?”

I spread my arms wide, baring my teeth. They would’ve unleashed their projectiles at me in an instant, but I spoke simply.

“Good.”

They all froze for a moment. And it became a slaughter.

Defeated [Armored Blackspike Beetle - Lvl. 98]

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Evolved Blackspike Beetle - Lvl. 105]

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Cleared [Lair: Blackspike Beetle’s Nest]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 107] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 108]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 40] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 41]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 41] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 42]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 108

Class: [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 42

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 2

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 5

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 135 (+25)

[Strength]: 110 (+25)

[Endurance]: 125 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 210 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 266 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 4]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 5

[Haste] - Lvl. 8

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 7

[Object Levitation] - Lvl 1

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 5

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 5

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 10

A note from MelasD

Reminder:

I will be taking this thursday and friday (14 and 15 October) off, only to return next monday, as I will be flying to a wedding tomorrow. Schedule will be as per normal once I return on the 18th of October.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Get my Melas Books now on Amazon!

Abomination: Melas Book 1

The Witch: Melas Book 2

Demons' Den: Melas Book 3

209. Raining

A note from MelasD

Break took longer than expected. Explained it on patreon and discord. Join my discord if you want future updates. Also, new posting schedule from now on should be around 12 PM PST.

209. Raining

I leveled up three times across my Subspecies and Class. I gained 1 level in [Daeva Cambion] and 2 levels in [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus], utilizing the latter to a minimum in that battle. I would’ve loved to use my Class more, especially against such high-leveled enemies for the experience that was rewarded, but it barely even helped. Not as it was right now.

I could use [Scatter Shift] and [Mystical Projection] to some degrees of efficacy in battle. But everything else saw little-to-no-use. Even [Temporal Distortion] was only useful in certain situations. Otherwise, I’d have leveled in my Class more.

Regardless, I leveled up once more in my Subspecies. I only just recently gained a level for it no more than a week and a half ago— during the battle with the Elves— and I was happy that I managed to gain another level now. Especially since the fight hadn’t been that hard. Unless, of course, I gained an extra experience from the [Razorsoul Falcon] due to its multiple Subspecies being at a high level.

Either way, I distributed most of my Stat Points to [Agility], with a relatively even spread between the remaining Stats, while focusing most of my Skill Points on [Haste] with some for my other Skills. I was kind of upset that I was slower than the [Razorsoul Falcon], and since my Greaves of the Wanderer was destroyed by the Lich, I didn’t have an extra artifact to help me move even faster.

I flew back up hundreds of feet up into the air, casting my gaze around the Rainforest of Monsters. Below me was a ravaged nest of Blackspike Beetles. Dozens of them lay dead, with their shells crushed and open. I might’ve even tried to give them a little taste test, only to find that they were too chewy for me. They weren’t gross— just not the best thing I ate today.

The landscape blurred under me as I continued my flight, tapping a hand on my chin, and trying to make out anything I could even under the blanket of night. I spotted a glowing object. It shot up at me— not a spear, but an orb of energy. I blinked and dodged out of the way.

“Huh.”

What looked like a flower dragged itself out of the roots of a tall tree, its petals lined with fangs on its fringes. It let out a screech and shot another orb my way.

[Whomping Eevlane - Lvl 120]

“Huh.”

I dipped down as the orb exploded overhead. Flames spread out around me, and I bared my teeth.

“Alright, you monsters are getting annoying. I much preferred it when I thought this place was peaceful!”

—--

Defeated [Whomping Eevlane - Lvl. 120]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Clawing Mantis Striker - Lvl. 99]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 42] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 43]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 43] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 44]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

I leveled up two more times in my Class, which should’ve been a good thing, if not for the amount of time it was taking away from me searching the Rainforest of Monsters for any Golems.

The sun began to rise as the night came to an end, and I barely made any progress towards finding a [Lux Golmi]. I would’ve just focused on flying, ignoring the monsters that attacked me, but those that did were often very persistent. So, I ended up engaging anyway.

I had under a week now to acquire the Enigmatic Heart. I really wasn’t sure how I was going to find it. I thought I’d start seeing these ‘rock formations’ that was supposedly where Golems gathered, but even as I flew deeper into the Rainforest of Monsters, the landscape didn’t change.

Well, actually, it did change. The deeper I went, the forest grew denser. The trees stood even taller, forming a single solid canopy that cast an infinite shadow of night over the earth. The vegetation grew thicker as green, purple, and yellow plants blotted out the soil, smearing their vibrancy across my vision. Perhaps that was why, even as I flew high overhead, I managed to spot the single dull-colored object moving right at the fringes of the treetops.

There was a glint. A small creature pulled an arrow back. I narrowed my eyes.

“That’s… a Goblin?”

It was about to loose the arrow, and I conjured my own flaming projectile. Then a figure grabbed it from beneath the treetop, pulling it down into the sea of leaves with a yank. I blinked.

“Huh. What just happened?”

I probably should have continued on, but I was now confused and curious about what happened to the Goblin. It wasn’t like I’d be running into a Golem anytime soon, anyway, so I dove down and splashed through the leaves to see what was going on. A small orb sparked into existence right over my shoulder, lighting the darkness, and showing me what was beneath the canopy.

A Goblin was being dragged down the trunk of the tall tree by a taller figure. Except, instead of eating the Goblin or trying to kill it, the other creature seemed almost… placating? Both the Goblin and the other creature paused as they saw me. I cocked my head.

“Um—”

The Goblin let out a garbled scream. He raised its bow, and I prepared myself once again, but the taller creature once again stopped it. She made a loud barking-like sound and slapped the arm of the Goblin. The Goblin stopped as the other creature turned to face me. I stared at her. She had green skin and red eyes, with a pair of tusks poking out of the side of her face. She stood taller than me, although not nearly as tall as a Cyclopes. Barely taller than Daniel’s height.

[Banetusk Orc - Lvl. 75]

“Hello?”

I descended slowly, landing right next to the Orc and the Goblin right at the base of the tree. The Orc stepped forward, pushing the Goblin behind her, a hand raised with a wooden club. She growled as I glanced between them, perplexed.

“Can you, um, speak?”

She barked once more, standing protectively over the Goblin. I glared.

“I’m asking you a question. There’s no need for you to be so aggressive.”

I raised a claw, and the Orc paused. She clearly hesitated. But the Goblin snarled. He looked like he was about to lash out, when the Orc grabbed him and yanked him back. I frowned, watching the Orc slowly lower her weapon, whimpering as she raised a hand.

“Huh. So, you can’t speak then. But you can understand me? Or— only sort of understand me.”

I couldn’t understand them either. The Goblin seemed to squeak and grunt, trying to tell something to the Orc. Or maybe... it wasn’t an actual language that was being spoken? It was just noises they made with their mouths that conveyed a particular feeling. No real meaning behind it.

“That’s… interesting. I mean, I’ve met some Goblins before, and while I tried to talk to them, they were—”

I watched the Goblin thrash in the Orc’s hands, swinging his hands in the air like a rabid beast, uncaring of our literal 50 level difference.

“They were just like you, yep.”

I nodded, and the Orc made another whimpering sound. She backed away slowly. She clearly didn’t want to be near me, instead wanting to leave and return to… somewhere with the Goblin. But I was curious now. The Orc was clearly intelligent. [Identification] read it like it was a monster with a Subspecies, but the way it acted was not like any other monster I’d met before.

“Are you even a monster?”

The Orc, obviously, couldn’t give me a proper reply. Even with [Universal Language Comprehension] helping me understand her a little bit and vice versa, we still couldn’t properly communicate. Because, well, she couldn’t properly communicate, could she? Not in an advanced way like I could.

“Look, I know I’m making you uncomfortable, but could you maybe help me out here? I’m lost, you see, and I’d like to find my way to some, um, Golems? Do you know of any Golems around here?”

I let my flames dissipate. It only made me seem more dangerous, and there was luminescent moss growing over the forest floor. It wasn’t that bright, but it at least enabled me to see. The Orc stepped back. She didn’t shake her head or nod— those were Human actions. Instead, she let out a soft bark, and spun around.

I watched her drag the Goblin off, leaving me behind. I furrowed my brows.

“Is that a yes or a no?”

I followed the Orc anyway.

—--

I trudged through the muddy ground, heading after the Orc woman as I heard the rainfall patter on the treetops above. The water fell into the earth from various funnels in the canopy, pouring down like a deluge on spots throughout the rainforest, rather than as raindrops all throughout. These streams crashed down like small waterfalls, filling up mini-mud-lakes around us. They varied in size too, with some as small as a puddle on the ground, formed by a trickling of water seeping in from above, while others were a hundred feet wide, deep and only growing wider.

The Orc woman led me to one such mud-lake as a heavy deluge was concentrated into it from above. I could hear the roaring of the water, along with the barking and grunting of dozens of other Orcs and Goblins. I glanced up at the tall trees, seeing huts and houses built into them, and surrounding the large mud-lake. It was… a commune of monsters.

“Huh. Do you guys live here?”

There were crops being grown at the very edges of the mud-lake, with Orcs and Goblins alike tending to their wet soil so it wouldn’t sink into the murky water. Three hulking figures— each of them about the size of Lucerna, taller than a two storey house— entered the mud-lake. Their rock-like black skin was covered in grime as they reached into the mud-lake, pulling out what looked like dead animals that were caught up by the storm above.

[Hardened Troll - Lvl. 81]

They glanced over at me, their movements very glacial, and raised a brow. Their purple eyes bore into me, distrusting, but they didn’t speak. Rather, they couldn’t speak because of the lack of a mouth. But a single bark came from the Orc woman that was leading me, and they returned back to dragging animals out of the water.

“Thanks.”

I smiled at the Orc woman, but she simply marched on to a nearby tree. She let go of the Goblin she was holding, pushing it away, and he scampered off. Then she climbed the tree as I followed her up.

“You’re leading me to a house?”

It was made out of wood and mud and leaves, supported by four different trees, big and small alike. It was bigger than the other huts around, hanging off tree branches and filled with Goblins and Orcs.

“Are there Golems in here? Because you promised to lead me to Golems! Well… I think, at least.”

I shrugged as the Orc woman stepped into the hut, pushing aside a door made out of a giant leaf. There was a soft whistling sound as the shoots hanging above the doorway rattled. I entered after her, taking in the interior of the hut. Unlike Human houses or even Kobold houses, there was no furniture here. There were smaller Goblins— children— huddled together around leaves in various corners of the room. They perked up when they saw me. One of them even tried charging my way, but the Orc woman huffed loudly, and they all backed up.

“What’s wrong with you Goblins? Are you guys wild or something?”

Clearly, they weren’t. After all, they listened to the Orc… sometimes. But wild Demons didn’t even listen to each other: they couldn’t think. They acted only on instinct, while these monsters didn’t just act on instinct. They had a keener intelligence than many animals, even.

The Orc woman brought me to another section of the hut. It starkly stood out to the other room for a simple reason— because it had a boiling pot located at the center of it. And there were tables filled with plants and small animals, kept in bundles or in wooden baskets. A small creature, about half my height, dashed about, moving his mouth.

“Oh, Crkrs, I heard you come in. Sorry, i was just—”

He spun around and paused. We both stared at each other for a moment. He looked like a Goblin— he was no larger than the Goblin that nearly shot an arrow at me. But here he was, speaking casually like it was a normal thing to do. Not making the same garbled noises as the Goblins in the other room.

“Hi…?

[Gremlin - Lvl. 115]

The Gremlin dropped a bundle of flowers. His mouth hung open as he pointed at me.

“D-Demon?”

I nodded and pointed back at him.

“You can speak?”

He froze. I waved a hand in front of his face.

“Um, hello? Wait, are you seriously scared of me because I’m a Demon? Come on! That’s stupid! You’re not even a Human or a Kobold!”

The Gremlin backed away as I scowled. I threw my hands up in the air out of frustration— it was another stupid creature that hated me just because I was a Demon!

Then a smile crept up his lips. He burst out laughing, grabbing at his belly, and doubling over on the ground.

“Of course not. I fooled you, didn’t I? No, I’m not like a Human. I don’t care that you’re a Demon— ha! I should be more scared of your levels than anything. Aren’t they so silly, focusing only on your Species?”

He packed himself off the ground as I blinked.

“That was a joke?”

“It is, it is. Frankly, I’m not even sure how I even got to know the word, but [Advanced Language Comprehension] works in mysterious ways.”

Smirking, he sauntered up to me and patted me on the shoulder. I backed up, confused, glancing between him and the Orc woman. The Orc woman still spoke nothing, instead just looming over in the corner silently.

“[Advanced Language Comprehension].... Is that why you can…? Sorry, what? Wait, who are you anyway?”

The Gremlin tilted his head back and tapped a finger on his chin.

“Right, I haven’t introduced myself, have I? How was it that Humans did it, again?”

He swooped low into a bow, even bringing one of his legs back like a noble would. I stared at him, eyes wide.

“I’m Mngrph, the [Shaman] of this little village you’ve stumbled upon. And one of the few Goblins stupid enough to evolve into a [Gremlin] rather than a [Hobgoblin]. How may I help you today?”

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210. Commune

210. Commune

“I’m Mngrph, the [Shaman] of this little village you’ve stumbled upon. And one of the few Goblins stupid enough to evolve into a [Gremlin] rather than a [Hobgoblin]. How may I help you today?”

I stared at Mngrph. He drew back, still smiling. I blinked.

“Wait, but how are you…?”

I glanced between the Gremlin and the Orc woman. She breathed out, almost grunting. I pointed an accusing finger at her.

“Can you talk too?”

She said nothing. Mngrph laughed.

“Unfortunately, Crkrs isn’t capable of speech. At least, not in the same way I am. Orcs don’t get that evolution choice, not that it really matters. They can communicate without words just fine.”

“But can’t Goblins communicate without words too?”

I cocked my head. Every other Goblin I’d seen interacted with each other without even uttering a single word, and they did so quite effectively. Why was Mngrph any different?

“It is simply a difference between Species. It is the same with Demons, yes? To choose a new Subspecies at each evolution. So, at Level 100, I became a [Gremlin] and gained the [Racial Skill: Advanced Language Comprehension].”

“Huh. I didn’t know other Species had a Skill like that too.”

“It’s nothing as complex and intricate as your very own [Universal Language Comprehension]. But that’s enough about me. Tell me about you: who are you and why are you here in our humble commune?”

Mngrph smiled, and it wasn’t really a kind smile. He looked just like any other Goblin. Short, gray skin, and beady eyes. But for whatever reason, his face was more… Human than not. And I meant that he really looked kind of like a Human— not like a Kobold or an Elf of a Cyclops. The way his lips curled up while his brows remained the same, that was really Human-like.

It was quite obviously a threat and not a threat at the same time. I didn’t want to fight him. I found this commune of monsters quite interesting. So, I just said what I came here for.

“I’m Salvos, and I need your help. I’m searching for a [Lux Golmi]— a specific type of Golem. Or any Golems, really.”

His eyes flickered. There was a subtle flash. Not anything physical, but magical. Did he cast a spell? I frowned, and he nodded.

“I see. I have to say that what you’re looking for is not something too elusive. I know of a Dungeon or two that may hold what you need. However, why should I help you?”

“Because, um… actually, that’s a good question. Why should you help me?”

I tapped my finger on my chin. Mngrph started past me, grabbing a bowl of violet liquid.

“Well, if you have no reason to give me for me to help you, then I shall be on my way.”

I watched him go. Even Crkrs seemed confused. She blinked, and I turned to her.

“Um, what? But didn’t you show me to him to get him to help me?”

The Orc woman made a whimpering sound. She clearly wasn’t aware why the Gremlin turned me down either. I ran past her, heading out of the room. Mngrph stood over a pair of Goblin children, applying the violet liquid on their heads as they quivered and shook under a large leaf.

“Hey, I really need your help. This is for something important!”

“What’s important to you may not be what’s important to me. For me, what’s important is making sure these kids recover soon.”

“What’s wrong with them?”

I narrowed my eyes, and the violet liquid almost seemed to seep into their skin. It was an odd concoction— it didn’t look like anything that would be made from alchemy. It was far too… crude to be proper alchemy.

“It’s nothing too bad. They simply strayed too close to a Cursed Thicket. The effects should wear off with time for the higher-leveled, but for those at such low levels, additional care is needed to keep them from dying.”

The Goblin children tensed and their gray skin grew discolored. They grunted, turning beneath their large leaves in discomfort. I snapped my fingers.

“I know! I can help you gather what you need to help them recover! If I do that, will you help me in return?”

Mngrph drew away from the Goblin children, facing me with a grin.

“That would be a fair trade… if I needed your assistance. As it is right now, I have all the ingredients necessary to continue making this tincture for the next decade.”

“Huh.”

My shoulders sagged as he left the Goblin children alone, even as they made garbled noises. That didn’t work. That always worked when Humans were involved. For whatever reason, they were always in need of help, so they’d offer to help me if I helped them. But things worked differently here in the Rainforest of Monsters.

Mngrph walked off, and I scowled. He really wanted me to convince him somehow to help me. I tapped a finger on my chin, trying to come up with any reason. Then I remembered something I was told before.

“I know— I’ll be your friend if you help me!”

I ran up beside the Gremlin, waving my hands. He gave me a flat stare.

“No.”

“What? Aw.”

Shaking his head, he lowered the bowl of violet liquid onto a makeshift table. He snapped his fingers and the flames in his boiling cauldron went out. The suddenness of it startled Crkrs who was standing in the corner of the room.

“First of all— friends? How very Human of you. I didn’t expect a Demon such as yourself to be interested in making friends.”

“Hey! I’m not just a Demon. I’m Salvos, I told you!”

“That is true. And you lack a summoning collar too. How peculiar.”

He nodded, hefting his cauldron over away from the fireplace.

“Yep, and that’s because… wait.”

I paused. My eyes narrowed.

“How do you know so much about Demons? Didn’t you grow up here in the Rainforest of Monsters or something?”

“First of all, rude.”

Mngrph feigned being upset. I rolled my eyes, and he continued.

“Second of all, not all of us here grew up and lived in this same commune all our lives. Most of us here, like Crkrs there, grew up in different communes. We simply moved into this commune at some point after losing our previous homes. As for me, I grew up in the so-called ‘Human lands’.”

“You did?”

I cocked my head. He nodded.

“Yes. I was… a slave.”

“A slave?”

“Or rather, not even a slave to them. I was a dog in their dog fights. Pitted against other supposed ‘monsters’ far larger and stronger than me in underground gambling matches at Odra. Fighting for the entertainment of Humans.”

The Gremlin placed his cauldron down at the corner of the room, stirring it, casting a spell to let the heat simmer down. I peered over his shoulder, and he waved a spoon in the air. I saw a marking on his forearm— a symbol of a sword in a desert dune. A slave’s mark.

“I managed to break free and kill all my captors before coming here. That’s how I became a [Gremlin]. They thought just because I was a tiny Goblin, I was harmless. That I survived on luck, not wit. When they woke up with their necks being slit, they learned otherwise.”

He scoffed as I stared at him.

“Woah. Good job. I’m glad you escaped though!”

“Thank you.”

He dipped the spoon in the bubbling liquid and paused. He faced me with a wry smile.

“I’m still not going to help you.”

“Aw, come on!”

He drank from his cauldron. Was it soup? It smelled like some foul food that I’d hate, and I wasn’t particularly interested in consuming it. But to my surprise, he didn’t begin divvying it out and giving it to the children Goblins gathered outside. He started eating it all on his own.

“Um, what are you doing?”

“I’m eating.”

“Aren’t you going to share it with… anyone? Your, um, village?”

“Nope.”

He slurped up a spoonful of soup, taking a deep breath after.

“This is all for me. I made it myself, after all. I’m the only [Shaman] here. I’m the only one who can cook. Everyone else will have to make do with their grubs. Why should I give them what I made for myself?”

The Gremlin spat and snorted. I opened my mouth, but cut myself off. I took a moment to massage my temples, trying to understand his logic.

“Wait, so why are you even helping those children?”

“Because they need my help.”

He spoke simply. I blinked.

“But you said that you won’t…”

“I won’t share my food with them because they don’t need it. They have their scraps to live off of. But if I left those children afflicted with their curses alone, they’d die.”

“Huh.”

I stared at him, my confusion was evident on my face. I raised a clawed hand.

“So you should help me! I need your help!”

“No you don’t. You can find your [Lux Golmi] yourself. You don’t need my help. My help will only be of some help to you.”

“But—”

“Nope.”

He spun away from me, greedily scarfing down his soup.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m a little busy eating. If you can give me a good reason to help you, come again later.”

Mngrph spoke with finality in his voice, and I scowled. I drew away from him, huffing.

“Fine!”

I stomped out of the room, pausing right by Crkrs. I glared accusingly at the Orc woman.

“Didn’t you bring me here because he could help me?”

She just backed up, looking at the ground. I groaned.

“Ugh, I can’t even be mad at you.”

Crkrs seemed nice. But Mngrph on the other hand? He was a jerk!

—--

I left the hut and hopped down from the tree, landing right on top of some spindly roots protruding from the muddied group. I grumbled to myself as I marched on, arms crossed. The monster commune wasn’t exactly crowded— there were a few dozen Orcs and Goblins out and about, working on their crops, and the Trolls were wading through the mud-lake as the rain above died down. And so, my presence drew a lot of eyes.

A few of the Orcs growled as I passed by them, although when I looked their way, they immediately quietened. A few of the Goblins, on the other hand, just charged at me. They screamed incoherent sounds, only to be ushered pulled back by some of the other Goblins or Orcs. One of them, a young Goblin, slipped away and nearly reached me. I narrowed my eyes, but a large gray armor swooped out of the air.

A Troll grabbed the Goblin before she could attack me, holding her up by the arm as she frantically thrashed in the air. I looked up at the Troll, arms crossed, as he settled the Goblin down and pushed her away.

“What do you want?”

[Mountain Troll - Lvl. 95]

He didn’t speak. He didn’t have any words, just like most of the Goblins and the Orcs. But unlike them, he didn’t even have a tongue to make a sound. The Trolls— all of the ones in this commune— lacked a mouth.

The [Mountain Troll] looked at me inquisitively, and I sighed.

“I’m leaving, I’m leaving, alright? That stupid Mngrph won’t help me— not unless I could give him something. What kind of logic is that?”

I walked away from the [Mountain Troll], still glowering. Then I stopped when I heard the splash. He pulled himself out of the water, his body covered in brown liquid, and looming over me at over five times my height. But he wasn’t being intimidating. He just stood right behind me.

“What?”

He cocked his head. I rolled my eyes.

“Mngrph’s logic doesn’t make sense. He’s like…”

I paused as I thought about it. It was just weird! And yet, it wasn’t exactly illogical either. It wasn’t like I didn’t quite get what he was saying, it was just very… different. Different compared to the logic of Humans or Kobolds.

I glanced around the commune, seeing Orcs sit atop tree branches, cleaning the backs of one another, mostly in small groups. Meanwhile, Goblins formed large clumps together. They were also very aggressive, even to each other. And yet, they weren’t doing much. They were just… idly living their days.

Despite their high levels.

I frowned, then I looked over at the [Mountain Troll]. He kneeled over, still silent, still not speaking.

“Look, I know you all have to look out for each other or you’ll die. That’s why you’re all high-leveled, right? In a place as dangerous as this, you can’t afford to be low-leveled. But he could just give me a little bit of help. Why did he have to be so stingy? When people ask for my help, I—”

The longer I thought about it, I realized what Mngrph said was honestly not that bad. It did make sense. It almost reminded me of… myself.

I turned to the [Mountain Troll] with a glare.

“He’s nothing like me, ok? He’s mean and selfish! At least I have friends and companions! No, you’re not his companion. You’re just his… colleague? Fellow students? Something like that! He doesn’t like you guys!”

The [Mountain Troll] took a step back, suddenly wary. The other Trolls behind him, still in the water, paused. They dropped everything they had gathered onto their arms back into the water, facing me with apprehension. I shrunk back apologetically.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t actually mean to get mad at you. You’re just curious about me, right? Of course you are. Everything in this rainforest is so aggressive! They’re always attacking me wherever I fly! And me? I’m nice. Unlike that dumb Gremlin.”

He pointed at my back, and I blinked.

“Do you want to see my wings?”

He immediately grew nervous. I wrinkled my brows.

“Oh, so you don’t want me to use my wings? But why? Is it because it’s dangerous?”

The [Mountain Troll] grew tense for a moment. I nodded, still slightly perplexed.

“Huh. I wonder why that is? Although, I did find myself getting into a lot more fights when flying than I was walking.”

I placed a hand on my chin, in thought. Then I looked up as the [Mountain Troll] straightened, moving almost without a sound, which was quite odd for a giant such as him. He stopped, facing me again.

“It’s because I attract too much attention from flying?”

His gaze simply bore into me. I found myself sighing.

“Well, that’d be even more difficult for me to find some Golems then!”

The [Mountain Troll]’s gaze turned up. He was looking at a hut— the one I had just exited.

“Mngrph? You want me to turn to him for help? I just tried! He’s mean! He won’t help me!”

I grumbled, and the [Mountain Troll] stared down at me. I blinked, pointing at myself. He just continued looking at me. I pursed my lips.

“I should still try to convince him, shouldn’t I? After all, searching the Rainforest of Monsters for a single type of monster is… it’s going to be nearly impossible, isn’t it?”

The [Mountain Troll] didn’t break away.

“I knew that even before I came here! That’s why I kept asking around! But Humans are mean too!”

He looked back towards the same hut as before.

“Mngrph isn’t mean? He seems kind of mean to me. But—”

I drew my lips into a thin line.

“Maybe some people think I’m mean too. And Mngrph is nice to you guys. So, I just have to give him a proper reason. Offer him some kind of a trade. That sounds… troublesome.”

A garbled cry drew my attention. A Goblin charged at me, but the [Mountain Troll] moved to stop it. He looked slightly annoyed at the Goblin, and yet he acted. When he returned, he met my gaze.

“Y-yes it’s necessary! It’s going to be annoying. But…”

He stared at me, and I closed my eyes.

“It’s necessary. I’ll do it, alright? Now stop giving me that look!”

I pointed accusingly at the [Mountain Troll]. He finally looked away. Then I smiled.

“Thank you, though. For your help.”

The [Mountain Troll] straightened once more, looking slightly pleased with himself. I called out to him before he could returned to the mud-lake.

“What’s your name, by the way? I’m Salvos!”

He stared at me again. I paused.

“Oh, right.”

…

“That was a joke.”

He didn’t believe me.

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211. Monster Mindset

211. Monster Mindset

“Hey.”

I called out to the pair of wolves before me. They spun around, growling dangerously as I approached them. I held my hands out placatingly.

“Do either of you know where I can find any Golems?”

They ignored the question, snarling and leaping at me. With a sigh, I dodged to the side, and created a Nebular bow.

“You guys are rude!”

I flipped over them as they leapt at me again. Wings spread open from my back, and I shot out into the air, nocking a Nebular Blazing Bolt. They looked up to face me as I bared my teeth.

“I’ll just have to find them some other way then.”

The Nebular Blazing Bolt exploded, blowing the monsters apart with ease. They hadn’t been that high-leveled. Barely at Level 90, yet somehow bold enough to attack me. I gained some experience— not enough to level up, of course. Not even close.

Then I took off, flying back above the tall trees to the clouded sky, and the sun began to rise.

—--

The Rainforest of Monsters lived up to its name with how frequently it seemed to, well, rain in the forest. After the first storm passed, I thought there’d be a moment of peace and tranquility, with a damp moisture filling the air as insects and birds returned to fill the background with their incessant chirping and buzzing. While this was the case for a very brief moment, it didn’t last.

The mud-lake at the center of the commune gleamed brown with the crack of light shining down onto its surface. The water shimmered, still flowing, although less deep than when it was raining before. It seeped partially into the ground and dirt, melding together to create the soft floor which I trudged through, my feet sinking with each step.

A gaggle of Goblin children ran by me, making garbled noises as they poked each other with small sticks. I turned my head and watched them with keen interest. My attention seemed to loom over them, scaring them off. They ran, pointing at me, making sounds that were like screams. I tilted my head to the side as a Goblin adult grew angry at me, trying to attack me with a rock.

An Orc woman stopped him. She dragged him away, shoving him back, and turning to me. Crkrs approached me as I waved at her.

“Hello!”

She sat down on the ground, a fist pressed onto the soft soil. With a huff, she peered at me. I blinked.

“I’ve only been here for a day. I mean, sure, it’s rained three times since I got here. But it’s only been a day, alright?”

Crkrs let out a harsh bark, and I glanced over to the side. The three Trolls of the commune sat in a circle, filling a small clearing of trees with their hulking sizes. They were all large, with some even bigger than the others. The [Mountain Troll] was the biggest of them all, sitting silently like he was some sort of small hill.

Dozens of Goblin children climbed his huge figure, playing with each other, being caught by the [Mountain Troll] if they fell. I smiled.

“Yep. He’s the one who told me to stay. I’ve just got to convince Mngrph to help me out somehow. And it’s not like I’m remaining idle, either. I’ve been going around the forest, searching the area. Still no signs of any Golems, though!”

I sighed, even as I spoke cheerfully. Sinking to my knees, I glanced up at the small opening among the canopy of trees above. It let in a dim light that kept the commune of monsters lit, although that meant that none of the glowy moss or fungi grew around here.

“I’m going to speak with that Gremlin again. I’ve brought back cool flowers, see?”

I held up a purple plant. It barely looked like a flower, but my [Identification] told me that it was a flower. The Orc woman gave me a dubious look, but I shrugged.

“I’ve got to try something, at least.”

I headed up to where Mngrph was, climbing the tree to his hut. I entered it, once again stalking past all the sick Goblin children. This commune really had a lot of Goblin children. There were Orc children too, but they numbered in a substantially fewer amount. I knocked on the doorway to his room before entering, pushing the big leaf that acted as a door.

“Mngrph? Hello. I brought you a gift!”

I expected to see the Gremlin working on some wicked concoction, stirring away at his pot, but he wasn’t there. I heard a loud and drawn out snort coming from the side. I spun around, claws raised, only to see him snoring in the corner of the room.

“Um…? Mngrph?”

He jerked up, blinking. Rubbing at his eyes, he spoke lazily.

“Huh? What? Yes, I’m awake. Is someone dying?”

“Probably somewhere out there, yes? But I don’t think anyone is dying around here.”

“Aw. Then let me go back to sleep.”

I gave him a flat stare.

“Ugh, that’s weird.”

“What’s weird? That I have to sleep? Come on, if you had to spend every day knowing that you could randomly die of old age, you’d want to ignore it by sleeping too.”

I walked up to him, offering him the flower in my hand.

“Here. I have a gift for you.”

“What’s this?”

He narrowed his eyes, staring at it.

“An amethyst gembloom?”

“Yep! It looked rare, and I’m sure it’s something a [Shaman] like you would want, right?”

I beamed, waiting for him to excitedly take it. He wrinkled his nose and pushed it away.

“Gross. Why would I want that? It’s wholly inedible.”

“Can’t you use it to make a potion or something?”

I stared at him, the confusion evident on my face. Mngrph shook his head.

“Make a potion? What am I, an [Alchemist]? I’m a [Shaman]. That’s my Class.”

“Huh.”

The intricacies that made the two Classes different was lost on me. I was also perplexed by how he had a Class and a Subspecies.

“Don’t monsters only have Subspecies? Why do you have a Class anyway?”

“Again, rude. And not all monsters are the same Species, Salvos. We’re not just a Species called monster. No, some of us— like us Goblins and Orcs and Trolls— get a Class when we hit Level 100. Just like you Demons.”

I shrugged, uncaring. I was more focused on the fact that my bribe didn’t work.

“Is there anything you’d want then? Food? I can get food for you.”

“Are you still trying to get me to help you? I told you, Salvos, you’ll have to give me a reason to help you. Now shoo, I want to go back to sleep.”

“Ugh, fine.”

Scowling, I spun around and left the Gremlin alone.

—--

I sat on the shoulder of the [Mountain Troll], throwing my hands in the air as I complained.

“I don’t get him! He’s being weird. I’m trying to be nice, but he just doesn’t care. He’s mean.”

The [Mountain Troll] didn’t say anything. He simply sat there, listening, and eating. While he didn’t have a mouth to speak with, he could still eat through his face. The lower half of his jaw could unhinge, and he’d crush his food into muck before shoveling it into a hole. Then he’d force it shut once more. It was like his skin and body was made out of rocks.

He turned his gaze towards a group of Goblin children, playing as they ran around him. I raised a brow and watched. The Goblin children poked each other with pointed sticks, drawing blood, screaming and hurting each other more than they played. Yet, no one stopped them. Even when one of the Goblins was beaten and ganged up on by the others.

“Why isn’t anyone stopping them?”

I glanced up, looking at the Orcs sitting on trees, bored and ignoring what was happening. Adult Goblins milled around, sometimes even attacking each other over minor nonverbal disagreements. They snarled and even threatened each other with weapons. It was only when it looked like it could be deadly, did others intervene.

“Huh.”

It was just such a stark juxtaposition to Human society. Or even, Elf or Kobold society. They did things with law and order. You couldn’t just randomly assault a regular person walking down the street. But here, there were no laws. There was no order. There weren’t even streets to walk down.

I thought of a place. A familiar place, almost nostalgic in my mind. The skies were dyed with the color of Human blood, and the earth was a pure, untainted white to traverse. Yet, corpses and bodies littered every direction I went. They lay there, no different from rocks, just another sight to see on any other day.

That was what the Rainforest of Monsters reminded me of: the Netherworld. Where there was only one purpose. To live. Nothing more.

The monsters— no, the Orcs and Goblins and Trolls simply just lived with each other. They survived together, against the harsh environment of the Rainforest of Monsters. And it really was dangerous.

I heard a barking followed by some growling. At first, I thought it’d been the Orcs getting into a fight. But no, these were more aggressive. Louder. More bestial in nature.

Everyone in the commune immediately grew alert as a pack of wolves burst through a thicket of trees. These monsters looked familiar. I immediately recognized them as the same kind of monsters that I fought just earlier. They must’ve tracked me down, somehow.

[Shadow Horned Wolf - Lvl. 107]

[Shadow Horned Wolf - Lvl. 83]

...

[Shadow Horned Wolf - Lvl. 95]

“Um… it’s not my fault?”

I scratched the back of my head. And the highest-leveled [Shadow Horned Wolf] howled. They were hopelessly outnumbered, yet they charged. Goblin children tried to flee, only to be mauled down before they could get away in time. The Trolls shot to their feet, and the Orcs and Goblins leapt down from the tall trees, unleashing a barrage of powerful attacks at the wolves.

But these wolves were high-leveled too. They vanished, seeping into the shadows, moving along the darkness that shrouded over the entire forest. Then they leapt out, already biting at unsuspecting Orcs. They didn’t just move in the shadows. The shadows moved on their own too.

They shot out, like spiked tendrils looking to impale the Orcs and Goblins, killing more than a few lower-leveled ones before they could react. Crkrs leapt down from a tree, raising her club and smashing it into the ground. The earth exploded up into dust and debris, forcing a few [Shadow Horned Wolves] out of the darkness.

She thwacked those closest to her, breaking their bones, smashing them away as she snarled. The Orc woman led the charge back against the invading monsters. The [Mountain Troll] followed behind her, lumbering and slow in his movements, but somehow able to take on three Level 90 [Shadow Horned Wolves] at once.

Whether it was just because he was special or because Trolls were special, wasn’t something I knew. But he and the other Trolls were like a force of nature on the battlefield. I didn’t even see them use any Skills. They just ripped apart the [Shadow Horned Wolves] with ease, wading forward in spite of being bitten and stabbed by the shadows.

The Orcs and Goblins weren’t as invulnerable. Many of them— even the ones at higher levels— fell in battle to the [Shadow Horned Wolves]. I leapt down with a Nebular scythe, slicing one of the wolves in half before they could reach a Goblin child. I smiled, nodding at her.

“Run.”

She just made a weird sound, ignoring me completely. I paused.

“Come on, not even a thank you?”

I twirled around, catching another wolf with the tip of my scythe before it could pounce on me. In the background, I saw trees falling from the fighting. These gargantuan trees that rose to over hundreds of feet fell, splintering from strikes by the Orcs and Trolls and Goblins and Wolves. I expected the commune to fall apart too, but the ground beneath the area with the huts shone.

Mngrph floated out of his home, raising a wooden staff as a barrier formed around the commune, and everything stood strong. His voice bellowed.

“You dogs dare come to my territory? Begone or perish!”

Lightning zipped down from above, curving around through the hole at the treetops. These strikes didn’t just electrocute the [Shadow Horned Wolves]. They blasted apart the landscape. Everything outside of the commune burned or exploded.

I blinked. There was some kind of magic here that protected the commune. I watched as the Gremlin unleashed his [Shaman] magic on the wolves.

“I was resting peacefully and you damn puppies decided to interrupt my sleep? Die!”

Vines shot down from the branches and the earth, wrapping around the [Shadow Horned Wolves] before they could flee into the shadows. The vines slowly tangled and ripped apart the lower-leveled monsters, too tough to break free from for most of them. All except for one.

The leader of the pack— the highest-leveled wolf— vanished, disappearing not into the shadows, but creating a ball of darkness around itself. Mngrph narrowed his eyes, only to spin around as the wolf appeared at his back. It was accompanied by a dozen other shadow-like wolves, clones of its body that assailed the Gremlin from all sides.

Mngrph grunted as he swung his staff, lashing out with clawed hands, keeping the wolf back. He managed to kill each shadow clone one by one, but not without being bit on the shoulder by the real wolf. He screamed a Skill.

“[Thorn Explosion]!”

And everything around him burst into brambles. The wolf yelped as it was knocked away, covered in blood from the attack as its shadow clones were destroyed. It whimpered as it drew away from him, limping and hurt. The Gremlin glared.

“I’m not going to show you any mercy, you intolerable, little mutt.”

It growled, and pounced at him once more. But he flicked his staff. The earth shot out— a giant spike from the ground. And it fell, dead.

The fighting died down soon after, with the last of the [Shadow Horned Wolves] fleeing now that their leader was dead. I kicked one back, hefting my Nebular Scythe over my shoulder as I walked over the corpses and bodies of all kinds of monsters. I took in the aftermath. The [Mountain Troll] and Crkrs were still alive, which was a relief. But a lot of Goblin children lay dead. It was sad. I expected there to be a mourning, but… no one really cared.

Everyone tended to themselves. They licked their wounds or returned to what they were doing before the wolves came. I looked through my experience, seeing what I got for killing a few of these monsters.

Defeated [Shadow Horned Wolf - Lvl. 94]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

…

Defeated [Shadow Horned Wolf - Lvl. 87]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

It wasn’t much, but it would help with my next levels. For now, I stopped staring at the aftermath. I stopped gaping at the differences between how this commune worked and how Human society worked. I knew what had to be done. No one blamed me for bringing the [Shadow Horned Wolves] here. They probably didn’t even know I was responsible for it.

This was just another day to them. Getting attacked by other monster groups wasn’t uncommon. Not in a place literally called the Rainforest of Monsters. And I finally understood what needed to be done.

I stalked past a group of Goblin children. They were already back to playing and fighting with each other now that the wolves were gone. One of them looked like she was about to attack me, but a single glare sent her running back. I trudged up to Mngrph.

“Mngrph.”

I spoke his name simply. He winces as he applied some ointment onto his injured shoulder.

“What is it this time—”

He paused right as I brought the scythe to his face. A few heads turned. The [Mountain Troll] stood up, and Crkrs shrunk back. I bared my teeth at him.

“You’ll tell me everything you know about the area around this commune, and where I’ll most likely be able to find a [Lux Golmi].”

The Gremlin stared at me, his lips pressed thinly together.

“And what will you do if I don’t?”

“Is that really a question?”

I tilted my head to the side, raising my Nebular Scythe.

“So, you’re threatening me.”

“I’m offering you a chance to save yourself from me.”

“Exactly what I said: threatening me.”

“You only have [Advanced Language Comprehension], don’t you? I’m the one with [Universal Language Comprehension]. I’m giving you something you want. You want to live, yes? Give me what I want, and I’ll leave you alone.”

Mngrph crossed his arms.

“I’m higher-leveled than you, Demon. And the moment you attack me, every Orc, Goblin, and Troll here will come for you. You will die.”

I glanced over to the side. Certainly, there was a soft growling coming from more than a single Orc within the vicinity. Flames wreathed around my body as I smirked.

“Maybe. But are you willing to test that theory out?”

That was the thing about these monsters. It was similar to the Netherworld. You lived to survive, even if you had to hurt or kill others. I wasn’t a wild Demon. I would never attack someone without a reason. But I had a reason now.

Mngrph knew something I wanted. He’d withhold it for whatever reason he could give, just because he couldn’t be bothered and didn’t want to help me. He was like me, really. Except, even I had a reason to help others sometimes. I didn’t live purely by necessity— maybe it was because I spent too much time in society, but I learned what it was like to make friends. To help others without always having a reason to do so. I wouldn’t act to my detriment, of course. However, I was more kind and willing to assist those in need than him.

The Gremlin didn’t make friends, living entirely for himself and only himself. The reason why he was even in a commune was for his own sake. He was selfish, entirely so, and I was going to press him for it. If I was going to deal with Humans like a Human, then I’d deal with monsters like a monster. My gaze bore into him as he stared defiantly back at me.

“Well?”

He closed his eyes. He slowly touched his shoulder, feeling the open wound. Then he sighed.

“Very well, you win. I’ll tell you what you want.”

I let my flames dissipate as the tension around the commune vanished.

“Good choice.”

A note from MelasD

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212. Stonefort Labyrinth Dungeon

212. Stonefort Labyrinth Dungeon

“The Stonefort Labyrinth Dungeon is located about a hundred and fifty miles to the west of our commune. I’m not sure whether it has any [Lux Golmi]’s within it— not that I want to run into those annoying monsters with their mind magic— but I know that there are multiple Subspecies of Golems located within.”

“Huh.”

I cocked my head as Mngrph grunted, leaning against the dark bark of a tree. I frowned.

“I could’ve sworn I went somewhere in that direction…”

“You flew, didn’t you?”

He snorted, and I blinked.

“You can’t possibly see it when flying from above, because it’s covered by the trees. No, it’s not an actual fort. It’s a deep pit on the ground. It used to be a mud-lake, but the water eroded the earth and collapsed into a cavern. Now, well, it’s a Dungeon.”

“I see. That wasn’t so hard, right?”

Nodding, I patted the Gremlin on the shoulder. He winced, his wound still exposed.

“Gah, don’t touch me. What are you doing?”

“Oops, sorry.”

I drew back, scratching the back of my head. He cursed and swore just like a drunken sailor at a tavern— I didn’t know how much that was, but Edithe once told me I should never do that.

“You got what you want, now shoo.”

Mngrph waved a hand off, ushering me to leave the commune. I rolled my eyes— he really was a selfish person. It wasn’t like I didn’t understand him. I totally could empathize with what it felt like, trying to do something on your own, but others kept on bothering you.

But his dismissive attitude was quite odd. At first, I assumed he was like me; the Rainforest of Monsters and the way things worked here truly reminded me of the Netherworld. However, I must have forgotten how, just because two individuals lived in a similar environment, it didn’t make them the same person.

He was nothing like me: he didn’t thrive in being around others, and he absolutely took no pride in their recognition of his actions. I guess Mngrph wasn’t a fan of gratitude. He just wanted to be left alone. Shrugging, I acquiesced to his demands, as a sign of my thanks to him, even if I had threatened to kill him just earlier.

The rest of the monster commune seemed quite wary of me. It was raining again now, and a small deluge was pouring down into the mud-lake from the opening in the treetops above. I could hear the crashing of the temporary waterfall growing louder as I approached the mud-lake.

I spotted the [Mountain Troll] sitting right at the fringes of the basin, his arms wrapped around its knees as he stared blankly at the falling water. I approached him, poking him on the side.

“Hey.”

He turned his head fractionally to face me. I gave him a morose smile.

“I’ll be going now.”

His facial expression didn’t change, but I noticed how his gaze bore deeply into me for a brief moment.

“It was nice meeting you. I’m sorry that I can’t stay longer. But I didn’t come to stay. I have classes and school. It’s… I’m sorry.”

Then he turned away. I pursed my lips, walking around him so I could see his face. I placed a hand on his knees, before frowning. Etched on his skin was the faded gray scars of a slave mark. The very same one Mngrph had. A sword in a desert dune.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Were you a slave too? Did you grow up in the Human lands?”

There was a brief moment where he hesitated. But eventually, he nodded. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“I see.”

The [Mountain Troll] shifted uncomfortably, almost not wanting to meet my gaze. I didn’t force him to look at me.

“Do you have a name?”

He shook his head.

“That’s a shame. Names make everything better, you know? I’d rather not just call you by your Subspecies forever.”

He did not move. I beamed, spreading my arms wide.

“What about this, how about I give you a name?”

Now, the [Mountain Troll] reacted. He glanced over at me, a slightly worried look on his face. I grinned, speaking placatingly.

“It’ll be fine! Names are great. Come on— how about… something like Mngrph or Crkrs… Shtrk?”

He gave me a flat stare. I cocked my head.

“Not good? Alright. How about Hrgnmr? No? Or Pllmmrw? Aw, why don’t you like any of these names?”

It was very obvious that he hated every single one of them. I kicked a pebble into the mud-lake, scowling.

“Oh, come on. Why do you hate all of them? Isn’t this similar to what Mngrph calls you guys?”

The [Mountain Troll] shook his head. I blinked as he gestured up at the Gremlin’s hut before shrugging.

“Wait, you’re saying he makes up random names for you guys?”

He nodded.

“That’s stupid! That’s rude of him. Hm. Alright, I’ll give you a proper name, how about that?”

There was a pause. Once again, he nodded. I smiled.

“What about—”

I heard a lot of odd names ever since I came to the Mortal Realm. Humans and Kobolds and Elves and Cyclopes all came up with their own distinctive names, even if they spoke the same language. But I had scarcely heard a Demon-like name since coming here.

I clapped my hands together, making a decision.

“Mons. How about that?”

The [Mountain Troll] tilted his head back. Then his face relaxed. He didn’t smile, but he seemed to be a little happier as he faced me.

“Really? You like it?”

Mons nodded, and I jumped into the air.

“Yay! I knew you’d like it— it just felt right.”

I hugged his arms before hopping back. I backed away from him, hands behind my back.

“I’ll go now, Mons. But I promise, I’ll visit you, alright?”

Mons stood up, waving at me in small motion. I waved back at him, even as I started off. I passed by Crkrs… or rather, the Orc woman, since that wasn’t her name. I bade her farewell too.

“Thanks for your help!”

My wings spread out— and she barked. I blinked, turning to her with a confused expression. She growled as my wings began to flap. Then I glanced at my wings.

“I shouldn’t use my wings?”

Now that she mentioned it, I encountered her when I was flying. A Goblin tried attacking me, and she pulled him back. I wondered why that was.

The Orc woman continued her growling, so I slowly let my wings recede.

“Alright, alright. But why is that the case?”

She stopped growling. I furrowed my brows. Then I snapped my clawed fingers together.

“Oh. It’s because I attract a lot of attention when flying? Or no—”

I tapped a finger on my chin. She barked once, and my eyes widened.

“I’m disturbing the peace of the forest!”

It was just like the Netherworld. A large battle would draw the attention of other Demons. ANd my flight would draw the attention of monsters. It made them upset, which was why I kept getting attacked.

“That really helps. Thank you—”

I reached out to hug her, but she backed away. She wasn’t so receptive to hugs. Which was fine. I just nodded at her as I ran off. I left the commune of monsters far behind me, making sure to leave a few markings on the trees, even if just a little. So, if I ever wanted to find this place again, I could possibly find it.

It wasn’t easy. Everything here looked the same. But even in the expanse of the Netherworld, where everything was a white expanse, I would end up searching for and finding my companion, Haec. I wasn’t one to give up easily.

I’d return some day.

—--

I knew where I was going. West. It wasn’t that hard to navigate with the sun up in the sky to guide me. And, just as the Gremlin said, the Stonefort Labyrinth Dungeon was a hole in the ground. But what he didn’t say was just how massive of a hole it was.

I stared at the expansive pit, whistling.

“Well, how did I not spot you?”

I glanced up at the single small opening in the treetops. The massive trees of the Rainforest of Monsters rose up to hundreds of feet— some maybe to even a thousand. And their branches were reaching far and wide, with their trunks bending to cover most of the Stonefort Labyrinth Dungeon.

But from beneath the canopy, I could see just how harrowingly large the hole was.

“Now, I wonder what’s down there?”

With a shrug, I spread my wings wide and leapt down into the Dungeon. Flames burst to life, covering my body with their fiery protection.

Now entering [Dungeon: Stonefort Labyrinth].

My fire illuminated the darkness with a bright blue glow. I flew lower and lower, seeing the shadow retreat from my peripheral vision, exposing the overgrowth of vines crawling their way down the vertical sides of the walls. Hidden within the dark green were bug-like monsters, just waiting to pounce.

The first leapt out at me. It had a narrow stick-like body with two scything arms. Its slash missed me as I flew to the side, raising a brow.

“You’re not a Golem.”

[Leafblade Mantis - Lvl. 79]

“And you’re not even that high-leveled.”

It spun around as it seemed to glide its way down, facing me with a snarl. I rolled my eyes as a spark came to life around my shoulder. It burst out, a cone of flames that incinerated the monster.

“Leave me alone if you’re not a Golem please. Thanks.”

Just as I spoke, a dozen different [Leafblade Mantis] appeared from behind the vines. I sighed.

“Seriously? Well, I may as well get some experience from you guys, right?”

They lashed out, and my flames burned them. A few got close, but I didn’t even bother to dodge their attacks. Not at this level. I kept them away using [Mystical Projection], pushing them back slightly, not even for a full shove, but enough to redirect them from hitting me. It gave me enough experience to level a few times by the time I was done killing them all.

Defeated [Leafblade Mantis - Lvl. 84]

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy.

…

Defeated [Leafblade Mantis - Lvl. 95]

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy.

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 44] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 45]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 45] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 46]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

I finally reached the bottom of the pit, and the monsters gave up their chase. I shook an angry fist at them.

“That’s right! You guys suck!”

Scoffing, I took a step forward— crunch. There was something hard beneath my feet. I looked down to see white bones littering the floor as far as I could see. I cocked my head.

“Huh. A lot of people must not know how to land.”

I walked over the corpses, all of them long dead, nothing more than a bunch of skeletons. I looked around, trying to find any of the monsters that could be hidden here.

“Hello? If you’re here, don’t come out. I will kill you if you try to attack me.”

It was a warning. One that I was wholly capable of carrying out. I was still carrying my Nebular Scythe from earlier. I had no reason to let it dissipate, since it’d be annoyingly difficult to recreate. An unnecessary expenditure of my mana.

The Stonefort Labyrinth was buried deep underground, with a thin mist blanketing over it so it was difficult to see even with my blue flames. I walked forward, kicking aside the dusty bones as I spoke, and my voice echoed.

“Are there any Golems here? Don’t tell me that stupid Gremlin lied to me.”

It seemed empty. There were dozens of different passageways— tunnels that led to various different places— but I didn’t enter any of them. I waited for something to come for me, because that was normally how Dungeons worked. However… nothing.

I stood before the entrance of one of the passages, conjuring a ball of flame, ready to burn everything that was within.

“Look, I’m not going to search every bit of this Dungeon to find a [Lux Golmi]. If you’re a monster, you better show yourself or I’ll burn—”

I stopped. I heard a soft giggling. That of a girl. It came from all around me. It rose out of every single one of the various tunnels that surrounded me, asking me a question.

“You’re here for me, aren’t you?”

The whispered voice spoke like it came from within my head. Almost like my voice now. Mind magic. I narrowed my eyes.

“Who are you? Where are you?”

My eyes flickered. I heard a bit of rock moving. Something shifted to the side. But when I looked there, I saw nothing.

The voice echoed once more.

“They always come for me. They always come after my heart. But don’t they know? I don’t want them. I won’t give anything to them.”

“For your heart…?”

I cocked my head. I nearly tripped on a broken skull. I looked down, and a smile cracked through my lips.

“You’re the [Lux Golmi], aren’t you?”

There was a laugh. It sounded almost twisted— bitter. Then it became more cheery as it sang its way to me.

“Come and find me if you can~”

It faded away, leaving me alone, surrounded by rock and bone and time.

A note from MelasD

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213. Wild

A note from MelasD

Big shoutout to Bragon's monster evolution litrpg, Ultimate Rooster Evolution. Seriously, go check it out. I've forgotten to give it a shoutout for four days in a row. I feel very bad. Check it out.

Ryan Alfa Edison lived a good life until a planet-sized hand destroyed Earth at his wedding and transferred earthlings to another world. Some people were reborn, some people had their souls attached to dead bodies, and some people simply teleported to this world.

Ryan had stinky-like gutter luck. When he woke up, he found himself in the body of a jungle rooster. Alone in this world, he has to adapt, get more magical abilities, and evolve into stronger monster forms.

Later in his journey, Ryan realized being alone in another world with magic and magical creatures was dangerous, but luckily, he had the ability to raise undead monsters. He would build a strong army of undead monsters in order to survive and find out the reason for his existence in another world.

This is a journey of a necromancer rooster.

Ultimate Rooster Evolution (A Monster Evolution LITRPG Story) | Royal Road

213. Wild

The cavern was dark and damp and cool, shrouded by a thin fog that glowed under the light of my blue fire. My eyes flickered. I no longer heard the call of the [Lux Golmi]. The voice that echoed in my head faded away, leaving me alone in the main chamber of the Stonefort Labyrinth.

“Alright then.”

I took a step forward. The [Lux Golmi] had taunted me, telling me to try and find it. I wasn’t afraid of it. It could’ve been responsible for the deaths of all the skeletal remains here, and I wouldn’t be scared. After all, I was always up for a challenge.

“Now, where are you hiding?”

I closed my eyes, and [Planar Navigation] took over my senses. It was space magic. The spell let me see everything that was around me, not in a physical sense, but in the space that each object took up in this plane, weighing down on it. My eyes opened as I saw nothing but rocks around me.

Nothing moved. The Dungeon was empty. It was harder to see with magic here, due to the high density of mana in the air muddling any magical vision. I narrowed my eyes, walking forward.

“Did you seriously decide to just stop moving? Come on.”

I could tell when anything within the peripheries of my [Planar Navigation] Skill was making a movement, but… the Dungeon was oddly barren, without any Lairs or monsters within the vicinity. Most of the monsters and Lairs seemed to be on their way down, and the very depth of the Stonefort Labyrinth which I stood at was nothing but a graveyard. I crunched my way through the dirt floor.

“Let’s fight. It’ll be fun, come on. Aren’t you curious about who’s stronger?”

No response. I shook my head.

“You were here just a moment ago. I know you were. I will find you.”

My wings spread open as I glanced around. I looked at the closest tunnel, grinning.

“This is your last chance.”

I waited. A single beat passed. Then the voice came once more.

“I will not give myself to you.”

I bared my teeth, head snapping to the side. It was only briefly— I picked up the traces of its mana signature. A trail to follow with [Planar Navigation].

“I don’t need you. I just need your heart.”

Then I shot out. I exploded into one of the tunnels, propelled by flames and by my wings. I saw stone and rock filling the gray canvas ahead, turning, curving even as I sped through the labyrinth. I followed the sharp corners, a smirk printed on my face. I saw the residual mana it left behind with its mind magic.

There was a figure moving up ahead. One that almost glowed ethereal and white. It pranced about, like a mare in an open pasture, with a backdrop of a clear blue sky speckled by the occasional pure clouds. I reached for it. My [Mystical Projection] extended out, clawing to grab onto its back. But the figure was too fast. It was just like it was out of reach for me.

It burst out into an open chamber as I rushed after it, teleporting after building up the spell for a moment, using flames to boost me even further. I should’ve been able to catch it. This was a game of speed, and I was one of the fastest around.

A memory flashed into my head. I remembered the [Razorsoul Falcon]. It annoyed me because it had been faster than me. I scowled.

“Alright, how about this?”

I activated [Haste] as I raised a finger. I pointed right at what I thought was the [Lux Golmi] right before it escaped into another tunnel. This was just like the time when I was training with Lily. Except, now, I had an eclectic set of Skills and was even faster than before.

“[Temporal Distortion].”

I caught the [Lux Golmi] in a bubble of slowed time. Its movements slowed. A grin spread across my face as I reached to grab it—

And I blinked. The glowing figure vanished. It evaporated into motes and specks of light, like it wasn’t even there.

“Huh?”

I stared at it for a moment. Then I took in my surroundings. I stood in the exact same chamber I was at before I started my chase. Blinking, I crossed my arms.

“Where did it go…?”

Again, the voice echoed down one of the hallways. A giggle. It taunted me as I struggled to pinpoint where it came from with my [Planar Navigation] Skill. I was so certain I had seen it. I almost caught it, even.

And now, it was gone. Its wispy voice vanished, leaving me alone once more. I glowered.

“I spent quite a while training with Lily. Don’t think I’ll give up that easily.”

I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath. This time, I didn’t use [Planar Navigation]. I felt something building up in my core. A great head that was just waiting to erupt, like a volcano. Then it burst out, pouring like lava. White flames. From the [Primordial Spark].

“I’ll just have to force you out!”

I screamed as fire exploded from my mouth— weaker blue flames. But it burned together with the white fire. It scorched everything within the cavern, turning dust to ash and incinerating stone. For a moment, the entirety of the Stonefort Labyrinth shone brighter than even the sun during the day. Then I eased the flames, looking around, and panting.

“How about that?”

There was a crack. I glanced up. Part of the ceiling melted from the intense heat. I scratched the back of my head.

“Oops.”

And the cave collapsed on me.

—--

“That was kind of dumb of me.”

I admitted to myself, dusting my jacket off. I looked around, surrounded by rubble and rock and debris, grimacing.

“Now what? Did I accidentally kill that [Lux Golmi]?”

I didn’t hear any notification resounding off in my head, even as I waited. I wasn’t sure if indirectly killing something like this would’ve given me experience. I knew that partial killings would give some. But I’d never killed something completely indirectly before.

And if I did but didn't gain any experience from it, I would never know.

“It’s Level 100+ though, so… I probably didn’t kill it.”

I was now trapped in what was like a tomb. The ceiling wasn’t very tall— not like the expansive chamber I’d been in earlier. I was still in the Dungeon, considering that I didn’t receive any notification that I’d left.

[Planar Navigation] informed me that I was even further underground than before, buried under a hundred feet of the fallen cave, with an even more complex labyrinth to follow. I groaned, a bit annoyed. I could try and burn my way out, but that’d risk an even worse cave-in. I scowled.

“I hate rocks!”

I kicked a nearby pebble, and it echoed down a tunnel. Suddenly, I felt a flash of mind magic wash over me. Not an attack, but another wave of the [Lux Golmi]’s voice— my voice.

“Leave me alone!”

It sounded angrier. I must’ve hurt it somehow with this accidental cave-in. Or maybe my flames reached it somehow. Either way, I did something to make it respond in this way. I grinned, once again tracking it down by following its residual magic.

“What’s wrong? Are you scared of me, huh?”

I walked forward, ducking under a large piece of rock wedged at the same height as my head. I bared my teeth, spinning my Nebular Scythe behind my back.

“Because, well… you should be.”

“You will not have me!”

The voice was adamant. I turned my head slightly, seeing the new direction it came from. I followed it, walking over obstacles or pushing aside the boulders that were in my way.

“You’re the [Lux Golmi]. I know you are. You have what I want, and I’ll take it from you. It’s something I need.”

I was done playing its games— my patience was running thin, and I was going to catch it now. I had thought that since the [Lux Golmi] was supposedly high level, I’d be getting into a big fight with it at this point. Yet, all it did was run and flee.

“Come on, aren’t you a Golem? Fight me!”

I dashed forward, not flying, not relying on my wings, but instead using my own two legs to carry me forward past the dust permeating the air, leaving a trail in the otherwise smokey background. I readied [Recall Skill], remembering my older Title Skill, [Zealous Call].

I wasn’t exactly close to the [Lux Golmi] right now. I knew that its words were nothing but the effects of mind magic, so I’d only use the Skill later. When I was closer.

“I am not a rock! I am not just a thing for you to trample all over!”

I spun around, seeing the flashes of its residual mana clearer now. I was close. A wide smirk spread across my face as I bounded forward. Its words barely registered in my head.

“I know where you are. You can’t run.”

There was a large cave chamber up ahead. It seemed to be the bottom of a pit, but not the same one I’d been in earlier. This was even deeper underground, at the same level where I’d fallen thanks to the collapse earlier. I leapt up, pushing myself forward with a whip of flames.

I saw the same figure I’d been chasing earlier, a glowing white figure that danced away from me. It wouldn’t escape this time. The room revealed itself as I turned the corner. The figure stopped at the very center, facing away from me.

I took a menacing step forward. The pale figure turned slowly, and I paused. It opened its mouth as my eyes widened, forcing me to take a step back in disbelief.

I didn’t attack it. I just stared at it. Because I was in shock. I’d expect to run into a Golem— that the [Lux Golmi] would just be another pile of rocks for me to fight, like all the other Golems I’d fought so far. But it wasn’t. What I saw wasn’t even the shape of a rock. Nor did it it even have anything on its body that resembled a rock.

I saw… myself.

“Go away! You’re wild!”

A note from MelasD

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214. Enigmatic Heart

A note from MelasD

Big shotuout to VoidHerald's new fic, Underland! It is by the amazing VoidHerald, so you know it'll be good. Seriously, he can write anything and produce art. Check it out and give it a rating!

Once, the sun shone brightly on Azlant. Until came the Whitemoon, to steal mankind's light and condemn it to eternal darkness.

Valdemar Verney is a sorcerer with a dream: to find a new world for his people to settle, one where the sky isn't a ceiling made of stone. But in the underground empire of Azlant, dissent is never tolerated. Brought before one of the undead Dark Lords, Valdemar is offered a choice he cannot refuse. Meanwhile, the swordswoman Marianne Reynard is given a mission: to investigate a dead cult with a few mysteries left to unravel.

Both are looking for the truth, though they might regret finding it; for many cultists, monsters, and cosmic horrors stand in their way. They'll just have to kill them all.

Underland | Royal Road

214. Enigmatic Heart

“Go away! You’re wild!”

A Demon stood before me. She had pale skin, almost translucent and white, as pure as the clouds in the sky. Her hair was only a single shade darker than her complexion. It was silver in color, falling down to her shoulders in a disheveled mess. Our golden eyes met as she pointed a clawed finger my way.

“You cannot have my heart! It’s mine and mine alone!”

I stood before myself. The Demon matched my height, matched my hair, matched my claws, and matched my eyes. Our ears were both pointed, poking out of the side of our heads. And there, across her face, was a look of defiance that I so often bore.

Yet, despite our similarities, she was nothing like me. I had my hair tied and held up by a band given to me by Edithe. I wore a blue jacket— a Unique Grade item— from another world. A gift from a companion from another world. But she was not wearing a blue jacket.

She was not wearing clothes, not wearing artifacts, not wearing a hairband.

She was not real. Even if she seemed real. The words she spoke— they resounded in my head.

I narrowed my eyes.

Mind magic.

“You can’t trick me. I know… that’s not real. I know you’re not real.”

“I am real!”

She shouted. Her indignance was evident.

“You’re—”

Not holding a Nebular Scythe. Not wielding flaming magic.

“You’re just pretending to be me. You’re fake. Show yourself, [Lux Golmi].”

My gaze snapped around. It was an illusion. It had to be an illusion. But could Golems even cast illusion magic? This didn’t feel like the spell Belzu had cast to trap and ensnare me. My senses weren’t impeded, leading me to believe that what I smelled, heard, touched, saw, and tasted were real.

It was like what I could feel was diluted. However, I knew it wasn’t real.

The voice continued to echo in my mind. And I approached the faux Demon.

“You’re trying to trick me.”

“Trick you? I do not care about you! I just want to be left alone!”

“You goaded me on!”

I pointed accusingly at it. It stood there, harmless. A phantasm. She had no way to fight me. No weapon in its hand. No argument that could compel me to stop.

She wasn’t real. She wasn’t me. No companions. No words.

I raised my Nebular Scythe, and her eyes widened. Her entire body quivered, quaking in fear.

“You’re— you’re wild. I was just… I was with the others. And now you want to kill me. Even though I’m not a rock…”

I bit my lower lip. Taking a step back, I glared at the Demon.

“Why do you keep saying that? You’re a Golem. You’re a literal pile of rocks! Just one that can move! And now, talk for some reason!”

“So why does that give you the right to kill me?”

“Because you have something I want.”

I needed her— its Enigmatic Heart. It was the key ingredient necessary for making my Potion of Regeneration. Without it, I’d fail my alchemy lab, and risk getting expelled from Mavos Academy. Also, I’d still be missing my sixth arm while transformed in [Demonic Essence].

It was no different from fighting a group of Humans or monsters who were in my way, stopping me from achieving my goals. I’d skill the [Lux Golmi] and be done with it. But when it spoke once more, I hesitated.

“You’re wild!”

It repeated the words. The words that ground my movements to a halt. It struck me, a clean-cut wound to my chest that forced me to draw away from it. I glared at it, crossing my arms in annoyance.

“I…”

I took a deep breath.

“How am I wild? I have a reason to do this. I’m not just attacking you because of my instinct. I act with purpose. I’m not a wild Demon. I’m Salvos.”

“But you’re trying to kill me. You’re the one here to take my life away from me. I’m only trying to protect myself.”

Was what I was doing wild? For a moment— a very brief moment— I closed my eyes. I thought about what I was doing. I was here with purpose, yes. To claim its Enigmatic Heart for my own gain. But did that make what I was doing right?

From the [Lux Golmi]’s perspective, I just barged into its home with a scythe, swinging the weapon and trying to kill it by ripping out its heart. That wasn’t… the most flattering representation of me. I enjoyed being terrifying. Because, when others feared me, they recognized me as better than them.

Which was all good and true.

Was I in the right here? Was I in the wrong here? Was I evil? Was I good? Did any of that matter? Those were Human ideals. At least, the ones that I was familiar with.

Kobolds had different ideas of what was good and bad; of what was evil and just. They warred with Humans because of it. Humans warred with Humans because they didn’t agree on how things were or how things should be.

I couldn’t care less about any of that.

I needed to graduate from Mavos Academy. I needed to get my sixth arm back. I needed to see Haec again.

This was what mattered to me. It was what drove me. I wasn’t wild. I couldn’t be wild. I invented the idea of what was wild. I decided what was wild and what was not— I was the arbiter, and I had made my decision.

“You’re messing with my head.”

I spoke simply. The apparition backed up, and I sliced it in half.

“You’re using my own arguments against me. To chase me away. Because you’re scared. You’re afraid. You don’t want to fight me. But that’s obvious. I knew that from your false words. There’s another reason why you want me to keep away— why you want me to leave.”

It didn’t scream as it fell in two. My Nebular Scythe cut through its skin like it was made of water. The body fell in two pieces, each evaporating until nothing was left. A mere simmering of my mind, drawn out by the [Lux Golmi]’s mind magic.

I marched forward, dragging the sizzling-edge of my scythe against the ground, scarring it with the smoldering determination I felt in my chest. The cave chamber was large. It stretched hundreds of feet across, its fringes dotted with what seemed like fallen rubble.

However, they moved. All at once, the rocks rose from the earth, an incomprehensible feat if one didn’t discern their true nature. Each and every single one of them that stood were Golems. They came in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some of them were short, barely up to my torso; while others were much larger, even up to three times my height.

One of them dwarfed the rest. A giant that could be mistaken for a small hill. It dug itself out of the ground, growing taller with each passing second. When it straightened, it was the size of a castle’s tallest towers. Its hand alone could crush me with its sheer size. It vaguely resembled the shape of a Human, with arms that could touch its legs even when standing straight. Just made up of rocks.

I looked up at it, staring at the pink glow that was the only source of light in the dark cavern.

[Lux Golmi - Lvl. 131]

I was surrounded by a hundred Golems. A sound echoed in my head— one that had rang out earlier, but was muffled by the faux voice.

Now entering [Lair: Guard of the Golems].

I saw my goal right before me. The Enigmatic Heart of the [Lux Golmi] glinted, a massive crystal jammed into the chest of the gigantic Golem. It was what I wanted.

But it was not alone. It was surrounded by hundreds of its own companions. While I was alone.

It loomed over me, threatening to strike me that instant. I stared defiantly back at it, even as I heard the cacocopy of Golems encroach on me from behind. The [Lux Golmi] spoke in my head once more, this time, in a deep, bellowing voice.

“Wԋყ ԃιԃ ყσυ ƈσɱҽ?”

The words itself would’ve sent me reeling if I didn’t steel myself. I brought my scythe up, speaking unwaveringly.

“I’m here for Haec. For my classes. And most importantly, for myself.”

It took a step forward, and the entire cavern shook.

“Lҽαʋҽ.”

“I will not. Not until I have what I want.”

I glanced around at the Golems. Many of them were barely at Level 20. Only a handful were above Level 70. They’d be nothing more than a nuisance to me. I felt a flash of emotion wash over me. I knew what the [Lux Golmi] was feeling, thanks to its mind magic.

It was a word that was new to me. But I understood what it meant here.

“You... love your companions, don’t you? You’re doing this to protect them. Well, I’m doing the same.”

“Sσ ɯҽ ϝιɠƚ?”

“We don’t have to fight.”

The [Lux Golmi] cocked its head. I pointed up at its Enigmatic Heart.

“I just need a piece of your heart. A single shard. Then I’ll go.”

It reeled back, and the other Golems tensed. I shook my head.

“This is not a threat. I do not want to fight you. I didn’t even know that… rocks could talk. But here you are. Here we are.”

I gestured around, sighing. Love. The [Lux Golmi] tried to chase me away because it loved its companions. It did it to protect them. The more I focused on that word, the more I could feel what it felt.

Was this the same kind of love Nolan said he had for me? Was this the same kind of love that Saffron talked about? Maybe not. But it was close enough.

“I’m not wild. I’m Salvos. And I will fight for myself and my companions. So will you. But we don’t need to fight here. Let me take a single shard.”

That was all that I needed for my Potion of Regeneration. Taking the whole Enigmatic Heart would be an utter waste. I tossed aside my Nebular Scythe, once again facing the [Lux Golmi], and offering it an open hand.

“Do you trust me? For your companions.”

The giant Golem hesitated. It mulled over the question for a moment, but I already knew the decision it was about to make. Mind magic echoed in my head.

“Yҽʂ.”

With a smile, I approached the [Lux Golmi]. It lowered its guard, even as the other Golems panicked. But it kept them back. Offering me its hand, I climbed onto its open palm. There was rustling beneath my feet. Moss. Softer than grass.

It carried me up to its chest, halting just before the Enigmatic Heart. I placed my hand on it, closing my eyes. Its light glowed and dimmed, like the slow breathing of a child. Now, more than before, I could understand the [Lux Golmi]. There was some kind of connection. It was a result of mind magic, I knew. And yet, it was stronger now that I was gently brushing my fingers against it.

“Just a single shard.”

I spoke honestly, and it nodded. Its faceless head bore into me with an empty gaze, but I knew that it was afraid. So, I didn’t make any sudden movements. I just tapped a single clawed finger against the Enigmatic Heart—

Crack.

A shard fell off. It clinked onto my own fingers. I took a step back, looking at the pink glow of the [Lux Golmi]’s Enigmatic Heart. It flickered. Then it was back to normal.

“Thank you.”

I tightly gripped onto the shard of the Enigmatic Heart, seeing its oscillating pink light. The [Lux Golmi] drew its head back, raising its arm. I blinked and glanced up.

“Huh. Is that the exit?”

There was a narrow hole up above, one that was almost invisible in the darkness. It was a way out of the Lair. My presence still made the [Lux Golmi] uncomfortable, even if it knew I already had what I wanted. I gave it a reassuring look.

“I’ll leave now.”

Spreading my wings wide, I leapt up into the air. I hovered right by its head, glancing at the fallen tunnel back where I came from.

“Hey, at least with the cave-in, people are not going to be able to find you as easily as before, right?”

The [Lux Golmi] didn’t say anything. I rolled my eyes.

“Can’t even look at the bright side. Oh well. Goodbye!”

I flew up to the hole, leaving the Lair of Golems behind. I heard the notification resound in my head. I continued on, not stopping even as I left the darkness behind me, even as I saw the light. I continued past the entrance of the Dungeon. I continued past the canopy of trees. And I continued to make my way back to Mavos Academy.

I finally had what I needed to make a Potion of Regeneration.

A note from MelasD

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215. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 1

215. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 1

“Watch out!”

A wall of molten rock crashed from the sky, tearing the streets and shooting rubble high into the sky. Specks of dirt and dust clouded the air. It was difficult to breathe, to see, and to hear. The ground was burned a scorched black, with a column of ash trailing up to the air, permeating to the rest of the battlefield.

Collins had seen the attack coming. He warned the rest of his team, and they managed to get out of the blast zone in time. It was a powerful spell; the [Mage] that cast it was nearly 30 levels above him.

“We need to get back!”

He yelled, raising his great shield. Its size dwarfed even him, but his [Strength] as a Level 50 let him raise it with ease. The enemy [Mage], however, didn’t let up. The sky darkened as thunder roared in the distance— a fury that would soon befall Collins and his team.

Brace for it, he readied himself.He activated a Skill; it was one of the only ones he could use in this situation. It might not be enough to save his life, but as long as his team was safe, it didn’t matter to him. Snapping his eyes shut, Collins waited for the inevitable storm of lightning to befall him.

And it came. Just not where he thought it’d come from.

A sphere of pure lightning shot up, striking the enemy [Mage] out of the air. The shock of the electricity crackled through the air, a loud ringing in Collins’s ears. He staggered away as the flash of light engulfed the sky, before ice and fire coalesced around the Level 80 [Mage].

It was a powerful magic, one that came from an even higher-leveled spellcaster. Someone even above Platinum in rank. But who was it? There were only three Diamond Ranks in the field. The first was Hadrian, leader of the Valiant Dreamers himself— he was a [Warrior], so it couldn’t be him. The second was Ismail Zuland, and neither he nor his Pegasus was capable of magic at this level. Then that had to mean it was—

“Edithe Dawnrise.”

Collins spun around, uttering the name.

A red-haired woman stood behind him, her staff raised, and her fiery eyes boring into the enemy [Mage].It was the look which everyone in the Valiant Dreamers Company wore when they readied themselves for battle, but most lost once the fighting actually started. However, even as the redhead stepped past Collins, the look never vanished from her face. It spoke of one thing and one thing only.

Justice for the Valiant Dreamers: bring down the Iron Champions Company!

Edithe’s mind was in a haze as she engaged in battle, not caring about it in the slightest.

She barely paid attention to the enemy [Mage] as he launched a flurry of spells her way. Her eyes were glossed over the battlefield, not focused on the mayhem that was going on around her. She blocked the attacking spell, countering with her own volley of flames.

A sound resounded in her head. One that she quickly ignored.

Defeated [Magus—

Less experience is awarded—

The body dropped from the sky, lifeless, flopping over like a fish out of water. Edithe watched it for a few seconds as she tried to gather herself to continue. She felt tired. It was tiring.

How many battles had she fought? How many battles had the Valiant Dreamers fought since arriving in Nixa? So many lives were wasted, and yet, no one knew the real reason why.

It was all that she could think about. The Iron Champions— yes, they were evil. But if only her friends understood why they were fighting. She scanned the battlefield. It was the Millcliff Iron Mines. A former Dungeon located at the bottom of a cliff, converted now into a small town for the company. Corpses were strewn all over the brick houses and factory buildings. Innocent civilians weren’t involved in this bloodbath, but Edithe still felt guilty about the battle.

The Valiant Dreamers had fought many battles since the revelation about the company’s true purpose was made to her. She hadn’t been able to do much beyond just fighting, taking the territories of the Iron Champions Company in bloody battles. To think she believed she could convince Hadrian to understand her perspective…

Edithe barely spoke to him since. It was just non-stop fighting and strategizing. The Valiant Dreamers were winning as many battles as they lost— stuck in a tug-of-war that involved the loss of too many lives. It had to end soon. The outcome of this battle in the Millcliff Iron Mines could possibly change the tide of the war entirely. Now was not the time to hesitate: she’d have to deal with Hadrian after this was over.

She glanced over at Collins. He was a young-looking man, roughly her age in appearance, if she were to guess. He and his team were caked in blood and dirt from fighting in the side lines, flanking the main mining town from the top of the cliff as chaos raged on below. He lowered his great shield, sighing in relief.

“Thank you so much—”

Edithe pushed him aside.

“Get down!”

She raised her staff, calling forth the [Shield of the Misty Lord]. It was her strongest defensive barrier. And she needed it.

Orbur Vale himself struck down at Edithe. One of the founders of the Iron Champions Company himself unleashed his Skills upon her— a Diamond Rank adventurer, glittering with enchanted armor and a giant broadsword.

[Warrior - Lvl. 119]

Edithe identified him and cursed. A lot.

“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This is...”

There was no way she’d be able to best him in battle. She was not a Demon like Salvos, nor was she a [Hero] like Daniel. And neither of them were here right now.

This was Orbur Vale. A champion of the Iron Champions Company. Someone 20 levels above her. He had a Level 100 advancement and a second Class; she had neither. She was so, so very—

“...fucked.”

The image of a glowing blade sheared through the ground, nearly slicing off the edge of the cliff Edithe was standing on. The attack halted when it crashed into the [Shield of the Mysty Lord]. Somehow, Edithe’s greatest defensive barrier held up.

“You need to go, now!”

She turned to Collins and his team. The Gold Ranks were awe-struck, staring at her as she held off the other Diamond Rank. What were they even doing?!

Gritting her teeth, Edithe readied herself for when her barrier would fall. The Gold Ranks hesitated— Collins opened his mouth. But she snapped.

“I said: leave!”

And they did. They wouldn’t have been of any help to her. Their levels were far too low to make a difference. Edithe wasn’t even sure if she’d be able to defeat Orbur anyway. She just had to hold him off until the Gold Ranks were gone. Then she’d have to flee, herself.

The Gold Ranks ran off as her [Shield of the Misty Lord] faltered. Orbur Vale paid them no mind, his eyes fixed only on the red-haired woman standing before him. With a smirk, he spoke casually.

“Edithe Dawnrise. I’ve been hearing all about you these days. The Diamond Rank adventurer who slayed the Lich of the Plaguelands. The fiery redhead who put a stop to a small but high-leveled Kobold incursion into the Vaun Qieur Empie. From these stories told about you— I expected you to be some kind of Demon disguising herself as a Human.”

Edithe winced. That’s not me, but someone else… Shaking her head, she took a step out of her fractured, collapsing ice barrier. Her staff was raised, ready for anything Orbur could throw at her. He just shook his head.

“But even after hearing all those rumors, I see that you’re not even at Level 100.”

“Don’t underestimate your opponents, Orbur Vale. Just because I’m Level 98 doesn’t mean I haven’t advanced in my Class. Don’t you know? Some special individuals can reach their advancements earlier than others. And you haven’t seen my second Class either.”

It was an obvious bluff. But one that dragged on this moment even longer. The red-haired woman shifted, backing up slowly.

“Second Class?”

Orbur Vale raised a brow, clearly amused.

“I’ve heard that you used to fight with summons, and yet, since your return from the Plaguelands, you’ve only fought alone. Is, perhaps, [Summoner] your second Class?”

Edithe felt a spell forming on the tip of her staff. It was the Primordial Staff given to her by Salvos. It was a truly heartwarming gift— one that Edithe cherished. But beyond just being a token of gratitude, it also enhanced a specific type of magic. Fire magic.

And that was exactly what Edithe prepared.

The [Warrior] standing across from her never would expect it. He was not a [Mage] who could see the manipulation of mana and casting of spells. She hoped to catch him off guard. Orbur Vale tapped his chin, grinning.

“Ah wait, that can’t be right. After all, you were barred from summoning when you broke your contract, no?”

Edithe paused. She stared at him for a moment— at the wicked smile of the black-haired man dressed in flashy armor.

“Honestly, that is cruel. They trusted you, and you betrayed their trust. They truly must hate you.”

There were a thousand different things she wanted to say at that moment. Then she remembered Mistshard and the brief conversation they had. It wasn’t much. It ended quickly. And Mistshard wasn’t truly talking to Edithe at that moment. But the words resounded in her head.

There is no animosity here.

And Orbur’s words washed over Edithe like a light drizzle on a warm fall day. It wasn’t particularly as cool or refreshing as if it were summer, but it eased the haze that was clouding over her mind, resolving her in the face of his chilling intensity.

“Orbur Vale.”

He tilted his head to the side, curious. She remembered why she fought. She remembered her friends and those she cared about. She spat.

“Fuck you.”

[Arrow of the Flame Elemental].

The spell shot out, a blinding fury that surprised even the [Warrior]. She broke off into a sprint, running from the man before the brilliant explosion took off the cliff face. He should’ve fallen right off into the pits below, however he was a high-leveled individual.

Orbur exploded into the air, his armor scorched and blackened, his hair a disheveled mess, but his face was left untouched, scarred only with a rage directed towards Edithe.

“Come here you coward!”

His blade sliced apart the earth, even from dozens of feet in the air. He swung his sword, and the ground broke apart like a terrible tremor had taken the area. Edithe threw herself to the side, avoiding the attack, yet a deep gash still formed on her arm. She swallowed in pain.

“Shit— [Fiery Riposte]!”

A blade of flames slashed up at Orbur. And this attack made him pause. He braced himself for it, bringing his blade up to parry it from the air as Edithe picked herself up and ran on. I can’t take him on. A memory flashed. The battle with the Lich.

All Edithe could do back then was escape, even for only a minute. Orbur was lower-leveled than the Lich, and her two strongest spells did more than enough to allay him for longer than the Lich. But it wasn’t enough. She needed help, and help wouldn’t just find her.

So, she’d call it to her.

Raising her staff, Edithe shouted.

“[Beacon of Guardians].”

Orbur landed on his feet as a glow covered Edithe, rising up above the battlefield. His eyes narrowed, and he was fast to react. He knew something was off, but not exactly what.

He charged at her, shouting curses at her, but she just continued as she conjured a [Lightning Orb]. Edithe tossed one back at him, and he easily parried it with a single strike. She clicked her tongue.

She was going to get caught. Spinning on her heels, she faced Orbur which surprised him. He was surprised for just a few moments, before Edithe unleashed a [Storm of Ice and Fire] at him. His head raised slightly, as the cold winds and flames bounced off his aura of protection.

“Pathetic.”

He cut his blade through the air, and somehow dispelled the magic. Edithe blinked.

“How…?”

She stared at him, and he smirked viciously.

“You’ll never know.”

Orbur lanced forward, suddenly moving twice as fast as before. A Skill? The red-haired woman’s eyes widened—

And from the sky, a majestic mare swooped down at Orbur. It was a white horse with the wings of a swan spreading out of its back. A man rode on the back of the Pegasus, wielding a large battle-axe that glinted with the swing he took. He nearly struck Orbur Vale on the back, but the [Warrior] noticed the attack coming in time to dodge.

Ismail Zuland— one of the Diamond Ranks of the Valiant Dreamers— heeded Edithe’s call and came to save her. He landed right next to her, his axe held high as he nodded.

“Need a hand?”

“More like multiple hands, but yes, I needed that.”

“Glad to be of service.”

He grinned as his Pegasus, Dorothy, flapped her wings and let out a whinny in agreement. Orbur Vale glanced between the pair. He harrumphed.

“So, two of the Valiant Dreamers’ Diamond Ranks choose to face me in battle. A Level 98 [Mage] and a Level 118 [Beastmaster].”

“How astute. Next you’re going to point out that I’m a man with a beautiful mare, and she’s a woman with dazzling red hair, are you?”

Ismail chuckled as Edithe rolled her eyes. Orbur just gave them both flat stares.

“I know when I’m outmatched. And the fact that you could come here, Ismail Zuland, is enough of a message.”

He glanced behind, towards the mining town down deep below the crevice. He sighed.

“This battle is lost.”

With that said, Orbur turned around and walked off. Edithe watched as he simply headed out of the battlefield, trying to work her jaw. She raised her hand.

“Hey, wait—”

“Don’t chase after him. He’ll try to split us up and take us out one by one. Come on, let’s just finish this.”

Ismaild stopped her. He gestured down at the Millcliff Iron Mines. The last of the Iron Champions Company were being overwhelmed. Many of them had already surrendered, throwing down their arms. Only a select few fought to the death, unrelenting for whatever twisted reason.

Hadrian led a charge, rallying the Valiant Dreamers Company to finish off the last of the enemy forces. Edithe turned back in time to see Orbur leap over over the crevice in a single jump, continuing off in a more hurried pace. He’d been trying to bait them, but now he was truly fleeing.

“Right. Let’s finish this battle.”

With a deep breath, Edithe followed Ismail down the deep pit, readying her spells. Even as she walked into battle, her eyes were focused on one man and one man only: Hadrian, her leader.

Then it’s time to finally speak with him.

Class [Risen Elemental Spellcaster] Level Up!

[Risen Elemental Spellcaster - Lvl. 98] -> [Risen Elemental Spellcaster - Lvl. 99]!

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

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216. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 2

216. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 2

The battle was over.

The Valiant Dreamers Company claimed the Millcliff Iron Mines as their own. It was a victory in two parts: the first was the obvious win over the Iron Champions Company— this was a pivotal location, within the southern edge of Nixa, close to where the enemy headquarters was located. It was dangerous, considering they were now deep in enemy territory. And that was not taking in the fact that there was a Primeval Demon rampaging at the northern side of the country. But those factors were irrelevant right now.

The second victory was the victory or morality. With the Millcliff Iron Mines now under the control of the Valiant Dreamers, they finally had a proper reprieve in this war. This was a substantial victory, and the Iron Champions wouldn’t be able to bounce back as quickly as they did before from previous losses. The fact of the matter was that this former Dungeon was an important piece of territory for them.

It produced one of their major sources of income— the natural resources which they’d sell to other companies and to [Traders]. For example, it wasn’t just regular iron ores that came from this Dungeon. The iron ores would be more receptive to enchantments due to being in a mana dense environment, so they’d be easier to create weapons, armor, or even metalwork for building. The discovery and monopoly of the Millcliff Iron Mines was what allowed the Iron Champions Company to begin their rise to prominence, and it was also what gave them their name.

It was a moral victory. The Iron Champions Company would not be pleased about it. And the Valiant Dreamers, on the other hand, were celebrating. It was the first time Edithe had seen a jovial atmosphere amongst her friends.

They were gathered in a hall, drinking, cheering, and relaxing. The red-haired woman strolled through the large room, a drink in her hand, nodding, smiling, greeting her fellow company members as she made her way around.

“Hey Johnson— did you level up from the fight?”

“Three times!”

“That’s amazing! And Jake, you’re Level 40 now! Congratulations for hitting Gold! Melinda, I see you’ve got another scar added to your scar collection. Celine—”

Edithe paused when she saw her friend. Celine, the Platinum Ranked adventurer, was sitting with an arm wrapped around another girl. The other girl was unfamiliar, with blue hair and green eyes. She was a Platinum Ranked— not from the Valiant Dreamers Company. By the crest on her armor, Edithe assumed she was from the Northbury Troops, an allied company to the Valiant Dreamers.

“When did this happen?”

“Oh, uh, meet Nora. Nora, this is Edithe.”

“I’ve heard about her.”

Nora gave Edithe an impish grin, still clinging onto Celine.

“Edithe Dawnrise. You don’t need to tell me about her, Cel. Everyone has heard about her at this point. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Edithe nodded, feeling a bit uncomfortable. It wasn’t a bad feeling, per se, but she wasn’t used to receiving this kind of attention. Sure, as a Gold Rank in a small city, she’d get a few people walking up to her and gushing over hers. However, now, everyone knew about her. Even Platinums. And that was disconcerting.

There was a sort of dissonance in her mind that made a Platinum Rank praising Edithe and looking up to her that made this feeling bear fruit. Edithe genuinely still looked up to Platinum Ranks, because not too long ago, she was only a Gold Rank. To have her role as the one being admired flipped over so quickly to being the one who was admired— it was just jarring.

“So, uh, are the both of you… serious?”

She glanced between Celine and Nora. The other two women exchanged glances. Then Celine shrugged as Nora beamed.

“Not sure, honestly.”

“We are!”

There was a pause. And Edithe instantly knew she had to back away. Both women exchanged a look. Before either of them could speak, Edithe excused herself.

“Well, I wish both of you well, but I’ve got to go now!”

She took off, fleeing from the discord she sowed. A small but disgruntled discussion broke out as Edithe headed down a hallway, leaving the party behind. Finding a quiet balcony, she settled herself against its railings and let out a sigh.

It was night. Her breath was slightly misty under this cool weather, reflecting the light of the moon above. She stared up at the scintillating stars past the cliff face, dazzling and bright, lighting up the night. It was a beautiful sight— one that could very easily turn deadly during a star storm.

But Edithe always found the night sky, dotted with those little specks of light, to be entrancing. As a child, she used to sit on the rooftop— someone else’s rooftop, since she lived in the streets— and watch the stars all night. Her mother wouldn’t even search for her, being busy with her business and all.

The red-haired woman didn’t mind it, then. The more time she had to herself, the happier she was. She didn’t understand friendship or camaraderie. Even when Mother died, and she was taken in by the temple and met William, Edithe never really found anyone she’d call a true friend.

Then she joined the Valiant Dreamers Company. She met her first long-term summon, Hana. She even fell in love for the very first time. It was all thanks to the Valiant Dreamers Company— and to think that the very foundation of everything she believed in was a facade?

It upset her. She had to act. Edithe Dawnrise truly felt betrayed when she found out the truth. Her respect for Baris dissolved. She could excuse Hadrian, since he wasn’t aware until recently either. But Baris, the man she’d looked up to, the man who had shaped all her ideals?

Edithe clenched a fist. And the door creaked.

“What are you doing out here?”

A voice drew her attention back towards the doorway.

“Hadrian?”

Edithe blinked as she turned around. She rubbed her eyes, and Hadrian let out a soft chuckle.

“Don’t look so surprised to see me. I spotted you fleeing from the party. Just wanted to make sure that everything is alright with you.”

He smiled, offering her a glass of wine. The red-haired woman stared at it, biting her lower lip.

“I… I’m fine. I’ve just been… thinking about things.”

“About what we spoke about two months ago, right?”

While she didn’t accept the drink, Hadrian didn’t seem offended, instead walking up next to her and leaning against the railing. Edithe hesitated.

“...yes.”

There were so many things she had to say right now. She wasn’t sure if she could even meet his gaze, but she had resolved herself. This was something that affected more than just her. With a deep breath, she opened her mouth—

And Hadrian spoke over her.

“It’s really a predicament, isn’t it? I’ve been torn about it myself.”

She blinked.

“You… have?”

“What you said back then— it stuck with me.”

Edithe tried to remember her words when she lashed out at Baris after the reveal. She confronted Hadrian— she told them that they couldn’t just sit idly by and allow it to happen. Hadrian had refused at first, but now her words have brought him back to her.

“The people of the company… they trust me, Edithe. They believe in me. But everything they’re fighting for… it’s all predicated on a lie.”

“It is.”

She didn’t mince words, even as Hadrian sighed.

“Every single day I think about this, it eats me up inside. They believe they’re fighting for the right cause— and they are. But they’ve been misled. I know why Father did what he did, but I don’t agree with it. I… every single one of their deaths… it’s all my fault.

There was a pause. Hadrian downed his glass as Edithe turned to him. She pursed her lips. She wanted to chastise him for what he was saying. It was only all his fault because he allowed it to be his fault. But Edithe was the same wasn’t she?

Closing her eyes, she spoke softly.

“It’s not your fault, Hadrian. What happened— this burden that was placed on your shoulders— it wasn't caused by you.”

He stared into his empty glass, lips thinly pressed together.

“I—”

“But everything that has happened after… since you found out. I’m sorry to say this, Hadrian, but you’re at fault for it. However, I am too. No one is free from blame in this situation. I should’ve acted sooner too, but I was afraid, just as you are.”

Neither of them spoke for a moment. They just stood there, out on the balcony, far from the partying and celebrations. Hadrian was clearly conflicted. He felt immense guilt. Which was why he approached her. And Edithe could empathize with how he felt.

Yet, that didn’t excuse either of their wrongs.

“We can do something about it now. We have to.”

“Baris is my father. I know that what he’s saying is right. It makes sense.”

“But it’s not actually good, is it? It’s not something we can allow to continue. We need to let the company decide, for itself, if they want to bear this responsibility. I mean… having the Sword—”

He looked up at her, placing a finger on his lips. She paused. Right. Rolling her eyes, she continued.

“He is your father. But you’re the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company. I’ll help you, Hadrian. But we have to do something.”

The blond man was apprehensive. Clearly so. Edithe knew that all his life, he listened to everything Baris told him. He was a bit of a playboy— a flirt who’d mess around with women casually. But he’d never disobey his father.

Edithe placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Hadrian…”

“What can I do then, Edithe?”

“You can speak with Baris, Hadrian. You’re his son. You’re the leader of the company. I know you look up to him, but you have to admit that he’s wrong here. We can’t just let our friends die for reasons they don’t know.”

“And what if he doesn’t listen? If what we say gets out, we’ll be targeted by more than just the Iron Champions Company.”

Edithe nodded.

“I’m aware.”

“That’d only make our situation worse.”

“But it’d give our friends the choice whether they want to fight for this cause, Hadrian. It won’t be a war brought on by lies or deception. If they choose to fight or choose to leave, it’d be their decision. Or are you worried they’ll abandon us?

Hadrian hesitated. His uncertainty was evident.

“I can’t say I’m not. I can understand what you’re saying, but what if it leads to our downfall, Edithe? What if my decision leads to our company being destroyed? We’ll lose everything and everyone.”

“I worry about that too, Hadrian.”

Edithe nodded, but then she shook her head.

“However, we stand to lose everything and everyone too, even as it is now. We can’t let that be an excuse for our inaction. Please, Hadrian.”

He tried looking away, but their gazes met. She held it as he mulled over it for a minute. Finally, he acquiesced.

“I’ll… see what I can do. Father may not listen to me. And if he does not, I’ll still act. I’ll still tell the others in the company. Because that’s what’s right.”

Edithe felt a sense of relief wash over her. She drew away from Hadrian, feeling lighter on her feet.

“Thank you, Hadrian.”

She flashed him a grin.

“And it’s not like we don’t have a special, secret weapon on our side. Imagine if we used it on the battlefield— if someone like you had your hands on it. It’d turn the tide of any battle easily.”

He tapped a finger on his chin.

“Perhaps…”

Then he closed his eyes.

“I’ll consider that, Edithe. I don’t know what it’s capable of, but it truly could make such a massive difference. And seeing its use alone could allay any other enemies.”

He nodded gratefully as he placed a hand on Edithe’s shoulder.

“I should be the one thanking you. You’ve helped me.”

She shifted slightly, and Hadrian started back for the balcony door.

“Well, I’m just helping you do the right thing. That’s all.”

“I know. But still, you have my gratitude.”

Then he paused. He halted right before the closed doorway, a hand on the handle.

“Also—”

Hadrian spun around, scratching the back of his head.

“After this whole company war is over, if you’re interested in grabbing a cup of coffee with me, I know a good place.”

Edithe stared.

“I’m only interested in serious relationships.”

“I’m being serious.”

“...I’ll consider it.”

“Fair.”

With that, he left her alone on the balcony. Edithe was glad he approached her, and that she didn’t have to approach him for this. Perhaps now, she could fight without the guilt of it all bearing down on her. So that she was not distracted, and truly could protect those she cared about.

Hopefully this was a sign of things getting better. Hopefully the company war would end soon.

But for now, she returned to the party, letting herself de-stress and relax, finally clear of conscience.

A note from MelasD

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217. Back to Studying

217. Back to Studying

My trip to the Rainforest of Monsters lasted less than a week; I still had the whole weekend to myself before school resumed and I had to attend classes again. Thankfully, I didn’t get lost on my way back so, finally, I returned to Mavos Academy.

…

Well, actually, I returned to my Lair first, making sure no one had broken into it and stolen anything from my collections. It was well hidden. It seemed to be left untouched, which was good. I had covered it up with leaves and branches, since it was a small alcove with an even smaller entrance.

I nodded to myself, pleased to see that it was untouched. Then I transformed back into my [Partial Mortality] form, disguised as a Human, and headed straight for the campus in the distance.

—--

“Oh, you’re actually back on time.”

Saffron glanced up from a book as I entered our living room. She sat on the decorated couch, sipping on a cup of tea as she faced me.

“So, did you get what you needed?”

“Yep! I got a shard from an Enigmatic Heart!”

Beaming, I gave her a thumbs up. She raised a brow as I produced it from my belt pouch.

“See?”

Even though the small gem was no longer connected to the [Lux Golmi], it was still glowing, shining with the same oscillating intensity as before. I smiled, remembering my interaction with the giant Golem. The feelings it held— it wasn’t exactly the same as mine. But what it felt towards the other Golems reminded me of what I felt towards my companions.

Was it love? It couldn’t possibly be the same thing Nolan had been talking about. However, I felt that it was something similar.

Saffron stared at the shard, impressed.

“That’s very good, Salvos. But… where’s the rest of the Enigmatic Heart?”

“What do you mean?”

I cocked my head. My confusion was evident. She furrowed her brows.

“Did you get literally only a single shard, Salvos?”

“Yep. That’s what’s stated in the ingredients list.”

“Right, but you need—”

She inhaled deeply, massing her temples.

“You need more than just a single shard. What happens if your first attempt at making the Potion of Regeneration fails? You’ll have to go back to the Rainforest of Monsters and search for another Enigmatic Heart all over again.”

“Huh.”

The realization sunk in. I looked down at the pink crystal. It was the only one I had— the only one which I could use to concoct my Potion of Regeneration. Just as Saffron said, if I somehow messed this up, it’d be gone.

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

“You didn’t even think about that, did you?”

“I, um… that’s—”

Saffron gave me a look, and I crossed my arms, speaking haughtily.

“That’s fine! That just means I’ll have to get it perfectly right the first time around! It’s easy.”

“Sure.”

She spoke flatly. I deflated. The pink-haired noble stood up, rolling her eyes.

“I thought something like this would happen.”

“You did?”

I perked up as Saffron continued past me. There was a stack of letters laid out on a marble countertop right by the front door. She grabbed a handful of the letters, sifting through it one by one, pausing at a gilded letter. I peered over her shoulder and read the words scribbled over the front.

To: Saffron Merryster

From: The Merryster Estates

Update on the State of the War

I raised a brow.

“What’s that?”

“It’s nothing. Just… something from my family.”

She had a worried look on her face, even as she pocketed it, sighing. Saffron continued looking through all her letters until finally placing them back down onto the table.

“Seems like Matthew hasn’t written back to me just yet. I’m sure he’ll send an update soon.”

“Where is he?”

I asked, blinking. Saffron turned around, giving me a sly grin.

“I fully anticipated you to somehow mess up your mission, no offense—”

“Offense taken.”

“I don’t care. Anyway, I sent him off to reach out to some contacts I know. He’ll probably send me a letter by the end of the week. It’s not assured, but I’ll try my best to acquire an additional Enigmatic Heart for you.”

The fake pout on my face disappeared, instantly replaced with sparkling eyes. I stared at her.

“You’ll do that. For me?”

“Of course. We are friends, are we not?”

My face exploded into a smile as I wrapped my arms around Saffron.

“Aw, thank you so much! We’re more than friends, Saffron. We’re companions!”

“Right, that’s what you like to say.”

She scoffed. I drew back from her, pausing. I scratched the back of my head.

“But, um, why don't you just use that thing-y you have to keep in contact with Matthew? Or even keep in contact with your family?”

I waved a hand in the air. Saffron frowned.

“My crest?”

“Yep. That thing you gave me.”

“It’s not something I can just use as I want, Salvos. It’s reserved for emergencies only. It has a limited number of uses.”

She shook her head, starting back to the couch.

“When you used it to contact me when I was in class— that wasn’t an emergency. Even if that little ploy of yours worked out in the end.”

I gave her an innocent smile, and she narrowed her eyes.

“Ploy? What ploy?”

“I struggle reading you sometimes, Salvos. I find this book on elemental theory easier to read than you. Nevertheless, I suggest you worry about your Enigmatic Heart later. For now, you still have two days of break left before classes resume. Knowing you, I’m sure you’d find something to entertain yourself with until then.”

Saffron picked up her book, flipping back to the page she last left off. I tapped a finger on my chin. Something to entertain myself with? I had an idea.

—--

I studied.

For the next two days, I became a recluse, indulging in books and theory. I tried inviting Nolan or Gallus over to study with me, but neither of them were available. By that, I didn’t even mean that they turned me down, I just couldn’t find them. So, I studied by myself.

I stayed in my Lair, since that was where I could make best use of my time, without the need to sleep. It was mentally taxing. And yet, I managed to get a lot done over those two days. I made some preparations for the brewing of my Potion of Regeneration. I hadn’t started the actual brewing process. I wanted to consult someone like Nolan or even Veronica before I began.

Instead, I studied space magic. There was something I couldn’t quite understand with space magic. My [Planar Navigation] Skill allowed me to see everything around me in a different sense— one that perceived the world for how it affected and interacted with each other. It was like I could see a web of tangled dimensions all put together. There were no holes in the fabric. I could perceive everything.

Except for when I called on my [Temporal Distortion] Skill. Now, when I looked with [Planar Navigation], I saw nothing where the bubble of time was located. Only when I opened my eyes, I could see the clearly obfuscated region, where everything within moved at a blur— be it faster or slower.

I tried to prod at it with my finger. However, I could still tell where my finger was even as it passed through the fringes of the bubble. The fact was that the Skill didn’t affect me until I was entirely within it. So, that made sense.

But what made it so different? Why was it that I couldn’t see into the [Temporal Distortion] field?

“It’s probably the same reason why I can’t see into the Netherworld.”

What was within the [Temporal Distortion] field wasn’t truly within this plane. It was somewhere else— perhaps just a little fold in space, still a part of this plane, but tucked away. It was like time and space itself was interconnected: intrinsically linked to be one. However, since it wasn’t exactly here, that was why time could work differently there.

It functioned similarly to how a short-ranged teleportation worked. But I read something in one of my textbooks about how teleportations required folding space and moving through them. Not exactly the same, but the logic behind the movement of space was similar. I paused for a moment.

“What happens if I try to teleport into the [Temporal Distortion] field?”

It could potentially be dangerous. But I tried it anyway. After all, the best way to learn was by doing— that was what Lily taught me.

“Here goes—”

I cast the spell as I usually did, running straight for the blurred bubble. I closed my eyes, waiting for the usual feeling of warmth to overcome me. The same feeling that would carry me through a small slit in space to the other side, a short distance ahead. It took a moment. The spell activated, and I appeared above the bubble.

“Huh?”

Something about my [Temporal Distortion] spell forced me away from teleporting into it. I could just step into it without a problem, but actually using a teleportation spell? It was like space itself snapped back, keeping me out of it.

“Interesting.”

I almost expected that to happen. I fell to the ground, having been floating in the air for a second, before picking myself back up. There was something I remembered— something quite significant I hadn’t told anyone about, but apparently was super important.

It was about the Kobolds and their theology. They believed that the world was ending because the space itself keeping the Nexeus together was degrading due to repeated summonings. While I didn’t care too much about the details, there was one thing that was pertinent to this particular situation from that whole mess.

A hole was ripped through the fabric of space whenever a [Hero] was summoned. It wasn’t just a regular hole. It was viscerally torn open, pulling in an individual from another world into the Nexeus. It apparently left a scar that would take a long time to repair itself.

My short-ranged teleportation spell was, according to Professor Isais, a spell that also bore a hole through space. But the hole it’d leave behind would be like that of a needle sewing through fabric. Meanwhile, summoning a [Hero] would be like ripping the fabric in half. It was really incomparable in scale.

It was the same reason why a short-ranged teleport, well, short-ranged. If I wanted to teleport even further, the needle used to poke a hole would have to be sharper. The same logic would apply with teleporting into my [Temporal Distortion] field.

I closed my eyes, distributing all of my Secondary Skill Points into [Temporal Distortion]. With each point added to the Skill, I felt like my control over the region grew stronger. It wasn’t an absolute manipulation over the field. But it’d help me with what I was trying to do.

I walked into the [Temporal Distortion] field. Then I sat down, closing my eyes and sensed the space around me. It was like I was trapped in a bubble in the ocean. The rest of the world felt like it was completely separated from me. It was an odd feeling, being so disconnected from everything else.

I was trapped, and I had to break free. I opened my eyes, activating my teleport to reach the other side of the field—

And I appeared right at the fringe of the bubble. I scowled, taking a few steps back and tried again. I repeated the action again and again, failing again and again. I didn’t care how it’d take me. I’d make sure that I’d succeed, with however long it takes. In fact, I’d dictate time itself.

I raised a hand, changing the speed of time around me. I sped up time within the [Temporal Distortion] field so that time outside moved slower. Then I tried breaking free from this bubble again and again and again and again. I watched the shadows of the leaves covering my Lair move with the position of the sun above. Until, finally, when the shadows were gone and night fell, I succeeded.

I teleported through the [Temporal Distortion] field, panting and grinning. It felt so satisfying. Like I had freed myself from a tiny hole. I laughed as a notification resounded in my head, flopping over on the ground.

Skill [Partial Phasing] learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 46] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 47]!

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

“Alright. Another step closer to crossing planes.”

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 108

Class: [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 47

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 5

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 2

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 5

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 135 (+25)

[Strength]: 110 (+25)

[Endurance]: 125 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 210 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 266 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 4]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 5

[Haste] - Lvl. 8

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x2

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 7

[Object Levitation] - Lvl 1

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 5

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 5

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

A note from MelasD

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218. Smart Salvos

218. Smart Salvos

Then school break was over.

Everyone returned to their classes, filling the campus once more. Well, Mavos Academy was like a small city in itself. A large majority of their population came not from students, but from others living here, so even during break, it was never emptied of people.

But now, as I walked through its streets, I saw once again the familiar uniforms of students attending Mavos Academy’s College of Aspirations. They chatted casually, talking about what they did over the break. Surprisingly, most of them didn’t do any studying. Most of them took the time to relax or enjoy themselves, because… they were exhausted from school?

I didn’t really understand how it worked. Saffron told me that regular Humans apparently had limits, and couldn’t just study all night like I did. Sure, they had potions and elixirs that could help them overcome their need for sleep, but it wasn’t permanent. And if they abused those potions, there were negative side effects too.

Although, apparently, there were some Skills out there that helped Humans curb sleep. These Skills didn’t have any downsides to them like potions did.

Whatever the case was, I greeted Lamarr as I settled onto my seat as my first class started, excited for another day of classes.

The red-haired man— Warrior King of Traith— nodded.

“Greetings, Salvos.”

“How was your break, Lamarr?”

“I returned to my kingdom to oversee any matters of import that were brought up while I was gone.”

He unpacked his belongings. His Bag of Holding held within it a dozen different textbooks, while I had only a single notebook in comparison.

“How about you, Salvos?”

“Huh, cool. I took a trip to the Rainforest of Monsters and befriended a giant Golem!”

Lamarr raised a brow.

“I see.”

He didn’t press me any further, and I glanced over at the door as lecturer Claudia entered the room. Despite having not seen her for a week, she barely gave us a cordial greeting as usual, dragging herself on her feet over to her desk. She set down a stack of papers— what was presumably our test results.

“When I call your name, you’ll come up to the front to collect your midterms...”

Her voice droned on as she began handing out the papers. I eagerly awaited for my name to be called out, and when it finally happened, I ran up to the front and grabbed it before sitting back down. I didn’t even look at my result until I was seated once more.

“What did I get…?”

I stared at the number written at the top of the piece of paper. I got…

“How?!”

My eyes widened as I nearly fell back on my chair. Lamarr leaned over, raising a brow.

“What is wrong?”

I turned to him, pointing excitedly at my paper. The grade I’d gotten was absolutely amazing! I didn’t think anyone could’ve possibly gotten as high of a grade as me!

“I got 78 out of 50! Can you believe that? I got a higher score than even the test itself!”

Lamarr blinked. He just stared at me for a few seconds. When I didn’t respond, he cleared his throat.

“I am unsure if you are making a joke or if you are serious, Salvos.”

“Why would I be joking?”

I cocked my head.

“I see.”

He crossed his arms, and I frowned. Was something wrong with what I said? He didn’t look exactly excited about seeing my fantastic grade. It was possible that he was envious, but Lamarr hadn’t shown himself to be that kind of character until now.

I drew back, almost defensive, as he reached for my test paper. He pointed at the number written onto it.

“This, Salvos, is not your score out of 50. This is the percentage you scored in the test.”

“The… percentage?”

“It means that you did not receive 78 points, Salvos. You received 39 points.”

“Oh.”

I deflated. I look down at my test paper, seeing the squiggly symbol next to the numbers; it was written so tinily that I didn’t even notice it. My shoulders sagged in disappointment, but Lamarr gave me an approving look.

“It is quite an impressive score for someone who joined so late into the academic term. A distinction grade. The second highest grade you can get. I’d say to raise your chin high, Salvos, for you should be proud of yourself.”

“What did you get?”

I turned to Lamarr, still scowling slightly. He raised his own test paper.

“A higher distinction grade.”

My jaw dropped as I saw the number written onto his test. He had a 95 percent score for the midterms! That was way better than mine! However, he was convinced I’d done well. He tried to explain to me how good i was in the class, and I refused to listen—

Until I heard the conversations happening behind me. A fourth year student from the College of Aspirations was bragging about the score he received on the exam. He lifted his sheet up, showing it to his friends.

“Look, I even got the second last question right—”

I narrowed my eyes as I saw the number. 68 percent. He had gotten a whole grade score lower than me. And yet, he was excited about it. It wasn’t just him, either. I looked around, seeing the other dozen students in the room discussing their results.

74 percent. 44 percent. 57 percent. 35 percent.

I probably was staring too hard because many of the students gre uncomfortable and quietened down, even though Claudia hadn’t started the lecture yet. I turned back to Lamarr, beaming. He placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Mavos Academy is one of the top institutions— no, it is the top institution for learning in the world. To thrive here is proof of excellence. Good job, Salvos.”

“Thank you.”

—--

Each of my classes today returned my midterm grades. I did quite well for each of them, on average getting a distinction— even on the cusp of getting a higher distinction for my class on enchanting. The only class which wouldn’t return a grade to me today was my class on alchemy, and that was because it didn’t have any midterms.

It had a practical session, so I had gotten back my grade for it two weeks ago. It was, unfortunately, the worst grade I’d gotten. But that didn’t dampen my mood even as I was about to leave my enchantment class for my alchemy class. I waved at Professor Lisbenon, rushing out of the room, only to pause when a blonde girl called out to me.

Valda, one of Saffron’s friends and my classmate, stood with her hands behind her back as she approached. I turned to her.

“Hi.”

“Apologies for troubling you, Ms Salvos—”

“Just Salvos is fine.”

I casually waved a hand off. If this were the first time we’d met, I’d have tried to make a good impression by being more formal, but I’d spoken to her a few times before. Valda hesitated. Then she nodded.

“R-right, S-Salvos.”

Her lips were pursed together. She was clearly uncomfortable with referring to me without formality. However, I didn’t like it when my name was butchered. So, it was between her being uncomfortable or me being uncomfortable. I prioritized myself, of course.

Valda continued.

“If this is not rude of me to ask, M— Salvos, Liberator of the Plaguelands—”

She used my Title instead, which was fine with me.

“I was hoping to inquire about, uh, whether or not you got a distinction for this class. I-I don’t mean to cast aspersions against your character— I am certain you received a distinction fairly easily. However…”

“I did, yes.”

I interrupted her before she could ramble any further. I proudly showed her my results, and she gaped at it. I lowered the piece of paper, grinning.

“What about you?

“I got a… 64%.”

Valda looked dejected as she raised her test results. I nodded, echoing what Lamarr said earlier.

“That’s pretty good.”

“Oh, uh, thank you.”

She hesitated as I cocked my head. I wasn’t in an extreme rush to get to my alchemy class— I had enough time between classes. But I did want to know what she was so nervous about. I tapped a finger on my elbow as I crossed my arms.

“Well?”

“I-I am one of the highest scorers in the class, you see? Even with a score like this. A lot of my friends failed.”

She squeaked out as my gaze bore into her. I looked over at where she was pointing at. Her friends were gathered at the back of the class, staring at her with anxiety clearly written on their faces. When I faced them, they averted their gaze.

“S-so, if it’s not a problem with you, we were hoping if you’d be able to tutor us. Like, as long as it’s not a burden. You can say no if you want. I’m sure you’re very busy, and we’d totally understand if you—”

Valda rambled on again, but I didn’t cut her off. I furrowed my brows.

Tutor them? Like Nolan was tutoring me? It would take some time away from my own studying. Although, teaching others could help me revise and even compare notes. Also… being asked to tutor her made me feel smart.

And I liked this feeling.

I gave her a thumbs-up, even as she continued.

“—since you’re a Diamond and all you’lve probably heard—”

“Sure!”

Valda tried to work her jaw.

“You… will?”

“Yep! Why wouldn’t I?”

I waited for her to respond. She took a moment to gather herself. When she did she bowed her head deeply.

“Thank you very much. I am very grateful to you for this, Salvos, Liberator of the Plaguelands.”

“I am quite amazing, yes. But I’ve got to go now. Let’s discuss this again next time, alright, Valda?”

I patted her on the shoulder and headed for the door. The blonde girl just stood there, still bowing, raising her head slightly only to watch me leave.

It was surprising, hearing a self-proclaimed genius ask for my help. The fact that so many students did badly in the exam was expected— this wasn’t a class full of fourth year students, but first and second year students. After all, this was Mavos Academy. It had one of the highest failure rates in the world.

And I did pretty amazing, if I had to say so myself.

—--

I hummed happily to myself as I skipped into the alchemy lab. I arrived just in time for [Alchemist] Raymond to reach the class himself. He raised a brow.

“Well, well, Ms Salvos. It does appear that you’ve enjoyed yourself during your break.”

“I have, yep!”

We entered the lab, and I found a place for myself across from Veronica and Nolan, sitting next to Gallus. I greeted each of them— we hadn’t seen each other in a while, so we exchanged pleasant, casual conversation.

Then [Alchemist] Raymond drew our attention, splitting us into pairs. This time, I was paired with Veronica Adash. We weren’t given any specific task to complete, like we were usually given. Instead, we were provided with a lotof ingredients and even the pre-potions necessary for a greater-tiered potion. Then we were told to create one before class ended.

Veronica and I decided on creating a Potion of Greater Protection; if we had tried to make the potion ourselves with only the base ingredients, it’d have easily taken us years as non-[Alchemists]. But since Raymond had done most of the preparation work for us by turning most of the ingredients into various other base forms for brewing, we just needed to do the final step and we’d be done in a few hours.

“I had prepared all this over the past three weeks for you guys, so try not to let it go to waste. But this is exactly the kind of ingredients you will want to gather for your final assignment of this class. None of you here are low-leveled. Each of you have riches and connections beyond imaginable. Use whatever it takes to complete your assignment. You could, of course, borrow or request a certain list of ingredients from me. But it is a limited list. Certainly not the kind of ingredients I’d prepare for you in class.”

We got to work, and Veronica and I exchanged casual conversation with each other as we underwent the slow and laborious process of turning multiple Potions of Lesser Protection and a Potion of Strength into a Potion of Greater Protection by mixing it with various different tinctures.

“You know, I’m surprised, you seem happier than your usual self, Salvos. Which is an assertion I never thought I’d ever make.”

I beamed, raising my chin as I remembered all the praise I received today about how smart I was.

“Today has just been a good day. I got back my result for the midterms— I did great in all of them. I learned a new Skill called [Partial Phasing]. And I even was praised for being smart!”

“That’s very good, Salvos—”

Veronica Adash spoke, slightly distracted as she raised a beaker. Then she paused. She quirked a brow.

“You've learned [Partial Phasing] with your second Class?”

“Yep! Do you know that Skill?”

I turned to her, curious. Veronica nodded.

“It’s a Skill [Dimensional Mages] try to learn early on to manipulate small pocket dimensions. It’s not a [Full Phase]— you can work wonders with that. It’s more like… what [Crafters] commission [Space Mages] to create Bags of Holdings. It’s an essential Skill for any kind of [Space Mage] at the lower levels to learn.”

I paused.

“It helps create Bags of Holding?”

“Indeed.”

Veronica turned her attention back to the beaker, which was now sizzling. She spoke, focused on two tasks at once.

“It allows you to do more than just tug at the fabric of space. To fold space, not just in a haphazard manner. But to intricately weave it, even if just a little bit, to your will.”

I blinked.

“Really?”

“It’s considered a necessary Skill. Although, you can learn it yourself through theory and practice. Especially if you learned the Skill, like you said you did. You probably can manipulate the folds of space better than a brand new [Space Mage]. So, it’s not really a necessary Skill, in my opinion.”

I nodded along, only barely listening to what she was saying. Because I had an idea. If what she said was right and that I could manipulate a small enough area of space to fold into itself, then I could potentially flip the space of this plane to match with that of another plane. Then I’d just have to punch a hole through it.

This seemed like a good idea.

I might actually finally get back to the Netherworld.

It couldn’t possibly go wrong.

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219. Tutor

219. Tutor

“Saffron!”

I ran through the door, beaming with excitement. The papers in my hand fluttered as I raised them, ready to show my companion my amazing grades and compare it with hers. However, the pink-haired noble wasn’t there. I paused, looking around.

“Aw, where is she?”

Apparently, she hadn’t returned back from her classes yet. I was too early. I scowled, sitting down on the sofa, waiting for her to return.

—--

“Saffron!”

I ran up to my companion as she stepped in through the door. She blinked, dropping her things.

“What is it, Salvos?”

“Look, look, look, look, look—”

I waved my test papers in front of her face, and her eyes widened.

“You received three distinctions?”

“I did!”

Saffron looked genuinely impressed. She folded her arms across her chest, still staring.

“Huh.”

“That’s my line!”

“And those are some good grades.”

She picked up her things, bringing them over to a table. I nodded proudly, basking in my own greatness. I peered over her shoulder.

“So, how’d you do for your midterms?”

“I was one of the top of my class. While I did not do as well as you did, I also am not able to stay awake all night, studying without sleep every single day.”

“Hey! I only do that like five or six times a week!”

I took a step back defensively. Saffron rolled her eyes.

“I do have to say, Salvos, that you’ve outdone yourself. Even I didn’t expect you to excel in your studies more than me.”

“I’m smarter than you!”

I grinned, raising my chin.

“Perhaps you are in your academics. However, I am far more educated than you in a plethora of ways.”

“Oh really?”

Saffron nodded, making a list.

“Socializing, general information, and tending to my own responsibilities as a noble. This is all without your ability to ignore mental exhaustion.”

“I can’t ignore mental exhaustion! I do get tired sometimes.”

“Sometimes, yes. But us mortals have our limits. Only those at the truly highest levels are capable of casting aside their mortal restraints.”

“But aren’t you a Vampire?”

I tapped a finger on my chin, and she glared at me.

“Not so loud, you idiot. And yes, Vampires aren’t technically mortals. We’re part mortals. Those of us who attain our Subspecies at Level 100 can forego their mortal needs. But as you can see, I am not Level 100.”

Saffron waved at herself. Indeed, she wasn’t even that high-leveled. Maybe as a Human, she’d be considered very high-leveled for her age. But I was still better than her!

“That’s not a lot of things, Saffron. Just admit it, I’m smarter than you!”

I huffed. The pink-haired noble scoffed. Then she paused. She turned to give me a sly smile.

“I do have other things I’m busy with, Salvos.”

“Oh yeah? What are they?”

“Indeed. It is quite troublesome, really. In addition to what I said, I busy myself with learning skills such as taking care of my beloved companion, who has proven herself to be quite the handful so far.”

I blinked. Then I raised a fist.

“Hey! I’m not a handful!”

“Of course you aren’t. I was talking about another troublesome companion of mine named Salfos.”

“Oh, ok.”

I nodded. Then I frowned.

“Wait a minute—”

“Anyway, I have had a busy day, Salvos. I’d just like to rest now, with my free time.”

I harrumphed as she started past me. Saffron sighed, turning back around. She smiled at me.

“You did a good job, Salvos. I’m proud of you. I really am.”

Instantly, I brightened. I smiled from ear to ear, pressing my hands to my cheeks.

“I’m so great…”

Then she placed a hand on my shoulder.

“However, you shouldn’t belittle others even when acknowledging your own success. I do not particularly mind— I’ve known you were smarter than you looked for a while now, and I’ve seen your hard work. But others who are less familiar with you as… Salfos, the immature and prideful Demon…”

She gestured at me, and I narrowed my eyes. Before I could speak, she continued.

“...and are more familiar with you as Salvos, the Liberator of the Plaguelands, may have their image of you shattered if you act as condescendingly as you sometimes do.”

“I don’t want that…”

I hesitated, shifting slightly.

“But I do know how to act appropriately around others.”

“You do, Salvos. You are capable of putting up a facade. But only briefly. You thaw too quickly, revealing your true nature to those who you’re comfortable around.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? Daniel says honesty is good.”

“Not in your case.”

She shook her head.

“Remember, you have a reputation to uphold now. It may not truly represent you or capture you fully. However, it is far better than to have yourself misrepresented in a bad light rather than a positive light. After all, you’d rather others know you as the intelligent Diamond Ranked adventurer over a foolish young woman, do you not?”

“I do.”

“So, do take care of yourself and your actions. Don’t do anything foolish, alright?”

Saffron headed for her room, yawning.

“I’m going to rest.”

“Wait— do you want to see my Lair?”

I asked eagerly. There was a moment’s pause; she looked like she did want to take a look at it. Unfortunately, she ended up deciding against it.

“Maybe some other time, Salvos. Maybe you can show it to me this weekend?”

“Alright…”

I wasn’t completely dejected with my response. Her delaying it gave me time to tidy up my Lair before she paid me a visit. Also, it meant that I could make preparations for the ritual I was planning.

Veronica Adash had given me an idea. It was a good idea. I liked the idea. I’d try to cross to the Netherworld with what I had now. It sounded risky, but I liked taking risks.

For now, though, I’d just continue my school days as per usual. And one of those included tutoring other students.

***

Valda was a genius.

She was a fifteen years old prodigy, having enrolled at the prestigious Mavos Academy only a year before. Her levels reflected her talent, but what others didn’t know was that it required a lot of hard work on her part to get to this point.

Her family was not rich. She wasn’t provided a lot of the resources the rich nobles that normally attended Mavos Academy were given. While she came from a lineage of Vampires— those of whom were typically wealthy and of high status— her family had been disgraced three centuries ago. Now, they were but [Traders] who thrived off selling copperthorn leaves grown from their vineyard.

If Valda’s wealth were measured to the common masses, she'd be considered ‘rich.’ However, she was upper middle class at most. And her family couldn’t even afford her tuition— not without some sponsors.

That was right— due to Valda’s talent, she was partially sponsored for her enrollment to Mavos Academy. It hadn’t been easy. It had been difficult, even. She studied night and day just to pass the entrance examination. And things only grew more once classes started.

From dealing with her studies to training her combat skills, she placed herself under a lot of pressure and stress just to get this far. Her achievements were things which she was incredibly proud of. However, that also made it harder for those around her to bond with her.

Other than the Vampires in Mavos Academy— there were currently two others, Saffron and Adney, although there was a third, Beatrice, a year ago— Valda struggled making any friends over the course of her first year. Even worse was that she was younger than all the other students there. So, she struggled to fit in.

But she had good grades. At least, she was considered a top student in all her classes. Valda was never the top scorer, but she was always within the top dozen or so students in her class, with a large majority of others failing. While she was not the best in class, she was a good student. She then decided to take advantage of her position to get to know others better.

Valda approached those who were failing in the class; they needed help, or else they’d be expelled. And she offered them her help. That was how she made her first friends.

Jeremiah, Marie, Eve, and Jonas.

They were of the nobility class— except for Jonas. His parents were Platinum Ranked adventurers who sent him to Mavos Academy. Valda’s group of friends weren’t… dumb, per se. But they simply struggled with focusing in class. And as such, Valda struggled with helping them thus far.

While she was a child prodigy, she wasn’t a teacher. She helped a little bit. Not enough for Jonas and Marie to pass their midterms. It hurt her to see them fail. She even blamed herself a little bit. They didn’t, but she did.

In her desperation to help them, Valda turned to one of the most esteemed students in their class. Salvos, the Liberator of the Plaguelands. It wasn’t the first time they spoke; Valda had been confident in herself— that she’d find common ground with Salvos. But after a brief interaction, Valda realized just how far above her the Diamond Rank was.

The proceeding times they spoke, it took Valda all the courage she had to approach Salvos. And their conversations lasted just as briefly as the first time. And when Valda asked Salvos for tutoring assistance and Salvos actually said yes, the girl couldn’t believe it.

She still couldn’t believe it, even as she walked behind Salvos, following her to the library. Jeremiah, Marie, Even and Jonas walked beside Valda. None of them dared to even walk at the same pace as Salvos— instead, whispering quietly amongst themselves.

“She’s really going to teach us.”

“Do you think she has some sort of secret studying technique?”

“Don’t be stupid— she’s clearly just a genius. I heard she received no formal education before entering Mavos Academy.”

“What about her beauty routine? I need to know how she keeps her skin so pure as an adventurer—”

It was Eve who spoke last, causing Valda to hush her. The fifteen year old girl was certain that Salvos could hear them. And her friends were certainly not leaving a good impression on Salvos.

Just look at her… Valda turned her gaze to Salvos. The Diamond Ranked adventurer kept her gaze forward, an almost bored— maybe even annoyed— look on her face. It was obvious. Valda knew that this was going to go badly. She knew that Salvos would never offer to teach them again.

Valda had to apologize now before things got worse. Before Salvos grew ever more annoyed.

***

I was being praised!

I was so happy that finally, someone recognized me for what I was: a genius. I heard what that boy said. Jonas. He called me a genius! And I most definitely was one.

It took all of my willpower to stop myself from dancing and throwing my hands in the air as I shouted. A grin kept creeping up on my face, but I twisted my lips down to suppress it— to keep it from showing. Saffron’s words weighed in my mind. I knew I had to uphold their perception of me as something good.

So, I said nothing, leading them into the library, cordially greeting the [Librarian] as I entered.

“Good to see you again, Ms Salvos.”

“Likewise.”

I carried myself with the aura of the nobility, and Valda and her friends recognized it. They were in awe just from the fact that the [Librarian] recognized me. I was doing such a good job.

I was about to lead them to my usual study spot with Nolan, when Valda hurried next to me, speaking in a small voice.

“Um, I-I…”

I glanced back, smiling.

“Yes, Valda?”

“I-I apologize if my friends and I have made a poor first impression on you. We are truly grateful for this opportunity you’ve granted us, despite our i-impositions.”

“Of course.”

I nodded, even as she squeaked.

“I am very much unbothered by your request. Do not worry.”

She paled.

“R-right. O-of course someone like you would find this task unburdensome.”

“Indeed.”

I pursed my lips, stopping myself from beaming. I turned away from her, speaking casually.

“Plus, I like you, Valda. So, even if it had been a problem, I’d have aided you regardless— but it’s not.”

I quickly qualified the statement at the end, emphasizing the fact that I was, well, a genius. She paused, stopping in her tracks, even as her friends followed me into the private study room. I faced her, brows raised.

“Are you coming?”

Valda stood there, blinking, in a slight daze. Then my words broke her out of it, and she rushed in.

“Y-yes!”

I nodded, closing the door behind her. I looked at my five students, sitting themselves at the table, looking at me with admiration. See that, Saffron? I can maintain their impression of me. That had been easy. Because I was a genius, so of course they'd think I was a genius. But now...

Now was the hard part. Because— how exactly was I supposed to teach them?

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220. Reputation

220. Reputation

Valda sat with her friends in one of the private study rooms of the library at Central Square. It wasn’t an unusual place for her to be in; she’d normally bring them to one of Mavos Academy’s multiple libraries to tutor them for class. And yet, today, she sat there, nervous.

It was like there was a knot in her throat. She could barely speak. Sometimes, she’d forget to breathe. Her fingers trembled like they’d been dipped in a frozen lake for all of winter, and her gaze flitted around the room like a butterfly during a warm spring day. Valda was unfocused— too anxious to even know how much time had passed since she entered the room.

She was acting completely differently than she usually was. Her poise was gone. Her aura of confidence was shattered. Because she was faced with someone who was far better than her in every way.

Salvos.

The Diamond Ranked adventurer who liberated the Plaguelands. A true prodigy— one who, without any formal education, could ace all her tests in Mavos Academy. She was everything Valda ever wanted to be. And here she was, tutoring Valda and her friends.

There was no way Valda could keep her cool. So, she stared, awe-struck, as Salvos flipped through the pages of the textbook. It’d been a minute. Or three or five or ten or even an hour. Valda didn’t know. All she knew was that whatever was going through Salvos’ mind had to have been nothing but the wisest thoughts. Sage wisdom that Valda couldn’t comprehend.

There Salvos sat, in deep thought. Pondering the quandaries of life. Philosophical ideas— a dialectical debate with herself. Surely, any moment now, Salvos would impart her wisdom to Valda and her friends.

Any moment now…

I had no idea where to start.

I didn’t even know how to teach anyone anything. I looked over the textbook, organizing the information of everything within it in my head. And I’d read most of this already five times over. I’d even annotated it all and taken notes. It all made sense to me. So, what was the problem here?

If I taught them anything, I’d be regurgitating the exact same things they could find in the textbook. I tapped a finger on my chin, trying to figure out what I was supposed to say. Then a voice spoke up.

Jonas. A young man— roughly 25 years of age, with about twice that number in his levels— raised a hand.

“Excuse me, uh, Ms Salvos—”

“It’s just Salvos!”

I replied, almost by instinct. I pursed my lips. I probably shouldn’t have been that informal with them. Smiling, I clapped my hands together and leaned forward.

“Yes, Jonas? Did you need something?”

“R-right, Salvos. Are you, uh, going to teach us anything? You’ve been sitting there, silent, for the past ten minutes.”

“Huh? Oh, um, yep! Of course!”

I tapped a finger on my chin; I didn’t know what to say. Did I begin with how Crux Symbols worked? Surely they knew that much, right? It was pretty much the foundation of the entire class’ theory!

I shrugged, deciding to start with something a bit more advanced than the bare basics.

“So, does anyone here know about the side effects of a tainted Clean Medium? Do you know the twenty three historical examples, and the crux of their individual cause?”

Three people shook their heads. Only two nodded. Valda and Jeremiah. I blinked. That wasn’t even that hard yet; I’d taken something from the middle of the textbook. I turned to another random page, looking at my abundance of notes before asking my next question.

“Oh, um, you don’t know that. Hm. Ok, what about—”

Four of them shook their heads this time. Only Valda nodded.

I cocked my head.

“Alright, what about—

All five of them shook their heads this time. Valda did it slowly, almost ashamed. I crossed my arms.

I was stumped. I had absolutely no idea what to do here. Alright, the last question was probably the hardest one— I didn’t even know the answer to it during the midterms. I got partial credit for it, but not full credit. However, upon looking over my test and the answers Professor Lisbenon provided, I now knew what it was.

However, none of them understood it. And as such, I didn't understand what I was supposed to do. Did I just say the same thing as in the lecture? Did I say something different?

I needed to distract them with something as I tried to figure things out. I glanced over at Eve’s unopened textbook. She looked the most confused out of my five students. Her textbook had some notes in it, but not a lot. Not nearly as much as mine.

I snapped my fingers, an idea crossing through my head.

“Alright, to help each of you out individually, I need to know how well you’re doing in the class. Read up on your textbook and I’ll give you a short quiz afterwards, alright? I’m going to go, um, prepare some study notes outside.”

Yes, that’d distract them for long enough for me to work this out. I needed to go around and maybe ask for some advice. After all, I still had no idea what I was doing.

Salvos was a genius.

Valda was convinced that she was a genius. Personalized teaching? That was something that Valda never would’ve thought of. Whenever Valda helped tutor her friends, she’d give them all a general outline of how she studied. Of course that wouldn’t apply to everyone. It was how she studied, not how they studied.

So, they failed, while Valda passed, just missing out on a distinction grade.

“I don’t get it.”

Marie whispered.

“Can’t we just show her our tests? She can surmise how well we’re doing from that, can’t she?”

“What are you saying?!”

Valda looked hurriedly towards the door. Salvos didn’t teleport back into the room at the disrespect, thankfully. There was no way she could hear them. Or if she did somehow hear them, she didn’t care about what they had to say because of how lowly they were compared to her.

The blonde girl shook her head.

“Obviously, she can’t use our test score because we’ve learned since then. She expects us to at least improve from our mistakes. She’ll compare our current standing with how well we did beforehand, and make an assessment from then.”

“You think so?”

Jonas stared at her, slightly dubious. Valda nodded.

“I know so.”

Jeremiah and Eve seemed taken by her idea, instantly throwing themselves into their textbooks. The other pair were more hesitant, but Valda pressed them to begin studying.

After all, Valda knew what kind of person Salvos was. She’d return soon, and begin teaching them. So, Valda studied. She read through her textbook, flipping through the pages with determination. The clock ticked in the corner of the room as time continued to pass. Ten minutes became thirty. Thirty minutes became an hour. Salvos would be back with Any… time now.

Surely she was just grabbing a cup of coffee on her way back, right?

***

I massaged my temples, at a complete loss of what to do. I went to see Profesor Lisbenon, however he wasn’t of any help as per usual. He just recited his class lectures and sent me on my way. Then I went searching for Saffron, but I couldn’t find her.

I didn’t know anyone else who’d be able to help me here, so I wandered the streets of Mavos Academy, pretending that I couldn’t find my way back to the library. I sighed.

“Maybe I’ll just do as Lisbenon suggested. Just repeat the lecture until they get bored and stopped asking me for my help.”

But wait, that would lead to the exact opposite effect Saffron asked me to achieve: I’d ruin my own reputation amongst them. I didn’t want that.

“Should I confuse them instead? Make them think I’m too smart for them?”

However, they clearly expected me to be able to help them. That was why they asked me to be their tutor.

“This sucks. Managing expectations with who you really are sucks.”

Why was that even a thing? Why couldn’t people just recognize me as who I was? I was Salvos!

I avoided Central Square, instead heading down a street full of shops. Maybe I could just go back? Pretend I forgot. Or say that it was all part of a test!

That was what teachers did, right?

I thought about everyone who taught me in Mavos Academy so far. Certainly, most of them just improvised and succeeded. They seemed to go over pretty much all the same motions they previously did, varying it only slightly for their new students.

None of them truly worked with their students. Not like… not like Lily did with me. The training I underwent with her was the most refined and tailored lessons I’d had so far. She was a good teacher.

I paused as I passed by a shop. My eyes focused on something in its display.

“Huh.”

If I wanted to be a good teacher and uphold my reputation, I had to be like Lily.

Valda was beginning to doubt herself. It had been two hours, and Salvos was not back yet. Could Salvos have abandoned them, realizing that they were all so foolish they weren’t worth teaching? That was what Marie kept saying. The only reason she and Jonas remained was because Valda forced them to stay.

“I’m telling you, Valda, she’s not coming back.”

“She will. She said she’d help us.”

“And Father once said to me that I’d be a [Trader] like no other in Warrington. Look at where I’m at now. A [Mage] in Mavos Academy.”

Valda gritted her teeth. Marie was right. Salvos had a million other better things to do. Why would she waste her time helping them?

There were a multitude of reasons as to why Salvos could’ve left them alone. And they all raced through Valda’s mind. What if Salvos was attacked on her way out by a group of Elite Elves? What if Salvos was expelled by Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder for an unfounded reason? What if—

The blonde girl hesitated as the worst possibility popped up in her mind.

What if Salvos wasn’t actually as much of a genius as Valda thought she was?

The thought simmered in the back of Valda’s mind. It couldn’t be true. Salvos was a Diamond Ranked adventurer. She was a peer to Valda— no, better! And yet, she hadn’t told them anything substantive since she brought them to the library. And yet she wasn’t here, even after two hours of Valda self-studying. And yet… and yet—

The door swung open, and Valda looked up with wide eyes. Marie blinked, and Jonas frowned.

“I’m back!”

Salvos sauntered in, carrying with her a Bag of Holding. Jeremiah and Eve looked jerked up, having dozed off while studying on their textbooks. The both of them immediately tried making up some kind of excuse.

“I was just resting my eyes—”

“Yep, yep, sure, whatever.”

The silver-haired woman placid the Bag of Holding on the table, causing it to shake. It looked heavy, which said a lot, since Bag of Holdings typically had some kind of weight enchantment to keep them light.

Valda went cross-eyed as she stared at it.

“Uh, S-Salvos… what is that?”

“This is your study material.”

Salvos beamed, opening the bag. Valda exchanged a glance with Jonas who shrugged. He spoke apprehensively.

“Ms— I mean, Salvos, what exactly is in that bag?”

“Here, I’ll show you.”

Salvos poured the contents of it out onto the table. It all fell in a clatter, dozens of tools designed to create a basic artifact. Valda furrowed her brows, surprised by the items.

“What are these for?”

“Things designed for enchanting. But not just modern tools. Look, you have old tools as well like this little weaving pin.”

The blonde girl watched as Salvos picked out an item from the clutter of tools. Then she reached for what looked like a dead artifact.

“And look, this is a real tained Clean Medium. You can see how it has a Crux Symbol etched on it, right? But the enchantment failed to latch on because the item itself isn’t good for keeping in mana.”

She continued to sort out the various items, showing it to Valda and the others. Marie frowned.

“Wait, why are you showing this to us?”

“Because it’ll help you have a better grasp of how each and every one of these things work. We learned it in class, right? But we never once did any actual enchantment. It’s all theory, no practice. And I believe that, sometimes, it’s better to learn by doing rather than by, well, studying in a classroom.”

“But these cost…”

Valda spoke softly. These weren’t just modern artifacts you could buy at any [Crafter]’s shop. Many of these were antiques. Things you could no longer find in the current era.

“This is from the Melissian Era… and this is from the Alexandrian Era…. how much did they…?”

“Um, a few dozen platinum?”

Salvos scratched the back of her head.

“Or something like that. I’m not really sure.”

Valda’s jaw dropped, and even the nobles gaped. That was expensive. Anyone would know that was expensive. Yet, Salvos brushed it off like it was nothing.

“Y-you didn’t have to do this…”

The blonde girl pursed her lips, feeling slightly guilty. Salvos shrugged.

“It’s nothing. I promised I’d help you, right? Well, this is one of the best ways I can. I’m not just going to put in the minimum effort to help you after offering you my help. It’d reflect poorly on me!”

This was Salvos.

Valda stared at her, completely taken aback. The Diamond Rank went above and beyond for Valda and her friends, going as far as to buy all these items to help teach them. It wasn’t just a lesson designed for them. It was more than that.

Salvos placed a hand on Valda’s shoulder, smiling like the sun.

“Don’t worry too much about it. Come on, let’s get your friends a passing grade, alright?”

“Right.”

Valda nodded.

—--

The tutoring session ended, and Salvos parted ways with Valda and her friends. The five of them were silent, in awe of what Salvos did for them this evening, while letting everything they learned slowly settle in. It was an act of more than just kindness— of the kind of altruism discussed in philosophy books.

She was Valda’s hero. No—

“She’s a [Hero]...”

Valda whispered. Eve blinked, turning back to face the blonde girl.

“Did you say something, Valda?”

“Salvos is a [Hero].”

The blonde girl repeated herself, this time with more confidence. Her four friends looked at her, slightly confused. However, she spoke insistently.

“There’s no way someone like her can exist naturally. Think about it. All the [Heroes] of the past share the exact same trait as her. She’s altruistic, she’s high-leveled, and she’s a genius.”

“Right, Valda, but we can name literally a dozen other people like that just in this school.”

“But she's different. She’s better than them. And—”

Valda bit her lower lip. This was something that had bothered her for a while now. But the pieces finally fell into place.

“Even more than that— no one has ever heard of her before the past few years, and her levels have only rapidly risen since then. Don’t you think that’s strange? As if she suddenly appeared in this world with no levels, and grew quickly ever since? Kind of like how a [Hero] is summoned?”

Her friends opened their mouths. Then they exchanged looks.

“That…”

“I can actually see that.”

“Exactly.”

Valda crossed her arms.

“Salvos is a [Hero]. I’m certain of it.”

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221. Saffron's Sanity

221. Saffron's Sanity

Saffron Merryster sat in her room and stared at the vial of Demon’s blood before her. It’d been given to her by Salvos— a precious resource which would normally cost a fortune, provided to her every other week. She would drink from it once a day, consuming just enough for her to not completely pass out from the blood.

Demon’s blood had that effect on Vampires like her. It didn’t take much. A few sips in, and Saffron would be out for the rest of the night. Her memory would be foggy— everything from the night before nothing more than a haze to her, especially when she woke up with a headache. It wasn’t really the most conducive state to be in when she needed to study.

However, it helped her level. All thanks to drinking Demon’s blood, Saffron reached Level 56 in her Class, and Level 9 in [Racial Skill: Vampiric Essence]. It was more than she’d leveled in in months.

Saffron Merryster (Lady)

Species: [Vampire - Human]

Class: [Evocation Elementalist] - Lvl. 56

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 3

[Identification] - Lvl. 8

[Racial Skill: Bloodlust] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Vampiric Essence] - Lvl. 9

[Rest] - Lvl. 4

Saffron was truly grateful to Salvos for it. There were times where she’d still be suspicious or dubious of Salvos due to the silver-haired woman’s nature as a Demon. But each time, Saffron logically reminded herself that Salvos had no reason to help Saffron. No reason other than the arbitrary title of companion Salvos had designated to her.

The meaning of that title was quite intuitive. Saffron knew it was just another word for a close or important friend— and yet, Salvos, due to either her naivety or her young age or both, would go through great lengths for the sake of her companions.

It flattered Saffron, really. But she could also see how such a mindset could potentially be problematic for the Demon in the future— she could be used and taken advantage of. So, Saffron was going to make sure it never happened. She’d educate Salvos. Teach her how the world worked.

That was what Saffron had resolved herself to do before she inebriated herself the night before from drinking Demon blood. Even as she got out of bed with a massive headache, taking a quick hangover tonic to recover, she had that in her mind. The young noble approached Salvos as she left her room.

“Good morning.”

“Hi!”

Salvos was unexpectedly ready to go to her classes, with her backpack slung around her shoulder and a chipper grin on her face. Saffron raised a brow.

“Are you heading out right now? You still have an hour until your classes start, don’t you?”

“Yep! I’m going to be helping a friend out with her studies.”

“I see—”

Saffron paused. Her eyes narrowed.

“Wait, a friend?”

“She’s nice, don’t worry too much about it. I’ll see you later, ok? Not immediately after my classes end though, because I’ll be going to the library. Bye!”

The Demon headed out of the room, waving at Saffron. The young noble shrugged and bade her farewell.

“She’s made even more friends? Of course she did. I just hope they don’t take advantage of her.”

—--

Saffron continued on her day, heading to each one of her classes, socializing, talking, learning, and of course, headaching. That was the state her mind was in when she accidentally drank one sip too many of Demon’s blood. She spotted Adney hurrying down a corridor. Another Vampire. The only one in Mavos Academy other than Saffron and Valda— after the fourth member of their cabal vanished.

Also, she was the only one who considered them a cabal. Everyone else didn’t; they held a meeting once in a while, but even that was becoming rarer than ever. Saffron had briefly spoken to Gannon, another Vampire, during Ivonne’s auction a month ago. Things were looking dire with what was going on in Nixa. The old guard of Vampires didn’t care to act. Nay— they were afraid to act. Only a few dozen of the lesser families had sent their thralls and resources to aid the Merrysters in facing the Primeval Demon.

The thought annoyed Saffron. The greater families were too scared of losing everything they had— all the worth they accumulated— to even help out. It was so ridiculous. And judging by the letters she’d been getting from her family, they were upset about it too. For… some reason.

Dearest daughter,

I hope your education has been going well. Since I have written to you a month ago, your father has recovered from his injuries…

...your brother has been managing the estates…

...I implore you to reach out to the other families. While we may send messages to their estates, it will not be the same as a conversation with them. Travel is restricted here due to hordes of wandering monsters, displaced by that Demon’s rampage. Only you can speak to the Norwood and Veridian families.

Else, should our family fall, you shall receive a… package. Within it are instructions and all the information you need. Otherwise, do not speak of this last matter with anyone else.

Lucia and Warren send their regards.

Love,

Zahra Merryster

Just thinking about the letter made her irate. Saffron was supposed to try and convince other Vampire families to help, but it wasn’t easy. Even just gathering Valda and Adney to help her was difficult. She tried to grab Valda earlier, but the blonde girl ran off before Saffron could catch her. And Adney— she couldn’t even get him to stay on topic.

“Adney, I need you to listen to me.”

He had a gruff figure— he’d been an adventurer once before, after all. He scowled.

“I will not, Saffron. I have heard what you said before, and I am not so suicidal to get myself killed fighting that Primeval Demon. ”

“That’s not what I’m asking of you.”

Saffron sighed.

“I need you to help me find the Crimsondreads. I know you’re aware of what happened to them after they lost their estates. Your father was acquainted with them.”

“My pa only helped them after you rich nobles shunned them from your society. I know nothing about them.”

“Then at least let me speak to your father.”

She met his gaze. The man gritted his teeth together. He was clearly frustrated.

“No. I won’t.”

Adney finally spoke. He spun around, turning to leave Saffron and the bubble they had around them. A spell cast so that no one could scry or listen to them. He paused right at the fringe of the spell’s bounds.

“I suggest you give up your idealistic beliefs, Saffron. Before you get yourself killed. That Demon is far above any of our levels. It has disposed of multiple Diamond Ranks on its own. Even the Amber Mind herself was slain in battle last week, and she’d nearly been an Elite. Any contribution we have is meaningless.”

He turned around, about to continue. Saffron stood there, her gaze shadowing over. She clenched her fists.

“Regnorex is at the gates.”

Her words drew him to a stop. She looked up, a defiant look on her face.

“That is what we’ve been told by our families since we were children. That Regnorex is at the gates. It’s just a saying. A phrase. A figure of speech. Something to remind us of our duty as Vampires. As Demon Slayers.”

Saffron took a deep breath.

“Well, guess what? He is coming now. This Primeval Demon is but a messenger, and look at what it’s doing. If even us Vampires can’t band together to fend it off, then Humankind has no hope to survive this next invasion.”

Adney stared at her. He closed his eyes, whispering.

“Perhaps…”

But then he turned around anyway.

“But who am I to stop it?”

With those words, he left her alone.

Saffron massaged her temples. Great. She let the spell dissipate. Just great.

Neither Adney nor Valda would help her. The only person she could rely on was herself. And maybe… Salvos was willing to do anything for her companions, right?

The thought crossed her mind for a moment.

Would Saffron be taking advantage of Salvos for that? But no— the young noble didn’t befriend Salvos for that intention. She’d just be asking for a favor, as friends did.

Now, where did Salvos say she was going to again? The library, right?

—--

With some help from a [Librarian], Saffron managed to find where Salvos was. The Demon had booked one of the private study rooms for use. For her to teach her friends.

Saffron knocked on the door, and it opened. She blinked.

“Valda?”

The blonde girl furrowed her brows.

“Saffy? I thought I managed to lose you. How did you find me here?”

“I wasn’t searching for you. I was searching for… Salvos?”

The young noble looked past Valda who was barring the doorway, meeting the gaze of a familiar silver-haired woman. Salvos cocked her head.

“Oh, hi Saffron!”

“What are you doing here?”

“Just teaching.”

“Teaching?”

Saffron had a premonition of what Salvos was about to say. But even when the Demon said it, she couldn’t help but gape.

“Yep. I’m teaching Valda, Jeremiah, and Marie. Eve and Jonah couldn’t make it today.”

The young noble looked over at the other two students in the room— she assumed they were Jeremiah and Marie. She thought she recognized Jeremiah from somewhere. Perhaps from a ball. Or maybe another social event. Whatever it was, she was certain Jeremiah was a noble too. She stared at Salvos.

“What are you doing, tutoring Valda?”

Salvos opened her mouth— but Valda spoke over her.

“Are you envious, Saffy? I have the Liberator of the Plaguelands herself expounding on her genius and intellect for me.”

Saffron tried to work her jaw.

“...what?”

“It is only natural that geniuses such as Salvos and I would mingle and befriend each other. I know that you have been trying to abuse your position as her roommate, keeping her away from others. But while you are merely her friend, I am her protege.”

Valda spoke haughtily. She wasn’t a noble, but Saffron thought Valda was doing a good job at passing as one. Saffron tried to muster up her words.

“I am not— why are you even taking lessons from Salvos? Aren’t you supposed to be a prodigy, Valda?”

“I am, indeed. But even I have my own shortcomings. Enchantment theory is not where I truly excel. I may not have achieved a distinction for my midterms, but with the help and lessons of Salvos, I am certain it is achievable without a problem.”

“And you really trust her? What is she even teaching you?”

Saffron’s eyes turned to the scene at the study table. There were a bunch of trinkets spilled onto the desk, with messy notes scribbled down on crumpled up pieces of paper. That was normally how Salvos studied, so Saffron was not so surprised by that.

What Saffron was surprised by was how everyone else was taking notes the same way. Even Valda.

“She’s teaching us how to be a model student. She’s imparting her wisdom onto us. Her methods are unique and that's why she’s able to stand out in class despite transferring late into the academic term.”

Saffron really didn’t like repeating herself, but again she was at a loss for words.

“...what?”

Salvos piped up, crossing her arms from the study table.

“What are you guys talking about over there? It better be about how much of a genius I am!”

“We are, actually. I was explaining to Saffron about how refreshing I find your study techniques to be compared to the dull, inane teachings of Mavos Academy.”

“Aw, thank you.”

Salvos grinned, even as Saffron pinched the bridge of her nose.

“This can’t be real. This seriously can’t be real.”

Not only was Salvos continuing on about how much of a genius she was, but others were agreeing with her too? Valda, of all people, was praising parroting that sentiment?

Saffron was pretty sure she’d accidentally drank some Demon’s blood earlier, passed out, and was now dreaming this whole thing up. But it was real. And that made her want to actually get inebriated.

“I think… I think I want to leave.”

“Aw, you’re leaving? I need to tell you something real quick, Saffron.”

“Go ahead and leave, Saffy. You’re interrupting our study session. We have lots to discuss without you.”

Valda paused. Then she sneered, leaning in and casting a quick silence spell as she spoke softly.

“Plus, I know the secret you wanted to tell me.”

“Y-you do?”

And this time, Saffron reacted instantly. Her gaze snapped up as she felt pinpricks running down her spine. Like ants were crawling on her skin. She spoke apprehensively, backing away from Valda.

“How…?”

Did Salvos tell Valda? Surely Salvos wasn’t foolish enough to tell others that she was a Demon. It was something that could compromise her stay in Mavos Academy. It was something that could compromise her status. It was something that could compromise her life.

Or maybe… did Salvos screw up again? Saffron opened her mouth, but Valda huffed.

“Of course I do. It’s the reason why her teachings are out of this world.”

And Saffron froze entirely. Valda crossed her arms, as Salvos slowly sauntered over.

“No…”

“Yes.”

“You know that she’s a D—”

“Yes, I know that she’s a [Hero].”

Saffron rubbed her eyes.

“Pardon?”

“You heard what I said.”

Valda drew back, letting the spell vanish as Salvos walked up next to her, a cheerful expression on her face as usual.

“What were you whispering about?”

“It’s nothing. We were just catching up.”

Salvos characteristically tilted her head to the side, but Valda waved at Saffron. The blonde girl returned to Jeremiah and Marie, engaging in excited conversation with them, glancing back at Salvos every so often.

For her part, Saffron just stood there, speechless. Salvos clapped her hands together.

“So, why did you come, Saffron?”

“I… I don’t actually remember.”

“Huh. Now I’m curious. Oh well, if you remember what it is, don’t forget to tell me. But—”

Salvos beamed, placing a hand on Saffron’s shoulder.

“Anyway, I’m free tomorrow, and it’s a weekday. Want to come see my secret hideout?”

By that, Saffron knew Salvos was referring to her Lair. The young noble just sighed, not wanting to be in this room of insanity anymore.

“Sure. Let’s go take a look at it.”

“Yay!”

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222. Lair Tour

222. Lair Tour

“Saffron, you’ve been getting drunk a lot lately, haven’t you?”

The young noble looked up at me with bleary eyes. Shadows stained her eyelids— it was like she had spilled my blood, smearing her face with its black emptiness just under her eyes. She sighed.

“And whose fault is that?”

I tilted my head back, pondering this question.

“I dunno. But I think you should learn some restraint. It’ll be healthier for you.”

Or so I assumed, based on what I knew about Humans. However, Saffron was a Vampire, so it was entirely possible her body functioned differently.

She shot me a glare.

“Coming from you, that’s rich.”

“Hey! I’m not that rich. I only have a few hundred platinum coins!”

“And that’s hundreds of times more than the average person will make from working their entire lives. Anyway, it’s a figure of speech.”

“I’m just worried for you.”

I watched Saffron as she leant back against her chair, sipping on a cup of tea. Apparently, it was mixed with some potion that was supposed to help cure headaches. I was taking alchemy, so I should’ve known what it was— but since I jumped classes straight into advanced alchemy, I had absolutely no idea what it was or how it worked.

I probably could make it if I was given the recipe, just considering the complex concoctions I brewed with [Alchemist] Raymond’s lessons. In fact, I probably should make them for Saffron.

“How much do those headache potions cost, Saffron?”

“About ten gold each. It is rather pricey, but it has about a dozen uses per bottle.”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Maybe I could make you some.”

“And how would you do that?”

She raised a brow. I beamed.

“With my alchemy station! I have one in my Lair— I was actually going to show it to you when we left for my Lair later today.”

“...right. I promised to go, didn’t I?”

For whatever reason, Saffron didn’t seem enthused. In fact, she appeared to be apprehensive, pursing her lips and drinking a sip of the tea instead. She placed the cup town with a soft clatter on its plate.

“Well, Salvos, unfortunately you won’t even be able to produce this concoction in your Lair, for this is not made by alchemy, but by herbalism.”

“Herbalism?”

I frowned, and she nodded.

“Indeed. It is an entirely different school of magical brewing. One that relies less on the Skills and magic of the brewer, but of the brewed ingredients itself. It is the specialty of those who use nature as their construct.”

She waved a hand as she spoke. I creased my brows. What did that mean? Wait— wasn’t…?”

“Oh, I’ve met a [Herbalist] before, actually.”

“It is a bit of an unusual job compared to [Alchemists], but I’m not surprised you have.”

“Yep! She was very nice. Her name was Xidra. She’s a Kobold.”

Saffron paused. She looked at me, squinting.

“You’ve met a Kobold?”

“A lot of them! Some of them were really mean. Others were nicer though! Oh! I also met a Goblin that can talk— a Gremlin. He’s a [Shaman]. He wasn’t as nice as Xidra and his name is weird. But do you think he dabbles in herbalism too?”

I remembered how Mngrph worked with a cauldron to make food. It wasn’t for anything potion-like, but it could potentially be used for such.

The noble woman just stared at me. I cocked my head.

“Yes?”

“You’ve befriended Kobolds, and you met a talking Goblin?”

“Yes.”

“...and you wonder why I inebriate myself.”

I didn’t know what she meant by that. Saffron drew herself to her feet, sighing.

“Come one. Just take me to your Lair, already. I want to get this over with before you give me even more of a headache.”

“Sure!”

I leapt to my feet, excited to finally show Saffron my Lair.

—--

I brought the Vampire out of Mavos Academy. She followed me as we entered the forest far from the campus, where only the tallest towers were visible, but also obscured by a ceiling of clouds. And when we stepped under the tall foliage, we could no longer see our school.

Saffron and I waded through trees until finally reaching the small alcove I’d hidden under a thick layer of leaves. I dug it open, beaming and spreading my arms wide.

“Ta-da!”

Now entering [Lair: Study Spot of Salvos]!

“Wait…”

Saffron frowned as she took a step in.

“Does it inform you every time you enter it that you’re stepping into a Lair?!”

“Yep! What’s wrong?”

“I thought you weren’t being literal when you called it a Lair!”

She stared at me, aghast. I was flummoxed. Why was she so surprised? The Vampire waved her arms frantically.

“What happens if someone discovers this place? They’ll know it belongs to you!”

“And?”

I gave her a blank look. She spoke, exasperated.

“Humans don’t have Lairs, Salvos. Only monsters do— and I guess, Demons and Spirits?”

She pondered that over before concluding it didn’t matter.

“Whatever— it means that if someone stumbles upon this place, they’ll realize that something is wrong about the Diamond Ranked adventurer Salvos.”

“Huh.”

I just stood there, a finger on my lip, as Saffron paced around and murmured to herself.

“If you get in trouble… this is so reckless, why does this even—”

“Can’t I just change its name then?”

She halted mid-step. The Vampire turned to me and blinked.

“What?”

I repeated myself.

“Why can’t I just change its name?”

“You… can?”

Saffron nearly went cross-eyed. I nodded.

“I mean, I think I can. I feel like I can? Let me try—”

I focused on the name of the Lair. I felt like I could just remove its existence, but I didn’t want to do that. It was my Lair— it gave me a significant boost in Stats. If it was combined together with my [Demonic Essence] form and with Daniel’s [Hero] Skill and also one of those Elf fruits, it’d be enough to almost literally double my Stats.

So, instead, I changed its name. I wanted it to be something cooler. Something that was more fitting for me. A place I could relax and show to those I cared about. I snapped my fingers, and the name changed.

Now entering [Lair: Companion Cave].

“How about that?”

I grinned, turning to Saffron. She looked around, the worry on her face vanishing.

“Oh.”

“That’s better, right? Now no one will know who this Lair belongs to.”

“It’s… still a bit of an odd name.”

I gestured for her to enter.

“Come on. You haven’t seen anything yet.”

There was a short winding corridor that turned around a corner to where the main chamber of my Lair was. I skipped ahead as Saffron followed slowly behind.

“So, was this where you kept your alchemy stati—”

The Vampire froze when she took a look at the rest of my Lair. I waited for her reaction, but she just paled. She raised a twitching finger as I crossed my arms impatiently.

“Well?”

“That’s… uh, this is your Lair?”

“It is.”

I nodded, glancing back at it. It had stacks of old and dirty books piled together in one corner— pretty much everything I was planning on reading— and another few stacks of old and dirty books in another corner— everyone I had already read.

Handing along the wall in between the two corners were various coats and clothes. Outfits I’d taken from dead [Cultists] or other people who tried to kill me. Daniel told me to save those to sell, but I liked the decor they provided, like black curtains covering windows that weren’t there.

At the adjacent side of the room were artifacts I’d placed on pedestals based on what I assumed was their value. The one that was placed on the highest pedestal was the Dreaded Goblet. It had in it some murky water— blackened for whatever reason. I was pretty sure it was clear when I poured in the water just this morning! I had to keep replacing it every day.

Finally, the center of the room had all my study materials. I had a large cauldron used for alchemy, with various other tools used for alchemy laid out on a desk next to it. It was just slightly off center of the chamber, because at the center of the chamber was a circle. I’d marked out the diameter of my [Temporal Distortion] Skill before I maxed it out just to see if its size increased. It did, by about five feet in every direction. Which made me mark out an even large circle over the first circle.

I spun around, spreading my arms wide.

“So, what do think, Saffron?”

She worked her mouth. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke.

“This— this looks like a [Cultist]’s hideout, Salvos…”

“...it does?”

I cast my gaze around the room, furrowing my brows.

“No it doesn’t.”

“Yes it does.”

“Nope. It’s my study spot. My Lair.”

“Your Lair looks like a place where [Cultists] converge to summon Demons! Look at it!”

She emphatically pointed at the center of the room.

“Why do you have a summoning circle etched onto the ground? Why is there blood in that summoning circle?!”

“That’s not a summoning circle! And that blood’s from me— I accidentally spilled some blood when trying to pour it into a vial!”

Saffron glanced between me and the summoning circle.

“Alright, fine, maybe you can explain that to me. But to anyone who stumbles in—”

She massaged her temples.

“It’ll look like a hideout for [Cultists]. Adventurers will raid your Lair, Salvos. You’ll lose everything you own.”

“You worry too much, Saffron.”

I waved a hand off.

“No one has discovered it so far. And we’re quite deep into the forest! It’s unlikely anyone will just find it.”

“People have Skills, Salvos. A high-leveled [Rogue] may sense that there’s treasure. A [Hunter] may smell the hit of blood in the air. There are many things that could happen. You’re not worried enough. Just because no one has discovered it yet, doesn’t mean someone won’t eventually find it.”

Saffron folded her arms. I hesitated. That actually made sense. I tried to come up with an excuse, but I knew she was right. I shrugged.

“What do I do about it, then? I can’t just use your room— what if someone discovers me there? I’ll be in even more trouble.”

“Hm. That is true.”

She glanced around, scratching her chin.

“I could put up runes. Wards that keep this place more secure and hidden. I’ll have to look into a few books. Speak with some [Enchanters].”

“Wait, I’m taking an enchanting class. Can I possibly help?”

I raised a hand, and she nodded.

“You could, but your class is more related to the creation of combat artifacts. Wards and runes aren’t as complex, but may also elude you to a certain extent. It takes a different set of theory you may not know.”

I looked at Saffron, grateful.

“Thank you, Saffron. You’re great!”

I cheered. The Vampire paused. She looked at me for a moment. It was as though a thought cross through her mind. Then she snapped her eyes shut and shook her head.

“We’re friends, Salvos, and I’d rather you not get yourself in trouble.”

That was all she said. She took out a notebook and began scribbling out a list of things she had to do. I waited until she was finished. Then I shifted slightly, drawing her attention.

“Well… other than all that, what do you think?”

Saffron cocked an eyebrow.

“What do I think?”

“I mean, other than everything you’ve said. Do you have any thoughts on my Lair?”

“Any thoughts?”

I nodded eagerly.

“Yep! Do you think it’s cool? Do you think it looks amazing and fancy and nice like the home of Princess?”

She stared at me, then stared at the rest of the Lair.

“No. It’s terribly designed.”

Saffron responded without missing a beat.

“Aw.”

I deflated. I felt my shoulders sagging. But then I straightened.

“So, um, do you want to see me brew the Potion of Regeneration?”

She pressed her lips thinly together. I scratched the back of my head.

“It’ll be fine…?”

“Ugh, sure. You better not blow both of us up.”

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223. Portals!

223. Portals!

Saffron Merryster watched from the side— wary and with an array of protective spells around her— as I prepared my concoction. I was working on the Potion of Regeneration. Well, not the Potion of Regeneration itself, but one of the base ingredients that’d create Potion of Regeneration.

There were still a lot of steps I had to take to finish creating it. Right now, I was working with the tempest-fused blood to enhance a simple healing potion into a more potent form. Saffron crossed her arms as I poured the blood slowly into another vial. The second vial was full of healing potion, burning under a soft fire. Flames I conjured, weak and cold.

Then I saw the bubbling. The fire increased in intensity. I grabbed a tube of effervescent liquid, pouring it into the soluble potion. I waited, staring intently as the mixture changed. I poured the effervescent liquid into the potion drip by drip/

“You’re using your fire manipulation to speed up the process.”

Saffron observed. I nodded.

“Yep! I read about this in the textbook. [Alchemists] would have to use heat control, not fire control, to achieve this. But I have [Advanced Fire Creation]. I can make my flames cold or hot if I wanted to.”

“Impressive. But I do suggest you be a little more gentle in your handling of the potion. Otherwise something could go wrong.”

“What could possibly go wrong—”

Just as I spoke those words, I saw a sizzling rise up from the potion. I blinked. Then I instantly let my flames dissipate. However, it was too late. The liquid burst out— a scalding, molten mess that spilled all over my Lair. I leapt back, creating a Nebular Shield to protect me from it. A thin layer of smoke filled the room as I let the glass vial clink to the ground.

“Oops.”

I turned to Saffron who gave me a flat stare. She was safe behind her barriers. I shrugged.

“At least I have more tempest-infused blood, right?”

“You idiot…”

—--

It wasn’t a lie that I still had quite a lot of tempest-infused blood to spare. The problem was that I didn’t have as much to spare for my other ingredients— for example, sagetree sap. While I’d been given quite a lot by Ivonne— the [Trader] who’d held the auction a month or two ago— the amount of sagetree sap necessary to create a Potion of Regeneration was substantial.

Each failed attempt would be a big waste.

And especially with my Enigmatic Heart shard…

I only had one chance with it. It was the most vital ingredient— one of the final few steps that came in making the Potion of Regeneration something that actually restored your missing limbs and body parts. Otherwise, it’d have just been a High Grade healing potion.

A voice drew my attention from the side. Saffron stepped out of her barrier of protections.

“You made quite a mess, Salvos. You need to be more careful. You can’t rush the process when it comes to alchemy.”

“Aw. But I don’t have much time left, Saffron. Our midterms and breaks are over. I can’t just waste time taking things slowly.”

“And you can’t waste your resources either.”

She shook her head.

“It’s counterintuitive. Either way, you’ll fail your class. But at least if you take your time, you increase your chances of passing.”

“I won’t fail. I’m a genius!”

I scowled. Saffron rolled her eyes.

“You also need to stop hanging around Valda. Your head is getting too big, Salvos. Seriously, you need someone to keep you in check.”

“Hey!”

I crossed my arms, defiantly staring at her.

“I’ve always had a big head! That’s why I’m a genius!”

“...you know what I meant.”

The Vampire huffed, letting her spells vanish. I watched as she started for the exit of my Lair, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Regardless, I will ask you to take your time with what you’re doing, Salvos. Not to rush the process. I will write a letter to Matthew— hopefully he has procured additional Enigmatic Heart shards. It is not a guarantee. I cannot promise you that he’ll be successful.”

“Aw, you’re going? Already?”

“Indeed I am, Salvos.”

I felt my shoulders sagging as she headed out of the cavern entrance. She glanced back at me, stopping.

“I also need to prepare some runes— spells that would help you maintain your Lair’s secrecy better. I do not want you getting into trouble over your… well, your lack of conspicuousness.”

“But Princesses aren’t meant to be inconspicuous!”

“And you’re not a Princess. You’re a Demon.”

Saffron snorted, spinning on her heels and leaving the Lair. I called out one last time before she finally left.

“Did you at least like my Lair?”

SHe glanced back at me and responded without missing a beat.

“No. I can’t say I did.”

“Aw.”

And I tried to make it look nice, too.

—--

With Saffron gone, I continued my own studies on my own. I decided to halt my brewing attempts for today— partially because some of my tools for alchemy were damaged thanks to my earlier failure.

I immersed myself in books. In space magic. I had been… carrying out tests. Experiments.

I’d bought a bunch of Bag of Holdings and deconstructed them. They were fascinating. Each Bag of Holding varied in price— the cheapest one was roughly 50 gold, I found. And yet, they were all complex.

The reason, however, why they were so mass produced— or relatively so to their complexities— was purely due to the nature of their creation. One could replicate their formula with ease. A [Space Mage] just needed to create the spell for a distortion in space once, before using the exact same spell each time to create a Bag of Holding. Or at least, the same kind of Bag of Holding. So, when [Crafters] commissioned Bags of Holdings, [Space Mages] simply sent the formula to the [Crafters], and they’d be able to make the Bag of Holding themself.

As such, they could be bought in pretty much any city.

I’d spent a few hundred gold on just Bags of Holdings. Which was apparently a lot. If Daniel were here, he’d criticize me for my reckless spending. But he wasn’t here. I’d spend as much as I wanted!

I tried replicating the spells— in the exact same way I studied the Runic Scroll of Starfall. Of course, I couldn’t make an identical Bag of Holding. But I found that my own Bags of Holdings I created were comparable in quality to the ones I'd bought.

Each could hold multiple times the volume they appeared to be able to hold!

“Is this thanks to [Partial Phasing]?”

I tapped a finger on my chin. I had that Skill— I learned the Skill for my Class. But I didn’t add it to my available Skills, because I had a limited number I could choose from. Plus, as Saffron and Edithe and Lily kept saying, it was better for me to learn magic the proper way, rather than relying on Skills.

The problem with using Skills and only Skills to learn was how it’d be harmful for me at higher levels. Granted, I was already quite high-leveled. But I leveled too quickly or whatever, as they always said.

I was taking things slower now, which upset me a little bit, but I understood the logic. I was trying to get to the Netherworld, and that required teleporting through the planes, something which I had to learn. And I’d learned a lot in Mavos Academy.

The theories— the idea behind the folds in space. I’d even been reading through the various books I stole from the dead [Cultists].

They, themselves, weren’t so sure how Demon summonings worked. Most of them had no clue. They just followed the instructions and killed some people. But there was one book I found that piqued my interest. It was written by a [Cultist] named Kenneth Cyr.

He’d been fascinated by the way Demon summonings worked. He became a [Cultist] solely to study and understand the power behind it. Everyone knew that it was the Demon’s collar that made them adhere to the Human’s commands. But how exactly did it pull them through space?

I remembered Lucerna’s Lair. He had an area there that was reserved as a portal. And Kenneth Cyr’s findings seemed to align with what I knew. Portals were created, linked to these specific spots.

Demons couldn’t just come to the Mortal Realm from any random location in the Netherworld. They had specific gates and portals to go through— now, whether these gates were abundant or numerous wasn’t something Kenneth knew. But judging by what I saw with Lucerna, I assumed they were more common than not.

So, the magic that was cast was mostly from the side of the Netherworld. The [Cultists] here simply cast a spell from the Mortal Realm that activated the portal.

If someone like Lucerna could have his own personal portal in his Lair, surely I could too.

Which was what I decided to test today. I set up a spot— I activated [Temporal Distortion] over a small area. It was about the size of a bag. I couldn’t manipulate the size of the Skill after it was cast, but I could set it at a certain size and shape before.

And now, I began weaving mana.

I was like a seamstress, working the strands of magic that made up space itself. It was the same formula I’d use to create a Bag of Holding. Except, I overlaid it on top of my [Temporal Distortion].

The reason was simple. Teleportation magic was simply creating a fold in space and pushing through it. These two spells created their own fold in space— well, more like pushing into space to create a separate pocket. But if added together, it’d be like a fold. A deep fold. One that, if my theorizing was correct, when pierced through, would let me teleport straight through to another plane.

Kenneth Cyr himself had been an amateur in space magic. And whenever he saw a Demon summoning, he observed, with his specialized eyes, how space itself seemed to warp and fold multiple times into itself, like a receding flower, before collapsing into a portal.

As such, I was confident enough to test my theory. I focused on this single spot I’d chosen out, before focusing my magic into it. I wanted to teleport into it— I wanted to puncture a hole that was strong enough to make it fall into itself.

A regular [Temporal Distortion] field barely looked different to a normal place in space. It was slightly discolored, but otherwise not something easily distinguishable. But this space… it glowed. It shone, glittering like a jewel. But transparent, with a fractal surface around its sides.

I closed my eyes, even as its iridescent light glowed brighter and brighter with each passing moment that I tried to force my way through it.

“Come on…”

I knew how to teleport. I’d teleported through my own [Temporal Distortion] field before. This was just a bit harder, right?

The more I’d exerted pressure onto it, the brighter it shone. Then pieces began to crack off. Emptiness— a dark black void of nothing stared at me. I narrowed my eyes as even more pieces of this gem-like portal began to break off.

“Um, is this supposed to be happening?”

It was nothing like all the other portals I’d seen. There was always an image on the other side. Either the Spirit Plane or the Netherworld. This— it was like looking into the darkness of a wicked mouth. Its shadows threatened to swallow me as chipped pieces of glass-like space, reminiscent of broken teeth, fell into it.

“This isn’t—”

I tried to deactivate the spell. I tried to remove my enchantment. Nothing worked. It was slowly breaking apart, like a broken windowpane.

“This isn’t supposed to be happening!”

I was no longer trying to teleport through this ‘portal,’ and yet I still found myself slowly being dragged in. Panic settled in as I realized I couldn’t control it. The light that shone from it turned dark— the last pieces of the gem-like shape collapsed. And the force that tugged me grew stronger.

I gritted my teeth, spreading my wings out. I began flapping it as I tried to get away. Yet, I was still pulled closer, unable to fight back. I glanced over as I saw my artifacts, standing still, unaffected by this strong pull.

“What is going on?!”

I screamed as my hand was sucked into the darkness. I tried to pull it out—

Then a hand grabbed me. It definitely felt like a hand. I looked down and saw the red arm opposing mine. A face appeared in the darkness— a smirk spread across it. I recognized him immediately. And he pulled himself out of the shadows. The black hole vanished as he came out, one horse-like feet at a time.

My eyes widened as he spoke, still holding onto my hand.

“And here I was, wondering who was the idiot who tried to crush themself between space. My, my, it was you. My favorite Demon. Hm. What was your name again?”

I tried to take a step back, but his grip on my forearm was unbreakable. I gaped at him, trying to work my mouth.

“W-what are you doing here?”

“And here I thought you’d be happy to see me again. Don’t you remember me? It’s me.”

He spread his arms wide.

“The Devil.”

[???- Lvl. ???]

A note from MelasD

Early chapter cause I'm still busy today.

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224. He's Back

224. He's Back

A quietus enveloped my Lair as the red figure loomed over me. I felt a tremor wash over my skin. It was like I’d been standing on cracked ice, just barely holding my weight, before an earthquake broke its sheet, and I was dipped in the chilled water below. My entire body shivered and shook as I raised a finger, pointing it at the being that emerged from the darkness.

The Devil.

That was his name— or at least, what he called himself when I first saw him.

He had blood-crimson skin with black legs. They were curved back, like the hooves of a horse or a goat. Similar to mine when I was transformed in my [Demonic Essence] form. A pair of wicked horns protruded from his head and a dark goatee that was curled almost up back into itself.

This was the Devil. I’d met him once before. Back when I was half my current level. He’d beaten me with ease— taken the collars I’d tried to steal to bring me back to the Netherworld. My [Deadly Instincts] told me of how dangerous he was then. The spine-prickling feeling of ants crawling their way up my back by the hundreds was never forgotten.

And the same feeling overwhelmed me now. Just with [A Hunter’s Sense] instead. The Devil took one clopping step forward as she tapped a finger on his chin.

“Why, you’ve grown quite a bit since I’ve last seen you. You’re already at Level 100. That’s quite impressive.”

He paused, tilting his head to the side.

“How long did that take you? A hundred years? Two hundred? A thousand?”

“Um…”

I wasn’t sure whether to speak or whether to attack him. I knew I’d die if I tried. Maybe I could run, but he still had a firm grip on my hand. So, I squeaked.

“T-two years?”

It was roughly two years. Maybe more, maybe less. I wasn’t keeping track of time— I didn’t care about the concept of birthdays or age like Humans did. Apparently, the Devil didn’t care about time all that much either.

“Two years? I wasn’t that far off.”

He raised his shoulders in a shrug. Then finally, he let go of me. I felt the burning iron grip on my arm release and stumbled back to the floor. Then his brows tightened like a fist.

“Although, leveling as quickly as that, I’m surprised you aren’t dead yet. Ninety-nine point nine nine nine nine nine nine nine nine nine nine nine nine nine… you get what I’m saying… percent of those who level as quickly as you would be dead by now. Due to sheer recklessness, or sheer chance. You must be quite lucky. Or you must not have died just yet.”

His words screamed at me to run for it. This could be where I died. But he just waved a hand dismissively.

“Anyway, what’s your name again?”

I bit my lower lip. Was he being serious? I’d already introduced myself to him in the past. Why was he asking for my name again now?

“I’m, um, Salvos…”

“Ah, that’s right, Salvos.”

The Devil snapped his fingers with a click. He grinned knowingly.

He recognized me. Not my name. And yet… something was off. He knew who I was. But he didn’t… he didn't…

Then the realization sunk in. I looked down at myself— at my blue jacket and my fingers without claws. I was… a Human. I wasn’t transformed into my [Demonic Essence] form, which was the form most similar to what I wore when I first met him. I wasn’t even my regular self; I didn’t look like a Demon at all.

But he knew who I was.

“H-how…?”

“How?”

He cocked a brow. I drew myself to my feet, activating [Haste] as I backed away. This was a trick. This was definitely some sort of game for him. At any moment, he could just—

The Devil appeared behind me in the blink of an eye. Not a gust of wind accompanied his steps. His hand was firmly planted on my shoulder, stopping me from moving any further. My eyes widened, and he sneered.

“How what, Salvos? Come on, you can’t just leave me in the dark after saying that.”

A bead of sweat trickled down my neck as I met his gaze.

“I-I… how did you know who I was?”

“Ah, that.”

He had a disappointed look on his face. Did he want me to say something else? What even was there to say?

The Devil spoke uncaringly.

“You were pretty funny the last time we met— why wouldn’t I remember someone who’s as funny as you?”

“Funny?”

I didn’t remember what I said last time around which managed to placate him. All I knew was that he left without killing me, and I was grateful for that. But now, I was afraid that one wrong misstep would get him to change his mind.

“I, um, am grateful that you find me funny, Mr Devil. B-but I didn’t even say anything when you appeared…”

“Oh, don’t worry about it too much. You just have a unique mana signature. Everyone does.”

“Mana signature…?”

I cocked my head, but the Devil ignored me. He peered around my shoulder, an intrigued look on his face.

“Now, tell me, Salvos or whatever your name is—”

I suppressed the urge to respond immediately, knowing the level difference between us. At some point, my [Haste] Skill dissipated, and the Devil let go of me, taking in the room around him. He continued.

“Why exactly were you trying to get yourself killed?”

“Get myself killed? I was just trying to get to the Netherworld, and then it started sucking me in— I don’t know what was happening.”

“Oh, that sucking thing? That was me. I hijacked your spell and pulled you in so you wouldn’t run away.”

“Wha—”

I stared at him. That was him? He nodded eagerly as I frowned.

“Wait, are you saying you ruined my spell?”

“I did, indeed. You created your own small pocket dimension and tried to break through it. I have no idea what you were trying to do. That’s not how you open a portal to another plane.”

“I was just trying to tear through it to get to the Netherworld, okay? I didn’t know if it would work!”

I protested. Then I realized I was raising my voice and placed a hand over my mouth. The Devil, fortunately, didn’t seem to be bothered by it.

“So you were trying to slip in through the cracks between the planes. I see, I see. That seems quite ingenious. If not for the fact that it’d kill you.”

I blinked.

“Um, what?”

“The space between planes is very, very narrow. Someone like you would be instantly crushed and mangled and torn apart by how unstable it is. You’re lucky I had my interest piqued by what you were doing and decided to take a look. If I didn’t stop you, you’d be dead.”

“Huh.”

So, what the Devil was saying was that I was throwing myself straight off a cliff, except I had no levels or Skills to help me survive. I pursed my lips, feeling grateful for a moment. Then I immediately acted on my gratitude, bowing my head.

“Thank you. For saving me.”

“I didn’t do it to save you.”

He scoffed.

“I was just curious who the idiot trying to kill themself was. Turns out, it was you, my favorite jokester. That’s another good one— I knew I’d like you.”

I deflated at that.

“B-but I’m…”

A genius.

“Oh? What are you?”

The Devil’s gaze bore into me, and I paled.

“Um, nothing!”

I quickly tried to change topics.

“But how did you know I was trying to slip in through the cracks between planes? How did you, um, interfere?”

“Because that’s where I live.”

He smiled. And I froze.

“O-oh.”

“It’s a nice place, honestly. Maybe I should’ve let you come visit. Show you around the place. I can bring you there now, if you want?”

The Devil spoke in a mocking voice, his face still wearing a twisted smile. I quickly waved my hands.

“I must remorsefully reject your offer!”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll die!”

“Hm. Right, forgot about that.”

He turned and skipped, taking in the rest of the room. I looked at him uncertainly, not sure of what to say. But when I realized he seemed interested in my Lair... I spoke against my better judgment.

“Do you, um, like my Lair?”

“It is peculiar, indeed.”

He took it in, his gaze glazing over the various artifacts I had laid out, almost uninterested. He only paused to pick up a book, his brows wrinkled.

“This is… a book on that boy. He’s making quite a name for himself, isn’t he?”

The Devil looked amused, and I cocked my head.

“That boy?”

“You know him. He’s that one all these [Cultists] like. Your king or whatever.”

I paused. My brows creased as I frowned.

“Do you mean Regnorex?”

“Yeah, him.”

The Devil made a dissatisfied sound.

“His name is just so hard to remember. Regnorex. That’s too many syllables. Why does it have to be so long and not something shorter, like, Reggie? Reggie boy. That’s a good name, don’t you think?”

I nodded as he turned to face me.

“Yep! Reggie boy— rolls right off the tongue!”

“Bah. More boring things about him.”

Tossing the book to the side, the Devil strolled around my Lair, picking up my books and artifacts. None of them interested him. Except for one thing. The one that stood on the highest pedestal.

My Dreaded Gobled. The Devil raised a brow.

“How did you get this?”

“I got it from the Kobold lands— a [Cultist] tried to kill me, and he had it on him. I’ve been carrying it ever since, Mr Devil.”

“Interesting. So, you survived the Kobold lands full of those murderous zealots.”

“I did more than that! I also befriended a few Kobolds!”

The Devil paused. And I hesitated. My heart leapt in my chest as he turned to face me.

Since he appeared, he looked like he’d been having fun. He was trippingly skipping and dancing around my Lair, and now he stumbled. Because of my words. I prepared to run, but he crossed his arms.

“You befriend Kobolds?”

“I-I… did?”

“And they knew that you were a Demon?”

“Yes— is that a bad thing?”

“Hm.”

The Devil stared at the Dreaded Goblet for a moment longer. He had no reflection in the blackened water inside of it. I felt tense, but he eventually shook his head.

“No. It is just different. The Mortal Realm has changed quite significantly since I’ve last been here proper. Tell me, is Humankind still united? Or have they fractured once more?”

I thought about all the different countries I’d been to. All the infighting between Humans. Even with Belzu, they struggled to fully commit. They were working together, from what I was told. But instead of sending all that they had against him together, they were waiting for someone else to take the lead.

“I don’t think they’re united.”

“So, no [Hero] has taken Alexander’s place, eh? Not even your friend?”

My friend? I blinked, and he turned to face me, curious. He waited, tapping his hoof on the ground. Finally, I realized who he was talking about.

“Oh, Daniel?”

The Devil gave me a weird look for whatever reason, and I just shrugged.

“He’s… alright, I guess? I don’t think he’ll be able to do anything like that. He’s definitely no Melissa and no Zacharius. Definitely not an Alexander.”

From what I heard about the other [Heroes], they were all around awesome. Daniel… yep, could never see him doing anything like that.

The Devil blinked. Then he laughed.

“My, you’re really funny, aren’t you? Just as I thought, it’s a good thing I didn’t kill you the last time we met. I guess I’ll spare you again for now.”

He spoke casually. So much so that I nearly missed what he said. I chuckled too— a nervous chuckle. I felt both relief and despair at hearing that he planned on killing me again.

“Anyway, it seems I’ve missed a lot. I wonder if the Netherworld has changed much too? Well, probably. Reggie boy is doing what he’s doing, pretending to be a king, and the Beast is just killing everything as usual. Not much of a reason to go there.”

“Does that mean you’ll go back to your, um, home?”

I spoke in a hopeful voice. He pondered it for a moment.

“Hm, no.”

The Devil shook his head. I blinked.

“Um, what?”

I felt a terrifying premonition— what he said next could be varying levels of disaster. And one of the ones that I feared the most came true.

“I think I’ll stay.”

The Devil spoke simply. I sputtered.

“E-excuse me?”

“You heard what I said. The Mortal Realm seems to have changed quite a lot in the past few thousand years. I’ve only dropped by briefly, so I’ve never actually taken a good look around. I want to see what’s new. So, I’ll stay.”

His words took a moment to settle in. I rubbed at my temples, fluttering my eyes shut. I said a single word.

“Huh.”

Well, fuck.

What was I going to tell Saffron?

A note from MelasD

Late chappie cause I was busy af today with family matters.

Shoutout to Incursions

If you could buy superhuman abilities, but they might kill you—or worse—would you do it?

Ten years ago, in a world not so different from our own, people with powerful abilities appeared. The new powers were dangerous, dangerous to acquire—dangerous to have—dangerous to wield. World governments raced to find and eradicate the abilities and those who possess them while using the media to rule by fear. Whereas corporations sought to exploit the abilities for profit.

Raz Owens was living the dream - a rising star at a job he enjoys, a girlfriend he loves, but it all comes crashing down when Raz disregards his late father's advice. He is pulled into a chaotic underworld of clandestine labs, shadow organizations, and super-powered criminals. Used as a human test subject in a place where few survive the day, he must last long enough to escape.

His only advantage? A power that seems nearly useless—a heads-up display.

Incursions | Royal Road

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225. Trickery

225. Trickery

“Good morning, Salvos.”

Saffron greeted me as I entered our room. I paused when I saw her. The noble woman was already dressed in her uniform, ready to leave for class. I’d returned to grab a few of my books before I headed for my own classes.

“H-hi, Saffron!”

I nodded back at her, fumbling for my books neatly piled up next to the sofa. She quirked a brow.

“I haven’t seen you all weekend. I take it you’ve been busy with your studies?”

I paused. I glanced back at her— the Vampire was standing by the doorway, her bag slung over her shoulder.

“...y-yep! B-been busy drilling the formulae for the Potion of Regeneration into my head.”

Saffron frowned. She looked me over, and I pursed my lips.

“Is something the matter, Salvos?”

“Huh?”

I fluttered my eyes innocently, but Saffron was dubious.

“You look tired. I was under the impression that you didn’t need sleep. However, you look completely exhausted.”

“Exhausted? Me? Pft!”

I waved a hand off, quickly turning back to my bag and packing it with my books. I ran up to Saffron and patted her on the back.

“I’m great! I can’t possibly be tired!”

Her eyes narrowed. I ushered her out of the room with me as I spoke excitedly.

“Come on, if you keep wasting time, we’ll be late for class!”

“...if you say so.”

Saffron was dubious. Rightfully so. There were a lot of things to be suspicious about— even my own demeanor didn’t convince me. However, no matter how discerning she was, she’d never know what the real problem was. How could she?

How could anyone guess that the Devil himself was staying at my Lair?

—--

“I’m sorry Valda.”

I clapped my hands together and bowed my head.

“I can’t tutor you today. Something came up, so I have to… cancel our session.”

“Oh…”

The blonde girl stared at me, her shoulders sagging. She had her textbook and notes hugged around her arms. They almost fell as her arms drooped. But she caught them and gave me a slow nod.

“I see. I understand.”

I felt a pang of guilt as I watched her excited expression from earlier vanish. Her friends couldn’t join us today, so it was just the both of us. I tried to gesture placatingly at her.

“It’s not because I don’t want to teach you—”

“No, I’m sure you’re busy.”

Valda shook her head, a sad smile on her face.

“You’re a very important person, so it makes sense.”

“But I—”

“The fact that you even considered teaching me today when you have a myriad of other more significant things in your schedule is enough for me.”

She bowed deeply, not meeting my gaze.

“Thank you for the opportunity, Salvos.”

I raised a hand, but she ran off. A soft sigh escaped my lips as I watched her go.

“Now I feel bad.”

The situation repeated itself once more, with Nolan and Gallus. The former was supposed to help me with my alchemy theory— he even offered to help me with the process of creating a Potion of Regeneration a few days ago, although I turned him down then. But he was adamant on helping me out, which made me feel bad when I had to tell him I had to cancel our study session today.

Gallus was less obviously upset, unlike Nolan or Valda. He nodded, seeing the disheartened expression on my face, and even gave me some encouraging words. It gave me a little bit of strength, but also made me feel bad. These people were so nice to me, and here I was brushing them off.

However, I couldn’t do anything. I had my hands tied. The reason was simple— it called for me in my Lair. I dragged my feet on the ground as I left Mavos Academy, disappearing into the forest far beyond the campus.

I really didn’t want to go there right now. There were so many other things I could be doing. I could be studying or training or doing anything else. But there was something in my Lair that called for my utmost attention.

Well, someone.

The Devil perked up as I returned; I stood awkwardly at the entrance and glanced between him and the pile of bodies lying next to him as he lay on his side.

“Oh, you’re back. That was fast.”

“Um, I’ve been gone for twelve hours. Maybe even thirteen or fourteen.”

“Hm. Has it only been twelve hours? I could’ve sworn it’s been a day or two. Oh well, same thing.”

He hopped to his feet, strutting nonchalantly around the corpses. I stared at it, and he peered into me.

“What are you being weird for? You look like you want to say something— spit it out.”

“How did these monsters…?”

“Oh, them?”

He tapped a finger on his chin, blinking.

“How did they get in here?”

The Devil questioned himself— the confusion clearly evident on his face. I drew my lips into a thin line.

“...weren’t you here this whole time?”

“I was! Or was I? I’m not actually sure. I didn’t even notice these monsters until you pointed them out.”

He shrugged, and I nodded.

“Huh.”

“Anyway—”

He changed topics, clapping as he spun on his heels back to face me. He grinned. A wicked smile. One that immediately sent a chill down my spine.

“Y-yes..?”

I didn’t even know why I was here. He’d asked me to hurry up and finish my classes because he needed something from me. I’d rather be anywhere else in the world right now— every second I spent with him was every second [A Hunter’s Sense] screamed at me that I’d die.

The Devil walked up to me.

“So, Sal… Saf… Sel… Sally? What was your name again?”

“It’s Salvos.”

“That’s right, Sally.”

He snapped his fingers, ignoring me. I balled my fists and bit back any retort I had for him. He was standing too close for comfort in a very threatening way, despite his carefree demeanor.

“I… why are you here again?”

The Devil cocked his head. I hesitated. Did I just lie to him and tell him he didn’t need anything from me? Maybe I could trick him and get him to leave me alone— why was he even here?!

But a flicker in his eyes told me that was a bad idea. I sighed.

“You, um, needed me to do something for you?”

“Ah, that’s right!”

His eyes lit up and he turned back around.

“That’s why I gathered these monsters. I need you to collect a few ingredients for me.”

“Ingredients?”

I tilted my head to the side, and he explained.

“I was taking a look around your Lair and I spotted your alchemy station. That gave me an idea. I haven’t been to the Mortal Realm in quite a while. I haven’t had the chance to mess with some idiot Humans or Kobolds, so why not start with something simple: I’d like to make an Elixir of Immortality.”

“An Elixir of Immortality?”

I blinked. The Devil simply smiled.

“Yes!”

He sounded excited— like a little girl who received their first doll after being abused by her father and given to [Cultists] for a sacrifice. Poor Rachel.

The Devil continued.

“I just need a few ingredients for it.”

He began counting out on his fingers.

“I need a dune-touched petal, a frost droplet, a cracked cranium of sustenance, a soul-forged heart—”

The list of ingredients went on as I rubbed at my ears. I had never heard of any of these ingredients in my life! I raised a hand, and he paused mid-sentence.

“—a butter… yes? Do you have a question, Sally?”

“...um, what are these things?”

“They’re what I need you to find, of course! Come on, don’t be silly. Otherwise, I’ll have to call you Silly and not Sally.”

He chuckled, bending over as he hugged his stomach.

“Get it? Do you get it? Silly? Sally?”

I gritted my teeth and nodded.

“I get it, but where am I supposed to find these ingredients? I’ve never heard of any of these things before in my life.”

“Surely you know what a dune-touched petal is, right Sally?”

“...it’s Salvos—”

“Whatever your name is, Sally.”

He waved a hand off.

“Only morons and buffoons don’t know what these ingredients are. I told you, it’s to make an Elixir of Immortality! I’d surely be able to sell it to some poor schmuck who thinks drinking it means they can’t die.”

The Devil shook his head, lying back down on the floor. I raised a brow.

“Um…?”

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

He made a shooing motion.

“Get going. I’d like to make this potion before the end of the day.”

“Alright— wait, end of the day?!”

I glanced back towards the outside of my Lair. The sun was setting on the horizon. I had roughly an hour left before the day would be over.

“How am I supposed to—”

I paused. The Devil looked at me expectantly, but an idea crossed my mind.

“Yes?”

“Um, it’s nothing. So, by the end of today, right?”

“That is what I said.”

“Alright. I’ll be back in a few hours when the day is over. But I don’t want you to be discovered by anyone, you know?”

He yawned, uncaring.

“If anyone runs into me, I’ll just kill them.”

“But it’ll be a hassle for you! So, don’t mind me, I’m just going to… cover up my Lair.”

I hurriedly covered my Lair so he could no longer see the position of the sun in the sky. I dusted my hands off, glancing back at the sunset.

“Yep. There’s still hours. Maybe ten or twelve hours before night falls. Totally.”

I muttered to myself loud enough that I was sure the Devil heard me.

Then I ran off, heading straight to the nearby city of Wimborne.

—--

The city was hard to get into, as usual. And I didn't have much time. I was pressed for time, even if I could rely on the Devil’s poor temporal understanding to give me some extra hours or even days. I needed to get this over with as quickly as possible, lest he killed me.

Or I assumed he’d kill me.

He said he liked me, but he also said he wanted to kill me twice now. I just had to find him some of the ingredients he needed. So, I did what I had to do to enter the city. I flaunted my status as a Diamond Ranked adventurer.

Heads turned and gazes snapped up as I showed off my badge to cut in line.

“I’m Salvos, Liberator of the Plaguelands, and you will let me in the city right now!”

I ordered, and they obeyed. [Traders] and adventurers and regular citizens whispered amongst themselves as I walked by them. However, I couldn't relish in this moment. I was in a hurry, and I acted in a hurry.

I headed straight to the only place I knew that could help me find these ingredients. The Adventurers Guild. Running in through the front door, I pushed my way to the receptionist’s desk and slammed my hands onto the countertop.

“I need help!”

The receptionist blinked. He looked like he recognized me.

“Wait, you’re—”

“I need to find the ingredients to make an Elixir of Immortality.”

“A… what?”

He was clearly confused, but I didn’t have time to deal with that right now. I shook my head vehemently and emphatically pointed down at the desk.

“Give me a glossary of all the ingredients this Adventurers Guild knows. I need to find a dune-touched petal, a cracked cranium of sustenance, a frost— anything!”

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. A Silver Ranked adventurer.

“Uh, sorry Miss, but I was here before—”

I glared at her.

“I’m. In. A. Rush.”

She shrunk away, nodding, and I turned back to the receptionist. His face was pale. I spread my hands wide.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Go!”

The man tried to say something, but he couldn’t get a word out. He ran back to grab a stack of books, hurriedly exchanging conversation with the other receptionists.

I waited impatiently, tapping a foot on the ground as they ran around the back. They were taking so long! I glanced back at the rest of the guild— it was quite crowded at this time. Adventurers were trickling in from, pausing as they saw me holding up the line. My Diamond Rank badge glinted for all to see.

It immediately told those entering to turn around and leave. It gripped most of the lobby with silence. All except for a group of sailor-looking adventurers who drank and chuckled at a nearby table.

Eventually, the receptionist returned, and I huffed.

“Finally! What took you so—”

I paused when I took a look at his face. He was nervous, averting his gaze.

“I’m sorry, Ms Salvos.”

The man spoke apologetically.

“Our guild doesn’t have the information you are searching for. There are no records of a dune-touched petal or anything similar to it, let alone a cracked cranium of sustenance.”

“What?”

I frowned, and the receptionist hesitated.

“I’m really sorry but I cannot help you with this. Those are…”

“Come on! Everyone knows about those ingredients!”

Right? That was what the Devil said!

“You’ve gotta help me. I need them urgently.”

“B-but…”

The receptionist trailed off as I narrowed my eyes.

“I really need them. Please.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

The man spoke with a quivering breath.

“Why not?”

I cocked my head, feeling a bit annoyed. Then a hearty voice boomed from behind me. I turned around, facing the sailors from earlier.

“That’s because they don’t exist!”

A burly man with a tattoo on his shoulder laughed as he raised a mug of ale.

“Wait, what?”

I went cross-eyed. He shook his head, slamming his mug onto his table.

“Aye, those be fake ingredients from a kid’s tale, girlie!”

“What?”

I repeated myself, flabbergasted. That couldn’t be right. The Devil said— the Devil said…

The burly man shook his head.

“It’s a common prank with ‘em children lot. Fooled me when I was barely thirteen! Never trusted anyone since then. Someone musta put you up to tis, did they?”

Those around him chuckled as I looked around the Adventurers Guild. Not everyone seemed to know what he was talking about, but a good portion averted their gaze, clearly in the know. My eyes widened as the realization sunk in.

I was tricked.

“Huh.”

“Apologies, Ms Salvos, but… what that man is saying is true.”

The receptionist spoke with slight apprehension from behind me. I stiffly turned around to face him as my Diamond Rank badge loosely clung onto my blue jacket. The receptionist didn’t meet my gaze, but I could see his eyes looking between my badge as he waited for my response.

“I see.”

That was all I said.

“Pardon my intrusion then.”

With a sigh, I left the Adventurers Guild quieter than it was before I came in. But the moment I stepped out, I heard the life and noise slowly return, with laughter now added to the mix. My face burned as I tried to ignore it.

This sucks!

The Devil tricked me! He made a fool out of me! He made me waste my time when I could’ve been doing other things! He was such a handful to deal with!

I paused as my brows creased.

...is this how Saffron feels when dealing with me?

A note from MelasD

Sorry for the late chappies. Was busy with fam stuff all week. Will finally return to regular schedule next week.

Also, fun fact, you can read up to the end of Salvos Volume 4 now on patreon. It's the best time to be a patreon too since it's still early into the month. Check it out!

226. Deal with the Devil

A note from MelasD

Big shoutout to Saltworld by my good friend Dissonance. This is a serial that I had alpha read for before it was posted onto RoyalRoad. I have a lot of thoughts on it, and I even reviewed it here. But, well, if you don't want to read a review, but instead want to get straight to the story, the gist of it is that it's probably one of the best LitRPG Apocalypse stories on RoyalRoad. Here's the synopsis.

August 18, 2018. Earth is at peace.

Then the sun explodes, and the world changes forever.

Sen Salazar, a third year in Dubai's renowned Belmont University, is thrust into a world where only monsters are found aplenty. Resources are dwindling, survivors are scarce, and safety is nowhere to be found. And when it's combined with an otherworldly system designed to bring out humanity's hidden potential? Sen's watched enough movies to know what to do:

Survive.

...He just has to figure out how to stop himself from turning into one of the monsters, first.

Seriously, it is superb. Check it out!

Saltworld: An Apocalypse LitRPG | Royal Road

226. Deal with the Devil

“You tricked me!”

I stormed back into my Lair and pointed accusingly at the Devil. He looked up at me, head tilted to the side for a moment, acting confused. Then he burst out laughing.

“You actually fell for it! Seriously? That’s amazing! How long did it take you to realize those ingredients weren't real?”

I gritted my teeth as the Devil doubled over, rolling on the floor with his hearty laugh. He nearly smacked into the pile of corpses. My brows snapped together.

“So, this entire thing was fake?”

“As fake as an Elixir of Immortality, yes. If Humans want to live longer, all they need to do is reach higher levels and get the right General Skills. Simple as that.”

“And what about these monsters?”

I looked over at their bodies. He waved a hand off, and they vanished.

“Just a setup for the prank. You know how it is.”

“I really don’t.”

The Devil leapt back to his feet, his hooves clopping with the step. He trotted up to me and slapped me on the back as I scowled.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never done a practical joke before, Sally? It’s fun! What else do you spend your free time doing?”

I bit my lower lip. I wanted to retort, but something else caught my attention. My eyes settled on past the Devil— at the center of my Lair, where I had all my study materials prepared, including my ingredients necessary for my Potion of Regeneration.

My eyes widened.

“Wait, my alchemy station?!”

“Wait, my alchemy station?!”

“What about it?”

He looked puzzled, but I was aghast.

“It’s completely destroyed!”

“So it is.”

The Devil glanced over at it, nonchalant. I turned to him.

“How did this happen?”

“Oh, I was just messing around with a few ingredients and— boom. Something exploded. I’m not sure what, though.”

“You messed around with my ingredients?!”

I scrambled over to my alchemy station, sifting through the debris in a panic. The Devil nodded as I ran by him.

“I saw a few shiny things and decided to play around with them. Did something go wrong?”

I held up a broken vial of purified amethyst essence. It was one of the cheaper ingredients— less rare, but necessary nonetheless.

Thankfully, most of the important ingredients were safe. My Enigmatic Heart shard, most importantly, was unharmed. But still— my cauldron and equipment were destroyed. I needed to buy new things!

I glared at the Devil.

“Did something go wrong? Why don’t you take a look and see if something went wrong?!”

He gave me an innocuous glance before turning his gaze to the destroyed alchemy station. He shook his head.

“I don’t see anything wrong at all, Sally.”

I paused. It was like something inside of me snapped. I’d been growing more and more annoyed with the Devil, but I’d only been questioning him. I didn’t challenge him. And if I let him do as he pleased, he’d continue doing so for the next few days or weeks or maybe even months or years. The very thought of that drove me to act.

I stepped away from the broken bits of glass and metal, meeting the Devil’s gaze.

“My name is Salvos.”

“That’s what I said: Sally.”

I pursed my lips, and his face contorted into a smile. No longer a grin. But what seemed like genuine happiness and my annoyance.

“It’s Salvos, Mr Devil. Can you please get it right?”

I insisted, and he shrugged.

“I think it’s more fun to call you Sally.”

My brows snapped together. I clenched my fists, gritting my teeth as the Devil quirked an eyebrow.

“Oho, is the Archdemon of Pride’s ego hurt? Just because I won’t call you by your name?”

“Yes.”

I spoke defiantly. He shook his head.

“What are you going to do about it?”

“I am Salvos. And you will acknowledge me.”

“Then make me.”

The Devil loomed over me from across the Lair. He was barely even taller than me, yet he seemed so large. Everything told me not to take this fight. I probably shouldn’t have even spoken up or challenged him. I should’ve just swallowed my words and kept quiet.

But I couldn’t do that. I’d tried for a whole day. Now, I had enough. And I had a slight advantage that might’ve tipped the scales.

Here? This was my Lair. It gave me a boost. +3% to all my Stats. But that wasn’t going to help me beat him. No, it wouldn’t be enough. I couldn’t see his level, but [A Hunter’s Sense] told me all I knew about how this fight would go.

The Devil gestured for me to come forward.

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

I bared my teeth.

“I’m waiting for you to prepare yourself. After all, I don’t want this to be an unfair fight.”

He chuckled, amused.

“Good one. But your hubris will be your fall. I mean— do you even think you’ll be able to touch me?”

“We’ll see.”

And in that moment, half of my Skills flared up. [Demonic Essence] ripped my clothes and changed my body. [The Primordial Spark] whirled around my skin, creating a tempest of flames. [Wings of the Netherworld], [Haste], and [Faux Limbs] activated as well, just as I exploded at the Devil.

I was a wicked creature of a dozen arms and bone-like wings. I left behind a trail of blazing blue as I closed in on the Devil. He didn’t move from where he stood, which was a good thing, because at the very last moment, I teleported to his back and cast [Temporal Distortion] so he was standing at the very fringe of a slowed space, while I was still outside.

I brought a claw up, [Radiant Slash] forming its black flames. And right as I was about to bring it down, I felt a powerful force fling me away from the Devil. He snapped his fingers, and my [Temporal Distortion] field vanished. Everything in the room was repulsed by a wave, like a strong deluge had crashed into my Lair.

I stumbled back, trying to steady myself against the wall. The Devil turned around, cocking his head.

“Well? Was that it?”

“No.”

I spewed a blast of sweeping white flames. The Devil crossed his arms, and what looked like a lattice of glass covered him, blocking the attack, even as it boiled my Lair. I narrowed my eyes. Neither [Intimidation] nor the fiery combination of [The Primordial Spark] and [Nebular Construct] with my Flaming Breath even affected the Devil.

The barrier spell vanished— it had been clear as day in my [Planar Navigation] senses. Space magic that I couldn’t possibly comprehend. I stared at him.

“H-how…?”

“It’s nothing, really. You’re just that much beneath me, Sally.”

The Devil spoke playfully, and I screamed.

“I am Salvos!”

I rushed him, swinging all five of my real arms alongside my seven other [Faux Limbs] at the Devil. [Barrage of Cinders] took over, and each strike I took lit up the dark cavern. The Devil took a step back, casually ducking under my strikes, dodging them with ease, circling around me as the smirk was plastered on his face.

Even with my speed— even with [Haste]— I couldn’t touch him. I flipped and kicked and slashed and sliced, but he was untouchable. He even stood still once, and my swing went straight through him. I stumbled past his image and glanced back. He was now solid again.

“Oops. And I thought you almost had me.”

“Shut. Up!”

I created a dozen Nebular Scythes, one for each of my hands. [The Primordial Spark] began conjuring flaming weapons in the air too, a salvo that was instantly unleashed at him. He raised a hand, and the flaming weapons stopped mid-air, halted by some sort of invisible force.

But as that happened, I dashed forward bringing all dozen Nebular Scythes down at him. The Devil moved. He grabbed one of the Nebular Scythes off a [Faux Limb], using it to slice the magically created limb in half. I leapt back as he continued pressing forward, a whirlwind of blades that tore down each of my [Faux Limbs] from existence.

When I was only left with my real limbs, he tossed aside the Nebular Scythe, winking.

“You still have five arms and five scythes left. Try to hit me with all of them. I’m sure it’ll work this time around.”

I threw aside four out of five of the Nebular Scythes. The Devil looked slightly perplexed by this.

“Aw, did my taunting make you do that?”

“No.”

I spoke simply as I gripped the Nebular Scythe with all my arms. Then I ran straight at the Devil, not even trying to go around him. I brought the weapon down, not accompanied by magic or anything else. Just the weapon itself.

He sighed and brought up an arm.

“You know, brute force doesn’t always work, right?”

The Devil caught the edge of my Nebular Scythe. I tried to pull it back, but he just held it in place.

“At least use a Grand Skill or something if you’re going to do that. This is starting to bore me.”

He crushed the Nebular Scythe’s blade in his grip, and tugged the weapon forward, ripping it free from my five arms. I staggered forward, swinging my claws. He just moved his head back in time to dodge the attack.

“Come on, stop hiding your—”

And I growled.

[Recall Skill: Zealous Call].

His eyes flickered. And his backwards movement changed to a forward movement. The amusement on his face changed to fury. It all happened so fast, I barely even moved an inch before he was already bringing down a blackened pitchfork at me.

The tip of my claw barely touched his chest as his weapon swung down at me, closing the distance before I could even properly scratch him. I would’ve been killed there and then, when his legs jerked up. His eyes flickered once more, and he kicked me out of the way.

I crashed into my Dreaded Goblet, spilling the black water all over a pile of books. I coughed, bent over, grabbing my stomach in pain as the Devil frowned.

“That was…”

He’d already regained his senses. He was the one who knocked me out of the way just before he could impale me with his pitchfork. He wrinkled his brows.

“Did you just enchant me to kill you?”

“Maybe…”

I grunted as I stood up. Then I grinned for the first time.

“But at least it let me touch you.”

“Wha—”

“[Demon’s Mark].”

He glanced down at his chest as a symbol burned on his skin.Flames erupted into a sphere. It first exploded into a sphere, engulfing only the Devil in the compressed ball of heat. Then it began to grow, bloating up into what would’ve been my strongest Skill.

A powerful explosion that would’ve destroyed my Lair entirely. One that would’ve hurt even me at this range. But just as the bloated sphere was about to explode into an even bigger blast, it began to shrink.

It was like a pond was being drained of its water. My flame was being sucked into a single point at the Devil’s fingertips. It was like a whirlpool of black. A warped hole in space that seemed to lead to where he came from. It was the same pull that had tugged me and only me to the Devil when he first appeared in my Lair.

It consumed my flames, leaving the Devil standing there unscathed. He dusted himself off. My jaw dropped.

“Seriously?”

He was completely unharmed, even though he’d been wrapped in my [Demon’s Mark]’s flames for a good moment. The Devil stood there, his gaze darkened over. He placed a foot forward, and I leapt back, feeling sweat trickling down my back.

No, not sweat. I couldn’t sweat as a Demon. It was the water from the Dreaded Goblet.

“You…”

His voice was cold and icy. It caused me to tremble like I’d been dipped in a frozen lake. I created another Nebular Scythe, not sure what that’d even do. He repeated himself as he came closer.

“You… you’re…”

“Stay back!”

I warned him, flaring up all my remaining Skills in preparation for what would be the final clash. The Devil’s hollow, black eyes locked with mine, and he opened his mouth.

“You’re completely fucking insane! You actually used a Skill that’d get you killed just so you could land a proper blow on me? That’s the most stupid, ridiculous, and asinine thing anyone has ever done!”

He rocked his head back and laughed.

“I love it!”

I blinked.

“Um, what?”

The Devil continued to himself.

“If I didn’t have an immunity to curses, I wouldn’t have been able to break free from that Skill for another… I don’t know, two or three seconds? That stupid enchantment effect would’ve taken a solid moment longer for me to undo. I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from killing you. And you did that for what?”

“...to land a single hit?”

“Exactly. To land a single hit.”

He repeated after me, placing his hands on his hips. Then his eyes lit up again, and I drew back.

“And you— you don’t have a Grand Skill, do you?”

I shook my head.

“Nope.”

He guffawed.

“The fact that you challenged me without a Grand Skill makes you even more insane! Maybe you could’ve stood a chance with a Grand Skill, but without it, you may as well have just hanged yourself there and then.”

The Devil wiped a tear from his eyes as I just stood there, staring at him blankly, unsure of what to even say.

“I like that. No— I love that! You’re more than just amusing: you’re one of a kind, Salvos.”

I raised a brow. Did he just use my real name? Then what he said before that registered in my head. Did he just acknowledge me?

He waved a hand off, letting his pitchfork vanish.

“You’re the type of Demon that shouldn’t have survived the Desolation. And yet, here you are. Good job. I say this with all my heart when I say good job.”

“Thank you— um…”

I hesitated, but I felt the urge to ask the question.

“Does that mean you won’t kill me for real this time?”

“It means I won’t kill you ever, Salvos. That’d be like if I was given an actual Elixir of Immortality— the only one in the world— and decided to break it into pieces and destroy it. Nope. That’d be stupid. No, I won’t do that. And even better—”

The Devil leaned forward, getting uncomfortably close to me. But unlike before, I never once felt the alarm of [A Hunter’s Sense] blaring at me. He truly meant his word. And despite knowing that, what he said next surprised me.

“How about this?”

He smirked, proffering me his hand.

“I have nothing better to do, so why don’t I take you in as my apprentice?”

I went cross-eyed.

“Um, huh?!”

“I can teach you what it means to be a Demon. You’re an Archdemon of Pride. I can get you a Grand Skill befitting your nature! And it’s not like I have anything else to do. So, this is my deal to you.”

The Devil just smiled as he gestured at his hands, waiting for me to shake it. It took me a moment to regain my composure. Everything was happening so quickly. In fact, even though [Haste] was still active, I couldn’t keep up with what was going on. I inhaled deeply and looked at his hand.

Finally, [Haste] dissipated as I made a decision. The Devil waited, and I felt my hand twitch. I raised it slightly. Then I lowered it.

“Thanks, but no.”

The Devil spread his arms wide.

“Wonderful! I shall begin your lessons post-haste—”

He paused.

“Wait, what?”

A note from MelasD

Fun fact, you can read up to the end of Salvos Volume 4 now on patreon. It's the best time to be a patreon too since it's still early into the month. Check it out!

Big shoutout to Saltworld by my good friend Dissonance. This is a serial that I had alpha read for before it was posted onto RoyalRoad. I have a lot of thoughts on it, and I even reviewed it here. But, well, if you don't want to read a review, but instead want to get straight to the story, the gist of it is that it's probably one of the best LitRPG Apocalypse stories on RoyalRoad. Here's the synopsis.

August 18, 2018. Earth is at peace.

Then the sun explodes, and the world changes forever.

Sen Salazar, a third year in Dubai's renowned Belmont University, is thrust into a world where only monsters are found aplenty. Resources are dwindling, survivors are scarce, and safety is nowhere to be found. And when it's combined with an otherworldly system designed to bring out humanity's hidden potential? Sen's watched enough movies to know what to do:

Survive.

...He just has to figure out how to stop himself from turning into one of the monsters, first.

Seriously, it is superb. Check it out!

Saltworld: An Apocalypse LitRPG | Royal Road

227. Mentor

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Eric River's new story! TWIG - The System Can't Save Me, But It Can't Stop Me Either [a gamelit-portal-fantasy-poem by eric river]

This is an experimental new type of fiction

It's a gamelit verse novel, a brand new concoction

Follow Twig as he rebels against his status screen

And learn why its messages are always cold and mean

Like my main work, "Hero's Song," its form follows a rule

every rhyme and syllable is taken from that school

see the prologue for a quick guide on this new format

this will be a first draft, so I hope you're fine with that

TWIG - The System Can't Save Me, But It Can't Stop Me Either [a gamelit-portal-fantasy-poem by eric river] | Royal Road

227. Mentor

“I said no.”

I repeated myself, and the Devil’s brows snapped together. He stared at me, his face contorting into a frown.

“What do you mean exactly by… no?”

“It means I don’t want you to teach me anything. I want you to leave me alone!”

I crossed my arms. He nodded slowly.

“I see, I see, I see. Actually— I don’t see it at all.”

“What is there not to see?”

Raising a brow, he looked at me expectantly.

“Well? Elaborate, then.”

“I mean, you’re a bit of a jerk.”

The Devil blinked, and I continued.

“And also, you pranked me. This could just be another one of your pranks. Or you could prank me down the line by giving me a fake lesson, you know?”

“...is that it?”

“Kind of? Those are the big reasons, at least. It means I can’t trust you. Why should I let you mentor me if I can’t trust you?”

He just stared at me as I finished. There was a crackle. My flames danced in the background— it burned around my artifacts. Some of them had melted, which kind of annoyed me. But then the Devil snapped a finger, and my eyes widened.

Everything in my room began to… recover. The melted metal, the burned books— everything that had been damaged was repaired. It wasn’t just like they were being fixed. It was like they were being returned to the state they were in before I fought the Devil.

The flames didn’t wink out of existence. They almost shrunk back into themselves, returning everything they ate back from ash and dust to paper and wood. I looked around, puzzled— in shock.

“How…?”

“You’re not the only one who can cast a magical time field. I did it before the battle started, knowing that you’d probably wreck your own Lair.”

I pursed my lips, but he let his spell finish and folded his arms.

“Anyway, let me get this straight: you’re rejecting help from me, the Devil, one of the highest-leveled people you will ever get to meet. Someone who has been alive for fifty thousand years; who has seen the time of Dragons and High Elves and Deities come and go, leaving their continents to come to this sanctuary on their own; who was there when Worldwalkers littered the lands, far and wide; who has been to worlds you can only imagine in your wildest dreams, where paradise and torment can be a reality. That is who I am, and that is who you’re rejecting because you don’t want to be embarrassed if I prank you?”

“Yep.”

I nodded slowly, feeling slightly nervous. Was he mad? Was he going to try and kill me now? [A Hunter’s Sense] didn’t flare up, so I felt like I was fine.

His eyes narrowed. The Devil peered at me, his face scrunching up in disbelief. I hesitated.

“I mean, I also think you’re mean. So, it’s not just that I’ll be embarrassed.”

I waited for his reaction. He placed a hand on his chin. Then he arched his back, rocking in laughter.

“That is HILARIOUS!”

The Devil doubled over, slapping his knees, slapping the floor, and slapping his face.

“What an utterly ridiculous reason— and yet, it makes sense to you too, doesn't it? Why would an Archdemon of Pride accept such an offer? You fit your mold perfectly, Salvos. The same can’t be said for most other Demons.”

I watched him as he picked himself up, shaking his head. Again, I didn’t feel threatened. Not from his demeanor and not through [A Hunter’s Sense]. I was optimistic for a moment. Myface brightened.

“Does that mean you’ll finally leave me alone?”

The Devil chuckled.

“Absolutely not.”

My shoulders sagged.

“What? Why not?”

“I said I wanted to teach you, Salvos. Sure, I was being polluted and asking for permission. But I was going to do it anyway whether you liked it or not.”

He cheerily twirled around, a wicked grin on his face.

“Huh.”

I stared at him. Then I sighed.

“Well, this really must be how Saffron feels when dealing with me.”

—--

The Devil… didn’t leave me alone for the next few days whenever I returned to my Lair. He’d constantly peer over my shoulders, asking me about what I was doing, even if it was something as inane as reading through my notes.

“What are you doing?”

“Reading. I told you this like three times.”

“But you’re reading a different book!”

“It’s all the same stupid subject!”

He’d do this constantly, pestering me about whatever I did or was doing. He wouldn’t leave me alone, even when I told him anything that could get him to leave.

“You know, there’s this big and scary Demon called Belzu that’s rampaging across Nixa. He works for your good friend, Regnorex. You should pay him a visit!”

“Hm? I’m not friends with Reggie boy. And Belzu?”

He raised an amused brow.

“So, he finally decided to carry out his plan, didn’t he?”

I blinked.

“You know Belzu?”

“I paid him a visit once. He’s not under Reggie boy though. Very ambitious fellow. Actually, has he hit Level 200?”

“No, he hasn’t… wait, he’s not?”

“That’s what I’m asking you.”

“Not that— I mean, he isn’t a minion of the Demon King?”

I furrowed my brows. I had suspected that— with the way he spoke about Regnorex, I wasn’t sure if he was actually a minion. But that was what everyone had claimed. That Regnorex was invading the Mortal Realm once again, or something. Since I didn't care all that much, I just nodded along with that.

But to receive confirmation…

The Devil clapped his hands together.

“How did you meet him?”

Having the Devil himself speaking into my ear was annoying, yes. But the worst part of it all? Sometimes, I’d get caught up in conversation with him. And we’d waste an entire hour talking about things he wanted to talk about!

“Oh, I—”

I explained the situation with how I first encountered Belzu when I entered the Brilsum Ruins, then with how I met him again. The Devil seemed intrigued by the conversation. His curiosity drove my enthusiasm to explain the story where I’d nearly died to Belzu twice!

When I realized I’d gone off the rails, I’d quickly try and make up for lost study time. He’d still bother me, but whenever I entertained him for a bit, he’d be placated and disturb me even less.

The biggest problem from having him in my Lair was not really how he bothered me. I didn’t feel like it’d ruin my grades. But it definitely was hurting friendships.

—--

I did manage to tutor Valda twice this week, but I had to skimp out on two other sessions I had arranged. Nolan was the most hurt— we usually met up during the weekends, and I couldn’t see him then. And Saffron…

“I have the runes, Salvos. Don’t you want to… be more inconspicuous?”

She gave me a flat stare. I drew back.

“I do! I do! I just… can’t, right now, you know?”

“No, I don’t know, Salvos. Did you not already invite me to your Lair once before? What is the problem?”

Saffron was perceptive. She knew something was amiss, and I really wanted to tell her what was going on. I shuffled my feet uncomfortably, hoping that maybe the Devil wouldn’t mind if his identity was exposed.

But he was the Devil. He was unpredictable. I glanced around Saffron’s room: the wards she had set up couldn’t possibly protect them against the Devil’s magic. He could be listening in at this very moment!

“It’s… not something I can say, Saffron. I’m so sorry.”

She sighed, looking slightly annoyed.

“It’s fine. If you don’t want me to help you for your own good—”

I grabbed her by the arm.

“You’re my companion. I trust you a lot. But this is something that I genuinely can’t speak about. Maybe. Probably not.”

Saffron frowned, but I held her gaze, loosening my grip.

“Please. For your own good, Saffron. Just… until I deal with this problem, alright?”

The problem was— could I even deal with this problem? I didn’t know. I’d try. Saffron stared at me for a while, until finally, she nodded.

“Very well. If it is disturbing you, then it must be no small matter. I trust you too, Salvos. So, I will leave you alone for now.”

I smiled at her.

“Thank you.”

—--

“No, no, no, no, no! What even is this?!”

“Um. That’s my textbook?”

I returned to my Lair after speaking with Saffron, only to find the Devil stood over my notes, pacing back and forth as he held up a book. He scowled.

“This is what they teach you in Nafis Academy?”

“It’s, um, Mavos Academy—”

“Doesn’t matter!”

The Devil stormed up to me, pointing at the textbook.

“This is what you learn in your space magic classes?”

I cocked my head.

“Yes?”

“Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! It’s all wrong!”

He spun around, throwing the book to the ground. Then he paused.

“Well, it’s not technically incorrect. It’s just… misinterpreted. Yes. That’s a better word for it— misinterpreted.”

He licked his lips as he spoke the word. I faced him, the puzzlement evident on my face.

“What’s wrong with it?”

“The basics— the fundamentals— yes, they’re correct. But what they do with it… it’s inefficient, it’s over extrapolated, and it’s bad theory!”

I shrugged.

“Maybe it could just be different from how it works in your world?”

The Devil blinked.

“My world? What are you talking about?”

“Daniel told me you’re from his world.”

I replied simply. His brows creased.

“From that [Hero]’s world? Where’s he from again?”

“Um, he called it Earth or something?”

He snapped his fingers, nodding.

“Earth, right. But which Earth? Hm.”

He ran a hand over his goatee.

“Is it Earth A314? No— that world is ending right now. Is it Earth Z40813? No, no, no. That world has no Humans... full of dinosaurs though, those cute feathered creatures. He’s from… he’s from Earth A1. That’s right.”

The Devil shook his head.

“I’m not from Earth. Although I’ve paid a visit to one of the Earth’s before— it might’ve been Earth A1. It doesn’t have a god— or rather, its ‘god’ is its world, if you get what I mean? And it doesn’t intervene, even if outsiders try to break in. It’s just… so peaceful, though. It doesn’t have much going on for itself. No reason for me to ever visit.”

I frowned.

“But Daniel said his world has the Devil.”

“Bah, that’s probably what they decided to call another Worldwalker who decided to play a prank. Anyway, my name is not ‘Devil’. That’s just my Title. Being a Devil can mean a myriad of things— don’t just trust the word of an idiot. Trust the word of me, instead.”

That was true— Daniel was an idiot. But he was my companion, while the Devil was… well, him.

“Then where did you come from? That void you tried sucking me into?”

“That is not a void. That’s just a fold between planes. You should see the real void between worlds. Actual worlds, not just the various levels in a single world. It’s… well, it’s nothing! Get it? Because it’s the void!”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Huh.”

The Devil waved a hand dismissively.

“Anyway, that’s not what matters— look, the fact that you don’t even know the distinction between the real void and the tiny bit of empty space between two connected planes is proof enough that your academic curriculum is inadequate. Nay, it’s abhorrent!”

I gave him a shrug.

“I mean, what can I do about it?”

“Nothing, really.”

He let out a heavy sigh.

“You can’t do anything about it. But… I can.”

I paused. My eyes widened slowly as I got the implication. The Devil spread his arms wide.

“Don’t worry, Salvos. Because tomorrow, I’ll be going with you to your school.”

A note from MelasD

Fun fact, you can read up to the end of Salvos Volume 4 now on patreon. It's the best time to be a patreon too since it's still early into the month. Check it out!

228. Sal

A note from MelasD

The amazing Randidly Ghosthound has finally hit the Amazon stores. I know, for a fact, that it has undergone severe and drastic line and developmental edits for the release. Give my boy Puddles a chance and check it out!

Randidly Ghosthound felt lost and alone even before the System transformed the Earth. Before every person had to deal with the sudden presence of Levels, Skills, monsters, and the very real possibility of death...

Due to unusual circumstances, Randidly starts in an isolated Dungeon far beyond his Level, forced to rely on the mysterious Traveler Shal in order to learn and survive with the dangerous new status quo for his world.

But survive he does, only to leave the Dungeon and discover that while he experienced several hellish months in the Dungeon, only half a day passed on Earth. Randidly's capabilities are now more than enough to help build a small enclave of survivors, but that doesn't mean balancing his sense of responsibility against the plots of an unfriendly town will be easy.

And although he doesn’t know it, he needs to prepare. Because the System has sent down a Tribulation, which waits in the shadows and monitors his every move...

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228. Sal

“No!”

I protested, but the Devil was adamant about it.

“Your school sucks, Salvos. Do you want them teaching you bad theory, huh? Huh?”

“If it gets me to the Netherworld? Then, yes!”

“And look what happened when you listened to them? You got me! And you hate me!”

“I do! Leave me alone!”

I scowled, spinning around and grabbing my books. It had been a whole day since the Devil decided he wanted to follow me to Mavos Academy. I’d been emphatic that he should not come, but he was going to do it anyway.

He followed me as I stepped out of my Lair, out under the glazing morning sun. I glanced back at him.

“You’re going to get in so much trouble looking like that.”

The Devil shrugged.

“If they have a problem, I’ll just kill them.”

“You can’t do that!”

My jaw dropped, and he furrowed his brows.

“Why not?”

“Because then I won’t have a school to go to!”

He waved a hand off dismissively, starting past me as I stood there.

“That’s a good thing— for me, at least. I’ll be able to mentor you without anyone else interfering with their bad theories and stupid ideas.”

“What about my friends?”

“You can always make new ones. You have all of eternity ahead of you, Salvos. Come on, what’s wrong with a few dead friends here and there?”

I blinked. Then I crossed my arms. I thought of Saffron. Of Daniel. Of Edithe. And of everyone else I’d met. Would I be able to replace them just like that?

No— they weren’t rocks on the ground which could be replaced with other, similar rocks. They were all distinct. They all mattered.

“Everything will be wrong about it.”

I glared at the Devil.

“I won’t let you do that.”

He tilted his head to the side, his brows raising. Then he chuckled.

“Fine, fine. I was joking. I won’t kill anyone, since you insist. But I’m still going with you.”

“And how are you going to do that? Everyone will know that you’re some kind of Demon.”

He shook his head and waggled a finger.

“No, no, no. I’m not a Demon. I’m the Devil. And—”

He spread his arms wide.

“I can just transform, duh.”

He grinned, and I frowned.

“Wait, you can?”

The Devil tapped one of his hooves on the ground, and his body began to quake. A tremor washed over his skin as he shivered and vibrated. With a pop, his body changed entirely. No longer was there a red-skinned, horned, and terrible Demon standing in front of me. Now, there was a man. A Human man. One who had long black hair and the same goatee.

He had dark skin and glittering eyes that were mismatched in color: each bore the color of a gem, like a ruby was in his left eye and a sapphire was in his right eye. And somehow, he was even clothed. The Devil was dressed in fancy, silken robes, with bangles of gold and necklaces of diamond.

Adjusting his sleeve, he smiled at me.

“Now, shall we go?”

I looked at him. Then I raised a hand, pointing a shaky finger.

“What? How did you do that?!”

“Hm?”

He cocked a brow.

“I transformed just as you always do. Why are you so surprised?”

“No!”

I shook my head vehemently.

“I mean— how did you get those clothes?! How did you get those… those… those jewelry?! That makes no sense!”

“Oh, these?”

He glanced down at himself.

“Hm… where did I get this from?”

The Devil wore a confused look on his face; he was absolutely puzzled, taking a moment to inspect and even admire the flower-cut gems woven into his fabric. I watched as he threw his hands up, shrugging.

“Mm, yeah I have no idea how I got these.”

“But you conjured them out of thin air!”

“Magic, I guess?”

I went cross-eyed. I wanted to bang my head against the wall— again, I was pretty sure this was how my companions felt when dealing with me.

“Whatever. Sure, you look like a Human now, but are you really going to be following me around campus?”

“Sure will!”

I sighed.

“At least give me a fake name so I don’t have to keep calling you ‘the Devil’ the entire time.”

Tilting his head back, he tapped a finger on his forearm with his arms crossed.

“Now, what would be a good name?”

“Don’t you have a real name?”

“I do! I think. I’ve forgotten what it is, though.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“How did you forget? Isn’t it in your Status?”

“It disappeared when I forgot.”

He shook his head.

“Anyway, what about… Satan? No— no, that’s too cliche! And generic. How about… Samuel? Wait, no, I’m pretty sure that’s… yeah, nah. I quite like the ring of Saul. Although... “

He trailed off, murmuring incessantly to himself as he tried to decide on a name. Then he snapped his fingers together.

“I got it!”

“Well?”

I looked at him expectantly. The Devil raised his chin, smiling.

“I am Sal!”

“...that’s it?”

‘Sal’ nodded eagerly.

“That is indeed it.”

“Alright, then.”

And with that decided, we headed to Mavos Academy, together.

I just hoped it wouldn’t be as much of a disaster as it could be.

—--

Sal and I entered Mavos Academy as the sun eked its way over the horizon. As usual, my presence would draw gazes in my direction, although it was less prominent now that I’d been enrolled for a while. And since attention was typically on me, people focused on the presence of Sal too.

They whispered quietly and pointed his way.

“Who is that with Salvos?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before.”

“I can’t see his level— my [Identification] is at Level 10, and I can’t see his level!”

“Do you think he has an obfuscation artifact?”

“Either that, or he’s way high-leveled…”

I groaned, annoyed that these annoying whispers were making the Devil’s presence even less muted than it would otherwise be. I was trying to ignore him!

“So, Salvos, where exactly will your space magic class be held?”

He glanced around at all the tall towers, seemingly uninterested and uncaring at all the attention he was receiving. I rolled my eyes.

“I’m not going to class just yet. I’ll have to visit my companion first.”

“Ah, the Vampire.”

My eyes widened and I snapped my gaze towards Sal.

“Are you serious? How do you— no, why are you even saying that out loud?”

“Oh, don’t worry too much about it. It’s not like she’d get persecuted and murdered if others found out about her identity… I think. Not unless things have drastically changed in the past thousand years or so.”

“Still…”

I took in a deep breath, heading straight for the dormitory. Saffron was waiting in her room, having her breakfast as Matthew stood next to her. I raised a brow as I entered the room.

“Um, hi Saffron— and Matthew?”

“Greetings, Ms Salvos.”

The butler nodded at me. I paused.

“When did you get back?”

“He returned just last night.”

Saffron stood up, smiling.

“I see you've brought a friend, Salvos. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr…?”

“Just call me Sal.”

He shot her a grin.

“Sal.”

She nodded and turned to face me.

“How did you guys meet?”

The Devil opened his mouth, but I quickly spoke over him.

“We met… somewhere! Nowhere important. Don’t worry about it, Saffron.”

I gave Saffron a look. She narrowed her eyes. Then she nodded slowly, understanding. This was my problem. She knew now, and I’d rather her not intervene and get embroiled in this. So, I changed topics.

“Anyway! I just dropped by to say hi real quick before running to class. I’ll see you later, alright?”

“Will do— and, Salvos.”

Saffron called out to me before I could run off with Sal in tow.

“Matthew has, fortunately, been able to procure a few other of the important ingredients you’ve been searching for your Potion of Regeneration, including an Enigmatic Heart.”

“He has?”

I gaped, and Saffron nodded.

“Yes. I do hope all is proceeding well with it?”

Her eyes twinkled, and I understood what she meant.

“I’m fine, Saffron.”

I gave her a reassuring nod.

“Don’t worry about me. Just focus on your own studies, ok?”

“Very well.”

Saffron closed her eyes, turning away from me. I grabbed Sal by the arm and dashed off.

“I’ve gotta go now, seeya!”

The Devil scowled as I brought him down the hallway.

“I never got to introduce myself.”

I scoffed.

“Good! I want you to talk to as few people as possible, alright?”

He crossed his arms, pouting. Then his eyes flickered.

“Well, that just means I have to make myself memorable.

I didn’t know or care about what he meant by that, as long as he didn’t hurt anyone.

I arrived at my first class on time, having made a break for it together with Sal. He looked bored for most of it, until we finally reached the lecture hall, and I greeted Lamarr on the way in.

“Hello, Salvos.”

“Hey, Lamarr.”

“And who may this be?”

The red-haired man glanced over my shoulder. I pursed my lips, hoping that Sal wouldn’t be rude to Lamarr. I quickly introduced them and stepped aside.

“Sal, this is Lamarr, the King of Traith.”

The Devil quirked a brow.

“The King of Traith?”

He tilted his head back as Lamarr proffered a hand. The Devil, fortunately, knew his manners and shook the hand, but he seemed confused even as he muttered to himself.

“Traith… Traith… Traith. Is that a kingdom or an empire?”

“It is a city state over to the east.”

“Ah!”

Sal exclaimed. Then he shrugged.

“Never heard of it.”

I grimaced, worried that Lamarr would take offense to that. But the Warrior King only chuckled.

“It is no issue. Our nation is small, and it used to be known only for one thing which I am rather distasteful of. It is better than it remains unknown to you than otherwise.”

“Sure, sure. Well, I’m Sal. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleased.”

They both nodded at each other, and I nearly sighed in relief. We shuffled our way to our usual seats, except this time, Sal was going to be seated next to me. The two men chatted as we settled down. Lecturer Claudia hadn’t arrived yet, so there was still some time for us to speak.

“So, Mr Sal, may I inquire on your relationship with Salvos?”

Lamarr faced Sal, curious.

“He’s just a fri—”

“Oh, she’s my daughter.”

Sal spoke over me, patting my shoulder.

I instantly froze. I wasn’t sure how long it took for his words to register in my head— it probably took as long as it would for a Level 10 [Fire Mage] to break through a frozen lake. My head jerked back to face the Devil in disbelief, but before I could get a word in, Sal was already weaving a tale.

“Salvos is my one and only daughter. I’m surprised she hasn’t told you about me before. I’d have thought she’d be more proud of her good, old papa.”

Lamarr tapped a finger on his chin.

“Hrmph, perhaps she did mention you. Alas, I blame my poor memory as the reason why I’ve forgotten.”

“She did? Aw, thank you, my dearest daughter.”

Sal pulled me in for a half hug, and I finally managed to work my mouth.

“W-what…?”

But the Devil ignored me, choosing to continue.

“Tell me, King Lamarr, how has my daughter been? I know she can be mischievous at times. But I do hope she’s been treating you well?”

“There is no need to worry about your daughter’s behavior, Mr Sal. She has been an excellent student and an excellent classmate to me. I’d consider us friends, but I’d rather not speak for her, myself.”

My jaw hung open as Lamarr actually believed him, beginning to ask questions about me.

“In fact, I’d say she’s impressed me more often than not. I am surprised that someone at her age is so talented and studious. Perhaps a little feisty, but that is no drawback to her character.”

“Oh, yeah. She’s been like that since she was young. You know, when she was a mere little five year old girl, she challenged me to a fight! How ridiculous is that? And she could’ve killed me too!”

Lamarr laughed as Sal massaged his temples, feigning exhaustion.

“Somehow, I am not surprised by that.”

I nearly shot a glare to Lamarr for saying that. But then I heard the susurrations from the rest of the room. Heads turned— fourth years from the College of Aspirations looked over at me and spoke amongst themselves.

“That’s Salvos’ father?”

“He looks handsome.”

“So that’s where she got her looks—”

My eyes widened. Then they twitched as the rumor began to spread before I could stymie it. I stood up, pointing at Sal and facing the room.

“He’s not my father!”

I sputtered. Everyone froze. Lamarr’s smiled twisted into a frown. And Sal drew back, placing a hand on his chest.

“That hurts your old man, daughter. Just because your mother left me…”

“What?!”

I nearly shouted, but Lamarr nodded from his side.

“Indeed, Salvos. I understand that one at your age oftentimes feels embarrassed about your parents, but he is the man who raised you. You should not disrespect him like this. Especially not in front of others.”

I just stared at the King of Traith.

“...what?”

Sal shook his head, wearing a slightly hurt look, even as he tried to placate Lamarr.

“It is no matter, King Lamarr. I’m sure my daughter has her reasons for feeling the way she does. Just forget I said anything. I do not wish to humiliate her, you see?”

“How very noble of you.”

Lamarr almost seemed to tear up at that, while Sal was actually sniffling. I wanted to bury my head in my hands and die of embarrassment. I groaned, remembering what Sal said just as we left the dorms.

“Ugh, you intended to do this, didn’t you?”

“Whatever could you mean?”

He fluttered his eyes innocently, and I recognized the cadence of his voice. It was just like mat times. It really was like dealing with me, if I were my own companion.

I clenched a fist... then I exhaled.

“Fine. Whatever. He’s my dad, yes. But can we just move on from that? Ugh, this is just horrible. Look— Claudia is arriving.”

I turned to the door, and sure enough, the lecturer for my first class finally arrived. She was apathetic as she usually was, pausing only to adjust her glasses when she spotted Sal. Before she could inquire about his presence, the Devil’s eyes shone.

“Ah, so that’s your lecturer.”

And I knew it could get so much worse.

So much more… embarrassing.

A note from MelasD

Fun fact, you can read up to the end of Salvos Volume 4 now on patreon. It's the best time to be a patreon too since it's still early into the month. Check it out!

229. Father

A note from MelasD

Shouty to Hounsdman

Build his Fortress. Grow the Pack. Save the Realm.

After serving two terms in the Iron Army's Building Division, Flint Woodson is done with it all. With his four-legged friend at his side, he wants nothing more than to find a remote settlement, work as a guard or a builder, and find a wife.

He doesn't care about filling his remaining nodes with Skill Stones or wasting his life looking for a Class. Wyldbloods like him aren't destined for greatness.

But the realm is at war. The Fae are sick of humankind violating their treaties, their Wyld armies taking to the fields.

And Flint's plans go out the window when the Diskverse sends him a Life Quest.

Reawaken the Sleeping Fort.

Protect the village of Lea's Slumber.

Give the Champion of Equilibrium time to grow.

Saying "no" isn't an option when the quest involves the word 'Champion'. Not if Flint wants to save the realm and have somewhere left to one day to live out his dream.

The Houndsman: A Base-Building LitRPG Adventure - Kindle edition by Pal, J. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

229. Father

I sat in the lecture hall with my arms crossed and my back halfway slid down the seat as lecturer Claudia glanced over at Sal.

“And who might you be? I don’t recall such a student being enrolled in my class.”

She narrowed her eyes as she adjusted a pair of glasses laid on her face. Sal— the Devil, and my apparent ‘father’— nodded, standing up.

“I am Sal, father of this amazing young girl right here.”

He gestured at me, and I buried my head in my face.

“Please stop.”

I whispered, but he ignored me, continuing with his speech.

“I have heard much about this prestigious institution from my daughter here, and I decided that I’d love to take a look at it myself.”

Lecturer Claudia raised her brows. Her gray hair was tied into a bun, and the wrinkles engraved on her face only deepened.

“Hrmph, I do not believe that our academy allows such visits to be held. At least, not visits during lecture sessions. While I commend you for your alacrity at wanting to learn more about our institution, I will have to ask you to leave my classroom.”

I looked up, hopeful. Was she going to kick Sal out of the class? That’d be great. I really wanted him to leave right now to end this annoying facade. But Sal paused.

“Your classroom?”

Then he placed a hand on his chest, aghast.

“I do apologize, Miss! I did not know that you were the instructor of this course. You just look too young for that!”

Claudia blinked as Sal shook his head.

“If I’d been aware, I’d have been more discreet. I just assumed you were another student here.”

Then her face… turned red. I stared at her as she flushed. My jaw worked slowly.

“Um, what?”

“Oh… dear me. That is… oh my…”

She placed her hands on her cheeks, her frail arms looking like they’d fall off just from being raised at an incline. I glanced between my blushing lecturer and the smirking Devil. He placed a hand on his forehead, feigning his disappointment.

“I guess I’ll have to leave your classroom, young miss. And it took me a month to get here…”

“Now, don’t be in such a rush, Mr Sal.”

Claudia raised her hands placatingly.

“I guess accomodations can be made for special occasions. Especially since you traveled far to get here. It’d be a shame if you had to leave so soon, right?”

“...what?”

I repeated myself, but no one heard me. My hope was crushed with a few simple sentences by the Devil. It was such an obvious attempt at flattery. And it somehow worked! How?!

Lamarr nodded as he rubbed a hand on his chin.

“That is certainly a long trip. And I’m sure Salvos here would be upset if you were kicked out of her class.”

I wanted to protest— yes, kick him out! Get him to leave me alone! But Claudia shook her head.

“We wouldn’t want that to happen. So, you may stay, Mr Sal.”

Then she leaned forward almost conspiratorially.

“And if possible, I’d love to chat with you about your daughter’s performance in this class.”

“Of course. That would be my pleasure, Ms Claudia.”

The Devil winked at her, and she giggled. Is this for real? I looked between the two of them, gaping. I turned to Sal as he smiled, settling back into his seat.

“Aren’t you glad, Salvos? Your father isn’t getting kicked out!”

“I hate you.”

I spoke the words simply. Then I shut my eyes.

“I really hate you.”

He grinned.

“I know. That’s the point.”

—--

Sal wore a bored look on his face as he sat through my first class. He kept leaning over towards me and whispering.

“Is this really what you’re learning in class? It’s boring.”

“Shut up.”

I shot him a glare, but no one overheard. He had some sort of magic that let him whisper all he wanted without being caught. But I was pretty sure that even if that barrier wasn’t up, Claudia would’ve excused him.

She kept calling him up to ask him questions, even though he wasn’t a student in the class.

“Mr Sal, do you know the formula to—”

“Yep. It’s—”

He stood up and replied instantly, giving Claudia a bright smile, as though he wasn’t just insulting the class. Then he sat back down and proceeded to insult Claudia herself.

“And look at that old hag. Well, actually, I’m like a thousand times older than her… or a few hundred times. Point is, she’s old, and she looks old. Who in the right mind would ever be interested in her?”

“That’s rude.”

I crossed my arms, but he waved a hand off.

“Come on, now. You’re a Demon, Salvos. The last thing you should be caring about is treating others with respect.”

My brows snapped together.

“I’m not wild. I’m not like you.”

“Wild, huh? I guess I’m pretty radical and cool, aren’t I? That’s quite the praise from my young daughter.”

“And I'm not your daughter!”

I really, really, really wished Sal had been thrown out of the classroom. Unfortunately, he wasn’t, and the class ended with him harping into my ear the entire time.

“Honestly, I’m disappointed in you, daughter—”

“I am not—”

“I’d have thought all of this stupid theory would’ve come naturally to you like it did to me.”

He waved a hand nonchalantly as he followed me out of class. With a final wink, he waved at Claudia who muttered something along the lines of asking him to visit again before she collapsed into a chair and fanned herself.

I crossed my arms as I turned to face the Devil.

“Didn’t you come here to lecture my teachers or something? Why do you keep praising them instead, anyway? That’s annoying!”

“Oh, don’t be annoyed because your dad is good-looking and funny and intelligent. I was just being nice. If Claudia interpreted it as flirting, then it’s not my fault.”

He opened his hands and shrugged as I scowled. Then he shook his head.

“Anyway, this isn’t the class that’s the problem. While everything they taught you was pretty basic, it wasn’t wrong. Not like what I read in your textbook.”

“Alright, so are you going to leave me alone now?”

I asked hopefully. Sal patted me on the shoulder.

“Nope. I’ll get to the bottom of this eventually. When I find that dumb professor that’s been feeding you wrong things, I’ll give him a huge earful.”

“You’ll get in real trouble for that. If Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder is called down, you’ll be extricated from the academy’s premises.”

“Who?”

He cocked his head, and I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever.”

It’d be more entertaining if I had to watch the Devil argue before being kicked out by Clayton. Although…

My eyes narrowed.

I didn’t know what level Sal was. Neither did I know what level Clayton was. Were they even in the same league? One of them could potentially be far higher-leveled than the other. And I feared that the Devil might’ve been the stronger one. After all, he’d been alive for a long time. That meant he had to be strong, right?

I shook my head, heading to my next class.

—--

Fortunately for me, Sal wasn’t let into my next class. Professor Lisbenon didn’t buy the Devil’s wits and tricks. And since it wasn’t a class on space magic, the Devil didn’t bother protesting. He was dragged out, drawing only a few confused looks.

Valda went up to me with a raised brow.

“Who is that, Ms— Salvos?”

“That?”

I glanced between Sal and the girl. I shrugged.

“Dunno. Just some weirdo.”

“Huh. I see.”

She nodded and went back to her seat. I breathed in relief, glad to have gotten rid of him, at least temporarily.

The class ended soon after, and I tried sneaking out the back of the classroom, excusing myself from Valda and her friends. I promised her I’d tutor her more on a different date, but first, I had to deal with Sal. I poked my head out of the door and escaped with the crowd, keeping an eye out for the Devil.

I expected him to pop up at any moment. But he didn’t appear.

I wrinkled my brows, perplexed— hopeful. Maybe he finally decided it wasn’t worth it trying to apprentice me. Unfortunately, my dreams were dashed when I caught sight of him standing in front of my next class on alchemy. He was standing at the front door, chatting with Gallus and Nolan.

“Oh, there you are!”

He turned to face me with an innocuous smile.

“Took you long enough. My little girl is always running late, isn’t she?”

I stared at him, then at the other two men chuckling. Nolan waved a hand off.

“Well, she is indeed quite busy, as to be expected for someone as important as her. But tell me, Salvos, why have you never told me about your father?”

Gallus grunted.

“He is an interesting man. I can see where you’ve got it from.”

“Please— my Salvos is going to grow up to be much better than this old man. I won’t be surprised if she surpasses me in half or even a quarter of the time it took me to get to where I am today!”

Sal bowed his head slightly, looking at me with a twinkle in his eyes. I stared at the three of them, then at the open door by their side.

“I… I’m just going to enter the classroom now.”

“Alright, see you after class!”

Sal continued to chat with the two men as I entered the laboratory. I needed to get rid of him, somehow. He wasn’t going to bother me with my alchemy class, but the next class was going to be on space magic. And I really didn’t want Sal to embarrass me again there.

I spotted someone already sitting in the classroom. Veronica Adash. I squinted as I remembered her Class. She was a [Space Mage]— or something like that. A member of the faculty too! Even if she was a student in the School of Aspiring Elites. Maybe she could’ve helped me with Sal— talk him out of lecturing my next professor.

I ran up to her as she unpacked her things, slightly distracted and glancing to the side.

“Veronica, I need—”

I started, but she sighed.

“Your father is handsome, Salvos.”

She didn’t even turn to face me, admiring Sal from where she sat. I halted mid-step.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah. And he’s so charming and witty too! I spoke to him for like ten minutes, and time flew by like it was nothing. You’ve got to arrange a dinner for us. Tell me what he likes.”

I blinked. Then I closed my and sank into my seat.

“...s-sure.”

Massaging my temples, I ignored Veronica as she droned on about Sal and how great he was and how I somehow resembled him, when I didn’t at all. His eyes were multi-colored! Mine was the same gold!

But apparently, I ‘got it from my mother.’

Who even was my mother?! I didn't have a mother! Just like I didn’t have a father!

This was the literal worst.

I crossed my arms, harrumphing as Sal waved at me, leaving when [Alchemist] Raymond arrived. I barely even paid attention to what was going on next, dreading only my next class, where the worst would only become worse and the Devil could finally do what he wanted.

I considered skipping my last class. But then Sal would just follow me on another day. And I’d have to experience this all over again. Gritting my teeth, I finished my lab session and stomped out of the classroom.

Sal was waiting for me outside. He perked up, but before Veronica, Nolan, and Gallus could exit after me, I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away.

“Aw, I didn't get to say goodbye.”

“I just want to get this over with, alright?”

“Why?”

He pouted, and I glared at him.

“You know why— you keep embarrassing me!”

The Devil raised a brow. Then he slipped out of my grip without me even realizing it.

“Come on!”

He grinned, walking around to face me.

“Embarrassing daughters is what fathers do!”

I paused. Our gazes met. I saw the smirk twisted across his face. The Devil waited for a moment— for my reaction. He knew what I was going to say. And sure, I was going to say it regardless. But I added in some flair too.

I punched him in the nether region.

He blinked, looking down at where I’d hit him. Then he doubled over.

“Ouch.”

“I’m not your daughter! I’m Salvos!”

I stormed off as he lay there for a minute. Then he picked himself up and followed after me. Because it was time for my final class. My class on space magic. And the class where he’d do whatever he could to embarrass me the most.

A note from MelasD

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230. Oneself

230. Oneself

The last class of the day was on dimensional magic theory, taught by Professor Isais. I liked the class. It was a good class that helped me learn a lot of things. But apparently, according to the Devil, the things being taught in the class were wrong.

Sal saw my notes and my textbooks and he didn’t like it. That was why he followed me here— which was annoying, because he decided to be annoying.

“Come on, my daughter. How could you possibly hurt your own old man?”

He followed after me, speaking loudly as I stormed ahead of him. Heads turned in the hallway as other students overheard his words, but I was so over it at this point. I just wanted to push through it until it ended. The Devil continued.

“I am hurt— not physically, just mentally, but still! It pains me to see what has become of you. After all that time I’ve spent raising you, you’ve just grown to become… become… become… a rebellious teenager!”

I paused as I turned down a hallway. He halted mid-step, and I glared at him.

“I am not a teenager. I literally cannot be a teenager. I am only five years old!”

He waved a hand off.

“Semantics. I didn’t raise you to be such a pedant, Salvos.”

“I am not your daughter!”

I snapped, turning back around. The Devil dramatically placed a hand on his chest as there was a cacophony of gasps from the students around us. They’d only heard the last bit where I accused Sal of not being my father. Everything I said before had been blocked out by his weird magic, except for me shouting at him about not being his daughter.

Apparently, that drew sympathy from various students as they tried to console him. I rolled my eyes, ignoring him, and hoping that I’d somehow lose him in the crowd. Except, he somehow found me. Of course he did.

Sal entered my last lecture after I found my seat, and I sighed. It begins. He perked up and skipped in my direction, nimbly slipping around students until he sat next to me.

“You thought you could escape me, didn’t you?”

“No.”

I spoke, resignedly closing my eyes.

“No I didn’t.”

“So, when is your Professor arriving? Come on, I want to see this illiterate, uneducated, bumbling buffoon who decided to teach my wonderful daughter the wrong things. I can’t wait to tear him limb from limb, pierce his fingertips with the shards of his own broken teeth, and laugh as he—”

“I’m not your daughter. And don’t harm my professors.”

I cut him off, crossing my arms. He threw his hands up in the air.

“Fine! Then I’ll just embarrass him. How about that?”

“Ugh.”

I groaned, but didn’t say anything. I just sank into my chair, waiting for the inevitable. And it finally came as Professor Isais strode through the door. His gaze landed on Sal instantly, discerning the unusual individual in his classroom.

“And who may you be, Mister…?”

“Sal. But you may just call me Sir.”

Professor Isais raised a confused brow.

“Uh… alright, Sal. And why exactly are you here in my classroom?”

“Why, I’m here to give you a lesson. I’ve heard from my daughter here—”

The Devil gestured at me, and I covered my face.

“Please shut up…”

He ignored me.

“That the things you’ve been teaching her have been… inadequate.”

“I didn’t even say that!”

I tried to protest, but Professor Isais narrowed his eyes. My words didn’t reach him; he’d already been antagonized by Sal.

“And what exactly is inadequate about my teaching, Mr Sal?”

“Everything, my dear Isais.”

The Devil smirked as Isais frowned. The rest of the classroom was deadly quiet as they exchanged uncertain looks at this confrontation.

“Alright, Mr Sal, while I appreciate your… feedback, I will have to ask you to leave.”

“I am a parent of a student at this school.”

Once again, Sal gestured at me, and the attention was focused in my direction. Normally, I’d be welcoming of any and all attention— but that was only for praise. I didn’t like this. It wasn’t… revulsion that others turned to face me. It was just embarrassing!

Professor Isais shook his head.

“While you may be the father of one of my students, that doesn’t excuse your disruptive behavior.”

“Disruptive behavior?”

The Devil snorted.

“You’re just a bad professor. There’s nothing disruptive about correcting your mistakes— especially in front of the rest of your class. I mean, look at this!”

He slammed a book on the table. It was the book he’d been reading before he decided to follow me to Mavos Academy. The textbook for this class. Space-Dimension Theory and Its Applications.

“This damned textbook was published by you! Who does that? You’re making your students buy your books!”

Professor Isais crossed his arms, indignant.

“I spent a year researching on the contents of this textbook, Mr Sal. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t degrade my hard work in producing it.”

“A year? That’s hardly any time at all— no, you should’ve spent at least a hundred…”

Sal trailed off as I gave him a flat stare.

“Ten?”

I didn’t break my gaze from him. He shrugged.

“Five?”

I rolled my eyes, and the Devil nodded.

“Yes, at least five years! Otherwise, it is as ill-prepared, rudimentary, and misleading as what’s taught in this textbook!”

Isais’ brows snapped together.

“Alright, I have had enough of this slander. I am Isais, the professor of this class. I was awarded my Title as Dimensional Professor after I constructed my own pocket dimension and displayed it for the world to see. An entire room, twisted and warped to the size of an auditorium. The spell matrix let it last for an entire year— thousands of nobles flocked over to get the chance to see it. What do you know about space magic, Mr Sal?”

Pocket dimension the size of an auditorium? I was impressed, but the Devil wasn’t.

“Please, that’s something an amateur could do with just a bit of preparation. And I’m sure your work was more than inefficient. Tell me, did you account for the damage you’d leave behind when undoing the spell? What about the temporal properties, that affect the spatial surfaces ability to bend and weave more malleably?”

“Amateur?”

The Professor narrowed his eyes, and there were whisperings from around the room. People were speaking in hushed voices.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yeah, Salvos’ father just called Professor Isais an amateur.”

“What level is he!”

“He’s so amazing and dreamy!”

“Do you think he’s even stronger than Salvos?”

I buried my head in my hands, hoping that it’d finally end. And Professor Isais had enough too.

“Mr Sal. This is your last warning. Leave this class, or I will be forced to extricate you from the premises.”

“Make me.”

The Devil smirked, and I looked up, eyes wide.

“Wait—”

“Fine.”

There was a flash. Professor Isais appeared behind Sal, placing a hand on the Devil’s shoulder.

“Now—”

And the Devil waved a hand off. It was like some forced had pulled Isais and threw him to the side. An invisible force. One that didn’t affect anyone else in the room except for the Professor. He went hurling out of the window, smashing through the glass, before landing in a bush in the first floor.

There were gasps all throughout the room. Someone finally ran out to get Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder. The students there backed away as I sighed.

“That went about as expected.”

The Devil placed his hands on his hips as he stood over by the window, looking down at the dizzy Professor Isais.

“Wh— what…?”

“Maybe you’ll learn to not be so full of yourself, next time, Professor Isais. This is why you Humans are so inept at space magic. Maybe if you were better learners, you wouldn’t need the help of Spirits or Demons to create portals into their planes.”

Shaking his head, he sauntered back to me. I just sat there, watching him approach. The Devil did what he wanted. At least, until Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder showed up.

I thought it’d have been cathartic, watching him force the Devil out of Mavos Academy. But Sal didn’t try anything with Clayton, not that he cared to try. I narrowed my eyes as I identified their levels. I couldn’t see either of their levels, but I knew… I just knew that the Devil was stronger.

He simply took that opportunity when faced with Clayton to emphasize the fact that he was my father, when he was not my father!

It was annoying. Even when he was forced out, I was embarrassed.

I wanted to shrivel up into a ball and die. Well, actually, I didn’t want to die. But it was a figure of speech Daniel used sometimes. Which was weird, sure.Why would anyone want to die? But it was less weird than having him flirt with a professor, seeing my friend crush on him, and seeing him embarrass another professor.Seeing my father do all that was just so weird!

I blinked

He’s not my father!

—--

My last class ended early after the disruption from Sal. Or the Devil. He wasn’t anywhere in Mavos Academy when I left my lecture hall, but I knew where he’d be waiting. I headed out of campus, returning to my Lair for two reasons.

The first was to confront him for what he’d done to my day. And the second was to flee from all the annoying looks and questions people keep inundating me about the Devil. I stormed back into my Lair, wanting to hide my face beneath a stack of books.

But the Devil perked up when he saw me as he leafed through my textbook.

“Oh, you’re back—”

I growled and swung at him. He stepped to the side, dodging it easily.

“Whew. That was close. Good thing I was prepared for that this time around.”

“What is wrong with you?!”

I glared at the Devil, and he shrugged.

“What is wrong with you? I helped you out, didn’t I?”

“You embarrassed me in front of everyone!”

“Why do you care? You’re a Demon, they’re Humans. It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.”

I harrumphed, but he was just amused. With a scowl, I grabbed my textbooks from him and piled them up neatly back where they belonged.

“Ugh, this has been an annoying day. But finally… it’s over.”

I wanted to sigh in relief and collapse on the ground. However, the Devil had other plans.

“Actually, I had so much fun today, I think I’d like to go to Mavos Academy again.”

I sat up abruptly, eyes wide.

“What?”

“Yep. I’m thinking of accompanying you to school every day now. And I’d love to speak to… what’s her name again? Candice? Cloud? That old hag. She’s honestly pretty cute.”

“Lecturer Claudia? Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

The Devil grinned, and I gritted my teeth.

“Absolutely not!”

He raised an amused brow as I stood back up.

“Absolutely not? What are you going to do, stop me? Come on! We’ve already fought once, and I beat you with ease.”

“I will, if I have to.”

The Devil feigned hurt as he closed his eyes, placing a hand on his chest.

“My own daughter, how could this have become of his relationship? Strained and torn! I am in so much pain.”

I clenched my fist at his dramatics. Something burned inside of me. It wasn’t anger— it was something I’d felt too much of recently. It was the same feeling that I felt when the [Lux Golmi] accused me of being wild. The same feeling I’d felt when Saffron had condemned me for being a Demon. The same feeling I’d felt when Belzu had bested me in battle.

My pride was in pain. And I was tired of being trampled over.

“I am not your daughter.”

I stepped forward as flames engulfed my body. It burned with more than just anger as the Devil cocked his head. It was not fury, but my pride that carried me forward. The blue light tinted the room, before changing colors as my feelings were poured into the flames. It twisted, breaking off from my body without me noticing.

It almost circled around the Devil, but I paid no attention to it. All I saw was myself being embarrassed further, and I did not want that.

“I am Salvos, and I won’t let you mock me any further.”

The Devil’s eyes flickered. He looked around at the golden room. The way the light danced, as if it came from a fire, but shone like it came from the sun itself. Then he smiled.

“Ah, so that’s what came of this.”

I studied the Devil. It was like I could discern each of his actions— the small details of him even more than before. I was more keenly aware of how he moved and how he breathed and each step he took. But he didn’t approach me, instead he laughed.

“Alright, I will surcease. But you must admit, my methods, while odd, are quite effective, aren’t they?”

“What are you talking about?”

I gave him a suspicious look, and he gestured to my sides.

“That. I’m talking about that.”

I was dubious of what he was trying to do, but I looked at where he was pointing anyway. Then I paused. I stared at myself. No— not myself. At a projection of myself.

A Salvos made of golden flames stood on my left, with her arms crossed. She had my horns and my hair and even my clothes. But she was made entirely of the wispy motes that illumined the room. She had no face and no mouth, and she could move with only my thoughts. I blinked, and she cocked her head.

“What…?”

The Devil applauded me.

“Congratulations. You’ve learned a new Skill. It’s not a Grand Skill. But it’s a pretty good Skill— a kind of clone? No, that’s not right either. But it’s certainly something.”

He walked up to the other me as she blazed and burned where she stood, crossing her arms. I frowned.

“How did this…? How did I create this?”

“By instinct.”

He tried to tap a finger on my clone, but she grabbed his finger because he could touch her. Backing up, the Devil glanced over at me.

“Whew, feisty. Was that your or was that her?”

“That was the both of us— or just me.”

I shook my head.

“I don’t understand. How did I learn this Skill? I didn’t even do anything. It’s not like Lily’s lesson where I had to do things.”

“You’re an Archdemon of Pride, aren’t you? And yet, you have no pride related Skills. Probably because you’ve never had your ego truly challenged. Which makes sense, since you are quite young. This is probably the first time you had your pride hurt for an extended period of time. Naturally, your emotions will spill into your Skills and your magic. And this is what it produced. Yourself. Quite narcissistic, if I’m being honest. To protect yourself, you don’t ask others for help, but you create another of yourself.”

He chuckled, and I glared.

“What is wrong with that?”

“Nothing. Just seems very self-indulgent, don’t you think?”

I folded my arms across my chest, and he waved a hand off.

“It wasn’t an insult. It’s an observation. And it’s good— because the higher-leveled you become, the more you’ll learn, and the more you’ll lose grasp of yourself. As long as you remember who you are and what defines you, you will continue to evolve and get stronger.”

“Huh.”

I exchanged a glance with my clone, before finally she vanished. I nodded slowly, turning back to the Devil.

“I see. Thanks, I guess?”

“It’s fine! I wanted to see what would come of this, and it is an interesting development. Anyway, don’t thank me yet, because next up—”

He gave me a sly smile.

“Next up, we’ll get you a Grand Skill

Skill [Salvo of Vanity] learned!

Experience is awarded for the learning of a Skill!

General Skill [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 5] -> [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality - Lvl. 6]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence - Lvl. 2] -> [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence - Lvl. 3] -> [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

General Skill [Identification] has leveled up!

[Identification - Lvl. 5] -> [Identification - Lvl. 6]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 108] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 109]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 47] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 48]!

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 48] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 49]!

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

A note from MelasD

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231. Interlude - Daniel's Devices Part 1

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Sieley's The Last Orellen! Check it out!

According to prophecy, the ninth-born child of Lord Orellen will have the sort of power that changes the world. But in a land ruled by mage families, no one welcomes the possibility of a dangerous new player. Fearful even of their allies, the Orellens come up with an extraordinary and deadly scheme to protect themselves.

If the most powerful sorcerers in the world wish to kill the ninth-born, they will have to find him or her first. And that's not going to be easy when the Orellens have called upon dark magic to create hundreds of heirs. The boys and girls are given new bodies, new names, and even new magical talents before they are scattered across the continent. Only one among them is the real ninth, but all of them will have to grow up in a world where they are fugitives.

Kalen, once fated to die, is now an Orellen heir in hiding. And he is determined to survive, even if he has to master his strange new powers to do it.

The Last Orellen (An Epic Progression Fantasy) | Royal Road

231. Interlude - Daniel's Destruction Part 1

The Harrowed Vindicators.

They were an elusive assassin group which employed [Warriors], [Mages], [Archers], [Rogues], [Alchemists], [Blacksmiths], [Bartenders], [Innkeepers]— any Class possible— to fulfill their goals. And their goals were always simple: kill a target, make some money.

It seemed intuitive since they were, after all, assassins. And they were out for Daniel.

The young man had thought they’d give up eventually. He had not known how long their contracts lasted, or how they worked. He assumed their dedication in killing him was just a result of their reputation as one of the most elite assassin groups in the world. But now, as he spoke to Amanda, he understood that that was not exactly the case.

“The Harrowed Vindicators are hired to put up a bounty on certain individuals. Not all of us will take up the contracts. We’re not fools. We know which target to pick and which target is too much of a risk. But for the right price, sometimes, we’re willing to take a chance.”

The brown-haired woman sat before him, back hunched and knees hugging her chest as she spoke. Her clothes were torn and cut, and the wounds and scars she bore, while recently healed, were still fresh marks on her skin. She was an assassin— one of the ones who’d be sent to kill Daniel. But he defeated her and kept her alive, only for another assassination attempt on his life to leave her close to death.

He offered her a chance: he’d save her only if she helped him. He was in search of the Harrowed Vindicators because they threatened his life and the life of his friends. And Amanda chose to live. So, she spilled everything.

“The reward they offered was too little in the past. Not for a [Hero]. Not for someone from another world. We didn’t act. Not until you hit Platinum. But by the time they raised the bounty on your head, you were gone. You’d left for the Plaguelands. A few assassins were foolish enough to seek you out, but they never returned. It was a Diamond Ranked area, after all. We thought you’d died there. But you returned as the Liberator of the Plaguelands.”

“And you thought it was a good idea to come after me?”

Daniel crossed his arms. The logic made no sense to him; if he’d done what few or none of their assassins could do, why would any of the Harrowed Vindicators seek out his life?

Amana laughed bitterly.

“No. No one thought it was a good idea. No one except for the higher ups.”

“What does that mean?”

“Things changed, Daniel Song. I don’t know why and I don’t know how, but things changed starting from three years ago. Our leadership started to order us around. No longer were we paid assassins, contracted for jobs. We were… minions. Or at least, the lesser assassins were. I ignored it. We ignored it. Those of us at the higher levels. We thought it was odd, but we believed it wouldn’t affect us.”

“Why not?”

Frowning, Daniel took a seat from across Amanda. The pair were in the back of a wagon, headed out of Roguehollow. A city in the Inoria Empire. She sighed.

“We’re not laborers or farmers. What were we supposed to fucking do? Start a union? Are you a moron?”

His brows creased, and she shook her head.

“Well, maybe we should have done that. It’d have been stupid and embarrassing, but it’d be better than what happened.”

“And what happened?”

“What did you think?”

She snorted.

“The higher ups started to give us orders. They commanded us to obey them, and when we didn’t listen, they purged us. Those who failed to obey mysteriously disappeared. The message was clear. And I fell in line, along with the rest.”

“I see.”

Daniel leant back, narrowing his eyes. If what Amanda was saying was true, then that meant she’d been forced to kill him. It made him feel slightly bad for the way he’d treated her. But that was a big if.

She was an assassin. She killed innocent people for a living. And if she were lying, this wouldn’t be the first time she tried to manipulate and trick him. So, for now, he took what she said with a grain of salt. It wasn’t like she’d be able to do much anyway. She was still bound by enchanted shackles, and he could easily overpower her.

Pulling his hood up, Daniel cast his gaze out the back of the wagon.

“If what you say is true… well, it won’t be much of a worry.”

“Oh?”

Amanda turned to him, raising a brow.

“And why’s that?”

“Because…”

He took in a deep breath, meeting her gaze.

“I’ll end the Harrowed Vindicators once and for all. Simple as that.”

After all, with Amanda’s directions, Daniel was now headed to the headquarters of the Harrowed Vindicators. To, for once and for all, put a stop to their activities. Yet, the brown-haired woman snickered.

“That’s a bold plan. Now, I wonder how that’ll play out for you…”

He didn’t know. He couldn’t lie and say he wasn’t nervous about it. But he had to. For the sake of his friends. He’d do anything.

Perhaps I’m finally starting to be a [Hero], huh? Daniel chuckled as he watched Roguehollow vanish behind him.

—--

According to Amanda, the headquarters of Harrowed Vindicators was located underground. Most of their hideouts were. And there were familiar markings— some kind of symbols which only their members would recognize— to always indicate if a hideout was nearby for any assassin of the group to visit.

But the main headquarters was not indicated in any such way. It wasn’t filled with regular members. Only those higher up like Amanda even knew it existed. And apparently, it was always moving, always changing, and always shifting.

“Those at the top of the Harrowed Vindicators are higher-leveled than you, Daniel Song. All a [Mage] at that level has to do is snap their fingers, and the earth bends to their will.”

“Is this the excuse you’re giving?”

He turned to her as she shrugged. They stood at the top of a mountain, right before a collapsed cave entrance. Amanda had led him here, and he found nothing but rubble and debris.

“I’m not going to buy your lies, Amanda.”

Drawing his sword, he swung it for her neck, stopping only an inch away from her skin. She didn’t flinch, but met his gaze.

“Believe what you want, [Hero]. I have only told you the truth. Or do you think I do not value my own life?”

She spat, and he scowled.

He had trekked many miles to even get here. He’d been dubious of her intentions— it could’ve been a trap, for all he knew. But it just turned out to be a dead end.

“Stop wasting my time, Amanda. I fulfilled my end of the bargain. Now fulfill yours.”

“Your end of the bargain? You would’ve just let me die like the noble fucking [Hero] you are.”

He bit his lower lip, and she laughed.

“No— I will fulfill my end of the bargain.”

She squatted down, taking in the fallen rubble that blocked the cave entrance. Then she turned to face the nearby city. Aysgarth. Right at the edge of the Inoria Empire. Technically, they were in Elutra right now, but this territory had been taken over by Inoria just two years ago. The fact that the Harrowed Vindicators were headquartered here clued Daniel in on one of the many reasons why Elutra fell.

Amanda sighed.

“There’s another hideout nearby, Daniel Song. Perhaps you can find those more wise than me in the matter there. But be aware, you’d be thrusting yourself in a room full of enemies, and there’s nothing I can do to help you.”

His eyes snapped to her shackles as she gestured at them. Daniel felt tempted to remove them and ask for her help. However, his rational side won and he shook his head.

“Just lead the way, Amanda. Don’t get any ideas.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Shame. I’d have hoped you were more foolish than that.”

They traversed back to Aysgarth, heading to the north of the small city where the land was flat and filled with farmland. There was a large farm that looked abandoned— and it was there where Amanda said a hideout for the Harrowed Vindicators could be found. She brushed aside some markings on a wooden fencepost, gesturing at it.

“Look, this means there’s an entrance to this hideout right there. Remember, it’s not the headquarters of the Harrowed Vindicators, so don’t rush in sword-swinging. You can be discreet, can't you?”

He nodded, still wearing his hooded cloak.

“Come on.”

They entered the barn and searched the basement until discovering the secret entryway to the hideout. The smell of alcohol and drugs escaped from the entrance, filling it with smoke as they made their way inside. Daniel tugged a hood over Amanda’s head.

“Keep your head down, and don’t say anything.”

He kept her close, making sure she was next to him with her bounded hands hidden beneath the cloak. There was a bar inside with tables and chairs scattered around the room. It was reminiscent of an Adventurers Guild, except with hooded figures and what was almost like a shadowy spell cast and blanketing the area.

Daniel glanced around, seeing figures walk by him. They were silent, not chatting or making conversation as they would in an Adventurers Guild. Instead, they kept to themselves, speaking only to the [Bartender] as they grabbed a job or a drink.

“See anyone you recognize who may be able to help us?”

He whispered to the woman. Her eyes flickered in recognition. She pointed at a man sitting by himself.

“Yes. He’s Ivan the Deathtouch. A deadly [Alchemist] whose concoctions can kill you just by coming in contact with your skin. Recently reached Level 100. And someone who could help us find their headquarters.”

“Alright.”

Daniel glanced over at Amanda. He was sure she’d try something, but he had no other choice but to bring her there. He tightened his grip around his Primordial Longsword and shook his head.

“Stick close to me, don’t say a word, don’t move, and don’t even do anything.”

She chuckled.

“My, you’re quite possessive aren’t you?”

He glared at her but said nothing else. Dragging her over to the table, he nodded at Ivan and pulled up a seat.

“Is this seat taken?”

The assassin had a black tophat and a thick trench coat. He grunted, looking up at Daniel from a pair of goggles.

“No, it is not.”

Daniel waved at the [Bartender].

“A drink, please, for the both of us.”

The [Bartender] snapped a finger and two mugs floated down to them. Ivan leaned forward as Daniel offered him the mug, his lips twisting into a smile.

“So, what do I owe the pleasure of having both my targets approaching me?”

Daniel froze. He glanced over at Amanda, and she blinked.

“I did not do anything.”

She quickly said, and he scowled. He turned his attention back to Ivan.

“You know who we are?”

“Of course. I recognized you the moment you came in.”

He adjusted his goggles. There was a glint from inside of it. Daniel gritted his teeth as Ivan spoke.

“With a single word, I can turn every assassin in this room against you. The both of you have been marked for death, after all.”

“What do you want?”

“Oh?”

Ivan relaxed in his chair, smiling.

“And why exactly do you assume I want something?”

“Because you could’ve attacked us the moment we came in. You waited for us to come here before saying anything.”

The [Hero]’s eyes darted around the room. No one was paying much attention to them. Which was good. He had a thought. An idle thought. A hunch, actually. What Amanda said earlier stood out in his head— the assassins didn’t truly want him dead. Only the leadership did. They threatened their assassins to act.

That had to be why Ivan didn’t attack Daniel or Amanda. He clenched his fist. He had a few cards under his sleeves. Cards he didn’t want to show. But now was the time. It was a gambit, but one he had to make. He leaned forward, meeting Ivan’s gaze.

“If you help me, I’ll help you. Come on, [Let’s Make a Deal].”

After all, that was Daniel’s second Class. He’d been tired of constantly fighting. Of always having to brute force his way through things. Also, he liked money.

That was why he became a [Trader].

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

232. Interlude - Daniel's Devices Part 2

A note from MelasD

Just watched Arcane. Highly recommend it.

Also, shoutout to Verlin Merlin's brick story.

Equality.Prosperity.Choice.

These are the words that Agrea defines itself by, but to a brick that has known only ignorance, they are evils that rot a society. But destroying an ideal society will have to wait, first the brick must learn some pesky things, like how to pee or deal with pesky systems that seem to have a grudge against you.

I'm a brick! But why am I a Humanoid? [A Non-Level LitRPG with a Humanoid MC full of Magic, Drama and Comedic Undertone] | Royal Road

232. Interlude - Daniel's Devices Part 2

“[Let’s Make a Deal].”

Daniel stared down Ivan the Deathtouch. He tilted his head to the side, an amused look passing through his face. Then he crossed his arms, leaning back on his chair.

“Did you think that Skill would work on me? What, is that a Level 10 Skill? Nice try, but I’d rather we negotiate without any tricks.”

The man chuckled as he took a sip from his drink. Then he gently lowered it back to the table and rested his elbows on the table.

“Try that again, and things won’t end so well next time. But yes, you were right, let us talk.”

His gaze bore into Daniel as he snapped a finger. An artifact under the table activated, keeping them in a bubble of secrecy.

“Great going, idiot.”

Amanda snickered. The young man glared at her, but didn’t say a word. He shook his head.

“Ivan the Deathtouch, I’m sure you know about my circumstances. The Harrowed Vindicators are after my life. They are after my friends’ life.”

“Hm, yes. And why does that matter to me?”

“Because I know you’re being forced to do this. Amanda told me. How everything changed with your leadership. The threats they’ve placed on your life. Even if there is a bounty on my head, you don’t want to do this. You’re paid hires, not minions to some shadowy organization.”

There was a pause. A moment where Ivan didn’t say anything. Those words cut deep, even for Amanda. Daniel held his breath, hoping he broke through to the other man.

Finally, Ivan sighed.

“Alright. You’re right about that too. However, that doesn’t explain why we should strike a deal. I could just ignore you— pretend I never spotted you like I intended to before you came up to me.”

“You have something I want. I need your help. The reason why you do this is for money, isn’t it?”

Daniel’s eyes snapped between Amanda and Ivan. He reached for his Bag of Holding and placed a pouch of coins on the table.

“I have money. A lot of money. Just tell me the price they’ve put on my head, and I’ll pay you double.”

Ivan raised a brow as he eyed the coins.

“Unfortunately, you’ll need to offer me more platinum than a small country if you want to do that.”

“I’m a [Hero]— the Liberator of the Plaguelands. I will get it somehow. Plus, I’ll even let her walk free if you do this.”

Daniel gestured at Amanda as met the other man’s gaze. Ivan simply pushed the coins back.

“I do not want your platinum, [Hero]. I do not care about your friends. And I do not care about her.”

He waved a hand dismissively at Amanda.

“Fuck you too, asshole.”

She snorted. Daniel’s brows snapped together.

“Then what do you want?”

“What I want is simple, [Hero].”

“Stop calling me that.”

Daniel bit his lower lip, but Ivan smiled.

“That is what you are, are you not? A [Hero]. An otherworlder. Someone who will stand akin to the other great [Heroes] of the past. Your existence marks the start of a new era. Your name will go down in history like all the others before you.”

Hearing this made Daniel uncomfortable. He shifted slightly in his seat as Ivan spread his arms wide.

“Thus, you have something I desire more than even all the platinum in the world.”

“What is it?”

The assassin’s smile thinned, almost twisting into a maniacal smirk. He was only a Level 103 [Alchemist]. Someone Daniel could’ve handled with ease. And yet, that expression sent a prickling chill down the [Hero]’s spine.

Ivan spoke a single word.

“Power.”

He pointed at Daniel.

“You bring down whoever has been responsible for mucking up my work, and I will help you. It’s a simple deal. I get to resume doing whatever experiments I want—”

He held up a flask of glowing liquid.

“And you get to free yourself from that bounty on your head. It’s a win for all parties involved, isn’t it?”

Daniel blinked. That was exactly what he wanted. For what felt like the first time in forever, the young man sighed in relief.

“Then it seems our interests align.”

He held out the hand, and Ivan took it.

“Indeed.”

With that settled, Ivan leaned forward and told Daniel everything he knew.

—--

The headquarters of Harrowed Vindicator was located at the former Deathfall Dungeon. It was supposedly a Platinum Rank Dungeon that had been cleared out decades ago, reappropriated by the Inoria Empire for their own use— one of them being a production facility for wartime goods before the war with Elutra. Ivan marked its location on a map for Daniel to follow, but Amanda was apprehensive.

“Are you serious? Doesn’t this mean that we’re working with the Inoria Empire now?”

The brown-haired woman’s eyes widened, but the other assassin just shrugged.

“We’ve been their de-facto hitmen for a while, Silent Serpent. This shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

“It officializes this. Someone in the Inoria Empire is pulling these strings.”

“Yes, well, it’s up to the both of you to deal with it.”

“Me? Why am I wrapped up in this?”

Amanda was aghast, and Daniel crossed his arms as he fixed Ivan with a look.

“So, that’s it? You give us the location, you let us go, and you leave?”

“Indeed.”

Ivan cocked his head.

“Did you think I’d help you with bringing them down?”

“Perhaps.”

Daniel spoke slowly, hoping that Ivan would’ve said yes. Unfortunately, his hopes were dashed.

“No. I am not foolish enough to risk my life against them, just as I am not foolish enough to risk my life against you, [Hero]. But if you really want my help.”

Ivan glanced over at the side as he stood up. He reached for his artifact beneath the table— it was some kind of rune which he lodged onto the underside of the wood. He picked up, deactivating it as he turned back to Daniel.

“I’ll give you a warning, just to help you out a bit,”

“What is it?”

Daniel’s eyes flickered, warily gazing around the room. And then he realized that the [Bartender] was gone. Ivan chuckled as he uncorked a potion.

“I never said I was the only one who realized who you two were. Good luck.”

With that, Ivan drank it and vanished. Amanda stood up abruptly, staring at the entrance of the hideout. She pointed with her shackled hands.

“Shit that’s—”

A susurration ran through the room as assassins backed away from the group of men who just entered. There were five of them. Daniel frowned, reaching for his Primordial Longsword. The one in the middle stood the tallest. A man with raven-black hair.

“Who’s that?”

“They called him the Harrowed Inquisitor. He’s the one who’s been killing those who haven’t fallen in line with the rest of the Harrowed Vindicators. I don’t know who the others are, but they’re high-leveled too.”

Each of the assassins who accompanied the Harrowed Inquisitor was dressed in dark and shadowy cloaks. Their faces, their body, even their hands and feet couldn’t be seen by some obfuscation magic. Only the Harrowed Inquisitor wasn’t afraid to hide his appearance. His gaze fixed on Daniel in an instant, and he pointed.

“There you are. We’ve been searching for you for years, and you come right back to us. Honestly, you should’ve stayed on the run. You probably would have eluded us for a few more years. Alas…”

The Harrowed Inquisitor snapped his fingers and uttered a single word.

“Die.”

A hail of flaming arrows rained down on Daniel. He brought his Primordial Longsword up as a glow overcame his body. [Aura of the Sentinel]. It reflected the oncoming projectiles as it massacred the assassins in the room.

Amanda stumbled back behind Daniel, protected by his Skill. Her voice came out rasped and in quick breaths.

“Why— why the fuck is he doing that? He’s killing everyone!”

There were screams and shouts as the low-leveled assassins died. The four other assassins accompanying the Harrowed Inquisitor spread out, drawing their blades and weapons, ready to attack Daniel. The [Hero] shook his head as he took in their levels.

[Mage - Lvl. 113]

[Rogue - Lvl. 103]

[Rogue - Lvl. 101]

[Archer - Lvl. 107]

[Warrior - Lvl. 105]

“They’re not that high-leveled. I can end this quick. I just have to—”

Daniel blinked as the Harrowed Inquisitor stepped forward, taking in a deep breath. Then he unleashed a ball of raging flames. It was like Salvos’ old Skill— [Flaming Breath]. Except far, far, far more powerful.

An explosion shook the entire area. It leveled the whole hideout. The hideout had been maybe 50 feet underground, but it was now on the surface. Because a large explosion had collapsed the hideout and blown apart the earth. Daniel dusted himself off as he now stood under the moonlight, at the epicenter of a large crater.

The Harrowed Inquisitor and his assassins looked amused. They were the only ones who came out unscathed— everyone else had been incinerated except for Daniel and Amanda.

“Impressive. I didn’t expect you to survive that attack.”

“[The Will of the Hero].”

Daniel pointed his sword at them, eyes narrowed. He glanced over at Amanda as she looked around, blinking. Her voice quivered.

“T-that was… a Grand Skill...”

The [Hero] frowned and swung his blade once, dispelling the smoke surrounding them.

“Why did you do that? You killed your allies for no reason.”

“It would’ve been for a good cause. I’d have killed you too. But it seems that you have a few tricks up your sleeve. Maybe I played my cards too soon.”

The Harrowed Inquisitor chuckled as he created a flaming spear. It looked familiar to Daniel, but he didn’t focus on that now. He took a step forward.

“You’re a monster.”

“Mm, won’t be the first time I’ve been called that. Besides, why do you care? Sure, you’re a [Hero] and all, but those were assassins. Murderers and killers! There’s no reason to protect them. Seriously.”

Daniel furrowed his brows as the Harrowed Inquisitor gestured past him at the brown-haired woman lying behind him.

“If you really were smart, you know what you should do? Leave her to die, and it’ll probably buy you some time to escape.”

“W-what…?”

Amanda stared at Daniel.

“You won’t do that, right? We had a deal! You said you’d let me live!”

The [Hero] shook his head.

“Shut up. Both of you.”

His blade was coated by a soft glow. His [Aura of the Sentinel] was still in effect.

“I’ll deal with the five of you myself.”

He dashed forward, leaping into the fray. All five of the assassins attacked him at once. From all sides, they struck at him. With arrows and with magic and with daggers and with swords. He fought back with a flurry of blades, fending off their assault.

Daniel should’ve won with ease. Most of these assassins were lower-leveled than him. In fact, the Harrowed Inquisitor was lower-leveled than Amanda herself. And yet—

He swung at the Harrowed Inquisitor, only for the other man to parry it with ease and thrust his spear forward. The blade cut his cheek, nearly taking his head off. Right as Daniel leapt back, another assassin— one of the [Rogues]— appeared behind him, dagger already aimed for his throat. Cursing, Daniel grabbed the man by the arm and struck him across the face.

The [Rogue] stumbled back, mask broken and grasping at his cheek. Blood oozed out of the wound as he met Daniel’s gaze, before he vanished. Daniel blinked and was kicked by the Harrowed Inquisitor from the side.

He went flying back to Amanda, clutching at his arm. It wasn’t broken, but it hurt a lot.

“Daniel Song!”

The brown-haired woman called out. She gestured at her manacles— enchanted to prevent use of magic. It bound her by her arms and legs, restricting her movement. She spoke hurriedly.

“Free me from my chains. I can help you defeat them!”

Daniel’s eyes flickered as he glanced between Amanda and the assassins. Specifically, at the [Rogue] he had hit. The man hid behind the rest as the Harrowed Inquisitor sneered.

“Come on, now. Are you going to trust the woman who nearly killed you just a few weeks ago?”

“Don’t be foolish or we’ll both die.”

Amanda gritted her teeth. Daniel ignored her. His gaze was fixed only on the Harrowed Inquisitor now. He studied each of the other man’s movements.

The way the Harrowed Inquisitor smiled. The way he seemed to taunt Daniel. The way he bared his teeth.

And Daniel knew what to do.

“No.”

Daniel stepped forward, his sword shining with a brilliant light. The Harrowed Inquisitor raised a brow.

“Oh? Another one of your [Hero]’s Skills?”

“I’ll put an end to this, here and now!”

The light from his blade lit up the night. He raised it into the air and it seemed to disperse the pillar of smoke that billowed from the crater. It shone bright that the moon and the stars above. He shouted in a hallowed voice that echoed throughout the farmlands.

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

The assassins tensed. Even the Harrowed Inquisitor seemed to hesitated for a moment. They braced themselves for his attack— an attack that could bring down those higher-leveled than even them. Equal to a Grand Skill, perhaps. Daniel started forward—

And he spun around. He turned to Amanda who stared at him in shock. Then he brought his blade down.

“Wha—”

“Get us out of here!”

Amanda looked down at her broken chains— at the gleaming metal that leaked magic into the air. It lay on the ground beneath the assassin. She blinked.

“Oh.”

“Kill them!”

The Harrowed Inquisitor shouted, but Amanda grabbed Daniel.

“[Savage Step]. [Instantaneous Escape]. [Disengage].”

And before the assassins could act, the pair vanished.

—--

“You’re lucky those [Rogues] were the lowest-leveled of the group. If they were higher-leveled, they might’ve caught up to us.”

Amanda snorted as she let out a labored breath. She turned to Daniel who stayed silent for a moment longer, leaning against a tree. They were in a forest somewhere, miles and miles away from the crater. They could still see the smoke billowing up in the air from the explosion, even this far away.

The brown-haired woman sighed.

“I still don’t get why you wanted to run. The both of us could’ve taken those assassins on together. Honestly, if I’d known the Harrowed Inquisitor was that low-leveled, I wouldn’t be scared of him at all.”

“Those weren’t assassins.”

Daniel closed his eyes, recalling the [Rogue]’s face. Amanda looked up, blinking.

“What are you on about? How are they not assassins?”

“I broke one of their masks. I know. I saw— those weren’t even Humans.”

He straightened as he met Amanda’s gaze.

“If they were assassins— if they were Human— I’d have fought them. I probably would’ve been able to beat them all on my own. But I couldn’t. I know I couldn’t. Because…”

Her eyes widened as he finished/

“Because they were Demons.”

A note from MelasD

Changed the title cause people brought up some stuff about the old title i never knew about.

Also, new cover

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

233. Tournament

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Unliving by Avitue

For the longest time, Aideen Fiachna had only one prescient wish; to be the daughter her parents could take pride in.

The idea was a tall order, especially as her father stood at the head of the Templar order, and her grandfather as the Pope. However, she endeavored to try nonetheless.

Yet fate had a different path in store for her.

For all her efforts, all her best laid plans, were but the broken off crumbs of 'one day'. That day, she was brutally slain by a vile, accursed undead being.

Though, not even restful eternity awaited her in death.

She awakened inside a coffin. Her coffin. During her own funeral wake. Discovering, to her horror, that she had risen. Not somehow resurrected, no, but back in the form of that most hated of beings--the curse of undeath.

What will fate deal her next?

Unliving | Royal Road

233. Tournament

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 109

Class: [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 49

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 136 (+25)

[Strength]: 112 (+25)

[Endurance]: 125 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 210 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 268 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 5

[Haste] - Lvl. 10

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 5

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 4]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 7

[Object Levitation] - Lvl 1

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 5

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 5

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

Thanks to the Devil, I had leveled a bunch. I didn’t even know why that happened. Just that it did. Apparently he was teaching me something? I didn’t believe him. He seemed like he was lying. But I gratefully accepted the levels and the new Skill I gained, especially since he now wasn’t going to accompany me to Mavos Academy anymore.

However, that didn’t mean that everything he’d done was quickly forgotten. When I stepped onto campus, I was inundated with a deluge of questions from students who heard about the Devil, Sal.

“Is it true that the man who accompanied you to campus the other day was your father?”

“What level is he? I couldn’t identify him!”

“Is he single? I heard he’s—”

I shook them all off, denying every question they asked.

“No! No! No! No! And no! Wait, maybe yes. I don’t know if he’s single. You could ask him— maybe if he dates you he’ll be too busy to bother me!”

I ran off before I could be barraged by even more inquiries about Sal’s marital status. I headed straight to Saffron’s room, barricading myself shut before anyone could notice me. The pink-haired noble raised a brow as I entered.

“You’re here. I thought you’d be too busy spending quality time with your father to visit me.”

“Please don't say that. How’d you hear about it?”

I sighed as I draped myself across the sofa. Saffron scoffed.

“I have ears, Salvos. Plus— it is the talk of the entire academy. They say that Salvos’ father paid a visit and schooled one of the lecturers. He even had a confrontation with the Headmaster. Tell, is that true? Or an over exaggeration?”

“It’s not true!”

I groaned, then I paused.

“Ok, maybe what happened was kind of true. But he’s not my father, alright?”

“Hm, so is this some kind of out-of-wedlock thing or…?”

Saffron tapped a finger on her chin.

“No!”

I scowled and glared at her.

“He’s not related to me at all. It’s… complicated. Just trust me. It’s not something I can tell you about.”

My eyes flickered as I took in the room around us. I took in the general vicinity with [Planar Navigation]. I didn’t sense the Devil anywhere nearby me. But I couldn’t trust that. I didn’t know if he was actually here or not. Because he was far higher-leveled than me. He probably had Skills that let him follow me completely undetected. Sure, he said he’d just mope around in my Lair— maybe drop by a city and prank someone— but I didn’t trust him. I had no reason to trust him.

I’d rather not speak about him to anyone. Not even my companions. Not if he’d get upset about it. Or if they’d get upset about it. For now, I kept this secret tight to my chest. All I’d tell Saffron was one thing:

“He’s… like me. That’s all I can tell you.”

Saffron’s brows snapped together sharply.

“He’s a Demon?!”

“Shhh! Not so loud!”

I waved a hand, glancing about warily. There was no one nearby, and Saffron’s runes were active. But still, it was better to be cautious.

“Yes, he is like me. However, he’s not dangerous. At least, not to you. Not with me around here. I am… dealing with him the best I can, alright? But he’s a bit of a handful.”

The Devil wouldn’t leave me alone, no matter what I did. It was best to just let him train me— teach me a Grand Skill. It was a win-win situation for me. He’d finally go away, and I’d have a Grand Skill.

“A handful, huh?”

“Yep.”

I let out a frustrated breath, and Saffron peered at me. She looked slightly amused. I blinked.

“What?”

“It’s nothing. I want to feel bad for you, but I almost can’t.”

“Wait, why not?”

I stared at her as she chuckled.

“I don’t exactly know what you’re going through, Salvos, but it seems tiring. It seems like… maybe you’re finally starting to understand what I have to go through when dealing with you.”

“Hey!”

She grinned as I shook a fist.

“I’m not anywhere near as bad as the D— as Sal! Alright? And when I annoy you, i don’t do it on purpose… most of the time. I try to switch between being nice and being annoying! I know my limits!”

Saffron gave me a flat stare.

“Sure you do.”

“Look—”

I crossed my arms.

“Sal doesn’t understand boundaries. He doesn’t care about me in the same way I care about you. He just finds me interesting and entertaining— he’ll get bored in a few days or weeks and move on. But until then, I have to deal with his constant, incessant pestering—”

There was a rapping on the door as I froze. I slowly turned around, facing the doorway as Saffron stood up. She walked over to open the odor and I raised a hand.

“Wait—”

I narrowed my eyes. [Planar Navigation] told me that it was a regular man standing out in the doorway. He was a familiar man. But I couldn’t place a finger on why I recognized him. Could it be Sal? Did he overhear what I was saying about him?

“Don’t open it.”

“Why not?”

I pursed my lips as Saffron creased her brows. She reached for the doorknob regardless, and I spoke quickly.

“It could be him. Look, just… don’t open the door. Let me do it.”

I got up as she shrugged, stepping back.

“Sure, I guess.”

Steeling myself, I closed my eyes as I gripped the door handle. If Sal was on the other side, I’d have to lead him away from Saffron before he could try anything. I took in a deep breath and opened the door.

“Hey, Sal—”

I blinked when I saw who was on the other side. It was Matthew. Saffron’s butler.

I heaved a heavy sigh in relief as I swung the door open.

“Oh, it’s just you. Come on in.”

“Greetings to you too, Ms Salvos.”

He walked in, speaking in a flat tone of voice as I stepped to the side. He carried with him a Bag of Holding and an envelope. Was that another letter for Saffron? I was pretty sure he’d been bringing her a lot of those lately.

“Lady Saffron, I have brought you the ingredients as you requested. And another letter for your family.”

Saffron smiled at him, gratefully accepting the letter. She stared down at it for a moment, her lips pressed into a thin line, before finally, she waved at him distractedly.

“Also, you can give that Bag of Holding to Salvos.”

“To me?”

I cocked my head. Matthew nodded as he passed it over my way.

“Indeed, Ms Salvos. This package was procured for you. It is a collection of spare ingredients that you may need for the concoction of your Potion of Regeneration. It includes additional tempest-fused blood, and an entire Enigmatic Heart.”

“Huh.”

I stared in the Bag of Holding— at the large heart-shaped crystal that laid within it. I glanced up at him.

“You got all of this for me?”

“I did not, Ms Salvos. Lady Saffron had ordered me to acquire it for you. It cost her quite a lot and utilized most of her connections. You were fortunate. Items such as the Enigmatic Heart are not so easy to come across. It was mere coincidence that one of her associates had recently fallen into a dire financial situation and was selling his property, including this trophy here.”

Matthew gestured at the Enigmatic Heart. I nodded slowly. Then I smiled.

“Thank you, Saffron.”

I turned to hug her, but I saw how she continued to stare at her letter. She didn’t say anything until I repeated her name.

“Saffron?”

“Hm?”

She looked up at me, blinking. I hesitated.

“Um, thank you for doing this for me. I really appreciate it.”

“Oh, of course.”

Saffron quickly pocketed her letter and returned my smile.

“We are, as you say, companions. And with this single Enigmatic Heart, you’ll be able to probably convert it into a few dozen shards. I do hope you’ll still err on the side of caution in your brewing. I cannot promise that I’ll be able to find these ingredients so easily next time around.”

She wagged a finger.

“Remember, for potion-making, it is better to be meticulous than to be reckless. Even with your finals coming around, you cannot rush the process. It is better to take your time in concocting your Potion of Regeneration than to fail and have to start the process all over again.”

“Wait, it’s my finals soon?”

“Yes.”

Saffron sighed, and I cocked my head.

“Huh. It really is my finals soon.”

I stared at the calendar pinned on the wall. Saffron massaged her temples.

“I don’t know if I’m more worried whether you’ll rush your Potion of Regeneration and botch it or take too long and miss the deadline.”

I waved a hand off, laughing.

“Don’t worry about me! I’m Salvos, after all!”

She pursed her lips, looking up at me.

“Normally, I’d be reassured by that. But… recently, you’ve been a little out of it, Salvos. Because of… Sal, I’m sure.”

I bit my lower lip, and she placed a hand on my shoulder.

“I know I teased you about it earlier, but if you need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

I met Saffron’s gaze, staring into her glinting red eyes. Then I nodded, feeling my lips curl up.

“The same goes for you, Saffron. If you feel like I’m too much, just tell me. I won’t get offended by it.”

“Somehow, I highly doubt that.”

She laughed, and I giggled. Then I shook my head.

Seriously, Saffron. You’re my companion. Iif you need any help with anything, just let me know. I’ll do all I can to help you. I’m pretty strong, you know?”

I gave her a thumbs-up, and Saffron’s eyes flickered. She glanced down at her pocket— at the letter she had kept. Then she spoke softly.

“Perhaps… perhaps…”

Saffron closed her eyes and nodded.

“Thank you, Salvos. But for now, I suggest you focus on your finals. And I will focus on mine too. Everything will be fine.”

“I’m sure.”

But I paused. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Although, I can’t believe it’s almost time for finals. There’s still a few weeks left. Huh, I wonder if there’s anything else to do until then...”

—--

Was there really nothing else to do until my finals? I had to finish my Potion of Regeneration— which was in the works. And I had a practical for my class on enchantment. But other than that, I was pretty well prepared. I just had to study and read and do the exact same thing I did for my midterms for my finals.

I walked alongside Valda and her friends as we headed for the library. I’d finish all my other classes, so it was time for our usual tutor session— finally. It felt like we hadn’t done this in a while. Unfortunately, however, she also heard the rumor about Sal. Fortunately, she believed every word I said.

“So, he’s just a weirdo who claims to be your father?”

“He is! Seriously, I’d have beat him up if he was actually causing any trouble. But he wasn’t, so I let it go for a while. Now, he won’t be a bother.”

“Woah.”

Valda’s eyes sparkled as I finished my story. She excitedly turned to her friends, whispering to them about how amazing I was. I raised my chin, happy that I was finally being praised again instead of being embarrassed. One small part of me was worried that Sal would suddenly show up just because I badmouthed him, but he never came.

Also, it was not like I lied about what happened. I was at least more truthful than the Devil. He was a weirdo. And if he was doing something actually harmful to me, I’d try to beat him up, even if I’d fail. So, I was mostly telling the truth. Unlike Sal who mostly lied.

We were just about the reach the library when I had a thought.

“Hey, Valda… this is a bit random, but is there anything in Mavos Academy that’ll be happening over the next few weeks?”

“Anything that’s happening?”

The blonde girl tilted her head back. I nodded.

“Yep. Any extracurricular activities? Anything interesting?”

“I don’t know…”

She thought for a moment, turning to her friends to exchange a few words. Then they all perked up at the same time, and she turned back to me.

“Actually, there is something that might interest you.”

“Really?”

I halted mid-step and leaned in, curious. She nodded eagerly.

“There’s a tournament that’ll be happening once finals are over. Over break. Anyone of any level can participate. There are various brackets for level groups. I hear a dozen Diamond Ranks are joining this year.”

“What A dozen other Diamond Ranks?”

My eyes widened as Valda smiled.

“Yes! Are you interested in joining? Although… many of them are higher-leveled than you…”

She trailed off. I crossed my arms.

“Do you think I’ll lose or something?”

“I mean…”

Valda shifted slightly, and I scoffed. I clapped my hands together, activating a Skill.

There was a flash. Golden flames poured out from my body and into the ground. Valda and her friends backed up in a panic, fearing that I was angry. But I wasn’t. I simply smirked as I watched motes and wisps break off from the deluge of flames, gathering into the vague shape of a figure.

“W-what is…?”

Valda stared as the golden fire formed a person. The clone stood right next to me, arms folded and staring at her as I spread my arms wide.

“[Salvo of Vanity].”

Valda’s eyes bulged as my clone copied my movements. I continued.

“My newest Skill. What do you think?”

“W-woah…”

She glanced between me and my clone. The blonde girl couldn’t say anything. Her friends were dead silent as well. I placed my hands on my hips.

“It’s more than just a clone. It can do a lot of things. You haven’t seen it just yet. And I can create another clone with my Skill.”

Originally, I could only create one clone at a time. But after expending 4 Skill Points into [Salvo of Vanity] so that it’d be at Level 5, I could not create two clones.

“Pretty great, huh?”

“It is amazing!”

Valda and her friends gathered around my clone and I. They kept looking between us, inspecting us from afar, although they really looked like they wanted to touch and prod at us. I didn’t let them. Instead, I turned to Valda along with my clone.

“So, do you still think I’ll lose?”

“No.”

She shook her head.

“I take everything back. I’m sure you’ll easily win the tournament!”

“Of course I will! A dozen other Diamond Ranks? And I’ll be fighting them? Easy! Where do I sign up?”

Valda quickly reached into her bag, producing a piece of paper. She nodded as she handed it to me.

“Here— this is the sign-up sheet. I was thinking of signing up, but… I decided against it. However, you’ll shock everyone if you do!”

“I know, I’m amazing.”

I beamed as I accepted the sign-up sheet. I looked it over, already reaching for a pen as my eyes scanned the form quickly. Then I frowned when I read words printed at the bottom.

No killing allowed… wait, what? Doesn’t that mean I won’t gain any experience? I thought to myself. Then I continued reading until it mentioned the next part. With the safety equipment, little-to-no experience will be gained from this event. The only reward will be the 50 platinum prize for each of the bracket winners.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Wait, really? That’s it? I don’t get any experience from it? Only money?”

“Yes”

Valda peered at me enthusiastically.

“Are you still interested in joining?”

I tossed the pamphlet aside.

“Absolutely not!”

A note from MelasD

Took yesterday off cause I got vaccinated and also for Thanksgiving.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

234. Potion of Regeneration

A note from MelasD

Big shoutout to Caerulex's The Menocht Loop which she recently published on Amazon! Check it out!

Ian Dunai is trapped in the only maze an arch-decemancer can't escape. Time.

Only 1% of the population is blessed with magic affinity at birth. Fewer still have high enough affinities to rule. Ian’s decemancy eclipses all, granting him ultimate control over Death. He conquers cities with a thought and turns them into ruins with a gesture. But overwhelming power isn’t enough to escape the time loop or reveal its purpose.

When Ian discovers a critical clue that he missed years ago, escape is finally at his fingertips.

Little does he know, he's been stuck on layer one.

The Menocht Loop: A Necromancer Time Loop Epic - Kindle edition by Ryburn, Lorne, caerulex, Sontag, Silas. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

234. Potion of Regeneration

The tournament sounded stupid. And I wasn’t going to participate in it. End of story.

There were other things that I could put my focus on. I had to study, I had to work on my Potion of Regeneration, and I had to deal with the Devil. So, I didn’t sign up for it. I didn’t even care to think or look at it after Valda mentioned it.

That was it.

I proceeded with my next few weeks in school, studying and readying myself for my finals. It wasn’t eventful. But it didn’t have to be eventful. Months had passed, and the school term was now coming to an end. To be honest, my first few weeks in school were far too eventful for what I had signed up for. I thought it’d be relaxing. And I’d been late for many of my classes on the first day, before finally picking up the slack later on.

But then, Saffron discovered that I was actually a Demon. Which then led to a ton of annoying events which finally let her accept me for who I was. After that, there was the auction, there was the date, and there was the hunt for the [Lux Golmi]. All of that was on top of everything I was obligated to do for school, and the things I had to do to uphold my reputation.

That was not to mention my lessons with Lily before I went to Mavos Academy. And again, the Devil.

Sure, maybe I wasn’t as busy in Mavos Academy as I was in, say, the Plaguelands. But that was a different thing. In the Plaguelands, I could just kill wild undead and level up without care. It was fulfilling. Every level I gained made me feel like I was something more. But in Mavos Academy, I was… not leveling. At least, not as much as I wanted to.

It didn’t matter to me. I could flip through textbooks all day if necessary. As long as it got me what I wanted. I didn’t seek out a certificate or even to learn most of the things they taught. I did absorb it all because I found that having access to a wealth of information wasn’t a bad thing. However, I wanted two things. The first was a way to return to the Netherworld— so that I could find my companion, Haec.

And the second was… to make a Potion of Regeneration.

—--

“What are you doing?”

The Devil prodded me from behind as I worked on my alchemy station. There was a glow— a red, almost pink glow— that was exuded from the vial so carefully held up for me to inspect. I glanced back at the red-skinned man.

“I’m doing what I’ve been doing for the past few weeks.”

“And that is?”

He cocked a brow. I scowled.

“Making my Potion of Regeneration.”

“Hm. That’s odd. I thought you’d be done with it by now.”

I ignored him as he sauntered away from me. I was almost finished with this concoction. The deadline for me to submit a Potion of Regeneration for testing by [Alchemist] Raymond was coming up soon. And by soon, I meant a week.

I wanted to finish it before then and submit it so I wouldn’t have to deal with it during my finals week. But the Devil kept pestering me— he bothered me every single day with his pranks and with his annoying jokes and questions. So, my progress slowed.

Shaking my head, I poured a single droplet of tempest-fused blood into the vial. I waited with bated breath, hoping it wouldn’t explode. And it didn’t. Instead, it seemed to diffuse into the rest of the mixture. Not in the way ink would spread throughout water. But instead, its dark crimson instantly faded away, becoming one with the potion.

“Alright, I just have to…”

“I’m bored.”

The Devil spoke simply. I frowned.

“What is it now?”

“I said: I’m bored.”

“And I think you’re being annoying. I’m trying to focus here.”

I waved a hand at what I was doing as the Devil lay on a stack of jewelry. I didn’t even know where he acquired all of that; he simply pulled it out one day and I accepted it as that. There was no point questioning him and his weirdness.

“Hm.”

The Devil tilted his head back as I returned to focusing on my Potion of Regeneration.

“I’m gonna go and take a look around.”

His voice took a second to reach me, then another second to actually reach me. I blinked, nearly dropping a tap of sagetree sap. I spun around and stared at the Devil.

“You’re finally leaving?”

I brightened, and he shook his head.

“I’ll be back in a week. I just want to take a look around— teleport to a few places around the world, maybe even see what’s going on at the Endlands. Then I’ll be back.”

“Oh.”

The Devil chuckled as I deflated.

“What, did you think I’ll leave you so soon? You’re my daughter! I’m not a bad father who’ll leave to buy some milk and never return.”

“Um, what?”

I cocked my head, and he snorted.

“Nevermind.”

The Devil leapt to his feet, bouncing as excitedly as ever.

“Anyway, the point is, I’m leaving for a week. So, don’t get into too much trouble while I’m gone.”

“Sure, sure, whatever. Are you going to go now?”

I gave him an expectant look. His shoulders slumped.

“Aw, my rebellious teenage daughter doesn’t want me here. Fine, I’ll leave then.”

He feigned a pout as he started for the door. I beamed, watching him leave. Then he paused right at the entrance of my Lair, he looked back at me, smirking.

“But before I go, always remember: do your chores, eat your veggies, and most importantly—”

I groaned as he waggled a finger.

“No boys!”

“Just leave already!”

—--

The Devil left. He’d return, but for now, he was gone. And with him, he took his antics, which gave me a lot of time to finally get back to work.

I left my Lair, no longer needing to entertain the Devil. I met up with my friends— those I hadn’t spoken to in a while.

The first I met up with was Nolan. I decided to tell him about the progress I made with the Potion of Regeneration. He was impressed— he admitted that he’d been slightly dubious about my chance of success with producing one.

“So, you’re at the final stages of making a Potion of Regeneration, are you?”

“Yep! I followed all the steps and am close to finishing it.”

“That’s… wow, I’m shocked. How’d you turn the High Grade healing potion into an Elixir of Healing? That step should’ve taken a non-[Alchemist] years!”

“With my Skills, of course.”

I grinned, crossing my arms triumphantly. Also, I had a little help from Saffron. A lot of the ingredients I procured weren’t the raw ingredients, but expensive refined ingredients to the base form I needed them to be. I also cheated, buying some potions like an Elixir of Endurance which needed to be mixed with a mana potion to create an Elixir of Enhanced Endurance. And that was another base ingredient needed for my Potion of Regeneration.

All these things were expensive. And a regular [Alchemist] probably couldn’t afford them— or if they could, they were high enough leveled to make them quickly enough— let alone non-[Alchemists] who weren’t even Platinum Ranked.

So, yes, I cheated. But this class was designed with that in mind. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be an alchemy class for non-[Alchemists].

Nolan gave me an approving look.

“Good job, Salvos. Honestly, you should celebrate.”

“Celebrate? But I’m not done yet.”

“But you’re almost done. Surely you’d want to treat yourself to a nice dinner meal— clear yourself of some of the stress?”

He winked at me, and I blinked. My eyes narrowed.

“Wait, are you flirting with me?”

He paused.

“Perhaps.”

“Huh.”

I stared at him. Nolan scratched the back of his head.

“You know, for someone others call charming, you’re pretty awkward.”

He took a step back, sputtering.

“I am not awkward.”

“You kind of are.”

He hesitated. I shrugged.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because this is your first time dealing with actual ‘love.’ And hey, me too. But that’s just what I think. And you know—”

I thought about the [Lux Golmi]. About the way others saw me; how my reputation wasn’t really true to me. I shook my head.

“Maybe what others think of you doesn’t really define who you are. But it does matter. So, stop being awkward!”

I pointed a finger at him, and Nolan drew back. Then I paused. I took a step back.

“Also, thank you, but as I said before, I’d rather we just be friends.”

Nolan stared at me. He fixed his gaze at me for a moment. He waved a hand off.

“Alas… I had to give it a try. And perhaps you are right. I was indeed awkward. But in the off-chance that you’d change your mind, the offer still stands.”

I smiled at him.

“Sorry, but I don’t think I’ll ever change my mind.”

Nolan chuckled.

“Unfortunate.”

Even despite that, he did offer me some tips to finish the Potion of Regeneration— specifically, so I wouldn’t screw up. Not especially so soon to the deadline.

—--

“What do you want to show me, Salvos?”

Three days later, Saffron followed me to my Lair as I excitedly ushered her forward. I didn’t say anything, even until she entered the cave and the notification sounded in her head.

She looked around, narrowing her eyes.

“Where’s Sal?”

“He’s gone… for now.”

I shrugged it off, instead bringing my companion to my alchemy station. I felt my lips curling up as I pointed at it.

“Look.”

And there, on the desk, was a flask that shone with iridescent light. A mixture of colors— a rainbow poured into a glass. It sparkled and illumined the cavern, sending rays of light around in hexagonal shapes.

Above it, a pink crystal was held under an ice-cold ember. It didn’t burn brilliantly, instead slowly hugging the shard of the Enigmatic Heart with its warmth, melting it away slowly so that droplets of its liquified magic would drip into the mixture slowly.

“It’s almost done.”

I turned to Saffron as she stared at it.

“You actually did it, Salvos.”

“Yep. Worked really hard on it. Just a few more hours, and then… it’ll be done.”

I leaned forward, peering into the flask. I saw my reflection on it. I was grinning from ear to ear. I couldn’t wait until it was complete.

Saffron placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling.

“I’m proud of you, Salvos, you actually managed to do it.”

I turned back to her. Then I looked back at the nearly complete potion. It could still go wrong, but at this point, I was confident it wouldn’t. So, I spoke softly in response to Saffron.

“Thank you.”

And finally, with that final ingredient— a piece of an Enigmatic Heart— I completed my Potion of Regeneration.

A note from MelasD

Happy Turkey day y'all!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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235. Time for the Finale

A note from MelasD

Yo, so, shoutout to The Wandering Inn. It's great. My favorite web serial ever. It's what got me into writing.

An inn is a place to rest, a place to talk and share stories, or a place to find adventures, a starting ground for quests and legends.

In this world, at least. To Erin Solstice, an inn seems like a medieval relic from the past. But here she is, running from Goblins and trying to survive in a world full of monsters and magic. She’d be more excited about all of this if everything wasn’t trying to kill her.

But an inn is what she found, and so that’s what she becomes. An innkeeper who serves drinks to heroes and monsters–

Actually, mostly monsters. But it’s a living, right?

This is the story of the Wandering Inn.

The Wandering Inn | A tale of a girl, an inn, and a world full of levels.

235. Time for the Finale

It was finished.

I stared at the Potion of Regeneration. The flask that held inside of it a treasured I sought out for the longest time. The rainbow-colored mixture swished as I shook the glass, glowing a gentle light into the room. My Lair.

A cavern that was far from Mavos Academy. Here, I could do whatever I wanted. And what I wanted to do was simple: to test my Potion of Regeneration. After all, I’d finally finished making it.

It looked completed. Saffron agreed that it looked completed. She even peered over my shoulder with an approving look.

“I think it’s good. At least, the ambient mana I sense from it seems right. And [Identification] is calling it a Potion of Regeneration, not a Sludge of Destruction like I thought it would.”

“Hey! Did you have that little faith in me?”

“Is that even a question?”

She rolled her eyes, stepping back.

“Still, I recommend you be careful with it.”

“It’s fine! The glass is enchanted, see?”

I clinked a nail onto the side of the glass. It didn’t shatter. Saffron shook her head.

“That’s not what I meant, Salvos. Even if [Identification] tells us that it’s a Potion of Regeneration, sometimes it cannot discern between what is a… slightly flawed Potion of Regeneration, and what is a perfect Potion of Regeneration.”

“What’s the difference?”

I raised a brow. She pursed her lips.

“One heals you, regenerating your body parts and removing all scars. And the other… overheals you.”

“That’s a bad thing?”

“When your skin constantly grows over itself, pretty much eating itself up, and your body produces more blood than you need— yes, it gets pretty bad. That’s not to mention the other possible side effects that’s said to have happened such as growing more limbs.”

I cocked my head and repeated myself.

“That’s a bad thing?”

She sighed.

“Look, I’m saying that it can kill you. So, you should maybe test it out on something else first.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine! Come on, don’t you trust my alchemy?”

Saffron gave me a flare stare, and I looked down at the Potion of Regeneration. A moment of hesitation passed, and I looked back up at her.

“Ok— maybe a quick test.”

“Good idea, genius.”

“But what can I test on?”

I cast my gaze around the room, searching for something. My eyes landed on a single cockroach crawling down a wall. I grabbed it with ease as it tried to scuttle away, before plucking out one of its legs and showing it to Saffron.

“Think it’ll work?”

“Give it a single drop, and we’ll see.”

She looked slightly nervous. And I couldn’t lie and say I wasn’t worried that all my hard work led to failure. I’d have to start from scratch— which, I didn’t want to do. With a deep breath, I uncorked the Potion of Regeneration.

The rainbow-colored droplet spilled onto the cockroach’s side. Its body vibrated faster than its wings could even beat. I bit my lower lip, hoping that that was a good sign, but I could already see the resigned look on Saffron’s face. Then suddenly, the cockroach halted. And a leg sprouted out.

“It worked!”

I jumped up excitedly, turning to Saffron. She sighed in relief.

“You actually did it.”

“Yep!”

I threw my arms round her in a hug.

“And I couldn’t have done it without you. You’re the best! Thank you, Saffron.”

She blinked. Then she smiled and hugged me back.

“It was my pleasure.”

—--

It worked.

I stared at my arm, fully regrown, white as ever. I was in my [Demonic Essence] form, with the face of an animal’s sku,, and six protruding wicked and clawed arms. I stood tall— heads above Saffron as she watched me flex my newly regenerated limb.

“No matter how many times I see you transformed, I still can’t believe you’re the same person.”

“Why not?”

I turned to her, speaking in a low, guttural voice. She shrugged.

“You are simply terrifying in that form. Not at all the kind of person you truly are.”

“Aw— are you saying I’m not usually scary?”

Saffron gave me a flat stare.

“No. No you are not.”

I deflated, and she sighed.

“You’re more… unpredictable? I’m scared of you, at times. But not scared that you’d kill me— not without reason. However, you oftentimes come close— too uncomfortably close— to crossing the line. And the things you’d do outside of the line you set is not what others would usually do.”

Saffron gave me a helpless shrug.

“It is what it is. But you’re not terrifying. You only look terrifying sometimes. But inside? You’re really nice.”

She patted me on my snout. I scowled.

“It’s not what matters on the outside but inside that counts!”

“Come on, let’s bring your potion to [Alchemist] Raymond. Before you somehow drop it and break it.”

Saffron gestured for me to follow. I rolled my eyes.

“I told you, the glass is enchanted!”

We left my Lair as I transformed into a Human with [Partial Mortality]. Mavos Academy stood tall and looming as always, the school that held within it a small city. I didn’t stuff my Potion of Regeneration into a Bag of Holding, too scared that something could go wrong. Instead, I hugged it tightly as I made my way through the busy streets. Just as we turned a corner, a voice spoke out from behind us and we turned around.

“Lady Saffron.”

Matthew stood before us, lips pursed. He bowed slightly as she raised a brow.

“Is something wrong, Matthew?”

“Your presence is needed. I have… a missive.”

Saffron narrowed her eyes. She glanced between Matthew and I. Her lips pressing together thinly. I blinked.

“What happened?”

“It’s… nothing. Just go ahead and submit your Potion of Regeneration, Salvos. I don’t want to keep you busy.”

“Oh, um, sure.”

I nodded, continuing down the pavement as I looked over at Saffron and Matthew. They quietly nodded at each other, dark looks on their faces as they left.

“Huh, I wonder what that’s about.”

—--

“Congratulations, you received full marks.”

[Alchemist] Raymond lowered the Potion of Regeneration after inspecting it for about ten minutes. We stood in his office— a room made of glass, surrounded by a glowing green liquid. I gave him a confused look.

“Are you sure? Don’t you have to test it out or something?”

“Nonsense, nonsense— I have an [Alchemist’s Eye]. I know that there's little flaw to the concoction you've made. I commend you, Salvos. There are a few side effects to using this Potion of Regeneration, but otherwise, nothing harmful to the user.”

“Wait, side effects?”

My eyes grew wide as Raymond nodded.

“Indeed, indeed. It has… minor side effects. Like increased drowsiness, increased hunger— a myriad of other things which a lower rate [Alchemist] wouldn’t be able to prevent. But someone at my level could very easily alter and remove.”

He shook his head, returning the Potion of Regeneration back to me.

“Why?”

I felt my stomach grumble as a yawn escaped my mouth.

“Huh.”

He fixed me with a look.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing!”

—--

I found myself dragging my feet through the gilded hallway of Beaker Building. The growling of my stomach grew louder. I was hungry, and I needed to eat something. Unfortunately, there were no bugs here since the [Alchemists] used some sort of potion to keep them all away. I had to get outside where I could scrounge them up from the dirt and the garden trees to satiate this hunger.

But just as I exited Beaker Building, I ran into two individuals. Veronica Adash and Gallus. They both carried with them notes and textbooks. I quickly slipped my way past them as they spoke.

“Hello— uh, Salvos?”

Gallus spoke, caught off guard. I replied quickly.

“Sorry! Just got graded for my Potion of Regeneration, and I need to, um, keep it safe!”

I tapped on the rainbow-colored potion.

“You’ve already submitted your final project?”

Veronica raised a dubious brow. But Gallus, however, was impressed.

“And you’ve already gotten a grade for it. Here we were, hoping to ask [Alchemist] Raymond for some last-minute advice.”

“Well, I’m pretty amazing…”

I beamed, and Gallus chuckled. Veronica bowed her head slightly, speaking softly.

“Then I must congratulate you, Salvos.”

“Aw, thank you, but I’ve gotta go now, bye!”

I waved at them as I rushed off. I found myself in one of the botanical gardens not long after, scouring the grass for ants. I was crunching away, filling myself with the delicious and scrumptious taste of insects, when a voice drew my attention.

“I didn’t expect to run into you here, Salvos. Let alone when you were… having an afternoon snack.”

“Oh, hey Lamarr.”

I spoke nonchalantly, still chewing on a mouthful of ants. I turned to face the Warrior King of Traith, giving him a smile. He was dressed in his regal robes as usual, without a bag or even a study book with him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was taking a simple walk. Trying to clear my mind as our final examinations approach us.”

“Mm, yep, those are stressful.”

I nodded as I drew myself to my feet. Not before I took one last mouthful of ants. He tilted his head slightly.

“Now, I could be asking you the same question, Salvos. Why are you here?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m having lunch.”

I gestured at the ground, and he chuckled.

“Ah, my mistake for asking such a silly question.”

“Yep! You’re pretty silly.”

“So, I assume your studying is going well?”

“It is—”

Lamarr and I chatted for a bit, exchanging casual conversation until a familiar figure walked by. I waved at her, since she didn’t seem to notice me, too immersed in her textbooks as she studied for her finals. Valda paused mid-step as I called out to her.

“Valda!

“Oh, hello Salvos, and—”

She blinked as she turned to the red-haired man.

“Y-you’re…”

“King Lamarr!”

I introduced him, stepping aside. He bowed with a smile.

“Pleasure to meet you, Ms Valda.”

The blonde girl backed up.

“W-wait, how do you know Salvos— I mean, how do you know about me?”

“A fifteen years old genius enrolled into Mavos Academy? How can I not have heard of you?”

Lamarr smiled, and Valda’s eyes glazed over. She stared at Lamarr, trying to work her jaw.

“I-I…”

I looked between the both of them. Lamarr and Valda. They seemed like they’d have a lot to say to each other since it was their first time meeting, but I was starting to be overcome with drowsiness. With a smile, I patted the both of them on their backs.

“Anyway, you two should hang out— maybe you can even give Valda some advice, Lamarr. She’s young and she likes learning things!”

“Hm, of course. A young mind is always a curious mind.”

He tapped a finger on his chin. Valda blinked and turned to me.

“W-what?”

“Yep. You two chat. I’ve gotta go now!”

“Wait, Salvos, don’t leave me… alone.”

She watched me as I ran off, slowly lowering her hand.

I was sure she’d be grateful to me for introducing her to Lamarr. But I didn't need praise right now. I had my fill of food, and now I needed to… sleep.

I made a dash back to Saffron’s room, throwing the door open and glancing around. The noble Vampire wasn’t there. She had gone elsewhere with Matthew. I was curious about what the were talking about, but that was something I could figure out later. For now, I threw myself onto the inviting couch.

I closed my eyes, going to sleep. I didn’t usually like to sleep. But for the first time, I found myself relaxed and at ease. My time in Mavos Academy might’ve been hectic and different. But it wasn’t bad. I quite enjoyed my time here.

My finals were coming up, and that would mark the end of my first academic term in Mavos Academy. After that, I’d still have another year and a half here. It was a long time. Three more academic terms. But… I couldn’t say I didn’t look forward to it.

I just hoped nothing would happen to derail the time I spent here.

“Are you certain?”

Saffron clenched a fist as she confided with Matthew in the dark. Runes glowed around them— no one would be able to listen in. Not unless they were above Level 100. And at that point, she wouldn’t have been able to do anything.

Not that it mattered if they overheard. Because most people would probably be hearing of this news soon enough. After all, everyone had their eyes on Nixa. On the Primeval Demon. And it seemed that that terrible monster had achieved his greatest victory thus far.

An army had been defeated. But not just any army. It had been a coalition between Nixa, the Vaun Qieur Empire, the Sunmere Republic, and many of the smaller kingdoms. Dozens of Level 100 men and women died in that battle. Not just that, but the Elite [Sorceress] herself, Shomozil Windbane, had been slain in the hands of the Primeval Demon.

Now— now there were reports of the Primeval Demon moving. Emboldened by its victory, and this setback it must’ve inflicted on the countries opposing it. It traveled with a smaller force. Headed to a location which Saffron had been monitoring. A smaller-scaled war that happened parallel to this Primeval Demon’s invasion of the Mortal Realm.

Headed to the place where the Sword of Alexander was kept. No, headed to the person who kept the Sword of Alexander.

“Baris. Former leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company.”

Matthew nodded.

“The Primeval Demon will slaughter them all.”

A note from MelasD

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236. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 3

236. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 3

The Sword of Alexander.

It was one of the greatest treasures in the world. A blade used by the [Hero] Alexander— the Immortal King who united the Human lands when calamity threatened Humankind. Kobolds, Elves, Demons. He fought to repel them all. And for a thousand years, he ruled. For a thousand years, he was victorious.

But eventually, he was slain. At the hands of his own blade. A tragic end for one as great as he was. However, it also displayed just the might and terror of his sword.

It is said that a single swing from the Sword of Alexander could’ve sheared off a mountaintop. That it could tear valleys asunder. That it wrought hurricanes and tore apart tsunamis. A Mythical Grade artifact that only the strongest could wield.

One that could forever scar the landscape with its power.

Edithe Dawnrise couldn’t lie and say she never once imagined wielding such a weapon in the grip of her hand. Even though she was a [Mage]— and had been a [Summoner]— she wondered what it’d be like to hold and control such a powerful force. No enemies could ever dare challenge her.

Now, it was no longer a dream. It was something that could be a reality. But only if Baris listened.

Another battle was being fought. This time, Edithe didn’t take part. Not in a way she hoped to.

After the victory at the Millcliff Iron Mines, the Valiant Dreamers had been quickly encroaching on the Iron Champions Company. For their part, the Iron Champions didn’t try to resist, which eased the Valiant Dreamers’ advancement. Unfortunately, that retreat had been a tactical one, because now they were fighting back.

It had been nighttime when the Valiant Dreamers’ camp was assaulted. There were many noncombatants present— they’d surely get caught in the battle. And because of her Skills and magic, she’d been asked to stay behind to protect them. She could only watch from afar as the Valiant Dreamers sallied forth without her.

Sure, she managed to cast the occasional [Storm of Ice and Fire] and [Arrow of the Flame Elemental]. But fighting from afar was different from fighting in the frontlines. She couldn’t act to save her friends if they were in danger.

She tightly gripped her Primordial Staff. Her eyes darted around the fighting happening afar. Adventurers and assassins and mercenaries that fought in the trees and in the valleys. Lightning thundered down from above as flames spewed out of the earth. Stone pillar spiked up, and glowing arrows zipped across the battlefield.

Shadowed figures flew above with wings or riding on staffs. They cast earth-shaking spells and created bright explosions that lit up the night. Each blast shook the earth and the noncombatants behind Edithe. Men and women cowered behind her. [Bakers], [Cooks], [Alchemists], [Healing Mages], and others without a combat Class hid in their tents as the battle raged on.

Edithe pursed her lips.

“Again… even now, why must I just watch?”

“Because the Iron Champions Company are bastards.”

A voice replied. Derrill sauntered up to her. He was a Platinum Rank [Rogue]— a member of the Dusk Horns Company. One of the allies of the Valiant Dreamers. He shook his head.

“If we left the encampment alone, they’d surely send assassins to slaughter everyone here. Destroy our supplies. Slow us down any way they can.”

Edithe clenched her fist. She knew he was right. But that still didn’t sit right with her. She glanced over at the fighting, creating a [Lightning Orb] and hurling it at a group of lower-leveled [Archers]. They scattered when they saw the impending attack. It tore apart the earth, sending debris into the sky.

“Still, they need my help. What if there’s someone I could save if I followed? What if… what if one of my friends died out there while I’m here unable to stop it?”

“And what if you went out there, and someone here died? That’s just how war is.”

Derrill shrugged. Edithe scowled.

“I know, I know. It’s just… fucking stupid.”

“Whew, I didn't know the great Edithe Dawnrise had such a potty mouth.”

He grinned, and she glared at him.

“Now’s not really the time to crack jokes.”

Her eyes flickered. She saw shadows moving ahead, creeping closer.

“Someone’s coming.”

Derrill raised a brow.

“I don’t see—”

And from the darkness, a heavy figure leapt out of the trees. A giant greatsword crashed down at Derrill before he could react. Edithe raised her staff, creating a powerful ice barrier.

“[Shield of the Misty Lord]!”

A powerful attack clashed with the barrier. Derrill stumbled back just from the impact alone. A crater was formed around the [Shield of the Misty Lord] as the attacker drew back. Edithe narrowed her eyes.

“Orbur Vale. Why are you here?”

One of the champions of the Iron Champions Company. Edithe had clashed with him twice before. Or rather, she was saved by Hadrian the first time around, and saved by Ismail the second time around. Here he was, again, confronting her for the third time.

Except, this time, Edithe had only leveled once since their last fight.

“Edithe Dawnrise. I was so entranced by you in our previous encounter, that I couldn’t just get you out of my head.”

He dragged his giant greatsword behind him, scarring the earth with each step.

“So, I came here to do exactly that: get you out of my head.”

A sinister smile spread across his face as Edithe backed up. She took in a shaky breath, glancing down at Derrill who just picked himself up.

“W-why—”

“Go and get help. Hadrian. Ismail. Gabriel— anyone.”

“R-right.”

Derrill stumbled to his feet and activated his speed Skills. She gritted her teeth as she watched him go. Orbur tried to stop him, but an [Arrow of the Flame Elemental] interrupted his attack.

The champion brought his blade down striking the arrow midair. There was a blast— a bright flash of light that lasted a few seconds. Until finally, the light dissipated, and Orbur lowered his greatsword. Smoke sizzled out of its side as a scorch mark was left behind where the spell struck.

Edithe shook her head.

“Are you seriously just here to kill me?”

“Of course. You’ve made a fool of me, and I will not simply allow that to pass.”

“In the middle of a war? That’s petty, even for someone like you.”

Orbur slowly stalked around her [Shield of the Misty Lord], eyeing the cracks that were formed on it from his previous attack. He was definitely trying to figure out a way to tear it down as quickly as possible. Or even wait it out. But that wasted time was precious time which Edithe needed.

He shrugged.

“Well, considering I’m going to die regardless of how this war turns out… yes. I will carry out every petty act I want.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“What are you talking about? Why would you die? What is going on?”

She felt her magic beginning to weaken. The Skill didn’t run on unlimited time, but Edithe could allay its end by supplying it with mana. Orbur fixed her with a dark gaze.

“It’s none of your concern. The only thing that matters here is whether you live or die. And I’d rather it’d be the latter.”

Finally, he raised his greatsword. He struck once, and the ice cracked again. He struck twice, sending chinks and shards out into the air. Again and again and again. Edithe grunted as she watched the spiderweb creep across her barrier’s surface.

And it shattered.

The barrier failed as she was knocked back by the impact of the attack. She stumbled to her feet just in time to see Orbur closing the distance and bringing his greatsword into the air. It quadrupled in size, and she sent a chilly wind to slow his approach.

The [Warrior] stepped through the gale slowly, even as frost built up at his feet. He broke through the ice forming over his body, before the wind changed in temperature, becoming an inferno instead. He growled and sliced it in half, ending the spell.

His gaze snapped around the area, but Edithe was gone. He squinted and turned to the encampment.

“Come out, Edithe Dawnrise. Face me and suffer. Even if I were to perish here, I shall be known for slaying the Liberator of the Plaguelands. I won’t die quietly like that fool, Bulan Dishar.”

She didn’t respond. He sighed.

“Fine. If you won’t show yourself, then I’ll force you out.”

Orbur took a heavy step towards the camp, and a voice called out.

“I’m here.”

He spun around, smirking.

“You’ve—”

And he paused. Another flaming arrow shot out, too fast for him to dodge. He reached out to block it, but it struck him on the chest. His armor couldn’t hold up to the attack as he was engulfed by a looming blast of flames.

[Restore Skill: Arrow of the Flame Element]. Edithe panted. Then she looked down at her staff. It wasn’t the Primordial Staff she’d been given. It was something else. A gray stick, about a quarter the size of her staff.

[Cane of Retribution: Medium Grade Weapon - Significantly enhances the effects of a spell. Can be used three times a day.]

It was one of the few treasures she kept from her time in the Plaguelands. Edithe had stolen it off the corpse of a Kobold [Cultist]. It boosted her attack enough to actually break through Orbur’s defenses and his armor.

His breastplate was a mess— it was torn inward, the enchantment gone. Blood leaked out of Orbur’s mouth as he stood up, chuckling.

“That was good. That was really good.”

Edithe threw a [Lightning Orb] at him, and he didn’t even bother to block it. It caused him to stagger, nothing more.

“But did you really think that was enough to finish me off?”

He ran forward as Edithe led him away from the encampment. She barraged him with ice and fire and lightning and any spell she could conjure up. It didn’t matter. He never lost his balance, not even when she used a tree root to grab him by the ankle. Orbur continued his charge, uprooting the tree instead and tearing the wooden stems.

A single jump closed the distance between him and the red-haired woman. She used a strong blast of wind to knock herself out of the way, and Orbur descended like a meteor. He left another large crater where he landed, snapping his gaze instantly back to Edithe even through the dust.

“Are you going to try this again? Come on, at least call for your friends’ help. Show them where you are. Let them come here, and let my men slaughter the rest of the Valiant Dreamers while they’re distracted.”

Edithe didn’t respond. Orbur was only partially right. Sure, she didn’t want to draw too many of her companions away from the battlefield and to her, hence why she hadn’t activated [Beacon of Guardians]. But also, its effects wouldn’t reach those fighting from afar.

And what was the point then? Her Skill had a limited range, and those who weren’t in its area of effect when the spell was cast wouldn’t receive its boon. It’d just be a bright light, no different than the flames she spewed at Orbur.

The champion continued his assault. Each swing felled a tree, even if it didn’t come into contact with the wooden trunks. Each strike tore apart the earth. Try as she might, Edithe could barely harm him, leaving only small scratches for each terrible attack he unleashed.

A swing of his sword nearly hit her. But at the last second, Edithe raised the Cane of Retribution, creating another [Lightning Orb]. The two attacks collided, exploding and sending Edithe flying back. Orbur stood at ground zero of the explosion, more of his armor crippled, but his skin was left mostly unscathed.

Edithe took in a deep breath as she got back up.

“Why the fuck can’t I hurt you?”

Orbur chuckled.

“See, that’s the difference between you and me. I have decades of experience. Decades of fighting and training, gaining Skills to make myself as strong as possible. I think you’ll find it harder to pierce my skin than it is to pierce my armor.”

I sure hope not. Edithe clutched at something in her belt pouch. Then her eyes flickered as Orbur stepped forth.

“Now, you die!”

A glowing aura overcame his blade as he struck down, vaporizing everything in a cone in front of him. Edithe watched as the attack came— and something grabbed her.

She found herself standing a dozen feet away from the blast as Derrill dusted his hands off. Edithe blinked.

“Derrill?”

“I’m back. And I brought help.”

“Help? Is it Hadrian—”

The red-haired woman’s eyes lit up, only to pause.She instead saw a tall woman leaping at the perplexed Orbur from behind. The man slowly spun around, but was caught by the attack.

“[Colossal Cleave]!”

A woman swung a longsword at his chest. Celine, the Platinum Rank [Warrior], and one of Edithe’s closest friends, snuck up on Orbur from behind. Her blade cut through his skin… and wedged itself on his collar bone.

“How in the Nexeus—”

Celine tried to pull her weapon back, but it was stuck in his bone. Orbur scowled.

“You!”

He backhanded Celine, knocking her away, through a thicket and into a small crater.

“Celine!”

Edithe yelled, getting back up.

“A mere Platinum Rank dares attack me?”

Orbur pulls the sword out of his chest, placing a hand on the wound. Blood dripped slowly from it, far less than should be pouring out from a wound like that. He closed in on Celine’s injured form.

She forced herself up, even with a broken arm.

“Is that all the mighty Orbur Vale has got? Come on!”

Celine raised a single fist, and he shook his head.

“Pathetic.”

He tossed aside her weapon, readying to use his own to finish her off. Edithe turned hurriedly to Derrill as Celine threw a punch.

“Derrill, I need you to distract Orbur for as long as you can.”

“Me?”

Celine’s fist smashed against Orbur’s cheeks. He grinned and kneed her. He drew his blade close to her neck, and Edithe shouted.

“Now!”

“Alright, alright!”

Derrill dashed forward, tossing his throwing knives at Orbur’s back. The daggers bounced off the champion’s armor— it was only broken at the front, still intact from the back.

He gave Derrill a pitying stare.

“You’re even weaker than her.”

Orbur sliced out at Derrill, and an aura blade shot out. It sheared a copse of trees as Derrill barely ducked out of the way. Grinning, he turned to Orbur.

“Well, but I’m faster.”

The champion gritted his teeth, bringing his sword back up. But he paused as soon as Edithe grabbed Celine. His head snapped to face them.

“Don’t think you’ll be getting away so easily—”

“[Rain of Daggers]!”

Derrill threw a single knife into the air, and it glowed. It multiplied midair before dropping far faster than it should descend. Orbur frowned and raised his greatsword, using it like an umbrella. The falling knives actually scratched his armor and his weapon, leaving marks where they struck.

“Hurry up, idiots!”

Edithe helped Celine stumble towards the [Rogue] as the attack temporarily halted Orbur in his tracks. But the champion only grew even more enraged.

“Enough!”

He slammed the flat end of his broadsword to the earth, and a white shockwave flatted the landscape. Every tree in hundreds of feet was flattened by the single attack. Edithe was certain she’d be lying dead on the ground if Celine hadn’t managed to grunt a single Skill before the attack reached them.

“[Iron Spirit].”

It was like Edithe, Celine, and Derrill had temporarily been granted an aura of protection. But Orbur’s shockwave still managed to break through it, knocking Edithe back.

The red-haired woman got back to her feet as Celine coughed out blood. Even as injured as she was, Celine didn’t stay down. Not until Edithe placed a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s fine, Celine. I can handle this.”

“Edithe, what are you doing, you damned moron?”

Celine raised a hand to stop Edithe, but the red-haired woman simply started past Celine and Derrill to face down Orbur alone. The champion cocked an amused brow.

“Sacrificing yourself to save your friends, are you? I’ll tell you right now, I’ll make sure they won’t die painless deaths once I’m finished with you.”

“I’m not sacrificing myself. Not anymore.”

Edithe tossed aside her Primordial Staff. She held only the Cane of Retribution in one hand, with the other reaching for her belt pouch.

“Then what’s your play here? Waiting for someone to save you?”

Orbur glanced over at the fighting in the distance, uncaring.

“Because I don’t think anyone else is going to show up. Which doesn’t surprise me. I’m not the only Diamond Rank here from our side. All the other remaining champions are on the battlefield. And I’m sure your friends are preoccupied. At least, the ones that matter.”

“All the other champions are here?”

Edithe creased her forehead.

“What happens if you lose? This is incredibly reckless. If all of you die, the Iron Champions Company will be without leadership.”

“Do you seriously still think we’re in charge, woman? As if we’d ever be foolish enough to start this war.”

He laughed bitterly as he hefted his greatsword onto his left shoulder. Not his right shoulder. His right collar bone had been cut by Celine. And while he initially shrugged it off, it looked like it genuinely hurt him.

“Well, maybe we’d have sent assassins to kill Baris regardless. But… no. Not start this war. No one gains anything from this war. No one except for them.”

“Them?”

Edithe’s eyes widened as she realized what Orbur meant. But she never expected him to say it outright.

“Demons.”

The champion grinned as he spoke. Celine and Derrill exchanged a glance.

“Demons?”

“That doesn’t matter. Not right now.”

Edithe cut them off. She raised her Cane of Retribution, speaking in a determined voice.

“What matters is stopping you, here and now.”

“And what are you going to do about it?”

Orbur taunted her. And she smiled.

“Return what you’ve dealt to us. [Fiery Riposte]!”

Orbur looked at her in horror before he’s overcome with the most ferocious flames Edithe had ever seen. She didn’t stop there, however. She dashed forward, pulling the other weapon she held out of her pouch.

The champion screamed as the blaze continued to eat at him. He tried to break free from it, but the fire followed him wherever he went. His blade dropped as he clasped at his face. Edithe closed in on him as the flames finally vanished, and he met her gaze, roaring.

“Do you think this will kill—”

She dug the dagger deep into his collar bone. Where Celine had struck him and drew blood. Edithe leapt back, dodging just as he swung at her. He missed, stumbling forward as he pulled out the weapon.

“You bitch—”

Orbur reached for his greatsword. But his right arm simply dangled from his side. He glanced down to his side as his hand dropped from his body. A brown aura seemed to eat away at his right shoulder. He stared at it.

“W-what is this?”

“Corrosion magic. A [Necromancer]’s magic. But woven into a blade.”

Edithe raised the dagger. The Fangs of the Devouring Deep.

“A weapon that had even hurt the Lich of the Plaguelands.”

He blinked. And both Celine and Derrill gaped.

“It could hurt the Lich?”

“It must be a High Grade artifact. Maybe even Epic Grade.”

Edithe glanced over at them, shaking her head. It was only Medium Grade. The only reason it had affected the Lich was because its bones were as brittle as regular bones.

If the weapon was either of those, it’d have probably eaten away at Orbur’s skin without cutting into it. Maybe even killing him entirely with a single stab. As it was now, the Fangs of the Devouring Deep only ate away at his shoulder. And since Orbur’s skin was charred and burnt by her [Fiery Riposte], his arm fell.

The champion stared at Edithe, grasping at his shoulder with his remaining arm. Edithe picked up her Primordial Staff as Celine and Derrill rushed to his side. The red-haired woman spoke simply.

“You lose, Orbur Vale. Do you really think you can beat us with one arm?”

“I do, Edithe Dawnrise.”

Orbur gave her a wicked smile, and she hesitated. Then he shook his head, dropping to his knees.

“But I don’t think I’ll be able to beat you before your friends arrive.”

He gestured past her, and Edithe turned around. She looked at the battlefield, seeing… the fighting slowly coming to a close. The Valiant Dreamers were winning. And Orbur Vale surrendered.

“I lose, Liberator of the Plaguelands. I… yield.”

Edithe blinked. She looked over at Celine. The other woman was also confused.

“Don’t look at me, I didn’t expect this either.”

The Valiant Dreamers won.

Class [Risen Elemental Spellcaster] Level Up!

[Risen Elemental Spellcaster - Lvl. 99] -> [Risen Elemental Spellcaster - Lvl. 100]!

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Risen Elemental Spellcaster] Level Up!

[Risen Elemental Spellcaster - Lvl. 100] -> [Risen Elemental Spellcaster - Lvl. 101]!

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

[Advancement Available]

A note from MelasD

Heyo, I haven't asked for this in a while, but please do me a favor and vote for Salvos on TopWebFiction. It'll really help me a lot and it only takes a second. Thank you <3

Salvos | Top Web Fiction

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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237. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 4

A note from MelasD

Big shoutout to Duellist's Road: A LitRPG Adventure. Check it out!

Carr, a master swordsman from Earth, is forcibly transported to another world after being betrayed by his best friend. It was an act of treachery that left a deep scar on his heart, causing him to be unwilling to make use of the strange magical system that runs his new world. But even without utilizing any stats, levels, or skills, he still believes himself to be the greatest swordsman of them all – and he'll prove it again and again, stopping at nothing to face his old friend once more and settle the score.

Dueling fierce opponents while traversing a hostile fantasy world is just the tip of the iceberg. Carr's refusal to engage in the LitRPG system puts him at a disadvantage – and he knows it. He'll have to gather allies who do make use of stats, and most importantly, continue improving himself. Even without stats, he'll never stop progressing his own strength.

After all, what is swordsmanship if not an eternal quest of self-improvement? Especially on a journey to achieve the sweet satisfaction of revenge.

Amazon.com: Duellist's Road: No Shortcuts - A LitRPG Fantasy Adventure eBook : Kalleen, Rafael: Kindle Store

237. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 4

[Advancement Available]

The words resounded in Edithe’s head as she sat across from Orbur Vale. The man was one of the highest-leveled adventurers of the Iron Champions Company. One of the original founders, and a designated ‘champion’ too. His name was renowned throughout the world— or at least, to adventurers. Such a powerful individual… was currently a prisoner of war for the Valiant Dreamers.

He’d surrendered. The Iron Champions attempted an assault at the Valiant Dreamers with their full might. A surprise counterattack. It proved fruitless. Because of a simple reason: they never wanted to fight in this war.

That was what Orbur said, at least, before he lost his arm. Now, he sat there, in front of Edithe, bound in enchanted chains, with a single remaining arm. Edithe was supposed to watch over him. He offered to trade information to the Valiant Dreamers for his life— something which wasn’t even necessary.

Edithe was pretty sure they’d have spared him the moment he surrendered. But they weren't going to reject a chance at free information.

Regardless, Orbur didn’t look like he was going to attempt anything while captured. Which was good for Edithe. She couldn’t even focus on guarding him. Or that she could think about was her advancement. She wanted to deal with it now, not deal with Orbur.

And fortunately, salvation eventually came to her in the form of Hadrian. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company strolled into the tent, nodding approvingly at her.

“Good job, Edithe. You may excuse yourself.”

“Finally!”

She leapt to her feet, pausing just by the tent flaps. Her eyes darted to Baris who followed his son into the room. Edithe looked over at Hadrian. He shook his head and mouthed something to her.

Not yet.

The red-haired woman sighed, leaving the tent. Celine was outside, chatting with a group of ally adventurers from other companies. Derrill was amongst them. He waved at Edithe, and she greeted them.

“Celine, Derrill. How are your injuries?”

“We’re fine!”

Celine flexed an arm— the arm she’d broken in battle.

“A quick healing potion and… poof, I’m fully healed.”

“I’m still surprised we came out of that alive.”

Derrill massaged his temples.

“I thought I was going to die.”

“Well, I’m glad the both of you are fine.”

Edithe smiled. The same couldn’t be said for many others who came away from this war. Her gaze landed on the corpse pile under a large covering. Groups of lower-leveled men and women carried bodies with them to toss into the pile. The red-haired woman recognized some of those who died.

Collins. Melinda— dozens of others. So many dead.

But finally, the war would end. This was the final phase of the war. All that was left was the Iron Champions’ final stronghold. Then it would be over.

Edithe wished she could’ve done more to save her friends and her fellow company members. Unfortunately, she’d barely been strong enough to defeat Orbur Vale— with help. If only she advanced her Class sooner...

For now, she retired to her tent, and took what she could get. Her eyes snapped shut and darkness overtook her. Words came to her, echoing the shadows.

Class Advancement:

Requirements for four Class advancements have been met!

Four, huh? Edithe had hoped there’d be more. But one thing she knew ever since she was young was that rapid growth came at a price. Perhaps she could’ve gotten more options if she’d taken her time. Unfortunately, war waited for no one.

So, she got stronger.

[Arcane Mistress]

An [Arcane Mistress] is a master of the magic art. They dominate the arcane, and their experience is unrivaled. Their understanding of magic comes from their encounters with enemies far beyond their own level. The will of an [Arcane Mistress] will never be disobeyed.

+20 [Wisdom]

+15 [Endurance]

+15 [Strength]

+8[Vitality]

+8 [Agility]

The first option was kind of… underwhelming. Its boosts to Edithe’s Stats wasn’t what she expected from a Level 100 advancement, and it didn’t exactly sound like a path she wanted to go down.

She was pretty sure [Arcane Mistress] would be her last option. At least, until a worse one presented itself, somehow.

[Arch Battle Mage]

A [Arch Battle Mage] is an [Archmage] of close combat. The pinnacle of magic, an [Archmage] has seen the endless limits of magic, and will not stop until they reach that top. But as a [Battle Mage], they do not allow themselves to falter, even when the enemy closes the distance.

+20 [Strength]

+20 [Wisdom]

+15 [Endurance]

+10 [Vitality]

+10 [Agility]

Now, this was interesting. Edithe considered this option— she often found herself in situations where she couldn’t solely rely on her spells alone. Like with the Lich or with Orbur. That was one of the fatal flaws of a [Mage]— they were practically useless once the enemy closed in on them.

If she were a [Battle Mage], she’d at least stand a better chance when that happened. Also, it had a good spread of Stats. And she’d be an [Archmage]. Honestly, in Edithe’s wildest dreams, she never imagined she’d be one of the fabled [Archmages].

It excited her. But she went on to see the rest.

[Bishop of the Demonic Cult]

A [Bishop of the Demonic Cult] is a [Cultist] who has seen the truth of the world and mastered magic to match the power of a Demon. They have seen the depths of the Netherworld’s powers, and they seek that strength for their own. Power corrupts, and their goal is to cleanse the world of this corruption.

+30 [Wisdom]

+20 [Endurance]

+5 [Vitality]

+5 [Strength]

+5 [Agility]

Alright, why the fuck—

Edithe didn’t even question it. She started questioning it at first, but she realized that it was too stupid to question.

It was simply Salvos’ fault.

And she moved on.

[Sentinel of the Elements]

A [Sentinel of the Elements] is an [Elemental Mage] who has sworn to be a protector. They do not forsake their values to sacrifice others for any cause; their strength lies in those around them, just as others are empowered by them. For a greater purpose, a [Sentinel of Elements] shall ascend.

+35 [Wisdom]

+20 [Endurance]

+5 [Vitality]

+5 [Strength]

+5 [Agility]

Woah.

Edithe was speechless. That Class description seemed to call to her. Its Stats were excellent. It didn’t seem like there was anything wrong with it.

There was a choice to be made. A choice between two Classes. Either she became an [Arch Battle Mage] or a [Sentinel of the Elements]. The other choices couldn’t compare to these two.

A certain level of prestige came with being a kind of [Archmage]. It was, well, the most famous [Mage] Class at over Level 100. It wasn’t necessarily better, but it carried with it status that went beyond just being a Diamond Rank.

It was odd. Yet, that was just how it worked. It was like being a Level 40 [Farmer] versus a Level 40 [Warrior] adventurer. People would always look up to the Level 40 [Warrior] adventurer more, even if that Class wasn’t intrinsically better than the [Farmer].

But other than this status, there were very few advantages to being an [Arch Battle Mage]. The only advantage Edithe could think of was nullifying [Warriors] who got too close when she was alone.

However, she wouldn’t be able to protect her friends better. It was… a selfish Class, honestly. The exact opposite of what Edithe wanted to do. Meanwhile, a [Sentinel of the Elements] sounded exactly like what she was looking for.

To be able to protect her allies. Fight alongside them just as she fought alongside her summons.

The choice was difficult, but eventually, she made her decision. Between herself and her friends— well, she learned to care for herself more. To never neglect herself. However, that wasn’t the same as abandoning her friends.

So, she made her pick.

Advancement Complete!

Class [Risen Elemental Spellcaster] -> [Sentinel of the Elements]

Gained 30 Stat Points!

[Wisdom] +35

[Endurance] +20

[Vitality] +5

[Strength] +5

[Agility] +5

Gained 3 Skill Slots!

Gained 9 Skill Points!

General Skill [Wisdom of the Valkyrie] becomes [The Indomitable Valkyrie]!

General Skill [Passive - The Protector’s Boon] Obtained!

Skill [Fiery Riposte] becomes [Vindication of They]!

Skill [Storm of Ice and Fire] becomes [Frostflame Vortex]!

Skill [A Guardian’s Blessing] is now available.

Skill [Aura of Greater Protection] is now available.

Skill [Ray of Retribution] is now available.

Skill [Lend Skill] and [Restore Skill] consolidate to [Patron of the Skills]!

Skill [Passive - Champion of Thunder] and [Passive - Will of the Earth Elemental] consolidate to [Passive - Master of Nature]!

—--

Edithe woke up, sitting up in her bed and staring at the palm of her hands. She felt… different. No— she didn’t feel different. She perceived things differently. From the wrinkles on her skin to the linen of the tent wall, she felt like she could discern more details.

It was only a minute after waking up from her advancement, but Edithe already knew the effects of one of her Skills.

[Passive - The Protector’s Boon].

It didn’t increase her Stats like the name implied. Instead, she was more keenly aware of everything around her. Or at least, around the encampment. It was like she could choose to hear what she wanted within allied lands— like she instinctively knew where everything was within friendly territory. She felt like she had a map in her head, even when she didn’t.

And in that map, she knew she was safe. She knew that she was surrounded by her friends.

“That’s… pretty fucky.”

She massaged her temples. It took her a while to acclimate to this feeling. While she lay there in bed, she tested out another one of her Skills. One which she knew wouldn’t inflict any destruction or harm to the encampment.

“[Aura of Greater Protection].”

Edithe placed a hand on her chest, and a symbol shone. Golden light wrapped around her— wispy ribbons seemed to melt into her skin, before vanishing. When she touched herself next, she found her fingers halting and hovering over herself. Like there was glass surrounding her.

A grin spread across her face.

“So, I don’t even need an artifact for this.”

She wasn’t sure if she could cast the spell on more than one person. Probably not at its current level. Maybe it could affect multiple targets once it was maxed. The red-haired woman was just glad she no longer needed to spend an exorbitant amount of gold to get an artifact of equal value.

“Now, should I test out my other Skills? Or should I…?”

Before Edithe could make her own decision, a figure entered the tent. She knew who it was before he even walked in.

“Hadrian?”

She blinked as the blond man walked in, glancing around.

“Edithe. I see you’ve finished your advancement. That was quick.”

“I have. How long was I out?”

“About three or so hours.”

“Hm, not that long. I’d have thought I’d be asleep for longer. Could this be a result of reaching higher levels?”

Hadrian shook his head as he stopped in front of her bed.

“No. That’s likely an effect of one of your new Passive Skills. It probably lets you sleep less.”

Edithe frowned. The only possible option was [Passive - The Indomitable Valkyrie]. Which, if it was, she was grateful for. While she always rolled her eyes whenever Salvos went on a tirade about the need for sleep, Edithe kind of understood what the Demon meant.

A lot of time was wasted sleeping. If she only needed three or so hours of sleep now, she’d very much accept it with open arms.

Hadrian smiled as he looked over the red-haired woman.

“Well, regardless, I’m glad you’re awake.”

“Why? Did something happen?”

Edithe raised a brow, and he nodded.

“Yes. We’ve spoken to Orbur Vale. Extracted some… information which will be invaluable. But for now, we’ll be moving. So, you should pack up.”

“Oh, alright.”

The red-haired woman crawled out of bed, still feeling drowsy. Yeah, I definitely understand where Salvos is coming from. She yawned as she grabbed a Bag of Holding.

“Where are we going, anyway? Why the rush?”

Hadrian pursed his lips. He met her gaze as he spoke.

“To the headquarters of the Iron Champions Company. Tomorrow, we’ll be ending this war once and for all.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

238. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 5

A note from MelasD

My friend Kamikaze Potato published book 2 in his series An Outcast in Another World. Check it out!

A chain, a portal, and darkness. That was all it took for Rob's life to go from the mundanities of college to being forced to survive in a hostile fantasy world full of horribly mutated creatures. Despite discovering civilization and making allies, his newfound home was sadly short-lived, leaving the survivors to pick up the pieces and make for greener pastures. Having won the respect of the locals via a heroic almost-sacrifice, Rob travels with them, recognizing the importance of having people around to watch your back.

After all, if he's learned one thing since arriving to this strange new world inhabited by monstrosities and ruled by levels, stats, progression, and bizarre video game logic, it's that death is lurking around every corner.

A botched meeting with the Elven ruler's soldiers leads to thousands of people, Rob included, fleeing to the northern wastelands. Ambushes from monsters and men are the least of his worries – dealing with the system's assaults on his mind and the occasional eldritch abomination are far worse. As Rob slowly loses himself, fighting to stay as a person his loved ones back on Earth would recognize, he realizes that surviving just for the sake of seeing the next day isn't going to be enough to keep him sane. He and his friends will need to band together and learn to support each other both physically and mentally.

By all rights, they'll perish. They're the underdogs, and history isn't kind to those. Every inspiring legend of success is built on the graves of a thousand defeats. Society, the system, and the very world itself are against them – in the face of odds like that, what can they possibly do?

Simple: survive.

Amazon.com: An Outcast in Another World 2: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Book 2 - Shared Insanity) eBook : KamikazePotato: Kindle Store

238. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 5

It was finally time to end it all.

Edithe chose her second Class hastily— it wasn’t like she had too many options to choose from. It was all the basic Classes. She didn’t want to be an [Archer] or a [Rogue]. She considered double Classing in [Mage], but eventually decided against it.

She settled with [Warrior] for now. That’d give her the benefits of a [Battle Mage] without actually being a [Battle Mage] once she was higher-leveled. And it wasn’t like what she chose now mattered too much. Edithe could always choose another option later on if she decided she didn’t like being a [Warrior].

Resetting her second Class from Level 15 back to Level 10 was less daunting than going from Level 60 back to Level 10. All she had to do was speak with a [Priest], then she’d get to try out a new and different Class.

The only reason the red-haired woman made a choice now was because of what was about to happen: the final battle in this company war between the Valiant Dreamers and the Iron Champions.

The Valiant Dreamers moved. They headed to the headquarters of the Iron Champions Company. Yet, it wasn’t going to be a grand, climactic battle to close the curtain on this stage. That was why they moved so quickly.

Hadrian had interrogated Orbur Vale, one of the former leaders of the Iron Champions Company. A so-called champion, according to their hierarchy. What Orbur Vale said illuminated the inner-workings of the Iron Champions. One of the most important things being how half the champions were killed long before the company war started.

It sounded insane, to Edithe. But she remembered Orbur saying something similar amidst her battle with him. Orbur had told her that Bulan Dishar, the highest-leveled member of the Iron Champions, was slain by Demons. And considering what she’d been told by Hadrian and Baris, she knew that Orbur was telling the truth.

This information spread throughout the company like wildfire. It shocked everyone— Celine had been flabbergasted when she found out. Celine. One of the Edithe’s closest friends, and someone who’d always been carefree and relaxed.

That just showed the gravity of the news. It vindicated Edithe, somewhat. But she still felt like more could be done— that Hadrian could tell the others the truth.

“We need to tell them the reason why this company war even happened in the first place, Hadrian. It’s finally time.”

Hadrian pursed his lips. He glanced over at Baris— Edithe and Hadrian had finally decided it was time to speak with Baris about their concerns. Unfortunately, Baris was still adamantly against it.

“We’ve already told the others about the Iron Champions. That’s not a secret we wanted to keep— simply a hunch we had very little proof of. And now that Orbur himself shouted it to the world, we can tell the others.

Baris shook his head.

“But the Sword of Alexander? My family’s lineage as a Vampire? These are not facts to leak to the world. It’ll make us targets.”

“We already are targets.”

Edithe ground her teeth hard. It was almost like she could hear the grinding of the top layer of teeth against the lower one— if she’d been stronger, she probably would’ve been able to dislocate her jaw from that act alone.

“The whole reason this war started was because of that. Because everyone— except for our own company— knows about this. They’re targeting us because they know. Why can’t you see that, Baris?”

“Calm down, Edithe.”

Hadrian placed a hand on her shoulder, and she glared at him. He spoke placatingly, turning towards his Father.

“I am on your side, Edithe. And Dad, I truly believe in what she’s saying. Don’t you think that it’s a waste to keep an artifact as powerful as the Sword of Alexander hidden away? Especially when this is what they’re after? With it, we could end this war with no more casualties.”

“And we’d paint a target on our backs for all to see.”

Baris spoke simply, crossing his arms.

“There is no argument here, my son. I know that you’re the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company, and you may do as you wish. Tell the truth to the others. But I shan’t gift you the Sword of Alexander to wield. There will be no proof— no reason for you to do.”

“Other than the fact that it’s what’s right?”

Edithe snapped. Baris sighed.

“You may have lost all respect for me, but I still respect you. Perhaps that is why my son decided to side with you. But unfortunately, you are young, Edithe. Power such as this can’t be used without the right cause. And this— this isn’t the right cause. I am sorry.”

With that, he spun around and left the room.

“Fuck.”

Edithe cursed, massaging her temples. Hadrian watched his Father leave. He looked over at the red-haired woman.

“We tried, Edithe. If we tell the others about it—”

“We won’t have the Sword of Alexander, and we’ll be even bigger targets than we are now.”

That was, arguably, a worse position to be in than now. Edithe understood that— that was why Baris refused to cooperate. She took a deep breath and faced her leader.

“So, what now then?”

Hadrian tilted his head back. His eyes flickered.

“Maybe… maybe we don't have to tell everyone about it. Not just yet. But those we can trust to remain silent. Do you have any suggestions?”

Edithe blinked. Then she nodded.

“I know… a few.”

—--

“Well, that’s a lot to unload on me the night before a huge battle.”

Celine stood in a tent under the blue light of an enchanted lamp. Hadrian and Edithe had explained the situation to her— she was one of the few trusted individuals they decided to divulge this secret on.

“It is a lot, yes. When I found out about this, I was… shocked. I was in disbelief for days. I thought I’d had a nightmare— that I dreamt it all. But it is the truth.”

Edithe held her friend's gaze as she spoke. Celine furrowed her brows.

“So, this weapon— the fabled Sword of Alexander— can literally end this war in a single swing. And Baris doesn’t want to use it because… he doesn’t want it to be in the wrong hands?”

“And he fears that it will draw more unwanted attention to us.”

Hadrian nodded. Celine shrugged.

“That’s kinda fair, honestly. I don’t fault him for it.”

Edithe blinked. She exchanged a glance with Hadrian, who was also surprised by the reaction. Celine went on.

“Sure, it’s a bit of a dick move, using us to protect something we know nothing about. But… it’s not black-and-white, you know? It’s more morally gray. Between disclosing this secret and abusing the Sword of Alexander’s power, or keeping it stashed away and safe— I’d be torn too. Maybe I’d even agree with him if I had more time to think about this.”

“You… you can’t be serious, Celine.”

The red-haired woman was speechless, but her friend just chuckled.

“Hey, maybe if you told me about this sooner, I’d be able to let this settle in better. As it is now, I just want to get out of this final battle alive. And maybe spend some time with Nora tonight— if you know what I mean. You can join if you want.”

Celine winked at Edithe. Then she turned to Hadrian.

“And no, you may not join.”

“I wasn’t going to ask.”

“Good. I like women, not men.”

Celine patted them both on the shoulders, starting out of the tent. The runes around the tent flaps dimmed as she reached for it, letting noise from the outside seep in. There was a loud clamor from outside— cheers and jokes and joy. Adventurers gouging on booze and wine as they feasted. A party before the final battle. Before it finally ended.

After this, there would be no more unnecessary deaths. At least, that was what most of them thought. But Edithe knew that it wouldn’t be long before another group targeted the Valiant Dreamers.

“What do we do, Hadrian?”

She closed her eyes, feeling the exhaustion settle in— knowing that there was still a long road ahead of them. Unlike everyone else who thought it was over after this.

“I’m not sure. But I think we should stave off telling the others for now.”

The red-haired woman’s gaze snapped up.

“What?”

“I mean— for after the war is over.”

“Why?”

She was aghast. For a moment, she thought Hadrian had changed his mind. Like Celine, he decided he agreed with Baris more. But no. Hadrian shook his head.

“Celine is right. This is a lot to drop on someone the day before a big battle. I know this is important to you, Edithe. You have a strong sense of justice. I know. But… this problem isn’t really an immediate one.”

“I…”

Edithe turned away from Hadrian. Her right hand reached across to grab her left elbow as she shifted.

“I really don’t know. I just… want to protect my friends, Hadrian. That’s all.”

“And we will protect them. We’ll try our hardest to do what’s right.”

“But are we really doing what’s right? You heard what Celine said— maybe we’re wrong. Maybe…”

She trailed off. Hadrian stared at her from behind. There was too much responsibility placed on her shoulders. Honestly, she preferred being a Gold Rank adventurer— back with Paul and Hana and her original party. As a Diamond Rank, she was burdened with too much. With the strength to change things, and the knowledge that things weren’t as clear-cut as she’d like them to be.

“I don’t know…”

Edithe shut her eyes. She heard a shuffling from behind her. Hadrian approached her, and slowly wrapped his arms around her. She felt his warmth as he gently hugged her from behind.

“I don’t know either, Edithe. This is a lot to take in. But I’m sure we’ll figure it out. We have to figure it out. So many lives depend on us. If they can trust us, then can’t we trust ourselves?”

The red-haired woman felt her worries momentarily burn away. She felt at ease, like she was sitting by a cozy campfire in the middle of a chilly night. Then Hadrian drew back, and she turned to face him.

“I…”

She started. Then she chuckled.

“I told you, I’m only interested in serious relationships, Hadrian.”

There was a moment of silence before he spoke.

“I am serious, Edithe.”

Even though Hadrian had let go of her, Edithe still felt some of his warmth, and it crept up to her face. She nodded, starting past him.

“You’re right.”

He gave her a confused look, and she simply grinned as she waited at the edge of the tent.

“Come on, we’ll figure all this out after the battle. Let’s just get this over with for now.”

“Right.”

—--

And it was time for the final battle.

The battle that would put an end to it all.

The headquarters of the Iron Champions Company lay before Edithe. It was built into the side of a mountain, ten miles north of Holmfirth. They’d previously been located far closer to Holmfirth, but for whatever reason, they relocated a few years back.

According to Orbur, that was because of what happened: a Demon slayed half of the champions of the company. Many of those who were in charge were purged— and those who complied were spared. How did it get to that?

Apparently, one of the champions, Bulan Dishar, had been investigating a cult— the Church of Regnorex— and they were far more powerful than the Iron Champions could ever imagine. A Demon had taken Bulan’s life. The same Demon took his place after. What happened next was a gradual and secretive takeover of the company. When Orbur found out what happened, it was too late.

“So, there are Demons in there.”

Celine eyed the base from afar. Edithe nodded.

“There are, yes.”

“You know, I’ve never actually seen a Demon before. You’ve fought one, right? With your old team.”

“I did.”

Edithe spoke simply. She remembered that fateful day—

“Run, Edithe!”

Paul knocked her aside as a column of smoldering ash crashed down from the sky. The entire village burned around them— a hellscape so terrible that Edithe wouldn’t even dream it in her worst nightmares. Panic overtook her. She choked on ash and smoke as Eloy created a stone wall around the party.

The Greater Demon smashed through the earth with a roar. It grabbed Eloy and crushed his head. Edithe’s screams turned into a coughing fit.

Paul spun around, raising his blade. He faced the Greater Demon without any fear in his eyes. His words came out muffled, but Edithe heard it clear as day.

“Hana.”

The Spirit appeared next to the red-haired woman, facing Paul.

“It appears we are so thoroughly screwed, aren’t we?”

“That we are.”

How? How can they be so calm? Edithe wondered, even as the Greater Demon charged at them. It trampled over Silvia’s corpse, knocking it aside and into a nearby house. The building collapsed.

Paul shook his head, turning to the Spirit.

“Take Edithe and get her out of here. Make sure she’s safe, no matter what.”

“I was going to do that regardless of your instructions.”

Hana picked Edithe up as she struggled. The Spirit didn’t face Paul as he braced himself for the oncoming attack. With a soft sigh,

“An idiot, to the very end. I can see why you fell for him, Edithe.”

There was a splat. Edithe’s eyes widened as she saw the man she loved die to an insurmountable force. Hana brought her to a nearby building, hiding her under a pile of rubble.

Edithe tried to speak and nothing came out. Her vision began to blur, exhaustion and pain overwhelming her. She reached out for her best friend—

“But I’m sorry, I’m a bit of an idiot too.”

With that, Hana dashed off, drawing the ire of the Greater Demon away from her master. And with a terrible crunch, everything went dark.

Edithe returned to the present. The Valiant Dreamers were slowly infiltrating the Iron Champions’ base. The red-haired woman walked alongside Celine as they entered the cavern fort from the side. She gripped her friend’s hand tightly.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Celine.”

“Uh, ok?”

Celine blinked, not sure where that came from. Edithe was prepared to do whatever it took to protect her friends.

But strangely enough, the base was empty. There was nothing there.

A cool silence gripped Edithe as she stalked down the hallways, hearing only the echoing of her footsteps in the darkness. The chill prickled across her skin like ants poking their tiny little feet into her. Her hair stood at attention as though it could guard her from whatever lurked within the shadows. Celine’s voice caused Edithe to jump out of surprise.

“You think they all left?”

The red-haired woman glanced over at her friend. She looked around— then she saw it down the corridor. A splotch of blood leaking down in a lazy drool.

“I… don’t think so.”

Edithe shook her head. She started forward to investigate the blood, then it was gone. Her eyes narrowed.

“Wait, where did it go?”

“Where did what go?”

Celine cocked a brow. Edithe cast her gaze down both sides of the corridor. She saw nothing— no more blood painting the floor.

“I swear I saw—”

Edithe shook her head.

“Nevermind. Let’s continue.”

And the pair of adventurers led the way, followed by other lower ranked adventurers. They spread out wide, trying to search every room they could find. The place wasn’t abandoned. It still had most of its equipment and facilities running. So, why was it empty?

“Nothing.”

“Not here either.”

“I checked all the rooms down that corridor— can we move on now?”

Various adventurers reported to Edithe. She pursed her lips.

“Alright. We should regroup with the others.”

She nodded as they began streaming down back towards the entrance. Celine started too, but Edithe grabbed her.

“Wait—”

“Hm?”

Celine blinked, and Edithe closed her eyes.

“[Patron of the Skills].”

“Uh, what are you doing?”

“It’s one of my new Skills.”

Edithe gestured at her.

“You can now use any three of my Skills, excluding [Patron of the Skills] itself. Not only that, but you can restore three of your Skills’ uses immediately.”

“Wait, what?”

Celine’s eyes grew wide, and Edithe grinned.

“Yeah, so… I suggest using something like [Aura of Greater Protection] now. You can save the other two Skills for later. No Passives, though.”

“That is… awesome!”

Celine quickly shut her eyes and muttered quietly to herself, activating [Aura of Greater Protection]. There was a flicker— and now she was protected.

Good, Edithe thought as they left the area. Her group made their way back out, passing through the same hallways as before. She paused at the spot where she caught sight of the blood earlier. She halted.

“What are you doing, Edithe?”

“Just give me a moment, I’ll catch up with you guys.”

“If you say so…”

Celine and the others continued on as Edithe went to investigate the spot. She knelt down, running a finger on the ground. Drawing back, she inspected her hand.

“Nothing.”

She rubbed her fingers together. There was no texture or feeling of blood. It was just… that. Her fingers being brushed against each other. But that couldn’t be right. Not unless Edithe’s nerves were getting to her.

However, what happened to everyone? Orbur said that the last of the Iron Champions awaited them here, held hostage by Demons. There were no Demons here. No Iron Champions. The Valiant Dreams took over this place without trouble.

They… won?

Edithe narrowed her eyes. No, that couldn’t be right. She knew for a fact that this couldn’t just be it. After all, she just gained a new Skill. [Passive - The Protector’s Boon]. If the Valiant Dreamers had really won and overtaken this fortress, then she’d be able to tell where every single one of her allies were.

But she couldn’t. She didn’t even know where Celine had gone.

The red-haired woman stood up. She glanced around at the walls and ceiling. There was nothing there. She wrinkled her nose, smelling nothing.

“Nothing’s wrong. Nothing seems wrong. Which is completely wrong.”

Edithe scowled as she raised her staff. A light illuminated the room, revealing the plain floor and walls of the corridor.

“There was blood here. I saw blood here. I know I did.”

Her eyes flickered. An idea crossed her mind.

“Hm. If there really was blood here—”

She sent a chilling wave of cold wind over the ground. It wasn’t cold enough to create a layer of sleet over the stone— not unless there was a layer of something that could freeze over it. Edithe took a step onto the cooled ground… and she slipped.

The red-haired woman tripped and nearly fell flat on her back. She caught herself easily enough, stumbling back to her feet.

“That is—”

She eyed the ground and watched as the clean floor shed away like a layer of paint was peeled back. Ice formed over the stone— red ice. Blood ice.

“I knew it. I…”

Edithe blinked when she saw what pooled and mixed with the red blood. A blood-black void. It was like staring into nothingness. It didn’t freeze from her ice, instead still in its liquid form. That was… some potion concoction? Spilled ink?

No— that was Demon’s blood. Edithe wouldn’t imagine Demon’s blood. Her nerves weren’t getting to her. It was the blood of a Demon. And next to it, she saw the corpse of a blue man. Headless.

A dead Demon.

Edithe staggered backwards.

“A D-Demon…?”

She saw the collar around its neck, tightly gripping onto its skin. And Edithe realized what was going on— she realized why she couldn’t see it in the first place.

“An illusion.”

Edithe’s mouth moved.

“B—”

There was a scream. She heard it echo down the hallway. She rushed forward, speeding down where Celine went. Her staff shone as an [Aura of Greater Protection] overcame her.

“No, no, no, no, no!”

She turned a corner, nearly slamming into a wall. She forced herself to continue, readying all the spells she knew in her repertoire.

“Again…”

Edithe whispered, gritting her teeth. Screams and spells echoed in the distance. Her heart raced with her to get to her friends.

“It’s happening again.”

She finally rounded the last corner, reaching the entrance of the headquarters. And there, hovering high above a crowd of adventurers, limned by the moonlight, was the shape of an insect. A creature that floated with buzzing wings. A rotund and corpulent body.

Belzu, the Primeval Demon.

A note from MelasD

Start of the new month! Best time to patron! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Also, fun fact, I have a new project called Trace. I originally wrote it from an alt account, and now I finally moved it to my main account today. It's a slow-burn LitRPG Apocalypse. Check it out!

Trace Taylor was at a shooting range when Earth was integrated with the System. Faced with dungeons, monsters, multiversal gates, an annoying AI, and a lot of insane idiots, how will Trace come to survive this newly-changed world?

Trace: A LitRPG Apocalypse | Royal Road

Double Announcement

A note from MelasD

Buy Salvos V4 on Amazon or give it a rating/review. It helps me out a ton!

Check out my new novel on RR! It's a slow-burn litrpg apocalypse!

First announcement:

Salvos Volume 4 is now available on the Amazon store! This is not the Amazon book cover, but this is a pretty cool art I commissioned from Wanini a bit ago. God, I love Wani's art!

Anyway, if you get the ebook, you get to read straight to the end of Salvos Volume 4 at 245. Give it a buy and give it a review please. Thank you <3

Amazon.com: Primeval Knowledge: A LitRPG Adventure (Salvos, Volume 4) eBook : Lewis, V.A.: Kindle Store

Second announcement

If you can't buy Salvos Volume 4-- although I highly encourage you to leave a rating/review even if you can't buy it-- check out my new serial. There's like 70,000 words right now between patreon and what's on RR. Give it a follow, favorite, and a rating too! Do note it's a slow-burn litrpg apocalypse.

Trace Taylor was at a shooting range when Earth was integrated with the multiversal System. Faced with monsters, dungeons packed with monsters, gates that lead to other worlds, an annoying AI, and a lot of insane idiots, how will Trace come to survive this newly-changed planet?

Trace: A LitRPG Apocalypse | Royal Road

A note from MelasD

Buy Salvos V4 on Amazon or give it a rating/review. It helps me out a ton!

Check out my new novel on RR! It's a slow-burn litrpg apocalypse!

239. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 6

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Sylver Seeker by Kennit.

After fulfilling the duty all arch necromancers are tasked with, Sylver Sezari was not expecting to ever wake up again.

But he did.

And after crawling his way back into the land of the living, he’s alive once again. In a strange land, a strange time, and with a strange floating screen in front of his new face.

Either through plan or chance, he’s alive again, and planning to enjoy himself to his heart's content.

Sylver Seeker | Royal Road

239. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 6

Again. It’s happening again.

Edithe stared up into the luminescent night sky: a vast black expanse that stretched far and wide. Wheeling stars dotted this canvas, twinkling their scintillating light into the mountainous landscape below. And just below it, illuminated by the beautiful rays above, was the abdominous figure of a giant insect.

She knew who it was immediately— no, she knew what it was. Everyone did. It was the Primeval Demon that had caused such devastation to the country of Nixa. It left behind in its wake fields of fire and lakes of blood. Now, it loomed over the Valiant Dreamers Company as its wings rapidly beat at its side.

Below it, the Valiant Dreamers were scattered. Hundreds of adventurers had gathered here to siege the Iron Champions Company— they were prepared to face terrible Demons. But not this.

Edithe saw the looks on their faces. They were scared. Afraid. Terror seized them as many fell to their knees, like they were bowing to the Demon’s horrible glory. A few adventurers had been foolish enough to attack Belzu when they spotted it fluttering high above. Their corpses now carpeted the ground, stained with blood.

The Primeval Demon raised one of its stick-like hands, bellowing for all to hear.

“Enough. I no longer have time for any games. I am here for one reason and one reason only: hand over the Sword of Alexander, and your deaths shall be quick and painless.”

A susurration ran through the gathered adventurers as they exchanged confused glances.

“What is it talking about?”

“The Sword of Alexander? Isn’t that just a myth?”

“No, it’s real. But… why would we have it?”

The only one who understood what was going on was Edithe, Baris, Hadrian, Ismail, Gabriel, and… Celine.

There was a pause— in a moment of cold selfishness, Edithe couldn’t help but scan the pile of bodies, hoping that she wouldn’t see her friend lying down amongst the dead. Then she froze. Her eyes widened as a shudder prickled its way down her spine.

“No!”

She dashed forward as Belzu continued, casting his gaze around the Valiant Dreamers.

“I know it is here. Do not play the fool. Give it to me now, lest I lose my patience and kindness.”

“No, no, no…”

Edithe scrambled over to Celine’s body. She turned her friend over. Blood caked Celine’s face, and her eyes were tightly shut.

“Not again…”

The red-haired woman gripped her friend’s shoulder’s with quivering hands. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hugged Celine.

“No… please…”

“Edithe… you’re smothering me…”

She blinked as a muffled voice escaped from under her. Celine cracked an eye open, smiling.

“I’m going to suffocate if you don’t let go.”

“S-sorry.”

Edithe drew back. Then she stared down at her friend.

“H-how…?”

“Y-your [Aura of Greater Protection] s-saved me... I’d be dead otherwise…”

Celine let out a weak chuckle. Then she coughed and sputtered out blood.

“Still pretty beat up, though.”

Relief washed over Edithe like a warm wave. She let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, as though she just escaped from the depths of the ocean. Then her eyes flickered. She looked towards the other corpses around Celine. Those people definitely were dead. She recognized some faces— not anyone she knew personally. But it still angered her.

She handed Celine a healing potion as a voice thundered from above.

“This is your last chance, Humans! Do not try to flee! Hand it over to me and die!”

Celine drank the potion down gratefully and forced herself to her feet. Edithe helped her up.

“Go to Hadrian.”

“But—”

“Just do it. Get everyone out of here. Keep them safe.”

The sky bled above as the blue dome was colored crimson. An illusion. One that inflicted fear to everyone there. Belzu shook his bulbous head.

“Very well. If this is what you want to do—”

“Belzu!”

Edithe screamed, raising the Cane of Retribution. It shone brightly and drew the Demon’s attention.

“Oh, a Human trying to play the [Hero]? How… generic.”

Belzu scoffed, batting a wing in her direction. Edithe narrowed her eyes as a red aura covered her. She glanced around, frowning. It closed in on her— an intense heat that seemed to burn her without touching.

“Edithe!”

Hadrian shouted as she was engulfed by it. But she didn’t shout. Her eyes flickered. At first, she felt overwhelmed by a terrible pain. Then she gritted her teeth, shaking her head.

“This isn’t real.”

Her pain receptors flared as the aura closed in on her. She screamed through it, bringing her staff back down.

“This is not real!”

And a bright light flashed. The red aura around her… vanished. She looked around, seeing not a blood-red sky above, but the regular night’s sky. Her friends stared at her, blinking. And she turned back to Belzu.

“Your illusions don’t work on me, Demon.”

Belzu frowned— or at least, his bug-face seemed to twist and contort. Edithe pointed at him.

“I won’t let you hurt any more of my friends. I shall face you and defeat you, here and now.”

She took a step forward and stopped.

“But… that’s not even you, is it?”

The Primeval Demon blinked. Then his body melted away into a white liquid. It spilled to the ground and dissipated.

“Hrmph, so you managed to banish the illusion.”

His voice thundered all around them. Edithe turned quickly to Hadrian as he ran up to her. She snapped.

“What are you doing? Get out of here, all of you!”

He hesitated, but the rest of the company began to flee, led by Celine.

“Come on! We’ve got our chance!”

Edithe cast her gaze around, searching for the real Belzu. And from the headquarters of the Iron Champions Company, he ascended.

“I see.”

He looked… different from when Edithe last saw him. No, not like he’d evolved. Instead, he looked hurt. One of his wings was missing a large chunk from its side, and his body was scratched and drenched in black blood. Demon’s blood.

The battle he had with the Iron Champions— no, with the Demons of the Iron Champions— took a toll on him. He spoke in a weary voice as she readied a spell.

“So, it was a Skill that broke my illusion.”

Did Edithe have a Skill that could do that? Surely not— but just because she realized it was an illusion, didn’t mean she should be able to see through it. Belzu was right. She had a Skill. A… new Skill.

[The Indomitable Valkyrie].

No longer was she going to be ruled by her fears and nightmares. She steeled herself before a flying calamity as the Valiant Dreamers fled. The Primeval Demon laughed.

“My illusions won’t work on you, yes. But don’t get too arrogant, Human. For I still have my curses.”

He pointed at Edithe.

“I have slain countless men and women just like you. You are nothing more than another pebble at my feet.”

Edithe braced herself. Her breath caught as she saw a glyph forming above Belzu. She couldn’t help but tremble at its sight alone. No illusion— just pure death. Then she closed her eyes.

“Yes. You’ve killed hundreds of thousands— maybe even millions of us. You, who are so cruel and evil. The pain you’ve left behind. It cannot be rivaled.”

Her eyes snapped open as she stared at Belzu.

“So, all this suffering— all the pain you’ve inflicted? Why not get a taste of it yourself!”

Belzu eyed her.

“What are you—”

“[Vindication of They]!”

Edithe unleashed her spell— her Skill. That which drew from her dead friends around her. Crimson flames of vengeance rose from their corpses, stealing the pain of the dead, and loosing it back at Belzu.

His round eyes grew wider than physically seemed possible as the flames melded together. Ember-motes that coalesced into a shame. That of a giant bug. That of him.

“What is this…?”

Belzu stared at it, his curse flickering above. Even the fleeing Valiant Dreamers turned to stare at the red figure. It hovered over Edithe, the incarnation of vengeance. And it came for that which caused torment.

The Primeval Demon flew back as it descended on him. He tried to evade it, but it moved faster, like a phantom of all those he killed coming back to haunt him. It scorched his skin as its eyes blazed with sacred fury.

It consumed him. Belzu erupted into a ball of flame as the spell consumed him entirely. A terrible screech echoed all around, and Edithe collapsed to one knee. She turned back to the fleeing Valiant Dreamers, looking over each of them slowly. Then she saw Baris, paused, eyeing her. She shook her head, facing Belzu once more.

“Was that enough?”

She hoped— she truly wished it had been enough to stop the Primeval Demon. Alas, the flames wore off, and Belzu was only flaked with some burn marks. He flitted down to Edithe.

“You…”

His entire body trembled as his anger bore down on her.

“Did you think that was enough to kill—”

“[Ray of Retribution]!”

A golden beam shot out, blasting Belzu. A brilliant explosion of iridescent colors engulfed him. But Belzu simply flew through the smoke.

He took a deep breath.

“Hrmph, not as impressive. Is that all you’ve got?”

“I-I…”

Edithe panted as she swung her staff.

“[Frostfl—”

And Belzu struck her across the face. She went flying as the [Aura of Greater Protection] around her flashed. A powerful curse corroded the barrier, leaving her to tumble on the ground and roll to a stop.

“Enough. I have taken your most powerful Skill— not a Grand Skill. Not yet. But it’s close.”

He shook his head as he buzzed over to her. He picked her up, and she defiantly met his gaze. The Primeval Demon harrumphed.

“You have the drive, but you lack the power. Even that Skill was nothing more than a reflection of my own power. Nothing more.”

“Fuck… you…”

Edithe spat, and he raised one of his spiky hands.

“Not the most elegant last words—”

“Stop, Demon!”

A glowing sword struck Belzu from behind. He stumbled forward, dropping Edithe. Hadrian rushed to the red-haired woman’s side, only to be blasted by a curse of slowness. His movements grew to that of a snail’s, and Belzu glared at him.

“Another one of you? Die!”

He blasted Hadrian back. The man went flying as Edithe screamed.

“Hadrian!”

The man’s armor fell apart as he spawned on the ground. He was still alive and breathing, but not for long as Belzu loomed over him. Edithe tried to cast another spell—

And a rain of potions crashed down at them. A white gas covered the area as something swooped down, grabbing Hadrian at the last second. Ismail and Gabriel. A [Beastmaster] and an [Alchemist]. The other Diamond Ranks of the Valiant Dreamers.

Gabriel tossed a flurry of explosive bottles at the Primeval Demon.

Belzu roared.

“That is enough!”

He flapped his wings, dissipating the gas and the explosions. Edithe crawled back to her feet, almost knocked back down by the gust of wind. Belzu glanced around at her and the Pegasus flying above. Gabriel, Ismail, and Hadrian flew around the Primeval Demon, heading back for Edithe.

But the Primeval Demon wasn’t going to let them do that.

“You will all die. [Desecration—”

And he paused. A beam of white light sliced up and cut the night sky in half. A radiant glow that bathed the area with a kind warmth. Refreshing. Edithe felt stronger just from looking at it.

She stood straighter, ready to fight once more, but Belzu didn’t even look in her direction. Instead, the Primeval Demon stared at the light. At the man walking slowly towards him.

“Finally, my prize.”

Belzu’s eyes gleamed as he eyed Baris— as he eyed what Baris held in his hands.

“The Sword of Alexander.”

The Primeval Demon breathed. Baris swung the blade down, and the pillar of light faded away. Yet, the effects stayed. Edithe felt stronger than ever. But she was too confused to act.

“What is he doing?”

“Demon!”

Baris challenged Belzu.

“Leave my son out of this! Leave my company alone! And face me!”

“That… that power. Yes, it is as they’ve said.”

Belzu started forward, leaving Edithe alone as he approached Baris.

“Give it to me, Human.”

“I shall not.”

Baris said, voice steady. Then he leapt forward and swung the blade. The earth shook with the attack— it knocked Belzu back, the Demon grinning in excitement as he only focused on the weapon.

Edithe blinked as Baris stood over her. Her eyes slid off him and onto the weapon, admiring the ornate sword. Its hilt was made of gold and adorned with gems. The blade was cut cleanly, glinting and emitting its own soft light. A beautiful light that she could stare at forever.

[The Sword of Alexander: Mythical Grade - ???]

“Edithe Dawnrise.”

Baris’ voice snapped her back into reality.

“Go and get out of here.”

She looked over at him as Belzu rose back up in the distance, cackling.

“What?”

There was nothing else Edithe could say. She was too caught in both terror and wonder at the weapon Baris was wielding. But the man hung his head low, speaking in a morose tone.

“A son shouldn’t pay for the sins of his father.”

He took a wide stance, holding the Sword of Alexander to his side.

“A company shouldn’t pay for the sins of its leader.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m asking you to escape with Hadrian and the others. Protect them while I hold this Demon off.”

“Hold him off?”

Edithe blinked as illusions and curses gathered around Belzu. The Primeval Demon multiplied— fake forms that surrounded Baris. The man slashed down, dispelling the illusions.

“When Hadrian wakes up, tell him… that I loved him. That I am proud of him. And I trust that he’ll be a better leader than I ever was.”

Baris readied himself for Belzu’s next attack. Ismail swooped down with his Pegasus, gestuing for Edithe to get on. There were so many things Edithe wanted to say, but the first thing that came to her mind was simple.

“We can help—”

“No, you cannot.”

Baris shook his head.

“Even with this, I am too weak. All of us are. We will die if we face him together. It shouldn’t have come to this, but it did.”

He bowed deeply at Edithe.

“You were right. I have failed all of you. I am sorry,”

With those final words, the red-haired woman apprehensively clambered onto the Pegasus. Baris charged at the Primeval Demon, uttering a battle cry that caused Edithe to shiver.

Belzu welcomed the charge with glee, spreading all his wicked limbs out.

“Yes! That is the power I have sought for so long! It shall be mine!”

They clashed in battle— a blur to Edithe’s eyes. A Level 160 Demon against a lowly Platinum Rank Human. But with the Sword of Alexander, Baris stood a chance. Even if Baris wasn’t a [Warrior]. Even if there was nearly a 100 level gap between them.

The ground shook and trembled before the battle. Edithe stared behind, watching the fighting slowly disappear in the distance. There was a blinding flash of light for each swing Baris took— a light of hope as he held off the Primeval Demon.

There had been a million things Edithe wanted to tell Baris. She didn’t blame him— no, she couldn’t. No one could have expected this. Why was Belzu even here? Wasn’t he too busy ravaging the rest of Nixa?

It made no sense to her.

And yet, this was reality. Baris was… was going to die. Edithe wanted to apologize to him. For the way she blamed him just a few days before. She didn’t mean it— she didn’t want him to die placing the blame on himself.

No, she told herself. You have to hope. Believe. Dream. She watched as the battle raged on from afar, nothing more than flashes of light.

Five minutes passed. Then ten. And… thirty minutes later, the light flickered out.

Baris died as Edithe fled with the rest of the Valiant Dreamers Company. Victory belonged to Belzu, and with it, he won what he was searching for.

The Sword of Alexander was in his hands now.

A note from MelasD

Start of the new month! Best time to patron! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

240. Promises Kept

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Breaker of Horizon by NoDragons! Check it out!

-- A System Apocalypse from the invader's perspective. A monster evo story with cultivation. --

Nic has been Selected. Chosen to adventure out to a new world, and help the System break the natives into submission. To become an Invader of worlds fighting for the Integration of a planet called 'Earth.'

Selected to leave his body behind and become a monster. Selected to live or die on his own wits, his own strengths.

Breaker of Horizons | Royal Road

240. Promises Kept

The news came just as Saffron thought it would. It was a complete and total wipeout— the Valiant Dreamers Company fled Nixa, returning to the Sunmere Republic as the Iron Champions were utterly crushed. Death and destruction. Wherever the Primeval Demon went, it left behind a trail of corpses.

Among them was the former leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company, Baris Slydrift. Or at least, that used to be what he was called when his family was still of the nobility. Their family had been Vampires— tasked to protect an artifact of Alexander’s. Just like the Merryster Family and the Norwood Family and others. Yet, when the Slydrift family lost everything, no one came to help them. The Sword of Alexander was abandoned.

And now, it was in the hands of the Primeval Demon.

It was ridiculous. Saffron thought it was ridiculous. The old guard were nothing but fools, and her friends wouldn’t listen to her. No Vampires would. They were doing their jobs purely out of tradition— a formality. Nothing more.

They didn’t actually expect the Demons to return. Despite what every Vampire was told since their birth. A phrase that was ingrained forever in Saffron’s mind.

Regnorex is at the gates.

The Demon King was coming, and no one was prepared. Well, it was a bit of an over exaggeration to say that absolutely nobody cared about it. However, those who were apathetic far outnumbered those who were readying themselves.

Saffron was one of them. She’d been setting up meetings— speaking with those who cared. Gannon Norwood was one of them. Messages were being exchanged, but progress was slower than she’d like. But there was progress. Olivier of the Veridian Family, another of the greater Vampire families, had replied to her. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as influential as Gannon was in his own family.

“It’ll all fall apart.”

She whispered as she stared at the message inscribed before her. Her eyes flickered. She sat at a bench just outside of her dormitory. A figure walked past her, grinning.

“Hey, what are you doing out here? I was searching for you!”

Salvos, a Demon disguising herself as a Human, sauntered up to Saffron. Here was a Demon approaching a Vampire without any apprehension. Neither side bore animosity against each other despite knowing of their true natures. It was odd— they were supposed to be archenemies, no?

But no. Saffron bore no ill will towards her friend.

“It’s nothing, Salvos. I was simply getting some fresh air.”

In fact, the noble Vampire saw something in Salvos she shouldn’t have seen.

“Are you sure? If there’s a problem, I can help you out, Saffron! I’m a genius, remember?”

Hope.

“Sure you are. I’ll hold you to that.”

Saffron smiled as she crumpled the piece of paper in her hands.

My finals were in three days' time, and the Devil hadn’t returned. That meant I could focus most of my time studying! I happily skipped my way to class alongside Saffron, my companion.

“So, are you ready for your finals, Saffron?”

“I… am less prepared than I’d like to be.”

The noble woman replied after a moment of hesitation. I cocked my head.

“Why’s that?”

“I’ve just been preoccupied with some other matters— nothing for you to concern yourself with.”

She shook her head as she started past me, turning left at the intersection. My eyes narrowed.

“Wait, where are you going? Isn’t your morning class that way?”

I gestured in the other direction, but she simply waved a hand off.

“I’ll be there. First, I have to settle something else. See you after classes, alright?”

“Ok…”

I trailed off, watching her go. With a shrug, I continued going to my class. After all, I was busy. Once today ended, there was just a weekend, and I’d be busy all of next week. I had to do well for my first final examination for this school term.

So, I remained focused in class. But unfortunately, not everyone else could maintain the same level of focus as me. Apparently, lecturer Claudia had other things in her mind. She approached me before our class started.

“Salvos, could I speak to you for a minute?”

“Um, sure?”

She led me out of the lecture hall. I glanced around, confused.

“Why did you need to speak with me?”

“It’s about… what happened a few weeks back.”

“A few weeks back?”

I raised a brow, and she nodded.

“Yes. About… him.”

I paused. My eyes widened and I shifted back.

“R-right, about that. I have to apologize for his—”

“Apologize?”

The elderly woman gave me a puzzled look. She waved a hand off and squeezed her cheeks.

“No, no, no! There’s nothing to apologize for. I was just wondering if your father has already… left. Returned home to where he came.”

I blinked. I stared at my lecturer as she mumbled to herself. I opened my mouth.

“Actually, he’s not—”

“You see, I was hoping to… invite your father to dinner! Well, not for a date or anything like that. Why would you even suggest that? No, no. I just wanted to give him… a full report! About your performance in class. I’m sure he’d love to hear about how you did overall this academic term, right?”

Claudia gave me a hopeful look. She was blushing like a young maiden— a rose in full bloom. I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say. When nothing came to mind, I simply grabbed her by the shoulders, holding her gaze.

“Lecturer Claudia.”

“Y-yes…?”

She jerked back as if she’d been knocked out of whatever fantasy that was filling her mind. I spoke simply.

“Sal is never coming back. Ever again.”

“O-oh…”

Her shoulders sagged, and I started past her.

“Now, can we return back to class? I have a final exam to take next week.”

“O-of course!”

—--

Surprisingly and unsurprisingly, that wasn’t the last time I had to deal with the consequences of the Devil’s appearance in Mavos Academy. I had to placate Veronica Adash, and apologize to Professor Isais.

Veronica, somehow, reacted even worse than Claudia’s dejected acceptance.

“He’s never coming back ever again?”

She placed a hand on her chin, and I eagerly nodded, pretending to be upset.

“Yep. I was bummed out to hear about it, but he… had to get some milk or something.”

“Milk? Can’t you get milk at any farm or city?”

“Not just ordinary milk! He wanted…”

I hesitated, trying to come up with anything. Then a stroke of genius brushed over me.

“Rock milk.”

“Rock milk?”

“That’s right! Rock milk. Milk from a piece of rock. It’s incredibly rare— apparently, it’s something that’s needed to create a Potion of Immortality!”

“I thought those didn’t exist?”

Veronica furrowed her brows, and I shrugged.

“Don’t ask me. That’s what he said. So, he’s never coming back, probably.”

“Hm.”

Her expression didn’t change. Her face remained scrunched up as if in deep thought. I sighed in relief, hoping that was it, but instead, she snapped her fingers.

“Very well then. I guess I’ll simply have to find him once I have regained my kingdom.”

“Um, what?”

Veronica nodded with determination to herself.

“A princess does not give up on the man she loves.”

“You only met him once!”

“And that’s how I know it’s love at first sight.”

I groaned. That sounded so dumb. It was the dumbest thing I’d ever heard. A princess was supposed to be pretty and elegant— like me. Love was stupid. I didn’t know why Humans obsessed over it so much.

Now as for Professor Isais— despite being the one who was humiliated by the Devil, he responded far better than the former princess’ insistence of true love.

“I’m so sorry for what Sal did. I know he completely derailed class last time around, but I swear that won’t happen again!”

“It is fine, Salvos.”

Isais chuckled as he sat at his desk. Class ended early today after an hour of revision, and he asked to speak with me when it was over. I knew what it was about, so I was preemptive in my response. However, surprisingly, he wasn’t upset.

“I actually learned from that experience with your father.”

He’s not my father, but ok.

“What do you mean?”

I cocked my head, and Isais went on.

“Your father… he mentioned something about damaging space itself. And not just that— but time too. So, I consulted with an old [Chronomancer] friend of mine. This is still… an incredibly early stage of our research, but look.”

I stared at the piece of paper he showed me. It was a diagram— some kind of grid. In it, I saw what looked like holes sketched onto its surface.

“Um…?”

“As you can see, this is completely different from everything you’ve learned in your classes.”

“Different how?”

“You’ve heard of the paper analogy, right? Folding space and poking a hole through it like this.”

He thinly bent the paper in half, pretending to poke a hole through it.

“This is what I've been teaching you.”

Then he unfolded the paper, showing me the diagram once more, and gesturing at the diagram once more.

“But what we never considered was how another factor played into space: time.”

“I see, I see.”

I listened as Isais continued to explain.

“That means there is another… layer to it. It’s not as simple as we previously thought. While our previous understanding of it is that of a single… concept, there is actually another dimension to it. Because of this, everything we’ve previously done with space magic... perhaps there are dire consequences for our actions. I am not sure, but our preliminary findings so far don’t bode well. It’s like poking a hole in the floor of a building.”

He finally finished. His face was grim, creased with wrinkles. I looked him over, tapping a finger at my chin as Isais heaved a heavy sigh.

“Your father… I don’t know where he got his knowledge from, but he is right. And I have to admit, I was wrong. For that, I wanted to speak with you. To thank him for his contribution to our understanding of space.”

“Huh.”

I nodded slowly. Then I glanced over at the door.

“Can I go now?”

With that, all my classes for the day were done. And hopefully, I wouldn’t have to deal with anything that Devil did in Mavos Academy ever again. I was worried that Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder would approach me too when I passed him as I headed down the hallway. But he simply grunted and greeted me.

I was glad for it. I didn’t want anything to distract me anymore. Somehow, even though he wasn’t here, the Devil both annoyed and distracted me from my studying. I returned back to my room, ready for a full night of studying.

Saffron wasn’t seated at the dining table as she usually was, and Matthew was nowhere to be found.

“Alright, no more distractions—”

I started as I opened my school bag… and I heard a loud thud coming from Saffron’s room. I looked up, blinking.

“Oh, so she is here.”

I walked towards the door, calling out to her.

“Saffron! You wouldn’t believe what happened today—”

I paused, narrowing my eyes. There was no response from the other side except for another thud. Softer, this time. But still audible to my ears. I knocked on the door before gently pushing it open.

“Saffron…?”

And I saw the noble woman kneeling in her room with wide eyes. Her communication artifact lay on the ground next to her, just below her drooping arms. Her gaze slowly jerked towards me, and I rushed to her side.

“Saffron, what’s wrong?!”

She said nothing. I grabbed her by the shoulders as her lips quivered. With a weak arm, she tugged my jacket and spoke in a soft voice.

“Please, Salvos.”

“What happened? Did someone attack you? Is it poison?”

I leaned closer as she mustered the strength to face me. My companion. My friend. A Vampire noble who I truly cared for.

“Please… help me. My father and my brother— they’re in Nightsveil. And… and...”

I stared at her as tears streamed down her face.

“The Primeval Demon is attacking the city. Hundreds of thousands are already dead. Please… save them…”

A note from MelasD

Start of the new month! Best time to patron! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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241. Nightsveil Part 1

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to The Nexus Games.

Alex Kellan has several problems. He's on medical leave, he's being followed by stalkers, and he's alone on Christmas. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse when he wakes up in a nightmarish world where most people have magical abilities. Then things get interesting when he's forced to particpate in a deadly competition for his freedom...

A participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge .

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/48230/the-nexus-games

241. Nightsveil Part 1

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 109

Class: [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 49

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 136 (+25)

[Strength]: 112 (+25)

[Endurance]: 125 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 210 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 268 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 5

[Haste] - Lvl. 10

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 5

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 4]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 7

[Object Levitation] - Lvl 1

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 5

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 5

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

What was there to do? My companion asked for my help. She begged me to save her father and brother— face the harrowing Primeval Demon in Nightsveil.

I couldn’t beat Belzu. I lost to him once before. My other companions couldn’t aid me, and the Devil wasn’t here either. Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder would ignore my pleas. I was alone.

Yet, I flew out of Mavos Academy. I held Saffron in my arms as I soared over the tallest towers, bursting above the voluminous clouds. They dotted the sky like cotton balls floating in a sea of a dark azure, and I swam in it like a fish heading straight to a shark’s Lair.

It was foolish, but I couldn’t not do it. My companion asked this of me. Saffron would’ve gone and died if I didn’t accompany her. For her family. For the people she loved.

So, I brought her to a city under siege. The Capital of Nixa. The country where my journey in the Mortal Realm began. Once more, I was heading to a Demon far stronger than me. An evolution above me. One who had beaten me before.

Perhaps it would end like last time around— I could defeat him, just like I had beaten Lucerna. It was even a similar scenario, right? A powerful Demon was rampaging throughout Nixa. My companion and I raced to face him as he destroyed a city.

Except, there were a few differences. Key distinctions that defined how the battle would go. For one, Belzu had an army of a hundred thousand terrible monsters with him, while Lucerna was on his own. For another, I had no reason to fight Belzu, while I thought I needed to defeat Lucerna to get back. And furthermore…

Lucerna wanted to die. Belzu did not.

So, when I entered the burning city, I did not do so to face Belzu. I’d simply save Saffron’s father and brother as I promised before flying off.

Not only did I lack any reason to fight him, I also would probably lose to him. And that was not to mention the last reason: my other companions weren’t here.

Daniel and Edithe weren’t with me. There was no Mistshard or Druma to support me. I was with Saffron, and she wouldn’t be able to do anything to Belzu. Maybe one day, when I was reunited with my two Human companions, I’d challenge Belzu again. But not now.

“So, this is the Deathfall Dungeon?”

Daniel Song bent over and peered into the abyss below. A deep ravine that scarred the earth— a mark left on the world by the Immortal King Alexander during the final battle of the first Kobold invasion. During his duel against Prophet Zoszam.

He was here for one ostensible reason: to destroy the Harrowed Vindicators. The assassin group that threatened the life of him and his friends. However, that goal of his was starting to change after an encounter with their Harrowed Inquisitor. The young man had seen through their disguise— he saw the face beneath the mask of one of the assassins, and he recognized those features anywhere.

They had to be Demons. Either that, or a grotesquely ugly Human. Regardless, while he was still driven to stop the Harrowed Vindicators, he was also driven by curiosity. By some stupid thing in him which screamed to do the right thing.

“This is the Dungeon, yes. And if Ivan is to be believed, also our hideout.”

Amanda peered over his shoulder. She was an assassin who tried to kill him— he defeated her and took her prisoner for this task. Now, she accompanied him to the base of the Harrowed Vindicators.

Nodding, Daniel took a step back.

“Alright, it’s time to—”

He paused. Amanda stared at him.

“What?”

He raised a brow. She gestured at the pit.

“Well, go ahead. The rest of the Harrowed Vindicators are probably waiting down there.”

Daniel watched her as she drew back.

“What? That was your goal, wasn’t it? Go ahead, Sir [Hero]. I’m just going to—”

Amanda spun around, beginning to walk off. Daniel stopped her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

“You’re coming with me.”

“Fuck.”

She groaned, shoulders sagging.

“Do I really have to?”

“Yes.”

“But I do not consent. This is basically ra—”

“Shut. Up.”

He glared at her. Finally, Amanda shrugged.

“It’s not like I have a choice. If I try to run away, you’ll probably kill me. If I actually escape, the Harrowed Vindicators will probably kill me. If I go with you, some Demon will probably kill me. So, I die anyway. Just stick close to me so we at least stand a chance of getting out of this alive.”

She raised a hand, muttering a few Skills.

“[Vow of Silence]. [Shadowed Veil].”

“What were those?”

Daniel narrowed his eyes. Amanda started down the steep rock surface— it was night, and even though the moon was high in the sky, she almost vanished from his sight. He hurried after her before she could completely sink into the shadows.

“Stealth Skills, obviously.”

She scoffed as she climbed down just ahead of Daniel. They reached the bottom of the crevice soon enough, sticking close to the shadows, wreathed in ribbons of darkness. He spotted figures moving up ahead— there was a cave entrance with a single torchlight illuminating it. Minecart tracks led in and out of it, creating an intricate network of rails.

“Someone’s there.”

Daniel squinted, and Amanda hissed.

“I can see that, you idiot. Keep your voice down.”

“Oh, I thought they wouldn’t be able to hear us.”

“Why are you still— look, some people have Skills that can negate other Skills. Now practice what you preach and shut up.”

He gritted his teeth, but remained quiet. The two crept closer to the entrance of the cave. Daniel knew he was going in the right direction when he heard a sound in his head.

Now entering [Dungeon: Deathfall]!

They were within ten feet of the figure standing in the darkness when Amanda halted. Her eyes widened when she caught a glimpse of the man. No— not a man. A woman? Or sort of a woman. She looked like a woman, but Daniel instantly knew what she was:

A Demon.

Well, that didn't disqualify her from being a woman. Apparently, Demons had genders too. Salvos was a woman, even though she was a Demon. And Daniel couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t a good looking woman— except for when she was transformed into that six-armed form.

However, this Demon barely even looked Human. She was slightly Humanoid with a feminine build, but her face was more like that of a Kobold with sharp teeth that belonged to a carnivore. And instead of a pair of arms at her side, she had scythe-like limbs that could tear Daniel’s head off with a single slice. Her skin was red— almost chitin-like, illumined by the peeking moon above.

[Azazia - Lvl. 73]

“That’s…”

Amanda stared at it, wide-eyed. Daniel glanced over at her, making a shushing motion. She glanced over at him, gritting her teeth. She bit back a retort and turned back to the Demon.

“That’s really a Demon. You were actually telling the truth.”

“I was.”

He nodded as he eyed the Demon warily. She didn’t move. She simply stood there, bored and leaning against the rock wall.

“Can we sneak past her?”

“Well, considering that she hasn’t attacked us yet— the answer is maybe.”

“Can we or can we not?”

Daniel glared at her, and she rolled her eyes.

“Why do you have to be such a hardass?”

“Because you literally tried to kill me.”

“Oh, right. Forgot about that. That was pretty funny, wasn’t it?”

He clenched a fist as Amanda chuckled to herself.

“But yes— we can. Just follow me and don’t accidentally bump into her.”

Nodding, Daniel followed the assassin as she snuck past the Demon. He watched the Demon’s every movement, afraid that she’d suddenly lash out and attack them. However, she didn’t move.

Once they were a few corridors past her, Daniel breathed a sigh in relief.

“Thank—”

Before he could finish, footsteps echoed down the cavern hallway. Amanda’s eyes flickered and she grabbed him, pulling him against the wall.

“Someone’s coming.”

She whispered. He shut his mouth tightly, grabbing his Primordial Longsword. There were some lamps— dim magical artifacts that lit up the mineshaft. And they cast long shadows against the crowd of figures that approached them from up ahead. Guttural voices spoke and reverberated in the cavern.

“Yes, Lacris is dead. He was killed by the traitor.”

“I arrive in this wretched plane, and this is the first news I hear? Hmph.”

Daniel raised a brow. Traitor? What were they talking about?

They figures came closer as they continued their conversation. One of them had a voice that clicked at the end of every sentence, and another seemed to drag out the letter ‘s’ when it was at the end of the word.

“So, Belzu killed him. And now the Iron Champions Company is gone. Unfortunate.”

“What will we do now? This is a setback.”

“A minor one in the grand scheme of things. The Iron Champions had served their purpose— the Humans no longer have the Sword of Alexander.”

“But Belzu has it.”

“And he shall die with it. Our King shall deal with him when the time comes. It matters not if he accomplishes his goal. When his kingdom comes and our King steps foot on this plane, Belzu will be crushed like the insignificant bug that he is.”

The figures turned down the hallway, and Daniel tensed. But they didn’t see him. A group of Demons walked and talked casually. One of them had blue skin and a pair of horns on his face. He looked almost familiar to Daniel, but Daniel was certain he never met a Demon like that before.

Each of them had collars like every other summoned Demon. Yet, by the sounds of it, some of them were newly summoned. Daniel narrowed his eyes.

Does that mean there’s a summoning circle here?

The Demons passed, and Daniel felt the tension gripping his body release. He slumped over, placing a hand on his chest. He turned to Amanda—

And she collapsed to her knees. She melted into a pool of sweat, staring at where the Demons went. Her jaw gaped as she worked her mouth.

“T-those— they were—”

“Archdemons. Every single one of them.”

“H-how…?”

Amanda turned to Daniel. She gripped him by the shoulder.

“What the fuck are we doing here? Are you insane? We will die. We need to leave. Now!”

“No.”

Daniel shook his head. He looked down where the Demons came from— and he thought of their conversation. It was clear. All of these Demons were summoned, and some had been here for a long while. But some of them were newly-summoned. Daniel was certain of that. And the fact that they were here, while there weren’t any Humans...

“We’re going to go further in.”

“What? What’s wrong with you? Just because you’re a [Hero] doesn’t mean you’ll be able to take on all those Demons yourself. We literally fled a group of Demons lower-leveled than them just a few days ago!”

Amanda stared at him, gesticulating wildly. Then she paused. She took a step back, blinking.

“You… you’re not still thinking of killing them all, are you? Are you an idiot? Are you—”

“I’m not.”

Daniel shook his head. He took in a deep breath as he faced Amanda.

“I am not stupid enough to think that I’d be able to beat them all in a fight. I came here with that intention, but I realize now that it’s not a possibility.”

He took a step forward as Amanda watched his back.

“Now, I’m going to figure out what’s going on here. And maybe, if I can, find proof of it. Sabotage it. Do whatever I can to ensure that this whole operation is set back.”

A note from MelasD

Start of the new month! Best time to patron! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Another Announcement

A note from MelasD

https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Demons-Pride-A-LitRPG-Adventure-Audiobook/B09K4P7RR4

So, it's another announcement! A second one, so soon after the first? Well, I totally didn't forget that my audiobook for Salvos Volume 2 comes out today. I was definitely not reminded about it by a patron just 5 minutes ago. So... if you would be so kind, I'd appreciate it if you checked it out and gave it a review.

Thank you as always for your support <3

https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Demons-Pride-A-LitRPG-Adventure-Audiobook/B09K4P7RR4

A note from MelasD

https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Demons-Pride-A-LitRPG-Adventure-Audiobook/B09K4P7RR4

242. Nightsveil Part 2

242. Nightsveil Part 2

I saw Nightsveil in the distance. It probably was a grand city once. It had three walls surrounding a palatial center. Steep, sloping walls that rose hundreds of feet into the air, each layer taller than the other. Maybe the streets had once been full of life with [Traders] and adventurers milling about as families laughed and children played.

Now, the streets were simply stained by the blood of the dead. Corpses carpeted the road as flames blanketed the buildings. The entirety of the city’s first wall had collapsed, leaving behind nothing but a ring of rubble that stretched on for miles. Smoke and ash pillared into the air, and the scent of death perfumed its way up to me.

I flapped my wings as I took in the city.

“Huh. That’s quite bad.”

Saffron said nothing as she stared down with a horrified look. It wasn’t like the city had been completely crushed. There were still groups— clusters of Humans fighting back or fleeing the city. But it had been almost completely overrun at this point with monsters and undead marching unperturbed.

An army had stood up to Belzu. A Human army. And now, it was left shattered. There were definitely still quite a few Humans still alive, but the large bulk of the fighting forces were dead. I could see their metal armor and their animals of war piled up at the fallen walls.

“So, how are we going to find your father?”

I looked over at Saffron. She gritted her teeth. Then she pulled out her communication artifact and spoke into it.

“Cinne, are you there?”

Her voice came out cracked, panicked. But she inhaled deeply, steeling herself. There was a pause, and she repeated herself.

“Brother—”

“I’m here, Saffron.”

The voice on the other end was that of a man. He didn’t sound too old— kind of young, actually. But he was tired, panting heavily with each word. Saffron gripped the communication artifact tighter than before, as if that was her brother’s hand.

“Where are you? We’re here.”

“You’re here…? What are you— why are you even here?”

Cinne’s voice came out exasperated. There was an explosion on the other hand— electricity crackled in the background as people shouted.

“Just tell me where you are— and where Father is. Please. We’re here to save you.”

“I… we’re at the northern edge of the city. Father was injured in battle and we had to pull back. But that thing— that monster is after us. If they find us—”

There was a crash— a blast that sounded like it toppled a building. Cinne whimpered as his voice grew louder, like he was pressing the communication artifact against his lips.

“It killed Bellward the Blademaster. I saw it— he was Level 156, and he was slain, just like that… save us…”

With that, the voice cut out. Saffron gritted her teeth, turning to me.

“Salvos, did you hear—”

“I saw that!”

I looked over to the north and saw a tower collapse. A tall bell tower that had been at least three hundred feet tall. It fell over like a giant hand had just swatted it to the ground. Around it, a horde of undead closed in— [Crypt Horrors] and [Crypt Lords].

“Hold on tight, Saffron, and ready your defensive spells, cause I’m flying low!”

I swooped down with a single flap of my wings. [Haste] took over me and my companion— my flaming armor wreathed over her, protecting her as well. I soared between buildings, drawing the attention of everyone who could see me.

Down below, we flew. Over corpses piled over the streets. Monsters ambled over them, turning their gazes towards me. They chased after, roaring and screeching and hurling their magic my way.

I zipped around the attacks. Their magic collapsed buildings that were barely even standing. Gatho Mammoths gave chase as giant beetle-like monsters flew up and after me. Hordes and hordes of monsters gathered together, led by Mindreapers from above. They all tried to give chase, and I rolled my eyes.

“Seriously? Come on—”

I exhaled, unleashing a powerful wave of blue flames. It washed over the streets and cleaned it of the infestation of pests below. Not all of them were instantly vaporized, but it was enough to allay their approach.

Most of them were less than half my level. A few were close to Platinum. And the ones that exceeded Platinum ranked— well, I was smart enough to target and kill them before they could do anything. That included the Mindreapers. The terrible monsters that used mind magic— controlled by Belzu to control his horde.

Or at least, maintain it.

I created a Nebular Bow and Arrow, using [Faux Limbs] to aim it with two flaming hands. With that, I shot down the Mindreapers that drew close. Before they could use their magic to harm myself or Saffron from a distance.

I smirked as I turned an intersection, only for a giant bird-like creature to come tearing its way at me. I blinked, facing it as it was about to clash with me.

[Killbeak - Lvl. 96]

And I dropped out of the way in time. The monster crashed into a building with its reverberating squawk. Debris shot out everywhere as the building fell, and the [Killbeak] launched back out. But just as it rose from the dust, I pulled back a Refined Nebular Arrow.

“Nice try, but you’re not as fast as me.”

Its eyes somehow seemed to widen, even through the haze that clouded its mind. I loosed the bowstring, turning around to fly off as a powerful explosion of blue flames shook the city’s streets behind me.

Defeated [Mature Killbeak - Lvl. 96]

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

“Now, then…”

I cast my gaze around at the destruction around me. My eyes focused and snapped to my goal.

“Come on, Saffron, they’re just up ahead.”

My companion tightly gripped me by the forearm, even as she held onto my back. We shot forward, crossing over entire sections of the city in mere moments as she whispered softly.

“We’re close…”

But right before I could land, I spotted a light in the distance. A glowing, shearing attack that tore buildings asunder. A blade of pure energy that seemed to rise dozens of feet into the air. Saffron stared at it, gaping.

“What’s that?”

I cocked my head. She simply pursed her lips.

“The Sword of Alexander. That’s where Belzu is at.”

“Huh.”

I shook my head.

“I guess we’re staying away from that, then.”

It was over.

The company war was finally over. Edithe Dawnrise thought that this would’ve been such a momentous occasion— that a celebratory party would’ve been thrown with wine bottles being popped as dancers took the floor of an inn. But the ambience here was not that of a party, but that of a funeral.

And it was because of what happened.

The Valiant Dreamers had attacked the headquarters of the Iron Champions Company. What was supposed to be a climactic finale to this whole saga turned out to be nothing more than a massacre. Not just against the Valiant Dreamers, but against the Iron Champions as well.

Belzu, the Primeval Demon himself, showed up at the stage before all the actors were in place, and he sabotaged the script, killing every Iron Champion there. And in an ambush, he attacked the Valiant Dreamers, demanding they give him one thing: the Sword of Alexander.

Edithe tried to fight, she really did. But even though she’d just hit Level 100— even though she had a second Class— it was not enough. Nothing she did could hurt Belzu beyond mere scratches. All she did was delay him. She would’ve died, sacrificing herself for just five minutes of running. That was if Baris had not stepped in.

The man— or perhaps, the Vampire— drew the Sword of Alexander and challenged Belzu to battle. Unfortunately, Baris lost. And now, the Primeval Demon had the Mythical artifact that could slay even the Immortal King Alexander himself.

So, yes. The Valiant Dreamers were shattered. They lost so many people in this war, and they lost so many more to the pointless slaughter at the end, including their former leader. And more than that, they knew that it was their inadequacy that allowed what was happening now to continue—

Belzu had sieged Nightsveil. The Primeval Demon took the Capital city of Nixa in one night. It had been heavily reinforced— allies from all around the world came to support them. Two Elites even showed up, after another Elite, Shozomil Windbane, had perished at the hands of Belzu just a week earlier.

Despite all this, the city fell. Despite the powerful artifacts and enchantments that protected its walls, it was completely razed down. Or at least, it was in the process of being razed down.

One of the Elites, too, had died. Bellward the Blademaster. The other, upon seeing his companion fall in battle, fled instantly. And that was how morale crumbled. That was the start of how the battle was lost.

All these lives lost… and Edithe could’ve prevented it. She gritted her teeth as she stared at the wooden floor. The Valiant Dreamers were all gathered at an inn, and no one spoke a word. Even Celine, the usual carefree friend of Edithe, could only sigh deeply as she hugged Nora.

They were all morose— they mourned their dead friends, they mourned their former leader, and they mourned all the lives that were being lost right now. But what was there to do? They saw Belzu’s power. Alone, he defeated them all.

He was a monster. A flying calamity. A terrible creature. He… it… that thing had to be stopped somehow. But no one— nothing could stop Belzu. Maybe… maybe a—

“A [Hero] can stop it.”

A voice spoke up. Edithe blinked, looking up as a man stood to his feet. Noah, leader of the Northbury Troops, straightened. He swept his gaze around the room, gesticulating.

“You all saw it. It was strong, sure. But it’s nowhere near as strong as a [Hero], right? It’s still weak compared to Melissa or Alexander or even Zacharius!”

A susurration ran through the room. Heads raised from facing the floorboards as an almost-excited chatter broke out. But then a riposte came. Gabriel the [Alchemist] crossed his arms.

“And where exactly is this [Hero] going to come from?”

The noise almost instantly stopped. The hope that was beginning to spark back into existence was smothered before it could become a fire. Edithe tightly gripped the hems of her robes as she looked over at Gabriel.

Murmurs came, agreeing with him.

“He’s right. There hasn’t been a [Hero] in a millennium.”

“How do we even know if this [Hero] can defeat Belzu? What if we’re all dead before they show up?”

“And what if they turn on us just like Zacharius? What if they join this Demon instead of helping us defeat it?”

Noah, however, was insistent.

“This is a time of crisis. That damn Demon is destroying an entire country before us. It stole a damn Mythical Grade artifact from us. It may seem hopeless, but it is times like this that a [Hero] is summoned. And that [Hero]— whoever he or she is— will squash that Demon like a bug. We can’t give up hope. We have to believe.”

Edithe found herself squeezing her robes even harder than before. There was something she had to say— something she knew that they didn’t. However, before she could accidentally open her mouth, the front door swung open.

Hadrian, the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company, and Baris’ son, strolled into the room.

“Noah’s right.”

He stopped right in the middle of the room, standing tall. Edithe blinked as Hadrian spoke with his chest.

“The hour is dire, and many lives have been lost. What should’ve been a victory has been robbed from us. But that doesn’t change who we are. We cannot give up.”

Was this really Hadrian? Edithe had expected him to be broken after the death of his father. But right now, he showed none of that. He wore the face of a leader who was in control— something uncharacteristic of him, since he was a bit of a flirt and a playboy. And yet, it was the same man that spoke now.

“We can’t give up our hope, our dream, just because Father—”

He cut himself off, biting his lower lip. There was a brief moment where Edithe saw through his demeanour. A facade put up just for this moment. But with a deep breath, he continued and the mask was back on.

“Just because Baris is dead, do we give up? No. That would betray everything he taught us. We are the dreamers, are we not? You— all of you are dreamers. We are the Valiant Dreamers Company. We shall be strong when others are weak. We shall protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

Silence. The room was completely quiet after that small speech. Torches burned and flickered on the walls as a cool wind brushed over them. Edithe eyed Hadrian as the leader of the Valiant Dreamers took in his company. Then a sharp voice cut through him,

“If that’s the case, then why did Baris never tell us about the Sword of Alexander?”

A man stood up. Edithe recognized him as Jake. She didn’t know him all that well, but she knew that he only recently hit Level 40. He met Hadrian’s gaze, frowning.

“Isn’t this company supposed to be about protecting the weak? Why didn’t Baris use that weapon to protect us? We lost so many lives— if we’d used it since the start of this whole company war, we could’ve dealt with the Iron Champions a long time ago.”

“That’s—”

Hadrian started, but the man shook his head and stomped a foot on the ground.

“Did you know about it? Did anyone else know about it? Was he keeping this secret from all of us?”

Jake scanned the room, furrowing his brows. Celine looked away, and Ismail closed his eyes. Edithe couldn’t help but shfit uncomfortably as Jake turned to her. Then finally, he looked back at Hadrian.

“Or did Baris only keep it secret from us lower-leveled folk? You know, the weak.”

“That’s not how it is. The others only learned about it recently—”

“So, they knew about it, didn’t they? And did none of you think of telling us about it? Or telling Baris to use the weapon to end the company war?”

Hadrian lowered his head.

“No— Father couldn’t use it, even if he wanted to. That would defeat the whole purpose of safeguarding it. If others knew about it, then it’d be in danger. It had to be kept a secret. It had to be protected…”

“And who were the ones protecting it? Us? Or him?”

“I…”

He opened his mouth, but Jake crossed his arms. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers looked around, blinking. His company was split— voices of disagreement rose throughout the room as he tried to regain control. But it was too late.

Others were joining Jake. And the man’s voice was all that they heard. Edithe’s frowned as he continued.

“We were just bait, weren’t we? You were feeding us lies, using us to hide your precious weapon. That’s—”

“That’s enough, Jake.”

Finally, Edithe had enough. She got to her feet, speaking in a soft yet strong voice that overpowered his words. He blinked, looking over at her.

“You’re not one to talk—”

“I said, that’s enough.”

She cut him off, stepping forward.

“You’re making a lot of false assumptions about what happened. I suggested what you are suggesting right now, but things were far more complex than that. And this is hardly the time for this discussion. We’re all grieving right now.”

“I…”

Jake started, but he hesitated when Edithe glared at him. After some internal debate, he shook his head and left the room.

“Whatever. I’m leaving.”

A few others followed Jake, leaving the inn. No one stopped them. No one was going to force them to stay. But Edithe couldn’t lie and say she didn’t feel hurt watching her allies walk away. Even Gabriel left. He looked over at her, shaking his head. And that left the room half as empty as it was before.

This was it. Cinne knew he was going to die when he heard the blasts in the distance. The undead drew closer, and there was nothing he could do to stop them.

He was Level 102. A recently ordained ‘Diamond Rank’. He reached this huge milestone five years younger than Father did. That was why he joined this battle. And yet, now, Father lay next to him. Crocus Merryster, a Level 131 [Warrior], had been terribly injured by the Primeval Demon.

A curse afflicted him— one caused by the Primeval Demon itself. And because of that, Crocus couldn’t move, and Cinne was left in charge of their family’s men. But Cinne wasn’t the bravest there was. He wasn’t stupidly courageous like his younger brother. He saw the tide was turning and ordered his men to flee.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t get far. The monsters had surrounded the city, cutting off any escape. And now, here he was, awaiting his demise in a temple. [Priests] and [Healing Mages] lay dead around hin. By the time he retreated here, they were all dead. Even the injured. This was not a place of safety. It was a place of death. A coffin which he hid in to buy some time.

Cinne’s eyes flickered out the broken stained glass window. He saw the undead drawing closer. He saw the flashes of light further away, where the Primeval Demon rampaged. And he sighed a resigned breath.

“That idiot… why is she here?”

Yet, his sister came for him. Saffron Merryster, the supposed smart one of the family. She went straight to a warzone to save him.

“At least we’ll die together.”

He chuckled mirthlessly to himself. And a voice drew his attention from behind. One of his bodyguards— a Platinum Rank— saluted.

“Master Cinne. I must apologize, but we’ve lost the first floor.”

“That means Boone is dead, isn’t he?”

“I am sorry.”

“There’s no reason to apologize, Harold. You’ve been loyal to me until the end. Thank you.”

He hefted his spear over his shoulder, sealing his fate. Harold blinked.

“Where are you going, master?”

“To buy some time. Look after Father, will you?”

He gestured at the altar where Crocus was laid. Harold hesitated. Then he bowed deeply at his master.

“It was a pleasure, master Cinne.”

With that, Cinne accepted his fate. He slowly walked down the hallway, twirling his spear. This was it. Soon, an unending horde would come for his life. All he could do now was buy time— hold them off for as long as possible. Perhaps Father could somehow recover in that time period and escape. Maybe he’d get to his sister’s face one last time before he drew his final breath.

“Even if I was a coward, at least I tried to be brave.”

Footsteps clambered down the corridor. The undead snarled as they made their way up the stairs to him. He saw their shadows. Wicked creatures, coming for his life. He raised his spear, saluting to himself.

“Come at me you bastards!”

They poured out of the stairway, scrambling for him. He steeled himself, bring a foot back as he held out his spear. He breathed in, ready to unleash all the Skills he had to his name. And the undead—

Ran past him.

They continued down the hallway, falling over each other, almost as if they were running from something. He blinked, turning around.

“What?”

And there was a flash. A blue light shone as burning waves washed around him. They didn’t touch him or harm him, yet he could feel the scorching heat from where he stood. It burned the undead, incinerating them all before they could get any further. In an instant, they were all dead.

And he heard a soft thud as something landed behind him. With all the courage he had left in his body, Cinne creaked his neck, facing it.

“W-what was…?”

Before him, he saw a silver-haired woman. She wore an unusual blue shirt…? Jacket? And she had wings made of ember, the same color as the night sky behind her.

“Who are you?”

He stared. And the woman smiled.

“Hi! I’m Salvos!”

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243. Nightsveil Part 3

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Morcster Chef by Actus that was just recently published on amazon! The author, Actus, is a super cool dude who puts a lot of effort into writing a ton while still in University. I sincerely hope you'll check out the book!

Adventurers seek dungeons for riches. Heroes storm great fortresses. Gods clash far above.

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Cleaver's Edge: A LitRPG Fantasy Cooking Adventure (Morcster Chef Book 1) - Kindle edition by Actus. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

243. Nightsveil Part 3

“Brother!”

Saffron climbed off my back and dashed forward, hugging the man I’d just saved. So, that was her brother, huh? He was pretty strong according to his levels, but he didn’t look strong. In fact, he looked very weak with how scared he was.

“I-I… Saffron…?”

He turned to her with a blink. Then he slowly hugged her back.

“How are you… who is this…?”

“I said: I’m Salvos!”

I waved at him, and he looked between us. Saffron stepped back, tears streaming out of her eyes.

“She’s a friend of mine— that doesn’t matter for now. I’m so glad you’re alive. I… where’s Father?”

She looked around, a worried look on her face. Her brother gestured behind him.

“He’s there— he’s fine. I mean, not fine. But we’re alive. I…”

He trailed off, scratching his cheek. Saffron exhaled deeply, placing a hand on her chest.

“I’m so glad we arrived in time.”

Nodding, he gave her a small smile.

“Thank you. And I’m glad I got to see you again.”

“Come on, where’s Father?”

Saffron started past him, and he quickly showed us the way. Before I continued, however, I looked over at him.

“So…”

“Uh…”

He shrank back as I crossed my arms. I leaned closer, and he began to tremble.

“I… yes?”

He spoke in a shaky voice. I frowned.

“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself? I gave you my name!”

“Oh.”

Saffron’s brother blinked.

“I’m, uh, Cinne.”

“Well, nice to meet you, Cinne! I’m Salvos!”

I proffered a hand, and he shook it. He scratched his cheek.

“R-right. You’ve said that before… three times now… actually.”

I beamed.

“I know.”

With that settled, I followed Saffron to where her father was. I glanced over at Cinne and pointed at the lain man.

“What’s his name?”

“Uh, Crocus.”

“I see.”

I turned to the last man in the room— a knight who looked relieved to see Saffron. I opened my mouth, but Cinne spoke first.

“And that other man there is Harold.”

“Thank you.

I nodded as Saffron placed a hand on Crocus. She pursed her lips.

“What happened to him? Why is he— his body is fine, but he’s not waking up.”

“Unfortunately, Lady Saffron, your father was cursed by the Primeval Demon. We’ve managed to mitigate most of its effects with what we had on us, but it’s still not enough. He will remain unconscious until we properly treat him.”

Harold spoke with a dour look on his face. Cinne closed his eyes.

“And we’re not sure if we’ll even get the chance for that.”

I glanced between them.

“Are you saying he’s cursed?”

“Yes.”

“Huh.”

I cocked my head back, tapping a finger on my chin. Then I nodded to myself.

“Let me try something—”

I walked past them. Harold and Cinne sputtered, but Saffron stopped them.

“Wait, don’t stop her.”

I sauntered over to the unconscious Crocus. The man was completely unscathed— no, he was recently injured. I could still see the marks on his skin. The signs of a healing potion being applied.

Then I lifted his hand, pulling something out from my own finger. I inserted the ring into his finger. A flicker came over his body as Cinne narrowed his eyes.

“What is that?”

“A Ring of Lesser Curse Resistance. A Cyclops gave it to me.”

Harold crossed his arms, snorting.

“Did you think that would work? The curse that Primeval Demon used was beyond the power of such trinkets. I suggest you step back and—”

With a jolt, Crocus sat up.

“Nevermind.”

Edithe just watched them go. When they were gone and tensions had cooled, she sat down on a stool and massaged her temples.

“I need a drink…”

“Here.”

A mug was placed in front of her. Hadrian pulled out his own seat, shaking his head.

“Thank you, Edithe. For standing up for me.”

“I didn’t do it because of you. I did it because Jake was wrong.”

She scoffed as she gratefully accepted the drink. She sipped from it before sputtering.

“This— this is water…”

“I never said it was alcohol.”

Hadrian chuckled as he drank from his own mug. Actual ale. Edithe rolled her eyes.

“Jake was… partially right. You are to blame for this mess, but so am I. What he was wrong about was everything else. The Valiant Dreamers Company represents something more than just to protect a sword. After all, Baris sacrificed himself and the weapon to save us.”

She shook her head, and Hadrian nodded.

“He did…”

Should I not have said that? Edithe sighed. She didn’t know what to say anymore. Everything was fucked. And Hadrian agreed.

“Well, I just hope that Noah is right. That a [Hero] would save us all from this entire mess.”

Edith pressed her lips thinly together.

“That’s…”

I know a [Hero], and I don’t know if he wants to involve himself with Belzu.

She changed the subject.

“That Demon… he knew about the Sword of Alexander. I just don’t understand his… its motivations. Why would it go for the sword before destroying Nightsveil? Could it not have done this beforehand? You saw its power— you heard about what it did to that coalition army a few weeks before, right?”

“I have.”

Hadrian drank from his mug again.

“And I think I know why it went for us first.”

Edithe blinked as he closed his eyes with a sigh.

“Why, Hadrian?”

“I believe…”

He started, but hesitated. He needed a few more gulps of alcohol to inebriate him enough to speak.

“I believe that it may be collecting all the pieces of Alexander’s artifacts. It targeted us so it can challenge the other treasure’s powers. The Crown of Alexander. The Breastplate of Alexander. The Greaves of Alexander. And the Boots of Alexander. None of them would be able to counter that Demon now that it has the Sword of Alexander.”

“What do you mean?”

She narrowed her eyes.

“Shouldn’t all of the treasures of Alexander hold the same power?”

“They do, but they differ in purpose. And only the Sword of Alexander is designed with destruction in mind. The rest is for protection— either for oneself, or for one’s allies. And so, it doesn’t matter which of the artifacts that Demon may encounter in battle. The destructive effects of the Sword of Alexander will negate the protective effects of the others.”

“And that’s it’s now rampaging without a worry?”

Edithe placed a hand on her chin, but Hadrian shook his head to her surprise.

“No. It’s not just mindlessly killing others. It’s rampaging with purpose.”

“It is?”

“That’s right.”

Hadrian nodded gravely, drinking another mug of ale. Edithe probably should’ve said something about him drinking too much, but she really wanted to join in more than anything, really.

“Then why’s it there? Why’s it attacking Nightsveil of all places?”

“It’s because of what’s in the city— the other piece which he must be looking for. He came for the Sword of Alexander, did he not? So, logic would dictate that he’d go after the next piece of Alexander’s Mythical grade artifacts.”

“Wait…”

Edithe blinked.

“Why is there another of Alexander’s treasures in Nightsveil?”

“Because the one who carries it has traveled to its aid.”

Hadrian explained with a sigh.

“The Merryster Family. One of the greater Vampire families charged with protecting one of Alexander’s Mythical artifacts. They are in Nightsveil, and they have with them the Breastplate of Alexander.”

Crocus panted heavily, looking around the room.

“W-what is…?”

Then his eyes widened. He spun around, swinging a fist.

“Where is he? Where’s that Demon bastard?!”

“Father!”

Cinne and Saffron exclaimed at the same time, rushing to their father. They embraced him, and he blinked slowly.

“Cinne, you’re still— and Saffron, what are you…?”

“Alright, now that he’s up and able, how about we get out of here now?”

I spoke over him, clapping my hands together. All four people in the room looked over at me as I gestured out the broken windows.

“Because, you know, this place isn’t safe?”

“Salvos is right. We should leave now.”

Saffron stepped towards me.

“She can fly us out of here before that Primeval Demon comes down at us.”

“That’s… It’s still alive?”

Crocus choked as he stared at me. I nodded.

“Yep! Last I checked, he was destroying the city.”

“Then that means— I… failed.”

He gritted his teeth as he lowered his head. His eyes lowered and closed as Cinne averted his gaze. Saffron looked at them, a pained look on her face.

“I understand how you feel, Father. But we cannot stay here any longer.”

“No.”

Crocus spoke defiantly. He stumbled to his feet, pushing his children out of the way.

“There is still a chance. We need to get it to Bellward the Blademaster. If we give it to him, we may still win. Even if that Demon has the Sword of Alexander. Even in spite of the curses. Its magic can abate any curse— any foul magic that Demon has to throw at us.”

“What is this ‘it’?”

I cocked my head, but Saffron sputtered.

“The Breastplate of Alexander won’t change the tides of the battle. Look around us, Father. You can’t be this stubborn— we’ve already lost.”

“Saffron’s right.”

Cinne shifted slightly. His gaze darkened as he spoke softly.

“Bellward the Blademaster is dead. And Alder the Elder fled the moment that happened. There is no longer any hope. We need to leave.”

Crocus clenched his fist as his own children rebuked his suggestion. I watched from the side, not caring enough to get involved. I just wanted to leave as soon as possible. But before I could once again assert my suggestion, I saw a flicker. The ring I had given Crocus flashed, and its magic died.

“Agh!”

The man collapsed as he gripped his chest. I stared at him.

“Wait, did my ring’s enchantment just wear off?”

“Father!”

Both of the Merryster children yelled at the same time. They tried to help Crocus back up, but he was in too much pain— on the verge of passing out once more. Cinne cursed as he took in his father’s condition.

“We can’t leave him like this. He’ll die if we don’t help him— the curse is too powerful.”

Saffron stepped back, eyes widening.

“No, please… Father—”

I tilted my head back as they fussed over their dying dad. I raised my hand.

“What about that thing you were talking about?”

They looked over at me, confused, but Harold instantly knew what I meant.

“You mean to have master Crocus bear the Breastplate of Alexander?”

“Yep!”

I nodded eagerly, explaining.

“I mean, you said it can defend against curses, right? Well, as far as I can tell, this curse on Crocus is an active curse. That’s why it managed to overpower my Ring of Lesser Curse Resistance. And that means it can be dispelled by a strong enough artifact. So, why not use that strong artifact you guys have?”

Saffron and Cinne exchanged hesitant looks.

“But that’s—”

“We can’t use that, Salvos. We’re forbidden from using Alexander’s treasures.”

“Huh.”

I raised a brow.

“I see. Oh well, I guess he’ll just die then.”

“You can’t just say that!”

Cine protested.

“We can’t just let Father die!”

“Then stop being so stubborn.”

I crossed my arms. He took a step back as I met his gaze.

“Do you want to save your father, or do you not? If you do, then put the Breastplate of Alexander on him. Otherwise, let him die. It’s your choice. Both of your choices.”

I slowly faced Saffron, and she pursed her lips. She stood up, reaching for a necklace on Crocus’ neck. Cinne narrowed his eyes.

“What are you doing, Saffron?”

“I’m saving Father.”

“You can’t do that!”

“I can and I will.”

She continued fumbling at Crocus’ necklace, furrowing her brows when nothing happened.

“I know you’re scared of the consequences, brother, so I will do it for you. Let Father punish me for disobeying our sacred rules. Let the other greater Vampire families persecute me. But… they should hold themselves accountable too, for their incompetence over the past few centuries— their incompetence that let this happen in the first place.”

Saffron scowled when she still couldn’t work the necklace, so she undid its chain and held it up. Her forehead creased as she tried to figure out what was wrong, but then a hand raised to stop her. She turned to Cinne.

“You can’t stop me.”

“I know.”

Cinne shuffled his feet uncomfortably. Steeling himself, he let out a sigh.

“That’s why I’ll help you.”

“Brother…”

Saffron’s eyes grew wide before she smiled. She handed over the necklace, and Cinne whispered something underneath his breath. The necklace flashed— and it began to glow. He explained.

“This is a High Grade storage artifact, Saffron. It can’t be easily accessed by anyone who gets ahold of it. It has a password— one that activates its use. Now, you can summon the Breastplate.”

Cinne smiled as he passed it back over to Saffron. She nodded at him.

“Thank you, brother.”

“And I’m sorry, Saffron. For being a coward. For not being the older brother you deserve. For needing you to save me.”

Her eyes welled up as she blinked.

“What are you talking about? You’re the one always looking out for me.”

She laughed as she punched him lightly on the arm. They both held a shared moment of laughter as I watched from the side.

“Aw.”

I felt my lips curling up at this scene. I placed a hand on my chest.

“This is very nice. It makes me feel good inside. But, unfortunately, you guys took a little bit too long.”

“What do you mean, Salvos?”

Saffron frowned, turning to me. I gestured out the broken stained glass window— at the figure hovering over the temple.

“Belzu’s here.”

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244. Nightsveil Part 4

A note from MelasD

Disclaimer: This chapter is written in an experimental style. Images will be provided alongside the chapter to show what is meant to be conveyed. This is due to RoyalRoad's limited formatting. For the best reading experience, you can download the pdf of the chapter here.

I already know some of y'all are gonna complain about the experimental style. If it's too difficult for you to read, you can skip over it.

244. Nightsveil Part 4

Disclaimer: This chapter is written in an experimental style. Images will be provided alongside the chapter to show what is meant to be conveyed. For the best reading experience, you can download the pdf of the chapter here.

I already know some of y'all are gonna complain about the experimental style. If it's too difficult for you to read, you can skip over it.

Nightsveil lay in ruin. Hordes of terrible monsters ambled about its broken streets, carving the roads open with the blood and bodies of the city’s inhabitants. There were tens of thousands— maybe even hundreds of thousands of these creatures. A pack of Gatho Mammoths stormed through a palatial structure, felling its round towers and coating their fur with the gray of dust. Mindreapers zipped over the clouds just beneath the moonlight, like moths gathering around a lamp at the dead of night.

Once, this city had been full of life. Now, it was just a shadow of its former self.

There were a few stragglers— some survivors. But they’d be dealt with soon enough. Belzu was methodical in his slaughter, but not foolish or reckless. That was why he hovered over the temple, casting his gaze down at us from the heavens above.

I saw his silhouette through the cracked stained glass windows. His morbidly corpulent figure played behind the ornate decorations surrounding the crumbling walls of the Sanctuary of Fauna. He looked like a bug— a wicked, giant bug with barbed legs poking out from his sides just beneath his invisible, flapping wings.

What was he doing? I wondered why he hadn’t just attacked us— why he hadn’t just sent a thousand curses our way. But then I evaluated him. I saw how exhausted he looked. He was soaked in black ooze. Demon’s blood. His own blood

The siege of Nightsveil had taken its toll on the Primeval Demon. Despite his ostensible victory, he was still tired and injured from the fight. That was why he waited. For his army to converge. And for something else—

My eyes flickered, turning back to the Merrysters standing behind me. Saffron and Cinne stood over Crocus, protective. The Lady held up the necklace—

“Don’t.”

Her brother stopped her. Saffron blinked.

“Why not? Father needs the Breastplate—”

“And that is what that Demon wants. Look.”

They faced Belzu, and I saw his bulbous eyes narrow ever-so-slightly. He had with him an ornate sword— a blade that exuded luminescence brighter than the moon in the dark of the night.

I wondered what that was about.

I stepped forward, creating a Primordial Scythe. I waved it at him through the broken windows of the temple, shouting.

“Hey, ugyl! Go away! We’re just about to leave, alright?”

He glared at me with recognition in his eyes, and I gulped.

“Um, I take back what I said. You don’t look that ugly. You kinda look tasty, actually.”

Belzu shook his head, descending like a slow comet falling upon the world, bringing with him calamity.

“I shall take my leave from this city.”

His voice boomed and shook the temple. The Primeval Demon’s gaze bore into me— through me. His gaze landed on the necklace Saffron had been holding.

“Not until I have what’s mine.”

Cinne snatched it from her hands, whispering quickly, and it flashed, locking it from Belzu’s use. But that didn’t allay the Primeval Demon’s approach. He brought one of his crooked arms up, pointing at us.

“Give it to me.”

Again, the world shook. When Belzu opened his mouth once more, a bright light accompanied it, swallowing me whole.

“G I V E T O M E M Y S A L V A T I O N.”

They took the time to tether together

what seemed sharp and splendor

a whip of scorn and

anger that struck me

with no visible danger

yet it aroused a clangor

within my stoic demeanor

for I found that what they abhorred

was nothing more than just my core.

And when I saw my companions

something shattered.

My time in this mortal plane

seem so fruitless— without gain.

But when I stood in the Netherworld, crying, balled, and curled. I saw a familiar face, amongst this desolate place. He smiled and laughed cheerfully, as kind as he used to be. My first ever friend was there with me, following blindly and trusting me. And I believed— I truly believed that we’d

forev

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t

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r

.

U

n

t

i

l

t

h

e

d

r

e

a

m

S H A T T E R E D

And

then

I

was

falling,

turning,

spinning,

whipping

from

side

to

side.

A

crack

sent

me

knocking

back

but

—I was on my feet again, this time in a world of white. A blank canvas, left unpainted. I glanced around, frowning, only for a sudden claw to tear through the empty sheet like it was paper and slice me on the leg.

Black blood blotched the ground, inking this white world black. Another cut sent a sputtering of scarlet out and splotching the sheet. I spun around, readying myself for the next attack. I tried to create a weapon— any weapon. But my magic didn’t come to life. Not in this dead world of white.

I screamed as I was sliced from every angle. My blood came in all colors— blue, green, indigo, violet— an iridescent painting that brought this canvas to life. I lay there, bent over and coughing as I tried to gather myself. But before I could even stand, the world was flipped over.

I the world spun back around. But

found before I

myself down could

standing upside not

on was see

my I things

side. Then           right.

Then I was standing up straight once more.

.left things seeing actually was I ,it describe to had I If

.normal to back return ever would things if wondered I .alright ,weird was it ,Well

˙ǝɯ punoɹɐ ƃuᴉʇɟᴉɥs ʇdǝʞ ƃuᴉɥʇʎɹǝʌƎ

tuB

eerf nekorb d'I

.erofeb ti morf

dluoc I

.niaga ti od

I closed my eyes, shutting off most of my senses.

It was difficult, trying to ignore the encroaching feeling of magic around.

It smothered my entire being, trying to force its way into my body.

It told me what to feel, what to hear, what to see, what to taste, and what to smell.

But I fought back. I used what he couldn’t intrude on. My perception of space.

And I saw the reality of it all.

Saffron, Cinne, and Harold kneeled at the altar as Crocus held up a rainbow-colored breastplate that shimmered like the stained glass windows during the day. Belzu descended upon the temple, breaking the ceiling as colorful shards rained onto the marble floor. The Primeval Demon wore a twist smile on his face as he reached out with his clawing hands and grabbed for the treasure—

“Stop!”

I broke free from the illusion, swinging at Belzu before he could bear the Breastplate of Alexander. To be honest, I didn’t even know why he wanted it. Just that it couldn’t be good if he wanted it. [Intimidation] halted him in his tracks for a brief moment, long enough for me to swing at his chest with a [Radiant Slash].

He screamed and recoiled, knocked back from the attack. Bleeding and wounded. I snapped my fingers and yelled at Saffron and the others.

[Recall Skill: Zealous Call].

They broke free from the illusion in an instant. I growled at them as I prepared for Belzu’s fury to rain down on us.

“[Haste]. Hurry up and put on the breastplate!”

I cast the spell on all of us as Belzu shook off the [Radiant Slash]. His gaze snapped up at me, anger burning in his eyes.

“How dare you… you mere Arch—”

I dove backwards, splitting in two and grabbing everyone as Belzu exploded. I’d touched him with [Demon’s Mark] when I slashed his chest. The blast took out the entire temple and more, but I was no longer there. We were already flying away, heading out of the city by the time the smoke cleared. Cinne blinked as he looked at what was holding him.

“W-what is this?”

“My clone! It’s a Skill of mine!”

I explained as we dove around buildings and structures. I carried Saffron and her father, while my other self held up Cinne and Harold. We flew side-by-side— my clone was more than image of myself. She really did have all my Skills. She even kept up with me as I ascended up to the clouds to escape from Belzu.

But behind, I saw the Primeval Demon rise from the ashes. From the smoke and the debris and the crater, he came, and his fury followed alongside him.

I gritted my teeth. But before I could say anything, I saw his army gather before us. Mindreapers, Vurats, Crypt Horrors, Winged Fangs— tens of thousands of them moved to bar our path. It was like someone had just created a new part for a river, and the water was rushing to fill that gap. All around us, monsters came. And I knew we’d be caught. I sighed.

“Hey, um, Crocus, are you feeling better?”

The man groaned as he grabbed his head. He was wearing the Breastplate of Alexander— apparently it had worked and dispelled whatever curse that had been placed on him.

“I am… fine. Relatively speaking, at least.”

“Good. Can I have the breastplate next?”

He blinked, looking at me with a frown.

“I-I…”

A monster screeched in the distance— probably a [Queen Howre] or some other kind of Ground Craver. Whatever protestations he was about to espouse was silenced and he quickly tugged at the straps. He removed the Breastplate of Alexander, handing it to me. I happily accepted it with a [Faux Limb].

“Thank you!”

I flew over to my clone as the monsters encroached on us. Belzu sped our way, and Saffron looked over at me, blinking.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

I paused. I commanded my clone to create [Faux Limbs], and she did as she was told. I handed Saffron and Crocus over to my clone.

“You guys will be getting out of here, while I—”

I turned to Belzu, raising the Breastplate of Alexander. Her eyes widened.

“No…”

Her voice came out, cracked and weak. She reached for me as I was about to fly off.

“You can’t do that, Salvos. Don’t be an idiot!”

I shook my head, speaking softly.

“It is the only way.”

“Don’t do it!”

I didn’t face her as she continued. But I could feel the pain in her voice. She shouted at me.

“I don’t want you to die, either! I didn’t ask you to come here to die for us. Don’t sacrifice yourself for me, Salvos. Please. I can’t possibly live knowing that I forced you to die for me. I… I...”

I hesitated. I looked over at Saffron as tears streamed down her face. She was incredibly torn up over this. Even her brother and father were surprised at her reaction.

Then I cocked my head.

“Um, what are you talking about?”

Saffron froze. She looked at me, still with some tears in her eyes.

“I… aren’t you going to face that Demon alone?”

“Face that Demon alone? Are you stupid? I’m not stupid! I’ll die if I do that!”

I scoffed as I crossed my arms. Cinne narrowed his eyes, peering at me.

“Wait, then what are you doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

I looked back at Belzu as he came— a storm of wrath heading our way. I held up the Breastplate of Alexander once more. Its bright and colorful metal glinted under the scintillating stars of the night.

“I’m giving him what he wants.”

A note from MelasD

Start of the new month! Best time to patron! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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Commenting Rules and Etiquette

I never wanted to do this. I really didn't want to instate commenting rules. But holy shit, the negativity is killing my productivity. You can see how my upload late has slowed recently, and it's because of the incessant, constant complaining. Even in my latest Salvos chapter, I had a part which I knew people may complain about, so I specifically said you can skip over it, but I still get complaints.

For the sake of my productivity in producing chapters, I'm adding commenting rules and those who don't follow it will be banned.

1. Be polite - If you can't criticize a story without being polite, you're banned from commenting.

2. Don't demean the author - If you can't criticize a story without negatively alluding to the author, you're banned from commenting.

3. Majority of your comments should not be criticism - If more than 50% of your comments are criticisms of the story, you're banned from commenting.

4. Don't make demands of the author - If you dislike one aspect of the story, you can say you dislike it, but don't ask me to change anything. You can point out that it feels out of character, you can say it's a plot hole, but do not tell me how to write my story. If you're going to backseat write, you're banned from commenting.

That's it. Hopefully I'll start posting chapters on time next week. But my productivity is dead thanks to all the incessant negativity I've gotten in my new story and in the comments of Salvos lately. Seriously, seeing my story drop 30+ ranks is rough, the negative comments is rough, and the constant complaints is rough.

245. Nightsveil Part 5 (End of Volume 4)

245. Nightsveil Part 5

Saffron tried to protest, but my clone took off, flying far into the distance as I watched from where I floated. Belzu’s approach slowed ever-so-slightly as he watched my companions escape. His eyes flickered back to me, seeing me hold the Breastplate of Alexander up.

And he swerved my way. The monsters came for me, ignoring Saffron and her family. My clone could leave the city unimpeded. It was just me, standing in the middle of this tempest of terrible things. The center of attention, as per usual. I relished these moments when everything revolved around me.

Even if it was kind of dangerous right. With a smirk, I equipped the Breastplate of Alexander and summoned a second clone. I could create two clones now considering the level of [Salvo of Vanity]. Even if I was going to try and give Belzu exactly what he wanted, I was going to play it safe. The instant I closed the straps of the Breastplate of Alexander, I felt a surge of power wash over me. It was like I’d been hit by a wave of magic, and it was now coursing through me and filling me with power.

Temporary General Skill [Greater Status Effect Resistance] Obtained!

Temporary General Skill [Superior Aura of Greater Protection] Obtained!

Temporary General Skill [Repudiation Repulse] Obtained!

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 136 (+25) (+50%)

[Strength]: 112 (+25)

[Endurance]: 125 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 210 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 268 (+25)

“Huh. Nice.”

I flexed an arm, grinning. Then I flew towards Belzu. The Primeval Demon halted as he saw my approach. I readied myself for any curse or illusions he’d throw my way, but he simply waited for me. I shouted as I finally met him, above the ruins of Nightsveil’s palace.

“Hey Belzu!”

He peered at me as thunder crackled in the background. Flames burned below and roared smoke in plumes around us. The entire city was being razed to the ground, but I didn’t really care. It wasn’t anything that mattered to me too much. I had already saved Saffron’s family, now there was no other reason for me to stay here.

Why would I fight and die for people I didn’t know or care about?

I’d always found that odd about Edithe or Daniel. Or Saffron. Or even Haec. I remembered how upset he was over the death of the others— of the [Infant Demons] that had been with him. Maybe I was just weird.

But I was Salvos. I didn’t care if I was different.

I didn’t care that despite the terror and disaster Belzu brought about, I only had one thing to say to him.

“I think you’re pretty cool!”

He blinked. He actually closed his bulbous eyes and opened them, staring at me in complete and utter shock. His meandering monsters slowed as he tried to regain his composure. I was pretty sure Belzu thought he was the one caught in an illusion. However, this was the truth. This was reality.

“So, do you want this thingy or…?”

I gestured at the rainbow-colored breastplate I was wearing. He nodded slowly, dubious.

“Indeed. That is what I seek.”

“Huh. Alright. If I give this to you, will you let me go free?”

“That depends.”

Belzu brought one of his spindly arms to his rotund face and scratched his chin.

“You have tried to foil my projects thrice now, Archdemon.”

“Hey! I didn’t do anything to stop you. I was just helping my companion out each time. Well, other than the first time where you tried to kill me in the Brilsum Ruins. Although I was trying to find a Fairy to get back to my companion, so technically I was still trying to help my companion out then too.”

I shrugged.

“Anyway, point is, I’m not going to try to stop you. I’m only going to try and stop you from killing my friends and companions. Like today. Otherwise, I honestly think you’re amazing.”

“Amazing?”

The Primeval Demon crossed all of his arms. I nodded eagerly.

“Yep! You’ve leveled up so fast and you’re so powerful. And everyone says your name in fear, and your people look up to you.”

I waved off-handedly at the monsters gathered around him. He frowned.

“Are you messing with me?”

“Nope!”

Then I leaned forward slightly, looking at him with round eyes.

“But I’m curious, Belzu. What is it that you want? Yes, I know you want this thing I’m wearing, and I’ll give it to you. However, why are you doing all this? It can’t just be for this artifact, right?”

Belzu hesitated. He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he took a moment to study me— to gather each and every one of my subtle changes in facial expression. Finally, when he felt like he had studied enough, he drifted towards me.

“Very well. If you want to know why I do this, I will tell you.”

I narrowed as Belzu spread his arms wide.

“I am doing this to save my kind. To stop the Demon King’s foolish plans. To prevent the merger of the planes.”

Daniel and Amanda crept their way further into Deathfall’s Dungeon. Torchlight illuminated the stone corridors, placed alongside the railway tracks that made up this system of mineshafts. It was like they were lost in a labyrinth, no one to guide them in or out.

Well, apparently Amanda could find her way back out. She was keeping track of where came from. The problem was where they were going: neither of them knew what awaited them further inside. Just that they were going further inside.

There were rooms— dorms for [Miners] to sleep. Places set up for meetings. Even equipment left behind by assassins who supposedly stayed here. And that begged the question: where was everyone?

Not once did Daniel spot a Human walking down these halls. He saw only Demons. And he understood why soon enough.

They stumbled upon a large chamber— one that was circular with a tall ceiling. In it, the largest summoning circle Daniel had ever seen was inscribed on the ground. And on it were piles of bodies. Amanda’s eyes widened as she saw the corpses.

“Those are…”

Daniel frowned.

“Assassins?”

“Yes. And not just any assassins.”

Her voice droned on, low and full of terror.

“They’re… Kedath the Quick Death... Thah the Poison Hands… Beva the Forge of Daggers… each of them are over Level 100. These are the best assassins of the Harrowed Vindicators. Why are they…?”

“They’re sacrifices.”

Daniel cut her off. He pointed past the dozens of corpses— not all of them were over Level 100, some were lower-leveled members, or non-assassins. But they were all used for the same reason.

The summoning circle began to glow as a red aura was sucked from the bodies. Amanda staggered back.

“What is this?”

“A summoning. They’re summoning Demons.”

Daniel crouched down, bracing himself for the wave of powerful energy. And from the center of the summoning circle, a pulse shot out. It shook the ground and nearly knocked Amanda off balance. He caught her, gripping the hilt of his blade. Ready for a fight.

And from the smoke emerged a hulking serpent. It had a long body, coiled together as it stomped forward on dozens of legs. It had a yellow, square-shaped pupil which landed on the one doing the summoning. Another Demon who bowed before it.

“Levithus, welcome to the Mortal Realm.”

The serpent Demon, Levithus, smiled and bared its teeth.

“Ah, so this is our new home.”

[Hellprince - Lvl. 171]

“Now, where is that traitor Belzu hiding?”

“To prevent the merger of the planes.”

Belzu spoke slowly. His voice was deep and thundering. I listened, waiting for him to continue. When he had nothing else to say, I cocked my head.

“Huh. That’s it?”

“You don’t understand, do you, Archdemon?”

He shook his head in disappointment.

“Our King wants nothing more than to live like mortals. He so desperately desires to be a mortal, he is willing to drag our Species through the planes that separate us from them just to live like them. Such foolishness… I shall stop him. And when he lies dead beneath my feet, I shall assume his mantle and lead our kind like a true Demon.”

“I see, I see.”

I nodded along as Belzu finished his short speech. His monsters had stopped moving, but they pretty much surrounded me from all sides, waiting. Mindreapers circled me from above too. There really was nowhere I could escape. Not unless— well, it was risky, but Belzu was really bearing down on me here. And he hadn’t even promised that he’d let me go yet!

“That’s cool and all, but can I please go? I’ll give you your Breastplate of Alexander.”

The Primeval Demon produced one of his sharp hands.

“I shall let you go once you have given me what is mine.”

“I already said I would give it to you!”

“That was not what I was referring to.”

His gaze bore into me as he continued.

“Pledge fealty to me— denounce the Demon King Regnorex— and join me in opposing him, then I shall let you go.”

“Huh.”

I stared at Belzu as he gave me an expectant look. Exchanging a glance with my clone, we both had the same thought. Well, we were the same person so we only had one though— which was my thought. I turned back to the Primeval Demon and sighed.

“First of all—”

I wagged a finger.

“This Demon King… whoever he is… he’s not my king. I don’t know him. I’ve never even met the guy!”

I shrugged as Belzu frowned.

“Second of all— and I believe I’ve told you this before— I’m a Princess. I rule myself. I obey myself. No one else.”

His monsters moved as I raised my hand. My clone created a Primordial Scythe, and Belzu made the sky bleed.

“Lastly…”

I took in a deep breath, meeting the Primeval Demon’s gaze.

“I don’t think mortals want this ‘merger’ either, you know? You could always work with them to stop this. They don’t like Demons, and you don’t like mortals. Wouldn’t it be smarter to work with them than against them to stop this?”

“Working alongside Humans?”

Belzu laughed.

“I’d rather die.”

I bared my teeth as I activated a Skill. [Temporal Distortion].

“And that, Belzu... that simply makes you wild.”

The world around me slowed as he moved towards me. He tried to wrap me up in his illusions, but my clone threw herself at him. He tried to swat her away, and she clung onto him. The flames that made up her body grew wilder and wilder. Belzu struggled until the golden fire engulfed him completely—

And exploded.

A blast more powerful than even my [Demon’s Mark] erupted, shaking the earth even from the sky. I watched as the night sky turned to day briefly as I continued working the spell. The monsters came, and Belzu flitted down, wreathed in flames. He stared at me with a hate-filled gaze.

“You—”

“Honestly, I really was going to give you the Breastplate of Alexander. I really was. But now, I’m going to keep it.”

I bent space and altered time itself. I pictured a spot— a faraway spot that was close to me. One which I’d already played with. And I reached for it as I looked back towards Belzu and his illusions.

“You should have quit while you were ahead, Belzu. Because—”

A portal opened up and I spread my arms, challenging him.

“I’m going to kill you.”

Then I disappeared into the darkness. Belzu came for me— he tried to catch me, but I slipped away. His world of illusions vanished behind me and I popped back through another portal. A hole in this plane, right inside of my Lair. This was the exact same spot I’d practiced my [Temporal Distortion] for months. The same spot the Devil came through.

And here I landed, laughing, with the Breastplate of Alexander worn around my chest, safely escaping Belzu’s clutches.

Available Secondary Skill [Short Ranged Teleportation] becomes [Long Ranged Teleportation]!

Experience is awarded for evolving a Skill!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 109] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 110]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 49] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 50]!

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

...

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 51] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 52]!

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

“Nice.”

—--

A figure stepped into my Lair, looking curiously at me as I lay sprawled on the ground. The Devil crossed his arms as he stood over me.

“So, did you do your chores while I was gone? I hope you didn’t invite any boys over. I’d be really mad if you did.”

My eyes rolled up to meet his smirking face, and I actually chuckled.

“Well, if a boy comes over looking for me anytime tonight, you can chase him away if you want.”

“Aw, did my little Salvos steal some guy’s heart?”

“I stole something else.”

I hopped to my feet as the Devil laughed.

“Now, I don’t want to know how you got yourself tangled with Belzu’s rebellion. But… I can’t say I’m surprised. I knew you’d be interesting. And you have good ole Alexander’s thingy too! It’s pretty sturdy. Good on you.”

He beam as he patted me on the shoulder. I shrugged it off, instead looking at the Devil with a grave look.

“Sal.”

“Oh? We’re being serious now, are we? I’ll have you know, if it’s something too big, I may just go searching for some milk again. As you can see, I didn’t bring back any.”

I ignored him as he waved his empty hands around, showing the lack-of milk.

“If I asked you to kill Belzu for me, would you do it?”

His eyes narrowed. He inspected me for a moment as I waited with bated breath. Then finally, he answered.

“Nope. I like Belzu, too. I told him I wouldn’t kill him, like how I said I wouldn’t kill you. So, I won’t.”

“I see.”

I sighed, shoulders sagging. The Devil elbowed me with a whisper.

“But just between you and me, I think I like you more than him.”

“I don’t care.”

I straightened as he stumbled back, feigning hurt. I ignored it and shook my head.

“I have changed my mind, Devil. Let us make a deal.”

“Oh? Why the change of heart? Are you finally coming around to your old man?”

“No.”

I spoke in a blunt voice, and he cocked a brow.

“Then why?”

I explained.

“It’s because, somewhere out there, my companions are fighting for what they believe is right.”

Saffron Merryster and her family reunited in their mansion as smoke billowed up in the distance. The destruction of Nightsveil could be seen even from hundreds of miles away. The Merrysters quickly gathered their things, planning their next course of action as Salvos’ clone waited for her next command in the courtyard. Saffron paused before the clone, closing her eyes. She hugged the clone, thanking her friend from the bottom of her heart, and cursing herself for ever scorning Salvos.

“Or maybe they’re not fighting. Maybe they’re running.”

Daniel Song and Amanda fled Deathfall’s Dungeon as more Demons were summoned into the Mortal Plane. He found out the truth. He knew what was happening. And it terrified him. But it also bolstered him. It gave him a reason to fight— to finally return to Elutra.

“Maybe they’re recuperating.”

Edithe Dawnrise sat in an inn, just resting. Hadrian was passed out across from her, having drank his worries away for now. She was tired. Exhausted. The end of the company war should’ve given her some reprieve, but all she was given were a myriad of other problems to tackle. And she’d deal with them. Just not yet.

“Maybe they’re even doing something else. I don’t know.”

Haec stood in a white wasteland devoid of life. He stepped over the corpses of those he’d slain littered around like rocks, glancing back as a figure landed next to him. They exchanged no words, but a single nod from her told him what to do. He followed her as she flew off towards the crimson horizon. But deep down, he knew he was meant to be following someone else.

“Point is, they’re all doing something for themselves. All this time, I’ve been doing things for them. And yes, I do care about them and I will continue helping them. But now, I want to do something— my own thing.”

I walked up to the Devil, extending an arm.

“Teach me. Help me learn a Grand Skill. Make me stronger than Belzu so that when the next time we meet, he’ll be the one running for his life.”

I finished. He looked at my proffered hand, eyes twinkling as a grin spread across his face. And, of course, Sal smiled as he took it.

“Anything for my daughter.”

End of Volume 4

Author's Note:

There we have it. The longest volume to date. Almost 80 chapters. It was a lot of new and different things-- a lot less action than previous volumes and more character growth. However it turned out, I hope you guys enjoyed it. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. You even received a shocking little cameo from Haec there towards the end :)

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

246. Begin (Start of Volume 5)

A note from MelasD

Chapters are gonna be erratic over Christmas and New Years, then back to regularly scheduled chappies!

246. Begin

The Breastplate of Alexander was lost. Belzu hovered over the fallen city as his monsters gathered beneath him. The sun rose over the horizon as his silhouette played against the sky. A little speck from afar— his figure no different than that of a bug.

But Belzu was no insect at the feet of a giant. He had proven it. In a short span of time, he’d evolved from a mere Archdemon into a Primeval Demon. Now, he had felled one of the great countries of the Mortal Realm. Now, he held with him one of the greatest artifacts in history. Now, all of Nexeus knew his name.

“Regnorex shall perish by my hands.”

His voice echoed to himself. No one else was left alive in Nightsveil. He wouldn't spare anyone in the city. Each person he killed would garner him experience— more levels to reach even greater heights. And eventually, once he was strong enough, he’d rule all the Netherworld himself.

“But before Regnorex, I shall have to deal with a smaller, insignificant problem.”

His eyes flickered as the world warped around him. A silver-haired Archdemon came to life before his eyes. She sprang up at him, waving a black scythe. With the snap of his fingers, her head fell off, and his illusion vanished.

“Hmph. A tiny Archdemon like her won’t be able to stop me. No matter what she does or whatever training she undergoes, I shall recover the Breastplate Alexander from her corpse. Then I’ll truly be unstoppable.”

And his army moved. The ground shook as they stepped in unison— a synchronized march away from the former city of Nightsveil. Towards his next goal.

Towards victory.

I’d been beaten by Belzu far too many times— sent running from him barely surviving thrice now. I had enough.

I was going to do whatever it took to defeat him. To kill him. Even if it meant making a deal with the Devil. I had enlisted Sal— as he wanted me to call him— to train me and teach me a Grand Skill to achieve my goal. And, well, while he did agree to help me, he also enjoyed messing with me.

So, instead of training me right away, he…

“You have exams coming up, young lady. I will not have you failing your classes because of some… guy!”

The Devil was usually a red-skinned man with black goat-like legs and a pair of crooked horns poking out of his head. Right now, however, he looked like a Human— one with multi-colored eyes. Crimson and azure. His skin was tanned, and he walked around without a shirt for whatever reason.

I scowled.

“It’s not because of some guy. It’s Belzu! And I want to kill him!”

“No buts, young lady.”

He wagged his fingers. I rolled my eyes.

“I didn’t even say ‘but’—”

“I said no buts!”

And that was that. I had to finish my finals first before I could begin my training with the Devil. Which I guess would work since I had a month and a half of break before the next academic term began. So, first, I’d finish up my classes.

Problem was, I wasn’t able to focus. Not only was I excited to get stronger to defeat Belzu. I also had… other things in mind. Literally. Here I sat in a lecture hall, doing my final examination for Professor Isais’ class, but I was somewhere else too.

There was a Skill I’d recently gained thanks to the Devil— [Salvo of Vanity]— and it allowed me to create clones of myself. I could perceive and sense things through my clone, to a certain extent. And right now, she was far away with my companion, Saffron Merryster.

Honestly, it felt like everything I saw was through a thick fog. What happened with my clone was being relayed to me, rather than being fully experienced. Saffron, for some reason, had refused to return to Mavos Academy for now. She was skipping her final exams because of what had happened in Nightsveil.

Her family was heading… somewhere? To meet with other Vampires or something. I didn’t know. They didn’t communicate with my clone because my clone couldn’t talk. I did try having my clone write something with fire.

Apparently, my clone had even worse handwriting than me.

Anyway, as long as Saffron was safe, it didn’t really matter what she did. And if she was ever in danger, I was pretty sure I could teleport to my clone with my new Skill. That was right— I had another new Skill. One which I learned.

[Long Ranged Teleportation].

It was a Skill for my second Class. I only had 5 secondary Skill Slots available, and they were all taken. So, I replaced one of my unused secondary Skills with it. [Object Levitation] seemed pretty pointless, considering I had not used it much ever since I got it. Meanwhile, [Long Ranged Teleportation] allowed me to teleport over great distances— hundreds or maybe even thousands of miles in an instant.

Of course, I couldn’t just teleport to anywhere I wanted. I tested it out, and apparently I could only teleport to places I could see, or I saw in the past hour. Otherwise, it needed to be a place I was connected to. Like my Lair.

The Devil said that wasn’t all I could do with the Skill, but that was all I had tested out so far. And it was not like it was needed right now. It took up a lot of energy to use, and Saffron wasn’t currently in danger.

I pushed my clone’s perception to the back of my mind as I finished up my final exams. A| week passed as I waited to get back my grades. I spent most of the time just hanging out with my friends in Mavos Academy. Valda, the fifteen-year-old genius, was more than happy to spend time with me.

She and her friends were amazed when they visited my room, even though it wasn’t actually my room but Saffron’s room.

“Woah. As expected of the Liberator of the Plaguelands…”

“This is one of the luxury dorm rooms, isn’t it? I hear only the highest of the nobility and the richest [Merchants] can afford this room.”

I beamed as Valda’s friends, Marie and Jonas, sang praises my way. I conveniently forgot to mention that I was just staying over and sleeping on the couch for free, and that this wasn’t actually my room. Matthew was kind enough to provide us snacks, which I gratefully accepted.

Valda narrowed her eyes as he bowed and stood off to the side.

“Wait, isn’t that Saffron’s butler?”

I quickly nodded and waved a hand dismissively.

“Yep, he is! Anyway, what do you guys think of my schedule for the next academic term?”

I showed them the list of classes I’d chosen. More space magic classes, with a single enchantment class. They exchanged glances.

“Aren’t you in the School of Aspiring Elites?”

Eve furrowed her brows. I cocked my head.

“I am, yes. Why?”

Jeremiah tilted his head back.

“Well, I don’t mean to tell you how to structure your schedule, Salvos. But I think that you’re taking too few classes at once.”

“He’s right.”

Valda nodded and crossed her arms.

“With what you’re doing right now, you’ll hit only the bare minimum number of courses required for your graduation. And that’s not considering your dissertation— you may take over two years if this is your planned schedule.”

“Huh.”

I tapped a finger on my chin as she explained.

“But I took the same number of classes last term and no one said a thing.”

She shrugged.

“I was under the impression that you chose to lessen your course load due to enrolling in the middle of the term.”

Well, no one told me what I did was bad! Well, not bad. Just not ideal. I didn’t want to spend too long in Mavos Academy. It was nice, and I had friends, but I was starting to get bored. I perked up as a realization settled in.

“Wait, so theoretically I can finish all my coursework for Mavos Academy and graduate in a single year?”

Valda pursed her lips.

“You could, but it’d be very difficult and it’s not recommended.”

“But I am Salvos.”

My lips curled up as I amended my schedule. Valda blinked before staring at me. She smiled.

“You are. I’m sure you’ll do just fine.”

With that decided, I rolled up the piece of paper as Jeremiah hesitantly looked over at me.

“By the way, there’s a ball being hosted next week and—”

—--

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to attend these rich, social events and feel like a Princess. I couldn’t. Because the week soon passed, and it was finally time for my training with the Devil to begin. I got back the last of my grades and returned to my Lair. I passed all my classes, as expected. I even scored a distinction grade for a few of them.

I held up the report, waving it in the air as I strolled into the cavern.

“Hey, Sal, if you’re done messing around, I’d finally like to learn a Grand Skill—”

I halted when the familiar notification of entering my Lair didn’t ring out in my head. My Lair seemed untouched. I had my books stacked up in a corner, and my treasures displayed against the side wall. Yet, there was something off about the room.

For some reason, the dark cave seemed darker than usual. I lit a flame, and it was instantly snuffed out by the smothering damp atmosphere. The flicker of light briefly illuminated the room long enough for me to see the shadows crawling against the walls and reaching for me. I leapt back, readying a Primordial Scythe—

But before I could react, the shadows grabbed me.

Everything vanished. My vision faded away as my shouts came out silent. I tried to move, but my body didn’t respond. It was like I was back in that sea of nothingness— back trying to struggle free into existence. However, I couldn’t do anything about it now.

This feeling lasted for both an eternity and for a single moment before my senses were restored to me. I found myself lying on the floor of… somewhere.

The Devil’s voice echoed around me.

“Alright, good job, Salvos. You did well. You passed your Human, mortal classes. You even did quite well for someone with no formal education, if I had to say so myself. But now, it’s time for my classes to begin. And, trust me, it will not be as easy as writing a boring essay.”

I sat up, baring my teeth.

“Good.”

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 110

Class: [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 52

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 136 (+25)

[Strength]: 112 (+25)

[Endurance]: 125 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 213 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 270 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 7

[Haste] - Lvl. 10

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 5

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 10

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 5

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 5

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 5

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

A note from MelasD

Chapters are gonna be erratic over Christmas and New Years, then back to regularly scheduled chappies!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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247. Accretion

247. Accretion

Gold light glinted and glittered off fractal panes, pulsating like the molten surface of a volcano. These panels formed a polyhedron room that shimmered and shifted, constantly rotating as the number of flat faces changed. Each spin would turn the room into a different shape. It morphed into a cube. Then a dodecahedron. Then a pyramid. Then an icosidodecahedron.

And it was in this spinning room, I stood straight as I faced the Devil. Somehow, my balance was unperturbed by the eccentricity of it. I crouched and placed a hand on the glass-like floor. Beyond this lattice that trapped me was a black canvas that stretched infinitely outwards. It was haphazardly painted with speckles of mundane objects like shirts or blankets. However, there were other things floating around that made this abstract world even more absurd.

Water that was caught in the process of falling and frozen in place— not ice, but water. A tree floated above it, shaking like its branches were caught in the wind. There was no wind.

Half of a house hovered against the dark. The base of a fountain was in the midst of shattering, but didn’t shatter. A stalactite hung from a ceiling that wasn’t there. Fragments of objects or places that were ripped out and caught in the pullulating silence of this darkness.

And above it all— above the polyhedron room I was in— came the source of the light.

It was like a ring made from thousands of tons of gold, still burning from the heat of the furnace. I followed its edges as it expanded outwards to eternity. A giant, glowing halo. But it wasn’t static; it didn’t just float there. It seemed to spin and swirl into itself. Into a single hole that was somehow darker than its surroundings. As though the gold was being sucked into a vortex of nothingness, and everything else around it was in threat of being swallowed as well.

I gaped at this glorious sight. And the Devil chuckled.

“Yeah… I’d advise you against going out there.”

“Where am I? What is that?”

“You’re in one of the many folds between the Nexeus’ planes. It was probably where you’d end up when you tried and failed to create that portal to the Netherworld a month or two ago. Well, your crushed remains, at least.”

“Huh.”

I slowly took a step back, making sure I could actually walk on the glass-like surface. It took me a moment to gain my bearings, and when I did, I realized I could no longer sense my clone. It was as he said, this was no longer the Mortal Realm. My connection to my clone was gone.

The Devil continued.

“And that thing up there is what you call a supermassive black hole. But don’t worry, it’s not going to swallow us. It’s trapped, just like everything else out there.”

“Trapped?”

“Space and time doesn't work the same way here as it does in the planes of the Nexeus. Don’t get me wrong, it does work, unlike the void beyond. That’s how things can even exist. But it’s… broken.”

“What about this?”

I tapped my foot on the floor. It clinked like it was made of some kind of metal.

“This is my own pocket dimension. In here, time and space works like normal. I can make it bigger, of course. But that isn’t necessary— I rarely have guests over, you see.”

He shook his head. The Devil was back to his normal self, no longer pretending to be a Human. With a flicker, I joined him and reverted out of my [Partial Mortality] form. He continued.

“Anyway, that’s enough about me. It’s time for your training to begin.”

He sauntered over to me and crossed his arms. I cocked my head.

“My training? What am I supposed to do in this tiny space?”

I gestured around— I could probably hop back and forth from one end to another with very little issue. The Devil smiled.

“Ah, but there are two facets to every lesson. The first is the theoretical, and the second is the practical. Just like a professor standing in front of a lecture hall, I brought you here to edify you, dear daughter.”

“I’m not your daughter.”

“Look around. Don’t see with your eyes, but see with your mind. You are not grasping just the scale of this place.”

“What do you mean? It’s pretty big, yes, but—”

I narrowed my eyes as I activated [Planar Navigation]. The Skill normally allowed me to see the world around me through the space it occupied. And, well, I found myself staring at what appeared to be a one by one foot of space.

I blinked.

“What is…?”

“Now you see what I’m talking about.”

The Devil grinned as he spread his arms wide.

“That is right. This entire world of black you see around you is no larger than your Lair, Salvos. It is tiny. And yet, here you stand. And yet, here we stand. Beneath that monolith of death. An infinite abyss.”

“But… how?”

I worked my jaw. He laughed.

“Isn’t it obvious? Space here is warped, as I said. We are smashed between the planes. Between the Mortal Realm and the Netherworld.”

“But how are we even here? Shouldn’t we be instantly crushed too?”

“That, my dear daughter, is thanks to space magic. The very same you wish to master.”

The Devil twirled around and strutted away from me. He placed his hands on his hips before he continued.

“Now that I have shown you theoretically the kind of power you can attain— that you can grasp. You, yourself, will have to work towards it.”

He snapped his fingers, and everything dissolved around me. In the blink of an eye, I found myself standing at the bottom of a steep cliff. I was inundated by a deluge of light. It washed over me, nearly knocking me over with how bright it was compared to the place I was in just before.

The cliff that loomed over me oversaw a vast and vibrant landscape. Colorful with splatterings of orange and red and yellow. Tall, crooked pillars of stone rose up like trees, covering this rocky forest with sharp shadows. These rock formations were multi-layered. Strata that formed a gradient from a brighter shade of red above to a darker shade below.

Canyons and crevices creased the earth like the lines on a leaf’s surface. But there were no leaves here. No trees. It didn’t even look like there’d be any rain for days or months.

My brows knitted together into a frown.

“Where are we now?”

I looked around, taking in this barren landscape. I was either in a desert at the top of a mountain range, or I was in a deep gouge with tall cliffs and mountains.

“This, my little girl, is the Beastmen Plains. Or, at least, the entrance to it.”

The Devil stepped aside, letting me take in the view. When I was done gawking, he continued.

“Your first practical is very simple: you need to grow stronger.

“I… what?”

I stared at him, puzzled. But he didn’t care to elaborate.

“Simply put, you are forbidden from using any of your Subspecies’ Skills here. Instead, you are to level your Class and only your Class.”

“Um, why? Aren’t I trying to get a Grand Skill for my Subspecies?”

I questioned him further, and he sighed.

“A Grand Skill cannot be created from nothing, Salvos. It requires peril and danger and experience and knowledge. Your Class is barely even above 50. The first step you need to make before you can attain a Grand Skill is to garner more experience. Only when you have reached your next Class advancement, can you begin the next step of your training.”

“What? Seriously?”

I threw my hands in the air.

“Come on! Why would my Class matter?”

“Oh, it matters.”

His eyes twinkled as he grinned.

“It matters more than you’d think.”

“What does that even mean?”

I asked. Of course, he didn’t answer.

“Regardless, I won’t just leave you to do as you liked, here. Before I leave, I shall give you a simple goal. It’s not too complicated. A simple hunting mission.”

I sighed.

“And what is this mission?”

“Find the Cursed Boulder.”

The Devil spoke simply, and I paused. I repeated after him.

“Um, find the Cursed Boulder?”

“That’s right. I want you to find the Cursed Boulder. It lies somewhere beyond these lands— within the Beastmen Plains. And once you find it, you are to destroy it.”

“That’s it?”

I cocked my head. He nodded.

“That’s it. You may track it down as you please. Ask around— or simply teleport until you find it. But you cannot leave beyond this point.”

He drew a line in the sand behind me.

“You are only allowed to go further into the Beastmen Plains, not away from it. These are the only stipulations you have.”

“I see, I see.”

I nodded along with a hand on my chin.

“But wait— what happens if I destroy this Cursed Boulder and I still haven’t advanced in my Class yet?”

“That will not be a problem.”

The Devil bounced back behind the line and smiled.

“So, any more questions?”

I tilted my head back. In the back of my mind, I felt a connection return. My clone hadn’t vanished while our connection was severed. She had been moving entirely on autopilot without me. And she’d been slowly fading away without my supply of mana. However, just like a Primordial Weapon, she would take a while to fully dissipate.

Not unless she was actively fighting in battle. Even then, I was pretty sure she could sustain herself for enough time without me.

I raised my hand.

“Actually, am I allowed to continue supplying my clone with—”

“Good.”

The Devil clapped, and a portal appeared behind him.

“Now that I’ve answered all your questions, I’ll be taking my leave now. Ta-ta!”

He leapt into the portal and vanished. I watched him go, feeling my arm droop to the side.

“Huh.”

I shrugged.

“He didn’t say no.”

It wasn’t like my clone used up a lot of energy, anyway. Sure, whenever I initially cast [Salvo of Vanity], it’d eat up a huge chunk of my mana. But once that was done, maintaining my clone would be easy.

“Alright, I guess it’s time for me to find that Cursed Boulder, huh?”

I looked around me— at the innumerous number of possible boulder candidates scattered around. And something clicked in my head.

“Wait, is the Devil seriously asking me to find a specific rock? How am I supposed to do that?!”

“And now, it’s time for me to sit back and watch.”

Sal sat in his own little pocket dimension as one of the fractal panels flickered to life, showing Salvos on the other side. He smirked, leaning back and watching the little girl pick up and turn over every piece of pebble she saw.

He yawned.

“This is boring. What about him? What is he up to?”

Snapping his fingers, Sal made another of the glass-like panes glow, and a different scene showed itself right next to the first. Belzu flew with his army towards another city, sending hordes and hordes of monsters forward to crush it without lifting a single finger.

These were the two most interesting events that were happening in the Mortal Realm at the moment, but one was subtle, while the other was sending ripples throughout the world. Both were brilliant blips that could potentially shape the future, however only one would last.

Both were little specks of flames that were going to clash with each other.

“The question is: which of you will burn brightly and quickly, and which of you will scorch the earth and forever leave your mark?”

That was something Sal was eager to find out.

A note from MelasD

The scene of Salvos staring at the black hole was inspired by the painting Lucifer's Fall. Instead of Earth, it's a black hole, and instead of clouds, it's a bunch of random floating objects.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Have art

Not a chapter but have art. Take it. I said take it. No takebacks. By Sakomi and Wanini, respectively. They're both awesome as heck.

I don't have an art addiction, you have an art addiction.

Shut up.

Just take the art.

It's Christmas or something.

248. Savior

248. Savior

“Nope!”

I shook my head, disappointed. With a crestfallen sigh, I let go of the pebble and it dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.

“Just a regular piece of rock. That’s dumb. What about this?”

It was an almost perfectly round gray ball. I was excited, thinking it was finally what I was searching for—

[Rock - It is a rock.]

But nope. It was just any old rock. Nothing special about it.

“Ugh.”

I tossed it to the side and sauntered off.

“Salvos.”

A voice came at me from above. I blinked and looked up to see the Devil hovering beneath the sun. He had his arms crossed and his lips were curled into a frown.

“Yes?”

I gave him an inquiring look. He sputtered.

“What in my name are you doing?”

“Um, looking for the Cursed Boulder like you asked me to?”

I answered him. But he just stared at me, eyes twitching.

“I’ve been watching you turn over every piece of rock you see for the past three days.”

“Yep! That’s what I’ve been doing! Although… three days, huh?”

I tilted my head back.

“That’s less time than I thought.”

“Anyway—”

Sal cut me off, floating down next to me. I frowned.

“How are you flying without wings—”

“If you really want to get this job done before your school break is over, I suggest you stop picking up every pebble on the ground and start looking around for people.”

“Why would I do that? Aren’t I looking for rocks, not people? Cause rocks aren't people, Devil.”

“You’re not looking for a rock. You’re looking for a boulder. A Cursed Boulder.”

“Yep.”

I nodded.

“A rock.”

“A big rock! The size of that!”

The Devil gestured at a nearby rock. Bigger than the others, but very much still a rock. I crossed my arms.

“I see.”

He glared at me.

“If I have to watch you stare at rocks for the next three days, I will throw you straight to the Endlands for our next lesson.”

“Endlands?”

I looked at the Devil, perplexed. But he just shook his head.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I shall take my leave. Go and find someone, Salvos. Before I grow bored of you.”

“Fine!”

I harrumphed and spun around. Without even looking, I knew the Devil was already gone at that point. I glowered as I searched this rocky wasteland. I was at the ‘entrance’ to the Beastmen Plains, or so Sal said. That meant I could find Beasmen around here, right?

Well, first I had to figure out what Beastmen even were. I didn’t know what they looked like. But judging from their name, I was going to assume they were people who looked like beasts. Maybe like [Beastkin]? But those were Spirits. And—

I glanced up at the blue sky dome above.

And I was still very much in the Mortal Realm. Definitely not the Spirit Plane. It had a green sky— I think.

My thoughts were interrupted as a soft growl crept up on me from behind. I turned to face the source of the noise, finding a pair of beady yellow eyes preying on me from between a set of cliffs. I cocked my head.

“Um, can I help you?”

I raised a brow, and a creature emerged from the shadows. It had four legs, like a kind of dog. Except if the dog lacked fur and was incredibly thin. Also, four times as big as a regular dog. Honestly, it could probably eat a whole dog.

[Gloomcoyote - Lvl. 61]

“[Gloomcoyote]? What kind of a name is that?”

It didn’t respond. Instead, it slowly approached me, circling me. More [Gloomcoyotes] appeared from behind, joining the first to flank me from all sides.

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Are you called a [Gloomcoyote] because you’re sad? Why are you sad?”

My eyes widened.

“Did something happen to your family? I know— Belzu killed your family, didn’t he?”

The first [Gloomcoyote] leapt forward, and I easily stepped to the side.

“It’s a big problem. He’s been killing a lot of people these days.”

A second and third [Gloomcoyote] tried to pounce at me. They failed. I skipped away with a grin.

“I’d feel bad for you and your family, but…”

I felt a power surge through me. A set of invisible hands reached out, smacking back the first [Gloomcoyote] as it tried for me again. [Mystical Projection] held it in place as it struggled.

“But, unfortunately, you’re wild.”

With that, I sped forward and sliced its head off. I held up my claws, facing the remaining [Gloomcoyotes]. And I bared my teeth.

“So, I don’t really care.”

They weren’t the only ones to attack me throughout the day. But no matter what monsters came, I disposed of them quite easily. After all, I was far higher-leveled. Also, I had the Breastplate of Alexander on. It was not like any of them could hurt me, even if they were my level.

Defeated [Goomcoyote - Lvl. 61]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 52] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 53]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

…

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 54] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 55]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Mountaintooth crept alongside the side of a cliff wall, holding in his breath with trembling lips. Despite his rather intimidating name, he was anything but intimidating. After all, he was but a cub— a little lion that walked on two feet without any claws, no more than five years of age.

Behind him, Amberarm and Sharpbraid followed. It was night, and the three children were lost in the mists that plagued the Bladed Mountains. Every cub of their tribe knew better than to venture deep into such a dangerous area, especially when it was dark. But they had no other choice. Their tribe had been slain. They were forced to flee— to the next village.

And the fastest way to reach it was by skirting the edges of the Bladed Mountains. At least, here, their attacker wouldn’t pursue them.

“Keep it down.”

He growled as Amberarm purred in fear. She clutched Sharpbraid by the arm— he was the oldest of the three, with a semblance of a mane growing around his neck.

“But what if we’re attacked by a [Gloomcoyote]? Or worse— a [Savage Critter]?”

Amberarm already had claws, unlike Mountaintooth or Sharpbraid. Female cubs mature earlier than male cubs in regards to claws and fangs. And he claws dug deep into Sharpbraid’s arm. He yelped.

“Ouch! That hurt!”

He stumbled back.

Honestly, the only thing Mountaintooth had going for him over the other two was his name, as well as his sense for survival. And right now, his senses were telling him that they were in danger. His round ears perked up as something shifted just ahead of him. He made a quick shushing motion to his friends, backing up against the cliff wall. Practically hugging it.

They followed him right as the thing emerged from the shadows. It trudged over the rocky floor, sending small pebbles down crumbling down the steep decline that oversaw the actual Beastmen Plains. It walked on six legs, with pink skin that blended with some of the colorful landscape. Its head was like a flowerbud, tightly shut with only a pair of nostrils— no eyes. And it approached the three cubs.

A [Savage Critter]. Mountaintooth’s eyes grew wide in recognition and fear. It had to be over Level 70— he couldn’t identify it, but it was supposed to be a very high-leveled monster that only the strongest of his tribe could defeat.

Sharpbraid gritted his teeth and glared at Amberarm.

“You just had to open your big mouth, didn’t you?”

“You’re the one who yelped like a kitten—”

“Quiet. Both of you.”

Mountaintooth snarled. He didn’t want to speak, but he had no choice. His friends wouldn’t shut up, and a [Savage Critter] relied purely on sound. Its head snapped directly towards him, and he tensed.

His friends froze, unable to say anything. He just wanted to stand there and hope for the best too. However, he knew better than to do that. It would kill them. It knew they were there.

The [Savage Critter] stalked their way, each foot followed by another. Like a cacophony of thuds with each step. It sniffed the air as it drew closer. It could smell their fear. The perspiration that wetted Mountaintooth’s fur— it perfumed the air, attracting the monster like a butterfly to a flower.

This is where it ends… Mountaintooth closed his eyes. He couldn’t warn the other tribes. This was the one thing Papa had tasked him to do. But here he was, going to die to some monster. It was so ridiculous. He… he… no.

He wouldn’t give up here. He looked over at his friends as he peeled himself from the cliffeside.

“Run.”

That was all he said. They stared at him as he dashed to the side. The [Savage Critter] jerked up to face him in surprise. It took a moment to register the footsteps, not instantly pouncing in case of a trap. They were savage, not stupid, after all.

Mountaintooth didn’t really know what he was doing. He didn’t even have a Class yet. He was close— he was Level 8. But no Class. All he had was his one Racial Skill.

[Lesser Intimidation].

“Come here you ugly, deformed dog!”

He shouted, and his voice echoed through the Bladed Mountains, slicing the blanket of silence and cutting through the thick mist covering the tall, vertical cliffs.

It caused the monster to pause for a second. A single second. Mountaintooth wasn’t even sure if Amberarm and Sharpbraid listened to him. He just needed to draw the [Savage Critter] away from them. Maybe it would even forget about his friends once it finished eating him.

He slammed his eyes shut, accepting what was to come with open arms. The [Savage Critter] howled and leapt forward as its face opened up— like a terrible flower unfurling to consume him. Mountaintooth waited for his death to arrive. He hoped it would be quick. But it came slowly. So slowly, in fact, that it never arrived.

Blinking, he opened his eyes and stared at the floating [Savage Critter]. It struggled mid-air, held by an invisible arm as it snapped at the air. A figure appeared from the mists. One with silver hair and gleaming golden eyes.

It had a dark blue coat of fur that somehow only reached to its arms and legs— not the hands or legs or face— with a black mane-thing around its neck. It vanished and appeared right before the [Savage Critter], baring its not-so-sharp teeth.

“Hi. I’m Salvos.”

For whatever reason, this thing— this Salvos— seemed to greet the monster. However, the [Savage Critter] broke free from whatever was holding it and struck for the Salvos.

The Salvos ducked under the attack and frowned.

“That’s rude, you didn’t even tell me your name!”

It struck the [Savage Critter] twice, and the monster died. Mountaintooth couldn’t help but gawk at that. How…?

[??? - Lvl. ???]

Mountaintooth couldn’t identify either the Salvos or the [Savage Critter], but the gap between them was so large, the former couldn’t even put up a fight.

He wasn’t sure how to react. But it was clear that the Salvos was not there to harm him— or if it was, it was intelligent enough to speak. So, it was better off for Mountaintooth not to aggravate it. He got to his feet, stumbling and murmuring under his breath.

“I…”

He inhaled deeply, bowing low.

“Thank you, you saved my life—”

“Finally, a person!”

Before he could finish saying his thanks, the Salvos picked him up and spun him around.

“Wha…?”

“You’re a lifesaver!”

It exclaimed. Mountaintooth blinked.

“But… you’re the one who saved me.”

A note from MelasD

Merry Christmas! One of my readers on Discord made a Salvos padoru. Shoutout to Heejens for it.

Oh, I also caught COVID lmao

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Quick little COVID update

So as I said last update, I got COVID. Fortunately, it’s the Omnicron and it’s not as bad as previous variants. I’ll probably fully recover by as early as next week, and since I’m holed up, I have more time to write which should theoretically mean more chapters for you guys until the new year. Only problem is being ill will make it harder to get back to regularly scheduled chapters on January 1st like I intended. Anyway, hopefully you all stay safe this holiday season! Chapter tomorrow, probs.

249. Beastmen

A note from MelasD

I offered some shoutouts to some peeps. I forgot who >.>

249. Beastmen

[Lion Beastman - Lvl. 7]

[Lion Beastman - Lvl. 7]

[Lion Beastman - Lvl. 9]

I stared at the three Beastmen standing before me. They were covered in a thick layer of golden fur, wearing brown tunics that were ragged and stained with blood. One of them— the highest-leveled boy— had a semblance of an orange mane growing around his neck. The other two didn’t have it, but I could tell one of them was a male and the other was female.

They gaped at me as I clapped hands together.

“You don’t know how long I’ve been searching for someone in this dumb place! But no. All there are are stupid monsters here! And they’re so dumb! Look at it!”

I glanced back at the dead [Savage Critter] behind me. It was barely above Level 80. Honestly, not too difficult of a fight for me. But since I’d been killing so many monsters— well, killing it gave me another level.

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 55] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 56]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

I had been scouring this odd mountain range for a whole day! And I didn’t find any weird rocks or any people. Not until now, at least.

The first of the [Lion Beastman]— the one I’d saved— walked up to me and bowed his head again.

“I-I… am grateful that we could be of help to you. And for saving us, I must truly thank you.”

His voice came out in a soft growl. But it wasn’t an aggressive growl. He just had a guttural way of speaking. His two companions quickly bowed with him as my eyes darted over to the side. I spotted something— something odd poking out of the ground.

The boy continued.

“Is there anything we could do to—”

He started, but I ran off to inspect the object to the side. I peered at it and tapped a clawed finger on its side. [Identification] told me that it was an old piece of rock. I deflated as the boy hesitated.

“Hrr… is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

I sighed as I walked back to the three children. They looked between themselves, puzzled.

“It’s just not what I’m looking for.”

“I-I… see…”

“Anyway, what’re your names? I’m Salvos!”

“O-oh, I’m Mountaintooth.”

“A-Amberarm.”

“My name is S-Sharpbraid.”

They all spoke in scared voices as I nodded, fixing their names to their faces. I wasn’t even transformed, and they were afraid of me. That was good!

Mountaintooth shifted slightly as I beamed happily to myself.

“I-I… elder Salvos, I—”

My gaze snapped sharply at him.

“Who’re you calling an elder?”

“Wha— I didn’t mean it like that!”

He yelped and backed up. I crossed my arms as he tried to explain.

“I was trying to be polite, eld— I mean, hrr… I…”

He trailed off. Amberarm quickly stepped in front of him, taking over.

“I must apologize if he offended you. But he means no disrespect— I don’t know what it’s like in your culture, but our culture teaches us to refer to those much older and wiser than us as an ‘elder’.”

I furrowed my brows.

“Well, where I’m from, you just refer to me by my name if you want to be respectful. Putting anything else before or after it is disrespectful!”

I wagged my fingers at them, and the three children nodded quickly.

“Yes, Salvos.”

“Anyway—”

I crossed my arms as they shuffled, averting their gazes.

“Even so, you can’t refer to me as an elder in your culture.”

“Why not?”

Sharpbraid blinked. I looked at them.

“Well, how old are you guys?”

“Five years old.”

Mountaintooth spoke softly. Amberarm nodded.

“I’m the same age as him.

“And I’m seven. Almost an adult.”

Sharpbraid puffed his chest up. I gestured at them.

“See? You can’t call me an elder because I’m your age! I’m six!”

Or at least, I thought I was. I was probably around that age range. Still, not much older than them.

Mountaintooth’s jaw dropped.

“What? No way!”

“Seriously?”

“But you’re—”

Amberarm and Sharpbraid gawked behind him. I raised my chin, looking down at the three children. I was so much better than them— literally ten times better than them. Why couldn’t all six year olds be as good as me? Sucks to be them.

“Exactly. I’m pretty awesome!”

They exchanged glances as I basked in my greatness. Then Sharpbraid elbowed the other two. He leaned over and began whispering to them. Amberarm and Mountaintooth looked unconvinced, but Sharpbraid reassured them and turned back to me.

“What’s wrong?”

I cocked my head. The oldest of the three scratched the back of his mane and approached me.

“We, hrr, were thinking that since you were so high-leveled and strong— would you be able to help us avenge our tribe?”

“Avenge your tribe?”

My eyes narrowed, and he explained.

“You see, we come from the Swift Hill Warriors— a tribe that used to live a few dozen miles just outside of this mountain range. However, a few weeks ago, rumors of a terrible monster reached our tribe. One that has been terrorizing the other tribes in the Beastmen Plains. As our tribe is full of fighters, we thought we could deal with whatever monster this was without a problem. Unfortunately, last week… it showed up and slaughtered our entire tribe.”

“That’s right.”

Amberarm lowered her gaze.

“We were the only survivors. The eldest of our tribe— Mountainfang, Mountaintooth’s father— faced the beast himself. And even he was not strong enough to defeat it.”

Mountaintooth turned away as she mentioned his dad. I grew bored as Sharpbraid tried to finish.

“That’s right. If we don’t stop this monster, it’ll destroy— where are you going?”

The oldest [Lion Beastman] paused as I wandered to the side, inspecting a piece of pebble from the ground.

“Huh?”

I glanced up at him.

“Oh, nothing. I’m searching for something, and I can’t find it.”

“What are you searching for?”

Amberarm asked. I waved a hand dismissively.

“A Cursed Boulder or something like that. I was told I could find it around here.”

I tossed the pebble aside, and she stared at me.

“But that’s… not a boulder.”

“Yep. And?”

I cocked a brow at Amberarm. She hesitated.

“Why are you inspecting a pebble if you’re looking for a boulder? Shouldn’t you be checking… bigger rocks instead of smaller rocks?”

“Because that’s what makes it cursed. You can’t be sure the curse doesn’t turn the boulder into a pebble.”

I shook my head.

“Children, always so foolish.”

I walked back towards Sharpbraid.

“Anyway, what were you saying?”

He scratched his cheek.

“R-right. I was asking if you could help us slay this beast terrorizing the plains.”

“Huh. Is it very strong?”

I frowned. He clenched a fist.

“Very strong. Stronger than anything I’ve ever seen.”

“Then nope!”

I spoke happily. Their shoulders sagged. Mountaintooth gritted his teeth.

“I knew we shouldn’t have… Sharpbraid you idiot…”

“Anyway, if that’s it, I’m gonna go now!”

I waved at the three children and was about to teleport off. But before I did, Mountaintooth leapt forward.

“Wait!”

He raised his hand towards me. I spun around.

“Yes?”

“Maybe we can help you.”

I perked up.

“You know where I can find the Cursed Boulder?

“N-no. We are young, so we may not know what it is you’re looking for. But the elders of the other tribes may know— we’re headed to the Furious Whispers Tribe. If you protect us, we may be able to guide you to them, and they could lead you to the Cursed Boulder.”

“Huh.”

He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath.

“I-I know that it’s just a possibility. That it may not even help you. However, the possibility is still there. If this is something that’s infamous in either the plains or the Bladed Mountains, then surely the elders of the other tribes would be able to aid you. So, please, help us.”

His companions looked at him, then at me. They eyed me hopefully— pleadingly. Mountaintooth himself didn’t even meet my gaze, instead choosing to bite his lower lip and wait for a response, bracing himself for a rejection. I grinned.

“Makes sense to me. Come on, let’s go!”

“Wha—”

I grabbed the three children and leapt into the air. They squeaked as I looked around.

“So, where is this tribe?”

—--

They led the way. They showed me the way out of the Bladed Mountains— the place where I’d been— to the Beastmen Plains. And, well, it seemed no different from any other flatlands to me. The grass was green and the mounds rose and fell like crashing waves.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t just fly over it. Instead, I made a mad dash through the grasslands until I eventually saw the tents jutting out in the distance.

“Finally!”

It wasn’t a tall city like either Unarith or Viechester. Tarps were strapped up next to each other like houses. They comprised of many different colors— red, magenta, azure, gold— and they filled a small valley with life. I narrowed my eyes as I saw the various Beastmen strolling throughout the fringes of this tribe.

They weren’t all the same, like I expected them to be. There was an eclectic of Species of Beastmen. [Tiger Beastman], [Wolf Beastman], [Bear Beastman]— many more. They all looked like their respective animals, except they were all bipedal and more proportioned to have stubbier arms and less of their animal-like characteristics.

They saw my approach with the three [Lion Beastman] cubs, and they were quickly stricken by panic. Before they could raise whatever alarm they had— some kind of weird horn— Mountaintooth shouted out.

“Wait, elders of the Furious Whispers Tribe! We come from the Swift Hill Warriors!”

At the mention of his tribe, they immediately dropped their guard. Dozens of Beastmen rushed towards us in a worry as I let go of him. They huddled over the boy, speaking quickly in different kinds of voices.

“We saw smoke over the horizon, youngling. What happened to your tribe?”

A [Wolf Beastman] barked. Mountaintooth closed his eyes.

“It was… destroyed.”

He gnawed his teeth together, and Amberarm struggled out of my arms. She bowed deeply.

“We need to speak to your eldest.”

A retinue of [Wolf Beastmen] guards led us through the… tribe. I really didn’t know what else to call it. It didn’t have any buildings, only tents. Some were larger than others, but they were all smaller than any old two story building in a city. As we waded our way through this sea of tents, I heard voices— whisperings— coming from the Beastmen looking at me.

“Who is that?”

“Why is she accompanying those younglings from the Swift Hill Warriors?”

“What is that thing?”

I paused. I glared at the one who called me a thing. He shrank back as I shook an angry fist.

“I am not a thing— I am Salvos, and I am a Demon!”

I expected to hear gasps. See shocked faces. Either that of fear or of anger like I often received from Humans or Kobolds. Either that, or see looks of admiration like from Elves. Maybe even just curiosity, like from Cyclopes.

However, what I got surprised me. Because they just looked confused.

“A Demon? What is that?”

“Wait, I think I’ve heard about it before in a story once. It’s a thing that eats Human babies, right?”

“Hrr, seriously?”

“No, I’ve spoken to a Human before, and they said that Demons actually live among them and drink their blood—”

I stared at the gossiping faces. The tunic-wearing Beastmen had absolutely no idea what a Demon was. They didn’t mention anything about summoning, or anything about the Netherworld. They were utterly clueless.

“Um…”

I looked over at the three [Lion Beastmen] with me.

“Hey, Mountaintooth, Amberarm, Sharpbraid. Have any of you heard about Demons before?”

They shook their heads.

“Never, Salvos.”

“This is my first time hearing about a Demon.”

“No.”

“Huh.”

That was an odd feeling. I didn’t know what I thought of it. For now, I just accompanied them to the largest tent in the tribe. The one that stood at the very center.

...it was still barely larger than a building— at least in terms of width. In height, it wasn’t that tall either. Certainly not the size of an arena for fighting.

When I arrived there, an [Ape Beastmen] greeted us at the door. He had white hair that covered all parts of his body except for his face and his hands and his legs. He walked with a slight hunch, greeting us with a high-pitched voice.

“Welcome, younglings of the Swift Hill Warriors. I am Tuktox, the eldest of the Furious Whispers tribe. I have heard the news. Come, don't be afraid. We shall ensure you are safe here. And as for your savior—”

He turned towards me with a toothy smile.

“Let us get you comfortable. We have food to offer you.”

“No thanks, I—”

I paused when I saw the platter they set out for me. There were plates, bowls, baskets, all filled with… a wide array of bugs. Ants, flies, mosquitos, locusts— all the most delicious things in the world. My mouth watered.

“Nevermind. Thank you so much!”

I immediately dug in as the three [Lion Beastman] children were led to a table lain on the ground. They all kneeled down and began to talk, discussing amongst themselves.

“Your tribe was not alone in its destruction, younglings. This destroyer has been methodical and ruthless, leaving dozens of smaller tribes in ashes. Yours was the first major tribe it wiped out.”

A [Wolf Beastmen] grunted.

“We didn’t know it had gotten this far. We heard about it when it washed ashore— it is not the first of its kind— but if we knew it would get here as quickly as it did, we’d have helped your tribe. For our failure, we apologize.”

I grabbed another of the fried bugs and munched on it as they had their conversation in the background.

“It will continue its rampage. Let us gather the other major tribes— a moot to find the greatest warriors. We cannot remain idle any longer. We have to stop it. We have to stop the Cursed Boulder.”

I blinked and dropped my food.

“Um, what?”

A note from MelasD

Last chapter of the year :)

This year has been wild. Lotsa big things for me. Turned 21. Hit 11,000 followers on Salvos. Published seven books. Signed with a publisher. Graduated from Uni. Wrote 1.2 million words.

But I have bigger goals for next year. One of them is to write 2 million words. Let's get this bread.

250. ---- Boulder

250. ---- Boulder

“Wait, so you’re telling me that the monster that destroyed Mountaintooth’s tribe is the Cursed Boulder?”

I stared at the [Ape Beastman]. Tuktox, the eldest of the Furious Whispers Tribe. He reached a long arm over his head to scratch his other cheek.

“Oo, yes. A [Lizard Beastmen] from our tribe heard about this Cursed Boulder a few weeks back when she was visiting the Poison Bugs Horde. It only recently surfaced from the western ocean. We thought it’d take longer to get here, but it seems we were mistaken.”

He wore a grave look on his face. His face darkened as he continued to scratch his head. Honestly, while his expression was dour, his body language seemed to tell a different tale. Or maybe that was just his tail acting weird.

It kept bouncing around from side to side.

Also, he was a Beastmen. I couldn’t use Humans as a standard to measure how he felt. So, I simply nodded.

“Huh.”

“Grr, it destroyed so many lesser tribes. But to think it even reached the Swift Hill Warriors… it must be over Level 100, then.”

One of the Beastmen elders gathered— a [Wolf Beastman]— growled, his fangs poking out from his snout. I cocked my head. I seriously never thought that a piece of rock could gain levels.

Well, Golems could. But Golems weren’t really just pieces of rock. They were alive, too. They even had a heart. The [Lux Golmi] showed me that. I remembered how it felt— the fear it showed when it believed I would kill it and its companions.

Golems weren’t mere pebble.They were alive. And if this Cursed Boulder was going around, killing others while leveling, then it surely meant it was alive too, right?

I furrowed my brows.

“Is it some kind of a Golem?”

“We aren’t sure.”

Tuktox closed his eyes.

“What do you mean you’re not sure?”

“Truth be told, we’ve never seen a Cursed Boulder before. We have only heard about it from other tribes. It could possibly be a Golem, but it’s not any we’ve seen before. And the magic it casts— I have never heard of a Golem that can utilize space magic.”

Space magic? I was starting to understand why the Devil wanted me to find it and kill it. It was a test of sorts. Although, with the current Skills I had, I wasn’t sure how easy that’d be.

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 10

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 5

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 5

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 5

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

Well, that didn’t mean they were useless. And I could always just claw my way through the Cursed Boulder.

I glanced over at Mountaintooth and the other two children.

“What about you? You’ve seen the Cursed Boulder, right? Do you think it’s a Golem?”

Heards turned towards him, and the boy shrank back.

“W-what? Me…?”

He shifted uncomfortably, trying to muster up any words. Tuktox placed a hand on my shoulder and pulled me back.

“Please, elder Salvos—”

“It’s just Salvos.”

“Oo, right. Salvos.”

The eldest sighed.

“Let us not press the youngling with too many questions after all that he’s been through. Please, it will surface bad memories.”

“Oh, ok.”

I drew back, but Mountaintooth gritted his teeth.

“I-I’m fine!”

He stepped forward.

“I just didn’t get a good look at the beast. None of us did.”

His shoulders sagged as he turned back to his companions. I studied his expression.

“What do you mean by that?”

“He means that we couldn’t even see it.”

Amberarm spoke up next. She shivered and clutched her shoulders, hugging herself.

“It was a blur. No matter where we looked or where it went, everything around it was obscured. Like we couldn’t focus on it.”

“We couldn’t even see its level or use [Identification] on it.”

Sharpbraid nodded from behind her.

Well, that was odd. I’d never heard of that before. Perhaps it was a [Lux Golmi] using illusion magic?

My musings were cut off when Mountaintooth spoke.

“Whatever it is, you guys have got to stop it. You have to avenge my father— our tribe.”

He gestured at Amberarm and Sharpbraid. They nodded in agreement, children wearing dark, hate-filled looks on their faces.

“Huh. But isn’t revenge bad or something?”

At least, that was what Daniel told me. Everyone in the room shook their heads.

“No, why would it be?”

They replied at pretty much the same time with a similar variation of that. So, Daniel was wrong. Silly Daniel! Always so silly with his morals and ideals and philosophy!

“Nice, alright.”

I snapped my fingers, making a decision.

“Well, you don’t need to worry about this Cursed Boulder destroying any more of your tribes. And you’ll get your revenge.”

I grinned as I started for the tent’s exit. They stared at me, and I glanced back at them.

“Because I’ll be destroying it now.”

—--

I really didn’t know what this Cursed Boulder was. What I did know was that if it was randomly destroying Beastmen tribes for no reason, it was probably wild. Maybe it wasn’t— I’d figure it out for sure when I found it— but it probably was.

“Wait!”

A voice called out to me as I walked amongst the many multi-colored tents of this tribe. Mountaintooth squeezed through the crowd of Beastmen and ran up to me. He tugged at my jacket, and I looked down at him inquiringly.

“What’s wrong?”

“I-I…”

He panted, gathering his nerves and faced me. I frowned.

“Do you want to get your revenge yourself? Because I could let you try...”

“What? No!”

Mountaintooth blinked and took a step back.

“Then what happened?”

“You… you don’t know where the Cursed Boulder went. You don’t even know where it was last seen!”

He exclaimed. I blinked.

“Huh, you’re right. I forgot to ask you guys.”

I crossed my arms, wondering to myself.

“Then where was I even going?”

Shrugging, I turned back to Mountaintooth.

“Well, you’re here now. So, where is it?”

“It’s to the southwest— about two hundred miles. That’s where my tribe used to be. It… I don't know where it went, but maybe you can track it down from there?”

“Thanks!”

I bowed back at the boy— that was the polite thing to do here for Beastmen, right?— and was about to scurry off. But he clung onto my jacket. I gave him a curious look.

“Did you need something else?”

“Y-yes…”

Mountaintooth took a deep breath and sputtered.

“R-revenge doesn’t work that way!”

“Huh?”

I stared at him, and he repeated himself.

“Revenge doesn't work that way. You can’t just avenge someone on behalf of them. They have to request a kin— someone of the same Species to carry it out for them.”

He closed his eyes as he spoke, fists balled up in frustration. It was clear that he wanted me to kill the Cursed Boulder and be done with it, but there was some sort of tradition here that stipulated this. Another weird mortal thing, probably.

“T-that’s why I want you to bring me with you. If I’m there— if I even lay a finger on the Cursed Boulder as you kill it, then my tribe shall be avenged. Their deaths will be vindicated. Please, take me with you.”

“You want me to bring you to face this power monster where you could possibly die just to fulfill some revenge pact you have?”

“Yes!”

I couldn’t help but smack my forehead with the palm of my hands. It was stupid. Mortals were stupid.

“Don’t be an idiot, Mountaintooth!”

Amberarm’s voice cut through the crowd. She ran up to us, followed slowly by Sharpbraid. The duo huddled around Mountaintooth, but he was adamant about it.

“You can’t stop me. I was the son of the eldest. This is my duty to our tribe.”

“It is our duty too.”

Sharpbraid harrumphed. Amberarm nodded.

“Let us go with you too!”

“You two…”

Mountaintooth trailed off as his companions nodded at him. I watched this play out, rolling my eyes.

“This is all very complicated and dumb.”

I clapped my hands, and they turned to me in surprise. I raised a hand, cutting them off before they could protest.

“Alright, so you just need to request someone to carry out this revenge for you, right?”

“Our kin.”

“Someone of the same Species, then.”

“That’s right.”

They nodded. I spread my arms wide.

“Then here’s a simple solution.”

My body shifted as their eyes grew round. Passersby— or onlookers, since there were some Beastmen watching this scene from the side— stopped to stare at me in amazement as my body changed.

[Partial Mortality] let me transform to most sapient mortal Species. And, well, Beastmen were included in that list. I glanced down at my golden arms, covered in a layer of fur. There were gasps— people were gaping at how I suddenly became one of them. A [Lion Beastman]... woman.

“There. Happy? You can just ask me to kill the Cursed Boulder now and it wouldn’t be a problem.”

Mountaintooth blinked a few times. He glanced over at Amberarm.

“Is this allowed?”

“Who cares if it’s allowed? Just say it!”

“Alright… hrr, elder Salvos—”

“It’s just Salvos!”

I scowled.

“But I have to call you that because of formalities.”

“Ugh, fine. Hurry it up.”

“Elder Salvos, avenge my tribe. Let the Swift Hill Warriors rest and slay the Cursed Boulder that slaughtered my people.”

He went on his knees and lowered his head to touch the dirt in a bow. I glanced over at Amberarm.

“What do I do now?”

“Just say ‘I will’.”

“Um, I will.”

I spoke, and it seemed like a huge burden disappeared from Mountaintooth’s shoulders. With a deep sigh, he drew back to his feet and smiled.

“Thank you.”

“Ok, now that that’s finished, can I leave now?”

“You can. I— but…”

Mountaintooth hesitated, and I tapped my left foot impatiently on the ground.

“What is it now?”

“How exactly did you do… this?”

He asked, gesturing at my [Lion Beastman] form. I blinked and looked down at myself.

“This? Oh, it’s just a Skill. I’m a Demon— a [Changeling]— so I can transform to other Species. See?”

I transformed back to myself from [Partial Mortality]. Again, everyone gasped. Mountaintooth flinched at the sudden change. Then his eyes grew wide.

“Woah.”

“Amazing, right?”

“It is. Demons sure are amazing, Can all Demons do that?”

“Only some. Like me.”

I pointed at myself. Mountaintooth stared at me.

“O-oh. Then you’re so amazing, Salvos.”

“I know.”

I smirked. With that, I left the Furious Whispers Tribe behind me.

I didn’t fly. I wasn’t allowed to fly. Not by the Deivl. So, instead, I teleported to the furthest point I could see in the horizon. Which, due to the hilly landscape, wasn’t as far as I’d have liked. And I wasn’t able to teleport again. Even if it was a shorter distance— not across thousands of miles which drained me of a lot of mana— I had a cooldown between each use of [Long Range Teleportation]. Plus, it used up a lot of mana too, anyway. Inefficient compared to using a dozen Short Range Teleports in a row, which was exactly what I did after.

Once I was far enough away from the tribe, I began to run. I kicked up a trail of dust clouds behind me as I made my way southwest. It took a bit to actually locate my destination. I had to do a bit of searching. But its name— the Swift Hill Warriors— implied one thing, so I made sure to get to the high ground and check atop every mound I saw.

What I found was nothing but a bunch of collapsed tents. Many of them were burned from fallen torches after being crushed and trampled by some kind of traveling disaster. Bodies littered the tribe, and I spent a minute or two investigating.

“Not a trace of the Cursed Boulder left behind.”

I tapped a finger on my chin. That was odd. I’d have expected something like a moving boulder to leave a deep divot on the dirt. There was none of that. I walked around for a bit until I eventually decided to try using magic to detect it.

[Planar Navigation] overtook my senses, and instantly, I saw a disturbance in the same around me. It was like something had dragged its way through the plane, altering the space around it as it went. I followed this trail to the north, where a forest lay ahead. Trees had been felled, creating a clear path for me to follow.

And it was there, in a clearing in the middle of the forest, I saw my target.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to discern its shape. I could see specks of gray— little bits of rock flying about in a concentrated tempest. It shrouded over what was at the center, like the dusty wind girdling the eye of a storm. Except, instead of a dull brown gale sweeping around

At heart of this odd phenomenon… my vision unfocused. I could only see a splash of colors coming together in jagged lines and dots. It covered whatever it was there like a curtain, if the curtain itself was warped into a rough and crooked shape. I could only see the semblance of a silhouette of a round shape with it. But other than that, I knew not what this was. Even [Identification] didn’t know what it was.

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Boulder - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]

“Huh.”

A note from MelasD

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251. Distortion

A note from MelasD

I remember who I promised to shoutout now

Following his ‘death’ at the hands of a vicious magpie, Brock is rescued by the machinations of the newly instated, all-powerful System and thrust knee-deep into a brutal world catered only to the strong. Fluctuating between two states of being and quarantined within a city ravaged by time, he is told to either seek out the mysterious ‘Source’, or die trying.

He just hopes he can do it without scuffing his expensive suit in the process.

At The Precipice [A Survival LitRPG] | Royal Road

251. Distortion

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Boulder - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]

“Huh.”

I stared at the Cursed Boulder. Or the… something Boulder. And I wasn’t actually staring at it, more like looking in its general direction. I couldn’t discern what it was entirely. It was a storm focused on a single spot, blotched and disarrayed by a deformed mixture of vibrant colors.

It seemed to blur and break at its fringes. The only sign that something was behind this phenomenon was the semblance of a stone-like figure within it. It floated in the sky, and sunlight seemed to seep through it, not leaving a single sign of a shadow.

I crossed my arms, frowning.

“Well, I don’t even know it’s level. Should I… should I fight it?”

This obfuscated tempest raged on before me, tearing up the landscape without any specific target. I spotted small animals flying up alongside uprooted trees and joining the whirlwind before me. But it wasn’t actually a whirlwind. Instead, it was some kind of levitation spell. Space magic.

“Wait, actually…”

I didn’t know its level. If it was stronger than me— far stronger than me— I would be caught and suffer the same fate those animals did. However, I did have something that could mitigate that.

I pulled out my Bag of Holding and produced a rainbow-colored chestpiece. The Breastplate of Alexander. It glimmered underneath the sunlight, shining with the faint traces of the powerful magic within.

I hefted it over my blue jacket, feeling its effects take over me.

Temporary General Skill [Greater Status Effect Resistance] Obtained!

Temporary General Skill [Superior Aura of Greater Protection] Obtained!

Temporary General Skill [Repudiation Repulse] Obtained!

“Alright. Let’s try this now.”

A barrier overcame my body as I approached the storm. I wanted to test it first. I didn’t want to walk into death. When I got closer, I felt a strong tugging feeling like it was trying to yank me into the air towards it. I stood my ground— I didn’t need any additional help to stay on my feet.

However, it seemed that walking within distance of its magic alerted it of my presence. The Cursed Boulder, or whatever it actually was, suddenly halted. The storm calmed slightly as it seemed to turn towards me. I cocked my head.

“Um, hello?”

And from the center of the blur, a tree shot out. I leapt out of the way as it crashed into the earth. I frowned.

“So, is this how you fight? You throw trees at people?”

I was about to land when the pulling feeling returned. I found myself being thrown into the air for a moment, but a quick teleport got me back on the ground.

“Now, that’s just rude!”

I straightened as an eerie echo came from whatever it was I was fighting. My own voice came back a garbled mess, like it was both repeated by it and a reflection of what I actually said. It hurled more trees at me, and I simply stood and let the attacks come. It bounced off my [Superior Aura of Greater Protection], thanks to the Breastplate of Alexander.

I would’ve just flown straight in and clawed this thing in the face, but for whatever reason, it was trying to suck me in. Obviously, I was apprehensive of just striking it right away. I activated [Planar Navigation] to figure out what was going on inside that storm.

The Skill told me that there was a large mass at the center, just as I’d suspected. However, when I tried to make sense of what it was there with the Skill, my senses failed me. What I perceived caught me by surprise.

It was like I’d been trying to run my fingers over a rosebush, but instead of the petal-soft touch of a flower, I was pricked by something sharp. Odd, jarring presences; thorns that poked out like Human teeth, chomping for my flesh while ants crawled up onto my arm before scattering all over my body. This susurration washed over me like I was thrust into the depths of the ocean as my entire body shivered from the coldness of the water and the darkness of the deep.

And the feeling did not end there. Because from the shadows, a horror of the ocean revealed itself to me. An abomination. A being of time itself. Twisted and vile, its power fleeting and overwhelming. A thing of many impossible angles and inverted dimensions that I couldn’t even tell what I was looking at, and that even trying to understand it was like sticking needles into my head as it kept shifting and twisting and—

And yeah, it was not a nice feeling at all.

“What are you?”

I narrowed my eyes. As if the thing heard my question, it decided to reveal itself. The cloak of many colors that distorted it was pulled back, showing the monster I was faced with.

It wasn’t just a large, spherical piece of rock like I’d been led to believe. The name ‘Boulder’ was very misleading. Sure, it had bits of rocks comprising its form— but they were fractured. Not a whole, monolithic entity. Multiple large boulders were mashed together into a craggy and uneven form, with deep cracks lining the edges where they were connected. The separate rocks didn’t even come into contact with each other. They were held together by a powerful magic that seemed to warp the air around it.

But that was not all.

There were streaks of an azure-stain blotched over its body. One that melded together with the rocks, like it was splashed over its surface. Like the sky itself had been ripped down and adorned over it like ornaments. Bits of wooden splinters were tossed around it along with the remains of leaves and bushes and dirt. It was odd. That didn’t seem like enough wood to have come from the entire forest. What happened to the rest of… everything?

My questions were answered when a tree was ripped out of the ground and pulled into that vortex of jumbled things. It reached the distortion at the edges before being torn apart, melted, and pulled into the multi-colored aura covering the main body.

I crossed my arms.

“Ok, so I definitely don’t want to get close to you…”

However, the thing wanted to get closer to me. The multi-colored aura struck down at me, whipping out like some kind of whip made of water. Except, it wasn’t a liquid that struck down. It was the condensed amalgamation of everything it stole converted into pure energy.

I leapt back as I saw the attack coming. I didn’t want to wait and see if the Breastplate of Alexander was strong enough to withstand it. All I knew was that when it struck the ground, the earth seemed to dissolve in a way I’d never seen before. Particles slowly rose up in distinct, blurred shapes before vanishing entirely.

“How about this?”

I grabbed a nearby rock and flung it straight at the thing. It absorbed it the moment it got closed. I blinked.

“Well, what did I expect?”

I sighed as it swept over the landscape with its multi-colored ‘limbs’. I dodged out of the way from those slow attacks, and it fired trees and debris at me. I didn’t try to avoid those. The Breastplate of Alexander would at least keep me safe from that.

“Ok, if physical attacks don’t work—”

I spread my arms wide, letting [Mystical Projection] protrude from my body. I used it to grab onto a nearby rock to yank me out of the way from the next incoming attack. Then I sent the invisible arms towards the tempest, hoping to rip it apart bit by bit.

However, the closer my [Mystical Projection] got, the weaker my control over it felt. It was like my invisible arms were slowly growing more numb. Still, I powered through that oddity and grabbed onto the Cursed Boulder’s sides. I began to pull, watching as the cracked gaps between the haphazardly melded rocks widened—

And the curtain closed around its body, covering it entirely once more. I blinked as my control over [Mystical Projection] dissipated entirely. Like I'd been kicked back and forced out of the spell.

“What was that?”

I stared as the Cursed Boulder was once again shrouded in a distortion that hid its true form. Then it spread out once again, like the wings of a butterfly reaching out to wrap over me from all sides. I teleported out of the way as it consumed everything within a hundred feet from it.

“Seriously?

I glanced down at what was left of the forest floor while the tempest grew in size. Everything that had been touched was slowly fading away, and the Cursed Boulder itself was larger than before. The vortex around it was larger than before.

I scowled. I really, really, really just wanted to create a storm of flames to counter it. But would that even work? Not that it mattered, since I wasn’t allowed to use my Subspecies Skills, according to the Devil.

The biggest problem right now was the vortex of colors around it. It cut off everything that tried to touch the Boulder itself. However, I noticed there was a short period of time where I could strike it. Potentially. I activated [Mystical Projection] once more as it came for me.

I hopped around, avoiding its simple tendril-like strikes, baiting it into cornering me against a tree. When it thought I was caught, it tried to do the same tactic as before. The vortex spread out, and I struck.

My invisible hands pummeled into the boulder, sending a ripple of large cracks over the already existing lines on its body. It reeled back, obviously hurt as its body began to crumble. I bared my teeth.

“Not so strong now, are you?”

Then the curtains began to close. The window of attack I had shut as it began its own counter. The glowing colors wrapped around me, and I deactivated [Mystical Projection] and glanced up towards the sky. With a deep breath, I used [Long Range Teleport] to bring me out of the reaches of the vortex.

I found myself flying through the air, looking down at the distorted tempest far below me. Now, I’d just have to regain my bearings, and I could repeat the attack to defeat the Cursed Boulder. I grinned, ready to try it again. But just as I was about to move, the distortion— the vortex, the Boulder itself— all vanished.

I blinked, and suddenly it was in front of me. It had teleported straight to my back. Before I could react, it caught me in its storm. A brilliant flash came from my armor, protecting me like a shield as a loud whirring was audible to my ears.

It tried to rip me apart— tear me limb from limb— but the Breastplate of Alexander held its own for a moment. And I saw my chance there.

Instead of running, I stood my ground. I was being protected, and I would fight back. I activated [Mystical Projection] once more, grabbing for the core of the Boulder. I pulled it apart before it could tear me apart. The rocks— the stone that held that abomination of a thing together fell apart, crumbling as the vortex dissipated.

Around me, chips of stone rained down from the sky as I fell like a falling leaf, gently landing on the grass floor. Chunks of stone and parts of tree trunks fell in large clumps, clustered together and shaking the earth as they crashed.

I laughed to myself as I sprawled on the floor, pumping a fist in the air.

“Take that, stupid!”

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 55] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 56]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 56] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 57]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 57] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 58]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Three notifications resounded in my head, the toll of a bell marking the end of this battle. I smiled, glad that I’d finally taken care of that annoying opponent. But I paused.

Something was… wrong. No, it wasn’t just the fact that I only leveled up three times from this. It was the fact that I clearly hadn’t met the requirements to reach my next advancement, as the Devil demanded. And more than that, I’d leveled three times from nothing.

There was nothing telling me I’d defeated the Cursed Boulder. Nothing that notified me I’d won the battle.

I got to my feet, blinking as suddenly the world around me began to blur. Like a strong gust of wind had swept over the landscape. And from the craters that divoted the ground, the broken pieces of the Boulder rose up. Three of them. Each of them forming their own little tempest of distortion and colors.

My jaw dropped.

“Are you serious?”

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Boulder - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Boulder - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Boulder - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]

A note from MelasD

Oh hey, new month. I forgot to mention last chap that we're finally back to regular-scheduled uploads. You know what that means? It's the best time to sub to my patreon! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon!

252. Pebbles

252. Pebbles

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Boulder - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Boulder - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Boulder - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]

“So, how does that work?”

I stared at the three ‘Cursed Boulders’ hovering before me. Each of them were like a miniature version of the one I’d just fought. They were smaller, yes. And they weren’t composed of all the debris that’d come from the original Cursed Boulder. Remnants, yes. But many of the shattered pieces of rock and pebble and dirt were scattered around, still lying on the ground. It was just the large chunks that’d risen back up.

And they were ready to fight.

I felt my shoulders slump as the vortex reappeared around them. With only their silhouette, they turned to face me. I crossed my arms and faced the sky.

“So, Sal, am I… done with my task or not? Because I’m supposed to destroy the Cursed Boulders, right? Not three of the Cursed Boulders?”

There was no response. And the three remnants attacked.

I flipped through the air as their distorted and multi-colored tendrils struck out at me. They moved slower than before, far easier to dodge now. Somehow, because they were split apart, they were smaller and weaker. I always thought being tinier meant you’d be faster, but that wasn’t the case here.

One of the remnants teleported before me, trying to capture me within their storm. The same trick the original did. I knew now that the Breastplate of Alexander could stave off their attacks. So, I took it head on as a pair of invisible arms grabbed the remnant. I pulled myself towards it with [Mystical Projection] as an aura shimmered around me. And with my claws, I smashed into the center stone.

The strike sent chunks of rock and debris flying everywhere, but it didn’t kill the remnant. Not just yet. The other remnants tried to catch me as I spun around. I dodged their attacks, and while still holding onto the first remnant with [Mystical Projection], I began to crush it with my invisible hands.

I fell slowly as it began to crumble from the pressure. Just as it collapsed entirely, the other two remnants appeared before me. Another teleportation. This time, in sync. They assailed me with their vortex at the same time, burning straight through the aura around me. I gritted my teeth as I spread my arms wide, gripping both of them at the same time to crush them just like I did with the first.

But I’d be too slow. I already saw the aura failing. I realized that it’d take too long. That I had to teleport out of there. However, just as I was about to use [Long Range Teleportation], I saw a red glow.

The Breastplate of Alexander shifted. It normally glimmered and shone an iridescent wave of colors due to whatever enchantment it had. However, now its color began to grow uniform. Crimson. Like blood. As if it had been bleeding— taking the attacks for me— and now it was entirely stained from its own wounds.

My eyes narrowed as one of the temporary Skills it granted me echoed in my head.

[Repudiation Repulse].

I tapped a finger on the breastplate, pouring my mana into it. I closed my eyes and inhaled.

It exploded.

A wave of force shot out in an instant. It expanded like a disc at first— a ring that quickie expanded, followed by a powerful blast in all directions. It was an explosion of all colors. One that consumed everything around me.

The two remnants of the Cursed Boulder were instantly obliterated. They were blown apart, turned into dust. There was nothing left behind. Everything that had comprised them had… evaporated.

Even the bits of the sky I’d seen was gone. I blinked and stared at the Breastplate of Alexander.

“Huh. That’s a surprise.”

“No!”

A voice shouted. I glanced up to see the Devil floating down towards me. He wore a scowl on his face and crossed his arms when he landed.

“No! No! No! No! No!”

“Um, what’s wrong?”

I cocked my head as he continued shouting. Behind him, I watched the remains of the first remnant begin to form another two remnants. I raised a hand to crush them with [Mystical Projection].

“Wait, wha—”

“You!”

He pointed at me, cutting me off. I nodded.

“Salvos.”

“Yes, Salvos. You. Why did you use the Breastplate of Alexander to destroy them? I told you to destroy the Cursed Boulder with your Class Skills!”

“I mean, you just said I couldn’t use my Subspecies Skills. You didn’t tell me I couldn’t use it.”

“It was implied—”

He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. I watched him ruminate over this as the two remnants behind him were fully formed. I shrugged.

“Look, you just told me to level up my Class and their Skills. And I did exactly that!”

I doubled checked the new notifications in my head

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 58] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 59]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 59] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 60]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Yep, I was Level 60 now. So, I did not defy the Devil’s instructions at all. I was doing exactly what I was told to do. Why was he upset?

“Alright.”

He finally spoke in a tired voice.

“That… breastplate gives you a Skill. One that’s able to absorb attacks and reflect them to your enemies after a critical point. That’s why it completely destroyed everything around it.”

The remnants rose from the ground as he continued.

“However, in doing so, you diminished the number of foes you’d have for the future.”

“What do you mean?”

“This Cursed Boulder— or well, that’s what the Beastmen call them. They are not so much cursed. More… corrupted, yes. But that doesn’t matter for now.”

He snapped his fingers, trapping the pair in what appeared to be a glass box before they could lash out at him. I knew it wasn’t a glass box with one glance at it. But it sure looked like one.

“What I’m saying is that you won’t be able to reach your next Class advancement because of this. These two are the smallest they’ll go.”

He gestured at the remnants. They were pretty much pebbles at this point. No larger than my head.

“Once they are gone, you’ll have no more levels to gain from them.”

“Huh.”

That made sense. I just had no idea that they’d only break down so far. I was expecting them to turn into tiny little dust monsters. Although, if that were the case, would I even be able to destroy all of them? In which case, it would be an impossible task. To complete the task, it logically meant that they’d stop breaking into smaller pieces at some point. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Well, can’t I just reach my next advancement by Level 65?”

I gave him a hopeful look. He shook his head.

“If you truly wish to achieve that, I advise you to find other ways of defeating them. One that doesn’t rely on pure brawn, and one that doesn’t rely on your artifacts, either.”

The Devil clapped his hands lightly, and the two remnants of the corrupted thing began to fly around— away from me. I reached out to stop them, but Sal stopped me.

“For now, I suggest you let them roam free. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even be able to gain five levels from them. Find some other monsters to hunt in the meantime. Whatever it takes to complete this task.”

I furrowed my brows.

“Wait, so you want me to let them grow big again?”

“That is correct.”

He nodded.

“And they can do that just by…?”

I watched as the remnants gathered dust and small pebbles to reform themselves, very slowly. Gradually. They couldn’t lift trees like the original had been able to. These were tiny, and what they could consume were equally as tiny.

“Yes, they absorb their surroundings to grow their size. Anything and everything can become a part of them.”

I narrowed my eyes, fixing my gaze on the specks of azure on them. Marks of the sky.

“Anything?”

The Devil’s eyes glinted knowingly.

“Yes.”

With a tap of his hoof, he spun around and created a portal. I tapped a finger on my chin as a thought crossed my mind.

“Where do they even come from, anyway? I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that before.”

He paused before the hole in space. The Devil glanced back at me.

“They come from the Endlands.”

He answered simply.

“Or, at least, what’s left of the Endlands.”

“Where’s that?”

I cocked my head.

“Somewhere far, far away.”

With that, he placed one of his hooves through the portal as though he was walking through a doorway. Another thought crossed my mind.

“Wait!”

He frowned as he stopped once more.

“What is it now? More questions?”

“No, I just…”

I thought of the Beastmen. The destroyed tribes— the vengeance in Mountaintooth’s eyes.

“If I let these… corrupted pebbles, or whatever they’re called, run free, wouldn’t they kill a lot of people?”

“They would.”

The Devil tilted his head, facing me curiously.

“Is that a problem?”

I paused. I thought about it for a moment.

“No, there isn’t a problem.”

“Good.”

And the Devil vanished.

A note from MelasD

Oh hey, new month. I forgot to mention last chap that we're finally back to regular-scheduled uploads. You know what that means? It's the best time to sub to my patreon! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon!

253. Height of Hubris

253. Height of Hubris

“You actually did it…”

Mountaintooth stared at me with wide eyes. Around me, the other Beastmen of the Furious Whispers Tribe gathered. Their gaze was fixed on the stone I was holding.

It was like any other pebble. A regular uneven piece of rock that wrinkled the earth. However, there was one thing that distinguished it— one thing that made it different. And that was the streak of blue splashed across its surface.

[Corrupted Skystone - -̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ ]

“Is that really a piece of the sky on it?”

Amberarm placed a paw on her mouth as she backed up behind the others.

“I think so.”

I shrugged. I had picked it up after my battle with the ‘Cursed Boulder’ once the Devil had left me. It was proof that I did my part and got revenge for Mountaintooth and the Swift Hill Warriors. The boy bowed deeply, prostrating on the ground before me.

“Thank you so much.”

He didn’t meet my gaze as he spoke. Beside him, Tuktox smiled.

“You have done us a great honor, Salvos. We thank you on behalf of all the tribes. This act of yours will never be forgotten.”

“Never be forgotten?”

I blinked. The eldest ushered me out of the tent. I followed him to a small clearing in between the mass of tents. There, I paused as I saw a totem being built. One of a [Lion Beastman] with silver fur. And beneath it, a name was inscribed.

Salvos, Avenger of the Swift Hill Warriors.

I blinked.

“Huh.”

“This is but proof of our gratitude.”

Tuktox spoke slowly. I could see the slightest hint of regret on his face, mixed in with the smile he ostensibly wore.

“We wish we’d been there to help you. However, our levels are incomparable to your own. And unlike the Swift Hill Warriors, our tribe does not compose of fighters. If we had joined you, we’d have been nothing more than burdens.”

“It’s fine!”

I was glad they didn’t follow. If they did, I’d have to share my experience with them. And I probably would’ve had to protect them. However—

I glanced over at the totem. My lips pressed together, forming a thin line.

“This…”

“It is the least we can do, after what you have done for us.”

Tuktox patted me on the shoulder. I glanced over at the Beastmen working on the totem. Then at the passersby. A [Bear Beastman] paused as her cubs pointed at the totem, whispering to their mother. One of the [Ape Beastmen] hammering away waved at them and gestured at the sign. The [Bear Beastmen] read it and gasped.

I sighed, turning to Tuktox.

“I mean, you don’t have to do all this.”

“Oo, nonsense. Such is the least we can do for you. Especially after what you’ve done for us— believe me when I say this: it is a boon to all our tribes. ”

“Of course! I am pretty amazing, yep!”

I nodded eagerly. But I couldn’t help but feel my shoulders sag as a thought crossed my mind. In a sense, I was lying to the Beastmen, wasn’t I? I told them I defeated the Cursed Boulder— and I did, but I also didn’t. Taking credit for something I didn’t do just felt…

“Now, come, rest. You must be tired. And you should prepare yourself for the feast tonight.”

It felt wrong.

—--

Tuktox showed me to a ceremonial tent and provided me with a set of robes to wear for tonight’s feast. I thanked him, and he left. However, before taking his leave, he gave me a look over.

“Oo, of course, when you attend the feast, we hope that you will show up as a [Lion Beastman]. I’m not sure how you performed that trick, and you don’t have to force yourself to do it if you do not wish to. We simply feel that it’d be more appropriate.”

“Sure! And there’ll be bugs at the feast, right?”

“Plenty.”

I smiled and thanked Tuktox. Then he was gone, and I was all by myself in the dimly lit tent. I sat down, crossed my legs, and stared at the dress. It was a beige dress that would go down to my knees. It had beads and other trinkets sewn onto the thread, with splashes of color added into the mix around the neck.

I didn’t wear it. Not just yet. Instead, I simply sat there. Silent. Quiet. Not making a sound—

“Ugh!”

I groaned and collapsed to the ground. My back pressed against the straw floor as I sighed.

“Look, it’s not lying. I did destroy the Cursed Boulder! I even brought back proof!”

I held up the Corrupted Skystone against a lamp.

“It’s not my fault that it multiplies whenever it breaks.”

My eyes flickered towards the tent flaps. I saw Beastmen busying about outside, walking as they talked to each other. Whispering. Their mouths moved, and I heard a name.

Salvos.

They were praising me. They conversed about this great act I’d carried out for their tribe. And for the Swift Hill Warriors. But somewhere out there, the remnants of the Cursed Boulder wandered about. Mere pebbles in comparison to the original, but with the potential to grow equally as big and powerful.

My shoulders slumped.

“Ok, maybe it’s a bit of a lie. But it’s not a big lie, right? It’s kind of the truth.”

I didn’t really know who I was talking to. Maybe I was talking to myself. Or maybe I was talking to the words that oft appeared in my head. The ones that defined me.

At any moment, I expected it to resound as it usually did. To hear it echo. But it did not. I closed my eyes and hugged my legs.

“It’s the truth, so why am I not getting that Title?”

Avenger of the Swift Hill Warriors.

That was what they were all saying. That was what Tuktox called me. I should’ve been granted a Title for my feat— for defeating the Cursed Boulder and getting revenge on Mountaintooth’s behalf. That was how it normally worked, right?

Yet, I didn’t get anything despite that. No Title was bestowed upon me. And the fact dawned soon enough.

I lied.

I lied to the Furious Whispers Tribe. They all believe I was something I was not. My reputation amongst them was entirely fabricated. It frustrated me. I was being praised— something that I normally liked— but for all the wrong reasons.

I didn’t destroy the Cursed Boulder. I didn’t get revenge for the Swift Hill Warriors. Instead, I let the remnants run free to destroy more tribes. What would happen if they found out about this? My reputation here would be in shambles. The lie that predicated what the Beastmen thought of me already annoyed me, and if they found out the truth, it would only exacerbate my annoyance.

Also, Saffron told me about that, didn’t she? Something about upholding my reputation. I didn’t want to be misrepresented. Especially not negatively, but I also found the idea of being misrepresented positively annoying.

When it was based on facts, I reveled in praise: the fact that I was amazing; the fact that I was Salvos; the fact that I was a Demon; the fact that I was powerful; and the fact that I was a genius.

But this? I hated it.

This sinking feeling continued to bubble up inside of me, even as I got dressed for the feast. I walked around a large bonfire and munched on an eclectic array of bugs, scowling the entire time. Night fell, and I was still upset. It continued to simmer as I tried to avoid chatting with all the Beastmen that thanked me for my help.

I stayed away from the crowd, eating by myself and gouging on food to make myself feel better. And as I stood up to grab another plate, I saw a small figure waiting for me.

Mountaintooth shifted slightly as I approached him.

“Hey.”

I greeted him, not as cheerily as I normally would. The cub lowered his head.

“Hrr, hello.”

“Is there something you need? If it’s my bugs, I’m just about to grab some from Tuktox.”

“O-oh, no I was just—”

He averted his gaze, and I blinked. Did he know the truth? Was he here to confront me about it? But no. Mountaintooth spoke softly.

“I was wondering if you could teach me to be as strong as you.”

I cocked my head.

“Huh?”

“You saved my life. You defeated the Cursed Boulder. You did all of that in a day. You’re amazing, elder— hrr, I mean, Salvos.”

He shook his head and took a step forward.

“That’s so amazing. I was the son of the eldest in my tribe, but I am nothing. My name was given to me in hopes that I’d be a strong [Warriors]. An elite fighter of the tribe. That I’d grow up to and earn myself a Subspecies, just like my father.”

I watched as he helplessly gesticulated to himself. Then his expression soured. The cub glanced over at his companions who were off to the side, hiding from the celebration. Even though the atmosphere amongst the Furious Whispers Tribe was jovial, it seemed that the mood didn’t spread to the remaining cubs of the Swift Hill Warriors.

Mountaintooth closed his eyes.

“I wish to be strong. So that next time this happens, I’ll be able to protect my friends.”

I paused. I thought for a moment about my companions— how often I’d throw myself into danger for them. Then I thought about what would happen if Mountaintooth found out the truth. That I lied.

And I made up my mind.

I walked up to the [Lion Beastman] cub, bending over to meet his gaze. He tried to back up, but I placed both my hands on his shoulder.

“You can’t be as amazing as me, silly.”

Mountaintooth’s eyes grew wide. He hesitated.

“O-oh…”

“But you can still be amazing.”

I continued, and he blinked.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m saying you can be amazing. Just not like me.”

I straightened, letting go of him.

“And I can’t be amazing like you, either. It makes sense, right? I am Salvos, and you are Mountaintooth. We’re not the same person. We’re not… rocks. You’re not a pebble on the ground, just like all the others.”

He continued to stare at me as I looked down at the tiny gray stones carpeting the earth.

“And neither are you a pebble to trample over.”

I whispered to myself. Mountaintooth’s ears quirked.

“Did you say something else?”

“Nope!”

I beamed and started past him.

“Anyway, there’s no reason for you to strive to be amazing like me. You can’t. But you can strive to be amazing. You can become amazing. I’m sure of it.”

Mountaintooth looked down at himself— at his paws— in wonder. Then he spun around as I continued on.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“I’m Salvos, Avenger of the Swift Hill Warriors, aren’t I?”

I glanced back at him, grinning.

“I’m off to be amazing!”

And I teleported out of the tribe. I sped away from the cluster of tents, waving at Mountaintooth as I went. I ran through the plains— up the valleys and mounds, and sprinting over the occasional flatlands.

I arrived back where I fought the Cursed Boulder, or whatever it was called. There, I activated [Planar Navigation] to track the remnants down.

They didn’t go far. They spent too much time in each area, consuming the earth, the air, the water, and the sky. The two remnants stayed close together, and they were slightly bigger than before. But not massively larger in size.

I crossed my arms, greeting them with bare teeth.

“Hello! Sorry, I know you’re eating, but—”

They turned towards me, unleashing their distorted vortex my way. I leapt over the attack and flipped over the air. I spread my arms, attempting to crush them with [Mystical Projection]. However, they receded back, covering themselves once again. Like turtles, hiding in their shells.

I narrowed my eyes. I couldn’t harm them like this. Not unless I charged straight into their distortion. However, that would hurt me. If I didn’t have the Breastplate of Alexander, it would inflict serious injuries to me.

I tried to pry open the multi-colored storm with my invisible limbs, but each time I tugged it slightly, it returned to shelling over the corrupted stones. However, I realized one thing when trying to rip its defenses apart. I could physically grab it.

After all, the storm might’ve been a deformed mess of everything it absorbed, but it was still made up of actual materials. I could grab onto it. I could move it. And that gave me an idea.

I dashed forward, heading straight for the first remnant. It didn’t budge. It refused to fight me. But I was indignant. I pointed at it— aiming for the distorted vortex.

[Scatter Shift].

And a bit of the colors covering it vanished. The streaks of blurred objects appeared a dozen feet to the side, wanting to fly back to the remnant. However, I was faster. I leapt in through that hole, slashing out with my claws.

All it took next was a few strikes, and the first remnant fell apart. It was only slightly larger than my head. It didn’t put up much of a fight.

The second remnant somehow registered what happened. It realized I could penetrate its defenses. So, it lashed out at me in a panic. I simply snapped my fingers, redirecting its attacks with [Scatter Shift]. Then I used [Mystical Projection] to grab the corrupted stone at the center and pulled it towards me.

I cleaved it in twain, killing both remnants with ease. I waited for a moment— carefully watching the fallen debris of the remnants. They didn’t budge. It was dead.

Defeated [-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ -̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ -̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ - Lvl.-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝]!

Experience is awarded for defeating a corrupted piece of the world!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 60] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 61]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 61] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 62]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

[Title Available]

A note from MelasD

Oh hey, new month. It's the best time to sub to my patreon! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon!

254. Law of the Netherworld

254. Law of the Netherworld

I stood amongst debris of corrupted earth and stone and sky. They faintly glimmered in the dark of the night, almost distorted in the same way [Identification]’s results came out with a jumbled mess. I shook my head, instead focusing on the words that resounded in my head.

The first thing I did was distribute my secondary Stat Points. I’d leveled significantly for my Class since the Devil assigned this task to me. The Cursed Boulder— or corrupted piece of the world or whatever— had granted me a lot of experience for each form I killed. 10 levels in such a short amount of time. That was 20 secondary Skill Points.

I maxed out [Mystical Projection], [Scattery Shift], and [Planar Navigation], before bringing [Long Range Teleportation] to Level 10. With that, I only had a single secondary Skill left unmaxed. And that was [Long Range Teleportation].

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 110

Class: [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 62

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 136 (+25)

[Strength]: 112 (+25)

[Endurance]: 125 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 213 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 270 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 7

[Haste] - Lvl. 10

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 5

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 1]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 10

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Titles Available]

Once I was finished with that, I focused on the last bit in my Status. I had earned a Title— or was it Titles, plural?

Title for Great Feats:

Requirements for two Titles have been met!

You now have five Titles available!

Titles:

(Unarith’s Fiend)

You have slain the High Zealot of Unarith and brought chaos and fear into the city! The terror you have caused makes you a Demon in the eyes of the Cult of the Old Gods, bolstering your spirit and your pride!

+5 to [Vitality]

+7 to [Strength]

+3 to [Endurance]

+3 to [Wisdom]

+5 to [Agility]

(Scale Champion)

You have won the Trial of the Scales, bringing victory on behalf of the Risen Dragons! They see you as their champion, the brave warrior who fought for their cause, earning you their praise and gratitude!

+4 to [Vitality]

+4 to [Strength]

+4 to [Endurance]

+4 to [Wisdom]

+4 to [Agility]

(Savior of Falisfield)

You have liberated Nixa’s largest province of Falisfield from a rampaging Greater Demon! You have saved the city of Silvergrove from falling, and avenged all those who have been killed in the destruction! You are a hero in the people’s eyes!

+3 to [Vitality]

+5 to [Strength]

+5 to [Endurance]

+3 to [Wisdom]

+3 to [Agility]

The first three Titles listed were Titles I’d already seen before. Ones I’d gained way back a few years ago. When I first fought Lucerna, and when I fought Zix. It felt like such a long time ago. And it was. Years back. Or just over a year back, for the Kobolds.

They were, however, no good to me. I knew that. So, I chose to only focus on the two new Titles I was granted.

(Avenger of the Swift Hill Warriors)

You have enacted revenge on behalf of a Beastmen tribe! Your name has earned renown throughout the Beastmen Plains for letting the dead rest after their slaughter! You are an Avenger!

+10 to [Vitality]

+15 to [Strength]

+10 to [Endurance]

+10 to [Wisdom]

+10 to [Agility]

The first Title, the Avenger of the Swift Hill Warriors, wasn’t bad. It was better than the other Titles I had available. However, it was incomparable to the Title I currently had— Liberator of the Plaguelands. The fact that being an Avenger wasn’t terrible was a nice surprise, but I saw no reason to forsake my current Title for it.

However, the next available Title piqued my interest.

(Defender of the Nexeus)

You have destroyed a corrupted piece of the world! It may only be a single piece, but it is more than many have done in dozens of millenia! In doing so, you’ve taken up the mantle of Dragons in protecting Nexeus from its doom!

+15 to [Vitality]

+15 to [Strength]

+15 to [Endurance]

+15 to [Wisdom]

+15 to [Agility]

“Huh, interesting.”

I tapped a finger on my chin. Dragons? So, the Kobolds were right! And this thing I’d fought was related to that.

Not that I really cared, honestly. It was just intriguing. Also, the Title itself wasn’t as good as my current Title. However, it could possibly offer an even better Title Skill. It certainly sounded very unique. Although, all Titles were supposed to be quite rare in the first place, anyway.

But even still, this Title was… different. I could just tell. It had more gravity to it— and it seemed like only the first Title in a line of Titles that would only get better. Now, the question was, did I want a decrease in Stats for the possibility of a better Title Skill?

Before I could make the decision, a voice drew my attention.

“You destroyed the Cursed Boulder.”

I glanced up, and the Devil hovered above me. He had a pair of dark red wings that seemed to glow in the moonlight. They flapped gently as he cast his gaze over me. I nodded.

“Yep! And—”

“And you haven’t reached your next Class advancement.”

He stared at me in displeasure. I took a step back, hesitating. His voice was deep— disappointed. He was not his usual self at all. Crossing his arms, he landed and tapped a hoof on the ground.

“You failed.”

The Devil spoke in a flat voice. I opened my mouth to protest—

And he snapped his fingers.

—--

Everything around me vanished. I felt like I was falling down into the very depths of the ocean. Tumbling, turning— trying to take it all without fainting. But this feeling did not ease. Instead, it was exacerbated. It was like I was swimming in a sea of darkness; every direction was meaningless, and a deep silence encroached on me from all sides. The only reprieve I saw was the glimmer of light up ahead. I swam to it, hoping that it’d lead me to my salvation. But when I reached it, I found myself caught in a trap. No different from a fish flopping in a trawl.

I opened my eyes, finding my senses returning to me. I was once again in the everchanging fractal box of the Devil. I lay flat on my back, staring up at the supermassive black hole above. I groused and rubbed my head.

“Ugh, why’d you do that? You could’ve at least given me a warning!”

“You failed me, my daughter. I gave you a simple task, and you failed.”

The Devil repeated himself. I rolled my eyes.

“I heard you the first time you said it!”

“It was not a difficult task. All you had to do was wait a few days. A week, at most. But instead, you were impatient. You destroyed the corrupted debris of the Cursed Boulder before it could grow in size. Why?”

His gaze bore into me, and I hesitated. He didn’t seem upset— more so… disappointed. However, I had a perfectly valid explanation and reasoning behind my actions!

“I did it because I said I’d do it. That is all.”

He titled his head, clearly perplexed. I waved a hand off.

“Anyway, I thought it wasn’t that big of a deal. It’s not like that’s the only monster like that, right? They called it the Cursed Boulder, but that’s not truly what it is, isn’t it? It’s not cursed. It’s corrupted.”

His eyes narrowed slightly as I continued.

“And if it’s corrupted, that means that even more things can be corrupted too! If you really want me to reach my next advancement fighting them, why not just bring me to the Endlands? You said it yourself, that’s where they come from, right?”

I finished. And the Devil harrumphed.

“Salvos, do you really think that you can survive even a day in the Endlands?”

His face twisted as I blinked.

“The ‘Cursed Boulder’ was but a mere pebble of what you can find there.”

He raised a hand and balled it into a fist.

“Even I would not find it easy to survive its harsh environment. Imagine a corruption— just like the distortion you saw— but spread over a vast amount of land. Where an entire section of the sky would rip itself free to end your life. To shred your very being to its soul. Storms of uncontrolled, pixelated energy. Like the world itself is broken.”

I stared at the expression on Sal’s face. It was one I’d never seen before.

“Even Lesser Gods can perish there. In fact, many of them have. That is why the Worldwalkers of old abandoned the Nexeus.”

The Devil shook his head.

“I cannot guarantee that the next corrupted piece of the world will cross the ocean within the next year, decade, or century. Nor can I guarantee that it will be as powerful as the one you saw today. The others that have made it in the past were often ebbed by the monsters of the sea. And perhaps that is a fortune to the mortals in Secely. For if stronger ones make it past the ocean, they’d bring widespread calamity with them.”

His eyes flickered as I shifted slightly. I met his gaze with some apprehension, and I finally realized what he was feeling. Disappointment.

“Such fortuitous timing for your training— ruined. And for what? All because you made a promise to some mortals? Ridiculous.”

I watched him sigh. For whatever reason, I felt kind of bad because of that. However, I also felt the need to still defend myself. I gestured at him and protested.

“You were the one who said it before— I am an Archdemon of Pride. I cannot just stand around and let my reputation be tarnished!”

The Devil paused. He tapped a finger on his chin, pondering it for a moment.

“Pride in recognition. Of course, it is fitting for you.”

“Exactly!”

I nodded eagerly, glad that he got what I was saying. But that wasn’t enough for him. The Devil turned around, clicking his tongue.

“However, you have forgotten yourself. You have grown too accustomed to living amongst others. And that, perhaps, is my own mistake here.”

His voice grew softer towards the end. Like he was airing out his own regrets. Then he spun back to face me.

“It is no matter. I told you I would teach you a Grand Skill— which I will. All I will have to do is adjust my lessons. Treat you harsher. But most of all, remind you of what truly matters in your life. Above all else.”

I couldn’t help but feel a prickling feeling crawl up my back as he said that.

“Um, what exactly do you mean by that?”

I asked, and he smiled.

“Tell me, daughter. Do you still wish to undergo my lessons? This is your last chance to back away from it.”

The Devil spoke forebodingly. I opened my mouth to respond, but he cut me off.

“You may die.”

And that was enough to make me reconsider my response. Sal peered at me as he tapped a finger on his elbow with folded arms.

“However, it is an important lesson. One that you need to learn. Or rather, relearn. Because you seem to have lost sight of it. The one law that governs the Netherworld. The very same thing every Demon learns at their birth. The only thing that truly matters.”

He leaned closer to me, whispering.

“Your survival.”

The Devil pulled away from me and gave me a challenge.

“Now, will you stay and learn a Grand Skill, Salvos? Or will you turn tails and flee?”

I bit my lower lip. Then I met his gaze, determined.

“I’ll stay.”

“Good.”

He grinned, and the world disappeared once more.

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255. Interlude - Saffron's Scripture

255. Interlude - Saffron's Scripture

The night was cold and dark. A small flickering flame gave warmth to a young noble-woman as she trudged her way through the forest. Her feet sank with each step. The ground grew murky as though she’d entered a swamp. She raised one of her legs, seeing the brown staining the bottom of her boots.

“We’re getting close.”

Saffron Merryster spoke as she pressed on. The three figures following her nodded.

The ball of fire hovered over her hand, expanding slowly to light up the path. They finally made their way out of the dank forest, and a tall castle unveiled itself standing atop a hill. It had high stone walls with crenellations lining its towers; there was a thin layer of moss and vines creeping over the gray bricks of the fortress, typically a sign of age and neglect, but here it meant something else.

“Is this it?”

Behind her, her brother, Feirdun Merryster asked. He was the second oldest of the Merryster brothers— three years younger than Cinne Merryster, and nearly half a decade older than Saffron herself.

“That’s right, you’ve never been here before, have you?”

The third figure turned to Feirdun, curious. Mons Merryster, the eldest daughter and second child of the Merryster Family, peered at her younger brother. She had short black hair that matched their Mother’s, with a calm and inquisitive personality that was closer to their Father’s.

“Norweed Keep. Estate of the illustrious Norwood Family. When Saffron was little, I used to bring her to visit every summer. It’s a shame that you and Gannon’s betrothal never went through.”

A small, almost nostalgic smile crept its way across her face. Saffron shook her head and flicked back her pink hair.

“Perhaps if you had not taught me how to defy Father by marrying a commoner, I’d be engaged with Gannon today. Anyway, that is not why we’re here.”

“Yes, we’re here to warn them, aren’t we?”

Mons tapped a light finger against her chin. Saffron started towards the castle.

“Come on. Let us not waste anymore time.”

Her two siblings exchanged a glance.

“I’ve forgotten how serious she often was.”

“Well, you miss a lot when you’re gone.”

Feirdun replied, rolling his eyes. Mons clicked her tongue but didn’t retort. They followed after Saffron as the fourth figure slowly trailed behind. They reached the entrance of the castle, and Saffron raised her magical flame. A guard appeared atop the wall and shouted.

“Halt! Who goes there!”

Saffron produced a crest and held it next to her fire.

“I am Saffron Merryster of the Merryster Dukedom, and these are my siblings. We are here to speak with senator Gannon Norwood.”

The guard’s eyes flickered— some sort of Skill that helped his vision.

“We’ll inform— wait…”

His eyes widened as he stared at something past Saffron.

“What… is that?”

She glanced back at the fourth figure and sighed.

“Oh no.”

Standing there with her arms crossed was Salvos. Or rather, a kind of duplicate of Salvos. One made entirely of gentle gold flames that glowed softly in the night. She’d been accompanying Saffron for the past few weeks and guarding her, so her presence completely slipped the young noble-woman’s mind.

“It’s a monster! Raise the al—”

“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!”

Saffron yelled, waving her arms at the guards. Her screams drew their attention enough for them to hesitate, and she quickly spoke out.

“She’s not dangerous! I mean— she won’t harm you as long as you don’t harm her. Isn’t that right, Salvos?”

She quickly turned to the Salvos clone, expecting a nod of assurance. Her eyes twitched when she saw the clone was already creating a Primordial Bow.

“That…”

“It’s going to attack us!”

The guards scrambled for the walls’ enchantments. Saffron tensed as the Salvos clone continued drawing her bow. But a cool voice cut through the chaos.

“Let me handle this, sister.”

Mons stepped forward and cleared her throat.

“[I Believe There’s Been a Misunderstanding].”

The effects of a Skill instantly gripped Saffron. She watched as the guards slowed in their movements. A haggler’s Skill. One unbefitting a noble like her, but one she had anyway.

Its effects were like a mix of mind and sound magic. For whatever reason, her voice was louder and more imposing than anyone else around. The way her words inflected made her more persuasive— or at least, it made them more amenable to hear her out.

“That is not a monster. It is a summon. Our summon. So, there is no need to cause a panic.”

They paused. They exchanged uneasy glances with each other. However, before they could come to a decision, another voice spoke out.

“Hm, yes, I do believe there’s no need to waste my spells.”

A woman dressed in plants walked past the guards and leant on the battlements. She peered down at Saffron, smiling.

“It has been a while, little Saffron, little Mons. It is a pleasure to see you again.”

The young noble-woman blinked.

“Zin Norwood?”

[Druid - Lvl. 134]

—--

Zin Norwood, former matriarch of the Norwood Family, sat before Saffron, Mons, and Feirdun in a room covered in plants. The [Druid] raised a porcelain glass as a tree branch poured some herbal tea for her.

“So, children of the Merryster Family, what brings you here?”

“You know why we’re here. It’s about the situation in Nixa.”

Saffron replied as she sipped from her own cup of tea.

“Ah, of course. Although, now that Nixa has been burnt to the ground, I’d say that it’s a situation for all of the Human lands to deal with.”

Zin smiled and lowered her glass. Saffron’s lips twisted.

“This isn’t a light matter, lady Zin.”

“Please, little Saffron. I’m not a lady. Just call me aunt Zin.”

That was right— all the major Vampire families were nobility, except for the Norwood Family. They had been, once, years ago. But they gave up our Ducal privileges for political power when Shedos transitioned to a republic.

“After all, I am simply the mother of a senator.”

“Where is senator Gannon Norwood, anyway?”

Feirdun asked, glancing around.

“My son is currently at the Capital, attending to matters related to the Primeval Demon— after all, Shedos does not want to be the next to fall.”

Saffron gritted her teeth. It was so ridiculous. The countries of the Human lands should be working together, but instead, here they were, devising plans to protect themselves. The only foolproof plan to ensure that’d happen would be to assail and defeat the Primeval Demon together.

The same thing had been happening with the Vampire Families. It was a folly of everyone involved. They all wanted to save themselves, so they neglected others. But in doing so, they doomed themselves. Because only by working together could they bring down the Primeval Demon.

Zin tilted her head as Saffron balled her hands into tight fists. The [Druid] spoke softly.

“I see that you’re upset about the turn of events. And I know things are dire right now, but there is always hope. Your father surviving the attack on Nightsveil is proof of that.”

Her words were meant to be reassuring. However, it only made Saffron even more upset. After all, Father wouldn’t be alive right now if not for Salvos.

Saffron’s eyes flickered to the side. The Salvos clone was stalking a fly as it buzzed its way over the flowers growing on the wall. She snatched it up to bite it, only to deflate when she realized she had no mouth.

“I am thankful that my family managed to escape the destruction of Nixa mostly unscathed. However, I fear that the same fate could befall the other Vampire Families. And that is why I’m here.”

The young noble-woman stood up, speaking as Zin raised a curious brow.

“Father and Cinne are currently visiting the Veridian Family to deliver the same message. To warn you that the Primeval Demon will come after your families, just like it did ours.”

And that made the [Druid] freeze. She stared at Saffron, her expression unchanging, even though the silence was telling. The young noble-woman continued.

“It is targeting your family, just like it targeted ours. We have something it wants—”

“The treasures of Alexander.”

Zin spoke over her.

“That’s right. I… how did you know that?”

Saffron paused, and Zin snapped a finger. One of the guards standing by shuffled out of the room.

“You haven’t told me, little Saffron, little Mons, who exactly is this friend of yours?”

The [Druid]’s relaxed in her seat as she waited for the guard to return. Mons simply smiled.

“I haven’t had much time to get to know her, either. But Saffron says she’s a friend. I believe her name is… Salver?”

The Salvos clone’s head snapped up as she raised an arm. She looked like she was trying to protest, but no words came out. Saffron sighed, massaging her temples.

“Her name is Salvos. She’s the one who helped save Father during Nightsveil’s fall. But this isn’t really her— it’s a Skill she has.”

“Interesting. So, this is the famed Liberator of the Plaguelands. Even for a… projection? A manifestation? I can tell that she’s quite powerful.”

Saffron watched as the Salvos clone lit up, beaming even with no face.

“She’s not that strong.”

Feirdun crossed his arms, grumbling. Apparently, he had some history with Salvos. He wouldn’t say what it was, but Mother had explained what happened to Saffron. Apparently, when Salvos visited the Merryster manor around half a year ago, she easily defeated Feirdun in battle.

Zin chuckled, and Mons turned to her with an intrigued look.

“You’ve heard of her, Ms Zin?”

“Come on now, I said to call me aunt Zin. And yes, I have. A student of Mavos Academy’s prestigious School of Aspiring Elites, and one of the three adventurers to destroy the Lich of the Plaguelands.”

“That’s impressive. I’m surprised my dear sister managed to befriend someone so important. But careful, Saffron.”

Mons’ eyes glinted as she faced the young noble-woman.

“Your Lady is showing.”

Saffron glared back.

“Salvos is a close friend of mine. I met her before she even gained the level of notoriety she has today. I’m not using her for anything.”

The Salvos clone cocked her head, clearly confused, and Saffron scowled.

“Whatever, that doesn’t matter right now— Ms Zin, how exactly did you know that the Primeval Demon is going after Alexander’s treasures?”

“Well, beyond simply surmising from the context clues you’ve given me. I’ve also made… my own discoveries.”

Zin spoke as a rapping resounded from the doorway. The Merryster siblings and the Salvos clone glanced over at the sound. The guard returned, dragging with him a heavy sack to Zin’s side. She dismissed him and got to her feet.

Saffron had an inkling of what was inside the sack before Zin even opened it. But she leaned over, anyway, intently watching as the [Druid] used a vine to untie it. A body flopped out— a corpse. Mons blinked, and Feridun stood up with wide eyes.

“It seems that this is a coordinated effort.”

Zin spoke simply. Saffron pursed her lips.

“This is…”

“An Archdemon. One that had made an attempt on my life a week ago. It was after the Greaves of Alexander.”

The body hadn’t even begun to rot despite being a week old. It was a Demon with beastial qualities. It almost looked like a giant dog, except with six legs instead of just four.

The young noble-woman turned to Feirdun, tapping a finger on her chin.

“A week ago. That’s when the Primeval Demon destroyed Nightsveil.”

“And an Archdemon too— it had to have been a coordinated effort.”

Feirdun completed the thought for her. The four Vampires gave each other uneasy looks. They’d thought that the only threat they had to be wary of was the Primeval Demon. That had been a big enough problem on its own. But now, the realization sank in that that wouldn’t be all they had to deal with.

Other Demons would come for their lives. They’d come for the treasures of Alexander, just as Belzu was doing.

“Regnorex is at the gates.”

Saffron closed her eyes, whispering. Zin shook her head and placed a hand on Saffron’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, little Saffron. You’re wrong.”

She stepped over the corpse of the Archdemon and tied it back into the sack. A guard hauled it away as her brows arched darkly over her face.

“Regnorex is already here.”

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256. Don't Die

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256. Don't Die

The Devil had issued me a challenge. Sure, he said a bunch of things too like how I’d forgotten something or yada yada yada. I didn’t care about most of what he said except for the bit at the end— he thought I’d run away just because he said a few scary things. Well, I was better than that. And I wanted to learn a Grand Skill. So, I accepted this grueling training he offered me.

He snapped his fingers, and his little reality-lattice vanished around me. I once again found myself immersed in a floating feeling before the ground reappeared beneath my feet. I landed with a wet splat. Not exactly the sound I was expecting to hear when my feet touched the dirt.

Also, not the kind of coarse earth I’d expected to stand on. It’d have been less jarring if the Devil had just dropped me in the middle of the ocean. As it was now, only the soles of my shoes were uncomfortably soggy, and the rest of my body remained on dry land. I stared at this odd soil— some sort of crimson dirt that sank like mud.

I placed a clawed hand on the ground, curious, and found that this red soil was warm to touch. Then I glanced around me. I stood at the very bottom of a deep, gaping ravine. Normal ravines were probably about a hundred-or-so feet deep with a ten foot distance between the cliff walls, but not only was I probably thousands feet below the surface, the gap of the ravine was also hundreds of feet wide.

“Where exactly am I?”

I could barely see an inkling of the sky above me. It was a dark blue with a tinge of orange. Night had ended, and dawn had come to take its place with the smearings of a soft amber-tipped brush. The golden sphere that would probably be peeking its way out of the horizon was nowhere to be seen from the depths I currently stood at.

However, there was something… odd about the sky because I could almost see the translucent image of a glowing orb up above. Which shouldn’t be possible. And there was a bit of a glare too— one that was cast against the azure above in a wrinkling ripple.

Sal smiled as he studied my puzzled expression.

“Confused, are you? We’re about three miles below the surface— in a large air bubble underneath the sea.”

“Huh. Is that why the sky looks weird?”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t say that’s why it’s discolored. If we were three miles underwater, I would say that light wouldn’t even pierce this deep. But, you see, there’s no water above us for most of the three miles. The sea ends after only three hundred feet where it breaks into this ravine.”

“Wait, what’s stopping the water from just… falling?”

I cocked my head. He chuckled.

“There wasn’t always a ravine here, Salvos. It was carved out over time by a powerful creature, and its residual magic keeps the water from collapsing into its Lair.”

“What powerful creature?”

The Devil smiled at me.

“Do you want to see?”

I hesitated.

“Um, sure?”

He gestured for me to follow after him, and I did. I walked behind him as he clopped his way forward with his hooves.

“I’m surprised you’ve never heard of this place before.”

“I don’t even know where we are.”

“They call it the Bloodied Gulf. Partly because of the red soil that mixes like blood when wet, but also because… well… you see, this creature didn’t ‘exist’ until a couple hundred years ago. And prior to its appearance, this place had simply been referred to as the Crimson Beach. An exotic location to visit for nobles. Now, the beach and the gulf is painted in the blood of said nobles.”

I tapped a finger on my chin as the Devil led me around a corner. He ran a hand over the crimson walls as motes of dirt and rocks tumbled down from his clawing black nails.

“They say these creatures were made from a mad [Alchemist]’s potion. Or that it was a dead Species brought back to life by a powerful [Necromancer]. But I know the truth. It had always existed. Just not in this continent.”

He paused before a cavernous entrance. One that was over a hundred feet in diameter. It opened up like a giant mouth with stalactites and stalagmites protruding around it like sharp teeth, and the darkness within staring at me with a hungry look, threatening to swallow me in a single bite.

[A Hunter’s Sense] blared for me not to step a single foot into the cavern, and I was smart enough to listen to it. I just watched the Devil enter from the outside.

“Tell me, Salvos. Did you ever study history in Mavos Academy?”

“History? Um, nope. But I know a few things, I guess.”

Most of my knowledge came from Humans and Kobolds. Although even they had a conflicting view of many things that supposedly ‘occurred’.

“Xidra told me that the world is ending, or something. Is that related to this?”

“Ah, in a sense, it does. But it’s not really as relevant as you think. This Apocalypse the Kobolds speak of— this pertains to matters before it. You see, Secely used to be inhabited only by the Cyclopes.”

“Um, I think I’ve heard about that before? Maybe…?”

I wasn’t too sure. It didn’t seem like anything that mattered to me. The Devil nodded.

“Yes. It was back when I was quite young— maybe a century or two years old. Ah, when Worldwalkers were still welcome in the Nexeus. When every continent was dominated only by a single intelligent Species.”

He sighed wistfully, turning to face me. He stood right at the edge of the darkness, his face shrouded by the shadows around him.

“But everything changed— the world began to end, and all the Species of the world fled to the heart of Nexeus, Secely, as their gods left to allay the Apocalypse. Of course, not every Species followed. Most definitely not the monsters that struggled to even think for themselves. They stayed in their own doomed continents, unknowingly waiting for the corruption to take them until it was too late.”

“Ok, and this thing you’re talking about— it was consumed by corruption? The same thing that made the Cursed Boulder all distorted and weird?”

I raised a brow, and the Devil chuckled.

“You’re almost on the right track. But— no. Many of this Species of creature died when the corruption came. But a few adapted. They learned to escape, leaving their continent behind for Secely… maybe a few ten thousand years after everyone else, but they survived. And while only a dozen arrived at Secely, each one gave birth to dozens of their young each day. They did everything they could so their Species wouldn’t go extinct.”

He gestured for me to come forward, and I hesitantly stepped towards him. A grin spread over his face as he spoke softly.

“Tell me, Salvos: do you know the kind of tenacity that’s needed to survive through all that? A completely mindless monster battling against the world itself, yet still alive— it is impressive, don’t you think?”

“I guess?”

I was still apprehensive. I didn’t want to enter the cave. I halted just a single step beyond the darkness. But the Devil pulled me in. He snapped a finger, whispering directly into my ear. My eyes grew wide as a notification echoed in my head.

“No. It’s not good enough, Salvos.”

Now entering [Lair: Castle of the Centinels].

He leapt into the air as the ground shook and I lost my balance. The Devil hovered there, looking down at me.

“Prove to me that you’re better than that! Prove to me that you’re better than it!”

He yelled as the rumbling grew louder and more pronounced. I straightened, creating a set of Nebular Armor and Weapons. The Devil’s face grew callous as I glanced up and met his gaze.

“Two rules. First of all, you can’t leave the Bloodied Gulf. And second but more importantly: don’t die.”

“Wait, what am I supposed to do here—”

I started, but the Devil was gone. My gaze snapped back down towards the darkness as the stalactites hanging from the ceiling rattled and fell from the shaking. I backed up as my wings came to existence, sweeping into the air.

I wasn’t even sure if I was allowed to use my Subspecies Skills. The Devil hadn’t given me any restrictions other than having to stay in the Bloodied Gulf, so I assumed I was allowed to do just that. Also, I was pretty sure I was going to die here from whatever was coming. And that I needed to get out of here as soon as—

And from the cave came a deep, consuming darkness. One that swallowed even the shadows from the walls and ate away at the sun’s light through its sheer size alone. It was armored with segments of carapace-like shells that were colored a dirty, staining red. Each section of its body dwarfed any house I’d ever seen, and the creature was made up of very many different sections connected together in an undulating, curling shape. A hundred crooked barb-like limbs carried it forward with a chittering of clicks, clawing away at the ground as it bared thousands of serrated teeth at me.

—possible.

[Ancient Centinel - Lvl. 162]

I stared at the monster for a moment. I could almost feel the prickling feeling of its mandibles poking into my back, sending the most visceral shiver through my body I’d ever felt. I waved at it, smiling nervously.

“Um, hi, I’m Salvos…?”

And it shrieked. The monster came for me as I turned and began to flee.

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257. Bloodied Gulf

257. Bloodied Gulf

[Ancient Centinel - Lvl. 162]

The [Ancient Centinel] came. A giant monster— probably a hundreds of feet in length alone— scuttled its way towards me. Each step it took tore up the earth, sending flakes of the red dirt up into the air like a misty fog.

I spun around propelled myself as fast as I could with my flaming wings. My body surged with energy as [Haste] took over me. I snapped my gaze up towards the dome of water above, flying as fast as I could to escape the clicking mandibles of the [Ancient Centinel].

Before I could even think to teleport, I heard a snap. A terrifying crunch. And for a moment, I thought I was dead. It had already caught up to me— despite my speed and despite my Skills.

However, an iridescent aura flickered around me. I found the [Ancient Centinel]’s teeth hovering just over my chest as a barrier protected me from instant death.

The Breastplate of Alexander shone.

That was right. I’d still been wearing the Mythical Grade Armor. I was washed over with relief for that brief moment. Until a vile green liquid began to secret from between the [Ancient Centinel]’s rows of jagged teeth.

Acid. Terrible acid that sizzled against the barrier protecting me. I pursed my lips and erupted into flames, burning away the acid before it could touch the barrier. The fire also scorched the inner mouth of the [Ancient Centinel]. However, it barely even reacted to my hottest flames.

I struggled to break free from its terrible toothy grasps as it continued trying to chomp at me. It thrashed around, unwilling to let me have even a single inch of freedom. I focused on the tumbling world around me. Beyond the maw of the monster. I saw specks of the world outside of its mouth. Red stone... crimson dirt... an inkling of the sky—

And I teleported.

[Long Range Teleport] brought me at least a thousand feet into the air. Not as far as I’d have liked to have teleported. However, this was as far as I could see at that moment, and I didn’t want to spend another second inside of the mouth of the [Ancient Centinel].

I sighed in relief, looking down at the [Ancient Centinel] with a grin.

“Hah! You can’t—”

I paused. The monster was already speeding its way up towards me. It skittered up the side of the ravine’s walls, moving faster than I ever could in the span of mere moments. I would’ve instantly turned and fled— escaped from this crevice and flew up as high as I could into the air where I was probably safe. But I saw the tiny, shadowed figures crawling out from the cracks on the walls.

More Centinels. They came in all shapes and sizes. Their levels varied, and they covered the walls as they swarmed towards me, following the lead of the [Ancient Centinel]. I stared.

“Are you serious? How many of you are there?!”

Thousands of Centinels bore down at me as their scuttling chased me with a cacophonous echo. The [Ancient Centinel] led the charge. I flew for the line where red and blue clashed— where air carried water in an impossible act.

I couldn’t teleport— not yet as there was a cooldown for the Skill. All I could rely on was my wings, enhanced by [Haste]. However, the [Ancient Centinel] was catching up. It would catch up. I could see it drawing closer from my peripheries. It was like a looming death that you knew waited at the corner of your eyes— that you dared not turn to fully see as it would finally reach you at that moment.

Terror. This was what I felt. I wasn’t ever fond of running from my enemies. Not when they could chase me down, and there was nothing I could do to reason with them.

It was like with the large Demon all over again. But this time, I didn’t stand a chance. Not when it had thousands of other Centinels with it. I couldn’t even turn back to fight it—

Or wait, I could.

I glanced back once, shouting.

“Leave me alone!”

My voice reverberated throughout the ravine. The front row of Centinels halted their ascent for a second, only to be crushed and trampled over as the second and third rows pressed on. The [Ancient Centinel] hesitated for a mere moment, and I clapped my hands together.

“Go, myself! Hold them off!”

[Salvos of Vanity].

Golden flames wrapped around me before peeling away and descending on the Centinels. My clone drew my Nebular Weapons— spinning a Nebular Sickle Grenade and tossing it at the [Ancient Centinel]’s shell. The blast shook the cavern, collapsing rocks and debris at the horde of Centinels.

In spite of that, it barely slowed their approach. My clone continued her barrage of Nebular weapons at the Centinels until the [Ancient Centinel] reached her. She didn’t turn to run, nor did she even try to dodge the attack.

My clone leapt straight into the mouth of the [Ancient Centinel], growing brighter and wilder. Right as the maw closed around her, she exploded.

A golden explosion consumed everything beneath me. I heard hundreds of notifications go off at once as the bright light reflected on the surface of the water. Like the sun was piercing through that veil that was the ocean above.

I glanced down once, hoping that the [Ancient Centinel] somehow died from the blast. But I knew from the lack of notifications that it was still alive. It emerged from the smoke, reeling slightly, but more angry than anything else.

“Ugh, you’re annoying!”

I shouted at it as I plunged into the sea. My Nebular Armor sizzled as it touched the water, but otherwise was unperturbed by it. I swam and flew through the sea, thinking that I’d be safe now that I was out of the ravine. Of course not. Of course Centinels could swim.

The [Ancient Centinel] dove up into the ocean as well— a hulking, dark figure that was accompanied by hundreds more of its kind. Smaller, but very much dangerous to the aquatic life. Marine animals and monsters tried to swim away, only to be torn apart as the Centinels crossed their path.

I watched as the sea below me was slowly diluted into a dark scarlet. Then I turned all of my attention into getting out of the water as soon as I could. The [Ancient Centinel] drew closer and closer. It snapped its mandibles silently as I saw a light. The glimmering of the sun against the ocean.

And I burst out, breaking the water’s surface. Right behind me, the [Ancient Centinel] exploded up. I saw it in its full size as it leapt out of the sea like it was propelled by a spring. Its giant undulating body turned and fell back into the ocean, sending a massive ripple of waves out as I found myself hovering amongst the clouds.

My body was drenched, and I was panting heavily as i watched the Centinels color the ocean red under me.

“That was…”

I heaved a heavy breath.

“...terrifying.”

Defeated [Older Centinel – Lvl. 95]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

…

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 54]!

Little-to-no experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 50 levels below you!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 110] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 111]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 62] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 63]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

—--

My wings flapped gently as I floated above the clouds, staring down at the Bloodied Gulf below. The red that stained the blue slowly drifted out of the mouth of the gulf and into the rest of the ocean. I didn’t descend. Not just yet. I wanted to make sure that the Centinels were all gone.

The [Ancient Centinel] had quickly retreated back into the ravine, but the smaller Centinels swam through the sea, kiling everything they could find.

Now, the question was— could I step foot on land as long as I stayed along the coast?

The Devil told me not to leave the Bloodied Gulf. However, where exactly did the Bloodied Gulf start, and where exactly did it end?

I saw a beach towards the north. A beach of red sand. A bit further past it was a manor standing at the edge of a cliff. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“I mean, that’s still part of the gulf, right?”

It was debatable. But technically, the land around the sea was what made the gulf a gulf. So, it should be part of the gulf.

“Look, if Sal didn’t want me to skirt around his rules, he should’ve been more specific. Like, what am I even supposed to do here?”

He wanted me to not die? And he also wanted me to prove that I was better than the Centinels? I didn’t know what that even meant. For now ,I needed to [Rest]. And using magic to fly in the air wasn’t actually very restful. And I wasn’t going to dive straight back into the crevice.

Sure, it was a massive network of gargantuan ravines. The [Ancient Centinel] had been at the very center ravine— the largest of all the cracks. So, if I landed in one of the side cracks— each of which still ran deep and long— I’d be able to avoid the [Ancient Centinel] completely.

But there was still some risk here. What if there were more [Ancient Centinels] hiding amongst the other ravines? I didn’t want to experience that chase all over again! That was why I landed next to the manor instead of diving straight back in.

I didn’t transform to a Human. I didn’t feel like it, and I was pretty sure no one lived here. The manor was held up by dilapidated walls covered in vines, and its gate laid on the ground amongst overgrown grass.

“Hello! Does anyone live here?”

I called out, walking into the manor. The door creaked as it swung open.

“Nope? Thought not.”

I shook my head, closing the door shut and clicking my claws together. A ball of flame cmae to existence and lit the path. I stood in a vast hall with a fallen spiral stairway at the center. Two tall paintings flanked the staircase. The left painting showed a regally dressed woman with her face peeled off, and the second was that of a man with a sword.

It was an almost familiar-looking sword. One with horn-like guards and a silver-tipped blade. For whatever reason, it looked like the man was surrounded by white, puffy clouds in the painting. And the paint didn’t even wear off, despite the clear age showing on the portrait case.

“Huh. He looks cool.”

I leapt up to the second floor and ambled down what would’ve once been a decorated hallway. I walked past collapsed rooms until I stumbled upon a still-intact study room. The desk at the center of the room was enchanted by a waning magic, and atop the table laid a book. It looked old and worn out, with some pages torn and missing, but it was otherwise still in a pretty good condition for something that’d been left there for probably hundreds of years.

I picked it up, curious, carefully flipping over the pages.

The corner of each page was marked by a symbol— an insignia that seemed to be a stylized letter ‘s’ in the middle of a nimbus cloud.

“These people sure liked their clouds.”

It was a diary, simply put. Apparently this manor had been here for a hundred years before the Centinels arrived. When the Centinels came to Secely, they slaughtered most of the family that’d lived here. The man who wrote this book was one of the few survivors. He titled it: My Revenge.

I cocked my head. That was such a silly name. But it somehow piqued my interest. I had time to kill before I was fully rested, so I made myself comfortable and got ready to read through the pages. However, before I could even sit down, I heard a soft clicking behind me. I snapped around, eyes growing wide.

“Centinels.”

A note from MelasD

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258. Evolved

258. Evolved

I waited with bated breath as the clicking noises grew louder. The slow crawling of Centinels drew closer, filling the silence almost like the patter of a light drizzle on a tiled rooftop. I stuffed the diary into my Bag of Holding as flames overcame my claws.

Click. Click. Click.

It wasn’t like the wild, rambunctious skittering of most Centinels. Each step it made sounded deliberate. Like it was aware that I was here, and it was walking closer to inflict fear upon me.

Did it think I was scared? I wasn’t scared! Not unless it was a Level 150 Centinel, of course!

Enough time had passed since I fled the crevies so I could activate [Haste] again now. I leapt out into the hallway, baring my teeth.

“Hurry up and fight me already!”

I shouted, ready to attack whatever Centinel was waiting outside. My feet landed lightly against the wood floor as I took in the darkness beyond. I narrowed my eyes and cast the light from my flames across the room. I saw… nothing.

“Huh.”

I lowered my claws like they were weapons— which… they were.

“I could’ve sworn—”

And [A Hunter’s Sense] flared up in my head. It warned me of an incoming strike. I flipped back as the ground beneath my feet splintered— torn open by an invisible slash.

“What…?”

I stared, befuddled. Completely clueless.

Then I saw the dust part. A click marked a sudden slice, aimed straight for my head. I ducked under the attack, only to move straight into a scythe-like arm. The figure made itself visible as it touched me. It struck for my head as my eyes grew wide—

And the Breastplate of Alexander flashed. It protected me from the attack, creating a barrier that repelled the scythe-like arm. During that brief moment, I could see the outline of the Centinel. It wasn’t like a normal, regular Centinel. It didn’t even have an undulating body. Its body was less… segmented. It was built more like a bug— with four clearly divided sections to its body, and only a dozen limps.

Sure, a dozen was more than what most bugs had. But Centinels normally had a hundred limbs. Yet, when I used [Identification] on it during that brief moment, it told me that it was in fact a Centinel.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 116]

But also… evolved.

I blinked.

“What?”

And it vanished once again. All I could perceive of the Centinel was the rapid clicking as it backed away from me. It took me a moment to gather myself, but the [Evolved Centinel] was already rushing back towards me.

I knew where it’d come from— from my front— so I braced myself. But right as the clicking footsteps reached me, the sound stopped. I blinked.

“Where did it—”

And from behind, another scything-limb struck out. The Breastplate of Alexander flashed. I stumbled forward as the [Evolved Centinel] landed with a thud. I lashed back, swinging a [Barrage of Cinders] at where I’d been hit. My claw sheared through the air and smashed open a wall.

The ceiling came crumbling down as I backed up.

“Ugh, you’re so annoying. Where are you?”

I turned back around, shouting. The air was filled with dust, but the [Evolved Centinel] must’ve realized that I could tell where it was going if it disturbed the flying particles. I saw no shifting. It stood incredibly still, knowing that I couldn’t tell where it was.

I growled.

“Stop it with this game!”

Flames exploded all around me. A blast that took out the entire section of the mansion. Through the smoke and cinder, I could once again hear the skittering of the [Evolved Centinel] Its carapace shielded from the fire as it sped my way.

A small smile crept over my face as soon as it reached me— its outline defined by my blue fire.

“Found you.”

[Radiant Slash]!

I struck out right as the [Evolved Centinel] went for my head. The sable flames seemed to suck in all light as it wreathed itself over my sharp claws. I tore through the center oval-like body of the [Evolved Centinel] with ease— its blood instantly splattering all over my claws and evaporating in an instant.

I could’ve sworn I sliced it in half entirely, but as it hopped back, I saw merely a large gaping wound leaking out its goo-like blood. It was still alive.

“Huh. I thought that would’ve killed you.”

Apparently, despite its speed and its invisibility magic, it was quite durable. However, even if I didn’t kill the [Evolved Centinel] with that attack, it served its purpose.

“I can see you now.”

My eyes flickered. It had been stained by its own blood. Its invisibility wouldn’t cloak it any longer—

The [Evolved Centinel] faded into the background. I blinked.

“What?!”

It could make the things it was touching go invisible as well! That was stupid! That was so dumb!

I scowled, even as the rapid clicking came for me once again. More flames wisped off my body, but this time, it wasn’t just a wild blast. [Faux Limbs] created multiple flaming arms facing all directions as I readied myself for the [Evolved Centinel]’s attack.

It went for my leg. I heard the soft screech of its carapace against wood and leapt over the attack. It would’ve been blocked by the Breastplate of Alexander’s enchantments, anyway. But I didn't want to be too reliant on it. Not when its protective magic could dissipate at any moment.

I grabbed for the [Evolved Centinel] as it skidded past me. However, even with all my arms, I found it just barely pulling away from my fingertips. Its figure escaped into nothingness once more, and I grinned.

I touched it.

Even if I couldn’t grab it, I managed to touch it. And that was all that was needed.

I leapt into the air, wings spreading wide and exploding to the sky. I went over the smoke from my previous explosion and stared down. A second, far larger explosion took out the entire mansion and more as [Demon’s Mark] activated. I watched, listening for a notification to resound in my head.

Defeated [Evolved Stealth Centinel – Lvl. 116]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

And that was that.

—--

I remember the day the first of these monsters washed ashore on the Crimson Beach. I was but a boy— no more than ten years of age. My sister and I were playing along the cliffside and we spotted a looming shadow in the middle of the ocean.

At first we thought it’d been a sea creature. Perhaps a Giant Spiked Crab or a Gragil Opus. We rushed to the edge of the cliff to get the chance to see them surface. However, when we saw the crystalline water of the sea discolor into a bloody red, we knew that we’d see no sea creature there.

Hundreds— maybe even a thousand— of the terrible monsters made its way to Crimson Beach. I watched them bring ruin to the seaside villas of many great noble families with ease. Their guards were like fodder to this wicked swarm. My family was fortunate enough that our estate was situated where it was so we were not the first to fall to this swarm.

But that didn’t matter—

I flipped through the pages of the diary as I sat atop a tree. Since I completely destroyed the mansion, I had no place to stay. At least, not a place with proper shelter. Apparently, the beach in the distance used to be covered in beautiful mansions. Now, though, I saw not a trace of what once was.

Instead, I saw a beach crawling with the occasional Centinel. Lower-leveled Centinels, of course. The only proof that life once existed had been… the manor I blew up.

“Oops.”

Anyway, the diary continued on to talk about what the Centinels did when they first arrived. It was pretty much expected. They slaughtered everyone the author knew— everyone except for him and his sister. It was quite sad. But what I didn’t expect to read about was what he did next.

Apparently, the first half of the book was the musings of an adult about his childhood. Musings he thought to write down as he returned to the Bloodied Gulf after the Centinels have made it their home.

After he and his sister escaped, he fought to survive in the slums of Shadowpass. A large city in the former Valcyrae Empire— the powerhouse in the southern edge of the Human lands before the southern edge was… well, now there were no countries beyond the Alterian League. Just a lot of ruins.

He eventually found success as an adventurer— repute which brought his noble name back into notoriety. His job as an adventurer gave him the platinum he needed to fund his sister’s education. But he could never forget or forgive the massacre of his family. Which was why he returned to the Bloodied Gulf.

I turned the page of the book as I waited for my Skills and my enchanted gear to recharge. I wasn’t sure how long the Breastplate of Alexander took to be fully restored— or how that even worked. I just wanted to be safe. Also, I was pretty engrossed in the diary’s contents.

It went on to detail the man’s— and I knew the author was a man— journey back. Most of it was rather banal descriptions of each Centinel he encountered. Something which I didn’t care too much about. Not until he reached the former Crimson Beach and encountered a Centinel that was not like the others.

As a child, I had thought they were all mindless, wicked creatures. That all they knew was wanton destruction. But today, I saw something… different. A Centinel that didn’t simply attack everything it saw.

It watched me from afar as I slaughtered its kin. It was almost like it was studying my movements— my Skills. It fled without even fighting me. I had never thought I’d see something like that before.

A Centinel that had evolved.

I tapped a clawed finger on my chin as I flipped over to the next page.

“Is that the same Centinel I saw? No— it can’t be the exact same one. There’s no way it stayed at Level 116 for the past few hundred years, right?”

I wanted to get more features about this evolved Centinel the author encountered. Unfortunately, I found myself staring at the last page of the book.

Tonight, I shall head for the crevices below. I can see the Centinels ebbing away at the earth. Slowly— day by day. The cracks grow wider. The ravines expand. And their numbers grow.

What had been a mere thousand of their kind now amounts to tens of thousands. They adapt and evolve into more dangerous and intelligent creatures. I cannot stress how much of a danger they are to all of Humankind.

This diary… I shall leave it behind at my manor as a warning to the next fool who comes to this bloodied gulf. Turn back— warn the world of the threat these Centinels pose. Return only with a [Hero]. With the army of all the nations combined.

I wish I could return. To see my sister again. But my pride won’t let me. I shall not stop until I get my vengeance.

And, perhaps, if I succeed, then there is no reason for any warning at all. One can only hope...

I closed the book and sighed.

“...well, so much for being a danger to the world, right? Those Centinels totally killed everyone!”

I stuffed the diary into my Bag of Holding as I got to my feet.

“Also, did he seriously think some random person will just stumble on this diary just because he left it at a desk? Seriously, of course it’d take a few hundred years for someone to find it!”

Well, I wasn’t going to complain. I just felt like whoever wrote the diary had been a bit… dramatic.

“It was an interesting read, anyways. But I guess it’s about time for me to do as he did and jump straight into the Bloodied Gulf!”

I slapped myself on the cheek and turned to the sea just ahead. My lips contorted as apprehension briefly gripped me. Clearly, the person who wrote this diary died after he dove into the network of ravines below. I didn’t want to die. The last thing I wanted was to die. I really just wanted to teleport to my clone who was somewhere doing something with Saffron right now.

But the Devil wouldn’t let me. One of the rules he gave me was that I couldn’t leave the Bloodied Gulf. And sure, while I could just hang around up here on dry land the entire time, hiding from Centinels, I had a feeling that wasn’t what he wanted from me.

“Prove that you’re better than it.”

I repeated his words to me.

“Does ‘it’ refer to the [Ancient Centinel]? Does he want me to kill it? Or just beat it in a fight?”

Whatever he meant, it definitely required me to go back down beneath the ocean and fight some Centinels.

First, I distributed my Stats. I really needed [Vitality] and [Agility] to survive this, so 2 of my Stat Points went to the former while 3 went to the latter. And as for my Skills, I put all of my 5 Skill Points into [Haste]. Also, all of my secondary Skill Points went into the only available secondary Skill— [Long Ranged Teleportation].

I looked over my Status, readying myself.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 111

Class: [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 63

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 138 (+25)

[Strength]: 112 (+25)

[Endurance]: 125 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 213 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 273 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 0]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 7

[Haste] - Lvl. 15

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 5

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 0]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 13

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

I was about as ready as I could be.

“Alright, time to do this.”

A note from MelasD

Cool little fun fact: I have completed Nanowrimo-- writing 55,000 words-- in 13 days. Not bad. If I pick up the pace a little bit, I can maybe even break my record of 155,000 in a month. Eventually, I want to hit 200,000 words this year. And maybe break 2,000,000 words total for the year. Fingers-crossed.

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259. Dissected Paths

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to my good friend KrazeKode's story:

In which we break down the science behind the Dao.

A lighthearted story about a guy transmigrated into a Xianxia who decides to make the best of his situation by pursuing his love for Science.

The 3rd Law of Cultivation: Qi = MC^2 | Royal Road

259. Dissected Paths

I sank into the water like a rock. The world grew dark as my hearing grew muffled. The Breastplate of Alexander glimmered faintly— its enchantment still active, although it could potentially fade in the future. For now, I trusted that it would keep me safe, even if I wasn’t going to be overly-reliant on it.

Deep below, a complex network of ravines showed itself. It lay beneath the sea. A world of death, populated by a Species of terrible monsters. Centinels. Millions of them, maybe. Definitely hundreds of thousands, at least.

I wasn’t stupid enough to jump straight back into the centermost ravine. It scarred the seafloor like a gaping wound, and the other ravines around it were like small scratches in comparison. For now, I waded down to one of the smaller cracks— a ten feet wide hole that sank maybe a hundred feet at most.

I plopped out of the water, lithely landing on solid ground. The dirt squelched beneath my feet. Red mud stained the heels of my shoe. The soft sound attracted some movement. I saw slithering out of the corner of my eye. [Younger Centinels] wriggled out from underneath rocks and from the cracks on the walls. None of them were above Level 40. Most of them were at Level 10. Their length ranged from the size of my fist to the length of my arm. Tiny things.

One of them screeched and scuttled towards me. I flicked a finger, sending a tiny bolt of fire at it. It was instantly killed. The other Centinels went over to its charred corpse and began fighting over the remains. I scoffed.

“Barely any experience. Stupid wild things.”

I stalked down the side of the ravine, letting a ball of flame light the way. I stayed on my guard. I didn’t even let a single [Younger Centinel] reach me. I washed my blue flames across the rock wall, incinerating the little critters before they could swarm me with their numbers. I wasn’t particularly worried that they’d be able to kill me.

I just didn’t want them to ebb away at the Breastplate of Alexander’s enchantments.

The ravine intersected with another, deeper crevice. It was narrower, but it was also dug deeper into the ground. I leaned over the ledge and took in what was below.

“Woah.”

The entire bottom of the second crevice was carpeted in a gleaming purple. Hundreds of oval-like objects were strewn across the rocks. Eggs. I recognized them as Centinel eggs.

It was a Lair.

Now entering [Lair: Centinels Camp]!

One of the eggs shifted slightly. It cracked open, and an [Infant Centinel] crawled out. It was even smaller than the [Younger Centinel]. It also looked so squishy, without the hard carapace that all Centinels had.

“Aw, it actually looks kind of cute.”

I stared at it as it wriggled around. Then I tapped a finger on my lips.

“And tasty—”

Before I could even muse about the delicacy of Centinels, there was a chomp. An undulating figure moved amongst the eggs, like a deep sea creature swimming in the ocean. It had to be at least a hundred feet long from head to tail. It was, obviously, a Centinel. And it was eating its own children.

[Senior Centinel - Lvl. 122]

“Huh.”

[Infant Centinels] hatched and died in mere moments as the [Senior Centinel] swam across the lake of its own eggs. The [Infant Centinels] didn’t even have a chance to let out a squeak before they were fed to their progenitor.

I took a step back, blinking.

“So… does that mean they are tasty?”

Of course, I didn’t get an answer. Instead, I heard a skittering in return. I spun around as a loud clicking echoed behind me and faced a looming figure.

[Older Centinel - Lvl. 85]

It rose out of the ground at a few dozen feet, lashing out with a whip of acid. I flipped over the attack and conjured a Nebular Scythe.

“Are we doing this now? Because I've tried eating you [Older Centinels] before, and I’m pretty sure you won’t taste good.”

I leapt at the [Older Centinel] as it came down at me with its maw. It snapped its jaw wildly as I sliced up with my Nebular Scythe. A grin spread across my face as a heavy thud resounded. The head of the [Older Centinel] dropped, followed slowly by the rest of its body.

“Was that it?”

Of course, that wasn’t it. More [Older Centinels] crawled out from across the ravine, scuttling and shrieking as they spat large orbs of acid at me. I breathed out a Flaming Breath, evaporating the vile liquid before it even reached me. I tossed my Nebular Scythe back, instead creating a pair of Nebular Sickle Grenades in each hand. I tossed them forward, blasting apart the oncoming Centinels before they even reached me.

The explosion resounded throughout the cavern. It shook the ravine I was standing in, and I pursed my lips.

“That was a bit… too loud.”

I glanced over behind me, waiting— anticipating what was to come. And as expected, a tall shadow ascended from the crevice with the Centinel eggs. The [Senior Centinel] stared at me with its beady black eyes. A hollow gaze. One without any shred of intelligence behind it. Just a wild need to destroy everything it saw. Even its offspring.

It screeched and lashed down at me with its entire body. I backed up as it crushed the earth, sending a pillar of dust into the air. The Nebular Scythe I’d tossed behind was sent flying. I saw it spinning in the air as the [Senior Centinel] drew back. My eyes flickered, and I moved.

[Haste] overtook my body. My speed increased, but even still, the [Senior Centinel] was incredibly fast. I barely reacted as it whipped back up, snapping for my head. I sent a spurt of flame out in the opposite direction to slow my movement, just so its attack would miss.

Then I hopped back up into the air and grabbed my Nebular Scythe. I landed before the [Senior Centinel] as it looped back around to face me.

There were a lot of Skills I could use here to defeat the [Senior Centinel]. It was over 10 Levels above me. It wasn’t going to be an easy fight. And it looked way more durable than the [Evolved Centinel] had been.

But as the [Senior Centinel] charged me once more, I didn’t use [Demon’s Mark]. I didn’t use [Radiant Slash]. I didn’t use [Salvo of Vanity]. I couldn’t afford to use my best Skills against the first proper challenge I met.

I didn’t transform with [Demonic Essence]. Instead, I fought the [Senior Centinel] with nothing more than [Haste] and the Nebular Scythe]. I whittled away at its shell with a couple of [Barrage of Cinders], but otherwise, I was sparse with the Skills I used.

The [Senior Centinel] was fast. However, due to its size, it wasn’t as nimble or agile as me. It swung its body around, smashing against rock and stone as I narrowly avoided being squished against the ground.

...well, that was an over exaggeration. Even if I didn’t have the Breastplate of Alexander, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be killed in a single hit. However, it still looked like it’d hurt.

I took my time with this fight. I wasn’t in any rush. I made sure to keep aware of my surroundings with [Planar Navigation], and I didn’t sense any other [Senior Centinel] or high-leveled Centinel approaching.

Five minutes passed, then ten. It was at that moment I finally broke through the [Senior Centinel]’s shell. However, it wasn’t felled in that instant. It would take another ten minutes before I inflicted enough damage for its movements to be slowed. Then when the half an hour mark came, a notification resounded in my head, accompanying the crashing of the giant corpse.

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 122]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Cleared [Lair: Centinels Camp]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 111] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 112]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 63] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 64]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

—--

I leveled twice from that battle. IOne for my Subspecies, and one for my Class. didn't use much of my Class in that fight— however, it probably still gave me experience for it since [Planar Navigation] was active the whole time. And that was why it leveled.

I was getting close to my Class advancement. I just knew it. I was definitely going to get it before I reached Level 70. The thought of it alone made me sway happily as I sat at the bottom of the second crevice, munching on [Infant Centinels]. Unlike their evolved versions, these tasted delicious.

They would crawl up to me with their tiny shrill squeaks and try to bite my hand off, only for me to pluck them from the ground and stuff them into my mouth.

I gained no experience for it, unfortunately.

“You know, I can see why your mother… father… whatever that was to you… ate you. You all taste so nice. Also, you’re wild and dumb.”

The [Infant Centinels] skittered around, trying to kill each other as they hatched, having no regard to the fact that they were related. I felt the egg beneath me shift. I sat up as it cracked open, and an [Infant Centinel] wriggled out with a soft shriek. I picked it up and dangled it by its head.

“I wonder, why are you all so stupid? What makes you all… wild?”

It nibbled at my fingertips. My Breastplate of Alexander didn’t even activate because it couldn’t hurt me. I cocked my head.

“What does the Devil even want me to prove by being here? All of you look the same. All of you act the same. You’re just a smaller version of the [Ancient Centinel], aren’t you?”

I hurled the [Infant Centinel] against the wall and it went splat.

“To not die? Because that’s not very hard. I can just hide here for a few months and when he returns, I’ll show him that I’m still alive and well. Fantastic, even!”

I puffed my chest up as [Rest] told me that I fully recovered all my stamina and mana from the fight.

“However, that’s not it. He wants me to prove that I’m better than… the [Ancient Centinel]? Or just the Centinels in general? Does he want me to wipe out all of you from existence? Because that’d be hard!”

If that was my goal here, he’d implied something like that. The only thing I’d gotten from his words was that I had to fight and beat something. Well, I’d beaten the next strongest Centinel here right behind the [Ancient Centinel], didn’t I?

A [Senior Centinel].

I probably just had to kill… maybe a few hundred to a thousand more, then I’d close the gap between myself and the [Ancient Centinels] enough to actually stand a chance against them.

“But if it takes me half an hour to beat a single [Senior Centinel]...”

Well, I’d miss my next academic term in Mavos Academy. And Belzu would run amok and grow a lot stronger by then. So, what am I supposed to do?”

I took off, leaving the second ravine. I landed back at the first ravine and glanced around. I couldn’t see the end of the first ravine. However, I saw slices of smaller or bigger crevices cutting through its path. I approached one of these other gashes on the earth to investigate them, shrugging as I didn’t know what else to do.

Then I heard a soft click.

And it was then I realized that I forgot to account for something when considering the Centinels. It was a new variable, however it wasn’t really fresh on my mind since I’d experienced a lot of things in just this one day alone.

I thought all Centinels were the same, just resized. But no— there was a different kind of Centinel. I remembered the diary. The contents towards the end that described something different about the Centinels. Ones that evolved.

Ones similar to the Centinel that I fought.

I thought of its design. How it was shaped differently from a regular Centinel. And I turned around to face the source of the noise.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 121]

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 135]

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 113]

“Huh.”

A note from MelasD

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260. Advancing

260. Advancing

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 113]

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 121]

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 135]

Three Centinels stood before me. Each of them were a departure from the ordinary undulating body of a Centinel. They’d evolved. Become different. Become more.

They were distinct from each other, too. The lowest-leveled of them was rather large and bulky with an inflated abdomen and a dozen spindly legs. It was like someone had made a model of a giant spider and accidentally gave it too many limbs.

The Level 121 [Evolved Centinel] had a hunched body. It seemed to roll forward rather than crawl, and its back and front was literally covered in spikes. Barbs that jutted out in all directions. However, despite their sharp appearance, they seemed to flop around as they carried the Centinel forward.

The last and highest-leveled Centinel had the typical segmented body-type of a regular Centinel. About the size of a [Junior Centinel]. But the upper half of its body bent upwards, morphing into a grotesque form that lacked legs. The carapace grew thinner as it took on almost a Human-like form. With hands. Actual arms that had opposable thumbs. And a head that resembled that of an armored knight.

I stared at it. I waved at it uneasily.

“Um, hello?”

It peered at me with an intelligent gaze. I knew that it was studying each small movement I made. It knew that I was trying to communicate with it. I could tell. However, that didn’t mean it could talk, unfortunately.

I heard a muffled click as its mandibles snapped together beneath the carapace covering its mouth. The other two Centinels at its side moved. The first leapt into the air as the second barrelled forward with a deep screech.

I scowled.

“Ugh, are you seriously going to fight me? Can’t we talk?”

Apparently not. I leapt to the side, and the second Centinel crashed into the rock wall behind me. The first Centinel intercepted me mid-air, but I simply flipped around it and kicked it back. However, before I could land, the last Centinel slithered up to me. It wasn’t that fast. I’d say that it moved slower than a [Senior Centinel] at its level would.

Well, it definitely moved slower than the [Senior Centinel] I’d just fought. However, when it struck out at me, its hands were wreathed in a yellow energy. Magic. Some kind of acid strike.

I raised my Nebular Scythe, barely parrying the attack as I was knocked back. Behind me, the rolling Centinel lashed out. It was faster than its two companions, and it chomped its terrible maw down at me. The Breastplate of Alexander flashed, protecting me as I growled.

“Stop it! Stop trying to eat me!”

All three Centinels halted, and my eyes flickered. I was faced with far too many powerful enemies. Each of them seemed to have their own abilities. The highest-leveled Centinel had some sort of magic, the spindly Centinel looked like it would tear me apart if it got to me, and the rolling Centinel was incredibly quick.

I didn’t want to take this fight.

At least, not all three of them at the same time. I had to get out of here— either separate them and beat them one by one, or escape entirely. First of all however, I had to get the rolling Centinel away from me.

It regained its senses as I tried to fly off into the air. It quickly crawled up the ravine’s walls, hissing and leaping after me. I dodged out of the way, grinning.

“Hah! You can’t hit me from down there!”

The rolling Centinel picked itself up as the highest-leveled Centinel spread its arms wide. There was a glimmer of yellow light from above me. I blinked, looking up. And a deluge of acid fell on me in raindrop-like shapes.

I exhaled, unleashing blue fire all around the crevice. It was bright enough that it could probably be seen from all the way at either end of this ravine, and maybe even from the intersecting ravines nearby.

“Stupid Centinel magic—”

I started, but was cut off as the spindly Centinel crashed into me. I tumbled down, tangled in a brief battle with it as it continued trying to snap its jaw at me. I glanced up for a moment as the thought to use [Long Range Teleport] crossed my mind.

But I decided against it. Instead, I grabbed onto a nearby ledge with [Mystical Projection] as [Faux Limbs] protruded from my sides. With the flaming arms, I pushed the spindly Centinel off me, and pulled myself back up into the air with the invisible hands.

I flew back up into the air as the Centinels gathered themselves for another attempt to intercept me. But before they had the chance, I pointed at them. [Temporal Distortion]. The world around the Centinels slowed. They perceived me speeding away from them far faster than they could even react. I sent a final wave of blue flames back at them, blotting out their vision as I finally managed to escape.

—--

“What… was that?”

I panted, leaning against the wall. I managed to escape from the [Evolved Centinels] and hid myself away at an alcove I located with [Planar Navigation]. Sure, I could’ve continued fighting them. Baited them to come at me one after another. Maybe even use up my best Skills to defeat them.

However, I wouldn’t have been able to handle what came next. I peeked out of the alcove as a rumble washed over the area I was standing. Hundreds of Centinels skittered their way down the bottom of the ravine, heading to where I’d been fighting the [Evolved Centinels].

They weren’t attracted by the sounds of fighting. No— the Bloodied Gulf had an incessant, constant background noise ever since I came here. Fighting, shrieking, and killing. Even now, I could see several Centinels battling with each other for no ostensible reason.

What they were attracted by had been the bright light I sent to the sky. My brilliant blue fire attracted a lot of attention, especially when I used it at a scale as large as I did earlier. But that rain of acid would’ve done significant damage, and while my Breastplate of Alexander still worked, I didn’t want to waste its protection.

I sighed.

“Ok, I get that they were [Evolved Centinels]. But why were they all so different from each other?”

They were all… distinct. With their own shapes and abilities. Sure, Centinels weren’t uniform in what they looked like or what they could do. However, they were similar enough that they were pretty much the same. Like different rocks on the ground.

These [Evolved Centinels] were like carvings. As though someone had picked up a set of three pebbles and molded each into unique shapes like a cross, a star, and a circle.

“Do they relate to Sal’s dumb cryptic assignment?”

I really just wished he would be clear with what my goal here was. I sat there, waiting for the cooldown on the Skills I used in the earlier fights to run its course. Outside, the rumbling abated slightly.

I could still hear the clicking feet of Centinels as they passed the alcove. But it wasn’t as intense as before. And their footsteps kind of faded into the background noise that was the death zone of the Bloodied Gulf.

“Now that I think about it, is this place really a Diamond Ranked area?”

I wondered to myself as another wave of Centinels passed. They had a number of [Senior Centinels] amongst them, too.

“That [Ancient Centinel] was an Elite Ranked threat. And with all the Diamond Ranked threats lurking around, shouldn’t this be an Elite Ranked area?”

I had a lot of questions. Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to many answers. Well, if I really wanted to figure out the truth, I had to go find it myself. The only problem was that it was kind of dangerous. Even hiding in the alcove was risky, just less so than wandering around the open ravines.

I was about to step out of the alcove to continue scouring the crevices for whatever I was looking to do when I suddenly had an idea.

“Actually, I don’t have to go out on my own, do I?”

I snapped a finger, and golden flames formed before me. [Salvo of Vanity] activated— an exhausting Skill. One that used up a lot of mana to create a clone, before using a minor amount of mana and concentration consistently to persist.

“I’ll continue my [Rest] here. Go scout the are around me, will you?”

My clone nodded and left the alcove. The moment she stepped out, she drew the attention of several lower-leveled Centinels. It didn’t matter to her. She just flew off after burning them to ashes.

It would be hard for her to remain discreet. However, that didn’t matter. Even if she were attacked by a dozen [Evolved Centinels]. Because she was my clone. So, she didn’t try masking her presence at all, which also meant that she could move as quickly through the network of ravines as possible.

I had her map out the area, even as she was chased down by a horde of Centinels. I mentally took notes of where everything was around me, keeping everything in relation to where this alcove was. There were quite a few Lairs around the area, which was odd since this wasn’t considered a ‘Dungeon’. Maybe it was because they were all Lairs of the same Species of monster?

I wasn’t sure.

My clone stumbled into one of the larger ravines as she tried to lose the Centinels chasing after her. However, it seemed she strayed too close to a familiar location. The entire network of ravines trembled as something dug its way out of the shadows.

The [Ancient Centinel] rose out of a cavern, eyeing my clone with sheer rage. I pursed my lips.

“Well, i guess it’s time to end it.”

I sent my clone to blow herself up on the [Ancient Centinel] once again. But before she could even get close, something flashed. Her gaze snapped to the side. My eyes grew wide as I saw the same thing she did.

An [Evolved Centinel]. No— it was the same one as before. At Level 135. It unleashed a powerful blast of acid at my clone, snuffing out the golden flames before she could attack the [Ancient Centinel].

And my senses cut out.

“Huh. Well, that was rude.”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“So, I definitely shouldn’t be flying around like an idiot. That attracts way too much attention.”

However, I was definitely going to employ this tactic with my clone to map out more of the ravine. Not right now, though. I both couldn’t and didn’t want to.

For now, I let [Rest] restore the rest of my abilities. It took a few more hours until I was at a hundred percent. When I was ready, I got to my feet and grinned.

“Ok so I just have to go here and—”

I exited the alcove, sticking close to the ravine’s walls as I retraced the steps my clone took here.

“The Lair should be here somewhere…”

I kicked away a [Junior Centinel] and paused right before a crack on the wall. My lips curled up as I stepped inside.

“There it is.”

I walked down a rather long stone hallway that grew narrowed and narrowed until I had to crawl my way through it. Then it opened up into a chamber with a large pit at the bottom. A notification resounded in my head.

Now entering [Lair: Centinels Camp]!

Over a dozen [Senior Centinels]. A small Lair in its own enclosed space. I could fight here without worrying too much about attracting the attention of other Centinels. And what was more was that these Centinels were barely even my level. They were definitely not as strong as the first [Senior Centinel] I fought.

[Senior Centinel - Lvl. 107]

...

[Senior Centinel - Lvl. 113]

I clapped my hands together, activating [Mystical Projection] as the [Senior Centinels] stirred. They turned their gazes towards me and screeched. I just used my invisible arms to pull them towards me, bringing them my way faster.

“Now, who wants to help me advance my Class?”

I bared my teeth at them. They broke free from [Mystical Projection], of course. But it didn’t matter much, though. After all—

Cleared [Lair: Centinels Camp]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 105]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 112]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 112] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 113]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 113] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 114]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 64] -> [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 65]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

[Advancement Available]

I didn’t need much to get my advancement.

A note from MelasD

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261. The Devil's Apprentice

261. The Devil's Apprentice

Before I began with my advancement, I first had to deal with a few minor things. For example, the remainder of my secondary Skill Points. I had 8 to distribute, and only one Skill for it to go to. I wanted to max out [Long Range Teleportation], but surprisingly, even when it hit Level 15, it was still not yet maxed.

“Huh. So it has a pretty high cap, then.”

I mused aloud to myself as I sat atop the corpses of the [Senior Centinels]. I probably needed 20 or 30 secondary Skill Points to get to its max. So, there was no reason to expend any more secondary Skill Points on it— for now. I wanted to save the rest for when I advanced my Class.

I quickly spent my Stat Points, mostly on Agility, but some went to Vitality, Wisdom, Strength, and Endurance as well. As for my regular Skill Points, I focused specifically on my strongest combat Skills. [Salvo of Vanity] and [Demon’s Mark]. I brought both of them up to Level 10. As expected, they didn’t cap at that level. They were some of the best Skills I had… for now.

With all that settled, I moved on to my advancement.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 114

Class: [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 65

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 139 (+25)

[Strength]: 115 (+25)

[Endurance]: 128 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 216 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 278 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 15

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 10

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 15

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Advancement Available]

Class Advancement:

Requirements for three Class advancements have been met!

There were three advancements, which kind of surprised me. Early Class advancements typically offered fewer options since most Classes required you to be a certain level before you can unlock them. While I did receive three options the last time around, too, I also had been quite busy. I’d mostly been in Mavos Academy since then.

I guess I accomplished a lot more than I thought I did while spending most of my time studying.

“Now, what exactly did I do?”

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus]

A [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] is a [Mage] who has experienced what the world has to offer. Friends, enemies, and everything in between. They have seen and studied the various layers to living in the Nexeus. Now, they no longer seek simply knowledge, but power overwhelming— magic to forever fell their foes.

+10 [Strength]

+10 [Wisdom]

+10 [Agility]

+3 [Vitality]

+3 [Endurance]

“Interesting…”

It was a direct advancement of my current Class line. Not a tangential advancement. It seemed to offer pretty good Stats, all things considered. It promised me power. Something that would be strong enough to bring down my enemies.

And that piqued my interest.

I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to be able to defeat Belzu in a fight. It gave me exactly what I wanted— or so I thought.

The truth was, I didn’t actually know what it would do for me. I just knew what it said it would do. And I believe it. It was a roll of the dice as it always was. However, I liked the name of this Class. The reason why I chose [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] was because I liked its name. And [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] sounded even more… well, grand.

I still had two other options to choose from, but I already knew this would be one of my top picks.

I moved onto the next.

[Space Sentinel]

A [Space Sentinel] is a [Space Mage] who has used their magic to protect the world. They have been taught by Fairies and the Devil himself. They know of the plight of the Nexeus. With their power, they shall fend off the corruption that has ravaged the Endlands.

+12 [Wisdom]

+8 [Vitality]

+5 [Strength]

+5 [Wisdom]

+5 [Agility]

“Hm.”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Did I get this because I killed that Cursed Boulder?”

It certainly seemed like it. Perhaps that was why I had three Class advancement options offered to me— if not for what I did recently, I probably would’ve only met the requirements for one.

As for the Class itself, I thought it was pretty good. It gave good Stats and its description made me curious to learn more about it. The big problem I had with it was that it didn’t describe me at all.

“And that’s important, isn’t it?”

It was a kind of [Space Mage] Class— and I knew that [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] was a branching evolution of the [Space Mage] Class, so it’d give me what I wanted. But to be a direct evolution of the [Space Mage] Class? Not yet.

And that was the main reason why I was even interested in it.

“I’ll consider you. But let’s see what the last Class is.”

[Diabolus’ Neophyte]

The [Diabolus’ Neophyte] is a unique Class of [Cultist] that worships the Devil himself. She has the fortune to gain the interest of the Devil himself, and thanks to his generosity, he has taken her as his apprentice. There is no greater honor than to learn from one as wise as the Devil.

+10 [Vitality]

+10 [Strength]

+10 [Endurance]

+10 [Wisdom]

+10 [Agility]

I blinked.

“Excuse me?”

I focused on the Class again, and its description remained unchanged. There was a moment where I just sat there in the cavern, doing absolutely nothing. Completely baffled.

Then I stood up.

“WHAT THE F—”

***

Somewhere, in an ever changing space of lattice, the Devil cackled maniacally to himself. He laughed so hard, he doubled over and rolled on the ground for quite a while.

***

I sat back down, burying my head in my hands.

“At least it didn’t call me his daughter…”

I muttered to myself. It still took me a few more minutes to get over the ridiculousness of that Class option. When I regained my composure, I actually took a look at the Stat increase the Class gave me. It was suffice to say it was great.

“Plus ten to all my Stats. That is… huh.”

It had my attention. Ignoring the fact that it literally designated me as the Devil’s apprentice… and someone who worshipped him… it gave me a good reason to choose it.

So, those were the three Classes options I’d been given.

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus]— a direct advancement of my current Class. [Space Sentinel, which was more of a kind of related advancement. And [Diabolus’ Neophyte]... a completely unrelated advancement to my Class. Or maybe it was tangentially related. I didn’t know. It was just kind of dumb.

There were a lot of pros and cons here to consider. I truly thought each of them had its merits. This was a hard choice to make.

But I guess the first one I’d have to eliminate would be [Space Sentinel]. It was mildly interesting, but that was about it. I wasn’t really willing to give up the chance of a better Class advancement just for a tiny bit of curiosity. If it was a lot of curiosity, sure I’d have done so in an instant.

However, it was only a minute amount of curiosity.

So, that left [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] and [Diabolus’ Neophyte]. Judging them based on their Stats alone, I’d have said that [Diabolus’ Neophyte] was the far better option. If I wanted to become stronger, I should choose it without a second thought. The promise of power from [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] couldn’t compare to what [Diabolus’ Neophyte] quantitatively offered me.

And, in terms of how cool they sounded, I couldn’t lie and say that [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] was better than [Diabolus’ Neophyte].

Everything pointed me towards [Diabolus’ Neophyte]. It was clearly the better option. And yet, I found myself gravitating towards [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus]. Or rather, I was being repelled from [Diabolus’ Neophyte].

Having a Class that made me the Devil’s apprentice wasn’t too bad. Especially since he promised he’d help me like he was doing now. I knew it wouldn’t hurt any of my current goals— either defeating Belzu or returning to the Netherworld. However, I just… didn’t like the idea that I was supposed to worship Sal.

I was not some kind of [Cultist]. If there was anyone who should be worshiped here, it was me. If it was someone else, I might’ve considered swallowing my pride just to get the power boost.

Unfortunately, I’d swallowed my pride because of the Devil before, hadn’t I? I remembered when the Devil first appeared… and I made my decision. I leapt to my feet and raised a fist.

“Hey, Devil! If you’re seeing this— I am not going to become a [Diabolus’ Neophyte]! Do you want to know why?”

I leaned forward conspiratorially, as if I was whispering into his ear even though he wasn’t here.

“It’s because you embarrassed me in front of my friends!”

It was as simple as that. I focused on [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus], and words appeared in my had.

Advancement Complete!

Class [Worldly Mystic of the Nexeus] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus]

Gained 20 Stat Points!

[Strength] +10

[Wisdom] +10

[Agility] +10

[Vitality] +3

[Endurance] +3

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Slots!

Gained 6 Secondary Skill Points!

Skill [Scatter Shift] becomes [Scattering Displacement]!

Skill [Temporal Distortion] becomes [Warped Time]!

Skill [Cube of Isolation] is now available!

Skill [Dimensional Pocket] is now available!

Skill [Mass Particulate Modification] is now available!

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 114

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 65

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 20]

[Vitality]: 142 (+25)

[Strength]: 125 (+25)

[Endurance]: 131 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 226 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 288 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 15

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 10

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 8]

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 15

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 1

[Warped Time] - Lvl 1

[Unused Secondary Skill Slot] x2

And I passed out.

—--

I woke up to the soft sound of claws scraping against dirt. My eyes fluttered open, and I sat up. I felt reinvigorated— I had gotten quite a lot of new secondary Skills, and a few of my old secondary Skills were given a boost. I was ready— no, excited— to test out my abilities as a [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus].

However, the scraping grew louder, and my gaze snapped over to the side.

“What is…?”

And I realized what it was I was hearing. It wasn’t scraping— it was crawling. Something was making its way towards me. Its sharp legs were what was making that scratching noise. I got up, tensing as something emerged from that small entrance to this former Lair.

Red spider-like legs clawed their way out of the darkness. A dozen legs. And they carried a bulky figure of a Centinel. One that could barely fit through the entrance It didn’t even have multiple segmented bodies, but instead only a few separate carapace parts and a single large abdomen.

I recognized it as one of the Centinels that had attacked me beforehand. One of the three [Evolved Centinels] that gave chase to me.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 113]

I… smiled.

“So, are you going to be my test dummy for my new secondary Skills?”

It answered by leaping forward, lashing out at me.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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262. Warped Time

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Dear Spellbook's rewrite. I gave the original a shoutout. But here's the rewrite:

Live. Study. Repeat.

Tal never saw himself as an adventurer, but the call to adventure never much cared for his opinion. Despite his best efforts, his search for answers on the murder of his parents ever draws him into danger. Accompanied by a group of seasoned warriors, thus far Tal has gotten by on his own meager magical talents, but when one day he wakes up to find himself back in his bed of the night before, he is faced with a challenge he must conquer alone.

Dear Spellbook: A D&D Inspired Time Loop (Rewrite) | Royal Road

262. Warped Time

The former Centinel’s Lair was a rather enclosed space— a circular room with a pit at the center. It only had one entrance, and it was a reclused entrance. Before I had fallen unconscious due to my Class advancement, I made sure that there were no Centinels nearby with [Planar Navigation].

Now, though, there was one ready to pounce at me.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 113]

The [Evolved Centinel] soared through the air, closing its spiky legs at me like it was a claw. I flipped over the attack as my wings took form. It tried to give chase, but I flew up to the top of the cave chamber and avoided its attack.

It wasn’t even that high-leveled, compared to me. And it couldn’t keep up with my speed, not unlike its companions. The most annoying thing about it was how high it could jump. I dipped low as the [Evolved Centinel] flung itself at me once again.

“So, which of my new secondary Skills should I test out on you first?”

I tried to be courteous and let it choose, but the [Evolved Centinel] only screeched as it landed on the ceiling.

“Well, for starters, I guess I’ll try out one of my changed Skills.”

The [Evolved Centinel] came crashing down again, and I weaved around it. I twirled to face it right as its feet touched the bottom of the pit. Raising a finger, I tested out the first Skill.

“[Warped Time].”

I watched as the area around the [Evolved Centinel] grew slightly distorted. Just like [Temporal Distortion], time moved at a different speed within a certain space. However, it was shaped more like a bubble now rather than a box. Not only that, I felt like I could make things move slower and faster than what [Temporal Distortion].

“Is that it, though?”

I cocked my head. Surely that couldn’t be the only difference, right?

And it wasn’t.

The [Evolved Centinel] curled its body up as it prepared to jump at me once again. I could see it moving at a much slower pace until it finally escaped the bubble. Instinctively, I knew to move the [Warped Time] to follow it.

I stared as the bubble followed the [Evolved Centinel] up as it barreled through the air towards me. It tracked its movements, slowing it so that I could dodge it with even more ease than before. I blinked.

“Huh. So, I can move it around.”

I narrowed my eyes, moving the [Warped Time] towards me and away from the [Evolved Centinel]. Suddenly, the [Evolved Centinel] picked up the pace to leap at me. Before it could reach me, I immersed myself in the [Warped Time]. I made it so that time moved faster inside the bubble than outside, before gently flapping my wings to move back. The [Warped Time] followed me as I saw everything beyond move at a slower speed than before.

“This is… a pretty good upgrade.”

I could even change the size of the bubble, although I saw no need to do that right now. I dismissed the Skill as the [Evolved Centinel] landed right next to me. Its claw-like legs snapped at me, and I backed up.

“You’re pretty violent. I wonder how I am going to have to deal with you. Let’s see, maybe I can— [Scattering Displacement]!”

I focused on the [Evolved Centinel], hoping that the Skill would somehow teleport it into the air or something of the like. But it didn’t affect the monster. Of course not.

Instead, it sent the pebbles and boulders lying on the ground behind the [Evolved Centinel] flinging to the air. I scowled.

“Seriously? Is that it?

Then I paused when I noticed that the rocks continued to float about. They hovered slowly, bouncing around the walls like they were in the ocean. [Planar Navigation] alerted me to the way space bent around the objects— and how their threads all connected to me.

I felt my fingers twitch, and I realized what I could do.

The [Evolved Centinel] charged at me once more, but I flicked a finger. One of the floating stones shot down with incredible speed. It struck the back of the [Evolved Centinel], knocking it down briefly as I grinned.

“Hey. Want to play a game?”

It screeched and got back up. I backed away from it as I began flicking my finger at it.

“Try to dodge the rocks— it’s not going to be easy, though! Rocks are annoying and everywhere in this place!”

I spoke simply as one by one, the floating rocks launched at the [Evolved Centinel]. It was like a hail of rapid-moving projectiles— something that even I’d struggle keeping away from. And they were of all different sizes, some of them larger than even me, while others were as small as a pebble on my fingertips. They came at the [Evolved Centinel] from all directions, battering it before it could reach me.

I was pretty sure that if I tossed a rock at the same speed as they were being propelled, it wouldn’t be as painful as with [Scattering Displacement]. The space magic gripping the rocks definitely enhanced their ability to inflict damage.

They darted down and discombobulated the [Evolved Centinel] each time it tried to draw closer towards me. I smiled, watching the monster snarl at the floating rocks. It spun around to smash another group of rocks as they winded down towards it, and I yanked them back. I made the rocks avoid the whipping legs of the [Evolved Centinel] before crashing them at its back.

“This is fun, isn’t it? Well, at least for me. I don’t know how much fun it is for you.”

I closed my fingers into my palm and all the floating rocks slammed into the carapace of the [Evolved Centinel]. That actually seemed to hurt it— although, not by a lot. But still, it was hurt by a Skill that was from a Class about 50 levels below it.

Although, since I hurt the [Evolved Centinel], it was now annoyed too. It exploded into the air far faster than it moved before. I watched as it bounced from the floor to the ceiling in mere moments— some kind of Skill that greatly enhanced its speed.

It shot out at me before I could react. The Breastplate of Alexander flashed, protecting me from the attack as I stood my ground. I glared at it.

“Alright, if you want to play rough, I have a few other Skills I’d like to test out.”

I tapped a finger on my chin as the [Evolved Centinel] bounced back, readying for another strike.

“What about… [Mass Particulate Modification]?”

It was a Skill I had gained, but hadn’t added to my Skill Slots. I had three new secondary Skills— [Cube of Isolation], [Dimensional Pocket], and [Mass Particulate Modification]— but only two Skill Slots. I decided that the first one I’d use would be the last in that list.

[Mass Particulate Modification]. I activated the Skill and pointed at the [Evolved Centinel].

“Take this!”

I yelled.

…

Nothing happened.

The [Evolved Centinel] nearly crashed into me, but a quick Flame Burst with a [Haste] helped me evade it entirely.

I scowled and tried to use the Skill again.

“Why isn’t it working?”

The [Evolved Centinel] moved even faster now— it blurred and appeared next to me, leaving behind a kind of after-image. I blinked as the Breastplate of Alexander flashed once again. I actually stumbled this time.

“Ugh, you’re being annoying!”

I swiped my claws at it, but the [Evolved Centinel] leapt back out of the way. I frowned when I missed.

“You’re not cooperating! I’m supposed to be testing out my Skills on you! Instead, you’re trying to wear down my Breastplate of Alexander!”

It ricocheted off the walls and struck me once more. I scowled and grabbed it by its legs before it could run away.

“Stop it!”

Black flames wreathed my claws as [Radiant Slash] illuminated the dark cavern. I lashed back at the [Evolved Centinel], expecting it to finish the job. And the attack did do significantly more damage than [Scattering Displacement] did. It even tore off a few legs and smashed open the carapace of the [Evolved Centinel]!

However, it didn’t kill it. I blinked as the [Evolved Centinel] managed to pull itself away from me and limply leap away. It was still alive. It was ready to assail me once more.

“Why are you…?”

And I realized I’d made a mistake— I was taking the [Evolved Centinel] too lightly. I forgot that it was a creature close to me in levels. Not only that, but it was somehow different— maybe stronger— than a regular Centinel.

I pursed my lips, feeling a bit annoyed at myself for underestimating it. I shook my head as I stepped forward and created a Nebular Scythe.

“Fine. If you don’t want to help me test out my Skills, then I’ll have to ask you to leave me alone.”

The [Evolved Centinel] didn’t budge. It eyed me with beady eyes, studying my movements.

“You’re not going to leave me alone?”

I cocked my head, and it answered by snapping at me with its burly mandibles. I parried the attack with my Nebular Scythe as blue flames flared around me. It burned at the Centinel’s broken carapace. At the same time, my other Skills activated.

“Then, die!”

I scorched the back of the [Evolved Centinel] and sliced its remaining carapace open with my Nebular Scythe. It fought back, of course. It continued bouncing around as I gave chase to it. But it couldn’t keep it up forever— its armor wouldn’t hold.

When the last of its carapace had been pried off, I tore into its body with [Barrage of Cinders]. I grabbed its head and ripped it right off, finishing it off with a satisfied smile.

Defeated [Evolved Spindly Centinel – Lvl. 113]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 65] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 66]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

The notifications resounded in my head as the battle came to a close. I tossed the [Evolved Centinel]s head aside, sighing.

“It didn’t even give me a level up for my Subspecies. What an annoying thing.”

Oh, well. Now that it was dealt with, I finally could test out my remaining secondary Skills. [Cube of Isolation], [Dimensional Pocket], and [Mass Particulate Modification].

“She didn’t become a [Diabolus’ Neophyte].”

Sal didn’t know how he felt about the decision Salvos made. On one hand, he thought it was foolish— rejecting a powerful Class over such a petty reason? Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.

But on the other hand, he found it very much amusing.

Honestly though, while there were the occasional moments where Sal found himself being entertained in between watching the antics of Salvos and the rebellion of Belzu, he couldn’t help but find himself growing bored from time to time.

“Something needs to happen to make things more exciting.”

He yawned as on one screen, Salvos began figuring out how [Mass Particulate Modification] worked, and on another screen, Belzu carefully inspected the Sword of Alexander to ascertain all its secrets. Then an idea crossed Sal’s mind.

“A wager.”

He clapped his hands together as a playful smile crept over his face.

“Yes, that would certainly make this more exciting.”

Hopping back onto his feet, a portal opened up before the Devil. He had a few people in mind who he could approach for this wager. The question was— would they be happy to see him?

The answer was quite obvious.

No. No, they would not be happy to see him.

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263. Potential

263. Potential

[Cube of Isolation]. [Dimensional Pocket]. [Mass Particulate Modification].

These were the three remaining secondary Skills I hadn’t tested out yet. I’d already added the last— [Mass Particulate Modification]— into one of my available secondary Skill Slots. I attempted to use it in battle against the [Evolved Centinel]. Unfortunately, it ostensibly did nothing against the creature.

Either I was using the Skill wrong, or it didn’t affect living things.

I reckoned it was the latter rather than the former. I walked up to the corpse of the [Evolved Centinel] to test it out. Raising a hand, I pointed at it and spoke the Skill’s name.

“[Mass Particulate Modification].”

My senses were immediately immersed into the [Evolved Centinel]’s broken body. It was like I was holding it in the palm of my hands— but more than that, it felt like it was made out of clay. Like I could mold its shape and change its properties.

I narrowed my eyes. It wasn’t that I could make it whatever I wanted it to be. I could not do that. Instead, it felt like I could… stretch the body. Or compress it. So, I tried to do exactly just that. I tugged the corpse, feeling like I was pulling it apart. But it didn’t break down any further. Instead, it grew larger.

I watched as the [Evolved Centinel] dwarfed my height entirely until I could stretch it no more. My eyes grew round as I stared at it.

“Huh.”

I could change the size of objects with the Skill!

“Wait, actually—”

I walked up to the enlarged [Evolved Centinel]’s corpse and tried to pick it up.

“Ugh, heavy…”

Its weight seemed to match its size. And that gave me quite a few ideas.

“So, if I used [Scattering Displacement] together with [Mass Particulate Modification]... wait, how frequently can I use both Skills?”

As it turned out, I could use both Skills quite often. There wasn’t a cooldown between each Skil’s use— for both [Scattering Displacement] and [Mass Particulate Modification], I could cast the Skills again whenever I wanted if I had enough mana, although the amount of mana used each time depended on what I was doing with the Skills.

It gave me an idea. I activated [Scattering Displacement] to send all the rocks in the room flying. They floated about as I then used [Mass Particulate Modification] on them. I watched as they spun, changing in size, growing larger and heavier into boulders.

“Then if I just do this—”

I closed my hands into a fist, and the boulders rapidly came crashing together. I grinned, taking a step back.

“That’ll do a lot of damage, I think.”

Now, it was a good combination of Skills. But what was [Mass Particulate Modification]’s use on its own?

I could resize objects, but I didn’t see a lot of use on its own. For now, I moved onto my next secondary Skill.

“But between [Cube of Isolation] and [Dimensional Pocket], which should I try first?”

That was the question I had to ask myself. They had very vague names which didn’t let me infer much about what they did. I had to choose at random, then, so I decided on [Dimensional Pocket].

“Now, let’s see…”

I tapped a finger on my chin, trying to parse what it could do. So far, my Skills seemed to affect other objects rather than myself or other people. I decided to test the Skill on a rock. I picked up a piece of pebble focused on it, peering into it as the [Dimensional Pocket] took effect.

I blinked as it popped out of existence. I was staring straight into my palms. The rock vanished entirely from existence. It was gone.

“What…? Where did it go?”

I waved my hands around, trying to bring it back. With a single thought, it reappeared in the palm of my hand. The pebble appeared unharmed— as if it had been in my hand the whole time.

“How did that—”

Then it clicked. I understood what it did— it was a Skill that worked just like the Dimensional Storage Unit Daniel had. It was my own personal Bag of Holding that didn’t require a bag.

I grabbed a few items from my Bag of Holding and kept them away with my [Dimensional Pocket]. They all vanished without so much of a sound. And somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew exactly what I had stored.

“That is quite useful. That means I can just carry whatever I want with me wherever I go!”

However, was it useful enough for me to use up an entire secondary Skill Slot for it? That left me stumped for a bit. [Cube of Isolation] sounded like it could be useful— if I had to guess what it did, I’d assume it would somehow create a spatial box to trap others within. But if I really wanted to know what it did, I couldn’t just make guesses. I had to replace one of my secondary Skills with it.

And, well, I liked all the secondary Skills I had right now. It was always a risk to pick and choose a new Skill since it’d forever be locked in once the decision was made. Unfortunately, I wasn’t feeling particularly risky right now.

Maybe if I somehow acquired a Dimensional Storage Unit like Daniel had, I’d remove [Dimensional Pocket] as a Skill. For now, I kept what I had and moved on.

The next thing I did was distribute the secondary Skill Points and Stat Points I got from my Class advancement and level ups. I used my Stat Points to bring [Agility] to a nice 300, and invested the rest into my [Wisdom]. As for my secondary Skills, I increased both [Mass Particulate Modification] and [Scattering Displacement] to Level 5, since that would be my mai offensive Skill combination with my Class.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 114

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 66

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 8]

[Vitality]: 142 (+25)

[Strength]: 125 (+25)

[Endurance]: 131 (+25)

[Wisdom]: 234 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 300 (+25)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 15

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 10

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 5

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 1

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 5

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 15

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 5

[Warped Time] - Lvl 1

“Alright, I’m ready.”

With that settled, I left the Lair and continued my hunt to get stronger— to defeat more Centinels and get a Grand Skill.

“That reminds me… I’d have thought Sal would at least show up to congratulate me for reaching my Class advancement.”

I cocked my head, curious.

“I wonder why he hasn’t shown up.”

A palace floated above a sable sea. Specks of scintillating lights flocked about the castle’s ornate walls, flitting down its gilded hallways, and chattering jovially amongst each other. It was a place far reclused from the rest of the Nexeus— a place that most of the world knew nothing about. Yet, upon entering this space, anyone would instantly know who this palace belonged to. After all, a simple notification would be sure to inform them of it.

Now entering [The Celestial Palace of the Fairy Queen].

It was here that Sal made his first stop for his wager. In the middle of a grand courtroom, where Fairies were laughing and talking in the presence of their Queen, a portal opened up. A red figure stepped out of the portal, much to the astonishment of the Fairies.

“Halt! You are not allowed here!”

A blue Fairy no larger than Sal’s head flew up to him as her hands glowed with powerful magic.

“Out of my way, I’m here to speak with Tera.”

The Devil flicked a finger, and the golden Fairy went flying. The surrounding Fairies gasped as blue Fairy crashed into a nearby wall.

“Honored Rose!”

They shouted in terror. Each of them readied their magic, and a wicked smile spread across Sal’s lips.

“Hm, thought that would’ve killed her. She’s quite strong for her level, isn’t she? But, alas, I don’t think any of you will survive that.”

He turned his gaze to the other Fairies as their vibrant colors all turned into a paler shade. But before Sal could do anything, a voice cut him off.

“That’s enough.”

A tall figure emerged from behind a curtain. A golden figure that tripled Sal in height with silvery-translucent wings that dwarfed even her person. She eyed him impetuously and crossed all four of her arms across her chest.

“What brings you here, Devil?”

She spat with vitriol in her voice. The Devil just spread his arms wide, grinning.

“Aw, Tera! It’s been so long since we last met! How long has it been? A thousand years? Two thousand years? How’s your little ‘Fairy plane’ project going?”

“I am Teranialiselisandranovaluxical’ah-sham, the Fairy Queen. I ask that you address me by my proper Title, Devil.”

“Oh, you can’t expect me to say that whole thing! Can I just call you Tera, pretty please?”

Her gaze bore into him like daggers. Literally. Sal stumbled back as he created a barrier to dispel her magic before sighing.

“What about calling you Fairy Queen?”

“That is adequate. Now, tell me why you’re here and take your leave.”

“Ugh, you’re always such a party-pooper, you know that right?”

She stared at him, and he waved a hand off.

“That was a joke. Anyway, wouldn’t you rather speak in private? Right now, we have an audience.”

Sal gestured at the watching Fairies as they cowered behind chairs and tables, listening in on their conversation.

“My subjects know everything that I know. There is no need to keep secrets from them.”

“Well, if you insist. You see, I’m here because I want to make a wager.”

“A wager?”

The first sign of an emotion that was not anger showed on Tera’s face. She tilted her head slightly, and he explained.

“I know you’d rather stay secluded in your little… space here. But there are interesting things happening out there in the rest of the Nexeus right now.”

“I am aware.”

“You are?”

He blinked, genuinely surprised. She nodded.

“Regnorex has begun moving his pieces. His plan will come into fruition soon— the foolish Demon. And the Spirit Lord shall capitalize on that.”

“I have… absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

Sal gave her a blank look. Tera frowned.

“Is this not the subject of your wager?”

“Nope! I was talking about smaller events.”

He snapped his fingers, creating two images before Tera. A Demon in a cave and a Demon over a ruined city. Behind Sal, a Fairy squeaked when she saw the latter.

The Devil continued.

“You see these two right here? They are quite special. They have the potential, I believe, to become figures that could shape the future. Something even beyond a generational talent— people like you and me.”

Tera raised a brow.

“That is quite high praise coming from you, Devil.”

“It really is! Anyway, the problem is that having two such individuals in a single lifetime isn’t… well, it’s not impossible, but it certainly isn’t likely!”

Sal clapped his hands together, beaming.

“So, knowing that, I was thinking of holding a wager— don’t worry, it won’t be between you and me since I know more about both of them than you. I’d be asking others, too! And you’d be betting against them. You’re simply the first person I thought to ask since we’re such good friends.”

Tera leaned forward, ignoring the comment. She peered at both images, her eyes flashing into different shades before a flicker of recognition ran through them.

“This is… Belzu, isn’t it?”

“You know him?”

“I know of him. And I know the only reason Regnoex hasn’t disposed of that insect is because he believes that Belzu still serves some use for him.”

“Oh?”

“Don’t play the fool, Devil. You and I both know that Regnorex fears failing against Humankind a second time. With Belzu, he can weaken their defenses before he strikes.”

“I’ll be real, I’m not that close with Reggie boy.”

He raised a hand to cover his mouth and spoke conspiratorially.

“Between you and me, I don’t think he likes me.”

Tera shook her head, turning to the other screen. She stared at Salvos as her brows snapped together.

“Is she… staring at a rock?”

“I—”

Sal blinked and faced the screen. He watched as Salvos picked up a pebble and focused on it for a moment. Then the Devil scratched the back of his head.

“She’s a bit eccentric…?”

“Hmph.”

Tera made a displeased noise and dismissed the images. She turned around, speaking in clear displeasure.

“You ask me for my opinion, Devil, and I shall give it to you. I believe that neither of them shall come close to even reaching our levels. They both shall perish and be forgotten about in the next ten thousand years— as is the fate of all those who came before them, seeking out greatness.”

With that, the Fairy Queen settled back into her throne.

“Now leave, Devil. Before I lose my patience.”

“Alright, alright. I guess I could ask the Beast what it thinks— if it doesn’t try and kill me. Still, don’t you think that’s a bit harsh? Surely you think they stand a bit of a chance at reaching their potential, right?”

“No.”

She replied simply.

“Do you?”

The Devil’s eyes flickered towards Salvos. He paused for a moment and tapped a finger on his chin.

“Maybe.”

And with that, he took his leave.

A note from MelasD

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264. Cornucopia

264. Cornucopia

The Bloodied Gulf was a complex network of ravines intersecting with larger ravines intersecting with larger ravines. It was a gulf that had been burrowed out beneath a gulf at the southern edge of Secely where the soil was stained a blood red. Centinel’s crawled through every inch of this dark cave-system. Thanks to [Salvo of Vanity], I was able to map out quite a bit of the area around me so that I’d know where I could find the best Centinels to fight for me to level.

I entered the Lairs of these [Senior Centinels]. Many of them were in the lower Level 100s, which didn’t pose too much of a threat for me. And since I specifically chose with Lair to enter, I always picked the ones that were more secluded from other Centinels so that my fighting wouldn’t attract even more of the monsters towards me. It would mitigate the risk.

Unfortunately, it didn’t eliminate the risk factor entirely.

I managed to avoid getting into a fight that was too difficult for a few days, but my luck had run out. Because, right now, I was locked in battle with a higher-leveled [Senior Centinel]— Level 130, one of the highest-leveled [Senior Centinel] I’d seen so far. And my battle with it had drawn the attention of an unwanted visitor. An [Evolved Centinel]. One I’d encountered before. It was Level 121 and had spike-like legs covering its entire as it rolled quickly across the ground, tearing it up.

Maybe I would’ve been able to deal with these two just fine on their own. But they weren’t alone. There were other [Older Centinels] and [Younger Centinels] here, too. They didn’t pose much of a risk— more of an annoyance. A hindrance that made it hard to focus on the two main threats here.

They crawled up the walls, giving chase to me with the [Senior Serpentfiend] leading the way. I sent a wave of blue fire at them to keep them back, but the [Evolved Centinel] barreled its way towards me from behind. I flipped over the attack and struck out with my Nebular Scythe. The back bladed edge was caught in the spiky limbs of the [Evolved Centinel]. Before I could pull away, the [Senior Centinel] crashed into my side.

I went soaring through the air as the Breastplate of Alexander flashed. It absorbed the attack, although the impact still knocked me back. I scowled as I tossed the Nebular Scythe, lodging it into the side of the [Senior Centinel]’s armored head.

The carapace broke as the [Senior Centinel] raised its undulating body in pain. It let out an agonizing screech, spraying acid by sheer instinct. Before I could capitalize on this moment of weakness, the [Evolved Centinel] launched a flurry of spikes at me. I blinked, caught off-guard by the sudden attack. Some kind of Skill that allowed it to detach its limbs? Or no— it was firing the very edges of its claws en mass. Rapid blasts that I needed [Haste] to avoid.

I was starting to get very annoyed by the constant pressure from both these Centinels. And that was not to mention all the other weaker Centinels that were present here. I had to deal with them before they drew the attention of even more Centinels into the area— especially if another [Evolved Centinel] showed up.

I’d been reserving my Skills— holding back, so to speak. Keeping them for when it was appropriate, rather than using my best Skills against every Centinel I faced. And this moment seemed like the time and place to use them. I spread my bone-like wings wide as I took off into the air. The Centinels gave chase, but I activated [Warped Time] and moved faster, keeping entirely away from them.

I sent another wave of blue flames, washing over the horde of Centinels as I swooped down, grabbing a [Junior Centinel] that avoided the blast. I picked it up with a grin.

“Hi! I’m Salvos! Mind blowing up for me?”

It struggled as I tossed it straight at the [Evolved Centinel]. It seemed to glow— its carapace was marked with a shining symbol. The [Evolved Centinel] began to roll away, but I pointed.

“Stay.”

And it halted. [Demon’s Mark] engulfed the [Junior Centinel] in bloodied flames before compressing and exploding into a pillar of crimson. It consumed everything within its perimeters, scorching the other Centinels close by.

“Alright, that’ll hold it for a minute.”

I flew back down as I began to morph. My body twisted into something else, growing four more arms as I became taller. My face contorted like it was being tugged out and I bore fangs that were far sharper than my claws before I had transformed. I crashed straight into the [Senior Centinel] as [Demonic Essence] took hold of me.

I bared my teeth, tearing into the shelled body of the [Senior Centinel]. It shrieked as I used [Radiant Slash] to slice open its carapace. Then with a flurry of [Barrage of Cinders], I ravaged its soft body with all six of my claws.

The [Senior Centinel] thrashed about, spraying its acid wildly all over the ground as it tried to throw me off its side. [Faux Limbs] protruded from my back and gripped the side of the [Senior Cenintel] so I wouldn’t fall off.

I continued assailing the [Senior Centinel] as the crimson flames of [Demon’s Mark] dissipated. From the corner of my eye, I saw a blur. Something speeding through the red, headed straight towards me. I pried off more of the [Senior Centinel]’s armor, revealing its fleshy bits. Then I flipped out of the way.

The [Evolved Centinel]— its body was charred and half of its barbed limbs were missing— barreled straight at the side of the [Senior Centinel]. It knocked the [Senior Centinel] back, shredding open more of the [Senior Centinel]’s skin.

I watched from above as the [Evolved Centinel] tried to gather itself, only for the [Senior Centinel] to turn an angry gaze at it. The [Evolved Centinel] backed up, clearly uncertain as to what to do, but the [Senior Centinel] didn’t think twice and lashed out at the [Evolved Centinel].

Good, I thought, raising my hand as black flames began wisp off my fingertips, turning into a Nebular Bow and Arrow. That’ll buy me a moment to do this. Most of the regular Centinel’s in the Lair were already dead. The rest were being distracted by an onslaught of [Scattering Displacement]. And now that the two main threats were distracted by each other, I could take a deep breath and enhance my Nebular Arrow into something more.

First, sable motes wisped off it like a dark mist as it turned into a Nebular Blazing Bolt. Then the mist seemed to solidify into jagged edges— the black metal-like arrow somehow grew a shade darker. Symbols began to outline the Nebular Blazing Bolt, refining it to become far stronger and more controlled.

I aimed the Refined Nebular Blazing Bolt at the [Senior Centinel] as it crashed into the side of the cavern’s wall. The entire Lair shook, and I loosed the arrow. The Refined Nebular Blazing Bolt launched out like a single black beam— one that moved so fast it reached its target the instant I let go of the bowstring.

The Refined Nebular Blazing Bolt tore straight into the weakened side of the [Senior Centinel]. Nothing stopped it from burrowing straight through the flesh and lodging itself deep within the giant monster. Then a beat passed— a moment where nothing happened. Before, finally, the arrow exploded.

It was a compressed blast— one that didn’t consume nearly as much space as my [Demon’s Mark]. In fact, it was quite small. It barely expanded beyond the width of the [Senior Centinel]. But it tore the [Senior Centinel] in half. An entire segment of the [Senior Centinel]’s body was gone as it collapsed in two long pieces.

I grinned, lowering my Nebular Bow. The [Evolved Centinel] paused and stared at its dead companion. Then it turned and hissed at me. I unloaded a salvo of Nebular Arrows at the [Evolved Centinel] as it shot its own projectiles my way. But before its projectiles could reach me, I redirected the rocks floating around with [Scattering Displacement], enlarging them with [Mass Particulate Modification] to intercept the attack.

The projectiles of the [Evolved Centinel] never reached me, but my own arrows stuck out of its sides, replacing the limbs it had lost. I spread my arms wide as the [Evolved Centinel] hesitated.

“Is that all you got?”

It faced me, then looked towards all the dead Centinels around it. Blue, black, and red fire ebbed away at their corpses, filling the Lair with smoke. Something clicked inside of the [Evolved Centinel]’s head, and it moved.

I watched as the [Evolved Centinel] spun around and began to flee. I narrowed my eyes.

“Oh, no you don’t!”

With a beat of my wings, I shot forward towards the [Evolved Centinel]. It was hard to catch, but I simply created a regular flaming kusarigama with [The Primordial Spark] and tossed the chains around its side. I caught the [Evolved Centinel] before it could get too far and pulled it my way.

It flopped over on the ground as I loomed over it. It backed up, shaking, trembling in fear as I raised my six claws. It raised its own limbs too, then I paused. My eyes narrowed.

“Are you… submitting to me?”

I stared at the [Evolved Centinel] as it showed me its underbelly. The weakest part of its carapace. It didn’t even protect itself with its arms.

I cocked my head.

“Now, what should I do with you?”

I thought about it for a moment as the [Evolved Centinel] quivered. It looked at me with eyes rounder than usual, with a hint of a glint as if it was tearing up at me. It didn’t want to die. It was more intelligent than the other Centinels in that it knew it didn’t want to die.

I shrugged.

“Ah, well, shouldn’t have attacked me in the first place.”

I raised my claws and it shrieked. The [Evolved Centinel] struck back against me, but I ducked under the attack and dug my claws straight into its ‘chest’. I ripped it apart and tossed it aside.

“Not like you would have spared me if I was the one who lost this fight.”

Defeated [Evolved Spiky Centinel – Lvl. 121]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Cleared [Lair: Centinels Camp]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 107]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 130]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 114] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 115]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

…

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 117] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 118]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 66] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 67]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

…

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 71] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 72]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

With the battle finished, I was inundated with a lot of notifications— notifications of all the levels I’d gained over the past few days. I was close to Level 120 in my Subspecies, and had finally broken past Level 70 with my Class. It was because I’d cleared out multiple Centinel Lairs, at this point. Probably dozens of them.

It was odd, honestly. I’d have thought it’d be a Dungeon with these many Lairs so closely interspersed together. However, not only were all the Lairs called the same thing— the Centinels Camp— they also all belonged to the same type of monster. Maybe that was why it didn’t qualify as a Dungeon?

I shook my head as I turned away from the corpse of the [Evolved Centinel]. I was tired, and the battle had drained me quite a bit. If more Centinels— especially stronger Centinels— showed up now, I’d be very much vulnerable to them. I was just about to take my leave when I spotted a crack on one of the far walls. This Lair had been rather large compared to the others. It was like a long tunnel. And at the other side of the tunnel, the walls were beginning to crumble due to the damage my [Demon’s Mark] did. And it looked like there was something beyond the wall.

[Planar Navigation] couldn’t reach that far. I had to get closer to get a sense of what was there. I blinked as I sensed… odd objects. Ones that seemed to emanate with power, but also… not really?

I frowned as I pulled away at more of the wall, revealing what was on the other side. And I saw—

Now entering [Lair: Centinels Cornucopia]!

Corpses. Human corpses. Hundreds of them. And on them, they still had their weapons and armors. Artifacts that they brought with them to the Bloodied Gulf.

“Huh. Daniel would’ve loved this place.”

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265. Changing

265. Changing

Now entering [Lair: Centinels Cornucopia]!

I peered through the hole in the wall— at the rotten remains of hundreds of Humans. But there weren’t just Humans even though they clearly dominated the pile; there were also corpses of fish and marine life… or rather, former life. I was going to assume that, judging from what the Humans wore, they were mostly adventurers.

People who ventured into the Bloodied Gulf for whatever grand quest they sought out. Well, it didn’t work out for them considering that they were dead. And since they were dead, the artifacts probably sucked. Seriously, I bet they were Medium Grade at most!

I picked up a bracelet off an arm and used [Identification] on it.

[Cast Fireball of the August Archmage Alyssa: Former High Grade Weapon - A one time use bracelet enchanted with the fiery magic of Archmage Alyssa, founder of Mavos Academy. It has already been used, but its residual magic and enchantment can be studied by a keen [Mage].]

“Huh. Nevermind, I guess.”

Apparently, the adventurers who came to the Bloodied Gulf were well-prepared. Most of their artifacts were, unfortunately, inert, but they had powerful magic imbued in them once. The adventurers just weren’t cut out for surviving such a dangerous place.

I strolled over the corpses, tapping a finger on my chin.

“But why is it a Lair? And why are all the corpses gathered here, anyway?”

I had many questions. I found it odd as I sifted through the bodies. It was odd— I’d have thought that most of them would already have decomposed by now. However, despite their rotting appearance, none of them seemed any closer to turning into skeletal remains than the others. Not only that, but there was also no stench. Corpses normally radiated a distinct smell which Humans hated. I didn’t understand their repulsion to it, but I knew the smell. I recognized the smell.

But I didn’t smell anything like that, here.

Even the bodies of sea creatures had the same blackened texture to their corpses. Like they’d been dried of all the moisture in their body— desiccated and left to forever rot in this chamber.

I did manage to gather quite a few artifacts that seemed like they’d be useful, and they actually worked too, which was always good. The first was an axe with a glowing crystalline edge; it was remarkably cleaned and polished, despite the mess of a body I took it from.

[The Juggernaut’s Bane: High Grade Weapon - An axe that has been enchanted with powerful spatial magic. When its effects are activated, it can grow up to ten times its size and inflict additional spatial magic damage.]

I wasn’t sure if I’d actually use it in battle, I just knew that it’d be good to study, especially since it was a High Grade artifact imbued with a space magic enchantment. And considering that I now knew basic rune work, maybe I could learn a thing or two for my own Nebular or even Primordial weapons.

There were arrows, too. Bolts that were golden and glowing in the dark room. I picked them off a dead [Archer]’s body, curious as to their effects. They were another set of High Grade artifacts, of course. But surprisingly enough, they weren’t one-time use items.

[Recursion Bolt of Greater Piercing: High Grade Weapon - An arrow that is enchanted to teleport back to the user after use. It is also enchanted with greater piercing.]

“So, if I do this—”

I nocked one of the arrows into my Nebular Bow. I only had four of them. I loosed one and it struck against the side wall. With a tug of my finger, I recalled the Recursion Bolt of Greater Piercing back into my bow as I pulled it back once more. The arrow appeared and was instantly fired once more.

“Interesting, so I can rapid fire the arrows, huh?”

I repeated it multiple times, and the arrows were always instantly nocked and ready to be loosed when I recalled them. I grinned as I kept the first two weapons in my [Dimension Pocket].

Those were good— useful, even. Unfortunately, not everything I found was particularly useful. Although, some of them seemed valuable like a Glove of Heat Resistance. I thought they’d give me some sort of Heat Resistance effect, but apparently only the gloves were resistant to heat. Probably something a [Blacksmith] would use. I kept those too, just to give to Daniel when I next saw him.

He’d probably want me to sell it. Maybe I’d trade them for something I really wanted, at most. But I wasn’t going to go through the entire process of selling things since that usually took a while.

There were other valuable items. A few protective artifacts, but none of them could be added on to pof the Breastplate of Alexander. I kept those, though. Not for selling or giving to Daniel, but in case the Breastplate of Alexander broke or something happened to its enchantment.

Other than that, I also got myself a pair of boots and a cloak.

[Speedster’s Boots: Medium Grade Armor - Increases [Agility] by +5 and [Endurance] by +3 when worn.]

It wasn’t the biggest boost, but it was still helpful. And as for the cloak—

[Shrouded Veil: Medium Grade - Makes the user harder to spot when staying hidden.]

That was good. It’d help me hide better if I ever wanted to avoid a fight.

I put on the boots and cloak, grinning as I looked over my new Status. I was much stronger now compared to when I first arrived in the Bloodied Gulf. I’d leveled quite a bit, however I still hadn’t gotten a Grand Skill. I was hoping to get a Grand Skill by Level 125— although, considering I had no direction whatsoever here, I wasn't sure if that was possible.

I continued to explore the Lair, searching for any sign of Centinel life since it was, well, a Lair. And it took me a while to even find the semblance of a Centinel. However, it wasn’t what I expected.

Normal Lairs were typically filled with the vibrant eggs of Centinels. This one didn’t have any of those. Instead, it was also populated with the corpses of Centinels. I found myself turning over the rotting bodies of the dead Centinels— dessicated, no different from the dead bodies of everything else I found here.

“Weird.”

I tapped a finger on my chin, curious. It wasn’t the largest Lair; it was a circular cave chamber that was about a hundred feet from one end to the other. So, I had explored about everything there was to explore at this point. It had piqued my interest. I wanted to know what made this Lair different. So, I decided to wait.

I sat in the shadows, hidden by my new [Shrouded Veil] and waited for a Centinel— any Centinel, really— to show up in the Centinels Cornucopia. After all, it was a Lair that belonged to them, so surely a Centinel or two would show up at one point, right?

Well, I wasn’t sure how long I waited, but even after quite a bit of time had passed, nothing showed up. I grew bored eventually and passed the time looking through the non-valuable items most of the corpses had on them. I found a few books— diaries and the like— and kept them with [Dimensional Pocket]. Honestly, I was glad I got that Skill because it was very convenient.

I could even use it to change what I was wearing in an instant!

After what felt like forever, something finally decided to show up. I heard the soft clicking of Centinel footsteps approach, and I immediately hid myself. I waited patiently for the figure to draw closer. From the shadows, I spotted a familiar [Evolved Centinel] make its way into the Centinels Cornucopia.

It was the Level 135 [Evolved Centinel]. It skittered in with its undulating lower body typical of a Centinel, but with an upper body that was more akin to a Human or a Cyclops. It carried in its arms a large sea creature— some kind of giant squid that had spikes poking out of its pores.

The [Evolved Centinel] tossed the body onto the top of the pile as its carapace drew back. I blinked, watching tendrils emerge from beneath its carapace and reach for the squid.

Is it… eating the body?

Wait, no— it wasn’t eating the squid. It was… sucking something from it? A glow. An aura. But not any kind of magic I’d ever seen.

And the [Evolved Centinel]’s form changed.

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266. It Leveled Up

266. It Leveled Up

The [Evolved Centinel]’s form changed. Previously, it had been a twisted mix of a Centinel with its slithering and segmented lower body with an anthropomorphic upper body. Now, it began to misshapen even further. Its head grew longer into the shape of an arrow just like that of the squid it had dragged down here. It wasn’t exactly a significant change— quite subtle, to be honest— but it was still a change.

And beyond that… there was something different about the [Evolved Centinel] now. Not in anything physical about it, but in that odd aura it absorbed from the sea creature’s body. It wasn’t mana— I could tell it wasn’t mana. It was something else. I couldn’t see it in the same way I saw the strands of mana weaving through the air to create the foundational fabric of the world. I just saw a flickering and sensed something leaving the desiccated squid carcass.

Then the ethereal tendrils protruding from beneath the [Evolved Centinel]’s shell vanished as its armor closed back up. Its body was once again covered and protected, while a shuddering wave washed over it as it let out a screech. I took a step back, confused.

Huh. I really should’ve taken that opportunity to get the drop on the [Evolved Centinel] but I was too curious about what it was doing to interrupt what it was doing. So, I had watched. And I continued to watch. I observed the [Evolved Centinel] as it skittered around the room, trembling and making soft clicking noises at itself with its mandibles. My head cocked to the side as it seemed to hug itself and shiver.

Then, without warning, it was shrouded over. A ball of black consumed it and the center of the Lair in its entirety. It was like I was staring into an abyss— a deep darkness that seemed to echo with my thoughts as I peered into it. It… was not a hole in the world. I didn't sense any disruptive space magic here, contorting the dimensional fabric in the area. But it was magic. And it was a kind of magic that obscured everything within. Even my [Planar Navigation] Skill struggled to properly track the movements of what was within.

I waited, watching as a beat passed, and then another. Finally, after what felt like half an hour, the sphere of darkness vanished. The [Evolved Centinel] emerged from the shadows as if it had taken a bath in a pool of dark ink. It seemed content. Like it had just tested out a new Skill it obtained and was pleased to see its effects weren’t suboptimal.

That was interesting. I was pretty sure that somehow, someway, the [Evolved Centinel] had absorbed the Skill of that squid? Or at least, a Skill.

And that was what had happened to all the corpses in the room.

I wasn’t sure if it was this particular [Evolved Centinel] to have done it to every desiccated corpse in the Lair, but I knew it was responsible for at least some of them. And that made it quite dangerous.

So, I had to deal with it now before it grew stronger. Especially if it really could absorb Skills like I just observed.

I stepped out of the shadows as flames wreathed my body, creating a matte gray Nebular Armor like a knight. I designed it specifically so that it’d resemble the [Evolved Centinel]’s own carapace. I waved the Juggernaut’s Bane at the [Evolved Centinel] as it recoiled and leapt back, readying itself for an attack.

“Hi! I’m Salvos.”

I greeted it happily in a muffled voice. It just eyed me, confused— perplexed at how I was even here. I gestured at the body.

“So, I was just wondering— did you absorb a Skill from that giant monster squid? And can you do that with every corpse you find or…?”

It didn’t respond, of course. I shrugged.

“Look, I just want to know if that’s what you’d planned to do with me. I mean, you do remember attacking me, right?”

The [Evolved Centinel] warily circled around me as I mirrored its movements, dragging the Juggernaut’s Bane behind me. Then the [Evolved Centinel] halted. It suddenly paused, and I tilted my head.

It leaned forward slightly as if it was about to share a secret. I waited, and it spoke in a guttural voice.

“Yes.”

I blinked, surprised to have actually gotten a reply. The words sounded twisted— like crackling of debris falling down a cliff face. It was grating to the ears. And the worst part was that it wasn’t spoken in any language I knew.

It wasn’t the same language I’d been talking to others in the Nexeus with, and it wasn’t English. It was something else. No— it was barely even a language. It could communicate, yes. But in a very basic manner that amounted to just that.

I took a step back as the [Evolved Centinel] tilted its body. I bit my lower lip.

“You’re different from the other Centinels— not just you, but the other [Evolved Centinels]. You’re not actually wild, are you?”

It just gave me a confused look, and I frowned. Maybe it was wild? I couldn’t quite tell just yet.

“Why did you attack me?”

I lowered my weapons, trying to show that I meant no harm. It didn’t ease up even one little bit.

“Because… kill…”

“Because you just want to kill me?”

I raised a brow, and the [Evolved Centinel] shuddered. It seemed to ponder for a moment, thinking of what to say next. Then it took a step forward, letting out a soft hissing noise.

“Kill… us… you…”

And I finally understood what it meant.

“Huh. So, you’re upset because I’m killing Centinels?”

It didn’t reply, and I nodded.

“But you kill your own, don’t you?”

“No!”

It yelled, angry— upset that I even accused it of such a thing. I gestured at the other Centinels.

“They do, though. Even if you don’t, the other Centinels kill each other without a thought— they attack me without a thought. They’re wild!”

“Doesn’t… matter!”

It faced me angrily as it held its arms out, pouring magic into a yellow, liquid sphere. I tensed as it shouted.

“Kill… us… so… I… kill… you!”

The [Evolved Centinel] tossed the acidic orb at me, and I leapt out of the way. My wings spread wide as [Haste] helped me move fast and avoid the magical projectile. I pointed at the [Evolved Centinel] as it created a fireball this time.

“[Warped Time]!”

I trapped it in a bubble of slowed space so that all of its movements would decelerate. I swooped down at it as the Juggernaut’s Bane grew to the size of a small house and slammed the axe into the back of the [Evolved Centinel] from afar.

It reeled back from the strike, letting its magic dissipate as it skittered away from the [Warped Time].

“Oh, no you don’t!”

The bubble of slowed space followed it as I gave chase. The [Evolved Centinel] raised its arms, this time casting a different spell. I swung the giant axe at it once more, but all of a sudden the ground beneath me erupted.

I watched as a molten pillar shot up and out of the ground at me. It moved so fast, I couldn’t move out of the way in time. I had to use a [Long Range Teleport] to pull me far off to the side, away from the blast of lava.

I steadied myself, only to see the [Evolved Centinel] suddenly looming over me. It raised its arm as the image of an ice knight appeared behind it. My eyes grew wide, and it sliced down. I wreathed myself in flames to dampen the strike, but it sheared straight through both the blue flames and my Nebular Armor. It only stopped at the Breastplate of Alexander which sparked out and knocked the attack back.

That Skill reminded me of the kind of attacks Zix— that annoying Kobold Zealot— would employ. Powerful. Just like Zix, the [Evolved Centinel] somehow drew the strength of something else. But that was not a Centinel’s Skill— a stolen Skill from some [Mage] it had… no, he had killed.

That was right— this [Evolved Centinel] wasn’t wild. He could think. He wasn’t just fighting wildly. I wanted to take a moment to pause and consider this fact. Was this what the Devil intended for me to overcome in the Bloodied Gulf?

But the question would remain unanswered as the [Evolved Centinel] grabbed me by both my arms, preventing me from pulling away. He followed up with a headbutt, and I recoiled.

“Kill you! I kill you!”

He repeated himself as the lava rained down all around us. It didn’t scorch him for whatever reason, but I could see the sizzling of my Breastplate of Alexander. I grimaced and flipped around, kicking the [Evolved Centinel] in the head.

It let go of me as I pulled away from him. He stumbled back, screeching at me, but I was already giving myself distance away from him. His chest glowed a moment later, and he was engulfed in a crimson blast.

I escaped from the Lair as the explosion blew it apart in its entirety. I panted, watching and waiting for the notification in my head. It didn’t come. And a shadow emerged from the blast.

The [Evolved Centinel] staggered forward, its carapace cracked and broken to reveal his malformed insides to me. It didn’t look like an ordinary Centinel’s soft skin— instead, it was a mangled mess like it had been scarred from a thousand battles. Many of which had been re-opened from [Demon’s Mark].

I narrowed my eyes.

“Are you still going to insist on fighting? Because I will kill you, you know? Otherwise, we can talk.”

He stumbled forward as he met my gaze.

“No.”

He replied simply. I shrugged.

“Very well, then.”

I raised my claws, readying a [Radiant Slash]. This would not kill him, but it would hurt him quite a bit. He’d still be able to put up a fight even with the combined injuries of both of my strongest Skills. However, the question wasn’t whether he’d win— the question was how long he’d survive after?

The [Evolved Centinel] seemed to realize that as well because instead of taking on a fighting stance, he spun around and began to skitter away.

“Get back here!”

I called out at him, and he froze. I lashed out with my [Radiant Slash], speeding his way in that second he was unable to react. But before I could make contact with him, he twitched and suddenly everything was dark.

It took me a second to realize what had happened. The [Evolved Centinel] had caught me in the ball of darkness it had created earlier. My movements slowed— it was like I was swimming through very heavy water. My movements were half the speed of what they should be. I couldn’t see anything. I couldn’t hear anything. I tried to wade my way around my inky surroundings, but I didn’t know which way was which. What was up and what was down? I didn’t know.

So, I struggled in the darkness for a minute. Then two minutes. Until, finally, I broke free. I emerged from the shadows and rolled onto the ground, on guard— prepared for a surprise attack. But when I looked around, I saw nothing.

The darkness disappeared, leaving me alone in the cave chamber. The [Evolved Centinel] fled. He ran away.

“Huh. Coward.”

I shook my head, annoyed that I didn’t get to kill him after all his talk about killing me. Well, at least I got some experience from destroying the Lair— maybe I even leveled up?

Cleared [Lair: Centinels Cornucopia]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

General Skill [Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension - Lvl. 1] -> [Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 118] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 119]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 72] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 73]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

I blinked as I took in the second notification again.

“Wait— what leveled up, now?”

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267. Interlude - Edithe's Explanation Part 1

267. Interlude - Edithe's Explanation Part 1

It had been a month since the fall of Nightsveil. The news of Nixa’s destruction was still fresh in everybody’s minds; countries were reeling from the fact that they could very much be wiped off the face of the world if they were next in the path of the Primeval Demon’s rampage. They were readying themselves— receding back into their borders and mustering up their armies so they wouldn’t be the next ones to fall.

The coalition army that had once been formed was shattered. It had been the most the nations of Humankind had cooperated with each other since the days of Alexander. They had amassed many great armies led by Elites and filled with Diamonds to fell the Primeval Demon. And each time, against all odds, Belzu had beaten back their best. Even outnumbered and outmatched, he would somehow come out victorious.

Edithe Dawnrise had been reading up on the reports— the battles that had taken place between the coalition armies and the Primeval Demon. She couldn’t believe what she saw. Some of the greatest generals she’d heard of had been slain in battle against the Primeval Demon. Powerful adventurers— Elites who’d accomplished only what she could imagine— defeated with ease.

Sure, it hadn’t been every single great warrior and tactician in the world coming together to face Belzu, but that was nigh impossible to get. In war, you didn’t send your country’s army straight into the enemy’s borders all at once; that was both foolish and difficult to manage.

With what Edithe was reading, she truly thought that they’d have been able to crush Belzu from the very first coalition army they sent. Just… he somehow won each time.

It was ridiculous. And now, nations were too afraid to cooperate. The Vaun Qieur Empire was trying to pick up the remains and gather other countries to once again face the Primeval Demon as he barreled up north. Edithe wasn’t sure where he was going, but he’d fortunately been stalled at the Inoria Empire. For whatever reason, he’d been more muted since he crossed the country’s borders. While he was still razing cities to the ground, he wasn’t acting as outwardly as before.

Edithe remembered there being something about Inoria being related to Demons— it was both a rumor and something Daniel mentioned. She never really gave it much thought, but judging from Belzu’s actions now, it probably had some credence to it.

Whatever the case was, this presented an opportunity to prepare for Belzu once he finally navigated through Inoria’s borders. After all, she knew his next destination.

“The Shedos Republic. Or, just Shedos.”

Hadrian shook his head as he spoke. He sat across from Edithe as the sun shone from behind his head, casting a shadow over his face. They were back in Viechester, sitting in a cafe at the city’s center.

“That is what Dad told me— the Norwood Family guards the Greaves of Alexander. Their estate is located in Shedos, and they are likely the Primeval Demon’s next target.”

“Are you certain?”

Edithe asked, leaning forward. He nodded.

“The Boots of Alexander is guarded by the Veridian Family, but they are located further up north, so the Primeval Demon will likely target the Norwod Family first before going after the Veridians.”

“And what about the Crown of Alexander?”

“It’s guarded by a family in the Vaun Qieur Empire— but that doesn’t really matter. The Crown of Alexander only works when used together with the other treasures of Alexander. On its own, it is useless. The Primeval Demon will save it for last.”

“I see.”

Edithe massaged her temples as Hadrian finished his explanation. She honestly just wanted a drink right now to forget all her problems— and it was only noon. But she couldn’t just sit around and do nothing, so she’d been discussing the next course of action with Hadrian.

Speaking of, he shifted slightly and glanced over at her.

“So… what do you think?”

“What do I think?”

She blinked, and he averted his gaze slightly. Why was he asking her for her advice? Wasn’t he the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company? But no— she forgot that until recently, while Hadrian had been the leader, he still had the guidance of someone to seek out from. Baris, his father.

But now, Baris was dead. And Hadrian was lost.

“I’m just not sure what we should do, or if we should even do anything at all, Edithe. I’m… isn’t this completely out of our hands?”

He gestured helplessly behind him. The streets were relatively empty for this time of the day— Viechester was a city that relied heavily on trade, and right now, many [Traders] and [Merchants] were too scared to travel with their wares. There were a few children out watching the occasional street performer, but it was otherwise quite barren compared to the usual sigh.

Hadrian continued.

“That Primeval Demon has brought all of Humankind to its knees— we’re just some company in the Sunmere Republic. This… this isn’t something we can help with, right?”

Edithe stared at Hadrian. She’d known he wasn’t really feeling like himself after everything he’d recently been through, but this was unprecedented. The red-haired woman gritted her teeth and got to her feet.

“I’m honestly not sure, either. This has been a lot to take in. But if I know one thing, it’s that we’re the Valiant Dreamers. We have a duty to do what is right, always.”

She shook her head, proffering Hadrian a hand. Her eyes flickered to the left as a little boy clapped at the finishing act of a stream performance.

“We cannot just let others down. And we’re not alone in this, are we?”

Just as she spoke, four figures appeared down the street. A delegation dressed in ornate clothing, bearing the insignia of a company known all throughout the Human lands.

The Rising Veterans Company. One of the Three Honorable Companies. The so-called protectors of Humankind. And they instantly set their eyes on the two members of the Valiant Dreamers Company.

Hadrian shifted and accepted Edithe’s hand.

“Right. Thanks, Edithe.”

—--

“Viechester has changed quite a bit since I’ve last been here. It’s a lot… emptier, now.”

Leopold idly commented as the group strolled down the streets of the city. Edithe glanced over at him as he flicked his long green bangs back. He was one of the members of the delegation from the Rising Veterans Company— the leader of the delegation. A Level 131 [Archer]. Apparently, Hadrian had met him a long time ago.

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company shook his head

“It is. Everyone is scared— afraid. They fear what could happen to them after what they’ve heard of Nixa.”

“Hmph, perhaps the politicians back in Varoux should learn a bit from the common folk. They are too busy squabbling amongst themselves for Sunmere to effectively take action against this Primeval Demon threat.”

“And that’s why you’re here?”

Edithe turned to Leopold and the three adventurers following him. A woman with brown hair, Claire, nodded.

“Indeed. We were sent by Nikodemus to reach out to your company to cooperate. Other delegations have been sent to other companies not already allied with the Rising Veterans, of course. This will require the combined efforts of more than just the Honorable Companies.”

“I think it’ll require more than just companies.”

The red-haired woman pointed out with a frown. Leopold chuckled.

“That is true, but while countries play their politics, we’ll have no choice but to act. We need the strongest companies on board with us as soon as possible. And the Valiant Dreamers happen to be one of the biggest companies out there. Unless… you’re saying your company does not wish to fight the Primeval Demon?”

Hadrian and Edithe exchanged a glance. They both spoke at the same time with determined voices.

“No.”

But Hadrian hesitated after a moment.

“However, we are still… reeling from recent events. I’m not sure if we’d be as beneficial as you think we’d be.”

Leopold tapped a finger on his chin.

“Reeling? Ah, yes, I’ve heard about what happened to your father. You have my condolences.”

“Thank you, but that’s not what I was talking about.”

Hadrian’s eyes darted to what was up ahead. Edithe blinked as she looked up. Then she sighed.

“Seriously? Please not right now.”

Leopold paused as he eyed the figures waiting up ahead, just outside of the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company.

“Who are they?”

He asked with a questioning gaze. They slowly approached Edithe, Hadrian, and the delegation from the Rising Veterans Company. The red-haired woman scowled as the man leading them took a step forward and introduced himself.

“Greetings, delegation of the Rising Veterans Company. My name is Jake, and we’re the True Valiants Company. Also, former members of the Valiant Dreamers Company after Baris’ betrayal.”

That was the thing— Leopold might’ve thought that there’d be no complications when gathering adventuring companies together to face Belzu. But he didn’t realize that just like countries, companies too had their own politics and issues. Edithe realized this. And she knew things going forward wouldn’t be as simple as taking up arms into battle.

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268. Interlude - Edithe's Explanation Part 2

A note from MelasD

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268. Interlude - Edithe's Explanation Part 2

Jake was a relatively young man— just a few years older than Edithe— who’d once been a part of the Valiant Dreamers Company. He was quite talented for his age, having reached Gold Rank under the age of 30. It was a feat. Genuinely. Edithe thought it was a stellar achievement. She, herself, took pride in having accomplished that very same thing just three and a half years ago, even if she was far above that level at Diamond now.

Perhaps it was said feat that gave Jake the confidence he had to strut up to Leopold without any hesitation and speak as boldly as he did. Still, there was nearly a hundred level difference between them, so maybe it was more foolish than brave.

Leopold seemed disinterested— slightly confused, at most— but Jake spoke nevertheless.

“Ah, this is the delegation from the Rising Veterans Company, is it not? We’ve been expecting you. It is unfortunate that you ran into these… posers before us.”

“Posers? True Valiants? Explain, Hadrian.”

Claire frowned as she glanced between the two groups of adventurers. Edithe pursed her lips as Hadrian quickly tried to clear things up.

“The True Valiants are… a splinter group from our company. After Baris’ death, some of our members decided to form their own company.”

“That is a vast oversimplification of what happened and you know it.”

Jake crossed his arms and faced Leopold.

“Mr Leopold, I must ask you to listen to our plea— this man and the rest of the ‘Valiant Dreamers’ were aware of the Primeval Demon’s goals and refused to act. They lied to us and betrayed us. Do you truly want the assistance of such backstabbers in your cause?”

There was a pause. Claire exchanged an uncertain look with Leopold, and Edithe herself moved to speak up. But it seemed Jake had ignited something within Hadrian as the leader of the Valiant Dreamers stepped forward.

“We are not backstabbers. It is true that we lied about some things but we did not do so to mislead, nor did we betray anyone in our company. We didn’t even know that the Primeval Demon was after the Sword of Alexander. In fact— that was exactly what feared and it came to pass.”

“It was what you feared? So you knew that someone would pursue that weapon, and you did not tell us. Isn’t that exactly what I said? Just because you didn’t know it would be the Primeval Demon doesn’t mean you didn’t know it would happen.”

Hadrian hesitated.

“I—”

“Enough.”

Leopold cut them both off.

“I do not care about this infighting in your company, Hadrian.”

He gave the blond a disapproving look as he started past the company’s headquarters.

“I’d rather you settle this as soon as possible before the morrow. I am here not to resolve your petty politics— we’re here to gather companies that are willing to put aside their differences and face a common foe. If you cannot settle this, we’ll be leaving Viechester with neither of your companies.”

Leopold left for an inn. He would not stay in the city for long. Jake clicked his tongue and turned as well— Edithe knew that he probably thought Leopold would see things his way. As it was right now, Leopold and the rest of the delegation from the Rising Veterans Company were just annoyed.

They took their leave, departing from the gates of the Valiant Dreamers Company headquarters.

—--

“I can’t believe Jake would do that.”

It was not something Edithe expected just three months ago. It hadn’t been long ago that they were together in the battlefield, fighting against a common foe— allies that valued and trusted each other above all else.

Now, the Valiant Dreamers Company was torn. Hadrian tried and failed to give the red-haired woman a reassuring smile.

“We’ll be able to resolve it, Edithe. He’s still… upset. As are the others. But they are dreamers— they will…”

He hesitated. His words convinced no one. Shaking his head, Hadrian headed back to the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company.

“We’ll figure things out later. For now, I’ll have to discuss Leopold’s proposal with the others.”

Edithe watched him go. She could only clench her fist, unable to do anything else as she stood there in the cobbled streets of Viechester. Alone.

There was not much the red-haired woman could do— pursue Jake? She’d tried talking him out of it once before. It didn’t work, then. It wouldn’t work now. Help Hadrian? He seemed like he wanted to be left alone, and there wasn’t much Edithe could do to help other than to brief those not in the headquarters.

There was also Leopold. She could’ve followed him. But after such a long trip to reach Viechester only to be met with a company’s squabbling, Edithe was certain Leopold would not take to her kindly if she tried to approach him now.

Anyway, while Edithe was mulling over what she could do for others, she didn’t stop to consider what she could do for herself. She was only reminded of her own limits when a voice called out to her, breaking her from her thoughts.

“Edithe?”

She turned to face the source of the voice. A man dressed in white robes stood at the street, staring at the red-haired woman. He had graying hair and a wrinkled face, but a kind smile. One that Edithe recognized. No— she more than recognized him. She knew him with great familiarity.

“William?”

A [Priest]. One who had raised Edithe as a little girl. When her Mother was off with work in the slums of Viechester.

“What are you doing here?”

The man smiled.

“It’s been a while since we’ve spoken. I’d have thought you’d be happier to see me.”

She shifted uncomfortably, and he chuckled. Before the red-haired woman could protest, a small voice squeaked from behind her.

“Old man! You’re here!”

Rachel dashed out of the headquarters of the Valiant Dreamers Company, grinning. Edithe blinked.

“Wait, what’s going on?

—--

“So, Sophia asked you to take care of her for today?”

Edithe looked down at the little brown-haired girl as she happily skipped ahead up the stairs of Viechester’s Sanctum of Elements. The temple didn’t look as lavish or luxurious as the red-haired woman remembered, and she wasn’t sure if that was her mind playing tricks on her or if it really was falling into disrepair.

Everything just appeared bleaker these days.

“Yes. Since I have cared for Rachel before, Ms Sophia requested for my aid as she had a mission to carry out.”

That was right. There’d been an uptick in monster activity as of late. Sophia left with Cless to clear a [Dark Wolf] pack that had apparently been terrorizing a few towns to the north of Viechester. It wasn’t the most difficult task for Gold Ranks like them, but Cless had just barely recovered from his injuries, so he was still taking things slowly.

“Well, after all that happened the last time we asked you to look after her…”

Edithe trailed off, thinking of the whole debacle with Stephen. It truly didn’t feel like it happened too long ago, but it had been over two years since then. A lot of time had passed in what felt like a shorter span than it truly was.

“Thank you.”

“It is no trouble.”

William shook his head.

“Rachel is a delight to watch over. Watching her progress— her curiosity that leads her to grow. It truly is astonishing. Have you noticed? She has leveled quite a bit at her age.”

Edithe certainly had been keeping the occasional tab on Rachel. Seeing the brown-haired girl level was something she’d noticed, to a certain extent. But the fact that Rachel was nearly Level 15 and that was something special was lost to Edithe, until William pointed it out.

“A prodigy. Truly.”

A small smile crept over William’s lips as they strode through the halls of the temple. Suddenly, Rachel paused. She turned to the [Priest] and raised her chin.

“That’s right! I’m amazing, aren’t I?”

Edithe stared at Rachel as she grinned triumphantly— a grin that was quite similar to a certain Demon’s. Even the words sounded like something a certain Demon would say. The red-haired woman shook her head.

“Rachel, I’m glad you’re taking after Salvos. But you really shouldn’t be so… uncouth with what you say. People may think you’re a braggart.”

“Psh— but it’s true! Even William said it himself!”

The [Priest] just shrugged, and Edithe shot him a half-glare.

“Well, William shouldn’t be praising you too much. There’s such thing as too much pride, which, unfortunately, Salvos suffers from.”

Rachel gave Edithe a look of astonishment.

“What? How can Salvos be too proud? She’s amazing!”

The brown-haired girl spun around, continuing to walk ahead as she babbled on about the Demon.

“She’s so fast and strong and she always seems to arrive on time… you know, I bet she can beat up that ugly Demon everyone is talking about these days!”

Edithe pursed her lips. That… wasn’t true. Even with Edithe and Daniel present, Salvos herself had admitted she didn’t stand a chance at beating Belzu.

But the red-haired woman didn’t just want to burst the girl’s bubble. So, she tried to put it lightly.

“Salvos is my friend. I trust her with my life. But she isn’t…”

She hesitated, trying to come up with the right words to say. Especially in front of William.

“Salvos isn’t a [Hero].”

The red-haired woman finally settled with that. Rachel nodded, uncaring.

“Yep! She’s not a [Hero]. She’s better than a [Hero]!”

“What’s better than a [Hero]?”

“A Princess adventurer!”

William laughed as Edithe just sighed. Rachel didn’t back down, insisting that it was true as they arrived at the temple’s library.

The [Priest] spoke as he ushered the girl forward.

“I believe you, Rachel. But now it’s time for you to catch up on your studies. I’m sure you can find lots of books about princesses and adventurers in here.”

“’Kay…”

Rachel scurried off to grab a book to read. Edithe massaged her temples as William gave her a pat on the shoulder.

“Let her dream, Edithe. She has someone she looks up to, and there’s no need for you to convince her otherwise.”

“I’m not telling her not to look up to Salvos. Just… that Salvos has flaws, like the rest of us.”

“Like the rest of us, huh?”

William muttered as he took a seat. He offered Edithe a cup of tea, which she gratefully accepted. She’d been drinking too much ale as of late.

“What, do you disagree?”

“I agree with you. But I don’t think telling someone that their idol isn’t who they make them out to be will just strengthen their beliefs even further. It is counterproductive.”

The red-haired woman scowled. She took a sip from the tea and grimaced. Bitter.

“What makes you say that?”

“It is in a person’s nature to inherently disagree with someone who claims you are incorrect, no? Otherwise, you’d be admitting ignorance over a matter you are impassioned about. And as much as we strive to be modest and openminded, we cannot simply mold ourselves to what others claim with certainty, as we’d then be no more than a piece of paper for them to draw on.”

William spoke as he watched Rachel run between the shelves, quickly sifting through the titles in search of a specific book she couldn’t find.

“Everyone has a set of beliefs, and if those beliefs are threatened, so is our individuality. That is why we disagree. And that is why changing minds isn’t merely a matter of talk.”

That made Edithe paused. She thought for a moment about Jake— about Hadrian. About both the Valiant Dreamers and the True Valiants. They had been bickering like children. Neither side gave the other any room to speak.

But… what Jake had been saying was partially right. Fact of the matter was— Baris did have some faults. He wasn’t perfect. No one was.

It was just like Edithe said, everyone was flawed in some regard. But the way the remaining Valiant Dreamers had been dismissing the True Valiants— it was like Baris had done no wrong his entire life. However, he had made mistakes. Even Edithe thought it had been a problem before others found out.

So, why did she have to reject the True Valiants completely?

“Now, what has been troubling you, Edithe? You don’t normally come to me unless you need your help.”

William chuckled and turned to her with a gentle look. That of a father peering at his daughter, ready to comfort her and lend an ears

“I… it’s nothing.”

She finally realized what needed to be done. The True Valiants were not evil. They’d been comrades once, and they could be comrades again. A proper dialogue had to be made. But not just with the True Valiants. Edithe had to speak with the Valiant Dreamers too.

“You’ve already helped me plenty. Thank you, William.”

He smiled.

“It is my pleasure.”

Edithe got to work, leaving the temple.

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269. Titan

269. Titan

I was still reeling from it— processing what had happened. I didn’t normally stop to think for more than a second whenever one of my General Skills leveled. Because, after all, General Skills leveled all the time. Sure, they leveled relatively slowly. Sometimes, I wished they’d level faster. But they did level.

At least, most of them did. One of them hadn’t leveled at all despite having been a General Skill of mine since the very beginning; it was something I had with me from the moment of my birth. It never once leveled, so I assumed it couldn’t level.

Until now.

General Skill [Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] has leveled up!

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension - Lvl. 1] -> [Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension - Lvl. 2]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

“Huh.”

What did it? What exactly pushed [Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] past the edge so that it could level?

Was it because I spoke to the [Evolved Centinel]? Was it because the [Evolved Centinel] spoke in some strange language?

That was possible. But the real question wasn’t how [Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] leveled— the real question was what could I do now with it?

I quickly distributed all my Stat and Skill Points— I had plenty since I’d been fighting and leveling a ton— and headed out of the Lair.

Just before I left, however, I noticed one thing. The corpses in the former Centinels Cornucopia began to rapidly decompose. It was like they were old, eroded stone statues that were collapsing to dust after a bumbling passerby bumped into it.

“Huh, so it was the Lair that were keeping their bodies intact. I wonder why.”

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 119

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 73

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 145 (+25)

[Strength]: 130 (+25)

[Endurance]: 140 (+25) (+3)

[Wisdom]: 250 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 300 (+25) (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 6]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 1

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 10

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 15

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 1]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 1

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 5

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 10

[Warped Time] - Lvl 6

—--

“Hello?”

I peered into the egg sac. The wriggling creature broke out of the blue shell after a moment’s struggle. It landed right at my feet with a wet splat and glanced up to meet my gaze. I cocked my head, waiting for a reply.

The [Infant Centinel] hissed and chomped at my feet. I scowled, stepping on it before walking off. It died with a squelch— a notification. And I was off speaking to another group of Centinels. Higher-leveled Centinels. Maybe an [Infant Centinel] couldn’t speak because it was still an infant?

“Hi! Can you speak?”

I asked the [Junior Centinel] as I held it by the tail. It didn’t speak. It just thrashed about, screeching at me. No words. Nothing that even resembled words. Complete, incoherent nonsense.

“Ugh, this was a waste of time.”

I tossed it hard against a rock wall. It went splat. None of the Centinels could speak. Presumably, only the [Evolved Centinel] was capable of articulating his thoughts— even if it was in a very rough and abstract way.

My wings spread wide as I took off into the air. A horde of Centinels snarled and snapped below me, but I ignored them, flying higher up to a small crack on the ravine’s walls. I’d be moderately safe here. I was still tired from the brief battle with the [Evolved Centinel]. So, I sat down, letting [Rest] course through my body.

As I found myself sitting on the cold floor, I produced the books I had kept away with [Dimensional Pocket]. These had been diaries that belonged to the adventurers who dared venture down to the Bloodied Gulf. Thrilling stories, surely.

But when I sifted through them, I found that a lot of the books were regaling the tales these great [Warriors] or [Mages] had prior to delving into the Bloodied Gulf. It listed their achievements, the powerful friends they’d made, and a bunch of other boring crap that incessantly praised the author.

Seriously! Even I wasn’t that prideful!

Edithe should really have a talk with these people. Oh wait, she couldn’t because they were dead. So, you guys weren’t that great then!

I shook my head, chuckling softly. Despite my amusement, I did acknowledge that it was very much possible for me to end up with the same fate that befell these adventurers. I could die. I understood my mortality. I wasn’t a fool. I didn’t think of myself as an invincible [Hero] of the ages.

They came here to purge the Centinel threat. I was here to survive and killed that annoying [Evolved Centinel]. At least, that was what I thought I was here for.

I continued to turn the pages of the diaries, not out of intrigue, but simply hoping to find anything that would be useful for me. Information that could help me navigate the Bloodied Gulf. I didn’t find much of the like, unfortunately. The most useful thing I found was a [Mage]’s compendium of the various Centinels. He or she even detailed the various evolutions of [Evolved Centinels] encountered in the Bloodied Gulf.

There were four types of [Evolved Centinel]. Variations existed, but there were four broad forms they took on. The first was what they called a Sage Centinel. An intelligent Centinel that adapted to their opponents with different magical Skills— kind of like the [Evolved Centinel] I’d just fought.

The second was a Titan Centinel. A typically large Centinel that dwarfed even the size of [Older Centinels], but not quite as large as [Senior Centinels]. I didn’t think I’d seen one of these yet.

There were also the Gracious Centinels. [Evolved Centinels] that were described to be… Human-like in size and fighting prowess. I thought of the first [Evolved Centinel] I fought. That was likely a Gracious Centinel.

And lastly, there were Horror Centinels. These were described to be monstrous— taking all kinds of shapes and sizes, with monster-like abilities. These were the other two [Evolved Centinels] I’d seen. They were said to be the weakest of the [Evolved Centinels] as the least intelligent of them all.

It was interesting. The fact of the matter was, the [Mage] who wrote this compendium had spent enough time down here to encounter enough [Evolved Centinels] to make these claims. But I’d only seen four [Evolved Centinels] so far.

I wondered just how numerous they were.

There were two more pages in the compendium. Each was less detailed than the next. The first was a brief description of an [Ancient Centinel]. It was nothing I didn’t already know. That it was massive and powerful— above Level 150.

And the page after that simply had a name. A placeholder. No description. It simply said: the Progenitor.

I cocked my head, curious.

“What is this Progenitor?”

I was under the impression that all Centinels could lay eggs and produce offspring. I’d seen it, even.

“Huh.”

I leaned against the rock wall, interest piqued. There were so many mysteries still left uncovered about the Bloodied Gulf. However, I knew what my goal was. I didn’t care for a Progenitor, even if I was curious.

I was going to kill that [Evolved Centinel] or Sage Centinel. Whatever he was called, I didn’t like him. And once I was through with him, I’d deal with Belzu.

I closed the books and let them disappear into my [Dimensional Pocket]. Just as I got to my feet, however, the ground shook. Something tingled inside of me— [A Hunter’s Sense] warned me something was coming.

My eyes grew wide. Was it the [Ancient Centinel]? I was prepared to teleport away from the alcove when a large shadow loomed over the entrance. I blinked.

“That’s…?”

Dozens of sharp teeth pierced through the walls, tearing away at my hiding spot with ferocious intent. I backed up as flames wreathed around me. I narrowed my eyes, not recognizing the gaping maw that tried to dig its way to me. It didn’t look like the mandibles of an [Older Centinel] or [Senior Centinel]. And it certainly wasn’t an [Ancient Centinel].

The mouth seemed shaped more like that of a beast. One with far fewer teeth than a Centinel, but an elongated jaw that could chomp harder and through tougher materials. I identified the creature, and I got my answer.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 131]

A… Titan Centinel? A small smile crept over my face as I realized that this was the one [Evolved Centinel] sub-type I hadn’t seen just yet. A fire burned within me. A desire to see how it compared to the other [Evolved Centinels] I’d fought so far.

But before I could jump straight into battle with the forming Nebular Scythe, another shadow loomed behind the Titan Centinel. A figure just barely larger than the Titan Centinel. And it wasn’t alone.

I recognized their shapes and forms. Regular Centinels. But not weak ones. [Senior Centinels]. Each of them above Level 120. They accompanied the Titan Centinel as they tried to burrow their way to me.

I blinked.

“That’s a lot of high-leveled Centinels…”

I hesitated. Would I be able to beat all of them? Or better yet— would I be able to defeat them without attracting even more unwanted attention? I didn’t feel confident enough in myself to do that.

That was the thing. This was the Bloodied Gulf. I thought I was safe in this alcove, but somehow, the Titan Centinel found me. And it led a small horde of [Senior Centinels] after rme. I completely forgotten the one rule of a place like this. After all, it was just like the Netherworld.

Nowhere was safe.

It was always dangerous, no matter where you were. You migth’ve thought you’d found a safe haven, but it could be compromised at any moment. Just like right now.

I found my back pressing against the walls as the massive crab-like claws of the Titan Centinel ripped the entirety of the cliff’s surface off. I now stood on a small ledge, exposed and surrounded by dozens of Centinels that were equal to or above my level.

The Titan Centinel stared down at me. Its body was like that of a giant tree trunk. Its face was that of a deformed flower with spiky thorns poking out the sides of its neck. It opened its terrible mouth— like the unfurling of withering petals— and I took my chance.

I teleported above the Centinels before they could bear down on me, wings spreading wide and taking off into the air.

“Nice to meet you, but bye!”

I exploded straight for the ocean above. I wasn’t going to wait to see what it’d try to do to me. But the [Senior Centinels] were quick on my tail. They scurried up the cliffside, slowly closing the distance between us even despite my [Haste].

I clicked my tongue as I watched them draw closer. The Titan Centinel turned its lumbering figure and let out a cacophonous roar. One that instantly made me turn my attention above me. I watched as Centinels poured out of the cracks in the cliffside above me. They rained down on me, cutting off my escape as they descended like a wave.

I paused, hesitating as I was flanked from both sides. My exit was cut off. I had to fight . Or maybe I could use [Salvo of Vanity] to distract—

Before I could make a decision, I heard a high-pitched sound. One that suddenly morphed into something more coherent. Slightly cracked, but still understandable to my ears.

“Here!”

A voice shouted. My gaze snapped to the side. For whatever reason, I was drawn to a specific portion of the rock wall. It looked gray just like any other part of the ravine. But something about it was off. And I heard the voice again.

“Quick!”

So I flew straight for it. I sent out a burst of flame in all directions with [The Primordial Spark] as I dove for that spot. As I drew closer, I realized what was wrong. [Planar Navigation] told me exactly what was wrong. There was no rock wall there.

It was empty, even if I saw something there.

I exploded into the other side of the illusion, tumbling to the ground as my blue flames covered my escape. I waited with bated breath for a moment as I heard the Centinels] pass. They drew eerily close to the entrance, but they didn’t think to check it. Not when all they saw was any other part of the rock wall.

I sighed in relief and turned around to thank whoever saved me.

“Thanks—”

Then I paused. A speckle of flame hovered over me. One that glowed softly in the dark. It had no shape other than that of fire.

[Will O’ Wisp - Lvl. 121]

“Um… hi?”

A note from MelasD

Everyone ignored last chapter's preview so I'm posting it again. Please react to this preview ;((

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Quick update + HERE IS THE SURPRISE

Last week, I was supposed to be flying on the 29th for Chinese New Years to spend time with fam before heading to my cousin's wedding. However, I was likely still going to posting my chapters, just a bit later than usual. Before the end of the week, or so I thought.

Unfortunately, due to a mixture of my flight being delayed by 3 days due to a blizzard, family matters that came up since then, and getting scammed out of $1,800 thanks to fucking Booking.com which took up a whole day and a half, I probably will only be able to get 2-3 chapters up at most this week. I'm sorry :(

That's for Salvos. For Melas and Tian, I probably won't even be able to get a single chapter written this week. I'll try. But alas, I can't. I can probably get 1-2 Trace chapters out for Trace fans.

Also, I wrote 140,000 words last month, so yay to that at least.

Anyway, here's the thing I was previewing you of. Y'all thought it was a cat or something. But NO. it's a Salvos Volume 1 cover redo for the PAPERBACK which I'll hopefully get up sooooooooon. It was Salvos... and SALVOS AS AN INFANT DEMON.

THAT'S RIGHT. YOU FINALLY GET TO SEE INFANT DEMON SALVOS! HERE IT IS!

ISN'T LARVA SALVOS ADORABLE?

A note from MelasD

Check out my other stories if you're bored and want something else to read.

Trace a Young Adult LitRPG Apocalypse

Tian an Isekai Xianxia LitRPG

Melas an Isekai Dark Progression Fantasy

270. Hidden Haven

270. Hidden Haven

[Will O’ Wisp - Lvl. 121]

“Um… hi?”

Before me, a small flame-like orb hovered with a soft glow. It emenanted a pulsing light, gently growing in intensity before dimming once more. It was cyclical— like the tender breathing of a child tucked in a cot.

I peered into the [Will O’ Wisp] as its color continuously changed. A rainbow of light that painted over the wisping fire of its body. I heard it speak earlier, yet it remained silent now.

“Can’t you speak?”

I waited with bated breath for it to say something, but no words came. Did I imagine it? Was I going crazy? I could’ve sworn I heard it utter actual words to me— something coherent, holding meaning— even if it came in the sound of a high-pitched buzz.

Well, I wasn’t actually sure how my newly-leveled [Universal Language Comprehension] Skill worked. Maybe there was a limit to what it could understand? Or maybe it had to be activated for me to understand the words of monsters and animals? In which case—

“[Universal Language Comprehension]!”

I raised a triumphant arm, waiting for the [Will O’ Wisp]’s voice to materialize any moment. But all I got was the feeling of puzzlement. It just floated before me, confused.

“Wait, so can’t you speak?”

I asked, tapping a finger on my chin. The [Will O’ Wisp] didn’t reply, but another voice emerged from the shadows behind it. From further down this tunnel.

“It speak. A bit. Not much.”

I spun around, raising a claw protectively as a snout protruded from the shadows. A green figure appeared— one with scales covering its body. Kind of like a Kobold, except taller, more slender, and with a far longer tail. The scales seemed to morph into plates around its neck and back, flaking out of its body as bone-like protrusions.

I took a step back and blinked.

“Wha— are you a Kobold?”

The green figure paused. It stared at me as a gurgling left its throat.

“Hrk, no. Kobold? What’s Kobold?”

It— no, she pointed at herself as her yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness.

“Me [Krokodis]. Me understand you. [Basic Language Comprehension]. Me Skill.”

She thumped herself on the chest with a claw-like hand. I cocked my head.

“Huh? Wait— are you a monster?”

I peered at her, but before she could respond, the [Will O’ Wisp] flitted between us. Its color changed as a word echoed in the cavern.

“Leave.”

The [Krokodis] nodded and gestured for me to follow.

“Illusion fall soon. Escape now.”

“Um, alright.”

I glanced back at where I’d come from. I could hear the skittering of Centinels around the walls just outside of the tunnel. The image of a rock surface still blotted out the entrance, so it’d be a while before the Centinels found this place. It was best to go now.

I followed both the [Will O’ Wisp] and the [Krokodis] as they made their way down the tunnel. The [Will O’ Wisp] flew like a Fairy— it reminded me of a Spirit. Was it a Spirit? I couldn’t quite tell. It wasn’t able to speak eloquently, but some Spirits weren’t able to speak either, like Druma.

Meanwhile, the [Krokodis] crawled on all fours. She’d stood on two legs to briefly talk with me, but she walked with all four of her limbs touching the ground. She certainly wasn’t a Kobold like I initially thought she was.

I followed them as the tunnel grew narrower, winding its way deep below. It branched out to multiple more paths, but both the [Krokodis] and the [Will O’ Wisp] seemed to know where they were going— like it was second nature.

“So, do you guys have names?”

I asked as we continued on for a bit. They both exchanged a confused glance. The [Will O’ Wisp] said nothing, but the [Krokodis] gave me a puzzled look.

“Name?”

“Yep! I’m Salvos! I’m a Demon! The latter is my Species, and the former is my name.”

The [Krokodis] blinked slowly, one eye after the other— not a simultaneous blinking of the eyes. Meanwhile, the [Will O’ Wisp] just continued.

“Um, I take it you don’t have names?”

I hurried after them as they resumed their trek. The [Krokodis] spoke without even facing me.

“Me not know what name is.”

“Do you want me to give you one?”

“Me don’t care.”

She replied, disinterested. I scowled as I watched them go.

“Well, fine. I’ll give you one then. How about… Willy and Kron? Those are good names, right?”

As expected there was no response from either of them. Which— that was good enough. They didn’t hate the names, at least, and I could refer to them by something that wasn’t just their Species.

Finally, the tunnel opened up to a large cave chamber. One that was dimly lit with crystals jutting from the fringes of the chamber. And it was teeming with life. I blinked, paused, and gasped as I saw what was inside.

“Huh.”

Now entering [Lair: Land of the Lost].

It was… a community. An entire sanctuary filled with monsters. I looked around at the lumbering creatures as they milled about. They were all different Species of monsters. Some of them didn’t even look like intelligent ones, like the [Krokodils] or a Goblin or Orc.

There were giant crab-like monsters. Their shells were mossy and covered in grime. They turned their eyes towards me, suspicious, but not much else. There were long maggot creatures. Half of their bodies were hidden in the ground, and they didn’t even look at me with any suspicion or wariness. Just hostility.

Yet, they didn’t attack. I waved at them.

“Hi?”

They didn’t reply. I turned around as I slowly took in the room— there were glowing moss growing on the stalactites and stalagmites growing on the ceiling and floor. I continued scanning the room until my eyes rested upon a large boulder that seemed to grow larger.

Wait, no, it wasn’t growing larger. It was just moving closer to me. I backed up warily and froze when I heard a word echo from the boulder.

“Hello.”

I watched as a small head poked out from a hole in the boulder. A green, amphibious head.

“Um, hello?”

[Gallias Tortoise - Lvl. 115]

“Interesting, you can understand me.”

His head quirked as I peered back at him. His mouth barely moved, letting out a squeak or two. Yet, I understood his words perfectly. [Universal Language Comprehension] Level 2 at work. It translated everything in that brief squeak into something I could understand. After all, he carried meaning with his squeaks, even if he didn’t have such advanced communication abilities.

“Yep! I have a Skill!”

I gave him a thumbs-up, and he turned to Kron.

“Just like her, then. It seems I can finally speak to someone else in this haven.”

“This haven? What is this place, anyway?”

There really were a lot of monsters here. I saw a bunch of giant rats— each of them about half my height— walking around on two legs as they ate on what looked like the crunchy remains of [Junior Centinels].

“It is as I said: a haven. A place of safety, away from the vile horror that are the Centinels. Those gathered here are the survivors. Creatures who have fallen to the depths of this gulf, or who were dragged here by force. There are other reasons, of course. Some descend, following those who lead them, like that Spirit over there.”

He gestured at Willy who was hovering right next to Kron.

“Spirit? Wait, if it’s a Spirit— or he? How’s he here?”

The answer didn’t come from the [Gallias Tortoise], surprisingly enough. My question drew a reaction from Willy himself.

“Master. Dead now. Stuck here.”

“Huh.”

So, he was a summon who accompanied his master to the Bloodied Gulf, and since his master was dead, he was now trapped here. The [Gallias Tortoise] nodded.

“Yes. We are remnants. But we escaped. We survived. And we have formed a home here.”

He cast his gaze around the room as I took in all the different monsters gathered together. I’d never seen such an eclectic gathering of creatures. Even the Rainforest of Monsters wasn’t nearly as diverse as this haven.

And yet, there were few of each kind of Species. Some numbered more than others, but they were like the maggots which could reproduce asexually without any aid. There were also these twisted starfish— each of them about the size of my head— which had spikes jutting out of their backs by the hundreds, and I was pretty sure they could reproduce without much problem too since there were dozens of them.

“And you guys don’t just… kill each other?”

That wasn’t how it normally worked, right? Dungeons formed because monster Lairs grew too numerous and feuded with each other. They had to compete for resources, or they would prey on each other.

The [Gallias Tortoise] made a noise— a long squeak. One I recognized as a chuckle.

“We don’t kill each other because we share an understanding. We know that, in here, we are prey. We are outnumbered greatly by Centinels. We only persist because we are together. And together, we seek only one thing— escape. Salvation.”

“That makes a lot of sense.”

After all, monsters weren’t normally mindless. I’d once worked together with Giant Spiders to kill a bunch of Centinels who were trying to destroy their Lair. They showed me gratitude— they didn’t attack me once the Centinels were wiped out.

Generally, monsters had intelligence. They had varying degrees of intelligence, but they weren’t just mindless creatures. Not like the Centinels who were mostly, completely wild. But even that didn’t hold absolutely true, did it?

I thought of the [Evolved Centinels]. Yep. Not all of them are wild.

A susurration drew my attention. I glanced up as the [Gallias Tortoise] raised his head.

“Ah, she must’ve heard of your arrival.”

Kron and Willy stepped back, as if they were making way for someone important. A figure moved through the crowd of monsters, and I gave the [Gallias Tortoise] an inquiring look.

“She? Who’s this?”

“The one who formed this haven.”

There was a clicking. The slow cascading of spiky legs poking the ground as whoever this was made her way towards me. A tingle ran down my spine as I saw the carapace. The red, reflective shell.

“Y-you’re—”

I grew alert and stepped back as she scuttled up to me.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 141]

A pair of mandibles spread wide as the familiar undulating figure of a Centinel stopped before me.

“Greetings, Demon.”

A note from MelasD

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

271. Trapped? Wait...

A note from MelasD

Sup all, my friend Selkie Myth is in the Stabby's this year! Y'all should check it out and maybe vote for BTDEM!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/sh1wis/best_of_rfantasy_2021_the_stabby_awards_voting/

271. Trapped? Wait...

“Greetings, Demon.”

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 141]

An undulating, red-shelled creature stopped before me. It had dozens of legs— maybe even up to a hundred— and separate, segmented bodies that were uniformly spread throughout its long form. It was the familiar shape of a Centinel, except with a few minute differences.

The first difference was that its body seemed to twist into the shape of a Human as it reached its head. It even looked feminine— at least, more like a Human female than a Human male. Its… or rather, her spindly legs turned to a pair of red arms that were folded across her chest she cast her gaze over me.

And in regards to her gaze, she had the face of a Centinel with a few Human features such as an oval-shaped head and a mouth covering the typical exposed mandibles of a Centinel. She still had a pair of antennae poking out of her head, with a set of beady black eyes that seemed to reflect nothing but darkness in the hollow, carved-out pupils.

Her form was almost familiar. She looked eerily similar to the [Evolved Centinel] I’d clashed with twice now. Wait, was she him? No— she couldn’t be. For one thing, she was a she and he was a he!

But was it possible that he could’ve become a she? That was possible, right? I mean, I could transform into a Human and an Elf and a Cyclops, shouldn’t it be possible to become a he if you were a she or a she if you were a he? There had to be some Skill out there that could let you do that.

Or maybe a potion.

Either way, I couldn’t let my guard down. I tensed, raising my claws. The [Evolved Centinel] slithered forward with just her undulating body, walking around me with deliberate steps. Her head and Human-like body stayed in place.

“So, you are the one the [Will O’ Wisp] risked his life to save.”

My eyes narrowed as the glowing flame flitted in front of the [Evolved Centinel].

“Ally.”

That was all he said. She gave him an inquiring look.

“And aren’t Demons sworn enemies of Spirits?”

“No.”

“Intriguing. That is not what I was led to believe.”

The [Evolved Centinel] shook her head in a surprisingly Human gesture… or, mortal gesture? I’d seen other mortals shake their heads before to convey the same meaning. But I wasn’t sure if all mortals did it. I certainly didn’t remember the intelligent monsters of the Rainforest of Monsters shaking their heads for a particular reason.

She turned to me, and I raised a flaming claw.

“Stay back! I’m warning you!”

The [Gallias Tortoise] stepped forward, speaking hurriedly.

“I assure you, she is not like the other Centinels—”

But I spoke over him.

“Look, I don’t know how you became a she from a he. Or if you were originally a she and became a he? Or if you’re a she who became a he who pretends to be a she so that the others here won’t know that you’re a he…”

I trailed off as everyone paused to stare at me. I cocked my head.

“Um, what was I saying again?”

“We don’t know.”

The [Gallias Tortoise] let out a sigh-like squeak. I furrowed my brows as I tried to work out my logic, but the [Evolved Centinel] stepped forward.

“I mean you no harm, Demon.”

I blinked as she approached me with both her arms raised.

“I may look similar to some of my brethren— I am sure you have encountered them here in the Bloodied Gulf— but I assure you, I am different. We are merely kin, nothing more.”

Different? So, she looked the same to the other [Evolved Centinel] I’d fought. Although, she did reassure me that she wasn’t here to fight. And to be fair, she was a higher level than him. Also, the monsters gathered here didn’t look like they were afraid of her. Which meant—

“Oh, so you’re just a Sage Centinel?”

It finally clicked.

“Why didn't you just say that, then?”

I pointed at her, and she just stared at me. Slowly, she worked her jaw.

“I… I have been trying to tell you that, yes.”

“Well, you could’ve told me that faster. I mean— just saying that you’re a Sage Centinel would’ve cleared that up!”

“T-that’s…”

She trailed off as I crossed my arms.

“You are right, Demon. I apologize. I was simply too eager to introduce myself, I must have forgotten my… manners.”

“You’ve got that right!”

I nodded with alacrity. She finally understood what I was trying to say. Good! Seriously, imagine if we ended up fighting because she caused a misunderstanding?

She spoke quite eloquently for a Centinel, surprisingly enough. Compared to the other Sage Centinel I’d seen, she was a hundred times more eloquent. She did still have the clicks that marked the end of every sentence which the other Sage Centinel had.

“I must introduce myself. I am called Centina, and I am the protector of this haven.”

Her upper body lowered in a bow-like gesture— it was awkward, nothing like how noble Humans did it, but I could tell she was trying to emulate them. I waggled my brows.

“Centina? That’s your name?”

“Hm, perhaps it can be referred to as a name. It is simply what I have been referred to by others.”

Her mouth spread wide as she tried to smile. It was kind of a creepy gesture, coming from a Centinel. Definitely not reassuring like it was meant to be.

“And who called you that? Actually, why are you even protecting this haven? Aren’t you a Centinel or something?”

“But not all Centinels are alike, you see.”

Centina scuttled around me, ushering me forward.

“Follow me.”

I glanced over at Willy and Kron. Both of them seemed to have ambled off and were now doing their own thing. The squeaky voice of the [Gallias Tortoise] came from behind me

“Go on. Trust Centina. She is good.”

I raised a brow. The [Evolved Centinel] was almost threateningly wrapped around behind me. She gently brushed by me to edge me forward, but I raised a hand.

“Wait!”

She abruptly paused. The [Gallias Tortoise] looked over at me worriedly. I stood my ground, bringing a hand up as I cast a sharp gaze around the room.

“I’m not going with you.”

Centina peered at me with curious eyes. Eyes that were almost threatening. The [Gallias Tortoise] tensed, opening his mouth.

“You—”

“I’m not going with you…”

I repeated myself. This time, I spread my arms wide and finished.

“Until I introduce myself.

“Oh.”

This time, the [Gallias Tortoise] really did sigh. It wasn’t a squeak. It was a full-on, exasperated sigh.

I beamed.

“I’m Salvos!”

—--

“Your name is Centina.”

“That is correct.”

I followed the [Evolved Centinel] as she led me down a side passageway, scratching a clawed hand on my chin.

“And the [Gallias Tortoise] is named Galt.”

“Indeed. He did not choose his name. Instead, it was given to him, like mine was given to me. After all, he is the only of his kind in this haven, and he is one of the oldest inhabitants.”

“I see— did anyone ever tell the guy who named you that they suck at coming up with names?”

Centina paused.

“...what do you mean by that?”

“I mean— no offense to you, of course— but whoever came up with your names is bad at doing it.”

“I…”

She stared at me for a moment before turning back around. I followed her as she rolled aside a large boulder, entering a secret room.

“We were not named by any single individual. And not everyone is blessed with names, as you have been. Galt was given his name by one of the [Merfolk] who’d been dragged down here with him. The [Merfolk] gave no name, other than to Galt. He did not even give us his own name.”

“Well, he’s bad at names. He should be more like me! I’m good at coming up with names! Like… Willy and Kron!”

“You named the [Will O’ Wisp] and the [Krokodis]?”

Centina sounded amused. I grinned.

“Sure did! Wait— how did you know that was who I named?”

I gave her a blank stare. She made a clicking noise.

“Couldn’t possibly tell you how. Now, come on in.”

I entered the secret passageway as Centina rolled the boulder back behind us. The room was instantly shrouded in darkness. I couldn’t see anything, but [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] didn’t flare up, so I knew it wasn’t dangerous here.

That didn’t mean I let my guard down. This was still the Bloodied Gulf… right?

“Hey, um, you never told me why I’m supposed to be here.”

“Do not worry. Stand still.”

Her voice echoed in the shadows, and I realized she wasn’t standing next to me any longer. I felt a prickling sensation run up my arms— like that of an ant crawling its way to my fingers, itching for me to just reach out with my claws and flick it off my skin. But I didn’t move. Centina told me not to move. And I was going to listen to her… for now.

“This is simply a standard procedure. I told you, I am the protector of this haven. If you harbor and ill intent towards us, I will expel you back to the ravines teeming with death.”

And with the click that accompanied her final word, the ground beneath me shone with an eerie golden glow. A ritual circle rose up like the reverse of a curtain, girdling around me as symbols formed in the air. It illuminated the rest of the room. I could see the fringes of books, piled up on a makeshift table. There were scribblings on the walls. Old, dried scribblings— some of them written in blood.

Was this some kind of study room? It looked like some old professor had lived here for decades, making a mess out of it doing his research.

The runic symbols hovering around me began to orbit me. They circled faster and faster as they pulsed with light. I saw Centina standing just before a bed, her hands held in the air as though she were casting this spell. No— she wasn’t casting it. She was simply activating the runes for it.

Suddenly, powerful magic poured out of the runes as they halted. The mana oozed with death magic. It was palpable— threatening to strangle and choke me where I stood. The symbols shone a blood-red as they flew in front of my face, like they were inspecting me.

I didn’t move. I didn’t say a word. Although, I prepared to teleport out of this magic circle if anything went wrong. But the light emitted from the symbols dimmed. It morphed from a crimson to a gentle azure, before falling back to the ground.

The magic circle vanished as the room was once again filled with darkness, and I heard Centina make an approving click.

“Good. You are not an enemy of this haven.”

“What was… that?”

I asked, slightly disoriented. I raised a hand, creating a ball of flame to light up the room. I looked up, only to see Centina looming over me.

“That was a spell of Sense Malicious Intent. As the name implies, it would identify any kind of ill will you may harbor against myself or the haven. If you were dangerous, it would have killed you there and then.”

I looked down at my feet, seeing multi-colored bloodstains marking the ground.

“And I take it that it works?”

Centina just shrugged as she ushered me out of the secret room.

“It works well enough. Everyone who has passed the test has yet to betray this haven.”

“What’s the point of it, anyway?”

I gave her an inquiring gaze as she rolled the boulder over the entrance of the room. She replied, nonchalant.

“As I told you earlier, this is standard procedure. I would simply like to know if you pose a threat to us. We are but a group of survivors. Those who have willingly or unwillingly ended up at the bottom of the Bloodied Gulf.”

She wore almost a tired look on her face.

“Just like you, we are trapped. And we have no one to rely on but each other. We cannot have those who’d sabotage us join the haven. For even if our goal to escape sounds like a simple one, a single bad actor would ruin any chance of our survival entirely.”

I rubbed a hand on my chin as she finished. My brows snapped together, and I raised a hand.

“Wait, you guys are stuck here?”

I frowned as Centina nodded.

“Yes. We are but prisoners trapped in a world of rock, with the Centinels guarding us from our salvation.”

“I see.”

I scratched the side of my head as I struggled to put the right words together.

“But why? I mean… I can leave anytime I want.”

She blinked.

“...what?”

A note from MelasD

Managed to get one up today.

In other news. I had to deal with something dumb again. This trip has been annoyingly sucky. I'm just so annoyed. Blegh.

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

New cover + very quick update

Last week, I said there'd be fewer chapters due to things popping up with family matters and yadayadayada. Unfortunately, there are still lots of problems I have to deal with. For one thing, I was charged nearly a thousand dollars for a Lyft ride I took last last Sunday which I'm trying to get refunded but can't since I froze my card payments last Tuesday after the scam I talked about in regards to Booking.com on Monday. Anyway, that's not really pertinent to what I'm making this post for.

This week, I'm planning to get ten Salvos chapters up by the end of Sunday to make up for the lack of chapters last week. There likely won't be one until, like, tomorrow or the day after since I won't be flying back home and have access to my work station until Wednesday. But once I'm back, I'll be grinding out as many chapters as possible.

For Melas and Tian fans, I'll still try and get a chapter out by Sunday. And hopefully two Trace chapters too.

But this is a tentative schedule. No promises that I'll be able to get 10 Salvos chaps up. That's my goal. You guys will definitely get more than five this week, though.

Anyway, here's the new cover for Volume 5 Part 1:

PRETTY ARTS.

A note from MelasD

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

272. Neat Trick

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to my friend's new serial, Eldest: Awakening After the End

The world's mana is deeply corrupted.

The archmages who held the balance have met their end.

And in a lonely, forgotten dungeon, a simple beast receives a Title - for being the eldest creature left alive.

The title comes with sapience, the knowledge of a thinking creature. It comes with a desire to learn and grow that can only be met by venturing into the world beyond. And so Grae Mangefur sets out on his adventure, seeking the reason why.

Why the world ended.

Why magic has gone wrong.

Why the Elder Powers are dead.

Eldest: Awakening After the End | Royal Road

272. Neat Trick

“So, let me get this straight.”

Centina stared at me as she exasperatedly clapped her hands together.

“You’re a Demon with wings.”

“Yes.”

I nodded as she looked at me for confirmation.

“Which means you can fly.”

“Yep.”

I beamed. She continued.

“Which means you can fly out of the Bloodied Gulf anytime you want.”

“That is right!!”

I gave her a thumbs-up. The [Evolved Centinel] closed her eyes and sighed.

“So, why haven’t you left yet?”

“Because I don’t want to, of course!”

I cocked my head, confused at her confusion of this whole situation. For whatever reason, she was confused about my confusion about her confusion about this whole situation. It was very confusing.

“But… why?”

Centina scuttled around me, hands pressed together in frustration.

“You can leave the Bloodied Gulf— no, you have seen the horrors that awaits you down here. You are outmatched, Salvos. Even my level surpasses yours. And I am not even close to being the most dangerous creature here. Yet, you choose to stay?”

“Well, yeah? I mean, how am I supposed to reach your level if I don’t fight?”

I gave her a half-hearted shrug. I really didn’t get it. What was her point? Apparently, she thought I was doing something weird?

“You risk your life, Salvos. No— you would’ve lost your l;ife if not for the [Will O’ Wisp]. Others are trapped here. They wish to be as fortunate as you. But you choose to act with reckless abandon rather than with precaution.”

“Look, I came here for a reason… I think. Or rather, I was brought here for a reason. And until I learn a Grand Skill, I’m not leaving the Bloodied Gulf no matter what happens.”

I crossed my arms, giving Centina a defiant look.

“Besides, I wasn’t even close to dying when Willy saved me. I was just in a bit of trouble. But I’d have gotten out of it unscathed.”

“And what makes you think that?”

“This.”

I tapped the Breastplate of Alexander. She fixed her gaze on the iridescent metal without saying a word.

“It’s powerful. It has protected me from everything I’ve seen so far, even an [Ancient Centinel].”

I smiled when I saw Centina’s reaction. First, that of shock. Then that of suspicion. Finally, acceptance and disbelief. After all, why would I lie about it? My corpse would be the proof if I was lying.

The [Evolved Centinel] shook her head. She opened her mouth like she wanted to argue, but something stopped her— a twinkling in her eyes. A flicker of… something. Hints of emotion were there, but it seemed to be a mix of multiple feelings rather than just one thing.

And that was quite odd, considering she was a Centinel. The only emotion I’d seen from Centinels was from the other Sage Centinel I encountered, and he seemed more angry than anything.

“...very well.”

Centina finally said.

“I cannot change your mind, nor can I stop you from getting yourself killed without risking my own. Do as you wish, Salvos.”

Um, like that was ever a question? I always did whatever I wanted!

“But know this—”

She spoke abruptly, a warning look in her eyes.

“I have seen the fate of those like you. Those who have ventured to the Bloodied Gulf with great ambitions. Those who have the means to escape, yet choose to stay for the sake of their stubbornness. It does not end well.”

Centina shook her head. She wore a melancholic face— at least, it seemed like it. It was entirely possible it might’ve meant she was happy rather than sad since she was not a Human and their expressions wouldn’t have the same meaning as hers.

“Heed my warning, or don’t. It is… your choice.”

She turned around, returning back down the tunnel where the secret room had been. I watched her go for a moment. I heard the sorrow in her voice. I pursed my lips… opened my mouth—

“Hey, before you go, you don’t mind if I use this as a resting place every so often, right? I’m about to head back out, but it’s pretty safe here.”

Centina blinked. She looked at me, trying to muster up a response. Eventually, she sighed.

“Yes. Just don’t risk the safety of this haven with your recklessness.”

“Alright, thanks!”

I waved at her and skipped down the hallway to the rest of the haven.

—--

The haven was crowded. It was full of monsters— a myriad of Species gathered together. And they were all doing… absolutely nothing.

Despite the light from the bioluminescent moss lining the cavern wall, this place just felt… dark, somehow. There was very little movement, other than from the monsters turning to face me. It just had the ambience of dread and exhaustion, which darkened the haven despite it not actually being dark.

A ball of glowing flame floated over to me, and I greeted Willy.

“Hey, I’m back.”

“Safe?”

He didn’t even say hi.

“Yep, I'm safe. Centina cast that spell-thingy on me and sent me on my way. So, I can do whatever I want now, I guess.”

“Good.”

He turned and began to fly away. I frowned.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“Eat.”

I followed after Willy as he navigated around a giant mushroom man who was taking a nap. I didn’t know mushrooms could sleep.

“What do you eat?”

“Centinel.”

He replied simply. I made a face of disgust.

“Gross. You guys should try eating something else. Something nicer.”

Willy paused and turned to face me. He stared at me for a moment before a single buzzing sound left his wisping flame form.

“...how?”

“Huh. I guess you’re right. There’s really only Centinels down here.”

He continued flitting over to a corner of the room. I spotted Kron there who was greedily munching on the corpse of a [Junior Centinel]. She had grabbed it from a pit of dead Centinels. Beside her, other monsters were also feasting. They backed away when I approached.

“Hey Kron!”

I called out to her, but she didn’t look up. I tapped her on the shoulder and she finally glanced over at me. She wiped her snout.

“Yes?”

“Hi! I passed the test!”

“Good! You want?”

She burped, uncaring, and held up a large leg.

“Um, nope.”

I backed away slightly, and she turned to Willy.

“And you?”

“Yes!”

Willy let out a high-pitched buzz in excitement and suddenly his form changed. His flames flared up and a terrible maw protruded from the fire. A single bite was all it took to clean Kron’s hand of the Centinel leg. And the [Will O’ Wisp] relegated back to his normal size.

I backed up.

“That’s… huh.”

I didn’t know he could do that. That was actually pretty terrifying. He transformed faster than even I could— and he turned back just as quickly.

“So, um, what do you guys even do around here, anyway?”

I asked as the two of them continued eating away at their meal. I scratched my cheek, taking in the rest of the room. As noted before, there really wasn’t any activity going on. Everyone was just… idle.

Sure, Galt was over by one of the giant crabs, eating away at the moss that was growing on its shell. And yes, there were a bunch of monsters here eating Centinel corpses too. But other than that, they weren’t… active.

“Do?”

Kron looked up with a mouthful of Centinel. She pointed at Willy, then at herself.

“He hunts. Me follow from far. Me only help. Not strong.”

“Wait, Willy is the one doing the hunting?”

I raised a surprised brow. Willy grew in size once more and took a chunk off the side of an [Older Centinel]’s side. My eyes narrowed as Kron nodded.

“Yes. He hunt. He strong.”

“But the one with the illusions—”

“Is me.”

Kron thumped her chest, giving me a toothy grin. I blinked,

“Huh. I thought it’d be the other way around. I mean— I see it now. But originally…”

I gave Willy a sidelong glance.

“I thought he was the one with illusions, and you’d be the physically strong one.”

“Me? Strong? No! No! No! No!”

She shook her head vigorously, pointing at herself.

“Me no strong. Me fight Human with pretty woman.”

“Pretty woman?”

I tilted my head, and Kron nodded.

“Me make image. Make woman, pretty.”

She gestured at her chest, making a circling gesture for whatever reason.

“Man come. Adventurer. Stupid man. He try take woman. Then me kill.”

“That’s smart.”

I gave her an approving look. She was quite proud of herself.

“Me thank!”

“How’d you end up here, anyway?”

I gestured vaguely at the air.

“You know, down here?”

Kron actually deflated.

“Me home attacked. Adventurers angry. Destroy. Chase out of swamp. Then storm come. Water take. Centinel swim. Chase. Me escape here.”

“Oh, that’s sad.”

“Yes. Very sad.”

“So, what about everyone else? Do they go hunting with you guys, or…?”

She waved a hand off dismissively.

“Level low. Die, them. We, no.”

“But you’re quite low-leveled yourself.”

Kron wasn’t even Level 100. However, I guess having her illusions helped. And since Willy was by her side, she was fine.

She smiled and nodded at Willy.

“Come join. We hunt. You see?”

“Sure.”

The pair ushered me out of the cave chamber, leading me back the way I came. But they didn’t follow the exact same route. This time, they broke off down one of the branching tunnels to find a different exit. I waved at Galt as I left.

Now leaving [Lair: Land of the Lost].

Finally, we found ourselves pushing aside a boulder to exit the tunnel. We emerged at the floor of one of the ravines. I glanced around, and didn’t see any Centinels around the near vicinity.

“It’s so empty.”

I remarked, and Kron nodded.

“Centinel no come here. Over there have more.”

She pointed past me, at the end of the ravine. This was one of the smaller ravines, so it made sense that it was emptier. I followed Willy as he— without much care— flew forward. But I stopped when I realized Kron was staying back.

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Me? No. Me use illusion. Me help. But me stay far.”

“Well, what if they attack you when you're alone? Isn’t that more dangerous?”

I stared at her, and she slowly vanished.

“Right, illusions.”

“Yes. Me hide!”

“So, it’s just you and me then, Willy.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] didn’t respond to his name. Probably because he liked it. I was good with names, after all.

He flew forward, up and up until he had a good view of the next, intersecting ravine. Immediately, he caught sight of a Centinel. A [Junior Centinel]. It screeched and leapt for him as he stayed floating there. My eyes grew wide as I yelled out.

“Watch—”

The [Junior Centinel]’s mandibles touched Willy, and it burst into flames. It dropped with a heavy thud, writhing on the ground as it was turned into a charred mess.

“Watch… um, the ceiling?”

Not like there was a ceiling, even. There was a huge ocean above us, but it was far above us.

Willy’s flames flickered and he turned to me. I could almost see a smug look on his face, even though he didn’t have a face. Then he faced the dead [Junior Centinel] and the flames around its body dissipated, only to be replaced by green flames.

But the green flames didn’t eat away at the body. Instead, it seemed to be undoing some of the damage the original flame had inflicted on the corpse. The blackened shell of the [Junior Centinel] was restored to its original shade of red. Although, the [Junior Centinel] remained deceased. Somehow, the green fire undid the superficial damage and only the superficial damage. It was like using a healing potion on a dead body.

“Neat trick.”

I remarked with an intrigued look.

“Thanks.”

“You've got to teach me that.”

“No.”

A note from MelasD

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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273. Willy

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to my friend, Inorai's serial, Roots and Steel. She's an author who helped me out a TON when I first started. I sincerely urge you to check out her serial.

Hunters wait all year for the Festival of Knives, when they put their skills to the test and claim new ranks with every monster they kill.

Trapped helping the family business instead of pursuing his own career, Trellin has never been allowed to participate.  But when he risks expulsion to sneak out and claim a kill beyond his rank, his hunt is spotted by a senior guildmember.

Rather than turn him in, she offers him a chance for freedom: Join her, and sail to the distant isle of Deldynne to compete in the bloody race for the rank of Guildmaster.  If they can kill the monster that calls Deldynne home before the other teams do, he'll soar to new heights as apprentice to the leader of the Hunter’s Guild.

But if they fail, neither will leave that island alive.

Roots and Steel is a Monster Hunter LitRPG series.

Roots and Steel | Royal Road

273. Willy

“Aw, come on!”

I protested as Willy flitted between the rock walls of the ravine. A [Junior Centinel] leapt out of an alcove— a crack in the wall— and snapped for the [Will O’ Wisp]. He simply zipped out of the way.

The [Junior Centinel] landed with a thud. It got back to its feet, only for an iridescent flame to hover right behind it. Then Willy’s color changed. His wisps morphed into a dark crimson as he grew in size— larger than the [Junior Centinel]. In that single instant, he engulfed it entirely.

I crossed my arms as the [Junior Centinel] was reduced to ashes.

“Well?”

“No.”

Willy repeated his answer. I threw my hands in the air.

“Why not?”

I really wanted him to teach me how he was doing all these different flames. Especially since they were multi-colored. And they had different effects too! Most of my flames just burned stuff. I could make weapons as well, but even then the weapons usually included burning stuff.

Meanwhile, Willy’s flames did more than just that. His red flames incinerated everything it touched. His blue flames froze most things it touched. His green flames seemed to heal anything it touched. His yellow flames— well…

An [Older Centinel] burrowed out of the ground, screeching as it sprayed acid at the [Will O’ Wisp]. Some of the acid rained around me, but a simple wave of flames protected me from it. Willy, however, didn’t care about the acid. It evaporated before it even reached him.

He countered the attack with his own yellow flames. And, well, the yellow fire seemed more liquid-y than fire…y. It splashed across the carapace of the [Older Centinel]’s shell, melting the red away as smoke sizzled up into the air. Fire could sometimes melt things— like ice or metal— but this wasn’t something that should’ve been melting. Yet, the carapace still melted.

The [Older Centinel] collapsed as the yellow flame ate away at its body. Its segmented body fell apart as Willy hurled another globule of yellow flame at it.

“Huh. Your fire can do anything!”

“Yes.”

Somehow, I could hear the pride in his voice. The [Will O’ Wisp] changed colors again, this time sending out several balls of purple flame. These purple flames turned into wisp-like forms of their own, moving around with purpose as they floated to the corpses of the Centinels.

They seemed to possess the bodies, sinking deep within the carapace as an ethereal glow filled the room. Finally, the corpses flew into the air, hovering back in the direction we came.

“Woah.”

I stared at the floating bodies as they flew a dozen feet back into the other ravine. Right as they passed through the intersection where the ravine we were standing in cut across the smaller ravine we came from, they vanished. Like they’d been dropped into the ocean and vanished— ripples ran across the water, but the water remained clear, unblotted by what had been dropped onto its surface.

“Good haul! Good haul!”

I heard Kron’s voice echoing down to us. So, that was how they gathered Centinels to feed the haven. It was good teamwork. Especially with Willy’s abilities. Speaking of—

“Why won’t you teach me how to do that with your fire?”

I turned to him, pouting. He flew in a circle around me before pausing.

“Stranger.”

“Stranger? Oh, right, we did just meet, didn’t we?”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Then why did you try to save me earlier if I’m a stranger?”

“Because.”

“Because?”

“Master.”

Willy spoke in clipped sentences, but I got the gist of it. His master must’ve had a typical adventurer’s creed to save anyone who was in danger, and he had thought I was in danger.

“But I can handle myself. I wasn’t actually in too much danger. I’d have gotten out of that situation somehow!”

I waved a claw off, but for whatever reason, I felt like Willy was dubious of me.

“You’ve got to believe me!”

“Ok.”

He flew off, continuing his search for more Centinels. There weren’t too many Centinels here, populating this area of the Bloodied Gulf. If I had to guess, it was because of how this area was used as a hunting ground for the haven.

I followed Willy as he ventured further and further out, taking out Centinel after Centinel. He didn’t even bother to send the lower-leveled ones back to Kron. I continued after him, arms crossed and protesting.

“It’s not even like you’re that much higher-leveled than me! And you’re handling yourself just fine, see? Plus, I’m a Demon!”

He turned to face me as a Centinel leapt at him from behind. It combusted and died. He stared at me.

“Spirit.”

“..right.”

I forgot about that.

“Even still, I’m not any ordinary Demon. I’m a special Demon.”

This actually seemed to pique Willy’s interest. The ground rumbled as a low Level 100 [Senior Centinel] barreled its way down the ravine towards us, but the [Will O’ Wisp] still spoke to me.

“Special?”

“Hey, guys? Me thinks you loud. Should soft—”

Kron called out to us from afar, but I continued as I raised a hand.

“Yep. Watch this.”

I sent a rolling of blue flames at the [Senior Centinel]. A roiling wave that washed the rocky surface of the ravine clean of the lower-leveled Centinels around the area. It didn’t instantly kill the [Senior Centinel], but the fire raged on, turning into a pure white, finally clearing the red stain off the Bloodied Gulf.

The notifications for the kills resounded in my head as I grinned.

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 37]!

Little-to-no experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

…

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 104]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

“Didn’t even break a sweat.”

“Weak.”

Willy somehow made a snorting noise as he flew up. He sent a pillar of fire up into the air, drawing the attention of more Centinels from the nearby crevices. They came. Hundreds of Centinels. A dozen [Older Centinels].

A single [Senior Centinel].

It was nearly Level 120. Close to Willy’s level. Above me in level. But the [Will O’ Wisp] didn’t budge. In fact, he continued to send the red inferno up above the crevice— until it was no longer red, but yellow.

The yellow flames rained down on the approaching Centinels, leaving scathing marks on the earth as they melted the flesh of the lower-leveled Centinels. They had come like a tidal wave of red— an avalanche of blood and death. Now, they were reduced to mere writhing forms. Shattered. Like a broken iceberg.

Still, it wasn’t as effective against the [Senior Centinel]. It was slightly hurt by the raining yellow flames— its carapace sizzled as the fire tried to melt its way to its flesh. The [Senior Centinel] reeled and dug beneath the earth, escaping the attack.

I rolled my eyes.

“You let it get away.”

“No.”

Willy was insistent. His body shone with the color of the rainbow as the falling yellow flames turned blue. It pattered the floor of the Bloodied Gulf, turning it into a frozen wasteland and stopping the remaining [Older Centinel] in their tracks. They tried to break free, but a hail of red flames finished them off for good.

As for the [Senior Centinel], it exploded out of the ground only to find its legs clicking against a slippery floor. It couldn’t get a proper grip and tumbled over, crashing against the side of the ravine’s wall.

The [Will O’ Wisp] flew over it as I watched, curious as to what he’d do. I expected him to barrage it with red or yellow flames— maybe even a different color I hadn’t seen yet. What I didn’t expect was for Willy to dive straight at the [Senior Centinel].

“Um, what?”

I stared at him as his body shifted. He grew slowly and slowly, becoming larger and larger, until he eventually became as large as the [Senior Centinel]’s head. He engulfed its face with his body. The [Senior Centinel] thrashed on the ground, trying to pick itself back up, but found itself slipping on the ice and falling over and over again.

Willy moved further down the [Senior Centinel] as it tried clawing him off it. His flames were physical— the sharp legs of the [Senior Centinel] somehow seemed to scratch the [Will O’ Wisp]. And that was why he moved, burning each of the segmented bodies of the [Senior Centinel] with a greater intensity than even his red flames.

The [Senior Centinel] struggled. It really did. But eventually, it stopped its thrashing as Willy drew back. He left the scorched corpse of the giant Centinel behind and flew my way.

“See?”

I gave him a flat stare.

“Not impressed.”

“Lie.”

“Nope! Not lying! I’m just better!”

I stuck my tongue out at Willy, and he returned with a meaningless buzzing sound. A voice interrupted our bickering. It was the amplified words of Kron.

“Noisy! Loud! Both you!”

Both Willy and I turned our heads— well, in Willy’s case, he turned his body— to where we came from. I scowled.

“I just think I’m better than Willy here.”

“Wrong!”

“I can do just that— no, wait. I can do even better.”

“Liar!”

Willy fluttered around me, making his buzzing noise as I rolled my eyes.

“Unlike you, I’m not actually trapped in this dumb place. I can leave the Bloodied Gulf anytime I want.”

I raised my chin, beaming. Willy paused. He stayed silent for a moment before he spoke in a softer, less excited voice than earlier.

“Same.”

I blinked.

“Wait, wha—”

Before I could finish my sentence, Kron’s panicked voice repeated, this time much louder than before.

“Attention! Attract! Run!”

The earth shook and I nearly lost my balance .I steadied myself against the rock wall as bits of debris fell from the cliff face. My brows snapped together and I spread my wings wide. I flew up above this small ravine followed by WIlly to find the source of the shaking.

It wasn’t a single source, I realized. It came from all around us. A tidal wave of Centinels were attracted to our location. But why? They weren’t that close by. In fact, they were coming from some of the large gorges where the main section of the Bloodied Gulf was located.

Something was calling them here. A screech. A call. One that rallied a small army of Centinels.

A shadow crossed the distance between the ravines. A large, looming shadow. It came with a terrible crash— one that reverberated loudly, causing a small tremor. I narrowed my eyes as I stared at the familiar figure. The one that had discovered my hiding spot.

It was a Centinel with a single rotund body— no segmented parts, except for a head— carried by just under a hundred legs. By its side was two massive claws, each of which could crush even an [Older Centinel] with ease.

Its face twisted as its elongated head tilted, eyes flickering in recognition at me. I recognized it, too.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 131]

A Titan Centinel. And somehow, it once again called the aid of every Centinel in the near area. Willy’s iridescent flames morphed into a pale white as he saw it. Kron’s terrified voice was all I could hear aside from the horrid calls of the giant monster.

“Run! Run! We need run!”

But I didn't budge. Even as the Titan Centinel continued its lumbering approach with its army of Centinels.

Instead, I looked over my Status, and… smiled.

“Hey, Willy, remember when I said I was fine earlier— that I didn’t need you to save me?”

I turned to face him as he halted. He had been about to flee, now he waited for what I had to say next. I bared my teeth in delight as my blue flames wreathed around me, anticipating the battle to come.

“Want me to prove it?”

A note from MelasD

I wrote the patreon chapter while on the plane. I'm still in the plane. I bought wifi to post the chapters before I went to take a nap. Once I arrive. I'll be on a long train ride back to my city. Hopefully I'll get another chapter up by then.

Only when I'm finally back in my apartment will I be able to pump out an insane number of chapters. Y'all better watch out. I shall ASCEND.

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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274. Risk and Reward

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Playwars!

In a universe where Earth is nothing but a distant memory, and humanity is clawing back from a million years interstellar dark age, Sarah Ciel-étoilé is but a humble mercenary. For 60 years, her crew of exiles has followed her onboard their stolen military gunship, the Eternal Seeker. But now, a threat like they have never seen before is rising.

The Dominion, an intergalactic empire over a millenia old, is dying. It's catastrophic civil war almost brought it to total collapse, and it endures only through the strength of it's navy. But that strength is waning. Throughout the Dominion's Protectorate, whispers of a revolution are spreading, and insurrections are flaring up, as an conspiracy set on casting down the Dominion and burning it to the ground set it's plan into motion.

Yet, behind all the chaos and the destruction, something far more sinister brews in the shadows, and it could change the face of the universe forever.

This is the story of Sarah, and her mercenaries, during these troubled and dark times, as empires fall...and others rise.

The Eternal Seeker Saga | Royal Road

274. Risk and Reward

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 131]

“What doing? Run!”

I heard Kron’s voice echo in the back of my head— illusion magic. She was making herself audible to only myself and Willy, but inaudible to the Centinel army approaching us. I simply floated there.

“Fight?”

Willy asked with a mix of conflicting emotions. I could tell he was nervous— that he thought I was an idiot. I shrugged.

“Yep.”

The ground shook as the Titan Centinel lumbered its way towards me. I could see the movement of the earth from my vantage point in the air; this was a localized earthquake. Those in the main section of the Bloodied Gulf probably couldn’t feel it, but those around the peripheries like where we were would definitely notice something was amiss.

Not like there were anything but Centinels out here. And they all heeded the call of the Titan Centinel. They encroached on us from all directions. Soon, we wouldn’t be able to flee without fighting our way through the hordes of monsters.

“Stupid.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] spoke up once more as he flitted up to my side. My eyes flickered, and a scythe appeared in my hand. A Nebular Scythe. I had stored it with [Dimensional Pocket] so I wouldn’t need to keep creating Nebular Weapons whenever I was about to fight.

My breastplate shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow as I descended, bathed in flames.

“I can’t be stupid. I go to one of the best schools in the entire world!”

Willy watched as the flames around me shifted in color. Just like him, I had a few tricks of my own. One of them involved turning blue fire into a more brilliant gold.

“I’m a genius, after all.”

And I activated [Salvo of Vanity]. An image of me emerged from the flames, made entirely out of the golden fire. She smiled as she held up a replica of my scythe, although it was not made of Nebular material. It was simply a gold flame— and perhaps that was even better.

I gave my clone a nod.

“I’ll take the ten thousand on the left, you take the ten thousand on the right.”

She cocked her head, and I scowled.

“What? No— the Title Centinel is mine.”

I looked over at the huge creature skittering its way, leading the charge. My clone crossed her arms, harrumphing without a sound.

“Well, that’s too bad for you. You’ll just have to settle for those [Senior Centinels] over there.”

There were at least a dozen [Senior Centinels] joining this small army. The rest were mostly [Infant Centinels] or [Junior Centinels], so the larger, higher-leveled ones stood out by sheer size alone.

The others were far less of a threat, although they would be pretty annoying. I sent wave after wave of flames down at them, diminishing their numbers by as much as I could before I dove closer. A blinking spark zipped around me and forged weapons out of fire. Flaming swords, spears, arrows—

It was a hail of fire. Literally. The salvo tore apart the hordes of Centinels with ease. A flaming sword crashed between a group of [Junior Centinels], exploding and blasting them into bits. Not all of them exploded on impact. A zipping fiery spear pierced through the shells of [Older Centinels] and danced between the battlefield in search of another target. And with the broken bits of shell and rock that littered the battlefield, I commanded with [Scattering Displacement] to quell the lower-leveled tide.

I spotted my clone doing a similar thing on the other side of the battlefield. Although, she wasn’t as efficient as me. Of course not!

The Titan Centinel roared a challenge at me as it swung one of its mighty claws my way. I dove out of the way in time, and it ripped apart the earth like a walking natural disaster.

In the distance, Willy could only stare as I took on this army alone.

Well, I was with my clone. But she didn’t really count.

I shot the [Will O’ Wisp] a smirk as I ran up the claw of the Titan Centinel, landing a few superficial hits with my [Barrage of Cinders] powered Nebular Scythe before flipping and landing on its face. The gray metal shone with a black light as I struck down with a [Radiant Slash].

The Titan Centinel reeled, letting out a screech of pain and anger. I hopped off it, winking as I raised a hand.

“[Demon’s Mark].”

And crimson flames engulfed the Titan Centinel in its entirety. The heat incinerated the Centinels closest to it, and I could even see the ocean high and far above bubbling from the intensity of the flames alone.

I watched as [Demon’s Mark] burned for a moment longer before dissipating into weak streaks of roiling embers. My first instinct was to beam in victory when I saw that the Titan Centinel was gone. However, amongst the flurry of notifications bombarding my head, I realized one thing—

None of them informed me of the Titan Centinel’s defeat.

The ground beneath me exploded as the Titan Centinel crawled its way out of the ground. I didn’t even know how it dug down without leaving much of a hole behind. Somehow, a Skill allowed it to escape into the earth and cover its tracks in mere seconds.

It knocked me back, sending me flying across the small ravines and into a cliff wall. The Breastplate of Alexander protected me— its aura shimmered from the hit. I peeled myself out of the small crater.

“You—”

I blinked when I realized the Titan Centinel was nowhere to be found again.

“Huh?”

This time, however, I was more on guard. Perhaps that was why [Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] flared, letting me know that something was about to explode from the cliff behind me.

I teleported out of the way as the Titan Centinel took a massive bite out of the earth. I spun around, unleashing a wave of white flame at its shelled body. But it sank into the ground, disappearing once more.

How was it doing that?

It had to have some sort of Skill that let it manipulate and navigate through the earth. Was that how it managed to find me earlier?

While I was locked in this one-on-one battle with the Titan Centinel, I hadn’t realized that I left my clone to deal with the bulk of the Centinel army. And, well, it seemed like the [Senior Centinels] paired with the thousands of other lower-leveled monsters was too much for her to handle.

A golden explosion erupted behind me. More powerful, but far more contained than [Dermon’s Mark]. It took out half of the remaining [Senior Centinels] with that, but left the rest to hound me from behind as I clashed with the Titan Centinel.

“Ugh, are you serious?”

I groaned and activated [Haste], diving between the snapping mandibles of the monsters while the Titan Centinel occasionally burst out of the ground to take a swipe at me.

The Breastplate of Alexander flashed as I was knocked around by a combination attack from a [Senior Centinel] and the Titan Centinel. I swung once again for the latter, but it disappeared once more.

It was weak. I could tell. The combined damage I’d inflicted on it earlier had left it badly injured. If I could just get to it, I’d be able to take it out without the need of even my strongest Skills.

The problem was that I couldn’t get to it. The [Senior Centinels] and the other lesser Centinels threw themselves at me, stupidly dying one after another whenever the Titan Centinel fled.

“Come back here!”

I yelled as I chased after the Titan Centinel. I swung with my Nebular Scythe, only to dig up dirt as it phased through the ground once more. I clicked my tongue, annoyed, and struck the earth out of frustration.

“Come back here!”

Obviously, the Titan Centinel didn’t return. However, something else came in its sead. Behind me, there was a hiss.

A [Senior Centinel] lashed out at me with snapping mandibles, spraying its acid in a deluge at me. My eyes grew wide as the ground over me shadowed over—

And a blue light overcame the acid. A flash of flame. Blue flame. But one that froze instead of burned.

“Stupid!”

“Willy?”

I blinked as the wave of acid was turned to ice in an instant. The [Senior Centinel]’s legs were caught on the ice too, and the [Will O’ Wisp] flew down to me.

“Hey, wait, why are you still here?”

He fluttered around me as the ice wave cracked and shattered under its own weight. I placed a hand on my chest.

“Aw, do you actually care about me?”

“No!”

Willy sounded indigent. He unleashed red flames at the [Senior Centinel] as it broke free from the ice, keeping it back. I could hear his strained voice, even if it was a soft buzz to someone without [Universal Language Comprehension].

“Prove!”

“Prove?”

In the distance, the Titan Centinel resurfaced from the earth. Willy seemed to turned to face it, speaking insistently.

“Promised— prove”

I paused.

“You can speak more than one word at a time?”

He made an angry buzzing sound that held no meaning other than indicating that he was annoyed. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Ah! You want me to prove that I really can defeat it?”

The [Senior Centinel] writhed on the ground, dying, only for another [Seniior Centinel] to take its place. This time, accompanied by [Older Centinels] too. I gave Willy a thumbs-up.

“Alright! Just distract them for me for a minute. No— less than a minute.”

“Hurry!”

“Yep!”

A single flap of my wings sent me cutting through the air straight for the Titan Centinel]. Without the disturbance from the other Centinels here, I had a lot more freedom to operate. I let the Nebular Scythe vanish back into [Dimensional Pocket], and my body shifted without interruption as I bared my teeth. Three extra pairs of arms grew out from my back as my face protruded out like a skull. My body grew longer, cracking with strength— power that surged through my body.

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 145 (+25) (+10%)

[Strength]: 130 (+25) (+10%)

[Endurance]: 140 (+25) (+3) (+10%)

[Wisdom]: 250 (+25) (+10) (+10%)

[Agility]: 300 (+25) (+5) (+10%)

[Demonic Essence]. And also, [Faux Limbs] in tandem. I grinned, pointing all eight of my arms at the Titan Centinel before it could escape into the earth.

“Stay!”

My voice reverberated throughout the cavern. Then I activated [Warp Time], extending the period the Titan Centinel would stay under the effects of [Intimidation] as well as slowing its movements.

I crashed against the Titan Centinel’s chest a mere moment later, grabbing onto its shell with all six of my limbs as it finally snapped free from my Skills. It tried to escape, but it brought me with it. Together, we phased through the ground as the dirt parted like muddy water. I began to pry into its carapace with all six of my clawed arms, ripping the Titan Centinel apart.

As we glided through the earth, it was like I could see everything around us. The floor and walls of stone were practically invisible, mere outlines that could reveal intricate layers and levels of tunnels and cave systems throughout the Bloodied Gulf.

I finally tore my way to the Titan Centinel’s fleshy skin and began biting and clawing it with everything I had. When I was down to its innards, I just had to burn it from the inside and incinerate its organs.

Finally, we exploded out of the ground, sending rocks and debris into the air. The Titan Centinel tumbled and rolled beside me as I landed with all ten of my limbs, still in my [Demonic Essence] form. I turned to the body, giving it a sidelong glance. It twitched once— and stopped moving.

Defeated [Evolved Centinel – Lvl. 131]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

The corpse laid there as I basked in my victory. An army of Centinels had been reduced to mere hundreds. The Titan Centinel? Defeated. And there was a flurry of notifications resounding in my head.

Victory was mine. I proved myself, just as I said I would. The remnants of the small Centinel could be dealt with by Willy alone, although I was ready to help her. Without the Titan Centinel, there’d be no more coordination, so there was going to be a lot more Centinels killing each other.

Yet, Willy flew away from the remaining Centinels and towards me, speaking in a hurried voice. I spread all eight of my arms wide, smiling.

“Hey, did you see that—”

“Run.”

“Huh?”

I stared at him, puzzled. But he didn’t elaborate, flying off back to Kron. And that was when I felt a stronger tremor run through the ravines. One that was familiar. I glanced back, eyes growing wide.

“Oh.”

It was still far off, but I spotted the enormous goliath that was the [Ancient Centinel], exiting the network of ravines of the Bloodied Gulf, heading towards us.

“That’s a good idea.”

—--

I followed Willy as we returned where we came from. Kron was no longer in the ravine, but in the little hidden tunnel that led back to the haven. While the [Krokodis] wasn’t anywhere in sight, her illusion had taken over the whole ravine, hiding us from the pursuing Centinel.

I could hear her annoyed voice pestering us to hurry.

“Death! Death! Me run if you no run.”

We entered the tunnel and rolled the boulder over the entrance. I found the [Krokodis] hiding a little bit further back, and I raised a few placating arms.

“There’s no need to panic, we’re already—”

And she yelped. Kron backed up, pointing at me and screaming.

“Who? Who? Where Salvos?!”

I blinked and looked down at myself. At my [Demonic Essence] form.

“Oh, right.”

With Willy’s help, I managed to explain the situation to her and calm her down. Although, it would take a lot more than just that to appease her for what I did.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid! You stupid!”

Kron pointed up above as the ceiling shook.

“That death! That kill all!”

“I know, I know.”

I waved a hand off, chuckling.

“If the [Ancient Centinel] was there from the very beginning I wouldn’t have even thought to fight. I’d be the first one out of the Bloodied Gulf like that.”

I snapped six of my claws simultaneously to enhance what I meant.

“But it wasn’t. It was just the Titan Centinel and its weak goons. So, I taught it not to mess with me ever again.”

Kron still looked annoyed.

“Still stupid.”

“Yes!”

Willy agreed with her, flying around me. I scoffed.

“If you think it’s stupid, why’d you help me?”

“Because...”

The [Will O’ Wisp] seemed to trail off rather than having an abrupt-cut single-word sentence. His colors changed rapidly and he zipped off.

“Stupid!”

That was all he said as he left Kron and I alone in the tunnel. I smiled, watching him go.

“I think I made a friend.”

Unfortunately, I wasn’t done being interrogated.

“Why do?”

Kron fixed me with a slightly-annoyed but also slightly-no-longer-caring look. I raised my chin in thought. Why did I do it? Why did I risk my life challenging an army of Centinels, especially if it could attract the attention of even stronger Centinels?

After all, it was quite a bold move. I used up all of my best Skills just to bring down the Titan Centinel and most of the other lower-leveled Centinels. If the [Ancient Centinel] had somehow caught me before I escaped, I’d have nothing left to face it with. No [Long Range Teleportation], no [Salvo of Vanity]— no nothing.

It seemed ridiculous. As though I’d have a non-answer to Kron’s rightful interrogation. Yet, I responded without hesitation.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

I looked over my notifications— at the progress I’d made in such a small amount of time compared to the slow progress as of late. And I thought of Willy, who kept insisting he was better than me. Even if I liked him, I wouldn’t let that stand if it wasn’t true.

My body transformed back out of my [Demonic Essence] form as I patted the confused Kron on the shoulder.

“I need to get stronger. That’s it.”

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 119] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 120]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

…

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 122] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 123]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 73] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 74]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

…

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 77] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 78]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Defeated [Gallias Lobster - Lvl. 141]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

He had to get stronger.

He knew he had to get stronger. It was a risk. Death was a possibility. Very much a possibility. And yet, he fought. Through the depths of the ocean, he swam. Against sea creatures far stronger than him, he struggled. Against all odds, he won.

Defeated [Astrida Starfish - Lvl. 137]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

But why? Why was he doing this?

It was because he’d seen what those land creatures did to his kin. Again and again. Throughout the ages. He’d seen her suffering— from the loss of her children.

The giant tentacled creature fell, painting the sea a crimson mixed with the black of its ink as he felt himself grow stronger. He bathed in this blood— in his vengeance.

Defeated [Ceph of the Deep - Lvl. 149]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

He wouldn’t stand for it. Perhaps he could’ve acted earlier. But he was complacent. However, the encounter with that winged thing had made him realize he was weak. Too weak.

Stronger.

The Sage Centinel grew stronger.

Grand Skill [A—

Abundant experience is awarded for learning a Grand Skill—

A note from MelasD

Some, uh, minor complications happened. I missed my train back to my state so I'm staying at my brother's house today. And he doesn't let me be productive lmao

Tomorrow though. Trust.

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275. Interlude - Daniel's Desire Part One

A note from MelasD

Check out The Dungeon Shop, a LitRPG Light Novel that's relaxing and fun!

Lumina struggles in her day-to-day life, managing her grandfather's item shop all by herself. The struggle is real. Her wares often spoil before customers have a chance to try them.

But that all changes when a new dungeon appears just out of town, and with it, a chance at the life she's always wanted.

Strapping on the biggest enchanted sack she can find, she makes herself useful as a pack mule and a dungeon merchant, earning her keep and selling her wares in the thick of the adventure.

Being the first merchant in the dungeon gives her an advantage many envy.

She'll risk everything to follow her dream: to be the greatest merchant to ever live!

Health Potions, Mana Potions, Stamina Potions and... Coffee!

Amazon.com: The Dungeon Shop: Wares for the Weary Adventurer eBook : Ford, Chris: Kindle Store

275. Interlude Daniel's Desire Part One

The Elutra Kingdom. It was a place familiar to Daniel Song. It was the first country he’d stepped foot on when he arrived in this world. Summoned by their [Mages]— grand magic that took a toll on the entire country’s resources to even cast.

It was almost nostalgic, returning to where he started. He saw the same monsters that had one threatened— that had chased after him when he was too weak and afraid to do anything. Now, they were the ones that fled at his sight.

He spotted the same cities. He walked along the same cobbled roads. He saw the same faces of those who had once turned to him in adoration. Yet, things were different now.

Even with these same sights, the atmosphere had completely changed. The Inoria Empire had taken over these cities. A dour mood hung over the former citizens of Elutra. They walked the streets with their heads ducked beneath an overcast sky. So, it was not nostalgic. It was anything but that.

It was a truly depressing sight.

“Are we there yet?”

A voice drew Daniel’s attention. He turned around, raising his hood slightly to face his female companion. She… was not not the friendly Demon girl he’d gotten to know over the past few years. And she was certainly not Edithe Dawnrise, the hard-headed but kind-hearted [Mage]. Daniel would’ve preferred their company to this woman any day— it wasn’t even a question.

“No, we’re not.”

He gave a curt response, turning back to the city ahead.

“So, this isn’t Ertos? I thought we were going to the Capital of Elutra— seriously, why are we wasting our time here?”

Amanda sighed, flicking her brown hair back as she walked up to him.

“This is taking forever. If you really wanted to get there as soon as possible, you wouldn’t be dilly dallying and stopping by every single city we see. We can just grab a map and sprint straight for Ertos— we’d have arrived there over a week ago.”

“I need to assess the situation.”

Daniel’s lips twisted, annoyed by the former assassin’s incessant pestering.

“If you don’t want to be here, Amanda, you can just leave.”

His eyes didn’t depart from what it was following. The guards around the walled city just up ahead stopped a wagon driver— they ransacked his cart as he helplessly watched from the side. Once they got what they wanted, they kicked him and let him through.

He clicked his tongue as Amanda’s face peered over his shoulder.

“Does that upset you? Does that draw out your inherent sense of justice, oh great [Hero]?”

She spoke in a mocking voice, and he shrugged her off. Chuckling, Amanda shook her head casually.

“I’m here because there’s no other place for me to go. I can’t return to the Harrowed Vindicators because, first of all, I have a bounty on my head. And second of all, our headquarters was taken over by a bunch of Demons who’ll kill me and use me as a sacrifice in their blood rituals.”

“I don’t see how that’s my problem.”

“Have some empathy. You’re the only person out there who’s strong enough to help me out if I’m attacked for betraying the Harrowed Vindicators.”

Daniel glanced back at her as she followed him down the hill, heading for the city.

“And what makes you think I’ll help you if an assassin or a Demon comes for your head?”

“Well, it’s a [Hero]’s job to save a damsel in distress like me, right?”

Amanda feigned like she was falling over, and he gave her a flat stare.

“No.”

She crossed her arms as he turned and continued for the city.

“Could’ve at least played along. How dull.”

They reached the city’s gates not long after. It was Elis— one of the larger cities not far from the Capital of Ertos. It had only recently been taken over, so the walls were still damaged and many buildings lay collapsed. That wasn’t surprising to Daniel. War extracted its toll. But what he didn’t like was how there didn’t seem to be any attempts to repair the damage done.

No [Builders] or [Architects] toiling away to return the city to its former state. Everything was left in disrepair.

Daniel kept his head low as he paid the entrance fee to the guards. They snickered amongst each other, clearly charging him an outrageously exorbitant amount. He didn’t protest, instead choosing to ask some questions.

“I’m looking for the Adventurers Guild in this city. Do you know where it’s located?”

“The Adventurers Guild?”

The guards laughed, just as Daniel expected.

“Sorry, it was destroyed during the battle for the city. Unfortunate, but you’ll probably want to find work somewhere else. Not like you adventurers are needed around here— us soldiers are strong enough to deal with any monster threats around the city.”

The young man’s eyes flickered. Same answer, huh? The reason why Daniel had wanted to stop at Elis was simple— he wanted to investigate if the Inoria Empire was truly as evil as he was led to believe, and he wanted to ascertain the state of the Adventurers Guild.

He’d gone to three former major cities of Elutra. Each one had been captured by Inoria, and coincidentally, the Adventurers Guild had been completely wrecked. There was no place for adventurers to find work or spread information amongst each other. Even though the basis of the Adventurers Guild made it a decentralized organization, they’d at least communicate with each other if something truly wrong was happening in a city.

Not that that could be a problem if there was no Adventurers Guild. That made four, now. Four major former cities of Elutra that had lost their Adventurers Guild during their capture. It was beyond mere coincidence now. With what Daniel knew about Inoria— or at least, the rumors he had been told— he believed that this had been carried out on purpose.

Demons were in charge of the empire. They had to be. And if that was true, then they were going to bring the return of the Demon King himself.

Would they sacrifice all of Elutra? Or, perhaps, they’d only sacrifice the prisoners of war. Maybe even a single city. The scope and scale needed to summon the Demon King wasn’t something Daniel understood. He just knew that something had to be done.

He couldn’t do it by himself. He needed proof. Evidence. To gather help from nations and adventurers. That was why he continued to investigate.

The young man took a single step through the gates of Elis, only to pause when he heard a commotion occurring behind him.

“Sorry, I don’t have enough gold for the entrance fee.”

Amanda opened her hands and shrugged as the guards pestered her to make payment for entry. The guard captain crossed his arms.

“No payment, no entry.”

“Well, I don’t have any money. Now, if only there were a strong, young man nearby who can help me out.”

She winked at Daniel, and he rolled his eyes.

“No.”

He turned around and continued on, leaving her outside of the city, speechless. She blinked.

“Hey, wait—”

Amanda called out to him, but the guard captain stopped her. He grabbed her by the shoulder, sneering.

“I said no payment, no entry.”

Then he paused as he took in the brown-haired woman. A creepy smile spread across his face.

“Unless, of course, you want to offer some… other method of payment.”

Daniel halted, and Amanda stared at the guard captain. Her eyes narrowed.

“What kind of alternative payment?”

The guard captain ogled her with his eyes, reaching a hand for her face.

“Oh, how about you follow me to the guardhouse and find—”

“That’s enough.”

Daniel grabbed the guard captain by the forearm, tossing a bag of coins at his feet. All of the guards stared. Then one of them barked in outrage.

“Don't you dare talk to the captain like that!”

They drew their weapons, surrounding Daniel in an instant. He craned his neck slightly, taking in the levels of his opponents. None of them but the captain were even above Level 70. Although, they did have quite a high average level for a bunch of guards. No— these were veteran soldiers who’d been given guard duty for the sake of intimidation.

The guard captain glared at the young man.

“Unhand me this instant, adventurer, and you won’t get in trouble.”

“I have given you more than enough gold for both our entrance into the city. If that is not enough, then I believe I must protest. However— I really do not want to cause a scene.”

Daniel tightened his grip. The guard captain’s enchanted gloves bent under the pressure, and his eyes widened. He tried to identify Daniel’s level, but his true level was hidden under an obfuscation artifact. And Amanda was showing her second Class.

“T-that’s…”

“I suggest you just take the gold and let us be.”

Amanda raised an amused brow as the guard captain struggled to escape Daniel’s grip. Finally, he acquiesced.

“Fine.”

Daniel let go of the man, and he spun around.

“Let them pass. And pick up this damn gold, you bloody morons.”

He shouted at the other guards as they scrambled to collect the payment off the floor. Meanwhile, Daniel just briskly turned and walked away. Amanda followed after him as he entered an alleyway. The moment they were away from view, he grabbed her by her collar and sputtered.

“What do you think you’re doing? You almost got us both in trouble.”

“Hey, I asked for your help before it came to that. You didn’t butt in then, so things became tense. It’s not my fault it turned out that way.”

“And what about the entrance fee? Aren’t you some kind of high grade assassin? What’s that load of crap about not being able to afford the entrance fee?”

He gritted his teeth, and she gave him an innocent smile.

“I used to be a high grade assassin. Not anymore. Also, I could’ve been able to pay the entrance fee if someone didn’t take all my gold from me when he kept me as his slave.”

“I didn’t keep you as my slave. You were my prisoner.”

“Same thing. Either way, I was a helpless young woman who had to obey everything you said.”

Amanda scoffed, and he drew back.

“You can handle yourself, but you just wanted to mess with me so I’d get in trouble. If you wanted to, you could’ve snuck in after me without even being detected.”

She tapped a finger on her chin, speaking indifferently.

“I wasn’t opposed to letting that man have his way with me. I didn’t have any gold, and what’s so bad about having a little fun for free stuff?”

A small grin spread across her face as Daniel scowled.

“Whatever— the next time you get yourself in a mess, I won’t help you out.”

“Aw…but I enjoyed being saved by you. It was almost like you were an actual [Hero].”

He ignored her, leaving the alleyway and heading down the streets of Elis. Just like in the previous three cities he’d visited, Daniel found the streets being heavily patrolled by Inorian soldiers. Not to maintain peace. It was clearly a show of force.

They weren’t acting to prevent crime. If they wanted to do that, they’d have been roaming the back alleyways and keeping a lookout for possible looters at the current city’s state. Instead, they marched down the busiest streets, making their presence known while staying far away from where the criminals lurked.

Good, Daniel thought as he passed by a large patrol of chanting soldiers. He kept his head down just like every other citizen in the city, blending in and maintaining a low profile. Amanda, meanwhile, trailed a few feet behind him, not bothering to even pretend to be scared. She stopped a guard just to have a small chat, and helped a crying young boy find his mom. If she wasn’t doing it to annoy Daniel, he’d have thought she was a good person.

The young man eventually strayed away from the main streets, finding himself in lesser maintained parts of the city. Here, there were broken shops— those that had been destroyed during the battle for Elis, or those that had been looted and abandoned in the ensuing chaos in the changing of power. Smoke rose up all sound Daniel, smearing the orange-stained twilight sky with streaks of gray.

Men and women huddled around small fires to keep warm as their homes were no longer standing. Daniel really wished he could help them all, but he had another goal. He stopped a raggedy-looking man, and after a short conversation, gave him a piece of platinum and headed to an even more dubious part of the city.

He nearly thought he lost Amanda when she was swarmed by a bunch of kids for showing off a trick with her knife. However, much to his displeasure, she suddenly appeared next to him as he arrived at his destination.

It was a run-down blacksmith’s shop. The flames of its forges had died out as the doorway was buried under rubble. But behind the sturdy brick walls of the building, in the empty armory that had been raided by the Inoria Empire, Daniel found a handful of shadowed figures milling about.

One of them spotted his presence and approached him with a gentle smile.

“Welcome to the unofficial Adventurers Guild of Elis. Tell us, strangers, are you friend…?”

A curved sword appeared by the man’s side as his smile vanished.

“Or are you foe?”

[Rogue - Lvl. 96]

A note from MelasD

Guess who's back home motherfucker? It's this dude.

Vote for me on TopWebFiction cause I'm aboutta pop off.

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276. Interlude - Daniel's Desire Part Two

276. Interlude Daniel's Desire Part Two

[Rogue - Lvl. 96]

The man stood before Daniel with his sword raised threateningly to his side. He tilted his head slightly, a sort of bloodlust coming across his face along with an open-teeth smile. The other adventurers gathered in the dimly lit room looked up and tensed. They reached for their weapons—

“Relax. I’m an adventurer.”

Daniel produced a badge he had hidden beneath his cloak. The [Rogue] blinked. He peered at the gleaming diamond-shaped object. Then he sighed.

“Ah, I guess we won’t be having fun tonight. Come on in.”

He sheathed his blade as the adventurers in the room relaxed. They exchanged whispers, pointing and whispering as Daniel entered the brick building.

“Did you see his badge?”

“He’s a Diamond Ranked adventurer—”

Amanda followed after the [Hero], whistling.

“Whew, why’s everyone staring? We’re just visiting. No need to cause a big scene or anything.”

“And you should stop talking for once.”

Daniel shot her a glare. After a moment’s thought, she replied casually.

“Hmm, nah.”

He sighed and decided to ignore her once more. Each time he indulged her, she’d just get on his nerves. It was on purpose, too. She was just bored and having fun annoying him. A man who looked like he was in his mid-forties approached Daniel, bowing his head.

“Sorry about Lucas. He’s just suspicious of everyone who enters the guild. Especially if they’re not anyone we recognize.”

He gestured at the [Rogue] who’d gone off to the side, cross-armed and scowling that he didn’t get a fight. Daniel raised a brow.

“Suspicious, why?”

“Our last three locations were shut down by Inorian troops. It was a mess, really. Fortunately, no one died.”

“Inoria is actively shutting down Adventurers Guilds?”

Daniel raised an intrigued brow.

“Well, unofficial guilds, at least. They’re saying that it’s illegal activity, which— I don’t blame them. It is. However, when they won’t let officials from the Adventurers Guild into the region because it’s a ‘warzone’ then you start to question their intentions.”

The middle aged man waved a hand off.

“Anyway, that’s just politics and an older man’s gripes. Tell me, strangers. What are your names? I am Delmon, the former [Bartender] of Elis’ Adventurers Guild.”

“I’m Dan. And this is Amy.”

The young man nodded and gestured at his unwanted companion. She grinned.

“A [Bartender]? Got any good drinks? Don’t worry, Dan here will pay for me.”

“No I won’t.”

Delmon shook his head, apologetic.

“Alas, we don’t have much here in this unofficial Adventurers Guild. At most, we have some ale. But even then we only limit a single mug per adventurer.”

“Ah, fuck it. I’ll take it.”

Amanda slapped a silver coin on the table. She accepted the mug and scurried off to find a table. Daniel was glad that he had her off his hands for at least a little bit. He turned to Delmon who brushed his hands off.

“So, what are you looking for? Jobs? We have a few posted, but the rewards aren’t that great, unfortunately. However, most of us are taking what we can get. We also have a few other more mercenary… missions available. I know that technically goes against the creed of being an adventurer, but there are… groups who dislike the Inoria Empire that are rich and willing to pay us well.”

Daniel didn’t even need to press him further to understand the implication— rebel groups. Insurrectionists. Loyalists to the Elutra Kingdom.

“What about adventuring companies? What happened to them?”

“Until the Adventurers Guilds return to Elutra, they’ve all been disbanded by Inoria. Sorry, can't help you there. But if there’s anything specific you’d want, I can help you out.”

Delmon tilted his head, and Daniel closed his eyes.

“No, I’m fine. I’m just looking for information. About Inoria.”

“Information, eh? That’s hard to come by, these days. However, some of us do keep ears on the ground.”

The [Bartender] turned his gaze towards a young girl— probably thirteen years old— who sat in the corner of the room.

“Especially the young’uns. That’s Cindy. She’s a little [Informant]. She can help you out for the right… incentive.”

Daniel nodded and placed a few silver coins on the table.

“Thank you, Delmon.”

“O-oh, you didn’t have to—”

The [Bartender] stared at the coins, wide-eyed, but Daniel was already walking over to Cindy.

Amanda joined Daniel, already done with her drink.

“Got what you wanted yet?”

“No, not yet.”

“Oh, come the fuck on.”

She rolled her eyes.

“How much preparation do you need to carry out before you grow a pair and just do something, already. Seriously, do you take this long to go to the bathroom? Must you check if there’s any spiders hiding beneath the outhouse before you take a piss? Do you knock on the door three times before entering a room that’s empty?”

He halted mid-step. He met Amanda’s bored gaze and opened his mouth, about to reply. Then he took in a deep breath, and strode off with a shrug.

“Maybe if you were a little more prepared, you’d have succeeded in killing me.”

“Oh, that was actually good.”

She smirked.

Daniel walked up to Cindy, crossing his arms.

“You Cindy?”

“Yeah, what about it, ya stinkin’ geezer?”

The girl wrinkled her nose as she stood up, lowering a mug of ale. Should she be drinking ale? Or better yet— was she even a reliable source of information?”

“You’re an [Informant], aren’t you?”

“[Gossip] turned [Informant], yeah. Leveled up quite a few times since Elis fell and everyone started asking too much questions. Even got my advancement early.”

Cindy smiled as she took a sip from her mug. Amanda peered over Daniel’s shoulder, staring. The girl shifted slightly.

“What? Don’t look at me like that. I’m fuckin’ fifteen, asshole.”

“You’re a sassy little girl, aren’t you?”

Amanda’s lips curled up as she leaned forward.

“I don’t care that you’re drinking booze. Just hoping that you’d share some with, ah, the grownups.”

“Stop extorting the informant, Amy.”

Daniel shoved the former assassin back. Cindy hesitated, taking a step back, but Daniel gave her a reassuring nod.

“I’m just here to collect some information.”

“Geez, you’re coming to an [Informant] for information. How would I have guessed?”

Cindy snorted. Daniel pursed his lips. Maybe he should have let Amanda intimidate the little girl for a little longer.

“Let’s speak outside.”

He gestured for her to follow, but Cindy held out a hand.

“Wait—”

She held open a hand, cocking an eyebrow.

“First, I need to see some coins.”

Daniel blinked as she continued.

“This is just to even start talking to me, so, maybe, fifty silver? And depending on what kind of info you want, I could charge you up to five or ten gold later on. It’s—”

He cut her off, placing two platinum coins in her hand. Her eyes grew wide.

“T-that’s…”

“Is that enough for you?”

He folded his arms, and Cindy hurriedly nodded.

“R-right.”

The group headed out of the unofficial Adventurers Guild. Daniel paused right by the doorway, looking back once as he felt a prickling feeling run up his spine. He spotted Lucas, the [Rogue], standing by the makeshift bar, staring straight at him.

Daniel narrowed his eyes, reaching for his Primordial Longsword. He kept a hand on it even as he left the building. They headed a street away from the blacksmith’s forge as the young man turned to Amanda.

“Keep an eye on our back. Someone could follow us.”

The former assassin furrowed her brows.

“What makes you say that?”

“Just a hunch.”

“Alright, then.”

Amanda shrugged. She grew slightly more alert— but it was almost imperceptible. As expected of someone of her level. Daniel turned to Cindy as they entered an alleyway.

“I need to know what’s going on around Elutra.”

“That is… very vague. You couldn’t have asked me a vaguer question.”

The girl gave him a flat stare. He shook his head.

“No— I mean, how are the citizens of Elutra being treated by Inoria? Have there been any kidnappings? Forced imprisonments? Have you heard of any concentrated effort to transport a large number of prisoners en masse? Things like that.”

Cindy tapped a finger on her chin.

“These are rather… odd questions. Why do you need to know?”

“It doesn’t matter. I just need to know if there’s been any such rumors floating around.”

Daniel insisted, but she snapped her fingers.

“Wait, are you investigating that rumor that runaway princess has been spreading around?”

“I…”

“That’s right— the one that the people of Elutra are going to be sacrificed for some cult.”

There were a lot of things the [Hero] could say here. He could dismiss the notion, but Cindy would just bug him about it. Considering how petty she’d been so far, she could even refuse to answer his questions until he gave a truthful response. Then there was also the chance she’d get offended.

But if Daniel confirmed it, it would arouse suspicion. Spilling secrets to a [Gossip] or [Informant] or whatever was never a good idea. He opened his mouth.

“That’s—”

“There’s no use hiding it.”

A voice called out from the back. Amanda, who’d been standing watch, chuckled.

“You’re not very good at keeping secrets, anyway.”

He scowled.

“Whatever— look, Cindy, can you tell me if those rumors are true or not?”

“Why?”

The girl cocked her head.

“If it’s true, are you going to do something about it? Are you investigating on behalf of the Vaun Qieur Empire? Or since you’re an adventurer, did the Remembered Order Company send you? I know— you’re a Vampire, aren’t you?”

She began listing out possibilities— options which Daniel didn’t even think to consider. He remained coy.

“Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. Who says it’s even one or the other? I could be an adventurer and part of a country at the same time.”

“Don’t lie. You’re definitely sent by one of the Vampire Families up north.”

“Just answer the question.”

Good. It was better that she thought he was a Vampire then to know the truth. Cindy scoffed.

“Fine. A girl can’t be curious these days, huh? Well if you really must know, then the answer is no.”

“No?”

Daniel blinked. She nodded, giving him a toothy grin.

“Yep. I haven’t heard anything of the sort. The Inorian troops are treating citizens kind of badly, but… I haven’t heard of any kidnappings or false imprisonments. They have been handing out harsh punishments for lesser crimes, but that could hardly be considered happening on a systemic scale. More like a bunch of guards going on power trips.”

“I… see.”

The [Hero] had feared the worst. He thought that Faith’s fears were actually true. That they could come to pass. It was reasonable, considering what he discovered at the hideout of the Harrowed Vindicators. But hearing this reassured him somewhat.

At least, until Cindy continued.

“Anyway, I don’t think there’s anything of the sort going on. That princess was probably just trying to gather outside support by spreading lies. After all, Ertos wouldn’t be surrendering if they thought they were all going to die.”

“Right— wait, what?”

Daniel blinked, and she nodded.

“Ertos is surrendering. They’ve sued for peace, and Inoria has accepted their terms. They will officially be signing the treaty tomorrow at dawn.”

The words slowly washed over the young man. He had to take a moment to register what was being said until he finally got it. And it felt… odd.

Off, even.

Something didn’t sit right with him.

“I see. That’s useful to know. Thank you, Cindy.”

He flicked an extra platinum coin at the girl which she stumbled to catch.

“Woah, woah, wait— what’s this for?”

“Consider it a tip for that last bit of information. Amy, we’re going now.”

Amanda looked back in surprise and followed after the [Hero]. When they were far enough away from Cindy, the former assassin turned to Daniel with a puzzled expression.

“We’re leaving, so soon?”

“Yeah, we’ve got to get to Ertos.”

“Now? After all your beating around the bush, you finally decide to leave for Ertos now?”

She crossed her arms as they turned a street corner.

“What made you change your mind?”

“Something’s going on in Ertos. I don’t know what, but I had known the King— Credence. He was a stubborn man. He wouldn’t surrender to Inoria even if it meant his people had to suffer for it. And yet, they are surrendering.”

Daniel closed his eyes, coming to a stop. The same prickling feeling from before ran up his spine and he glanced back. He saw no one, and Amanda didn’t seem to notice anything either.

“This just doesn’t feel right.”

Shaking his head, the young man let out a sigh.

“Come on, let’s just hurry before anything goes wrong.”

“This is my lucky day…”

Cindy skipped out of the alleyway as she held three gleaming platinum coins. Her face was bursting with a smile… until the looming shadowed figure stopped her in her tracks. She blinked, looking up at Lucas as he held a blade out.

“Hello, Cindy.”

He stepped forward, smiling with bloodshot eyes.

“It seems you have quite the productive conversation. How about you… share some of it with me?”

The girl backed up, staring at the man in fear— and then laughed.

“I’d play along, Vide, but there are other matters to discuss.”

The man paused as Cindy’s form changed. She grew taller, becoming more like an adult as her skin was stained crimson. A pair of long, curved horns protruded from her face as violet wings spread out from her back.

Lucas— no, Vide, pouted.

“Aw, you’re no fun, Occis.”

He morphed out of his [Mortal Form] too, transforming into a blue-skinned hunched figure with a long tail and sharp claws.

Occis, the former girl [Informant], stretched her back and patted her partner on the shoulder.

“I made a little discovery. One that Simag would be pleased to hear about.”

“Oho? And what exactly did you learn, exactly?”

Vide’s head craned unnaturally to the side. Occis proffered a hand to him and he took it.

“It seems I’ve found our little [Hero], after all. And he’ll be heading straight for Ertos.”

“Seriously? You convinced him to head to that death trap?”

“I did. All it took was a little bit of talking and he ran off like the [Hero] he was. Now, come .Let us inform Simag and get our reward, shall we?”

With that, two [Changelings] took off to the sky. Their flying figures drew the attention of a few passersby, but it didn’t matter. Not anymore.

Not once Ertos fell, and the royal family of Elutra lay dead.

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277. Centina

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277. Centina

When I returned to the haven, I found myself in a little bit of trouble. Apparently, Centina wasn't’ very happy to find out that I’d not only recklessly endanger everyone here by challenging the Titan Centinel instead of fleeing, but I also recklessly endangered the lives of everyone here by incurring the wrath of the [Ancient Centinel].

“Look, I thought the haven should be safe since it was far enough away deep underground!

I protested. Even still, she was upset.

“Do you realize that us Centinels can dig through the earth? The only reason why our haven has yet to be discovered is because I can misdirect them. Keep them away from this place.”

She shook her head.

“But my efforts are meaningless if you are chased down here by an army of my kin.”

“I’m sorry…”

I trailed off. I felt a little bad. I did let my pride get the better of me— which, well, made sense since I was an Archdemon of Pride.

But even if I was prideful, I wasn’t incapable of self-reflection. Willy and Kron had helped me, and Galt was nice and friendly. Centina kind of reminded me of the Headmaster of Mavos Academy or the professors— strict but kind. Someone who was tasked with taking care of others.

The fact that I endangered their lives wasn’t lost on me. I liked these monsters, even if I’d just met them. Especially Willy… even if I was better than him.

“If we are found out by an [Evolved Centinel], I truly will not know what to do. This haven will fall.”

Centina spoke in a low voice as she began to skitter away back to the tunnel she came from. Where her secret room was located. I glanced over at the ‘crowd’ watching me. By that, I meant Willy, Kron, and Galt. The other monsters here were pretty dumb or couldn’t care less; they just wanted to live and this was where they could survive in peace.

“Wait—”

I called out to Centina before she could take her leave. She turned to me, tilting her upper body.

“Why do you do this, anyway?”

“What do you mean?”

She gave me a puzzled look.

“All this— protect this haven? Save monsters you’ve never even met? Why do you do that? Why do you oppose your own kin?”

“Do I need a reason?”

“I mean, it’d be weird if you didn’t have one and you were just doing it for the fun of it. I guess I can see how it may be more appealing than just killing everything mindlessly, but still, it’s a pretty dangerous hobby.”

I shrugged, hearing a giggle from the side. Willy laughed as Kron cocked her head.

“Me don’t get it.”

Galt hushed them both, and I continued.

“I’m just curious. I’m not going to judge you for it, Centina.”

Sighing, the [Evolved Centinel] scratched her head.

“After such a long time spent protecting this haven, the first one to question my intentions just so happens to be a Demon.”

I blinked and turned to Galts.

“Wait, have you never asked Centina why she’s doing all this?”

“Unfortunately, the topic never came up.”

“And you, Willy?”

The Spirit’s flames grew red— he was slightly embarrassed.

“No.”

I looked at Kron. She just stared back at me, confused. I didn’t even bother to ask her the question.

“If you’re that intrigued, then come with me.”

I glanced over at the others as Centina headed down the passageway she’d come from, but they weren’t interested in learning more. They just headed off to [Rest] on their own. Centina’s voice echoed as I followed her.

“It is complicated. But if you must know, I was not always like this.”

She clenched her fist as she spoke, recalling a time long ago. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“What do you mean?”

“I had been just like my kin. I had only known bloodshed and death. To slaughter those who ventured to our world and threatened our lives. I was fueled by rage. By an instinct that brought me to destroy everything except my own kind.”

“But don’t Centinels kill each other all the time?”

I gave her a puzzled look. She smiled.

“Perhaps. But something about me was different. I know not why, but I’d always been confused by the erratic actions of my kin. When they slaughter themselves without any reason. I was special, and I only discovered why when I became an [Evolved Centinel]. That was when I truly understood that I was not like the others.”

I raised a brow, growing more curious as she continued her speech. The way she spoke about things was familiar. It reminded me of someone…

“So, I tried to do something different. I tried to rally all the other Centinels to exact revenge against the world. To organize some kind of army.”

Centina laughed— a garbled noise that sounded bitter above all else.

“The lesser Centinels obeyed me, of course. They were too foolish to think for themselves. But the stronger ones? Other [Evolved Centinels] like me? They were far harder to convince. And I had to prove my strength to them to win them over to my side.”

“Huh. Then what happened?”

I was hooked now. If this was who Centina usd to be, what could have possibly changed that made her who she was today?

“I fought and won, again and again. I grew stronger. Until I decided to approach an [Ancient Centinel].”

“Hmm, yeah I can show that’s a bad idea.”

“I didn’t even challenge him to a fight. The moment I approached his Lair, he wreaked destruction— more than I have ever seen before. He killed more of my kin than I had seen slain by the visitors from above. Why? What was the reason for it? I didn’t know. I still don’t know. All I know is that he injured me. He nearly killed me. I escaped only because he didn't differentiate any of us from each other. I walked away, bleeding. Dying. And I would have died. Until I met him.”

Centina reached the end of the tunnel, and I saw the boulder hiding the secret room where she tested me. She rolled it to the side, entering, and I took a step after her.

“Who is this ‘him’?”

“He is the one who saved me. Who nursed me back to life. A Human man who’d watched the battle from afar. Observed it. And chose to heal me when he had no reason to do so.”

I took in the room— the books that were stacked against the walls. The sleeping bag that had been placed off to the side, right next to the decrepit wooden desk. There were markings, too. Scribblings against the rock. When I saw it initially, I knew it definitely didn’t look like a place set up by Centinel like Centina.

“And this was where this Human man brought you?”

“Yes.”

Her voice was low as she stared nostalgically at the table. She ran her hand over it, taking in a deep breath.

“Of course, he kept me restrained. He was doing… some kind of research here. To study us. To learn our purpose. And most of all, to destroy us. Our entire kind. Exterminated.”

My eyes flickered. Now, that was interesting. A Human man who wanted to kill all the Centinels? Where did I hear something like that before? I remembered the diary I’d found in the manor by the cliffside.

Could it be the same guy?

“He saved me because he didn’t understand why the [Ancient Centinel] had turned on me.In fact, he had been monitoring me. He had seen me raising my army. He needed an answer. Unfortunately, I couldn’t give him one.”

Centina closed her eyes.

“He wanted to kill me there and then out of anger because he thought I was lying. But I convinced him to let me live. That I could help him further his understanding of us Centinels. He relented. Truth be told, I had no intention to help him. I simply wanted a chance to kill him and escape by myself. But I never found the opportunity.”

I walked around the edge of the room, picking up and dusting off the books that had belonged to this Human man. A few of them had emblems— sigils were reminiscent of nimbus cloud with the letter ‘s’ in the center.

Yep. It’s the same one.

The [Evolved Centinel] continued as I stored a few of the books with [Dimensional Pocket].

“Every day, he’d return and question me. Interrogate me about things he saw, and ask me why they happened. I never had many answers for him beyond the simple fact that it was normal. Why do Centinels kill each other? It was normal. Why do Centinels kill their young? It was normal. Why do Centinels have no sense for survival? It was normal.”

I nodded in agreement. If someone tried to ask me why everything in the Netherworld was so chaotic, I'd probably give a similar answer.

“He’d explain how things worked where he came from, hoping to get better answers from me. But it didn’t help. Why? Because everything that happened down here was just normal. There was no explanation for it. And he grew frustrated by my non-answers, but I couldn’t give him any other. I was afraid he’d kill me eventually— before I could escape. But for whatever reason, that didn’t happen. Instead, we grew… closer.”

I blinked as Centina chuckled.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Something blossomed between us, Demon. I know not what it was. Maybe it was because he just wanted someone to talk to. But eventually, he stopped gazing at me with eyes full of hate. It became that of pity— then that of more. Of love.”

“Um, what?”

I just stared at her.

“Love. Love between a Centinel and a Human. Such an odd thing to say, yet it was true. I didn’t know what I was feeling at first. I only understood it after reading through some of the books he had given me. I loved him. And he loved me. My name is proof of it.”

I wanted to make a face of disgust, but it’d be too obvious. I just kept my own personal thoughts to myself. And, well, I thought it was absolutely idiotic.

That it was dumb.

The more I heard about love, the stupider I thought it was.

“So, he didn’t kill you because he loved you?”

“Yes. And eventually, he freed me. And I’d visit him regularly. When he embraced me those times I came without warning, I knew our love was true.”

A smile spread across the Centinel’s face, only to vanish.

“But one day. One foolish day. I didn’t realize, but I was being followed. One of my kin— an [Evolved Centinel] who I rallied in the past me and also survived the [Ancient Centinel]’s wrath followed me down here. She didn’t understand why I’d given up my desires to destroy all of Humankind. And when she saw him— the Human who I loved— she attacked. And perhaps it was because I’d grown weak, but I couldn’t stop her from killing him.”

Some weird green liquid dripped down from Centina’s face. She wiped them away, and I realized they were tears.

“Because of me, he died. Because I was too weak. Because I was foolish.”

“I… see.”

She sobbed as I watched from behind. The [Evolved Centinel] cried like a Human maiden with a broken heart, wiping the tears away only for more to pour out.

I placed a hand on her shoulder.

“And that’s why you’re here?”

I titled my head.

“Because you know this is what he would’ve wanted? To save those who were trapped down here?”

Centina blinked away her tears and straightened. She turned to face me, and I lowered my hand.

“No.”

Her reply surprised me.

“No?”

“What I want is to leave this place. To show the world above that not all of us Centinels are mindless monsters. That some of us can co-exist with them. And… maybe find love again.”

“Um, then why are you doing this? Why can’t you just do that?”

I crossed my arms, more confused than anything.

“I only save those stranded in the Bloodied Gulf because I, too, am trapped here. Because each time I try to escape, she’d stop me.”

“She? You mean the one who killed the man you loved?”

“Yes.”

Centina’s eyes now burned with hate— with anger. She clenched her claw-like hands, and I could hear the sound of scraping as her nails scratched her carapace on her palms.

“She’s stronger than me. And, somehow, she knows whenever I try to leave this place. She leaves me here, shunned, a pariah of our Species.”

I frowned, and she sighed.

“I know not why she has not returned here. Just that whenever I resurface, she stops me. She beats me to the brink of death and throws me back to the tunnel I came from. A prisoner.”

“Huh.”

With a deep breath, the [Evolved Centinel] turned around and faced me, walking up to me slowly.

“You ask why I do this, Demon, and the reason is simple. It’s because I wish to survive. But I also wish not to be alone. So, I protect this place. It is a haven. But only because she has not returned since.”

Centina finally finished. Crossing her arms, she looked at me with a prodding gaze.

“Does that answer your question?”

“Interesting. I think it does. Although…”

I trailed off, furrowing my brows.

“I do have another question.”

She harrumphed, sounding slightly annoyed. I waved a hand off.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to make you recount your life story and relive whatever tragedy you’ve experienced again. I just wanted to know one thing.”

“Well, what is it?”

She stared at me impatiently, and I gestured at the books around us.

“This man you loved… what was his name?”

“His name?”

“Yep.”

For a moment, Centina said nothing. Then she began to chuckle.

“After such a long story, that is all you ask of me? You are quite odd, Salvos.”

“And you’re finally calling me by my name.”

I snorted. She smirked.

“If you must know, the man I loved called himself Erhard.”

“Erhard?”

Centina nodded.

“Yes. Erhard Skyshredder.”

My eyes narrowed, and I placed a hand on my chin. Skyshredder? Like Clayton Skyshredder?

“I see.”

“Now, Salvos, if that is all, you may take your leave.”

The [Evolved Centinel] ushered me out of the room, but I raised a hand.

“Wait.”

“What is it this time?”

I just stood there, thinking. Other than the whole love part, the things Centina talked about felt familiar. Her dream was to be accepted. Also, to find love, but that wasn’t important to me.

I thought about myself. I thought about Belzu— about what the Demons were doing. They were wreaking great havoc throughout the Human lands. Because of that, I was reviled. The one thing I wanted more than anything else was to be accepted for being a Demon. Centina wanted the same thing: to be accepted as a Centinel.

And that made me sympathetic to her.

“Now I can see why you were annoyed by me when I said I could leave anytime I wanted.”

Centina gave me a confused look as I turned around.

“What are you talking about?”

I held her gaze, grinning.

“I've decided.”

She frowned, but before she could ask the obvious question, I spoke over her.

“I will help you get out of here.”

Her eyes grew wide— wider than how wide I thought a Centinel’s eyes could grow.

“What…?”

I simply repeated myself.

“I will help you and every other monster in this Land of the Lost escape from the Bloodied Gulf. Is that clear enough for you?”

And this time, Centina was the one to barrage me with questions.

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278. Planning an Escape

278. Planning an Escape

“I will help you and every other monster in this Land of the Lost escape from the Bloodied Gulf. Is that clear enough for you?”

Centina didn’t get it. She didn’t understand why I decided to help her. I tried to explain my reasoning, but it didn’t go through to her. There was some sort of disconnect. My logic was not something she could comprehend.

“Explain again— why have you decided to help us even though we have just met?”

“Because I want to.”

I shrugged, much to the confusion of the [Evolved Centinel]. Sighing, I crossed my arms.

“Look, I feel bad for you— I understand what you’re going through. At least, with you and your Species. I don’t really care about that whole romance or love part.”

My eyes flickered as I glanced down the hallway, back in the direction of the main cave chamber of the haven.

“And I like some of the other monsters here. They’re nice and fun to be around. I’d rather they not die or anything.”

“I… see.”

Centina didn’t seem particularly convinced by both my reasoning and by my conviction. I could tell she didn’t think I’d succeed in helping them escape, and that I’d give up after trying for a little bit.

“I have been trapped in this cavern for hundreds of years, Salvos. Unable to surface. Unable to even speak to my own kind. If you truly believe you can achieve this feat which I’ve struggled to accomplish in this great timespan, I will not stop you. I simply implore that you do not risk the safety of this haven with whatever you have in mind.”

“Don’t worry! I have plenty of ideas.”

I waved a hand off as I started out of the secret room.

“I’m a genius, after all!”

—--

The first thing I did was recruit some help. Well, actually, the first thing I did was distribute my Stat and Skill Points.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 123

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 78

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 2

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 145 (+25)

[Strength]: 132 (+25)

[Endurance]: 143 (+25) (+3)

[Wisdom]: 255 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 310 (+25) (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 8

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 10

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 3]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 5

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 5

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 10

[Warped Time] - Lvl 10

I leveled up a bunch and had plenty of Stat and Skill Points to spend. I focused mostly on what would help me with leading the monsters in this haven out of the Bloodied Gulf. Speed, [Warped Time], and other such things that would help them move faster.

Then I approached Willy. I waved at the [Will O’ Wisp], watching him gorge on a bunch of the Centinel spoils we’d just returned with.

“Hey. Remember what you said about leaving this place?”

“Truth.”

He turned to me insistently. I nodded.

“Yep, I believe you. But I just want to know— how exactly are you able to do that?”

“Fly.”

I could almost hear the flaming ball snort. I rolled my eyes.

“Just like that? Aren’t you afraid they’ll catch you before you escape?”

“Maybe.”

He flitted around me before turning his flaming gaze in the direction of one of the tunnels we came from.

“Exit high. Become small.”

“There’s an exit that leads us higher up? And you can make your body smaller so you’re less discernible?”

I tried to interpret what he meant. The [Will O’ Wisp] brightened— literally.

“Yes.”

“Huh.”

That was interesting. I tapped a finger on my chin as I glanced around the rest of the haven. I spotted Galt over by a stalagmite, lying on the ground and nibbling on the moss growing on the moist stone floor. Behind him, a group of giant crabs were huddled together, pointedly trying to keep away from the writhing, thin maggot-like creatures that were feasting on a pile of Centinel corpses.

There were a lot of large monsters here. It wasn't going to be easy, hiding them from all the Centinels above. Although, maybe we could transport them one by one? At least— I could.

I turned to Willy, curious.

“Say, I know you’re able to make yourself larger and smaller, but are you able to make yourself larger to carry others with you?”

“Easy!”

His tone made it sound like it was the stupidest question in the world. I mean, I did expect him to be able to do at least that much— he was over Level 120, after all. To be more specific, he was Level 125. He’d leveled quite a bit too from the battle against all the Centinels.

“What about that thing you did with your flames?”

I gestured at him, then at one of the dead Centinel’s lying on the ground.

“You made them fly. Can you do that with people?”

Willy hesitated.

“...no.”

“Aw.”

That would have expedited the process quite a bit. I sighed and explained my plan to the [Will O’ Wisp].

“I want to help everyone escape this place— the Bloodied Gulf. And I’ll need your help.”

He faced me, intrigued.

“How?”

“As of right now, I think it’d be best to transport everyone one by one. Discreetly.”

“Interesting.”

Willy thought about it from a moment. Then he glanced over at Kron.

“Help.”

“You want Kron’s help, too?”

“Faster.”

“I guess if she helps us with her illusions, it’ll probably make it safer. And it’ll speed up the process.”

I paused. Then I furrowed my brows.

“Hey, why didn’t you think of this before?”

The [Will O’ Wisp] shrank and looked away.

“...d-didn’t think.”

I cocked my head.

“Why not? Is it the same reason why you don’t want to leave?”

He remained silent for what felt like a full minute. Finally, he responded with some guilt in his voice.

“Yes.”

“I see.”

I waited for him to elaborate, but he said nothing more. I didn’t prod him about it since he was clearly averse to discussing it.

“Anyway, that’s a good idea. Talk to Kron about this idea— I'll speak with Galt.”

“Galt?”

He asked, perplexed. I smiled.

“We need a test subject, right? And who better than him? He’s big and he’s high-leveled, so he can protect himself if something goes wrong.”

“Smart.”

“Well, of course.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] and I split. He spoke to the [Krokodis], while I tried to recruit the [Gallias Tortoise] to trial the first attempt at breaking the monsters out of the Bloodied Gulf.

“Hey, Galt!”

I called out to him, and he looked up from eating the moss on the walls.

“Yes, Salvos?”

“I was just wondering— you’re strong, right? I mean, you’re one of the highest-leveled monsters here.”

“I am indeed high-leveled.”

The giant tortoise spoke as he got on all four legs, slowly pivoting to face me directly.

“However, as to whether I am strong is uncertain. Perhaps my level is considerable, but I do not often partake in battles.”

“Wait, then how are you Level 115?”

“I hail from a place called Gallias Island. It is my home, but it even rivals parts of the Bloodied Gulf in terms of danger— at least, barring the deepest depths.”

He shook his head, speaking in his squeaky voice. Unlike Centina and Kron who were speaking an actual language, Galt was simply making noises with his mouth. But there was intent and meaning behind the noises, and that was how I understood his intent. I wouldn't have understood his words before I leveled in [Universal Language Comprehension].

“Oh, so you leveled only because you had to survive.”

I nodded, understanding. Galt, however, didn’t see it that way.

“I survived, and that is how I leveled. I did not survive because I leveled. Those are two different things.”

“Right.”

“I’d prefer to stay in my comfort zone, Salvos. I can see that you and the [Will O’ Wisp] share similar hearts— that both of you vie for the challenge. But I do not. If, for the rest of my life, I am forced to remain here in this haven because it is the only place that is safe, then I will.”

I peered curiously at the [Gallias Tortoise] as he laid himself back down, finding a comfortable position with that huge shell on his underbelly.

“I have no quarrels with living a life without excitement as long as I am content.”

“But… but are you really content here?”

This haven, even if it was the safest place in the Bloodied Gulf, was absolutely dull. There was nothing here. Even the guarantee of survival. After all, Centina’s friend could return whenever for any reason whatsoever.

“What do you mean, Salvos?”

Galt met my gaze, and I elaborated.

“What if you’re given an opportunity to return home? Or maybe not home— some place that’s just… not here. A place that’s safer.”

It sounded too good to be true. Of course it did. The [Gallias Tortoise], even if he had no language, was intelligent enough to understand that there was a catch.

“That depends on the risk. Would my survival be guaranteed? Would escape even be reasonably plausible?”

I pursed my lips, turning back to Kron and Willy as their discussion finished. I watched as the [Krokodis] nodded eagerly to the proposal. Then I nodded at Galt.

“It’s reasonably plausible. I have done it myself. The only difference is that I’ll be bringing you which may make it riskier, which is why there’ll be help.”

“Interesting.”

The [Gallias Tortoise mulled over it for a moment. He remained in though, and I was starting to think I’d have to find another volunteer. But eventually, he stood back up.

“Do you know how I ended up here in the Bloodied Gulf in the first place, Salvos?”

“Um, you never told me.”

I shifted back as he chuckled squeakily.

“I was getting tired of Gallias Island. My kin are not like me. They are aggressive and violent and territorial— not mindless like the Centinels— but if you are not one of our kind and they perceive you as a threat, they will kill you. Even though I was safe, thanks to them, I wasn’t comfortable. I wasn’t happy living in my home. So, I left.”

He closed his eyes, speaking regretfully.

“I departed Gallias Island, knowing that I would have to cross even dangerous waters to get to safety. I took a risk, and unfortunately, things went awry, and I ended up here. Trapped beneath the Bloodied Gulf.”

I blinked as Galt opened his eyes, holding my gaze with a look of determination.

“But if you told me I could turn back time— do it all again— and asked me if I took the risk once more? Do you know what my answer would be?”

I thought about my regrets— how I was separated from Haec and ended up lost in the Mortal Realm. Would I do it all again? I felt my lips curl up.

“Yes. After all, it is what you wanted, right?”

“Indeed.”

The [Gallias Tortoise] returned the smile, although with how his mouth was shaped, it was barely even a smile. I clapped my hands together.

“Good, we’ll get you out of here, Galt. I promise.”

I craned my neck, facing the rest of the room— all the monsters within.

“All of you. I’ll help you escape.”

I whispered, conviction clear in my voice.

And from behind me, Galt laughed.

“Well, good luck in convincing the [Talonflayers] to listen to your plan.”

He nodded in the direction of the long, spindly maggots.

“They’re as dumb as rocks.”

I blinked.

“Seriously?! As dumb as rocks? That’s very, very dumb!”

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279. Calm

279. Calm

“Centina.”

The man spoke as held up the glinting object.

The [Evolved Centinel] stared at her captor. Erhard. A Human man who’d come to the Bloodied Gulf— who swore the destruction of all Centinelkind because of their role in his family’s demise. Here he was, chuckling, chatting with one of said Centinels.

She was conflicted. She… enjoyed it. Even if she was still trapped in the magical box. Her shackles. Despite clearly being a captive, she held feelings for him. Weird feelings. It was not like anything she’d ever felt before. Yet, she felt it.

The books she’d been given described it as a feeling called…. love.

But was it really love? Perhaps her feelings were muddled because of her containment. Surely if she were free what she felt would go away.

These thoughts plagued her, but that didn’t matter for now. Instead, she tilted her head at Erhard.

“What about Centina?”

He repeated himself.

“What?”

“For a name. You said you didn’t have a name, right?”

Erhard smiled as fiddled with something in his hand. The [Evolved Centinel] scowled.

“Was that the best name you could come up with?”

“I think it fits. You take pride in being a Centinel, don’t you? Having it as a part of your name seemed appropriate.”

“Well… if you say so.”

Centina took a moment to savor the name— let it sink in. Then she nodded.

“It is not a bad name.”

“Of course not.”

Standing to his feet, Erhard held up an odd circular metal object. It looked like the kind of item a Human would wear for their protection. Centina blinked.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a ring. It doesn’t have any protective enchantments, unfortunately. At least, for you. It’s made to be quite durable.”

“Why are you giving it to me?”

She asked, puzzled. He shook his head.

“Just something for you to remember me by. Try it on.”

Centina accepted it, inserting it into one of her claw-like fingers. It fit perfectly. And it looked kind of… nice. She’d never worn anything like this. Or anything, really. After a moment of admiring the ring, she registered what Erhard had said.

“Remember you by? What are you talking about, Erhard?”

The smile never left his face, even as he met her gaze. Even as he explained.

“I’m not going to keep you imprisoned any longer, Centina. I’m setting you free.”

Centina abruptly sat up. She stared at where she’d been lying— at the sleeping bag which could barely fit her Human-like half of her body.

“I fell asleep…”

She muttered to herself. At some point after speaking to Salvos, she’d dozed off. She wasn’t even tired, but she took a short nap. It was probably because she had spoken extensively about Erhard— her heart ached, thinking about him. It had been such a long time, and she’d mostly been able to move on. At least, in the sense that she didn’t live day-to-day thinking about him.

But after that Demon dug up her painful memories, Centina briefly fell into a whirlpool of mental fatigue and melancholy. She curled up in Erhard’s bed and… cried.

Even now, tears trickled down her cheeks which she was quick to wipe off. She didn’t care about her appearance since the monsters of the haven didn’t understand or care for such things. But for the sake of herself, she had to be strong.

Centina got to her feet and shook her head.

“If Salvos keeps her promise…”

It sounded like salvation. Like paradise, to finally be free after so long. But she knew— Centina knew that it was a long and arduous journey ahead of her.

“And that’s why I have to be strong.”

Everyone had a reason why they wanted to do something. No one lived with no purpose or goal in mind, even if it was just to survive. The moment that drive to live vanished, they would no longer be a person.

They’d be dead.

That was obvious, obviously.

And the fact that everyone in the haven was still alive cemented the fact that they wanted to live. That was why I knew I could convince them to follow through with my plan to get them to escape. However, there was a minor problem.

Risk.

It was risky to attempt an escape. This risk went directly against one’s desire to survive, which made it hard to get volunteers. After all, they were safe here. My argument against that was that they weren’t actually safe— there was a looming everyday threat that this haven could be discovered by Centinels at any point in time.

But, well…

“This haven has existed for hundreds of years and still hasn’t been discovered. It is safe.”

The giant crabs were vehemently against my proposal. I crossed my arms.

“That doesn’t mean it won’t ever be discovered! That’s like saying you have never died before so you won’t ever die. That’s not how it works!”

They exchanged confused looks before shaking their protruding eyes.

“It is safe.”

And that left it at that. The other monsters in the haven made the same argument— even with Willy and Kron’s help, I had a hard time finding anyone else who was willing to volunteer after Galt. Some of them weren’t anywhere near as ‘eloquent’ as the giant crabs, even.

“Come on! We’ll help you find an even better home!”

“Food.”

I poked the [Talonflayers] as they wriggled on the ground. There were dozens of them, each about twice as long as a Human, but only about a foot wide.

“You'll get good food too!”

“Food.”

“Please?”

“Argrableble.”

I was pretty sure that wasn’t even an attempt to communicate. It was just making weird noises with no meaning. Sighing, I turned to my friends.

“Seems like no one else wants to leave.”

I shook my head, and Willy flitted up to me.

“Trust.”

I blinked.

“Right. They don’t trust me. Which is stupid! Why wouldn’t you trust me? I’m me.”

“Prove.”

He replied simply. I narrowed my eyes.

“They need proof that I’ll ensure they’re safe?”

I cast my gaze around the room. Judging by how most of them glanced over at me, the monsters’ interests were piqued by my offer, but Willy was right, they didn’t think I’d deliver on my promise, not unless I could guarantee they made it out alive.

An idea crossed my mind. I beamed and turned to Galt— my first volunteer. And my friend, too. I opened my hands and shrugged as I strolled up to him, speaking loudly.

“Well, it seems like no one else but you wants to escape. Let’s go, Galt.”

“Hmm, yes. I suppose it is time we take our leave.”

“Yep! Although, give me a moment.”

I stopped him from exiting down a tunnel. In full view of the other monsters in the haven, I hefted the Breastplate of Alexander off me and onto his neck.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

“This is for extra, added protection. It’ll keep you safe. It’s very durable.”

I watched as the regular-sized breastplate seemed to grow, fitting around the [Gallias Tortoise]’s neck. A shimmer overcame him as his Temporary Skills took effect.

“This is…?”

His eyes grew wide. A few of the watching monsters shifted. They could sense the power, too. But I had to demonstrate it.

“It keeps you safe. So, let’s say someone comes up to you and tries to hit you. Like this—”

I lashed out at him, my claws overcome with [Barrage of Cinders]. He flinched. But the attack bounced off him as my flames washed over the protective aura.

“See? Nothing happens.”

“Incredible…”

Galt was not the only one who was surprised. I could see more than one of the giant crabs reacting. Good. They were definitely changing their minds, at least somewhat. Now came the next step— actually successfully getting the [Gallias Tortoise] out of here.

With a smile on my face, I turned to Willy and Kron.

“Let’s go, guys.”

More than a few gazes bore into our backs as we left the Land of the Lost. Although no one said anything, I knew that more than a few of them were thinking— believing— that maybe, just maybe, with Kron’s illusions, Willy and my abilities, and the Breastplate of Alexander, they could escape this place once and for all.

—--

We emerged from one of the tunnels that brought us higher up— closer to the ocean above. It was a ledge that led out to one of the cliff walls, about midway up to the very top of the cliff itself. I took a quick look around with [Planar Navigation], finding any and all Centinels that were hiding closeby.

“There’s about a dozen down below, and a handful slowly crawling along the wall just at the exit.”

I frowned, and Kron nodded.

“We wait, yes?”

“Yep. Give them a bit and they’ll pass without a problem.”

As we waited, I turned to Galt just to see how he was doing.

“Is everything ok?”

He had a bit of a worried look on his face.

“I am… fine. It has just been a while since I have been this far away from the haven.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll get you out. I promise. You remember the plan, right?”

He hesitated.

“You’ll fly me out as Kron covers us with an illusion. Her magic can’t reach as high as the sea, so once we’re out of her range, we’re on our own.”

“That’s my side of the plan. I’m asking if you remember you job.”

I rolled my eyes. Galt murmured softly.

“Yes. Just stay put. Don’t struggle.”

“Exactly! If you struggle it’ll make flying more difficult. But if you stay put, I can get you out of here in a jiffy!”

I gave him a thumbs-up, and he closed his eyes.

“I hope that’s true.”

There was still some apprehension there. I placed a reassuring hand on his shell.

“It’s fine. Just trust me.”

The [Gallias Tortoise] opened his eyes and met my determined gaze. I thought of Mountaintooth and the brief time I spent in the Beastmen Plains. Of my confrontation with Belzu. Of my everything I’d been working towards here in the Mortal Realm. Then I got to my feet.

“I never break my promises.”

I started forward, gesturing for Galt to follow

“The Centinels have passed. Willy, you’ll stay behind this time. Just watch from afar and make sure nothing bad happens to Kron.”

In the future, the [Will O’ Wisp] would be flying with me so we could transport as many monsters as possible at the same time. However, with only Galt, I sufficed.

The [Gallas Tortoise] followed me as a brief shimmer ran over us. Kron’s illusion. It made us invincible… or kind of invisible. It wasn’t the total invisibility that was achievable through [Alchemist] potions. And it was even less effective since it was covering multiple targets. If a perceptive-enough Centinel peers in the same direction we were flying in, it would notice some flaw in the illusion. Maybe even enough to see us completely.

But that’s not my main concern.

I spread my wings wide as I hefted Galt from his back. With his side, getting a good grip wasn’t easy. So, I created [Faux Limbs] to help with that.

We slowly ascended from the ledge in the middle of the cliff face. I flapped my wings slowly, taking my time so Kron’s illusions could keep up. The instant I was exposed to the Bloodied Gulf, the stench of blood and death overwhelmed my nostrils. The cacophonous clickings were audible, even if distant. And there were even some that were closeby.

I looked down to see a small group of Centinels crawling along the bottom of the ravine. They halted, casting their gaze around as if something was amiss. I hesitated. Were we found out this early into the escape?

But no— the ground beneath those Centinels exploded. An [Older Centinel] crawled out of the earth and began to shred them apart. I watched as the undulating figures thrashed about, ascending even further up until we passed the top of the crevice. A single [Junior Centinel] stood there, clicking its mandibles by itself.

Even as we directly crossed through its gaze, it didn’t notice us. I stared at it as we continued flying up. If it made any weird movements, I’d kill it before it could alert any other Centinels.

Only when we were even higher up— halfway to the ocean— did I think of looking away. And that was when I could relax. For a bit. I cast my gaze around, taking in the sight of the Bloodied Gulf. it spanned dozens… maybe even a hundred miles in length. Walls of water rushed down along the edges of the Bloodied Gulf, forming the water dome over the complex network of deep crevices. There was no way a Centinel could chase us now that we were this high up.

Maybe an [Evolved Centinel] could. But none of the regular Centinels posed a problem.

“We’ll be leaving Kron’s range soon.”

I turned to Galt who wore a wide-eyed gaze. That of disbelief.

“We’re really leaving the Bloodied Gulf. Just like that.”

I shook my head.

“We’re not out yet. Brace yourself, alright?”

He nodded as we flew up a little bit further. Then there was a flicker. I activated [Haste] and [Warped Time] as Kron’s illusions vanished.

And I burst into the air.

I moved so fast, I crossed the remaining distance into the ocean above before Galt even knew what was going on. It sent a huge ripple through the sea. The Centinels swimming in the water immediately turned to investigate the source of the disturbance.

What they saw was a Demon swim-flying at high speeds for the surface. The lower-leveled Centinels couldn’t catch up to me. But there were [Older Centinels] and even a single [Senior Centinel] waiting in the water for me. They moved to block my way, but I’d been prepared.

Fiery weapons conjured into existence, sending bubbles through the ocean. They launched out, blasting apart the Centinels and keeping them back. That would’ve drawn more attention, but it didn’t matter. By the time any other Centinel noticed the ripples and the waves, I was already gone.

I took in a deep breath as I hovered high above the Bloodied Gulf, alongside white clouds that lazily crawled through the sky.

Centinels swam down below, as usual, killing any sea creature that swam too close to their territory. I smiled, looking down at Galt as he took in the scene.

“Y-you… actually did it.”

“Of course I did!”

I raised my chin. The [Gallias Tortoise] was stunned. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He slowly cast his gaze around this vibrant picture— one he hadn’t seen in a very long time— before facing me.

“Thank you, Salvos. I shouldn’t have doubted you, even for a moment.”

I beamed at the praise. Then I shook my head.

“Well, we’re not done yet.”

“We’re not?”

He gave me a puzzled look.

“Yep. Now’s the hardest part.”

I let out a sigh as I took off, flying further into the ocean.

“Finding a safe place to drop you off.”

“Ah, right.”

More died. More of his kin was slain. Who did it?

It happened close to him. He’d been returning from his journey of growth, hoping to show her his growth. But he saw the ripples in the water, followed by the blood. Centinel blood.

Fueled by rage, the Sage Centinel surfaced to find the culprit, but he was too late. All he saw was the figure flying in the sky. Two figures. One was that of a sea creature. But the other was more familiar.

His gaze sharpened into a glare as he tracked his enemy. The one that had defeated him. The one that had been responsible for the death of so many of his kin.

The silver Demon.

He was going to get revenge. He was going to make the silver Demon understand his pain.

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280. Storm

280. Storm

“Is this really fine?”

I took in the scenery— the view around me. It was a tropical forest, lush and brimming with life. It melded into a beach with sparkling clear waters. I’d flown for a few hours to get here, and this was where I’d say goodbye to Galt.

The [Gallias Tortoise] stood on the soft sand, staring around with wide eyes. He no longer wore the Breastplate of Alexander— I kept it in my [Dimensional Pocket] since it wasn’t needed here. He turned to me, a grateful expression on his face.

“Thank you, Salvos. I will not forget this debt I owe to you.”

“Don’t worry about it! I like you, Galt. And I made a promise to Centina, too!”

I waved a hand off. He still spoke squeakily, communicating with me despite having no language. But he was intelligent and he had intent, and that was enough for my [Universal Language Comprehension] to translate into words.

It was a lot more coherent than what I was hearing from the fish flopping on the beach, washed up by the waves.

“Help. Help. Help. Help. Help.”

I snorted and picked it up, tossing it back into the ocean.

“Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Than—”

“Well, I’ll be going now, Galt. It was a pleasure meeting you, even if it was only a short amount of time.”

“The same can be said about meeting you.”

I took off, spreading my wings wide and ascending to the sky. The [Gallias Tortoise] watched me go. I smiled and waved at him as I soared back to the Bloodied Gulf.

—--

I flew above the crowds, relaxing, recuperating before I would have to return to the underwater canyons. Then the sky tore open above me. I blinked as a face peered down.

“Salvos.”

“S-Sal…?”

I stared at the Devil as he placed a hand on his goatee.

“Tell me, my daughter, didn’t I give you clear instructions against leaving the Bloodied Gulf?”

I gulped, remembering his parting words to me. I halted my flight— not like it mattered since the crack in space followed me regardless.

“Um, I kind of forgot…?”

His piercing gaze bore into me. He didn’t wear an amused face as he usually did. I knew whatever was coming from him next wouldn’t have been good. I quickly protested.

“But— I also thought you meant I couldn’t flee from the Bloodied Gulf! To evade my responsibilities and stuff. I’ve been diligently training to get stronger than that [Evolved Centinel]! I even nearly killed him!”

The Devil crossed his arms, frowning. But he didn’t say anything for a moment. After some thought, he sighed.

“So you did. But he escaped. So, you have proven nothing. And you still broke the rules.”

“R-right…”

I trailed off. If I argued any further, I would’ve made him angrier instead of calming him down. Instead, I scratched my cheek and asked a question.

“Why did you want me to fight him, anyway? He’s just a Centinel, isn’t he?”

Sall shook his head.

“Because he is special, too. Just like you. If he continues in his path, well… let’s say there’ll be an [Ancient Centinel] rampaging through the Human lands in a decade or so.”

“Huh.”

That sounded like it’d be worse than Belzu. So, was the Devil making me do this to protect Humans? Or, wait, was he giving me a mini-Belzu to face before I fought the real Belzu?

“Nevertheless, that Sage Centinel— let’s just call him Sagey, alright?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Sagey has beaten you once, and you have beaten him once. As far as I’m concerned, you’re 1 - 1 against each other. It’s time to settle the score, Salvos. And I think I’ll be giving him a slight advantage, so that you’ll learn your lesson.”

A smile spread across Sal’s face. My eyes grew wide.

“Wait, why?”

“Because, my daughter, you have gone against my rules twice now, all due to a whimsical promise you made to a bunch of mortals. Tell me, will any of this even matter in a hundred years time? A thousand? Ten thousand?!”

He spoke. His wrath was evident. The smile slipped off his face, twisting into something more sinister.

“Now, I’ll be taking my leave. After I give Sagey some help, I have a meeting with a good ole friend of mine. You may have heard of him— Reggie, my boy. Honestly, he’s come so far. I’m actually quite proud of him. But, be warned, daughter, if you’re not careful, tonight may be the end of you.”

The Devil feigned a sniffle before snapping his fingers. I watched as the portal closed, and I was left alone in the sky.

“Well, that was ominous.”

—--

I returned to the Bloodied Gulf in a slightly more dour mood than before. Nervous, too. I glanced around my back, making sure the Sage Centinel— Sagey or whatever Sal called him— wouldn’t just pop up out of nowhere and attack me.

A few Centinels did spot me on my return, giving chase. I dealt with them easily enough. I didn’t level up, and I probably wouldn’t level up for a while until I killed a lot more Centinels.

Willy and Kron waited for me where I left them. I didn’t see them at first, which sent a prickle up my spine. But they stepped out of the [Krokodis]’ illusion, looking at me anxiously.

“How go?”

“Safe?”

I stared at the both of them. My lips pursed as I thought about Sal’s warning.

“Salvos?”

Willy repeated himself. I blinked, then beamed.

“Oh, Galt? Yep, he’s fine. I dropped him off on some beach a few hundred miles in that direction.”

I pointed back where I came, and he let out a sigh of relief.

“Good.”

“We go back now, yes?”

Kron ushered us back towards the Land of the Lost. Willy started after her, but I hesitated. The [Will O’ Wisp] paused, staring at me.

“Issue?”

“N-no. But—”

The Devil didn’t like how I protected and saved these mortals. He would surely target that, right? If I followed them, the Sage Centinel was going to somehow discover the haven when trying to kill me. It wasn’t safe. Not for them.

At least, not tonight.

I had to deal with the Sage Centinel first. Once I dealt with him, I could return and continue evacuating everyone else.

I promised them. And I wasn’t going to break that promise. The Devil was wrong about one thing. He said that this wouldn’t matter in a thousand years or more. But that wasn’t true. It would matter.

His apathy was the reason why the average person had never even heard of him. Only those who dug up records of the past long gone would find tidbits about him. Even then, it was scarce.

If Sal had been less callous, he wouldn’t be forgotten right now.

My goal ever since my birth was simple: to be recognized. By myself, and by others. And until the day I died, I would strive for it, no matter what.

So, I resolved myself.

“You guys go ahead.”

I gestured for kron and Willy to continue. They exchanged confused glances, but I held out a hand.

“Tell everyone I succeeded, but I will be busy for today. Just today. I’ll return though, so take this as proof of it.”

I summoned the Breastplate of Alexander with [Dimensional Pocket], handing it to Willy. The [Will O’ Wisp] was utterly confused. He held it up with his flames as it glimmered with the same colors as him.

“Sure?”

“Yep. Go ahead. And you can even show off its strength. Maybe that will convince others to trust us.”

He bobbed his body in a nod. I turned around, watching for a split second as Kron and Willy vanished back down to the Land of the Lost, then I faced the exit of the tunnel. I took in a deep breath and smiled.

“Alright. Now, where is that Sage Centinel hiding?”

I took off, staying low along the deep cracks. I drew the attention of weaker Centinels, but I know that soon it’d draw out my target.

Or at least, I thought it would.

But despite hunting through Centinel Lairs and causing a ruckus with my clones, the Sage Centinel… never showed up.

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 102]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 20 levels below you!

...

Defeated [Junior Centinel – Lvl. 43]!

Little-to-no experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 50 levels below you!

—--

“That’s weird…”

It was night now. I sat at the edge of a cliff, staring up into the ocean view above. I couldn’t see the glimmer of the moon— it didn’t pierce through the water, unlike the sun. So, what hung over me was a purely sable dome. And yet the Bloodied Gulf wasn’t completely shadowed over.

There was lichen along the walls— a kind of red moss that shone, illuminating parts of the network of crevices with a dim crimson. I watched as Centinels skittered about below, their shadows passing over these lit areas.

“Maybe Sal lied. Maybe it was just a dumb threat.”

It was entirely possible he could’ve lied to me just for the fun of it. It wasn’t like that was the first time he’d have done something like that. But I didn’t let my guard down. It was still night, and until the sun rose back up into the sky, I wasn’t going to return to the haven.

I stood up, creating a Nebular Sickle Grenade.

“If I try to cause another small commotion, the Sage Centinel may show up this time around.”

I lazily tossed it down into the pit below. It detonated, blasting apart dozens of Centinels at once. I yawned, not yet leveling up, but I was finally getting close.

“Maybe I should just max out [Salvo of Vanity]. That’s my most useful Skill.”

I didn’t have a clone active right now— other than the one with Saffron. But they were dealing with boring stuff. Political stuff. The Vampire was busy writing letters and stuff, meeting with politicians and other people of power.

Honestly, if I thought about what my clone that was with Saffron was doing too much, I’d start to feel the same thing she did… which was utter boredom.

“If I max out [Salvo of Vanity], maybe I’ll be able to summon six clones? Or eight if it caps at Level 30.”

Right now, at Level 10, I could summon four clones. I started out with being able to summon two clones, so I gained an extra clone for every five levels since.

I’d be able to do so much more with eight clones. It was like how having eight hands was better than just two. Seriously, it was so useful. The only minor downside was that it exhausted a lot of mana— the most out of any of my Skills.

Still, after a brief [Rest], I was already ready to cast it once again. The commotion I caused didn’t attract too many Centinels, unfortunately. In fact, for whatever reason, the Bloodied Gulf seemed more… sparse of Centinels than usual.

But before I could cast [Salvo of Vanity], I felt a soft rumbling from beneath my feet. The ground shook as a cacocophy of clicks echoed down the Bloodied Gulf. My eyes narrowed. I ducked back into the shadows, readying my Nebular Scythe for a battle.

Is that him? I wouldn’t be surprised if the Devil had helped the Sage Centinel amass an army of Centinels to come after me.

But the swarm of Centinels rushed through the ravine, ignoring me completely. I watched as their figures and shadows blitzed straight past me.

“What’s going on?”

I frowned. I kept low as I ran along the edges atop the crevice, following the Centinels as they continued on. There were so many of them. Most of them were lower-leveled Centinels— [Younger Centinels] making up the bulk of the force. However, I spotted some [Senior Centinels] among the mix. The proportion, however, was majority [Younger Centinel] and [Junior Centinel], by far.

I had never seen a swarm of Centinels this heavily skewed to the lower levels.

“Where are they going?”

I peered down at them as this massive swarm slowly came to a halt. It was a familiar spot. They gathered around in a huge mass and began to dig. They sent bits of dirt and rock flying, burrowing beneath the earth by the tens of thousands. No— there were even more of them. An entire sea of Centinels.

And it clicked. I realized what was going on. I took a step back, eyes growing wide.

“No… Sal… why would you do this?”

They were going for the haven.

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281. Cleansing

281. Cleansing

Centina wasn’t sure whether to believe it.

According to the [Will O’ Wisp] and [Krokodis], Salvos had successfully brought Galt out of the Bloodied Gulf. It didn’t seem possible. And yet, when Centina inspected the rainbow-colored piece of armor, she couldn’t help but feel convinced by the facts.

Its enchantments made the wearer nigh-invincible. The [Evolved Centinel] struck it with an acid strike, only for it to be completely negated. The [Krokodis] grinned, unharmed as she wore the armor.

“See? Me strong.”

“Interesting. So, this is the power of a Mythical Grade artifact.”

It baffled Centina, yet she could tell that the armor had a limit too. And it was getting close to reaching its limits.

“But, just as any other enchanted tool, it can be worn down after too much use. And it seems Salvos has been overusing it. It is no wonder she is still alive.”

“Overuse?”

The [Will O’ Wisp] flitted up to Centina. She nodded.

“This Breastplate of Alexander is in dire need of recharging. While it naturally regenerates mana, especially here where the mana density is high, it is still being actively used, and will lose more than it regains.”

“So, me not strong?”

The [Krokodis] deflated.

“Maybe for a while. But I do not believe this Breastplate of Alexander has enough power left in it to survive five minutes against an… [Ancient Centinel], for example.”

Centina shook her head. It was still quite significant, but if it were fully-powered, she genuinely believed it would allow even Salvos to take on an [Ancient Centinel] one-on-one and win.

“However, in regards to evacuating others, this should be more than enough.”

She faced the rest of the haven— the other curious, inspecting monsters. One of the [Storm Crustaceans]— the giant crabs, as Salvos called them— approached Centina.

“Safe leave?”

The [Evolved Centinel] understood his words thanks to her own [Advanced Language Comprehension]. She hesitated.

“It is not entirely safe. But I believe it may be…”

She thought of Salvos. And she hoped she could trust the Demon.

“I believe it may be enough.”

She turned around as the monsters in the haven gathered in their own separate groups, discussing this detail. They couldn’t all communicate with each other, of course. Only Centina herself, the [Will O’ Wisp], and the [Krokodis] could communicate cross-Species. They were the ones who disseminated information.

And all of them said the same thing: they could trust Salvos.

It was optimistic. Hopefully. But Centina thought that maybe, just maybe, things would finally change…

As the thought crossed her mind, the ceiling… shook.

I watched in horror as tens of thousands of Centinels gathered around an intersection between crevices, digging into the earth en masse, sending debris into the air as they rapidly sank down. There were so many of them. I had only ever seen such a large mass of them Centinels once, when the [Ancient Centinel] chased after me. Although, that had been an eclectic mix of Centinels.

This mass was composed mostly of [Younger Centinels] and [Junior Centinels]. They weren’t the highest-leveled ones, but they all obeyed a command without much thought. The Sage Centinel’s command.

“Sal, why would you do this?”

I gritted my teeth. It was infuriating— upsetting. He wanted to punish me for breaking the rules he had arbitrarily set? Whether I left or stayed in the Bloodied Gulf made no difference if I returned soon after. It made no sense.

When I asked for his help, I did it because I thought he was going to teach me how to learn a Grand Skill, not because he was going to teach me his principles or morality. I didn’t care for that. I cared about what I wanted and if I knew the Devil was going to pull this trick on me, I never would’ve approached him for help.

I jolted as a screech drew my attention. Another group of four [Senior Centinels] joined the mass of Centinels. I had to do something about this. I didn’t have the Breastplate of Alexander, but I had to stop it.

“I made a promise. And I will keep my word.”

I closed my eyes, being wrapped in ribbons of gold flames. The brilliant flakes wisped off and formed figures that looked just like me. Clones that smiled and fought like me. [Salvo of Vanity].

I nodded at all three of my clones as I created a set of Nebular Armor for myself.

“We have to slow them down— kill them all before they reach the haven.”

My clones smirked confidently and leapt off the cliff, charging straight into battle. I watched as in an instant, an entire wave of reinforcing Centinels were incinerated. The job of my clones was to slow the main bulk of forces as they were lower-leveled. Meanwhile, I assigned myself with a different task— take out the stronger Centinels before they could arrive.

I cast my gaze to where the [Senior Centinels] had been. They were rapidly encroaching on the main group. I leapt over to them, cutting them off before they could arrive.

[Senior Centinel - Lvl. 103]

[Senior Centinel - Lvl. 101]

…

[Senior Centinel - Lvl. 116]

“Hey. Could you please turn around?”

I asked nicely, but they responded with an incoherent shriek.

“Alright, I guess not.”

The leader and highest-leveled member of the pack lashed out at me, but I slid under the attack, slashing for its underbelly with my Nebular Scythe. It recoiled in pained while I went for the others. [Barrage of Cinders] drove me forwarding, letting me rip apart these [Senior Centinels] leg by leg.

They were more durable than a Skeleton in the Plaguelands, even if they were about the same level, but I was far higher-leveled than then, now. I dealt with them with ease.

The last and highest-leveled [Senior Centinel] let out a blood curdling screech and still came for me despite its injuries. I easily hopped around it, grabbing it by its tail. I flew up into the air, spinning it around and scorching a symbol into its side. Finally letting go, I threw it straight for the masse of Centinels.

“Watch out!”

I called to my clones. They spotted the flying Centinel— they saw the glowing mark on its body. Then they leapt out of the way. The [Senior Centinel] crashed into the center of the gathered horde. Its body shone—

And thousands of Centinels were engulfed with a crimson blast.

[Demon’s Mark]. It took out a massive chunk of the Centinel army. Even the ones not caught in the blast burned up from the heat of the explosion. Mostly the lower-leveled ones, but that worked since they were all mostly lower-leveled Centinels.

My mind was barraged by notifications from all the kills my clones and I had quickly accumulated . I looked at my Status, but no levels gained.

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 115]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Younger Centinel – Lvl. 13]!

Little-to-no experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 50 levels below you!

I needed to level up twice to get what I wanted— I needed [Salvo of Vanity] to reach Level 15 to summon another clone. Lest I wouldn’t be able to handle this mass of Centinels before they reached the haven. Already, they were hundreds of feet deep in a massive hole that was a at least a hundred feet wide.

What was more, they kept coming. The weight of the Centinels would…

I shook my head, focusing on what I could do now.

“We need to keep them back!”

I activated [Mass Particulate Modification] and [Scattering Displacement], filling the hole back with dirt and rocks as the Centinels continued to amass. While I kept those Skills active in the back of my head, I swooped down low, sending a massive breath of flames at those that still remained in the hole.

As I did that, my clones circled around the crater, using their own flames to keep the oncoming Centinels from drawing too close. I continued my onslaught of fiery breath as the numbers thinned, unable to replenish thanks to my clones.

But before I could finish off the last of those gathered in the hole, a flicker caught my eye. A dark figure sped its way towards me, jumping past my clones and striking me from the side. I crashed into the crater, blinking as I took in the figure.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 143]

“You?!”

I stared at him. It was the Sage Centinel— the one who I was supposed to defeat. The one who I fought in the Centinels Cornucopia. His upper torso was just like that of Humans as he previously had been, but his lower half was different. He was less Centinel-like now, with far fewer legs and segmented parts.

“Die… die… die… suffer… you!”

He spoke no language, just as before, but his screeching had meaning. I struggled to push him off as a vicious grin spread across his face. I blinked, and suddenly everything vanished.

He let go of me as I was caught in a bubble of darkness. One that I could not see through. I frowned, readying myself for an attack. Just as I anticipated, the Sage Centinel dove straight at me— an invisible force that went for my neck.

I repelled the attack just in time, noticing it with the help of [A Hunter’s Sense]. [Planar Navigation] didn’t work. Not in this ball of darkness. It was a Skill the Sage Centinel had stolen.

I waited for the next prickling feeling and blocked the Sage Centinel’s second attack. Then I repelled the third and the fourth, readying a counter for the fifth. I would time it so that I could catch the Sage Centinel before he fled past me, but the attack never came.

And I sensed something else. My clones were in trouble. One of them had been attacked by… the Sage Centinel.

It had left this ball of shadows, going after my clones while they were busy keeping off the swarm of Centinels. I gritted my teeth and began wading my way out of this inky zone. It was difficult to move in, just like the last time I’d been trapped within it. But thanks to my clones, I knew exactly where to go.

I burst out of the ball of darkness, diving straight for the Sage Centinel. He gripped one of my clones by the neck as she squirmed and swung for his face. Then she glowed— she’d taken too much damage at this point, and the best course of action was… well, exploding.

The Sage Centinel smirked and tossed her to me as she shone even brighter. My eyes widened as he moved for my other clones.

“N—”

And a golden blast lit up the Bloodied Gulf. I stared down at the explosion— at the bits of golden flakes left behind in the air— having just barely teleported out of there in time.

Another strong Skill, wasted. I took in the scene, seeing how only one of my clones was left holding off the horde of Centinels, which was unfortunately not going well. The hole started to fill up once more as above them, my other clone was locked in battle with the Sage Centinel.

She was, unfortunately, losing to him, as he had grown a lot stronger since I last fought him. And while I wanted to help, the more important thing now was to prevent the Centinels from getting any closer to the Land of the Lost. In fact, it was probably better that my clone was distracting the [Evolved Centinel]. He would only get in the way.

I flew back, doing the only thing I could at this point. I had to draw the attention of the Centinels to elsewhere.

“Come here, you idiots!”

I unleashed a salvo of flaming projectiles at them, but they never stopped heading for their goal. I clenched a fist.

“Fine, if you won’t listen, then—”

[Recall Skill: Zealous Call].

And next…

I let out a high-pitched shriek, drawing the attention of every Centinel that was close by. They turned their ire to me as I grinned, ushering them away from the hole in the ground. But just as I started back, a head snapped towards me.

The Sage Centinel faced me, under the effects of [Zealous Call].

“Uh oh.”

His eyes blazed red as he shrugged my clone off. Raising a hand, he pointed at me, whispering. Only my clone heard it.

“[Against All Odds, I’ve lived—”

“That’s…”

I stared at the Sage Centinel, ignoring the snarling and snapping Centinels below.

“[Through Bloodshed, I’ve Survived—”

A Grand Skill.

“[To Cleanse the World of All that is Vile].”

He unleashed it upon me, and all I saw was red.

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282. Protector of the Haven

282. Protector of the Haven

“Did you feel that?”

Centina hurried out to the central chamber of the Land of the Lost. The monsters gathered looked worriedly about, having felt the ground shake as she did. Her gaze snapped towards the [Will O’ Wisp] who stared only at the ceiling.

“What’s going on?”

She approached him, and he remained entirely still. He spoke not a word, even as another tremor washed over the earth and knocked a few of the crustacean over. Finally, he turned to the [Krokodis] standing next to him who was still wearing the Breastplate of Alexander.

“Run.”

Both Centina and the [Krokodis] exchanged confused glances, but the earth shook once more, this time, like it had been swept over by a powerful wave during a storm. The stalactites hanging above rattled before breaking off, one by one crashing into the earth. Bits of the ceiling drizzled down as the monsters backed away nervously.

The [Evolved Centinel] opened her mouth—

“What is—

But the ceiling finally broke. And down came a rain of red.

The Sage Centinel’s eyes blazed red as he shrugged my clone off. Raising a hand, he pointed at me, whispering something that sent a chill down my spine.

“[Against All Odds, I’ve lived—”

“That’s…”

A Grand Skill.

What did I expect? What could a Grand Skill entail?

“[Through Bloodshed, I’ve Survived—”

I had only seen two examples of a Grand Skill before. The first was when I dueled Zix, back in Unarith. He’d transformed into the shape of a deformed, bloated Dragon. One that I couldn’t hurt. One that withstood all my attacks like it was nothing.

The second time I’d seen a Grand Skill, I managed to escape its effects entirely. The Lich had been so distraught, he wanted to destroy everything he could, including himself. It was thanks to his insanity I could even flee in time.

“[To Cleanse the World of All that is Vile].”

I couldn’t teleport away. I didn’t have the Breastplate of Alexander. I braced myself for it. For the glow that came from his hands. The Sage Centinel clenched a fist—

And my clone grabbed him by the arm. Before the Skill could fully activate, she threw herself in between me and the Grand Skill. His eyes widened as he snapped out of [Zealous Call]’s effects, but it was too late. My clone was shining brilliantly. Brighter than the sun.

I watched as she erupted into a giant golden cross. One that incinerated everything it came into contact with. It scorched the earth, sending a tremor through the nearby crevices, and killing hundreds of Centinels.

A deluge of notifications inundated my mind. I found myself sighing in relief, glad that I wasn’t completely overwhelmed by a Grand Skill.

“I’m alive…”

The whisper left my mouth. And from the smoke, another voice spoke out.

“No. Not for long.”

I blinked and looked up as the Sage Centinel ascended, his hand still shining red. He was flying. Previously, he had used different Skills to help him keep up with my flight, but he couldn’t actually fly. Now, he hovered there and flew higher and higher.

“You survived?”

I stared at him— at his ragged and injured body, his side torn open due to [Salvo of Vanity]’s explosion, but still alive. The ocean above the Bloodied Gulf changed colors, turning into a dark crimson. Droplets of this red liquid rained around me, and I felt my skin burning and freezing at the same time. I quickly cleaned it off with a quick blast of blue flames, but the damage had been done.

Some kind of acid? No— it wasn’t. I didn’t see any melted flesh. Instead, the wound inflicted felt familiar. Like it was, fortunately, lessened by something. And as more droplets rained around me, I realized what it was.

General Skill [Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] has leveled up!

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance - Lvl. 2] -> [Title Skill: General Curse Resistance - Lvl. 3]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

A curse. The Sage Centinel had inflicted a curse over this entire area. It had to have caught at least a quarter of the Bloodied Gulf in the effect. Not the entirety of it, but a significant portion. All under the effects of its Grand Skill.

I looked down as the red rain continued to pour down, washing over the dwindled-but-still-massive swarm of Centinels below. And they were revitalized. Those that had been painted with the red liquid moved with more vigor than before. Some kind of boost.

Compared to this growth in power, how many of them had been killed? It had to have at least been half their numbers. And yet, it seemed like this red rain attracted quite a significant number of Centinels to join this battle. These ones were higher-leveled, too. The ones that the Sage Centinel hadn’t been able to command, until now. They came for the power, and they followed the mass moving for the hole in the ground.

Well, there was one thing to look at that was on the bright side. It wasn’t exactly a net positive, but I leveled up from that.

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 123] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 124]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

I also leveled a few times from my Class, but that was less important.

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 78] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 79]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

…

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 84] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 85]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 124

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 85

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] - Lvl. 4

[Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] - Lvl. 6

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 3

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 145 (+25)

[Strength]: 132 (+25)

[Endurance]: 143 (+25) (+3)

[Wisdom]: 260 (+25) (+10)

[Agility]: 310 (+25) (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 0]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 8

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 14

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Unused Skill Slot] x1

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 5

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 10

I quickly distributed everything I was given— maxing out [Scattering Displacement] and [Mass Particulate Modification], as well as bringing [Salvo of Vanity] to Level 14. All my Stat Points went into [Wisdom]. I had to end this. Now.

TheSage Centinel came down to face me. His carapace glistened as hovered right beneath the blood-red ocean, arms spread wide as more of the crimson rain fell, flooding the crevices. His broken body knitted back together as a red aura overcame him— he was somehow healing in this cursed zone. Just like how his Centinel army was strengthened. He laughed a terrible, cackling laugh and spoke in a clearly enunciated voice.

“This is my world! You shall suffer! You shall feel my pain!”

I gritted my teeth, ready to unleash everything I had against him. But just as I was about to move, I heard the ground crack.

A rumbling ran through the earth, and I switched to my clone’s perception. And through her, I saw the dirt break. A massive cave chamber was revealed beneath the Bloodied Gulf, with terrified and familiar monsters gathered around, staring up with wide eyes.

The swarm of Centinels fell upon them, their crimson carapace sheening when mixed together with the red rain. Ice-blue flames blasted up at the Centinels, Willy leading the monsters in holding back the swarm.

I have to help them— the thought crossed my mind as I swooped down.

But a spray of acid struck me from behind as I was pelted with more of the red rain. My skin sizzled, and my arms grew heavy from the curse.

“No— I will not let you! Your people will die, just as mine have!”

The Sage Centinel bellowed. He faced me as I narrowed my eyes. I wreathed myself in flames, nodding.

“Fine.”

Then my body cracked. I grew taller as another set of arms protruded from my sides. My jaw elongated, and dozens of deadly fangs stabbed down from my mouth. I glared at the Sage Centinel with golden eyes, furious as I took only my [Demonic Essence] form.

“But you’ll regret making me stay.”

I lashed out at him, like a reverse comet soaring through the blood-red sky. Covered in pure white fire.

Even as we clashed in battle, I thought of Willy and the others in the back of my mind. I had promised I would get them out. And I was going to do it, even if the Devil himself interfered.

Centina could only look on in horror as hundreds of her kin fell from the now-exposed sky. The ceiling had caved in, letting this swarm of red fall upon the Land of the Lost. It was her Lair— her territory. Yet, it was now being overrun, the haven no longer safe.

“No…”

Her mouth moved, uttering that single word. It was all falling apart. This was the end of it all. Centina knew that this was how she died. She snapped her eyes shut, accepting her fate.

“Fight.”

But a voice called out to her. A singular word, spoken by the spark of hope even now. The [Will O’ Wisp]’s words reached the monsters of the haven. He was a tiny ball of flame— no bigger than Centina’s head. And yet, all by himself, he charged headfirst into the swarm of Centinels.

He sent waves of different-colored flames at them, slowing their approach.

“Live!”

He spoke louder this time. It drew the attention of even the [Talonflayers]. The maggot-like creatures moved at his command— the meaning clear.

The [Storm Crustaceans] aided them, all heading to fight off the falling Centinels. After all, they were the strongest here. They would fight.

And the others? The others would flee. The ones who were weaker. The ones who couldn’t fight.

Centina understood what the [Will O’ Wisp]... Willy, meant. He called for aid from those who were willing, asking the rest to escape from the myriad of tunnel exits around.

She couldn’t just stand around, accepting ther death either. She turned to the [Krokodis] standing next to her.

“Kron, I need you to hand the Breastplate of Alexander to me. You’ll lead the others out… Kron?”

But the [Krokodis] wasn’t quick to respond. She just raised a hand, pointing at the collapsed exits. The tunnels that led out had all fallen, collapsed into themselves from all the shaking.

Centina clenched a fist.

“That’s…”

She shook her head.

“Just give me the Breastplate of Alexander. I’ll hold them off. If I face them alone, the others will be able to help you dig your way back out.”

The [Krokodis] slowly nodded, sort of hesitating for a moment, before finally handing over the Mythical Grade artifact. Centina wore it, feeling power surge over her. She heard the notification of having a set of temporary Skills bestowed upon her, but she brushed it off quickly enough.

“Get the others out. Use your illusions to keep them safe, alright?”

Centina skittered past the other monsters, her body glowing with magic. Willy was starting to grow exhausted from leading the charge when she stepped up next to him.

“Stay back, Willy.”

“What do?”

He turned to her, flames flickering. And she smiled.

“I’m the protector of this haven. It’s my job to keep you all safe.”

With that, she leapt into the fray, falling into the snapping mandibles of hundreds and hundreds of Centinels all at once.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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283. The Fittest

283. The Fittest

I faced down the floating Sage Centinel as he rippled with power. An ethereal red aura wisped off him like a bloodied mist. He brimmed with an insatiable desire for vengeance— for all the pain and suffering I’d inflicted on his kin.

It was what powered his Grand Skill. Something that would empower himself and his allies while draining and hurting his enemies. I lit my body ablaze, covering myself in fiery armor so the crimson raindrops would not touch me. And there was the aura protecting me too— the Pendant of Greater Protection. However, after all the battle I’d been through to this point, I was almost certain it’d give soon. But it was enough to nullify at least some of the effects of his Grand Skill’s curse.

Although, I still felt sluggish, just from moving around in this zone. The curse permeated the air, a weaker version of the raindrops that fell from the sky. Even in my [Demonic Essence] form, I knew this would be a far harder fight than the first two times we battled.

General Skill [Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] has leveled up!

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance - Lvl. 3] -> [Title Skill: General Curse Resistance - Lvl. 4]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

My General Skill leveled up again. The Grand Skill really was dangerous.

I raised a hand, twirling my Nebular Scythe around.

“You will regret making me stay.”

That was all I said before I charged the Sage Centinel. He braced himself as I came crashing at him, a black light overcoming my weapon. His eyes widened when he saw the Skill. The powerful attack.

He dove to the side, trying to dodge it, but I pointed a single finger at him.

“Stop.”

And he did. Moments after, [Radiant Slash] connected and tore open his carapace. His blood sprayed over me as he regained control of his body, backing away.

I narrowed my eyes as I saw the wound slowly begin to heal, even mere moments after I struck him. I didn’t stop there. I continued an onslaught of attacks, striking him with [Barrage of Cinders].

The Sage Centinel let out a deafening shriek before raising both his hands. He swung back at me, faster than I could react. Its claws collided with my armor and protective aura, knocking me back. As I steadied myself mid-air, a deluge of acid shot out— one that poured out like a wave. It would even melt the rock below. I zipped around him as I could and avoided his assailing magic.

I rushed in once more while he was distracted, only for him to intercept me once more. I barely teleported out of his clawed strike. He was faster than me. Whatever boost he had from his Grand Skill let him surpass even my current speed.

No. I didn't believe it. I wouldn’t allow it. I was faster than him. I had to be.

Activating [Haste] and [Warped Time], I swooped in for the kill and moved to close the distance as quickly as I could.

He made a clicking noise as he raised an orb of acid. He hurled it at me, and it multiplied by dozens. I dove around the mass projectiles, tossing my Nebular Scythe at him as a distraction, but he caught it. He threw it back with pinpoint precision, nearly catching me mid-air, even in my quickened state. I caught it as the weapon nearly impaled me through the chest and quickly stored it into my [Dimensional Pocket].

As the Nebular Scythe vanished, I looked up to see the Sage Centinel smiling wickedly and pointing at me.

“[Vindication of They].”

“Wha—”

I blinked as a crimson aura was drawn out of the dead Centinels beneath me. Tens of thousands dead of bodies glowed, emitting power that gathered into a single figure. A roiling outline of an [Ancient Centinel]. It rose up into the air, giving chase after me as I sped away.

What was this? How did I fight something like that? It wasn’t even real. It was some kind of Skill, similar to my [Salvo of Vanity], except it was unable to do anything except give chase.

I sent a wave of flames at this ethereal creature, but it didn't slow down once. It wouldn’t stop until it reached me, and I didn’t think it was going to give me a hug.

No— I couldn't let it get close. [A Hunter’s Sense] screamed at me to get away from this apparition. It would shred through my aura of Greater Protection like it was nothing.

The Sage Centinel smiled as he watched me flee. It would catch up to me. I knew it would. And he did, too. That was why he turned away from me, casting his gaze down to the deep hole below.

Then he descended, even as I frantically tried to fight off this apparition to get to him. He fell upon the haven as I failed to stop him.

The Centinels poured out of the hole in the ceiling without stopping. They crawled down the side wall before leaping into the Land of the Lost. This haven which Centina had spent centuries building. She would not let them destroy it.

They were strong. Even for their low levels, they managed to put up a fight against her. Something was boosting them in strength— a kind of glow overcame them from their wet shells. Still, she barred their path, ripping them up, and parting the waves of Centinels like an island in the ocean.

Beside her, Willy sent multi-colored flames out to aid her. Ice. Fire. Acid. He exhausted himself of his abilities just to allay this horde’s approach.

“Willy.”

She panted, turning to him.

“You need to evacuate the others. I can hold them off—”

“No.”

He was insistent. He would not flee, even as the others began to back away. Centina shook her head, glancing back towards the backed up noncombatants. Kron was trying to lead them out of the collapsed tunnels, but each time they cleared a bit of the debris, the tunnels would collapse once more. The only ones who could feasibly dig their way out were the [Talonflayers], but they were fighting alongside Centina.

She made a clicking sound.

“They need your help. They cannot escape unless someone guides them out.”

Willy hesitated, but remained firm.

“Can’t help.”

He sent another blast of flames at the ceiling. It burned and burned, raging on and keeping the lower-leveled Centinels back.

“Can’t dig.”

He was more talkative than ever, which just spoke to how dire this situation was. Centina twisted her lips as she grabbed a [Senior Centinel] and shredded it apart with her claws. It didn’t even stand a chance.

“If we cannot escape, then there is only one thing we have to do.”

She stepped forward, welcoming the storm of Centinels.

“We just have to win.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] stared at her as she lanced out, spinning and tearing through another wave of Centinels. He blazed in agreement.

“Yes!”

He followed after her, blasting apart group after group of Centinels. But just as the pair began to push the Centinels back, a figure unlike the others dropped down. It stood out in the swarm of red— a different color from the glinting carpaces.

Centina frowned. She could tell it was powerful. It radiated strength just from being there. A golden light. She readied herself for this new enemy—

And blinked when she saw who it was.

“S-Salvos?”

The figure glanced up at her. It looked like the Demon— with the same smirk on its face. However, it was made entirely of flame. Golden fire. One that drew the attention of everyone in the room.

Then it craned its neck, looking at the Centinels around it. With a flick of its claws, it sent a blast of fire and incinerated a large group of them in an instant.

“What is this?”

Centina didn’t know what she was seeing. It was Salvos, but not really Salvos. It had fire, just like her, but it was… it wasn’t talking. However, it was definitely on their side.

“Clone.”

Willy spoke as he flitted up towards the fake Salvos. Centina blinked.

“Clone?”

“Lifefire. Essence of soul. Salvos.”

She got the gist of what he was saying. It was some kind of copy of Salvos. One she sent down here to help. But that begged the question— why wasn’t she here herself?

Centina didn’t have time to speculate as the ceiling shook once more, and more Centinels dropped down. The three of them were quick to intercept these Centinels. They were [Senior Centinels]— on the brink of Level 110. But even then they stood no chance.

“Salvos—”

She called out to the clone.

“Where are you? What’s going on?”

The clone gesticulated wildly, but Centina didn’t understand what was being conveyed at all. As she continued waving her hands, an [Older Centinel] leapt down at her, and she threw her head back, annoyed. She blasted it apart before spreading her arms wide.

“Protect!”

Willy spoke in a hurried voice. He moved forward, guarding the Salvos clone as more Centinels lashed out at her. Centina was perplexed, but she moved to do as she was asked to do. She ripped apart a group of [Senior Centinels] before casting her gaze around the room. Then she saw what was happening.

The rocks and debris all around the chamber began to hover. They floated up alongside the watching monsters, in awe of what was going on. The Salvos clone was going to clear the tunnels. No— not clearing the tunnels.

Centina narrowed her eyes as she saw the rocks grow in size. Some kind of magic to increase their mass and volume. Then the rocks lowered right next to ther watching monsters. Kron blinked as it hovered before her.

“What going on?”

The Salvos clone pointed up, and Centina understood what was going on. She shouted for all in the haven to hear.

“Climb onto the rocks! We will leave the Bloodied Gulf, now! Salvos will get us out of here!”

It sounded insane. The only way out now was up— to the ceiling where the Centinels came from. To go there was suicide. Yet, as established, it was their only option.

And the mindless monsters and intelligent monsters of the Land of the Lost… took it. They grabbed hold of their last opportunity to live. When it was a choice between life and death, they chose the only one that could potentially save their lives. Even if it meant diving into the unknown.

They wanted to survive. They clambered onto the rocks— every single monster. Centina herself, too. Then alongside Willy, the Salvos clone ascended. The rocks carrying the monsters rose up thanks to this magic, slowly exiting up the tunnel.

The Centinels saw their prey coming at them and were understandably ecstatic. They snarled and snapped and leapt for the rocks. But Willy held them off with his fire. Centina couldn’t do much. She could only watch as they rose out of the hole. To face either liberation, or their deaths.

My last clone reached the haven. She was evacuating the monsters now, using [Mass Particulate Modification] and [Scattering Displacement] on rocks to carry them out of the massive pit. I was glad.

They would survive. I was going to keep my promise. That was good.

A feeling of melancholy passed through me as I looked at my pursuer. No matter where I went, this apparition of an [Ancient Centinel] gave chase to me. The vengeance of all the Centinels I’d killed in the past hour. I smile wryly as I grew tired— all my Skills exhausted. [Haste] and [Warped Time] had ended. I had only been able to keep away from it thanks to teleportation.

I really didn’t know what to do. I was going to die here. It would shred through whatever was left of my Greater Protection aura and tear me into pieces before exploding.

At least, my clone would survive for a while longer. Her mana source was independent from mine, although she would eventually vanish without me to supply her with mana. Just not right away. Hopefully she’d be able to get Centina, Willy, and the others out before that happened.

Maybe they’d remember me for my sacrifice. Maybe they’d never forget me.

My smile slipped away as the thought crossed my mind. The apparition’s jaw closed in on me, and I made a sharp turn, diving into the ocean. It followed after me as my hearing and vision grew muddled.

I was going to die.

Again, my lips twitched. I watched as the apparition drew closer.

Me.

Die.

I was Salvos. And I was going to die here.

Here?

Die?

Me?

That didn’t seem right. That wouldn't be right. I couldn’t accept it. I thought of everything I had ever done. Of everything I hadn’t done. My goals. My dreams. My life. All that would be left was just specks of my legacy.

And eventually, it would be all but forgotten.

After all, life was transient. Nothing was ever permanent. Everything, including myself, would all eventually be… gone.

“No!”

My eyes blazed in defiance as I spread all four of my arms wide, accepting the [Vindication of They]. I clashed with the apparition’s head and held it back. The sea rippled from the intensity as I pushed, letting out a scream.

The blood-stained water poured around me, a curse that made me grow stronger.

Somewhere else, Saffron lay in shock as her assassin was utterly incinerated.

Willy stared in shock

as an entire wave of [Senior Centinels] instantly vanished.

These notifications flooded my head. And something was drawn out from within me.

[My Flame—

The Aura of Greater Protection flickered out, and my skin burned. My defiant screaming turned into that of a pained screech. I felt my body twist and contort as my [Demonic Essence] rapidly left my body. Like it was being drained by… something. No— like it was being replaced

General Skills [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] and [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] consolidate into General Grand Skill [Racial Skill: D—

Grand Skill [My Flame—

Abundant experience is awarded for learning a Grand Skill—

Centina held onto the rock as it continued to float up, finally reaching the top of the hole. The Salvos clone had cleared the area of Centinels, and they only had a little bit further to go until they were at the ocean above.

Then there was a flash. She raised a hand, covering her face as a ripple ran through the sea.

“What is…?”

But before she could even take a look at what was going on, an angry voice called out to her.

“Traitor!”

She looked up to see a Sage Centinel descending from the sky. His face was misshapen in rage, and he unleashed a deluge of burning acid at them. Centina’s eyes grew wide as she saw the flood befall her.

It wouldn’t harm her. Not with the Breastplate of Alexander on. But there were others here, too. Kron looked up in horror and watched as the shadow engulfed them. Willy’s flames flickered as he moved to act, but the first to block the attack was the Salvos clone.

She moved the fastest here, blasting apart the deluge with her golden flames. She looked visibly exhausted but still managed to muster a thumbs-up for Centina to see.

Then the Sage Centinel appeared behind her. She wasn’t able to react. In that instant, he beheaded her. The Salvos clone’s body dropped, and he tossed it aside. An explosion shook the earth in the distance as Willy shouted.

“No!”

He moved to attack the Sage Centinel, but heard the other screams. The rocks began to fell as Centina threw herself off it to stand on the red sand of the Bloodied Gulf.

Willy caught the falling rocks with a barrage of purple flames. These wisps engulfed the rocks for a moment before seeping into the cracks like water. Then the rocks glowed and hovered there, slowly flying higher as the [Will O’ Wisp] strained.

“Willy, bring the others away, I will stay here.”

Centina stepped forward, standing before the angry Sage Centinel. His gaze was fixed on her as the red rain poured around him, fueling his anger. However, he wasn’t the only one that was enraged.

A myriad of other voices called out.

“Betrayer!”

“Kinslayer!”

“Sinner!”

Centina glanced up to see five other [Evolved Centinels] waiting down the ravine. They eyed her with spite and fury.

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 136]

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 126]

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 141]

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 131]

[Evolved Centinel - Lvl. 133]

There were two Titan Centinels amongst them, two Horror Centinels, and a Gracious Centinel. The Gracious Centinel stepped forward.

“You hurt her! You have hurt her!”

Centina hung her head and closed her eyes.

“Yes. I have gone against my kin. It is me you want. So, let them go.”

She glanced back at Willy as he sluggishly made his way up, picking up where the Salvos clone left off with his purple flames.

“No.”

The Sage Centinel spoke, voice growing clearer by the second.

“All of you have hurt our mother. All of you shall pay. All of you shall suffer.”

He shook his head.

“Kill them all.”

Centina clenched a fist as the Gracious Centinel lashed out, moving for Willy. The [Will O’ Wisp] was the only one who could evacuate the remnants of the haven. If he died, all hope of escape was lost. She moved to stop the Gracious Centinel, but the other [Evolved Centinels] blocked her path.

They assailed her with a barrage of Skills. Although the Breastplate of Alexander tanked the attacks, she was held back. The smoke cleared as she could only watch the Gracious Centinel leap up, swinging for the ball of iridescent flame.

Willy flames grew smaller in fear as the Gracious Centinel slashed a scything arm at him—

And there was an explosion. The ocean above tore open, raining a sea of red down into the Bloodied Gulf. Centina blinked as a blurred figure tore through the Gracious Centinel before it could reach the [Will O’ Wisp].

Heads turned to face this flash of silver. Centina quickly identified it, only to stare in confusion.

[Cambion - Lvl. 125]

“Salvos…?”

The Demon stood just at the edge of the pit, holding the crushed body of the Gracious Centinel on one hand.

Centina didn’t even know what just happened. The Gracious Centinel was already dead, in a mere instant. Salvos dropped the body into the pit, stepping forward as her body crackled with sparks.

Red flame. No— yellow flame. Then black. Then silver.

It wasn’t just the color of the rainbow. Wisps of all color flaked off her body as she stood there, casting a callous gaze to the Sage Centinel. Something about her was different. She almost seemed like her usual self with her pointed ears and Human-like body. Her clothes were gone, yes, but that wasn’t it.

Her skin was the usual pale-white— except, now that Centina took a careful look at her, her two claw-like hands were now black. It extended up to the very fringe of her forearm, stopping there like some sort of glove. Her horns were longer and curved now. As though she wore a crown around her head. And her eyes— they glimmered golden. The slit-like pupil was gone. Just a sheening gold iris.

The Sage Centinel glared at her, confused, angry— so much more. He opened his mouth.

“How did you survive my [V—”

And without a word, Salvos appeared behind him. Her claws tore through his carapace, shattering his middle body. Centina stared in disbelief as the Sage Centinel fell.

Then finally, the Demon smiled.

"[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends].”

She brought her black claw up as it was wreathed in a silver flame.

“I cannot die."

My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends, commissioned by me :)

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Official Salvos Merchandise!

Hello everyone!

I'm so excited to officially announce the first ever set of Salvos merchandise! There are posters, stickers, iPhone cases, face masks... a lot of stuff, but no shirts just yet. I'm not sure if any of it will sell. A lot of this is for myself, more than anything. I already have a poster which I bought and paid extra shipping costs for just to get ASAP lmao.

I can only attest to the quality of the poster I bought for myself from TeeSpring. I have a shop on both RedBubble and TeeSpring. RedBubble because they have a lot more designs to choose from for me to get for myself. And TeeSpring because they have a few specific designs I want and I can select the price for. If you want to see the poster itself, check it out here! Ignore my messy bed.

Yes! This is the Salvos poster on TeeSpring, sold at a cheaper price than available on RedBubble, will only be available for a limited time. One month. I can't do discounts on RedBubble sadly.

Right now, there are currently three artworks available. TeeSpring is far more limited, but RedBubble has a ton of stuff. The illustrations I've chosen are these three:

And of course:

Check it out!

https://deltaverse-merchandise.creator-spring.com/

Or

https://www.redbubble.com/people/MelasD/shop

A note from MelasD

Check it out!

https://deltaverse-merchandise.creator-spring.com/

Or

https://www.redbubble.com/people/MelasD/shop

284. Invincible

284. Invincible

“I cannot die.”

The voice echoed in the throne room— a tinny voice, like it was said in a suit of armor. In truth, it was simply an artificial copy of the original words that was spoken through the screen. The fissure in space that showed what was happening in another realm.

The Devil leaned over the moving images, an amused smile spreading across his face.

“Interesting.”

He clapped his hands together and turned to the figure in the room with him.

“This is very interesting. You should watch it too!”

The figure didn’t turn. He wasn’t goaded by Sal. Instead, he preoccupied himself with other matters.

“Come on, Reggie boy!”

The Devil pouted, but Regnorex simply ignored him. Sighing, Sal turned back to the screen— the fissure in space— and watched as Salvos fought on.

“She attuned herself to the Breastplate of Alexander’s effects and built upon it with her own magic. Even after wearing it for as long as she did, I’m surprised. She can be a rival to even you.”

He chuckled, but Regnorex grunted.

“Hmph. It was thanks to you, she met the requirements for a Divine Essence. And through that, she gained this power of temporary nigh invulnerability.”

The Demon King’s voice was callous— cruel. He focused only on one thing: moving the pieces on the table. Surveying the map of the Mortal Realm. His eyes didn’t once turn to the screen, even as it shone with iridescent colors.

“It is only due to your intervention she has come this far.”

“Please. My intervention has made a minor impact at most. I simply expedited the process— it would’ve happened eventually, what, with her worldly affinity. A Demon who’s a friend of mortals and Spirits, who saves monsters and people.”

Sal waved a hand off.

“And two Grand Skills at once? May daughter… you’ve truly exceeded all of my expectations. Maybe she’ll even become a Lesser God by Level 150. Imagine that— weren’t you Level 200 when you ascended, Regnorex?”

His eyes glinted as he watched Salvos moved with speed unrivaled.

“Now, little flame. Show me what you have. Burn bright, scorch the world, and forever leave your mark.”

General Skills [Racial Skill: Partial Mortality] and [Racial Skill: Demonic Essence] consolidate into General Grand Skill [Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion]!

Grand Skill [My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends]!

Abundant experience is awarded for learning a Grand Skill!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 124] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 125]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 85] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 86]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

…

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 90] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 91]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

I survived. Somehow, I survived.

[Vindication of They] had nearly killed me. I pushed myself to my limits, and my body changed. My soul burned with power— a [Divine Essence] I had never met before. I no longer had either [Partial Mortality] or [Demonic Essence]. Instead, I stepped forward as myself. Just as I had as an [Imp], with nothing else on me. There were some changes, of course. My horns sat on my head like a crown, and my claws were longer— sharper.

Wings. That was right. My wings— these weren’t the [Wings of the Netherworld]. They didn’t have the same bone-like structure. They were proper wings. Like that of a bat. Its edges were lined with black marks. An onyx color, the same as my hands and legs. My horns, too.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 125

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 91

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 4

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 145 (+25) (+100)

[Strength]: 135 (+25) (+100)

[Endurance]: 145 (+25) (+3) (+100)

[Wisdom]: 260 (+25) (+10) (++100)

[Agility]: 310 (+25) (+5) (+100)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 3]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 8

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 14

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 14]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 5

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 10

This temporary newfound strength was thanks to [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion]. I had another Grand Skill, though. It was what saved me from the [Vindication of They]. While [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] made me stronger, it wouldn’t have saved me from the blast that the [Ancient Centinel] apparition would engulf me with.

No— something else saved me. An aura of flame wrapped around my body. Specks of cinder wisped off me, incinerating anything that came close to touching my skin. They came in all the colors of the rainbow and more. Black, white, silver, gray, brass, violet, cyan— it was truly a sight to behold. More magnificent than the Breastplate of Alexander’s iridescent aura, and Willy’s rainbow-colored flame.

I stared down at the Sage Centinel as he lay crumpled at my feet. He didn’t know what just happened. He was utterly bewildered. I smiled.

“[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends]. I cannot die.”

Or at least, I was pretty sure I couldn’t die. Not right now. Silver flames wisped off my claws as I raised it, looming of the Sage Centinel. Centina and the others stared, baffled at how quickly I had immobilized him.

“Y-you—”

He started, but I didn’t let him finish. I interrupted the click of his mandibles and struck him in the stomach once more. Again, his carapace shattered. Again, I tore through his body. He flopped back, clutching at his wounds as they slowly regenerated.

“I will not—”

I went for his neck, next. His eyes grew round as the attack came swiftly, aiming to sever his head. But before it could connect, the ground beneath me burst open.

I narrowed my eyes, glancing down at the Horror Centinel as it clung to my feet. The Sage Centinel stumbled away as Willy called out.

“Salvos!”

I met the gaze of the Horror Centinel as it clung on with tendril-like limbs. A small smile crept across my face, and I tilted my head.

“I wonder… how long can you hold on?”

The Horror Centinel snapped its jaws, gnawing at my leg as my flames protected me from any harm. Its carapace burned just from being close to me— it wriggled in pain, but still it tried to keep me down. I realized why soon after.

The two watching Titan Centinels and the second Horror Centinel closed in on me from all sides. My eyes flickered, watching their sluggish movements with pinpoint precision. I flapped my wings once and ascended even as the first Horror Centinel tried to drag me down.

It clung onto my legs with its tendril-like arms and— its arms snapped. The fire ate through its carapace and melted its flesh. It let out a terrible screech as I soared above the oncoming attacks.

The three Centinels crashed into each other as the last one lay squirming on the ground. I conjured a ball of golden flames, grinning.

“Catch.”

All but the injured Horror Centinel leapt out of the way. It looked up as it was abandoned by its companions, eyes glinting from the quickly approaching yellow glow. The blast engulfed its body, incinerating it entirely.

A pillar of smoke erupted into the air as the earth shook. The first Titan Centinel landed right at the edge of the pit to the haven, glancing around in search of me. I wasn’t flying above it anymore. In fact, I was right behind it.

“Hey.”

I tapped a finger on its shoulder. It reacted instantly, spinning around and slashing a bulky claw-like arm for my head. I raised an arm and caught it with ease. The Titan Centinel tried to back up, but I didn’t let go.

“What’s wrong? Can’t escape?”

It swung for me with its other claw-like arm. I caught that too, twisting my hands and folding it over my chest. With that swift move, I ripped off the first Titan Centinel’s arms as it stumbled back.

“You forgot this.”

I tossed the broken limbs at it as it fell to the ground in pain. I glanced up at the other two remaining [Evolved Centinels].

“Are you guys going to help your companion?”

I cocked my heat at them, and they exchanged uneasy glances. Then, after a moment of deliberation, they ran. I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever happened to your kinship? Or, perhaps, you have never cared about your own kind, have you? You simply want something to hate.”

I strolled up to the first Titan Centinel as it desperately tried to back up. Sighing, I brought an arm up.

“That’s no different from Humans.”

And my arm changed. It rippled, roiling like my skin was made of water. Then it took on a different shape. A silvery glint. One that looked like the metallic-like carapace of a Centinel, except with a different color.

My right arm became a scythe. With it, I sliced the first Titan Centinel in half. Centina stared in shock as my hand returned to normal a moment after. Her jaw dropped.

“T-that’s…”

How was she doing that?

Centina could only watch in utter disbelief as Salvos transformed one of her limbs into Centinel parts. No— it wasn’t even just a random Centinel’s arms. It was the scything arm of the Gracious Centinel she’d killed just earlier. And somehow, it morphed back to her claw-like hand without problem

She flexed it as Centina struggled to comprehend what she just saw.

“Feels a bit weird, but I’ll get used to it.”

Salvos spoke simply and glanced over at the two fleeing [Evolved Centinels]. Her lips twisted, and she launched forward, giving chase.

“I will not let you get away!”

She shot past overhead the floating monsters— past Centina who lay on the ground, trying to process this. The Demon zipped her way straight to the Horror Centinel first. It spun around, puffing out a plume of green gas. Some kind of poison. She didn’t bother diving into it. Instead, she extended her arm, shifting it into the tendril.

That’s the first Horror Centinel’s arm. Is she copying the abilities of those she killed? Or— no, that’s not right. In the first place, natural physical attributes weren’t something that could be copied. If Salvos was copying them, she’d have to copy their physique and body.

Centina knew that some Demons and Spirits were capable of this kind of shapeshifting. However, it always modified their entire appearance. Somehow, Salvos was only altering a single limb at the time for her own use.

She grabbed the remaining Horror Centinel with the tendril-like arm, even from afar. Her gaze snapped to the Titan Centinel, and she bared her teeth.

“[Demon’s Mark].”

A symbol burned itself on the Horror Centinel’s carapace as she tossed it straight at the Titan Centinel. The mark shone brighter and brighter until eventually it erupted into an iridescent inferno. One that twisted its way up in a multitude of colors. Centina’s bulbous eyes reflected the glitter of this rainbow explosion as it blew apart the crimson rain falling from above. She could only stare in awe and terror at how powerful Salvos had become.

“Amazing…”

Salvos was really keeping her promise. Centina hadn’t put much trust in her, but now she believed. The Demon casually walked away from the blas, her gaze focused only on one thing.

The last [Evolved Centinel]. The one who caused all of this.

The Sage Centinel.

And she was going to kill him. Centina knew Salvos was going to ruthlessly and mercilessly finish him off.

How?

How was he losing?

He couldn’t lose.

The Sage Centinel watched as his kin died one after the other. They didn’t even stand a chance against the Demon. His mandibles tightly scraped together as he raised a hand.

“No! No! No! No!”

He shouted, focusing his crimson rain at the Demon. She walked forward, uncaring of the curse, even as it was concentrated around her.

“Kill you.”

The Sage Centinel had grown strong. He had attained a Grand Skill. One that could make him even more powerful— that could weaken his enemies and boost his allies. Yet, in the face of the Demon, the Grand Skill did nothing.

Salvos approached him, taking step after step, the footfalls echoing in the unusually quiet Bloodied Gulf. So many Centinels had died today because of this. He had rallied a hundred thousand of his kin, and they were all gone. All because of the Demon.

He clapped his hands together, creating a giant ball of acid.

“I will kill you!”

He repeated himself as the orb grew, dwarfing him in size.

“Then I will destroy everything you cherish. All that you love. So that you will have nothing left— even after death!”

The Sage Centinel tossed the massive acid sphere, and Salvos frowned. She sidestepped it, closing the distance in an instant. She grabbed him by the throat as he backed up in surprise.

“You are mistaken.”

Her voice was low. She spoke with an apathy he’d never heard before.

“All that I love is myself. If you kill me, you’d already have taken everything away from me.”

The Demon tilted her head, curiously watching the Sage Centinel struggle. He wasn't going to die here. He was going to kill—

“But that is only if you kill me.”

She ripped his head off, tossing it aside.

“Unfortunately for you, you can’t kill me when you’re dead.”

Those words echoed in his flying head, and everything went dark.

A note from MelasD

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285. Remembrance

285. Remembrance

Defeated [Dancing Evolved Centinel – Lvl. 126]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Vengeful Evolved Centinel – Lvl. 143]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 125] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 126]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 126] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 127]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Thanks to learning a Grand Skill, I’d been on the verge of leveling up just before battling the [Evolved Centinels]. I was pretty sure I’d still have been able to level up if I killed a [Younger Centinel] and gained little-to-no-experience.

Regardless, I quickly distributed my Stat Points and Skill Points before looking over my Status.

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 127

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 91

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 4

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 145 (+25) (+100)

[Strength]: 135 (+25) (+100)

[Endurance]: 145 (+25) (+3) (+100)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+25) (+10) (+100)

[Agility]: 315 (+25) (+5) (+100)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 6]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 15

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 14]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 5

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 10

“Alright.”

I nodded to myself and turned around. I started away from the dead [Evolved Centinels], slowly making my way to Centina and the others gathered around the pit. Willy floated above, staring down at me as his magic held up a dozen massive boulders carrying the monsters of the haven. They watched me as I came to a stop right before Centina.

She looked up at me, blinking a few times. I raised an arm, and she flinched.

“S-Salvos…?”

“Hi! That’s me!”

I proffered her my hand. She eyed it warily for a moment, then she let out a sigh.

“So, you’re still the same person, huh? And here I thought something happened to you.”

“Something did happen to me— I finally learned a Grand Skill! Actually, I learned two Grand Skills.”

I beamed, and she took my hand.

“And yet, you’re still the same person underneath… urk!”

She recoiled as the flames flaking off me clashed with the aura of the Breastplate of Alexander. I blinked, looking down at myself— at the protective fire covering my body. [My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends]. This Grand Skill did multiple things. The first thing it did was completely heal my body. All my previous wounds were gone. It was like I had drunk a Potion of Regeneration.

But the second and more important thing was that it had granted me nigh invulnerability; it repelled any attack sent against me and scorched those who touched me. It let me survive the [Vindication of They]— the combined wrath of all the Centinels I had killed, brought back by Sagey.

I scratched the back of my head. Centina wasn’t burned since the Superior Aura of Greater Protection of the Breastplate of Alexander kept her safe, but others would surely be hurt if they came into contact with me by accident.

“Um, let me see. How do I deactivate this Skill?”

I tried to focus— to let this fiery aura dissipate. But apparently, I didn’t need to do that, because moments later they vanished on their own.

“Huh.”

I looked down at my hand, flexing it into a fist. I was still stronger. Only one Grand Skill ended. The other— [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion]— was still active. So, one had a longer duration than the other, it seemed. I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to use my Grand Skill again. I’d probably have to figure that out later.

“Well, anyway, why would you even think I’d be different? I’m Salvos! I’ve always been Salvos and will always be Salvos!”

I turned to Centina, grinning. Then I looked up at Willy and the others— at Kron who seemed to flinch just when I stared in her general vicinity.

“I promised you guys, didn’t I? I’d make sure you all get out of here just fine.”

Centina shook her head, getting up on her own.

“Yes you did. I am truly grateful for your help. I am truly forever indebted to you, Salvos.”

She bowed deeply, and I raised my chin.

“You better be grateful! I am amazing and you shall forever worship me for what I did!”

I could feel myself grinning from ear-to-ear as Centina thanked me. Then a glint caught my eye. I watched as a ball of iridescent fire floated down to meet me. Willy stopped just before my gaze, and I waited for him to praise me too.

He spoke accusingly.

“Copy!”

I blinked.

“Copy? I didn’t copy you! You didn’t teach me how to do your rainbow flames, so I learned how to do it on my own, and do it better!”

I crossed my arms, indignant, even as the [Will O’ Wisp] argued back.

“Better, me!”

“Nope! I have more colors than you, so I’m better!”

“Less purpose! More purpose, mine!”

He was speaking quite a lot more than usual. I could sense that he was jealous. I smirked, waving a hand off dismissively.

“Sorry, I don’t speak with anyone who’s lower-leveled than me. I mean, what level were you again? You’re only level 126? Aw, look how far you’ve fallen.”

“Copy—”

The [Will O’ Wisp] flitted around me, angrily hurling one-word insults my way, even as I smugly looked away from him. Centina stepped forward, cutting him off and addressing me.

“Salvos, I—”

But before she could finish, I felt the ground shake. I looked up— at the cliffs above as a swarm of Centinels approached us. They no longer had the red glow from the Sage Centinel’s Grand Skill. The storm clouds gathered above had dissipated, and the crimson rain had all but stopped pouring.

Nevertheless, that didn’t make these Centinels any less stupid. They were wild and they moved to attack anything they saw. I rolled my eyes.

“Ugh, what do they even think they’re doing? Go away!”

I pointed at them, unleashing an inferno of silver and gold flames at them. They were entirely incinerated in mere moments. Even the [Senior Centinel] leading them didn’t stand a chance.

It was [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] which granted me the use of these powerful flames. I was pretty sure they would revert to ordinary blue flames— or white flames, depending on the intensity behind it— once the Grand Skill ran its course.

I wasn’t sure when that’d happen, but I had an inkling of a feeling that was how it would work.

“We should go.”

I turned to Centina and Willy as they exchanged glances. I gestured at the red sand around us, making a point.

“We’re still in the Bloodied Gulf. It’s not safe here. I haven’t kept my promise until I ensure that everyone here is out and safe, far from this place.”

I faced the [Willy O’ Wisp].

“Will you be able to carry the others out by yourself?”

He nodded, making a scoffing noise.

“Yes.”

“Good. And Centina, you’ll join them too.”

I flicked a finger, using [Scattering Displacement] to raise a small boulder. With [Mass Particulate Modification], I tripled its size so Centina could climb on.

“Just hold on and protect the others until you’re far enough away from the Bloodied Gulf. If you head northeast for a few hours, maybe you’ll even be able to find Galt. I dropped him off at a nice tropical beach there if you just stick close to the coast.”

She hesitated, clicking her mandibles.

“But what about you?”

“I’ll catch up to you guys soon enough. There are more Centinels coming, and I don’t want any of them to give chase to you, so I’ll distract them.”

“But are you sure—”

The [Evolved Centinel] started, but wasn’t able to finish. The earth… trembled, slowly at first. Then it shook violently. It was like a localized earthquake, except even worse. It caused debris and rocks to fall from the cliffside, and Centina nearly lost her balance once again.

I caught her, narrowing my eyes as I turned to the source of the shaking. In the distance, a giant Centinel made its way through the Bloodied Gulf. It dwarfed the size of even a [Senior Centinel], its footsteps alone enough to cause this tremor. I gaped.

Centina‘s eyes widened.

“Wait, that’s…?”

“The [Ancient Centinel].”

I spoke as I gritted my teeth. I turned to Willy and Centina.

“Change of plans. We’re all getting out of here as soon as possible.”

All the fighting must’ve attracted its attention. However, as long as we got far enough away, it would stop giving chase. Or at least, that was what I thought.

The [Ancient Centinel] let out an ear piercing screech like it usually did, but this time, it was different. I actually understood its words, and it wasn’t just an incoherent war cry.

“CENTINNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAA!”

It was a name. That of my friend standing next to me. I blinked, turning to her. She hung her head and whispered softly.

“It’s her.”

“Her?”

I cocked my head. Then I understood what she meant.

“You mean—”

“She’s the one who killed the man I loved. She’s the one who killed Erhard.”

I stared at her, aghast.

“Wait… you never said she was an [Ancient Centinel]!”

“I didn’t know.”

Centina balled her hands into fists as the quaking grew more intense.

“She wasn’t an [Ancient Centinel] the last time I saw her. She said she’d kill me if I ever tried to leave the Bloodied Gulf. I…”

I pursed my lips, glancing between the hesitating [Evolved Centinel] and the approaching [Ancient Centinel]. Finally, Centina closed her eyes.

“Just go.”

She spoke in resignation.

“The rest of you can live as long as I stay behind. It is me that the [Ancient Centinel] wants.”

I walked up to Centina and grabbed her by the hand.

“No.”

“What?”

She tried to protest.

“But as long as I’m with—”

“I made a promise. My pride would never let me betray my own words.”

I stepped forward, creating a multi-colored Nebular Bow.

“If you want to pay me back, then praise my name until the day you die. Ensure that your descendants will speak of me and my deeds here forever and ever. But I won’t let you die here.”

“I—”

She started, but I’d already made my decision. Centina knew there was no use arguing, and Willy was starting to get a little distressed.

“Hurry? Please?”

“Very well.”

Centina acquiesced. She pulled off the Breastplate of Alexander and tossed it to me.

“Use this, Salvos—”

I caught it, quickly storing it with [Dimensional Pocket] before producing it once again. It was already fitted on me when it reappeared. That was handy.

“And for what you’ve done for us today, I will truly never forget this.”

She clambered on to a rock as I smiled.

“Good.”

Then I spread my wings wide. I bared my teeth, facing down the monstrosity barreling its way towards me. The first thing I’d encountered in the Bloodied Gulf. And the one that had nearly killed me just for stepping foot into its home.

“Hey, remember me?”

I called out as my flames burned brilliantly in the dark.

“Because I didn’t forget you.”

[Ancient Centinel - Lvl. 162]

And we clashed.

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286. Rematch

A note from MelasD

Announcement:

No chapter on Friday.

My hands hurt. Like they actually hurt. No, it's not because I don't stretch. It's because I wrote using my laptop keyboard for the first two weeks of the month since I was away from home. And my laptop keyboard sucks.

Since I returned, I hadn't taken a single day off so I haven't had the chance to recover. Everything from preparing for my new fic's launch (under an alt so haters ain't gonna review bomb me) to writing the side story chapter even yesterday. Either way, I need to take at least one day off lest this pain will continue. If it gets worse and doesn't get better, I'll try transcribing/speech to text for future chapters. Regardless, I need at least a one day break to not write and recover my hands.

Public will still get a chapter today to hear this announcement, but you guys won't get a chapter on Friday. Patrons will get a chapter from Tuesday to Friday. I will still be working to edit/proofread my Salvos V5.1 for publishing. But otherwise, schedule will resume tomorrow.

That is all.

286. Rematch

[Ancient Centinel - Lvl. 162]

Before me was a threat I’d normally be running from. A walking calamity that would be able to fall an entire nation by itself. It was the guardian of the Bloodied Gulf— a beast that swallowed any light seeping from the sea above with its mere shadow. It wore an armored carapace that was smeared crimson by the blood of all that it had killed. An undulating creature that was hundreds of feet in length with barbed limbs that clawed the very earth beneath it open.

It opened its mandibles, revealing rows and rows of jagged teeth seething with the vitriolic acid that was its saliva. Such a monster. Such a terrifying disaster. And I—

I approached it. There was no hesitation here. I had been soundly defeated by it not long ago, forced to flee and escape. But since then, I had grown stronger. I had thrown myself into multiple near-death situations and came out more powerful, earning even a Grand Skill in the process.

Two Grand Skills. Only one was active. [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion]. It gave me the power and confidence needed to face the [Ancient Centinel].

I dove down, drawing its ire alongside thousands and thousands of other Centinels. I loosed iridescent Nebular Blazing Bolts at it— brilliant blasts of all colors erupted on its shell, blowing apart the nearby Centinels. The [Ancient Centinel] barely slowed from the attack. It barreled straight through the fire and ash and rose up to meet me.

However, I wasn’t totally unprepared for my Nebular Blazing Bolts to fail. I was already pulling out my Nebular Scythe from [Dimensional Pocket]; it was the dull-gray colored weapon that was typical of my [Nebular Constructs]. Apparently, the multi-colored flair to my Nebular Weapons only applied to when I created it during the effect of my Grand Skill. So, since I made this Nebular Scythe weeks or months ago, it wasn’t enhanced to be much stronger.

I crashed straight into its lower jaw of the [Ancient Centinel], unleashing a flurry of [Barrage of Cinders]. I ran along to its underbody and continued my onslaught of attacks until it attempted to crush me against the cliffside.

Fortunately, I teleported out of the way in time. A Short Range Teleport. One that got me out of the way in time. Unfortunately, the [Ancient Centinel] didn’t care for me. It ignored me like I was a fly and heading for the floating figures in the distance.

I stared at its target, hearing its screeching voice echo through the Bloodied Gulf.

“Centina! You dare show your face here after your exile? After your betrayal?! You will die!”

“Uh-oh.”

I activated [Haste] and [Warped Time]— their cooldown had already ended, as with most of my Skills apart from [Demon’s Mark]— and moved to intercept it once again.

Centina looked back once. She heard the terribly, garbled screech of the [Ancient Centinel]. Her former ally— one who’d sought the destruction of all other Species with her. Those that had wreaked destruction to their kin.

Should Centina even have been fleeing? She felt like it was entirely selfish of her. To want to live. To want to find love again. But nevertheless, here she was, clinging onto a magically resized boulder that was glowing purple, floating thanks to Willy’s magic.

They were ascending too slow for her liking. Especially since the [Ancient Centinel] was drawing close now.

“Can’t we go any faster?”

She called out to the [Will O’ Wisp]. His flames changed to an annoyed red as he spoke in a frustrated voice.

“Try— ing!”

Centina clicked her mandibles, glancing back down as Salvos flew in front of the [Ancient Centinel] and unleashed a storm of silver and golden flames. A wall rose, barring its path. Only for a moment. It tore straight through it, even if its outer shell was singed and burned.

It whipped its tail up, knocking Salvos back as the Breastplate of Alexander flashed. Its aura flickered, and the Demon was sent sailing to the ground. A massive crater was left where she landed.

For a moment, the [Ancient Centinel] was left to assail the floating monsters unimpeded. Centina knew she needed to be distracted— even if not for long.

“Kron! Your illusions!”

Centina looked up, and the [Krokodis] blinked. Kron hesitated, looking at the encroaching [Ancient Centinel]. Then she stood on unsteady feed, spreading her arms wide.

“[Fool’s Copies]!”

Hundreds of copies of Centina and the monsters of the haven appeared, floating in the area surrounding them. The [Ancient Centinel] didn't even pause as she watched those illusions flicker into existence. She simply dove at the closest image of Centina she saw.

Fortunately for the [Evolved Centinel], it wasn’t the real her. She watched as the massive Centinel wiped out a hundred illusions with a single bite. It was a momentary delay. One that bought them enough time for Salvos to leap out of the rubble and scream.

“Stop!”

Centina sighed in relief as the [Ancient Centinel] halted, and Salvos crashed into her side. The monsters of the haven continued their ascent, until eventually, they reached the ocean above. Below, Centina could only watch as Salvos was embroiled in a grand battle with the [Ancient Centinel].

And hope that the Demon would survive.

“[Radiant Slash]!”

I swung my Nebular Scythe at the underbelly of the [Ancient Centinel]. It was supposed to be the weakest part of its body. The carapace here was at its softest. And I dragged the multi-colored flaming strike as I ran down the undulating creature.

It tore open a long streak across its stomach until I heard a clink. I felt the Nebular Scythe snap, and I was sent tumbling away from the [Ancient Centinel]. It struck me back with its massive body, still screaming.

“CeNtInaAAaAAaAaaAAAAAAAAAAA!”

But Centina wasn’t here right now. She was already gone— she’d disappeared into the floating sea, and I was the only one left for it to fight.

“Focus on me, idiot!”

I called out to it as my left arm morphed into a tendril and grabbed onto one of its limbs. I pulled myself towards it, shifting my right arm into the giant claw of a Titan Centinel. That attack slowed and enraged the [Ancient Centinel].

Its entire body began to glow— some kind of crimson aura. Then it blasted out, knocking me back. A pulse of energy that vaporized its own kin. It took me a bit to recover, and when I did, I watched as the [Ancient Centinel] rising higher and higher. From its back, a pair of massive, deformed wings shot out. I stared with wide eyes as it ascended up to the ocean.

“What? It can fly?!”

I gasped. And that wasn’t just it. It could fly fast. With its size and speed, it would reach Centina before me. My effects of [Haste] and [Warped Time] were still active. However, I was at the bottom of the Bloodied Gulf, feet touching the ground. Meanwhile, the head of the [Ancient Centinel] was hundreds of feet off the ground due to the sheer size of its body,.

I cursed. I had no choice. Before the [Ancient Centinel] could dive into the sea, I pointed.

“[Long Ranged Teleport].”

Saffron Merryster sighed as she strolled down the gilded hallway.

“It seems that things will be getting more and more chaotic. To think that the Demons would make a move for my life as well.”

That would expedite her plans. She wouldn’t be able to take the cautious approach anymore, since they were clearly aware of her. Shaking her head, she spun around.

“Salvos, I will need to rely on you for—”

And Saffron faced… nothing. She expected to see the fiery clone of Salvos standing behind her, but no one was there. There were only glowing flickering wisps that slowly vanished.

“Salvos…?”

My clone appeared before the [Ancient Centinel], protesting and shaking a fist. I rolled my eyes.

“I’ll find Saffron once this is all over, alright? For now, help me stop it!”

She scowled, but did as she was told. Her flames burned a different color now. She didn’t shine with an iridescent light— instead, she was a mix of gold and silver flames. And the attacks she produced all burned with the same spiraling light.

Her fire slowed the [Ancient Centinel] long enough for me to reach it from behind, creating six more [Faux Limbs], each of them taking the same claws of a Titan Centinel.

I assailed its sides with [Barrage of Cinder] once again, but this time it seemed to deal even more damage than before. It hurt the [Ancient Centinel] enough to draw its attention. From above, my clone loosed waves of fire, and from below, I attacked it with half a dozen giant claws with fire.

The [Ancient Centinel]’s body glowed again.

“Pesky Demon! Get out of the way!”

It spun around, knocking myself and my clone back. My clone mostly dodged the attack, but still suffered significant damage from the pulse of red energy, while I took it head on. I expected the Breastplate of Alexander to absorb most of the attack. But it shimmered dimly this time.

The [Ancient Centinel]’s blast blew apart my [Faux Limbs], scratching my skin and actual arms. I didn’t crash into the earth, managing to steady myself mid-air, but not without taking some damage.

I looked down, staring at the Breastplate of Alexander as its aura began to fade. I could sense the magic inside of it leaving. It was going to run out soon. Once that happened, I’d have nothing left to protect me against the [Ancient Centinel]’s deadly assault.

The state of my clone prefigured what would happen to me once the Breastplate of Alexander fully failed me. It was no longer even absorbing all of the oncoming attacks. The best course of action now would be to flee. However, I couldn’t do that. The moment I let this [Ancient Centinel] go, it would give chase to Centina and slaughter the monsters of the haven.

So, I straightened. I flanked it from the other side with my clone, smirking.

“Another near-death experience added to the list, then. Now, how many levels am I going to get from you?”

Sal watched, grinning like a madman as Salvos engaged with the [Ancient Centinel]. Black and green blood oozed out of her body. Demon’s blood and Centinel blood. Actual shapeshifting— similar to what the Devil himself was capable of.

“You should really watch this, Reggie. You’re missing out on good stuff.”

The Demon King didn’t look up. He was too focused on moving pieces on the table, but he did respond.

“She’s struggling against a mere [Ancient Centinel]. Not even its Progenitor.”

“Well, yeah? But she’s only Level 125! Well, 127 now. But you know what I mean. Don’t be such a spoilsport.”

The Devil pouted for a moment. Then his eyes flickered back to the fissure in space— the screen that glowed brightly from the inferno of flames Salvos was releasing.

“Ooo, my daughter is truly the best.”

Sal’s voice, however, was drowned out by the rapping on the doorway. The Demon King looked up, speaking in a commanding voice.

“Enter.”

And the chamber’s massive double doors slowly swung open. Two figures entered the room. Both humanoid-looking Archdemons— one short, barely over four feet tall with light blue skin, and the other was a mass of red muscle, nearly as tall as the Demon King himself, although he kept his head low and bowed.

Regnorex addressed his subjects as Sal gave them a sidelong glance.

“Taburas. What is it that you want?”

The light blue Demon kneeled before the Demon King.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for our intrusion. However, we have returned from the task you had given us. We have slain all the wild Demons that have encroached on your Domain.”

“Hmph. Very good. You may take your leave now and rest.”

He waved a dismissive hand, but the pair of Demons didn’t leave. Taburas looked up slightly, tilting her head as he frowned.

“Your Majesty, if I may make a request, we are growing weary waiting here in the Netherworld, slaying nothing but our kind. We know you have plans for us, but we also hope that we may join our brothers and sisters in the Mortal Realm to be of further use to you.”

The Demon King shook his head.

“No. You are still weak. The both of you have shown the greatest potential out of any Demon birthed in this cycle of Advent. That is why you must grow in strength here before you are allowed to cross the planes.”

“But—”

Taburas started, and Regnorex spok with finality in his voice.

“I have spoken.”

She bowed deeply, apologizing.

“I am sorry for questioning you, Your Majesty.”

Sal looked over at the pair of Demons— at the light blue Demon and the red Demon— and chuckled.

“Of course they’re weak. I mean, not anyone can be as great as my daughter. Come on, you guys are barely around Level 120 and you still lack Grand Skills.”

He shook his head.

“Meanwhile, Salvos has two Grand Skills. Two!”

Regnorex made a disgruntled sound, and Taburas narrowed her eyes.

“Excuse me, but who—”

However, before she could speak, the red Demon stood up.

“What did you say?”

Sal smiled, spreading his arms wide..

“I said you’re weak. That my daughter is stronger than the both of you.”

He noticed how the red Demon’s eyes flickered towards the screen, staring at Salvos as she battled the [Ancient Centinel].

“And that’s your daughter?”

“Interested, are you? Well, there’s a fifty gold watching fee.”

The red Demon shifted back, and Sal chuckled.

“I’m kidding. I’m kidding. You can watch.”

The Devil turned back to the screen while red Demon watched the fight from behind, clearly distressed. Sal tapped a finger on his chin.

So, is this your boyfriend? Or, no— your brother?

He threw his head back and laughed.

Interesting. But, alas, he’s Reggie’s son, not mine.

They watched as Salvos continued her duel with the [Ancient Centinel], the Breastplate of Alexander fading, and her time running out.

A note from MelasD

I wonder who's that familiar red Demon at the end there? Maybe if you want to read more about him, you can check out his side story here.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Buy my merch on TeeSpring

287. Despair Part One

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to LambentTyto:

Jinni babes, isekai samurai, dungeons and quests! What's not to like?

Below you can find the individual blurbs for each of the books/arcs in the series. Please don't forget to follow, rate, and if you're feeling like a true adventurer, to write a review!

The Jinni and The Isekai (The Jinni and The Isekai, #1)

Shiro Takeda, a samurai deep in debt and forced into a swashbuckler’s life, wanders in search of dungeons to raid so he can pay back his loans. Unfortunately, his lenders have already sent headsmen after him. His fortunes change when he finds a piece of legendary loot—a jinni lamp. But before the insolent spirit can bestow her gifts upon him, Shiro must find and kill the Jinni’s current master; a sultan of vast wealth, power and harems.

Perhaps with the help of his newfound companion, Shiro can discover who isekaied him into this strange land.

The Jinni and The Isekai | Royal Road

Captured by giants and nearly killed as a sacrifice in the bedchambers of a sorceress, Falinor, a mercenary swordsman with some small skill in the magical arts, is rescued by Harrkania’Dar, a princess among the giants. To repay his debt, Falinor agrees to accompany Harrkania on a dangerous quest to obtain an item guarded by her father’s minions.

Note: Warriors of Sword & Sorcery is of the genre of sword-and-sorcery, where anti-heroes out for their own ends quest to better their own fortunes. The series is fast paced, as sword-and-sorcery tends to be, as it is the thriller of the fantasy genre where action, adventure and romance are key plot elements.

The Princess of Malik'Dar (Warriors of Sword & Sorcery) | Royal Road

287. Despair Part One

I attacked the [Ancient Centinel] from both sides. My one remaining clone unleashed a volley of Refined Blazing Bolts at it from above, while I closed the distance and assailed it from up close. My body shifted as my arms changed one again, becoming scythe-like blades that were sharper than even my claws. [Faux Limb] copied and multiplied these limbs, aiding me in slicing open the segmented carapace of the giant monster.

I couldn’t just grow a dozen different arms when the Gracious Centinel who I borrowed this shape from only had two arms. But even if [Faux Limbs] were merely duplicates made out of fire, they were still powerful. Just like my clone made from [Salvo of Vanity]. All of my Skills and magicks were boosted by [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion], and it let me bring pain to the [Ancient Centinel].

It reeled back, letting out an ear piercing screech as it was slowly overwhelmed.

“Go back to your stupid castle, you wild monster!”

My face morphed into that of my [Demonic Essence] form. A skull-like head of an animal. I bit into its shell, ripping it off and digging deeper into the [Ancient Centinel]’s sides. It thrashed in the air before rapidly descending to crush me against the earth. Meanwhile, my clone stayed a decent distance away and kept up its salvo of Refined Blazing Bolts.

I could take the risk to get up close and fight with the [Ancient Centinel]. My clone could not. Not only was she naturally less durable than me, she also didn’t have the Breastplate of Alexander. Because of that, the [Ancient Centinel]’s attacks would directly hurt her, just as it did before.

She was already injured, and if she died, she’d explode. A powerful explosion that I’d rather save for an opportune attack against the [Ancient Centinel].

My clone angrily shook a fist at me, and I scoffed.

“That’s your job! Unlike you, I can’t blow myself up!”

And I wouldn’t do that even if I could. I continued to tear away at the [Ancient Centinel] as it called for its allies’ help. [Older Centinels] and even [Senior Centinels] came to its side, leaping at me to pry me off. I incinerated them with a flick of my scythe-like hands.

“Stupid. Centinel. Armor!”

I swung my arms like a pick, punctuating each word. The shell finally cracked open, and an entire segment of armor fell off. I flew back, my face returning to normal.

“Good, now—”

I thought of the most powerful fire magic I knew. Anything that would scorch the flesh of the [Ancient Centinel]. A flicker caught my eye, and I glanced up in the direction where the monster haven had escaped. Grinning, my arms shifted, burning away into rainbow-colored flames.

My arms became little nubs of fire. As they were now, the length of the flames would be the same length as my normal elbow.

“Willy will be so jealous.”

I pointed both my now-fiery arms and my [Faux Limbs] at the [Ancient Centinel], unleashing a deluge of vibrant flames. Its flesh was flaked and charred by the fire as it screamed in pain. My clone concentrated its attacks on the exposed spot too, and together we pushed the giant monster back.

“Come on—”

I gritted my teeth as I watched more of the [Ancient Centinel] burn, hoping that this would be enough to put the nail in the coffin and finish it off.

“Is that really her…?”

Sal glanced over at the source of the voice. The red-skinned Demon watched the screen with round eyes.

“She’s grown so much stronger since… I’m glad.”

He sighed, placing a hand on his chest. With a smile, the Devil leaned over him and cocked a brow.

“She’s really great. Isn’t she? Look at her, taking on that [Ancient Centinel]. However, I do fear that it may not be enough.”

“Not enough?”

“Yeah. Because, while she may be able to stand up to it with her Grand Skill, you’re not accounting for one crucial detail.”

The red-skinned Demon frowned. He didn’t get it. Disappointing, Sal thought. Even if this Archdemon was Salvos’ brother or whatever, he didn’t share many of her traits that made her who she was.

It was probably Regnorex’s fault. The Demon King was a dull man. Unlike Sal, who clearly was the one responsible for Salvos’ amazing upbringing. With a sigh, the Devil gestured at the [Ancient Centinel] on the screen.

“It has a Grand Skill too.”

It took a moment, and the Archdemon’s eyes widened in realization.

“Oh.”

I watched as the [Ancient Centinel] twisted and contorted, its body turning into itself as it was burned away by the combined flames of myself and my clone.

“This is getting tiring. Hey, other me, can you take over for a bit? I want to take a quick break.”

She scowled at me, and I rolled my eyes.

“It was a joke! A joke—”

But before I could finish my sentence, the [Ancient Centinel] dug into the earth. I watched as it tried to escape by burrowing away from me. It left behind a massive hole. It was nearly the size of the kind of ravine I’d find in the central area of the Bloodied Gulf, and I was pretty sure it was digging to escape.

However, [A Hunter’s Sense] told me that it was recuperating for just a brief moment. That it was going to attack me. I turned to my clone as I flitted up.

“Alright. You stay here and distract it for a bit. I’ll fly away and—”

“[Come and See—”

My clone was about to protest, but a clicking sound echoed from the pit and interrupted me. I narrowed my eyes, looking down.

“Wait, that’s—”

“[The Depths of Our Despair].”

“Fuck.”

And I watched as a red aura erupted from the pit. I flew back along with my clone, staring as the world rumbled. I could feel the shaking even from where I floated above the ground. Then amongst the red aura, emerged flickers in reality.

It was like the parts of the world were reduced to mosaics— odd, obfuscated patterns that shone with a dull crimson. It assailed the rocks and the dirt, sending debris into the air in all directions. But the debris didn’t fall. They floated and morphed and twisted, growing into a blur that I could barely discern.

“This is like…”

I narrowed my eyes. I recognized this effect. And when the [Ancient Centinel] emerged from the shadows, I understood what this was.

It had become a literal husk of its former self. Its segmented parts were pried open, dismantled into dozens of different floating sections. Each of them were obscured under the same mosaic-like effect that had overcome the floating debris. Its barbed limbs floated in spiraling patterns, circling around the deformed shells like rings. Together, these former parts of the [Ancient Centinel] made up a curtain of colors and blurred lines that protected something within.

At the center of this mass was a smaller figure. One that looked nearly anthropomorphic. With arms and legs like a Human or an Elf or a Cyclops. A kind of Sage Centinel.

I narrowed my eyes, clenching a fist.

“Did you know about this, Sal?”

I called out to the Devil who was most definitely watching this scene.

Sall grinned, pointing at the screen.

“She’s talking about me!”

Then he paused as the red-skinned Archdemon gave him a flat stare.

“Oh, and I had absolutely no idea this was going to happen. Honestly, she should really run away.”

The [Ancient Centinel] was… no longer an [Ancient Centinel]. It had become something else. It had corrupted itself.

It was just like the Cursed Boulder. Its body was a storm of warped shapes. Even [Identification] gave me a different result now when I faced it.

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Centinel - Lvl. 162]

I stared at this blotched mixture of carapace, teeth, and flesh. A mosaic of red. One that ripped apart the world with its very presence. I turned to my clone.

“So, do you have any ideas?”

She gesticulated wildly, and I nodded in agreement.

“Yep. Yep. I see.”

When she was finished, I patted her on the shoulder and smiled.

“We should really run for it, shouldn’t we?”

She hurriedly nodded, and we took off. Once again, I was given chase by the [Ancient Centinel]. Even after I had earned a Grand Skill, it was still stronger than me. Although, should it even be considered an [Ancient Centinel] now? Maybe it was more like… Corrupted Centinel.

Whatever the case was, I was truly out of cards. All except for… one.

Temporary Skills:

[Greater Status Effect Resistance] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Superior Aura of Greater Protection] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Repudiation Repulse] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

The world collapsed around me as I considered my last resort against this traveling calamity, hoping that it’d work.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Buy my merch on TeeSpring

288. Despair Part Two

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Nixia's Dungeon Devotee!

Through all of Linaria, no dungeon holds such a grip on the dreams of men as the Eternal Depths.  Hundreds throw themselves against its trials each day.  Dozens survive, walking away with power and wealth beyond their wildest dreams… until they go back for more.  One way or another, they all eventually feed the Depths.

Edmund Montgomery Ahab has sworn to destroy it.

Underleveled, undertrained, and underprepared, Edmund steps into the maw of the world’s greatest predator, a sword in his hand and vengeance on his mind.  At first his task seems impossible, but with every level he earns, every piece of loot that drops, every secret he uncovers, and especially every bit of power he can squeeze from his mysterious connection to the Aspect of Madness, Edmund crawls closer to accomplishing that insurmountable feat.

With nothing else to lose, Edmund has already given the Depths his life.  All that remains to be seen is whether he takes the dungeon’s right back.

Dungeon Devotee | Royal Road

288. Despair Part Two

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Centinel - Lvl. 162]

The world seemed to warp around me as my vision somehow grew muffled. Bits of rock and sand floated into the air, distorted into odd, jagged shapes that obscured their original form. The rose as obfuscated water descended from the sea above, filling the air with these twisted parts of reality.

It was almost reminiscent of the fold between planes where the Devil lived. Except— corrupted.

I dove through this changed landscape, fleeing the Corrupted Centinel with my clone trailing slowly behind. The mass of broken shells and limbs and wings followed after us as parts of its body shot out, propelled by a great force that closed the distance in an instant. My clone and I zipped around each other, like a pair of spiraling wisps, avoiding these attacks as I pointed at her.

“What are you still doing here? Distract it for me!”

She crossed her arms as she flew around one of the floating corruptions. Another projectile shot out between us, and I nodded, listening to her arguments against that idea.

“I see. You think it’d be stupid if you just went ahead and died in a few seconds, wasting my only advantage before even formulating a proper plan of action. I think you’re right. As expected of myself, you’re a genius!”

However, there was one problem there. I wasn’t sure what I could even do against this Corrupted Centinel. The Bloodied Gulf itself was collapsing and rising, being flipped over and entirely rearranged. Most of my Skills were exhausted. The only idea I had left was to utilize the Breastplate of Alexander’s Temporary Skills.

Temporary Skills:

[Greater Status Effect Resistance] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Superior Aura of Greater Protection] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Repudiation Repulse] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

I could feel the [Superior Aura of Greater Protection] fading, but I knew the [Greater Status Effect Resistance] would hold up. And then there was [Repudiation Repulse], which had helped me defeat parts of the Cursed Boulder before.

It accumulated the damage it had taken and unleashed it out onto others. This meant that it had been storing up an unfathomable amount of power for a while now, with all the damage it had taken since I arrived here. I just had to get close and release it all into the center of the Corrupted Centinel— where its smaller body lay.

“Alright. I’ve decided. We’re going to charge straight into it.”

My clone gave me a judging look, and I rolled my eyes.

“Look, unless you have a better plan, I don’t think anything else will work.”

She acquiesced after a moment’s deliberation. The wall of water that marked the end of the Bloodied Gulf loomed over us as we rapidly approached it. A ripple ran through the ocean, and I glanced back. The Corrupted Centinel was close. Its corruption began to spread to the ocean itself, splitting it in twain.

The sea unfurled like a shorn curtain, divided and contorted. I nodded at my clone.

“Now, break!”

We flew straight at each other before continuing on, heading in opposite directions. [The Primordial Spark] flared around as I unleashed a deluge of blue and red flames at the Corrupted Centinel. It didn’t reel back— it was protected by the distorted shells floating around it. It concentrated that barrier in my direction, essentially absorbing the flames.

My clone, however, released more precise attacks, aiming straight for the center of the mass. Weapons made of silver-gold flame shot out and swerved their way around the outer mosaics. The entirety of the Corrupted Centinel shifted back as its true body was pierced by the salvo of blades. It looked like a Sage Centinel, but different.

I could hear a warped screech erupt from it as I continued to circle around it, using my fiery arms to scorch its outside. The Corrupted Centinel twisted. Its outer body exploded out, aiming for myself and my clone.

I dipped down as my clone flew up. Most of its attack was concentrated on her, rather than me. It thought I was the distraction since I’d only been annoying it, while my clone had actually hurt it. Well, that was what I wanted it to think.

As the array of obfuscated shells and spikes crashed down towards me, I suddenly changed course. I sent a burst of flames to redirect my trajectory and began to rapidly ascend. Bits of the outer body of the Corrupted Centinel receded to cover its true body, but I focused on it.

[Scattering Displacement]. [Mass Particulate Modification].

My grip over the flying layer of [Ancient Centinel] parts was weak. It was just like with the Cursed Boulder. For whatever reason, the corruption distorted my control over space magic in the area. But it was enough of an effect to create a small hole for me to slip through.

I shrank some of the large shells, while prying them aside. Then before it could close in, I entered the inside of the Corrupted Centinel’s outer body. Immediately, I was afflicted by a strong pressure. One that threatened to tear me apart. My Breastplate of Alexander shone, flickering and fading. I could see parts of the iridescent metal dissolve into particles that slowly vanished.

And it wasn’t just the Breastplate of Alexander. Unfortunately, its protection magic was failing. My skin ebbed too. I watched as bits of my body flaked off, being replaced with a stinging pain. A ghost feeling taking over for where it used to be.

I grimaced, but I fought through this. My entire body flared up in an eclectic blaze. Different colors that spiraled around my body, protecting me as much as it was meant to hurt the Corrupted Centinel.

I drew closer to the center of this corrupted mass. More of its outer body receded, moving to intercept me with corrupted projectiles and tendrils of the [Ancient Centinel]’s remains encroached around me. I burned it all away, keeping it back as I reached for the true body.

I wasn’t going to activate [Repudiation Repulse] until I was close enough that I knew it would have an actual effect on the Corrupted Centinel. Also, I wanted the Breastplate of Alexander to absorb as much energy as possible before I released it all back into the world.

My teeth ground together as I burned my way into the heart of the corruption. But just as I was about to reach the true body, I was assailed by a mass of the corrupted carapace. It surrounded me, trying to bury me from all directions. It pulled me back as I struggled to wade my way closer to the small figure at the center.

I met the gaze of the Corrupted Centinel’s true body. It rose an arm, dismissively waving it as I was tossed back. The Breastplate of Alexander dimmed, its light beginning to vanish as it crumpled under the pressure. My body twisted in pain as black blood seeped out of my skin.

“No!”

I shouted, eyes flickering. My vision changed as I saw myself wrapped up in a distorted red of shells and flesh, quickly flying away from the Corrupted Centinel. My clone rushed in, despite the corruption damaging her very being. Chunks of her body dissipated as she was impaled by multiple flying barbed parts.

Still, she made her way towards me, flying through this storm until she was nearly within arm’s length. I smiled as I grabbed her hand. She sighed.

And she exploded.

A blast of gold and silver blew apart a quarter of the Corrupted Centinel’s body. The amalgamation of carapace that had been pulling me back was knocked away, burned by her fire. It was more powerful than even my [Demon’s Mark], now. At its current level, it was the strongest area of effect Skill I had. And combined with [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion], it burned everything it touched.

Everything that wasn’t the corruption.

Somehow, the corruption couldn’t be destroyed. It was protected by something. Or maybe warped to the point that it couldn’t be damaged. Whatever the case was, all my clone did was buy me some time. It cleared the area of most of the outer layer of the Corrupted Centinel, but it would recede back into itself soon.

I had to move fast. I was injured and burned by my own clone’s explosion. The Breastplate of Alexander tanked the attack, but its protective barrier was at its very last leg now. I spread my scorched wings wide and coupled it with the [Wings of the Netherworld]. My scalded and partially disintegrated arms turned into tendrils along with [Faux Limbs], shooting out to grab hold of the Corrupted Centinel’s true body.

It tore apart my [Faux Limbs] as I pulled myself closer. I flew faster with four pairs of wings, and with a burst of flames propelling me from below, I closed the distance before the corruption could regather around me.

My arms changed back into scythes as I stabbed the true body, clinging onto it. I was face-to-face with the Corrupted Centinel. A kind of deformed Sage Centinel that stared at me with near-lifeless eyes. It attempted to pry me off, but my Breastplate of Alexander shimmered one last time. Its arms tore through the barrier, ripping it apart as it tried to hold up with whatever magic it had left inside of it.

The metal collapsed, folding inwards as my skin was torn and ripped. But I just smiled, even through the pain.

“Hey. I’m Salvos.”

“You!”

It screeched back, and I placed a hand on the Breastplate of Alexander. It suddenly shone, brighter than ever. Like a star that suddenly filled the night sky. A nova.

“And you’re dead.”

[Repudiation Repulse].

A ring exploded out. A wave. A ripple in the ocean. That of total obliteration. The corruption wasn’t safe from this pulse of energy as it rapidly expanded out. A blast that inflicted all the damage that it had absorbed over time.

Everything was released at once. The corruption was wiped back and I hoped that it had been enough to destroy the true body itself.

“Is it… over?”

I asked, panting. But it wasn’t. Of course it wasn’t. A hand reached out from the smoke and grabbed me by the face.

Most of the Corrupted Centinel’s true body had been destroyed. It was now just a mangled mess with a torso, a single arm, and a head. But it still floated there, regenerating slowly as the corruption took back hold of it.

“No.”

Its mandibles clicked as it brought me closer.

“You will forever be a prey in this world.”

I thrashed in its grasps as it bit into me. It shredded the now-inert Breastplate of Alexander, flying up as it tried to rip off my head. Its mandibles closed around me as I held out a hand, summoning something with [Dimensional Pocket].

The Corrupted Centinel blinked as it tore into… paper? It stared at the thick diary I’d produced, temporary staving away the killing blow and confusing it for a moment. Then one of my [Faux Limbs] whipped out and attempted to strangle it.

It ripped apart my [Faux Limb] as my arms changed once again. My left arm morphed into two. The same claw-like arms I had in my [Demonic Essence] form. They were longer and could push back against the Corrupted Centinel’s grip over me. My right arm changed back into a scythe as I sliced open its side, baring my teeth.

“You should’ve stayed silent.”

My head morphed as the Corrupted Centinel ripped off one of my claw-like left arms. I stared down at it with gleaming eyes— a silvery face that made it paused for a moment.

“How…?”

It met its own gaze, looking up at itself. At a Demon that wore the head of a Centinel. No— its very own head. I clicked my mandibles as I leaned in.

“You will be nothing but a memory in my world.”

And I chomped down on it. I tore its neck off with a single, clean bite. The Corrupted Centinel struggled for a moment, even without a head. Then its body went limp. The corruption around me dispersed.

I won.

Defeated [-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Centinel - Lvl. 162]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 30 levels above you!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 127] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 128]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 128] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 129]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 129] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 130]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

[Title Available]

A note from MelasD

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289. Despair Part Three (End of Volume 5 Part 1)

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289. Despair Part Three

“Salvos… she won.”

The red-skinned Demon sighed in relief as the girl on the other side of the screen ripped off the head of the Corrupted Centinel. Sal grinned and leaned back.

“That’s my daughter for you. She’s great, isn’t she? Takes after her old man right here.”

“Your daughter?”

That statement seemed to confuse the Archdemon. He furrowed his brows, turning to face the Devil.

“I wasn’t aware that she—”

“Who is that, Haec?”

Before he could finish, the other Archdemon interrupted him. Taburas crossed her arms with a scowl.

“Why are you fascinated with her?”

Haec, the red-skinned Demon, drew back.

“She’s…”

“She’s better than you.”

Sal spoke simply, earning a glare from Taburas.

“Far better, really. It’s not a comparison. Of course he’d be taken by my daughter and not you, little Ms [Succubus].”

“How dare you—”

She started, but a booming voice shook the room.

“That’s enough.”

Regnorex loomed before the two Archdemons. His shadow covered them, and they trembled in his mere presence.

“Leave. All of you.”

Both Haec and Taburas immediately bowed, speaking hastily.

“Yes, my King.”

They took their leave. The red-skinned Demon paused as the doorway swung shut. He glanced back at the screen once more, a longing in his eyes. Before he finally left.

The Devil just laughed.

“What a bunch of weaklings. This is the cool kids club. Only those Level 200 and above are allowed here. Am I right, Reggie? Eh? Eh?”

The Demon King folded his arms, giving Sal a warning look.

“Do not test my patience, Devil. I will not tolerate disrespect, even from you.”

“Fine, if you want to be like that, I’ll go as well. Geez, I thought we were pals. Oh well.”

Sal’s eyes flickered towards the screen. Salvos was slowly falling, drifting back to the ground.

“Well, I guess that’s my cue.”

With a quick curtsy, he took his leave. The Devil vanished, leaving the Demon King alone in his chamber to continue his plots and schemes. A grand war between the planes was unfolding there. It would result in hundreds of thousands and even millions of deaths.

But Sal could hardly care about it. All he cared about right now was… well, his daughter.

“I did iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.”

I flipped and turned as I slowly fell out of the sky. Like a flitting bug that had lost one of its wings. I’d lost more than one of my wings. My [Wings of the Netherworld] was bent and broken, and one of my two left arms was gone. My skin was ripped in more places than one, with black blood oozing out and trailing behind me as I made my tired descent.

I was so exhausted. I wanted to just pass out there and then. The only thing that kept me awake was the fact that I’d gotten a Title.

Yes. I’d finally gotten a new Title. I was curious to check out its effects. I dismissed the other additional notifications that popped up in my head— although I did take notice of how close I was getting to Level 100 in my Class.

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 91] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 92]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

…

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 93] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 94]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

“Not right now, though. I want to see my Ti—”

And I paused. I literally paused. I stopped falling through the air, landing in a pair of black and red arms.

I looked up with bleary eyes, staring at a familiar smirking face. It was Sal. The Devil had caught me just before I touched the ground. He landed lightly and spoke in a soft voice.

“Good job, Salv—”

I didn’t let him finish. I sat up, glaring daggers at him.

“You.”

“Me?”

He cocked his head. My eyes narrowed as my body returned to its normal form. No more scythes, no more [Faux Limbs], and no more [Wings of the Netherworld]. It was just me. And I pointed a clawed finger at the Devil.

“You are—”

I stopped. I stared at my hand. My left arm— the one which had morphed into two arms before one was ripped off— was badly injured. Entire bits of flesh had been ripped off. Which, sure, I was missing my skin in a lot more places than one. But this was beyond just the damage I’d suffered from the corruption and my clone’s explosion.

An entire chunk of flesh from my forearm to my shoulder was gone. I was missing multiple fingers when I hadn't been missing a single finger before. Was this caused by the injuries I sustained when my arm was transformed?

It seemed like when the Corrupted Centinel tore one of the two transformed arms off, the damage was brought over to my real body in a very noticeable and significant way. Even the lesser injuries I sustained on my right arm when it was the scythe-like limb were transferred as well. My claws were duller, just as the bladed edged had been reduced from repeated use against the hard carapace.

That meant I probably couldn’t just shapeshift into something else to hide the injuries. If I created a pair of tendrils with my left arm, one of my tendrils would be missing. If I tried to create a giant claw with my right arm, it would definitely be weakened too.

I closed my eyes, sighing as I lay back down.

“You’re a jerk, Sal.”

The Devil just chuckled.

“I had to punish you for breaking the rules, Salvos. There are consequences to every action you take. You should know that, right?”

“There are. But I made my decision knowing that everything would work out just fine. I thought it through. I just didn't realize that you were this much of a jerk.”

I shrugged, facing away from him.

“But you live and you learn, I guess. I now know that you’d try to sabotage me if I ever did anything to help anyone that’s not myself.”

“Come on, my daughter. You do realize that none of this will really matter to you at the end of the day, yes? The lives of all those monsters you saved today are utterly meaningless in not just the context of the Nexeus, but in the grand scheme of the multiverse as well.”

He shook his head, waving it off dismissively.

“Other than to satiate your pride, it was truly… pointless.”

His words must’ve struck a nerve within me because I found myself grinding my teeth together in annoyance.

“You’re wrong. That’s not right.”

I vehemently rejected his ideals.

“What you’re saying is that my actions don’t matter. That no matter what I do, nothing will ever matter. But my actions do matter. I know that they’ll remember me for what I did. Centina. Willy. Kron. Galt..”

I listed names. People that mattered to me; people who I knew would remember me for who I am and what I’ve done.

“Not just them. My friends— Rachel, Valda, Lamarr, Hadrian. And my companions too. Daniel, Edithe, Saffron, and Haec.”

“But what is the point of a memory if you’re dead?”

He posed the question, raising a dubious brow.

I looked up at the Devil. He challenged me with a gaze that held within it millennia of experience. Knowledge that I could barely comprehend. Things that I wouldn’t understand.

It was like staring into an endless void. One that entranced me— that drew me to peer further into that darkness. Tempting me to take a step into that incomprehensible world. It was as though it had left me at an impasse, but before I could make a decision, shadowed tendrils grabbed me and dragged me into the darkness, drowning out my senses as I was enveloped in the inky well and washed with small, terrible senses. Like my ears were tormented by the screeching of a serrated knife on a metal brim; like my skin had been riddled with tiny holes of varying sizes, interspersed in an irregular pattern that itched, and clawing it would not lead to relief, but bit by bit, force rotten teeth out of these crawling cavities.

It was too much for me.

The Devil had been to the edge of the world. He had seen the source of the corruption. He knew where Daniel came from, and he lived in an unfathomable place in space. He’d seen other universes, met with Gods and Worldwalkers. The extent of my lifespan was mere frivol to him— no more than a pebble at his feet.

“So what if they engrave your name in a statue? It will turn to rubble in a thousand years. So what if they write your name in the history books? The ink will fade away in time. None of that matters, my daughter. Or have you heard of my feats? Do they still speak my name in the streets of mortal cities? Tell me: what is the point of being acknowledged if you’re not even there?”

He asked— he challenged. I couldn’t deny the vastness of everything that encapsulated Sal’s existence. And yet, with his old age, perhaps he forgot what it meant to truly be alive.

“Being acknowledged means I exist, Sal. It means that I matter.”

Sal frowned, and I didn’t break from his gaze.

“To live without any acknowledgement— without others knowing about your existence— is no different from being dead.”

I spoke simply, raising a hand.

“If none of your actions, feats, or accomplishments are known, then did they truly happen? If no one is there to behold your greatness, then are you really great? And if no one knows that you’re alive, are you actually alive?”

I balled my hand into a fist and pushed myself off the Devil. I looked into his eyes that had seen an eternity, and this time, I was the one to challenge him.

“Maybe that’s why no one knows who you are, Sal. Maybe that’s why my name is being spoken by the Elves and the Humans and the Cyclopes and the monsters of this world. While your name is reduced to being a folktale amongst [Cultists].”

I pointed at him, speaking defiantly and against his beliefs.

“Sal, at this very moment, I am more alive than you. And if you continue to waste away, hidden from the world, things will remain that way. You are nothing more than a walking corpse.”

I finished.

It took a moment for my words to settle in, and the Devil’s gaze darkened. His brows creased, forming an arch that cast a shadow over his face. I wasn’t sure how he’d react to my repudiation of his philosophy, but he didn’t look happy.

Sal opened his mouth—

And sniffled.

“My daughter… I can’t believe you’d lecture your old man like this. I didn’t teach you to be a rebel!”

He feigned tears, turning away from me as I snorted.

“Seriously? This is how you react after I said all that?”

The Devil laughed and waved a hand off.

“Please. I didn’t expect anything else from you. You’re really such a self-centered idiot, Salvos.”

“I am not a self-centered idiot. I’m a self-centered genius.”

“Maybe. But you’re still a narcissist. And you didn’t even answer my question. What does all this matter if you just die tomorrow? In a thousand years time, you’d be forgotten.”

I folded my arms, shifting back slightly.

“Well, I just have to choose my battles wisely while making sure people know who I am. It’s a delicate balance. It’s not all or nothing.”

“And you think this was a wise battle?”

Sal gestured at the remains of the Corrupted Centinel around me. I paused when I took in the landscape— it seemed like the corruption was vanishing, and the parts of the Bloodied Gulf that had been flipped over by the corruption were returning back to normal. Although, the parts that were destroyed from the fight remained unchanged.

“This is something you instigated. I was being smart before all this.”

I bit my lower rip as the Devil’s gaze bore into me.

“...and maybe I got a bit too cocky once I gained my Grand Skills. But still! It’s your fault!”

“Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

Sal rolled his eyes and stepped forward. Spreading his arms wide, he tilted his head and gave me a mischievous look.

“Anyway, I did as I promised, didn’t I? As I promised, you now have a Grand Skill. No— you have two Grand Skills. I did a pretty excellent job, don’t you think? Your father deserves some, ah, acknowledgement, doesn’t he? After all, as you said, he’s lacking quite a bit in that department.”

I snorted as the Devil tried to tease me. But he was right in this regard. He kept his promise, and I was truly grateful. So, I hugged him and smiled.

“You’re right. Thank you, Dad. For all you’ve done for me.”

Sal froze where he stood as Salvos embraced him. He stared down at her, blinking. He was definitely not expecting that. And…

Did my heart just miss a beat?

“Wait, wait, wait— I was kidding!”

The Devil pushed me back, and I cocked my head.

“But I’m not kidding.”

“Yes, but, you’re supposed to… I was just…”

He trailed off. I peered at him— inspecting his worried face.

“Is something wrong, Dad?”

I watched as he backed away from me and covered his face.

“No, no, no, no, no, no. This isn't right. I’m supposed to be the one who’s teasing you.”

“But I’m not teasing you, Dad.”

For whatever reason, Sal melted into the ground and groaned. I poked him on the side, giving him a puzzled look.

“What’s wrong, Dad? Are you alright, Dad? Dad? Hey, Dad? Daaaaaad?”

He rolled on the ground, making an odd wheezing noise as though he was dying.

“Someone please kill me…”

I just stared at him as he lay there for a moment. Then suddenly, I felt the ground shake. My eyes flickered, and the Devil was up in an instant. He stood over me, already holding his pitchfork.

“What’s going on?”

My iridescent flames came to existence around me as the tremor grew more and more violent. Sal didn’t respond, simply remaining on guard. Then, all around us, the ground burst open. Giant, undulating shapes exploded from the ground, swarming all around us. Red carapaces and shells. Barbed limbs. Wings. And an all-too-familiar enemy.

Except, dozens more.

[Ancient Centinel - Lvl. 156]

[Ancient Centinel - Lvl. 175]

[Ancient Centinel - Lvl. 161]

[Ancient Centinel - Lvl. 183]

…

My eyes widened at this sight. At the multitude of [Ancient Centinels] that gathered around us. A bead of sweat trickled down my neck as I could only watch them come. They didn’t attack right away, just seemingly gathering around us.

And it was from the center of this gather, I saw a lean pink figure emerge. It was no bigger than a Human. Smaller, in fact. Like it had the upper body of a Goblin. Its lower body was reminiscent of a [Younger Centinel], and it was coiled around itself like a snake clinging onto a pole.

It… almost looked like a woman. It even had a mass of spiked hair coming from its head— something Sage Centinels didn’t. I quickly used [Identification] on it, and the results only made me more nervous.

[??? - Lvl. ???]

I couldn’t see its level.

Sal stepped forward, keeping an arm out so I wouldn’t approach it. He bowed and smiled.

“Greetings, Matriarch Centinel. It has been a while since we’ve last seen each other. My, you’ve leveled quite a bit since the days back in the Endlands, haven’t you?”

It didn’t respond to him. Not immediately. Instead, it just stood before us as the mass of [Ancient Centinels] calmed down. The Devil drew back, still gripping onto his weapon.

“May I ask what the [Progenitor of Secely’s Centinels] wants to do with us? I was under the impression that you were more of a… recluse.”

It brought an arm up, pointing at me, and I tensed.

“Her.”

It made clicking noises that were somehow more garbled than anything I’d heard from any other Centinel thus far.

“Her. Kill. Child. Mine.”

“She killed your child? Well, yes. I’m sure she’s killed plenty of your children. Why do you care? They die all the time.”

Sal just shrugged, but it wasn’t placated by that.

“My. Daughter. My. Own. Child.”

It hugged itself, digging its fingers into its own shell. It began to cry, but instead of tears pouring down from its face, [Infant Centinels] fell out by the dozens. They crawled away from her before she crushed them all with a whip of her lower body.

I grimaced at that— I guess it didn’t care about anything that wasn’t an [Ancient Centinel].

“Kill. Her.”

It pointed at me, and Sal stabbed his pitchfork on the ground.

“Sorry, you may have lost your child, but you have plenty of others. I’m not going to let you have my only daughter.”

The Matriarch Centinel let out a horrific screech as it charged us. The [Ancient Centinels] moved, and I readied for a fight. But Sal just grabbed me by the arm, waving at them and creating a portal.

“Seeya next time!”

And with that, we were gone. The portal closed as they crashed into nothing. When I opened my eyes, I was back in my Dad’s home.

End of Volume 5 Part 1

Author's Notes:

Volume 5 is being split into three parts, each with different focuses and themes. Volume 5 Part 1 focused heavily on Salvos’ own personal growth, and Volume 5 Part 2 will have a different approach too. As said at the start of the week, no chapter tomorrow. So, next chapter will be on Monday.

If you want to read ahead to the start of Salvos Volume 5 Part 2 right now, check out my patreon. MelasD (Melas/Salvos/Tian) is creating Web Novels / Web Serials | Patreon

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Otherwise, thanks for reading as always.

290. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part One (Start of Volume 5 Part 2)

A note from MelasD

Shouty outy to my man Mecanimus!

The world of Nyil, with its monsters, its knights and its mildly sociopathic gods. Come and see! A soul flees and a soul arrives, blessed by luck. Will she survive? Will she thrive? Will she become a calamity?

After all, luck is such a fickle thing.

The Calamitous Bob | Royal Road

A conversation with a handsome stranger leaves Ariane chained in a cellar with a strange affliction. She soon discovers that the darkness of the nineteenth century’s Deep South hides many dangers. Mages, wolf shifters and the humans who hunt them play a risky game where to stumble is to die, all under the amused gaze of the apex predators of the supernatural world: vampires.

It is never healthy to attract the gaze of the aristocracy of the night. It takes much to survive in this merciless world, but Ariane will not let that deter her. The southern belle has a bite, and she is willing to learn and to grow in this hostile new world. She will use whatever means necessary to reclaim her freedom, be it guile, charm, or those intriguing new instincts that make blood so delectable.

A Journey of Black and Red | Royal Road

290. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part One

Ever since she was a child, Saffron Merryster had feared only one thing: the idea that the Regnorex, the Demon King of the Netherworld, would make his return during her lifetime. It was a reasonable fear for her. As a Human Vampire, she would’ve likely lived far longer than her non-Vampire Human counterparts— a century, at the bare minimum. As long as she didn’t get herself killed through reckless means.

It was something to do with Vampire biology that let them live for nearly a millennia. The oldest Vampire in history was said to have lived through all of the Immortal King Alexander’s reign; she had been the only responsible for elevating the status of their kind from pests and plagues to that of nobility, due to her friendship with him. She died of unknown causes shortly after his death to the Demon King, but before her passing, she warned future generations of Vampires to remain vigilante. Beware of the return of the Demons. Beware of their merciless slaughter.

Beware of Regnorex, for he is at the gates.

Unfortunately, over the millennia since, the sensibilities of Human Vampires had eroded. They’d become negligent in their luxury, focusing not on their duties as Vampires— as Demon Slayers and Demons Hunters— but on the politics that would ensure their privileged life remained… well, privileged.

Saffron hated it. She despised the languor of politicking and scheming. There was no unity to the actions of the Five Greater Vampire Families. They sabotaged each other, colluded against each other, and even brought each other to destruction. Because of that, there were now only Four Greater Vampire Families left.

Even now, when the situation was dire— when an entire country had been razed to ashes by a terrible Primeval Demon— the families refused to cooperate. To work together to tackle this threat. They were far too concerned with protecting their own interests.

Sighing, Saffron collapsed into her bed as she read the magical transmission she received from her Father. He had gone to the Veridian Family’s estate to speak with them about the situation with the Primeval Demon. And what he had gotten was… nothing substantive.

It had gone about as well as Saffron meeting with the Norwood Family. She’d arrived at the Norwood estate nearly two months ago, now. There were some members of the family who were willing to work with the Merryster Family, but gaining the goodwill of all the members was next-to-impossible. Even with Zin Norwood’s assistance— the former Matriarch and mother of the current Patriarch, Gannon Norwood— it was hard to rally the supported needed for total cooperation between the Four Greater Vampire Families.

The only way it was feasible was to get the heads of each family to work together. Saffron was friends— formerly engaged— with Gannon Norwood, so she was certain she could convince him of her cause. After all, the last time she spoke with him about the Primeval Demon, he was very clearly staunchly pro-action.

“Unfortunately, since he’s also a senator of Shedos, he’s currently too busy to speak with us.”

Saffron just sprawled herself on her bed, exhausted. Normally, as a noble, she wouldn’t let herself be see in this state by others, but the only other person in the room was someone she trusted— and also who wouldn’t judge her for her actions.

“This is so annoying.”

She groaned. The glowing figure standing in the corner cocked her head, and Saffron chuckled.

“To think that the only person I can reliably trust right now is a Demon. It’s almost ironic.”

That was right. The figure accompanying her was a Demon. Or, kind of a Demon. It was actually a Demon’s clone, made entirely out of golden fire. The clone of Salvos.

She had aided Saffron throughout this whole ordeal with the Primeval Demon, even going as far as to save Saffron’s Father and Brother during the fall of Nightsveil.

“Although, I sometimes wish you were actually here.”

The Salvos clone waved her arms as Saffron stared at her. She couldn’t speak, so Saffron didn’t know why Salvos herself couldn’t come here. With the vague gestures the Salvos clone made— and the poor attempts at writing with fire— Saffron deduced that Salvos was busy battling Centinels for whatever reason.

“Well, either way, I’m grateful for all that you’ve already done, Salvos.”

Saffron smiled and rolled over in her bed. Night had come long ago, and after a whole day of inconclusive meetings with Zin’s relatives and other members of the Norwood Family, the young noble was about ready to pass out.

Her eyes fluttered shut as a yawn escaped her lips. There was no need to set up wards or runes here— not only was Norwood Keep enchanted so that even Level 100 assassins and the like would find it difficult to infiltrate the walls, but the Salvos clone was here. Saffron was safe.

So, she simply went to sleep knowing that nothing would happen.

—--

And nothing happened.

The next day, Saffron woke up without trouble whatsoever. She yawned and got to her feet, greeting the Salvos clone before getting dressed and going about her day. Well, before that, she had to explain for the fiftieth time how makeup worked to the clone.

“Please stop staring at me like this is some ancient, eccentric ritual. Unlike you, most women aren’t born with a natural glow to their skin.”

The Salvos clone beamed at the praise, literally blazing and glowing brighter. Saffron rolled her eyes.

“I didn’t mean it like that and you know it.”

Once she was finished, the young noble headed out of her room to a patio in the garden. Her sister, Mons Merryster, was having tea with Zin. They were laughing as they chatted casually— a sight which annoyed Saffron because, sure, there could be a full-scale interplanar war between the Mortal Realm and the Netherworld, but impressions still had to be maintained, right?

Not like Saffron herself wasn’t guilty of it considering she spent thirty minutes doing her makeup in the morning. Sighing, she joined the tea session.

“You look awfully weary, sister. I suppose you didn’t have a good night’s sleep?”

Mons raised a brow as a maid poured a cup of tea for Saffron. Then the older Merryster sibling glanced over to the golden figure to the side, a smile slipping onto her face.

“Or perhaps you and your friend were relieving some… stress together, all night?”

Saffron scowled.

“Salvos and I are simply friends, Mons. Nothing more, so please stop making it weird.”

“Very well, if you insist, dear sister. But know that I’m mostly teasing you to ease the tension.”

“It has simply replaced the tension with an awkward air. Let us please just move on.”

Zin laughed at this interaction between sisters. She was in the middle of creating a lush scene— running a paintbrush over a vibrant canvas of colors. With a smile, she lowered the brush and faced the young noble.

“Good morning, Saffron Merryster. Your sister and I were simply discussing our recent meeting with my younger brother. While Mardyth was quite intrigued by your… passion, over the matter, he didn’t feel the same urgency as you did.”

Saffron blinked— they had spoken with Mardyth Norwood nearly a week ago. Had he only gotten back to Zin about the discussion now?

“But he is aware of the fall of Nixa, is he not? I do not understand how there can be a lack of urgency on anyone’s part now that an entire nation has fallen.”

Zin shrugged as she placed the sweet treat back onto the table. She dabbed a napkin on her mouth, speaking casually.

“While I disagree with his reasoning, his response makes sense. Nixa was not a great warring state, even if it is a major trading country. The reinforcements provided to it were mostly comprised of soldiers of the Vaun Qieur Empire. Other nations weren’t as generous. The Primeval Demon’s rampage has even stalled now that it has advanced out into Inoria. He takes that as proof enough.”

“How could he be so foolish to believe that when his own sister's life— your life— was nearly taken by an Archdemon just a month ago?”

It was vexing to Saffron. These people all used logic that didn’t hold up at all. It could be dismantled in a mere moment: they didn’t want to admit that they were more interested in preserving their position than fighting for a just cause.

Zin waved a hand, sighing.

“Well, my brother simply claims that there hasn’t been an attempt since. If the situation were really as dire as you made out to be, then there’d be assassins coming for all our lives. As it is now, their lives haven’t yet been upheaved.”

“That’s ridiculous and you know it.”

Saffron snapped. She got to her feet, exasperatedly gesticulating at the Salvos clone and herself.

“We’ve seen what that Primeval Demon can do. It has an ever-growing army that numbers in the hundreds of thousands, and now it has support from Archdemon assassins going after our families. Just because the problem isn’t knocking down our doors, threatening to destroy their homes, doesn’t mean it isn’t urgent. It means it can still be stopped.”

She panted as she finished, and Zin calmly sipped from a teacup. Mons placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder, calming her down.

“There’s no need to kill the messenger. Zin is simply stating her brother’s side of the argument.”

“His side has no argument.”

Saffron glared at Mons. The older Merryster sibling scoffed.

“I understand your perspective more than anyone, sister. But simply dismissing others as unreasonable would not do any good— not when we’re trying to win goodwill.”

“And that’s exactly my issue here. Why must we play teatime and politics when there are far more pressing issues at hand?”

It never made sense to Saffron, and now more than ever, it still didn’t. She slumped into her chair as the Salvos clone cocked her head from behind, clearly confused.

A moment of silence passed over the group, even though the Salvos clone genuinely looked like she wanted to ask some questions there and then. Finally, Zin shook her head and smiled at Saffron.

“I admire your passion, Saffron Merryster. I truly do.”

Then her lips pressed thinly together.

“But we cannot change the world and how it works, only how we navigate it. I wish as much as you do that the solution will present itself— that our Four Greater Vampire Families will work together to repel this Demon invasion as we had many millennia ago. But clearly it requires time and effort to produce results.”

Saffron watched as Zin rose from her chair. The former Matriarch of the Norwood Family stood tall, her chin held high, exuding the aura and grace of a true noble. One that commanded power in the room.

The young noble almost instinctively averted her gaze, although she managed to steel herself and meet Zin’s crimson and hazel eyes.

“I understand that much, lady Zin. However, even after our countless meetings ever since we came here, we have yet to convert any prominent member of your family to our cause.”

“Perhaps not.”

Zin raised a knowing brow.

“But you only need the support of a single individual from the Norwood Family for that all to change. And I assure you, he will meet with you soon, Saffron Merryster. He is fascinated by you. Especially after you rejected his courting years ago.”

Saffron shuffled her feet before naturally crossing her legs.

“Are you implying that Gannon Norwood will finally be returning here to discuss this matter with us?”

“That is actually what Zin Norwood and I have been discussing before you barged in with your temper.”

The older Merryster sister chuckled, and Saffron scowled. Zin simply stepped out of the patio, gesturing for the pair to follow after.

“And as for the fruits of our labor, come— let me show you what our efforts have produced.”

They exited the garden, heading back into the keep. A maid was waiting for them at the entrance.

“You have visitors, lady Zin.”

She bowed deeply at Zin, and Saffron frowned.

“Visitors?”

“Indeed. A delegation. One from a family you have yet to contact with all your resourcefulness, Saffron Merryster.”

Zin Norwood strolled past the maid, leading both sisters down the stone hallway. They walked past various paintings— portraits that depicted botanical gardens and vast rainforests. Each one, the former Matriarch paused to admire.

She fractionally glanced back at Saffron.

“One of the Four Greater Vampire Families. Another important piece that is needed to defeat this Demon threat.”

The young noble’s eyes widened.

“The Crimsonfang Family?”

They were the last of the Four Greater Vampire Families— the only one which the Merryster Family had poor relations with. But the Norwoods weren’t close with them either, especially after they had worked with the Veridian Family to ruin the Slydrifts.

“Why are they here?”

Saffron didn’t understand how such a meeting had been arranged. But Zin just laughed.

“My son is a politician, Saffron Merryster. He has earned the goodwill of more than just the populace of Shedos. Ever since he became head of our family, he has labored hard to restore relations between the Norwoods and Crimsonfangs back to normalcy.”

“And Gannon arranged this?”

“No. I did.”

Zin’s eyes twinkled as they turned down a corridor.

“Roman Crimsonfang is a good friend of my son. He has agreed to hear us out in exchange for—”

But before she could finish, a scream cut her off. A blood curdling cry that echoed down the hallway. Saffron’s gaze snapped up, and the Salvos clone tensed. Someone shouted for help as blades clashed in the distance.

“Assassin attack!”

A note from MelasD

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291. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part Two

A note from MelasD

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!

Shoutout to Overpowered Magic Goo

Violet woke up trapped in a dark, dank cave filled with dangerous creatures in a magical world with Skills and Levels. To get out of the Hollowdark and get to the surface, she’ll have to fight through friendly monsters that want to eat her, insane Dark Elves, and a comically evil empire led by a comically evil God King. All that as an Arcslime— a blob made out of purple goo.

Well, anyways, I’m starving. Is there anything to eat around here? Seriously, I could scarf down a whole village!

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/51591/overpowered-magic-goo

292. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part Two

“Assassin attack!”

The sounds of metal clashing against metal reverberated down the hallway. A garbled cry for help reached Saffron Merryster. It took her a moment to register what was going on, and at that point, her sister and Zin Norwood were already turning the corridor alongside an entourage of maids and guards.

The young noble blinked and faced her friend. The Salvos clone was just standing idly, a bored look on her flaming face— as if she’d rather be somewhere else than here.

“What are you doing, Salvos? Help them!”

Saffron ran forward, gesturing for her to follow. For whatever reason, it took a moment for the Salvos clone to react. It almost seemed like she was about to teleport away, but after much internal debate, she relented and followed.

The fighting was happening right at the entrance of Norwood Keep. Roman Crimsonfang and his bodyguards had barely stepped into the gates of the castle when they were assailed by a single shadowed figure.

All the guards— those of both the Norwood and Crimsonfang Families— had been quickly dealt with even before Zin or Mons Merryster arrived at the scene. The only reason why Roman was still alive and standing… or, well, cowering on the ground in fear, was because Feirdun Merryster had been present.

He managed to hold off the assassin for just long enough before Zin arrived. The Level 134 [Druid] raised a staff, peeling off all the moss from the cobbled walls of the keep, and turning it into a vibrant wave. It washed over the assassin, knocking him back and stopping him from finishing Feirdun off.

“Stop, assassin. You dare threaten my guests in my lands? Leave now and your life may be spared.”

The former Matriarch of the Norwood Family declared as she slammed her staff on the ground, a crackle running through her body. Saffron came to a stop right before Zin and stood protectively over her sister. Her gaze landed on her other sibling— Feirdun.

He was bleeding and injured, lying curled up on the ground.

“R-run, Saffron…”

“Brother—”

She started forward, but the Salvos clone stopped her. Zin’s eyes flickered as the deluge of green moss slowed.

“I advise you to stay back, Saffron Merryster. This is no ordinary assassin. I will ensure your brother’s safety, but try not to put yourself in harm’s way.”

Blinking, Saffron turned to the assassin who was wading through the [Druid]’s attack. His robes were being ripped off, revealing dark orange skin with red blotches splashed across his body. A single horn sat on his head as he cast four sable eyes at the young noble. Her eyes widened as she stepped back.

“A… Demon?”

No— it wasn’t just an ordinary Demon. Saffron quickly used [Identification] on him, and a prickling feeling ran down her spine.

[Arachne - Lvl. 131]

An Archdemon. One that was above even Salvos in level. He was lower-leveled than Zin, but that didn’t matter much— not when Demons were naturally superior to Humans.

He smiled as eight scything legs protruded from his back, stabbing onto the ground so that he was not washed away.

“There’s no point in running, Human. You are my prey, and the rest of you are all already caught in my web.”

Zin blinked as threads appeared at her feet. It whipped her by the legs, smashing her into the ceiling. The [Druid] managed to protect herself, landing into a cushion of flowers and thorns, but her transformation was interrupted. Her deluge desisted, and the [Arachne] stepped forward.

“Ah, a rather sturdy Human. You’re the first one I’ve met since I’ve gotten here. Tell me— how long do you think you’ll be able to last before you’re eaten like the rest of them?”

His thread yanked her forward, ripping her from her vines holding her back. Zin yelped, but before she reached the [Arachne], the Salvos clone caught her and sliced the thread in twain.

He narrowed his eyes.

“You are… an apparition? No— what are you?”

His [Identification] would’ve shown her for what she was— a flaming clone made by a Skill called [Salvo of Vanity]. Who or what she wasn’t wouldn’t be known by him. Not even her level.

“No matter. I will deal with you all the same.”

The [Arachne] lashed out as the Salvos clone created a scythe made out of golden fire, parrying his attack. They clashed in battle as Saffron just watched from the side, unable to help. She was a student of Mavos Academy. She was supposed to be trained to be able to hold her own in combat situations such as this.

And yet, she was frozen, unable to even protect her sister. Mons Merryster grabbed the young noble, breaking her from her stupor.

“Sister. We need to get out of here, now.”

Saffron returned to reality as the [Arachne] bounced along the walls, chased by the Salvos clone. Vines grew out of the ground, catching him off guard and slowing him as Zin pointed. The Salvos clone slashed at him—

But he tugged at one of his legs. A flurry of needle-like threads pierced the Salvos clone, forcing her to a halt. The threads shot out past her and headed straight for Zin Norwood. But this time, she was ready. She’d finished her transformation. Her body was now covered in fur— she stood tall, nearly ten feet in height. With a pair of burly clawed arms, she swiped through the threads and tore them apart with ease.

[Onyx Bear - Lvl. 134]

[Identification] no longer showed her as a [Druid]. Instead, she’d become the Species of the monster she’d taken the form of. A bear with obsidian-like fur that jutted out of her body like crystals. She moved faster now, taking over where the Salvos clone left off and pressuring the [Arachne].

Saffron looked on as Mons tried to pull her away from the fighting. The Merryster sisters were further down the hallway, neither of them able to do anything to help either the Salvos clone or Zin here. And while they could barely keep up with what was going on, it was obvious that their side was losing.

“We need to help them.”

The young noble spoke, clenching a fist. Mons shook her head.

“We can’t. If we interrupt—”

A loud cry interrupted her from finishing.

Zin leapt in front of Roman Crimsonfang, protecting him from a blade of wind that cut straight through the enchanted walls of the keep. She groaned as her transformed body flickered. Before the [Arachne] could follow-up with a scything slash, the Salvos clone crashed into him from the side as her wings spread wide.

“That Archdemon is using the injured as bait to force their guards down.”

It was obvious to Saffron, but Mons wasn’t a combatant and didn’t notice this. The young noble ran forward as the Salvos clone flew the [Arachne] out of the keep, locking into battle with him mid-air.

“Lady Zin, please let me help you escort my brother and Lord Roman away from the area.”

The man— and he was quite the young man, barely fifteen years of age— shrank back as Zin turned her bestial gaze his way. She nodded and picked him up, speaking in a guttural voice.

“Take them and run.”

Nodding, Saffron scooped up Roman Crimsonfang who was sputtering, confused and afraid of what was going on before running to her brother.

“What was that thing? Why is it attacking us?!”

“It’s a Demon, Lord Roman. It is here for your life.”

Even if Saffron was older than him, she deferred to him by his Title. After all, he was the second heir to the Crimsonfang Family. Saffron didn’t know why she even bothered with it— the politics of it annoyed her, but she did it anyway.

Saffron reached Feirdun shortly before Mons. Both Merryster siblings tended to their brother, helping him to his feet.

“Can you stand?”

The young noble asked, lips pursed. He groused and stood with a groan. They supported him by his arms, helping him stumble away from the fighting along with Roman.

“I… thank you.”

He rubbed at his head as they ambled forward. The four of them reached the end of the hallway right as the Salvos clone was knocked back. The [Arachne] somehow jumped in the air, propelling rapidly for them.

“Oh, none of you are getting away.”

Saffron glanced back with wide eyes as he closed the distance in an instant. He tore through the vines Zin Norwood conjured up, ripping through the tough thorns as he aimed for his mark. In a moment of foolishness, the young noble thought she could protect Roman from the Archdemon.

“No—”

“[Tempest Blade].”

She raised an arm, only to realize it was her life the [Arachne] was after. He said it, didn’t he? I am his prey… She had thought it was a figure of speech. That he’d been referring to everyone in the room. But he sped straight for Saffron and only Saffron, slicing for her head.

Her eyes grew wide as his scythe-like arm was overcome with a flicker— some kind of Skill— and tore through her Aura of Greater Protection. The amulet that was protecting her flashed before dimming and winking out.

“What an annoying artifact.”

It protected her, but Saffron still found herself lying on the ground, dazed and unable to react. The spell she had been casting was long forgotten, and the [Arachne] loomed over her. Maybe she could’ve held off the Archdemon for a moment if she’d remembered to use her magic. Maybe Zin or the Salvos clone would’ve stopped him in time from finishing her off if she hadn’t frozen up.

Instead, she closed her eyes, accepting her fate as he grinned.

“Goodbye, Saffron Merryster.”

The Salvos clone screamed a silent scream as she burst forward. Still, she wouldn’t make it in time. The blade came down swiftly as Mons cried out.

“Sister!”

Saffron braced for it, accepting her demise. Regnorex was at the gates, and she was one of his first few victims. Humankind’s reign was finally coming to an end, their downfall their own complacency.

“It’s almost ironic…”

She chuckled. Then she blinked. Wait, I’m still…? Her gaze snapped up as she took in her surroundings, fully expecting to be in some sort of afterlife. But, no. She was still lying in the destroyed hallway, fallen over as her sister and brother rushed over.

“How am I alive?”

Even the Archdemon was still there, standing over the young noble. Except— there was one difference now. A gold and silver figure had caught him mid-swing and saved Saffron’s life. A familiar figure.

Saffron’s savior.

“...Salvos?”

And yet, that wasn’t right. It was not Salvos herself standing over Saffron, but the Salvos clone. The young noble had almost mistaken the fiery figure for Salvos because of how real she seemed now. The golden fire of the Salvos clone, while clearly there, was never really defined beforehand. It had been a roiling flame— one that wisped wildly and roughly took the shape of a person.

The Salvos clone had always been shrouded in a curtain of misty flame. It obfuscated her body, making it quite clear that she was some kind of apparition of sorts.

But now, her body was solid. Still made out of fire, but only flaking the occasional mote or spark. She wore a faux jacket made of silver fire, burning more intensely than the rest of her golden body. Her hair, too, blazed in the same way as the fake clothing and weapons. She exuded a cool heat. She was fake, yet she appeared real.

All eight of the [Arachne]’s eyes widened in surprise and confusion at the Salvos clone as she held him in place, gripping tightly onto his scythe-like leg.

“What… is this? What just happened?”

The Salvos clone was confused too. She glanced back at where she came from— at the trail of multi-colored flames left behind that scorched the earth— and shrugged.

“How are you doing this? You—”

The Archdemon assassin was utterly befuddled, but the Salvos clone didn’t bother contemplating it for more than a moment. She ripped off one of his legs, and he screamed. He leapt back, sending a flurry of needle-like threads at her, only for the attack to be burned away with ease. He came to a halt as he clutched at his limb bleeding black blood.

“You weren’t this strong just a moment ago. This is ridiculous. What in the Demon King’s name just happened?”

His questions were answered by an explosion of thorns at his feet. They tangled onto him, holding him down as Zin appeared at his back. She slammed him into the wall and turned to Saffron.

“Are you alright?”

“I-I’m… fine.”

Mons helped Saffron up as the young noble stared at her friend.

“What happened to Salvos? Why is she…?”

The Salvos clone was still in the middle of inspecting herself in wonder, and Zin nodded approvingly.

“Such a boost in power— it can only be the effects of a Grand Skill.”

With a soft chuckle, the [Druid] turned to the Archdemon who was caught in even more vines and thorns now.

“It seems your friend has achieved what many only attain at the level of an Elite. Assassin, I suggest you surrender now— you have lost.”

He hissed, tearing his way out of his bindings.

“You have not won. I will have my prey’s life for I am Aristides the W—”

And the Salvos clone appeared before the [Arachne], grinning wide. Zin sighed.

“I told you.”

He lashed out, only to be caught in a blast of gold and silver flames. His scream echoed throughout Norwood Keep as he was turned into nothing but ash. Saffron’s breath caught in her throat, watching her friend deal with the assassin— the Level 131 Archdemon— like he was nothing.

“...amazing.”

A note from MelasD

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292. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part Three

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to the Jinni and the Isekai

Jinni babes, isekai samurai, dungeons and quests! What's not to like?

Below you can find the individual blurbs for each of the books/arcs in the series. Please don't forget to follow, rate, and if you're feeling like a true adventurer, to write a review!

The Jinni and The Isekai (The Jinni and The Isekai, #1)

Shiro Takeda, a samurai deep in debt and forced into a swashbuckler’s life, wanders in search of dungeons to raid so he can pay back his loans. Unfortunately, his lenders have already sent headsmen after him. His fortunes change when he finds a piece of legendary loot—a jinni lamp. But before the insolent spirit can bestow her gifts upon him, Shiro must find and kill the Jinni’s current master; a sultan of vast wealth, power and harems.

Perhaps with the help of his newfound companion, Shiro can discover who isekaied him into this strange land.

The Jinni and The Isekai | Royal Road

292. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part Three

Saffron Merryster stared in disbelief as the Salvos clone disposed of the assassin with little-to-no effort. Just moments earlier, they’d all been struggling to fend him off. After all, he was an Archdemon who was even higher-leveled than Salvos. An [Arachne] that was after Saffron’s life.

But now, he was mere ashes at the feet of the Salvos clone. She glowed brilliantly as her fiery blast died down, her form no longer the wispy shape of a Human, but a more stable body. One that, if not for the gold and silver glow, could be mistaken for a regular person.

“How?”

Saffron had no idea Salvos had been hiding a trick like this all this time. Zin Norwood, however, shook her head as she morphed back into a regular Human… Vampire.

“That’s a Grand Skill, Saffron Merryster. And judging by the reaction of your friend, she’s just as surprised as you about this change. It seems that whatever she’s doing elsewhere has been quite productive.”

The Salvos clone eagerly nodded as Zin gave her an approving look. Saffron rose to her feet, taking in the scene around her. It had been a small-scale battle between Level 100s, and already, the entirety of the reinforced, enchanted corridor was destroyed.

Fortunately, the fighting hadn’t spread too far around Norwood Keep, so the damage was mostly isolated to this section of the castle. Saffron turned to her family, relieved that they were safe. Then she turned to the other individual present— Roman Crimsonfang.

He stared wide-eyed around at the destruction, still in utter shock of what happened.

“Lord Roman, I—”

Saffron offered him a hand, but he brushed it away. He stumbled over to the corpses of his bodyguards and dropped to his knees.

“Francis… Gilbert… everyone…”

She pursed her lips, watching him take in the scene. There were a lot of things she wanted to— she could— say, but instead of speaking, she stood silent as the young man wept over his dead bodyguards.

“It happened so quickly… how—”

“Saffron Merryster.”

Zin spoke over his pained voice in the background. The former Matriarch of the Norwood Family approached the young noble, shaking her head.

“I think it’d be better if you took your leave for now. Tend to your brother. I shall handle this.”

“R-right.”

With that, the Merrysters took their leave. Saffron ushered the Salvos clone to follow after her as they brought Feirdun to seek a healer. He wasn’t too badly hurt, fortunately. And a few healing potions would’ve brought him back to full health soon enough.

“I’ll take care of our brother.”

Mons patted Saffron on the shoulder once they arrived at the healers’ quarters.

“Go report this incident to Father and the others. They’ll want to know what happened here.”

“I will.”

The young noblewoman hesitated. She was worried that another assassin might show up and attack them. But… that [Arachne] had been after her own life, no?

It was not something she had time to think about until now. And as she strolled down the gilded corridor alone, the implication settled in.

The Demons somehow knew that the Merrysters were trying to organize the Four Greater Vampire Families. And because of that, they targeted Saffron. They wanted to nip the problem in the bud— deal with it before it became too problematic.

“It seems that things will be getting more and more chaotic.”

How this had come to pass… the young noble didn’t know. She just knew that something had to be done. They had to act faster, lest they’d fall to their hubris and be torn apart before they could even come together.

Behind her, the echo of footfalls followed down the gilded hallway. The Salvos clone trailed slowly after the young noblewoman.

“To think that the Demons would make a move for my life as well.”

No longer would she be able to take the cautious approach, playing tea party as she went through the slow crawl of politics. Even if Zin would disagree, Saffron was going to give Roman Crimsonfang and the rest of the Norwood Family an ultimatum.

“Salvos.”

The sounds of footsteps halted as the young noble spoke to her friend. Shaking her head, she spun around to face the Salvos clone.

“I will need to rely on you for—”

And Saffron faced… nothing. She expected to see the fiery clone of Salvos standing behind her, but no one was there. There were only glowing flickering wisps that slowly vanished.

“Salvos…?”

The Salvos clone was gone. She had been taken away by a [Long Range Teleportation] spell, whisked away in an instant. And now it was just Saffron left, unguarded, unprotected.

“Oh, this day just keeps getting worse.”

—--

“I thought I’d find you scheming up something here.”

Saffron glanced up from the study table as she heard the doorway crea open. Her sister, Mons Merryster, stood there with her arms folded across her chest.

“Mons.”

“How are you doing?”

The older Merryster sibling strolled into the room with a smile.

“I am doing just fine. How’s Brother?”

“He has mostly recovered from his injuries, though I worry his pride will take longer to heal.”

“As expected.”

Saffron mumurred under her breath. But I’m glad he’s safe, she thought as her sister came to a halt behind her. Saffron had stopped mid-scribbling, having been writing on a rather long piece of parchment before being interrupted.

Mons leaned over Saffron’s shoulder, eyes darting over the piece of paper.

“Well, what plan have you managed to concoct, sister?”

“A plan… it is not as much of a plan as it is a last resort.”

The older sister frowned.

“A speech?”

“Indeed.”

The young noblewoman rose to her feet and placed the pen and paper down onto the table.

“As you and lady Zin have discussed, Gannon Norwood will soon be arriving back in Norwood Keep. He is likely going to side with us when he does return. And he can mobilize the entirety of the Norwood Family.”

“That is right.”

Mons nodded as Saffron held her gaze. The younger sister paused for a moment, before finally speaking in a low voice.

“But… can we wait that long?”

“What do you mean to imply, sister?”

Saffron gestured vaguely in the direction where they had come from— where the Archdemon had attacked them.

“Our lives are now actively being targeted. We cannot waste anymore time. If we were to die— if the Merryster Family were to be wiped out— then all hope of uniting the Four Greater Vampire Families is lost. The families shall be picked off one by one, and Humankind will truly fall.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a bit too dramatic?”

Mons raised a brow, and Saffron glared.

“How am I being too dramatic? We are the vanguards of Humankind against the Demons. People think that the Spirits will save us— aid us in our battle. But they won’t. The Immortal King Alexander’s pact with the Spirit Lord was never that of an alliance. It was never that of a partnership. They didn’t protect us the first time Regnorex invaded, and they won’t intervene this time.”

The younger Merryster sister closed her eyes and huffed.

“With Humankind as fractured as it currently is, I don’t know if we’ll be able to deal with this threat.”

“Perhaps not…”

Mons shook her head and placed a gentle hand on Saffron’s shoulder.

“But the Vaun Qieur Empire has yet to mobilize the full might of their forces. The Eastern Kingdoms Alliance has pledged to stop the Demon threat. And the Three Honorable Companies— each one rivaling a major nation in might— are rallying adventurers under their banners to challenge the Primeval Demon’s army. Even if we, the vanguard of Humankind, were to fall, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost.”

“I… had no idea that was happening.”

Saffron blinked, and her older sister laughed.

“Did you really think you were the only one who’s taking action? Perhaps we Vampires have grown complacent in our wealth and luxury, but we are not representative of all of Humankind. Of course, I’d rather we not perish due to this. I’m sure you feel the same way, which is why you’re worried.”

For a moment, the young noblewoman remained silent. She shuffled her feet, twirling one of the loose strands of her pink hair uncomfortably. It was true, but it was also hard to admit. Perhaps the reason why she was so brusque about this was less about the impact it would have on Humankind, and more on the impact it would have on her family.

She didn’t want to lose everything and everyone she loved. It was a reasonable worry, of course— Saffron acknowledged it. But her pride as a Lady made it hard for her to simply admit it. As a noble, you always had to pursue the greater good. Acting selfishly was unbecoming of her.

However, around her sister, she let this facade peel away.

“You’re right, Mons.”

Sighing, she collapsed back into her chair and massaged her temples.

“I do not wish to see any harm befall you or any of my other siblings. Nor Father, nor Mother. If Salvos hadn’t saved Father that day—”

She hesitated, and Mons nodded in understanding.

“Right. I wouldn’t know what to do either.”

Even if Mons was more independent, they were still family. Father’s death would’ve impacted them both greatly. Saffron glanced over at the empty corner of the room.

“And the worst part is— Salvos…”

Mons blinked. She glanced around, puzzled.

“Where is your friend, anyway?”

“Gone.”

Shrugging, Saffron spoke in a resigned voice.

“Apparently she had other, better things to do. I don’t fault her. If she’s really grown strong enough to learn a Grand Skill, what she’s doing elsewhere is far more productive than what we’re achieving here. And that’s why I wish to change that.”

“Which you plan on doing through… a speech?”

“Not a speech— a demand.”

Saffron grabbed the piece of paper and showed the rest of it to her sister.

“We are making a demand to both the rest of the Norwood Family and to the Crimsonfang Family. That they shall cooperate with us in bringing down the Primeval Demon. That they shall lend us their strength in this upcoming battle, to mobilize as soon as possible and prevent the fall of any other nation.”

“That’s a bold demand, sister. What makes you think the others will listen to us? Without the Breastplate of Alexander, we have lost some standing amongst the other Greater Vampire Families.”

Mons was dubious of Saffron’s proposition, but the young noblewoman had more to it than that. This part was… brash. Foolish, even.

But Saffron believed it was the right choice to make.

“If they refuse to work with us, then we shall work against them. It is how politics works, no? Always has. So, the Merryster Family will announce the secrets the Four Greater Vampire Families have been holding all this time. The truth that we are Vampires— but more importantly, that we are withholding Mythical Grade artifacts that could repel this Primeval Demon but refuse to take action. Their personal interests will vanish soon enough if they lose their positions in their countries. Maybe then they’ll work with us.”

“That is…”

Mons pursed her lips.

“Risky.”

Saffron finished her sister’s sentence for her.

“I am aware of the consequences it could entail. But it is necessary as well.”

“Saffron.”

The older Merryster sibling spoke her sister’s name. She gave Saffron a worried look.

“I understand your position. I know why you’re doing this—”

“And that’s why you should agree that this is the best course of action, no?”

Saffron snapped, and her older sister paused. Mons nodded.

“Yes. I agree. That’s why I’m telling you you have my full support.”

“You… what?”

That threw Saffron through a loop. She was taken aback. She stared at Mons’ gaze, analyzing it. Trying to figure out if there was anything behind it. Then she realized there was nothing there. Just the love and care of a sister.

“Thank you.”

Saffron bowed her head.

“I truly am—”

But she couldn’t finish. She paused as she heard footsteps echo down the hallway. A small argument had broken out, and someone was marching close to Saffron’s room. The pair of Merryster sisters poked out, seeing the figures walk by a corridor further down.

Roman Crimsonfang stormed down the hallway, followed by Zin Norwood. She was saying something, but he didn’t listen. With his hands trembling, he spun around and pointed at her.

“This attempt on my life was premeditated. You cannot pretend that it was meant for those Merrysters, else that Archdemon wouldn’t have attacked my retinue. This…”

He gritted his teeth and faced Zin with burning eyes.

“The Crimsonfang Family shall not offer any aid or support to the Norwood Family or the Merrysters. No matter the request. That is my response to you, lady Zin.”

Saffron stared at this. She turned to her sister, and Mons just shrugged.

“It’s politics, sister. Things don’t always go as plan.”

“This day can’t get any worse.”

A note from MelasD

Tyty all for the bday wishes.

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

293. Father and Daughter

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to The Strongest Spirit Form, I Was Summoned From The Future

The war between humans and the Oris race was at its peak, humans have lost a lot and the Oris armies were advancing to occupy the ancestral island

A desperate girl, who wanted to stop the war, tried to summon the legendary warrior Ashtria from the Immortal World, but instead of summoning him, she made a mistake and summoned the most powerful assassin from the future.

The Strongest Spirit Form, I Was Summoned From The Future | Royal Road

293. Father and Daughter

When I opened my eyes, I stood in a vast void. My feet softly touched the fractal base of the stellated dodecahedron of space that shielded me from the encroaching emptiness of the fold between planes. Objects floated in the darkness, frozen in space, unchanged from the state they’d been in before they were ripped into this place.

A giant golden disk hovered above me, an accretion of matter that sent waves of scintillating light to illumine the empty room. I glanced over at the other figure who was with me.

My Dad had teleported us back into his home after the Matriarch Centinel of the Bloodied Gulf challenged us. I couldn’t even see its Subspecies or its level, but judging by how even Sal reacted to it, it had to be far stronger than even an [Ancient Centinel].

Level 200 or more.

I glanced over at the Devil as he let out a chuckle.

“That was scary, wasn’t it? Good thing I got us out of there, otherwise things wouldn’t have been pretty.”

“What was that?”

“Hm?”

He gave me a blank look, and I crossed my arms.

“That thing— what was that? My [A Hunter’s Sense] blared in my head. I would’ve died in an instant if I fought it.”

“Ah.”

My Dad shrugged as the space around me flickered, changing shape into a cuboid.

“She’s the [Progenitor of Secely’s Centinels]. I met her once, a long time ago, back when her Species was driven out of the Endlands. She was quite cute when she was young. Now she’s a bit of a bitch though, if I’m being honest.”

“And it has just been hiding underground all that time?!”

I gaped at him.

“And you sent me to the Bloodied Gulf knowing that it could come out at any time and kill me with the flick of its wrist?”

“I mean, you had the Breastplate of Alexander.”

He waved a hand off dismissively as he leapt onto a couch that appeared out of nowhere.

“And the Matriarch Centinel doesn’t really come out unless one of her ‘children’ dies, which I honestly didn’t expect to happen. I fully thought you were going to be killed by that Corrupted Centinel, mind you.”

My lips curled into a frown as I glared at the Devil.

“So you’re saying that you were just going to watch me die to that Corrupted Centinel?”

“Of course.”

He cocked his head, but I continued.

“Your only daughter— you weren’t going to step in and help her if she died in front of your eyes?”

“Uh…”

My Dad hesitated, and I thrusted a clawed finger at his face.

“You’re a bad dad.”

“What? I mean, come one, Salvos— you’re just kidding about being mad, right? You’ve never even had a parent before, so you can’t possibly say what’s a good or a bad dad!”

“Well, I have one now.”

I gave him a sidelong glance as I turned away from him.

“And I can say he’s pretty bad at being one.”

The Devil deflated. His shoulders went slack. I harrumphed and walked away as he tried to weakly protest.

“I stepped in to save your life from the Matriarch Centinel, didn’t I? That should count for something, right?”

“Nope! I would’ve been long gone if you didn’t show up and start chatting with me. That was your fault too.”

I didn’t face him, even as he tried circling around me. My Dad waved his arms exasperatedly, but I ignored his arguments. Until, finally, he sighed.

“Is there anything I can do to make it up to you, my daughter? Please. Your old man is very sorry for what he did. He’s a bit old and senile, you know?”

I quirked a brow.

“Hmm, well…”

There were a lot of things I could ask for from the Devil— he was a very high-leveled individual who lived for tens of thousands of years. My eyes lit up as I raised a hand.

“Could you kill Belzu for me?”

Sal blinked. Then he scoffed.

“Of course not! Why would I do that?”

“Aw, come one, please?”

I stared at him with round eyes, but he wouldn’t budge.

“No means no, Salvos. First of all, I like Belzu. He’s not my son, but honestly I consider him… to be a nephew. Maybe a distant cousin’s son. And I’m not going to kill him just because you ask me to.”

“But I hate him!”

“So, go and kill him yourself.”

The Devil wagged a finger at me.

“If you really dislike someone, you should take it upon yourself to kill them. You can’t just, I don’t know, rely on others to kill them for you. It makes you lazy. And you’re not an Archdemon of Sloth, are you?”

I scowled, averting my gaze.

“…no.”

“Exactly. You’re an Archdemon of Pride. Now puff up your chest and kill your dad’s distant cousin’s son with your own two hands.”

“Ugh, fine.”

I kicked the ground as the room changed once again. It was now the shape of a diamond. I stood there for a moment, grumbling as my Dad watched awkwardly from the side. He scratched the back of his head, and my eyes darted up.

“But, Dad, since you’re not going to help me kill Belzu, can you at least do something else for me?”

“If it’s reasonable…”

I leapt at the opportunity and spun to face him.

“Can you bring me to the Netherworld?”

His eyes narrowed, although he didn’t reply just yet. I continued, trying to explain my intentions.

“I’ve just been working to get back for the longest time but I still can’t even with [Long Range Teleportation], and since you can travel between the planes without a problem, I was thinking, why don’t you just bring me there for me?”

I clapped my hands together, excited at just the thought.

“I’ve been led around and around and around the Mortal Realm for years, barely making any progress. Each lead I find is always a dead end. Even now with my Class, I still don’t have a definite way back to the Netherworld. Can you help me with this, please?”

Although, my Class advancement was soon. I was quite excited to hit that.

For whatever reason, my Dad didn’t seem amused by my request. He made no quip, nor did he laugh at my request like I expected him to. Instead, he prodded me further.

“I’d do this for you, my dearest daughter, but I only have one question: why do you want to return to the Netherworld?”

This time, I was the one to cock my head.

“What do you mean why would I want to return?”

“Well, the Mortal Realm is a lot safer than the Netherworld. With your currently [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion], you can passively transform to any Species without a problem. It’s not like you have much of a reason to worry about there.”

He pointed at my left arm which was still injured from the battle with the Corrupted Centinel. My flesh was torn, flaked off due to the damage I had taken when the single arm had been transformed into a pair of clawed hands. It would’ve been nice if my body could regenerate whenever I transformed between forms, but there was always residual injuries.

I shuffled to the left, covering my injured arm.

“It’s still dangerous for me. I’m a Demon, and most Humans hate me.”

“But you have friends, don’t you?”

“I do— but most of them think I’m a Human. Only my companions, a couple of Elves, Cyclopes, Kobolds, Spirits, monsters, and Rachel knows that I’m actually… me.”

I weakly gestured at myself. It kind of hurt knowing that most of the people I had met weren’t actually aware that I, Salvos, was not a Human.

“And is that really it? You want to go back to that empty, desolate hellscape because Humans are mostly idiots?”

“Well, that’s not all…”

I trailed off. My eyes closed as I remembered the first person who ever recognized me for who I was. My original companion. A Demon with crimson skin and black and yellow hair.

Opening my eyes, I faced the Devil and answered his question.

“I also want to find Haec. He’s someone important to me. I was separated from him when I was pulled into the Mortal Realm. I know he’s waiting for me, somewhere in the Netherworld.”

I looked down at the palm of my hand, speaking softly.

“I want to make sure that he’s safe.”

My Dad stayed silent as I finished. He said nothing, his gaze darkened. His brows arched on his forehead, casting shadows over his face. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking; he was the Devil— an unpredictable trickster who always kept you guessing. But he was also a callous, timeless soul who was apathetic to the lives of others.

I feared that I had made him upset once again. He despised it whenever I did anything that involved others. He wanted me to be as entirely selfish and self-reliant as he was, even if I was not him. I waited with bated breath for the reprimanding that was sure to come, and his mouth opened.

“Aha! I knew it!”

“Um, what?”

I stared at my Dad, blinking slowly.

“It was about a boy. Of course it was about a boy. You’re, what, eight years old?”

He gesticulated wildly as he paced back and forth. I responded to him with a tinge of uncertainty in my voice.

“I don’t actually know, honestly. Maybe?”

“Yes, you’re not even ten years old. And here you are, thinking about boys! It’s always a boy! Don’t you know? Boys will use you and throw you away without a second thought.”

“I’m pretty sure this isn’t what you think it is.”

“Look—”

My Dad clapped his hands together, coming to a halt.

“I’m just saying, why can’t it be a girl for once? There’s nothing wrong with girls getting together! It’s completely fine! Don’t you think so?”

“I don’t know if I care?”

“The point is: why?”

Sal met my gaze. I could tell he hadn’t really been serious beforehand, but now his expression changed. It was hard to tell— an incredibly minor shift in tone with barely any change to the look he gave me.

“Why go through all these lengths for this Haec?”

“Because I want to.”

I replied simply.

“I already gave you my reasons. It’s the same as before, Dad. I don’t want to repeat this stupid argument with you again.”

His eyes flickered, and he nodded.

“Fine.”

I watched as he drew back, massaging his temples while speaking in an annoyed tone.

“Again, Salvos, I’d love to help you, but it really doesn’t make sense for me to step in. In fact, it makes even less sense in this scenario since you’re very close to achieving your goal. You’re like ninety percent of the way there. You can’t just give up and let someone else take over when you only have ten percent of the way left to go, can you?”

“I mean, it would be convenient…”

I tapped a finger on my chin as the Devil shook his head.

“You’re an Archdemon of Pride, remember? You can’t expect to grow stronger if you keep pushing your responsibilities onto others. Seriously, that’d be very much helpful as an Archdemon of Sloth, but not for you.”

“I just want to make sure he’s fine…”

I pursed my lips, and Sal rolled his eyes.

“I’d do anything for you, my dearest daughter, as long as it’d benefit you. I guess this wouldn’t really hurt you other than making you overly-dependent on me… which, I’d actually love. Dote on me more. It’s cute.”

He reached over to pinch my cheeks, but I slapped his hand away.

“Are you really sure you want to do this? There really is no reason for you to rush your way to the Netherworld. Haec is fine. He’s quite high-leveled too. So, you really shouldn’t be worrying this much.”

I was about to give him my affirmation when I paused. I found my left eyebrow raising as I peered at my Dad.

“Wait, you met Haec?”

“I did. He works for the Demon King or something. I don’t actually know if he’s fine or not— I barely paid attention. I was too busy watching you.”

“But he’s alive, right? Haec is alive?”

The Devil backed away as I inundated him with these questions. He pushed me back and nodded.

“He is. I told you— he’s with the Demon King. So, unless I was talking to his walking carcass as a [Succubus] used ventriloquism to speak through him I’m pretty sure he’s alive.”

My eyes widened as my Dad finished. I slid to my knees, placing a hand on my chest.

“I’m so glad…”

Haec was alive.

My cheeks squeezed tight as I couldn’t help but smile, beaming from ear-to-ear.

“He’s really alive.”

I was worried I had left him to die alone in the Netherworld. If he found others to keep him safe— and if he was still alive— I knew I could delay my return for just a little longer. Still smiling, I looked up to my Dad.

“Take me to Centina and the others. I need to make sure they’re safe, then… I’ll kill Belzu.”

I spoke simply, and he furrowed his brows.

“Wait, what happened to returning to the Netherworld?”

“Haec is alive. You said it yourself. I don’t need to worry so much anymore. I’ll get back to him through my own strength, once Belzu is dead. As you said, I’m an Archdemon of Pride, right?”

The Devil studied me. He ran a hand through his goatee before finally shrugging.

“If you insist. I’ll bring you back to your monster friends instead. There’s no need to worry about the Matriarch Centinel. She probably went back to sleep beneath the Bloodied Gulf after we left.”

And with the snap of his fingers, the world flashed. I found myself hurdling through space as his voice echoed around me.

“I’ll see you next time, my beloved daughter.”

When I got my bearings back, I was no longer in his home. I was back in the Mortal Realm, standing amongst monsters.

A note from MelasD

Early chapter today

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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294. Pink

A note from MelasD

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As said a week ago, from now on, I'm going to be linking and donating to a charity at the start of a chapter at least once a week. I can't promise that I'll be able to donate much since my own finances are rather limited right now. But if it's a cause you find meaningful, feel free to donate to the cause as well. If you have a charity or the like you'd like me to share, PM it to me, preferably on discord.

294. Pink

Centina stood along the shore of a beach, staring out into the coast— over at the red horizon where the sky and the sea met.

A crimson ball descended and left the world in darkness. The color of the ceiling changed. The previously azure dome grew redder and redder before it was finally consumed by a deep purple. It was such an odd scene. So different from the world that Centina knew.

She’d been told— Erhard had told her what the outside world entailed. And she’d seen glimpses of it in the past. But this was the first time she just sat there and basked in it, fully taking in the difference of the outside world.

Here she was, finally free. No more red sand. No more rock walls. Able to find love once again.

The [Evolved Centinel] fumbled with a ring, removing it from her finger and placing it gently on the palm of her hand. It had been given to her by her first lover, and it held an insignia on it. A cloud with the letter ‘s’ on it.

“Thank you, Erhard. For making me who I am.”

Her head lowered as she bowed like he’d thought her. Tears streamed down the [Evolved Centinel]’s cheeks, fists tightening around the ring. She bade farewell to the Human which taught her how to love. To overcome her hatred.

The soft sounds of feet trudging on sand approached Centina. She glanced back at the [Krokodis] who came to a halt behind her.

“Think she fine?”

Kron asked, eyes fixed onto the horizon. Centina blinked away her tears and cast her gaze towards the night sky. It took her a moment to infer who this ‘she’ was. And to be perfectly honest, Centina didn’t know.

“We can only hope…”

Salvos had challenged an [Ancient Centinel] for the sake of those who were trying to leave the Land of the Lost. The haven of monsters she had barely known. All because of a promise. All because of her pride.

Centina found it foolish, but she was grateful nonetheless. The [Ancient Centinel] Salvos had faced was incredibly strong. She had defeated Centina and Erhard Skyshredder in the past, when she was only a mere [Evolved Centinel]. Now, at her level?

“But I fear the worst outcome is more than likely to happen.”

Sighing, the [Evolved Centinel] admitted her true feelings on the matter. She didn’t wish it, however it was more than likely that Salvos was dead.

Kron deflated. Her snout lowered. She didn’t really try to argue against it herself.

“Oh…”

But someone else didn’t believe it. Willy. The [Will O’ Wisp]. He’d overheard the conversation and was adamantly against the conclusion drawn by the pair.

“Alive.”

He flitted over to them, flames changing color. Centina looked up at him as he blazed an indignant red.

“Salvos alive.”

“Willy…”

She stared at him, her lips pursed in a way she often saw Erhard react.

“While I hope for the best too, I can only fear the worst…”

“No.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] refused to accept it. His fire burned brighter, illuminating the night as he flew over the crashing waves. He focused on the horizon as he spoke more than he ever did before.

“Salvos is alive. She has to be. If not…”

Centina closed her eyes. She watched as Willy spoke softly, his voice carried away by the wind with the motes of flames wisping off him. A quietus hung over the group of monsters.

On the beach, dozens of monsters were gathered. An eclectic bunch that would not otherwise have been with each other if not for all they’d gone through in the Bloodied Gulf together. There was a soft pop in the background— one which drew Kron’s attention— but Centina didn’t look back. Instead, she approach the [Will O’ Wisp].

“I’m sorry, Willy. I wish I could speak with confidence and say that Salvos survived. That she won her bout with an [Ancient Centinel]. Alas, I do not believe that is the case. Their level difference was too large. I cannot fool myself into believing Salvos won.”

The [Evolved Centinel] closed her eyes. Willy’s flames dimmed. And yet, he still protested.

“No. You’re wrong. Salvos lives. She won. Trust me. Trust…”

Centina opened her mouth to say something, then paused as she felt a tapping on her shoulder. Kron was hurriedly gesturing at something on the beach. The [Evolved Centinel] blinked and faced the figure. Then her jaw went slack.

“S-S…?”

Willy continued, not realizing everyone else had their attention turned to something else.

“Trust Salvos. She said she would get us out, and she did. Now, she said she would beat [Ancient Centinel], and she will. Believe in her. You have to.”

He finished, and right as he did, a chipper voice broke in.

“Hey! How are you guys doing?”

The [Will O’ Wisp] froze at the familiar voice. He slowly turned around as a Demon strode along the beach of monsters, waving at everyone there. This friendly Demon came to a stop right before Centina, Willy, and Kron.

She cocked her head.

“Why are you all just standing there with your mouths open?”

Her eyes narrowed, then she looked over at Willy. The [Will O’ Wisp] said nothing. She crossed her arms.

“Wait, were you really worried about me, Willy?”

He shrank in size, speaking in a small voice.

“N-no…”

“Aw, you were!”

Salvos smiled, and his flames burned a bright pink.

“No! Am not!”

Willy turned away from me, hiding his face. Well, he didn’t really have a face. He was made entirely out of fire, but I could see the color of his flames change in embarrassment. It shone a light red. Pink.

Huh. I wondered what its effects were.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed about it.”

I walked up to the [Will O’ Wisp] as he tried to fly off. I caught him and wrapped my arms around his warm flaming body.

“I was worried about you guys too.”

He froze. Willy’s fire calmed. Then it returned to a normal color.

“Worried.”

“But we’re fine now.”

“Fire…?”

He drew away from me, flames flickering at my body. I looked down at myself. I was still covered in wounds. But I knew that wasn’t what he was referring to. Grinning, I snapped a finger and a small rainbow-colored flame sparked to life.

“My Grand Skill is still active. See?”

I wasn’t sure how long the Grand Skill was supposed to last, but I felt like it would last at least a few more hours. It was quite powerful. I just feared its cooldown would last… a while.

Willy flitted around me.

“Hmph. Copy.”

“Yep!”

It was true, even if I would joke otherwise. I found the way his fire changed color to be fascinating.

“But mine is better.”

“No.”

He protested as I laughed.

“Salvos.”

I turned to the source of the voice. Centina stood behind me alongside the other monsters. Kron, the [Storm Crustaceans], the [Talonflayers]... all of them.

“What happened to the [Ancient Centinel]?”

Centina gave me a worried look.

“Will she be coming after us? How’d you get here?”

“Oh, I just teleported here. And there’s no need to worry about the [Ancient Centinel]. I took care of it.”

“How? Did you trick her? Did you…?”

The [Evolved Centinel]’s eyes widened, and I nodded knowingly.

“I did.”

“You killed an [Ancient Centinel]...”

Kron blinked. Willy paused. The other monsters stared at me, and I shrugged.

“Yep. I did.”

“How?”

Centina gaped. I waved a hand dismissively.

“It was a bit difficult, but I dealt with it.”

“But she was over thirty levels above you—”

“I know.”

I beamed.

“I’m pretty amazing, aren’t I?”

Kron nodded eagerly, and Centina just stood there. I spread my eyes wide, gesturing at the monsters around there.

“Now, you’re fine. All of you are free. You can take your leave.”

Most of the monsters exchanged confused glances. It took them a moment, but they finally understood what was happening. The first to go was the [Talonflayers]. They dug down in an instant, disappearing into the sand. The [Storm Crustaceans] returned to the ocean, streaming away slowly along with the other monsters.

I watched them go. I was satisfied— happy that I finally finished my job here. The only ones who remained were Centina, Kron, and Willy. I cocked my head.

“What’s wrong?”

The three of them exchanged glances. Then Centina answered.

“We don’t know where to go.”

I raised a brow.

“Huh.”

Kron shook her head.

“Me know. Me want return to family. But me don’t know where go.”

“Willy?”

I looked over at the [Will O’ Wisp]. He spoke, not really caring either way.

“No master. I can go wherever.”

“I see.”

I tapped a finger on my chin. I glanced over at Centina, and she shook her head.

“I don’t know where to go. I’d like to… explore the world. Find love. There are so many things I want to do. I don’t even know where to begin.”

“What about this?”

I looked at Kron, Centina, and Willy.

“I can help you guys! I can find you places to go! Kron, I can find you your family. Centina, I can find you a place where you’ll be accepted, maybe. And Willy… want to kill a Primeval Demon with me?”

“Sure.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] nodded his body. Centina hesitated, then she shrugged.

“I’d appreciate if you could show me around the world.”

“Kron?”

I turned to the [Krokodis], and she shuffled her feet.

“If find me family, me happy.”

“Alright! I’ll help you guys out!”

I clapped my hands together.

“But…”

Then my mind flickered. A thought crossed my mind. I took a look at my Status, and I lifted a finger.

“But just wait a moment. I have something… else I need to do for now.”

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 130

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 94

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 4

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 150 (+25) (+100)

[Strength]: 135 (+25) (+100)

[Endurance]: 150 (+25) (+3) (+100)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+25) (+10) (+100)

[Agility]: 320 (+25) (+5) (+100)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 15]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 15

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 20]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 5

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 10

[Titles Available]

A note from MelasD

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

295. Sentinel

A note from MelasD

I FUCKED UP LAST WEEK'S LINK

Here it is again

Public Service Announcement:

Check out Fare, a charity dedicated to the research of and to help people with food allergy.

We work hard to ensure that every dollar raised brings us closer to improving the quality of life, and the health of individuals with food allergies, and providing them hope through the promise of new treatments.

Homepage | Food Allergy Research & Education

As said a week ago, from now on, I'm going to be linking and donating to a charity at the start of a chapter at least once a week. I can't promise that I'll be able to donate much since my own finances are rather limited right now. But if it's a cause you find meaningful, feel free to donate to the cause as well. If you have a charity or the like you'd like me to share, PM it to me, preferably on discord.

295. Sentinel

Salvos (Liberator of the Plaguelands)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 130

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 94

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] - Lvl. 4

[Title Skill: Recall Skill] - Lvl. 1

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 150 (+25) (+100)

[Strength]: 135 (+25) (+100)

[Endurance]: 150 (+25) (+3) (+100)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+25) (+10) (+100)

[Agility]: 320 (+25) (+5) (+100)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 15]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 10

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 6

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 15

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 20]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 5

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 10

[Titles Available]

Title for Great Feats:

Requirements for three Titles have been met!

You now have eight Titles available!

I skimmed through the other Titles I had available. The ones I had yet to choose or discard. They were quite ordinary. Nothing special to look at. They gave minor Stat boosts, which I didn’t quite care about considering my current Title’s Skill and boost.

Titles:

(Unarith’s Fiend)

You have slain the High Zealot of Unarith—

…

(Defender of the Nexeus)

You have destroyed a corrupted piece of the world! It may only be a single piece, but it is more than many have done in dozens of millenia! In doing so, you’ve taken up the mantle of Dragons in protecting Nexeus from its doom!

+15 to [Vitality]

+15 to [Strength]

+15 to [Endurance]

+15 to [Wisdom]

+15 to [Agility]

The only one I paused at on the way to my new Titles was the Defender of the Nexeus. It still intrigued me, even now. But I didn’t think its pros outweighed the con of losing [Title Skill: Recall Skill]. It was one of the best Skills I had, currently.

I wondered if it could work on Grand Skills, too. Probably not.. Either way, I moved on and took a look at one of the three new Titles I’d been given.

The first… made my jaw drop.

(Secely’s Sentinel)

You have defended Secely against a myriad of threats both from the outside and from within! Whether it be a Demon that threatens to kill hundreds of millions, or an invasive Species of monster that came from far away, you have dedicated your abilities towards defending the last continent of the Nexeus! But while you may have fended off the corruption of the Endlands once, would you be able to repel it again when it draws nearer…?

+30 to [Vitality]

+30 to [Strength]

+30 to [Endurance]

+30 to [Wisdom]

+30 to [Agility]

Bonuses:

*You are more resilient to the corruption of the world!

*Your Grand Skills’ cooldown are reduced by 20%!

“What…?”

My eyes went wide. Centina glanced over at me, raising a brow.

“Is something wrong, Salvos?”

I had been sat on a rock by the beach, kicking my feet over the washing waves until I fully took in the last part of my Title. I quickly waved a hand off at the [Evolved Centinel].

“It’s nothing! Don’t worry about it!”

She frowned, but said nothing more.

I steadied myself, once again focusing on the offered Title. It gave me an additional 30 Stat Points to all of my Stats, which was already better than the Liberator of the Plaguelands.

Not only that, it had additional Bonuses which I’d never seen before.

Bonuses:

*You are more resilient to the corruption of the world!

*Your Grand Skills’ cooldown are reduced by 20%!

The first Bonus wasn’t anything amazing. I would say it was far too specific for me to even consider it. I wasn’t going to go around, ending the world’s corruption, right?

Right?

Well, regardless of whether I did that, I had the Breastplate of Alexander… even if it was broken right now. I could probably get it fixed somewhere. Added to the mix of my Grand Skills— I wasn’t too worried about dying to the corruption.

Maybe I’d think about it if I decided to venture to the fabled Endlands my Dad kept talking about. But, honestly, he was probably overexaggerating its dangers by a little bit.

Anyway, what caught my attention was the second Bonus. My Grand Skills’ cooldowns would be reduced by 20%. That was… good. Very good.

I wasn’t even sure when my [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] would end, but I knew when it did, I’d be waiting for quite a while before I could use it again. A month, maybe. Or a few weeks, at the minimum.

Meanwhile, I was pretty sure I could only use my invincibility Grand Skill once every five days. The wait time for both my Grand Skills would be drastically reduced if I had chosen this Title.

The only problem was [Title Skill: Recall Skill]. Even then, I really considered it. I didn’t think any other Title would be as good as it was. Well, when I decided to take a look at the next first, I realized I was wrong.

(Genocider of Centinels)

You have killed over a million Centinels in an extremely short amount of time, indiscriminately targeting both young and old in your genocide! Having even brought down an [Ancient Centinel] on your own, you are now the bane of Centinelkind. Even the wrath of the Matriarch Centinel herself isn’t enough to put a halt to your senseless massacre.

+50 to [Strength]

+25 to [Vitality]

+25 to [Endurance]

+25 to [Agility]

+5 to [Wisdom]

Bonuses:

*You attract the wrath of Greater Centinels wherever you may go.

*You can command Lesser Centinels through sheer intimidation if there are no other Greater Centinels around.

“Um, what?”

This time, Willy was the one to perk up. He flitted over to me, curious.

“Ok?”

“Yep. I'm fine! Great, actually! It’s just…”

My eyes flickered. I thought about all the possibilities. I could have my own army of small Centinels! I was going to assume that Lesser Centinels meant everything from Level 40 and below— which meant they’d be distractions more than anything.

But if I was up against Belzu, that’d be very useful.

Actually, rather than making assumptions, I decided to ask Centina what Lesser Centinel was.

“A Lesser Centinel?”

She blinked.

“Those are Centinels who are below Level 70. Why?”

“Just wondering…”

Wait, actually, since Centina was a Greater Centinel, would she suddenly be mad at me if I chose this Title?

“Does that mean you are a Greater Centinel?”

“I’m an [Evolved Centinel]. I do not fall under either Greater or Lesser Centinel. I’m a Sapient Centinel.”

“Huh. Got it. Thank you!”

It was good that Centina wasn’t going to get mad at me. But I was still on the fence regarding this Title, especially due to its description.

I didn’t just kill the Centinels for no reason. It definitely wasn’t senseless. I was mostly defending myself against them after being forcefully thrusted into the Bloodied Gulf by my Dad.

So if anyone deserved that Title, it was Sal!

Yet, it also offered a pretty good Stat boost. Once again, even better than the Title I gained from killing the Lich. I was tempted to choose it, but I was averse due to the same reason as before— I’d lose [Title Skill: Recall Skill].

That was one of the most beneficial Skills I currently had in my repertoire. Was it worth removing that Skill? That was the question I had to wrestle with.

I mulled over it as I reached my last Title.

(The Devil’s Daughter)

You are the daughter of the Devil! He is a being that is dozens of millennia old. He has seen the fall of the old world, and lived through the beginning of the apocalypse. He has seen continents fall, watching callously as entire Species are driven into extinction. Yet, he has taken you as his student. And under his tutelage, you’ve earned more than just his interest— you’ve also earned his affection.

+10 to [Vitality]

+10 to [Strength]

+10 to [Endurance]

+10 to [Wisdom]

+10 to [Agility]

Bonuses:

*You get to keep your current Title and all its Bonuses and Skills.

“Huh.”

“Salvos say something?”

Kron looked up from chomping into a Centinel’s leg. I didn’t know when, but the [Krokodis] had somehow smuggled bits of Centinels with her to feast on because she liked the taste. I sighed.

“I did. But it, um…”

I trailed off. Shrugging, I gestured at a nearby thicket.

“I’m going to go over here to do something now.”

Obviously, I was going to choose this Title. There was no reason not to. I could already tell that my Dad would try to tease me about it, but I didn’t see any reason to be embarrassed about it.

In fact, I was pretty sure this Title’s description was far more embarrassing for him than it was for me. After all, it outright said that he was attached to me now, which I was sure he’d try to deny.

He was the Devil— he would claim he was intrigued by my actions and my progress, but not attached. Something about being around for a long time and how my existence was mere moments to him.

Now, there really was no consequence to accepting this Title if it meant I could stack it on top of my current Title. But the question remained— did I want to remain as the Liberator of the Plaguelands?

It’d be risky, removing [Recall Skill]. However, as I stood alone amongst the trees and tried to activate the Title Skill and use it on my Grand Skills, I knew it couldn’t work.

The Skill was only useful for Skills I’d lost. And while that was useful to a certain extent… I didn’t think it was worth the loss of potential from rejecting either Secely’s Sentinel or Genocider of Centinels.

It was a risk, but life was all about risks. What was more, it was one I was willing to take.

Now, I had to weigh the options I had. I liked both of the other Titles. I could see their uses— especially to aid me in my battle against Belzu. However, Genocider of Centinels, while quite useful, didn’t offer quite the Stat boost that I wanted.

And that tipped me over the edge towards Secely’s Sentinel. I could potentially live to regret my decision. Maybe [Recall Skill] would be useful later on in a situation where I needed it, but I didn’t have it. But I believed that with the advantages offered by Secely’s Sentinel and possibly even The Devil’s Daughter, it would make up for it entirely.

With my mind made up, I made the change.

Title Lost!

(Liberator of the Plaguelands)

[Vitality] +25

[Strength] +25

[Endurance] +25

[Wisdom] +25

[Agility] +25

General Skill [Title Skill: General Curse Resistance] Removed!

General Skill [Title Skill: Recall Skill] Removed!

Title Gained!

(Secely’s Sentinel)

+30 to [Vitality]

+30 to [Strength]

+30 to [Endurance]

+30 to [Wisdom]

+30 to [Agility]

Bonuses:

*You are more resilient to the corruption of the world!

*Your Grand Skills’ cooldown are reduced by 20%!

General Skill [Title Skill: Protection of the Sentinel] Obtained!

General Skill [Title Skill: Invoke Wrath] Obtained!

Title Gained!

(The Devil’s Daughter)

+10 to [Vitality]

+10 to [Strength]

+10 to [Endurance]

+10 to [Wisdom]

+10 to [Agility]

Bonuses:

*You get to keep your current Title and all its Bonuses and Skills.

General Skill [Title Skill: General Status Effect Resistance] Obtained!

General Skill [Title Skill: The Devil’s Grace] Obtained!

A note from MelasD

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

296. A Demon, Two Monsters, and a Spirit Walk into a Town

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Zogarth's Amazon release!

On just another average day, Jake finds himself in a forest filled with monsters, dangers, and opportunity...

It was a day like any other when suddenly the world changed. The universe reached a threshold humanity didn’t even know existed, and it was time to finally be integrated into the vast multiverse. A place where power is the only thing anyone can truly rely on.

Jake, a seemingly average office worker, finds himself thrust into this new world. Into a tutorial filled with dangers and opportunities.

His new reality should breed fear and concern. His fellow coworkers falter at every turn. Jake, however, finds himself thriving.

Perhaps... This is the world Jake was meant to be born in.

The Primal Hunter: A LitRPG Adventure - Kindle edition by Zogarth. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

296. A Demon, Two Monsters, and a Spirit Walk into a Town

And with that, I was finally finished with what I needed to do. I had obtained a new Title— two new Titles, actually. The Devil’s Daughter had a bonus which allowed it to be stacked on top of any other Title I had. With it, came a whole 10 Stat Points to all of my Stats in addition to my brand new Title as Secely’s Sentinel.

I had four new Title Skills, too. [General Status Effect Resistance], [Invoke Wrath], [Protection of the Sentinel], and [The Devil’s Grace]. I was most intrigued by what the last did, as the others were quite intuitive. Except maybe [Invoke Wrath].

I returned to the beach with the Centinel, the [Krokodis], and the Spirit. Kron had gone to sleep some time ago, and Centina was on the brink of passing out too. Only Willy was as amazing as me, immune to the need to sleep.

“Hey!”

I called out to them. The [Will O’ Wisp] flitted up and over to me.

“Finished?”

“Yep! Although—”

I did still have my Skill Points to spend. I quickly distributed them, maxing out my Secondary Skills and [Demon’s Mark]. I also brought [Nebular Construct] up to Level 10, although it wasn’t maxed yet.

“Alright, now I’m actually finished.”

I nodded at Willy, and his flames brightened.

“Good.”

He flew back towards Kron and Centina. They jerked awake as he zipped around them, yelling loudly in a short, truncated voice.

“Wake. Up. Wake. Up—”

“Me awake. Me awake.”

Kron scrambled to her feet as Centina groused.

“Are we ready, Salvos?”

“Yep!”

I clapped my hands together, spreading my wings wide. Both [Wings of the Netherworld] and my regular wings unfurled.

“Let’s get going!”

The [Evolved Centinel] paused. She exchanged a glance with Willy and Kron. Then she faced me.

“Right. But where are we going to go first? It’ll be difficult to travel around with myself and Kron. Even if Willy, as a Spirit, can follow you without a problem to Human settlements.”

“Huh.”

I cocked my head.

“I haven’t actually thought about that. That’d be a problem, won’t it?”

Centina sighed.

“Yes. Yes it will be.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“What are we going to do about it?”

“That’s exactly what I’m asking you.”

—--

I decided to worry about what to do with Centina later. For now, Kron was really antsy about getting home.

“Me family, not sure. Me swamp there.”

She gestured vaguely towards the horizon, and I pursed my lips.

“Um, I’m going to need a bit more detailed directions than that to figure out where to take you.”

Right now, I was flying. I had no direction I was going in, really. I was more trying to get a gauge of where we were. I had a map, and I knew the Bloodied Gulf was at the southernmost point of Secely. So, considering where we were in relation to the Bloodied Gulf, I was assuming we were towards the southwest.

Kron had no answers for me— none that she could give. All she told me was that her people had lived in a swamp of sorts. It was muddy, the grass was a dark green, and there were a lot of vines.

Yep! Like that helped!

Eventually, after flying for a few hours, we returned to civilization. I spotted small towns and villages. Human settlements. They were scarce and far apart— mostly farmland right by a river. I landed far enough away where no one would spot me and turned to Kron and Centina.

“You guys should wait here.”

But the [Krokodis] just shrugged.

“Why?”

“Because if Humans see you, they’ll attack you. You don’t want that, right? I’m going to go to the local Adventurers Guild and ask if they know anything about your, um, swamp.”

“Is fine. No worry about we. Watch—”

Kron snapped her fingers, and I blinked.

“Huh.”

The image of a Human woman wrapped around where Kron had been standing. No longer was a [Krokodis] standing before me. Instead, she was a green-haired girl wearing a frilly dress with a hat made out of straw.

“See?”

It was an illusion. Centina gaped as she watched Kron’s form change. Not an actual transformation, yet it seemed real enough.

“Wait, what about me?”

The [Evolved Centinel] exclaimed. Kron waved a hand in her direction. Her form shifted too. She stared with wide eyes as she took on the body of a middle-aged woman with ginger hair. Kron gave her the appearance of being dressed in rich clothing and plenty of accessories adorning her.

This sight made Centina gasp. She took herself in, touching her face and her cheeks. Then she touched her jewelry, blinking. The objects moved as though she were interacting with them, but she frowned.

“These aren’t real. I can’t feel them, even if I can touch them.”

“Because fake. Me illusion not physical.”

Kron replied simply. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“I see. So that means you’ve got to be careful not to bump into anyone, Centina.”

If only I was able to lend the [Evolved Centinel] my shapeshifting ability. She was quite downtrodden, but regardless, she started towards the town in the distance.

“Alright. Let’s get going!”

I raised my hand. Willy harrumphed, interrupting me before I could take even two steps forward. His flames flickered as he spoke.

“Me?”

I stared at him, then glanced over at Kron. Scratching my cheeks, I cocked my head.

“What about you?”

“Illusion. Me too!”

“But you’re Spirit.”

I waved a hand over his body.

“You won’t get in trouble for entering a town unlike Kron and Centina.”

“Not fair!”

He protested. He flitted around me, making unhappy noises.

“You can transform. They have illusions. What about me?”

“You’re Willy!”

“No!”

I sighed, massaging my temples.

“Fine. Kron. Can you give Willy a Human form too?”

The [Krokodis] nodded. She pointed at Willy, and his flames flickered out. I watched as a boy emerged from his embers. A boy with rainbow-colored hair and mismatched eyes— white in one eye and black in the other. He stood about half my height, and his face lit up.

“I’m…”

Then he blinked. He inspected himself, outraged.

“Why this?”

“I don’t know.”

I feigned patting him on the head.

“Seems kind of fitting, though.”

He scowled.

“No! Change!”

Kron shook her head.

“Better this. Your body small. So, small body too.”

I could tell that her line of reasoning didn’t placate Willy, but he accepted it regardless.

“Fine.”

“Everyone happy?”

I looked at Centina first. She seemed kind of excited, actually. Even if she didn’t want to look like it. Kron was more uncaring than anything. And Willy was still pouting. But they all nodded.

I clapped my hands together.

“Ok! Onto the Adventurers Guild!”

—--

We arrived at the gates soon enough. The town was called Goldwick. After a small chat with the guards, I discovered that it was a small city right at the edge of the Vorith. They were one of the smaller members of the Alterian League— in the other direction of the Rainforest of Monsters.

There wasn’t an entrance fee, surprisingly enough. The guards didn’t even need to see any identification for our entry. Our entrance to the city went smoothly enough. That was— until one of them whistled as Centina walked by.

“Woah there, beautiful. How long will you be staying in town?”

My gaze snapped back. I didn’t do anything just yet, but according to Edithe, such comments typically led to trouble. I waited as Centina came to a halt, face shadowing over.

Uh-oh. It seemed like Edithe was going to be right. Centina’s head hung low as the guard approached her.

“You know, I’m good friends with the [Innkeeper] just down the street. I could get you a few free drinks and even a discount for the room if you spare some time for a man like me.”

I moved to step in, but Centina was already raising her head. Her eyes were narrowed, a piercing gaze that stabbed into the guard. She opened her mouth— and she blushed.

“Y-you think I’m beautiful?”

I froze. Um, what?

I watched as the [Evolved Centinel]— or at least, her Human illusion— shuffled her feet, embarrassed. She covered her face with her orange locks, shying away from the man. He sidled around her, grinning,

“Of course! You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in years!”

“R-really…?”

Her face grew redder than the color of her hair. I glanced over at Willy, looking for his help.

“Should we, um, step in or something?”

“Hmph. Don’t care.”

He was still upset. I looked over at Kron, and she’d already wandered off. She was at a nearby food stall, inspecting the meats they had on display. Meanwhile, the man continued to hit on Centina.

“Come on, gorgeous.”

He brought his arm over her shoulder.

“We could—”

And I moved fast. I grabbed the man by the arm, stopping him from touching her. Centina frowned as I pushed him back.

“Thank you for the offer, but we’ll be going now.”

“Wha…?”

I grabbed Centina by the arm and marched off. She spoke in a hushed voice, annoyed.

“He was nice to me, Salvos! What are you doing?”

“I should be the one asking you that.”

I rolled my eyes as I brought the [Evolved Centinel] back to Willy. His cheeks were still puffed up, and he refused to budge. So, I dragged him further into the town along with Centina, searching for Kron.

“If you had let that guard touch you, your disguise would be over. Seriously. Why’d you just freeze up like that?”

Centina blinked. Then her eyes widened.

“I… didn’t think about that. He was just so sweet. And he complimented me. And he offered us a place to stay. And—”

“And that doesn’t matter once he realizes you’re not Human. Anyway, where is Kron?”

I looked around the town. We were drawing a few stares since we were high-leveled individuals who the townspeople probably couldn’t use [Identification] on. That just meant I had to follow where the attention was directed at. After all, Kron would be attracting attention too wherever she went.

I spotted a commotion in the distance and ran off, leaving Centina and Willy behind. I looked back quickly and spoke to the [Will O’ Wisp].

“Take care of Centina. Make sure nothing happens to her.”

I pushed through a small crowd gathered around the market street. People were whispering, gasping as a scuffle broke out.

“That’s my horse, you crazy woman!”

“Me say mine now!”

Kron was walking away from a stable, carrying an entire horse on her back. She was also munching on a large chunk of raw beef in her other hand. The [Farmer] tried to pull her back, but she just dragged him forward.

“You can’t just take my Daisy—”

Another voice shouted from amongst the crowd. A woman stumbled forward, panting, followed by a group of guards.

“There!”

She pointed at Kron, and the [Krokodis] blinked.

“That’s the lady who stole from my stall!”

I watched as Kron tensed, readying for a battle. The guards cried out and raised their weapons. Then I stepped in.

“Wait, wait, wait! Kron, you can’t just take other peoples’ things without their permission!”

She kicked off the [Farmer] and chewed on the meat.

“Why not?”

I hesitated.

“I… don’t actually know? But Daniel and Edithe says you can’t.”

“Hey, give me back my horse!”

The [Farmer] got to his feet, and I flicked my wrist at him.

“Here. Have a hundred gold coins.”

The [Farmer]’s jaw dropped as he saw me produce the coins out of thin air. The glittering coins clattered at his feet as I turned to the woman and threw her a handful of platinum coins too.

“Take this and go away. Both of you.”

“Of course! Whatever you say, my lady!”

“Take that stupid horse. I didn’t want it anyway.”

Their tones quickly changed. They took the money and left, and I also tossed a few gold coins to the onlookers and the guards.

“Alright. Everything settled?”

I dusted my hands off. Then I turned to Kron. She continued munching on the meat before she shrugged.

“You…”

I crossed my arms.

“What?”

She just shrugged.

“Me hungry.”

“Whatever. Let’s just go back to—”

I turned around with a sigh, only to freeze when I only saw Willy standing next to a woman I didn’t recognize.

“Are you lost, little boy? Where is your mother?”

“No mother.”

“You don’t have a mother? Oh, you poor thing. Here, I’ll bring you—”

“Wait! Wait! Wait!”

I ran up to them. I stepped between Willy and the woman, raising my arms.

“His mother is just… um, getting something to eat. There’s no need to worry. Come on, Willy. Let’s go.”

“Oh, ok.”

I sighed when I brought him away from that woman. He was still upset with his arms crossed. I wiped the sweat off my forehead.

“That was close. Now let’s get back to Kron…”

I pivoted around, only to catch myself.

“Wait, where is Centina?”

I looked around for the [Evolved Centinel], but she was nowhere to be seen. Then I turned to ask Kron for her help, but the [Krokodis] was also gone. I looked over at Willy for help.

“Did you see where they went?”

“Hmph.”

He averted his gaze, not looking at me. I sighed.

“You know, it wasn’t actually a good idea to bring two monsters and a childish Spirit into a town full of Humans.”

“I’m not childish!”

A note from MelasD

Consider voting for me on TopWebFiction! It takes like a second, and it'd help a ton! I rarely ask for it, too!

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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297. A Demon, Two Monsters, and a Spirit Walk into the Adventurers Guild...

A note from MelasD

Explained in patreon, but something got stuck in my eye lie 4 hours ago while I was writing and it won’t come out. Can’t keep my eyes opens for long periods of time. Going to the eye doctor to get it out. Means there will only be four chapters this week, not five. So, no chapter on friday.

Shoutout to

Darkness ever so deep inside, hatred forever staining the soul. Power but a double edged sword, maybe it can do good as well as causing great destruction. Someone once mighty, two halves originally whole. One of innocence, the other of malice. Both a reflection of one high above, that being binding to the weaker half, under the identity of Cyra.

Infinite in sins they are, embracing their imperfections and selfish desires. Clashing against those endless emotions, memories tormenting but evermore pleasureful. Maybe in the deepest of despair, there can be solace. Even if one is to eternally travel in the harshest of sorrow, it is never truly hopeless, that being trying to right the wrong that has been done. No matter the morrow ahead, perseverance relentlessly protruding. Will Cyra succeed? Or will her enemies?

"My other half...when will you cease this pointless resistance, and join me to become whole once again?"

"Even if I must fight for an eternity, then so be it, to reclaim those pleasureful times..."

"I will no longer live in your shadow Maria!"

A fierce battle now reflecting into reality, an entity from the deepest of abyss awakening once again, bringing demise in the wake of their despair. What is hiding away in the farthest reaches of the past? Why are both halves so conflicted? All of this may be answered.

Genres might change depending on the volume.

Parallel Hearts | Royal Road

297. A Demon, Two Monsters, and a Spirit Walk into the Adventurers Guild...

“There you are!”

I found the [Evolved Centinel] standing at the edge of an alleyway, looking around confused. I opened my mouth and called out to her as Willy followed slowly behind.

“Centina—”

“Hey there, Missy. Want to come with us and have some fun tonight?”

Wait, why was she being crowded by those guys? I watched as a group of four men surrounded her. They cornered her, and all she did was blush.

“O-oh? Where are we going?”

One of them placed a hand on her shoulder.

“We’ll be going to— wait, what the…?”

His brows furrowed, and I leapt in just in time. I literally landed on the first man, waving at them.

“Hi! I’m Salvos!”

They stared as their friend collapsed, unconscious. I placed a hand over my mouth.

“Oops, sorry! Did I give your friend a concussion? Well, you should tend to that, alright? Anyway, my friend here is busy. We’ll be going now, bye!”

I grabbed Centina and dashed off. They exchanged glances, completely thrown off. I could tell that they wanted to protest, but it all happened so fast they couldn’t even register what happened.

They only broke out of their stupor when their friend I’d crashed into groaned.

“My head… I think I have a concussion…”

Didn’t I already say that?

I brought Centina back to Willy. I glanced between the two, then back towards the streets of Goldwick. I clasped my hands exasperatedly.

“Look, I just need to find Kron before she does something stupid again, alright? Can the both of you promise me you’ll— wait, where did Centina go again?”

The [Evolved Centinel] was somehow being led into a tavern by a young man.

“Why are you being hit on again already?!”

She giggled, hands covering her mouth before I yanked her back. I returned just in time to find a rugged man kneeling and smiling at Willy.

“Do you like candy, little boy? I have more at my place…”

The [Will O’ Wisp]’s mouth drooled.

“Candy?”

“No, no, no! That’s a kidnapper!”

I broke the man’s kneecaps, bringing both Willy and Centina to an emptier side street. I crossed my arms and faced them both.

“Please, can you guys just wait here for five minutes?”

Centina looked embarrassed. She shifted slightly before nodding.

“I-I’ll try. It’s just that… I’ve never gotten the attention of so many guys before. Am I really that pretty?”

I grabbed her by the shoulders.

“This is an illusion, Centina. It’s not your real body. The moment those guys discover you’re an [Evolved Centinel], they’ll run away screaming. They’ll hate you.”

Her eyes widened. She hung her head, and I drew back.

“You’re right, Salvos. I’m sorry for being troublesome to deal with. It’s just… so much for me to take in.”

She shook her head.

“I shall wait here for you to return with Kron.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled. Then I turned to Willy.

“And will you behave?”

He scowled.

“No.”

I rolled my eyes. I looked away from him, speaking in a disappointed voice.

“And here I thought you weren’t actually a child. But seeing you act so childish… I guess your body really does fit you, huh?”

“What? Am not!”

He sputtered, and I sighed.

“Well, I guess I could get my clone to babysit you.”

“No need!”

My eyes flickered open as he spoke. I raised a brow.

“Oh? Are you sure about that?”

“Can take care of self.”

Willy spoke indignantly. I nodded.

“Well, if you insist.”

I smiled, turning away. With that settled, it was finally time to find Kron.

“Now… where did that [Krokodis] go?”

I scanned the streets of Goldwick, but before I could go searching, a familiar voice drew my attention.

“Something wrong?”

I spun around to see Kron standing behind us, her confusion evident. I blinked.

“When did you get here?”

She shrugged.

“Me here whole time.”

“Huh.”

I didn’t know how I didn’t notice her standing there— as expected of someone with illusion magic. Well, at least I didn’t need to find her. Although…

My eyes narrowed as I looked at her shoulder.

“Why are you still carrying that horse?!”

—--

It took a while, but I eventually herded my friends into Goldwick’s Adventurers Guild. It wasn’t a large guild by any means. One of the smallest ones I’d been to, actually.

All the better for me, since it was less likely for Kron, Centina, or Willy to get in trouble. We strode in one after the other, although the [Krokodis] struggled to fit through the door. I sighed.

“Kron… can you please just put the horse down?”

“Mine!”

“Leave it outside. We’ll get her later, alright?”

She wanted to protest, but a single glare made her concede.

“...fine.”

I got a table and bought food to placate my three friends before making my way to the receptionist’s desk. A young woman stood there, blinking as I came to a stop right before her.

“Hello there, Miss. How can I help you today?”

“Hi! I’m Salvos!”

I waved at her, and she nodded. Then she paused. She stared at my hand as her eyes widened. Fumbling behind her desk, she spoke in a hurried voice.

“Are you alright, Ms Salvos? Do you need a healing potion?”

“Um, what?”

She produced an array of bottles and offered them to me.

“You’re covered in cuts— oh my, how are you still alive?”

“Oh, this?”

I looked at my left hand. Then I looked at my right hand. Then I looked at my entire body. I really was still quite badly injured, wasn’t I?

If I wasn’t still under the effects of my Grand Skill, I’d probably be in a lot of pain. I shrugged.

“Sure. I’m out of healing potions, anyway.”

I bought the whole stock and downed a few healing potions. My wounds mostly healed up. When I was done, I got down to business.

“Alright. I’m looking for information about a certain Species of monster.”

“We’re only a small guild, so we can try to offer what we can.”

“Have you heard of a [Krokodis]?”

I asked, glancing back at Kron. The receptionist frowned.

“I have heard of that monster. They are very dangerous— considered a Platinum Ranked threat. Are you perhaps a Platinum Ranked adventurer?”

“Actually, I’m Diamond.”

I corrected her, and she paused. Her smile slowly vanished as she rubbed her ear.

“I’m sorry, Ms Salvos—”

“I’m Salvos. Not Ms Salvos.”

I cut her off. She hesitated.

“R-right. But did I hear you right? Did you say you’re a Diamond Ranked adventurer?”

“Yep! I just came from the Bloodied Gulf, actually. Killed an [Ancient Centinel] too.”

“You… what?!”

The receptionist gaped. I waved a hand dismissively.

“It wasn’t that hard. Well, I mean, it was— but I ended up winning, of course. Because I’m Salvos.”

“But an [Ancient Centinel] is an Elite Ranked threat…”

I beamed, wanting to bask in her praise more. But there were other pressing issues, so I continued.

“I’m looking for… a [Krokodis] Lair? Or something. It’s supposed to be around a swamp?”

“A [Krokodis] Lair?”

The receptionist tilted her head.

“Or any place that supposedly had a bunch of [Krokodis] in the past. In a swamp, specifically.”

“Well, there was a notable [Krokodis] infestation in Zunus a few decades ago. But they were wiped out. Although they did try to reform a few times, I'm pretty sure those groups were hunted down too.”

My shoulders went slack. Was that really Kron’s family? If so, that put a damper on our plans.

“I see, thank you.”

I nodded at the receptionist before returning to the table of monsters. Kron had finished all the food I had ordered, while Centina was shifting from side to side at the looks she was getting. Willy looked up at me.

“How go?”

“It, um, didn’t go so well.”

Kron glanced up, and I sighed.

“Your family, Kron… they’re probably dead.”

I didn’t know how else to say it, so I was blunt. Perhaps it was too straightforward, however there was no other way to place it. The [Krokodis]’ eyes widened.

“Oh.”

She drooped slightly. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting to come next, but I certainly didn’t think she’d just shrug it off.

“Sad.”

“That’s it?”

I cocked my head.

“What do? Me need find new home.”

“I thought you’d be a little more upset.”

“Me family dead. Sad. But need live.”

She spoke simply, and I agreed with her.

“That’s true. But now what do we do?”

I looked over at Centina and Willy, hoping they’d have options for me. But neither had any suggestions.

“I’m not sure if there are too many places we can go to, Salvos.”

Centina fidgeted, playing with a ring in her finger. I looked over at her as she continued.

“Unless we get the aid of someone powerful, there’s nowhere we could go where we are safe. After all, we are not Humans. We need to go somewhere where we could be protected.”

“Right.”

That made sense to me. Even when I first came to the Mortal Realm, I had Daniel and Edithe to guide me around and help me. Otherwise, I’d often get into trouble. I didn’t want Centina or Kron to be attacked if they were found out, and while I could try my best to prevent that from happening, my experiences over the last hour alluded to how things could go horribly wrong.

My eyes narrowed as I caught sight of the symbol on Centina’s ring. It was one I recognized— it had been on the diary I found at the Skyshredder manor.

Someone powerful, huh?

I snapped my fingers.

“What if I brought you over to Mavos Academy?”

Willy paused. He pointed accusingly at me.

“That’s a stupid idea.”

“Why not?”

“Humans. Many. High-leveled.”

“And that’s exactly what we’re looking for!”

I snorted. Powerful Humans— ones that, if I could convince them, would protect Centina and Kron. Especially if Clayton Skyshredder listened to her story.

“Wait, I’m not certain— what’s Mavos Academy?”

Centina gave us a puzzled look. I clasped my hands together, grinning

“It’s my school! It’s somewhere to the north of here. But don’t worry, I’ll get us there in no time.”

“Stupid!”

Willy crossed his arms.

“I don’t know, Salvos. This sounds like a dangerous idea.”

Centina agreed with him, although Kron didn't seem to care.

“Me illusions. Me safe, always.”

“Exactly what Kron said!”

I gestured at the [Krokodis], then at Centina.

“Don’t worry, Centina. I’ll speak with their Headmaster. He’ll help us out. After all, he’s Erhard’s great great great great… however many great’s… grandson.”

The [Evolved Centinel] sat up abruptly.

“He is?”

“Also, I’m sure he wouldn’t pass up the chance to learn more about Centinelkind. So, trust me! It’ll all go over just fine.”

“I…”

She shuffled her feet. She was clearly apprehensive of the idea, yet she nodded.

“Very well. We shall head to this Mavos Academy if you desire.”

“Great!”

I spread my arms wide. My wings shot out— although they were covered in flames— and the adventurers surrounding us gasped. I took Centina and Kron by the arms as Willy floated up. The receptionist stared at us as we slowly flew out of the guild.

“Thanks for your help!”

I waved at her, and she looked at me with round eyes.

“She really is a Diamond Ranked adventurer…”

With that, I took off. I flew back in the direction of Mavos Academy, excited to finally be back. I was now Level 130. I had two new Titles. And I was nearing my Class advancement too. I wondered how my friends back in school would react?

“Oh, actually…”

I tilted my head back.

“What is it?”

Centina raised a brow. I pursed my lips.

“I hope I’m not late for school.”

I remembered that the semester was supposed to start in a month or so, and I had no idea how long I’d been in the Bloodied Gulf.

“Well, it should be fine, right?”

A note from MelasD

Explained in patreon, but something got stuck in my eye lie 4 hours ago while I was writing and it won’t come out. Can’t keep my eyes opens for long periods of time. Going to the eye doctor to get it out. Means there will only be four chapters this week, not five. So, no chapter on friday.

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

298. Edithe's Elaboration Part One

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to my good friend KrazeKode's amazing timeloop female lead litrpg! Mark of Time!

Jennifer had been ready to enter Lienmont's Mage Academy. The place she'd been aspiring to reach for years now, in hopes of learning the many secrets of magic. What she hadn't been expecting was to be dragged into the city's dungeon, following an unknown swordsman through its dark depths.

Her journey found her in a trial of life and death that left a Mark seared on not just her body, but her very soul. And if that wasn’t enough, when she escaped the dungeon, she found her city in flames, burning as monstrous invaders slaughtered everyone they came across, including her.

When Jennifer closed her eyes, she was certain her life had taken an unfair and tragic turn. But then she opened them, only to find that none of it had ever happened.

The only proof she hadn’t gone mad was the Mark on her hand, burning with an inner fire.

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/51870/mark-of-time

298. Edithe's Elaboration Part One

Edithe Dawnrise rose from her bed as sunlight leaked into her room through the window’s blinds. One look at the clock by her bedside told her that it was noon. She’d overslept. But that was because of how late she’d gone to bed the night before.

Preparations had been made. She’d done everything she could to ensure things would proceed smoothly. Hadrian had thanked her for what she did, and while he had wanted to show up for the arranged meeting occurring later that day, he was barred from showing up.

Jake had only agreed to speak with Edithe. And while it was just going to be Edithe going against the True Dreamers Company, she was confident she’d be able to reach a compromise. The Valiant Dreamers Company had been split into two— after the revelation of company’s hidden purpose, and Baris’ death.

But with the Primeval Demon threat, and the fate of Humankind at stake, they needed to make amends. Before Leopold left.

It was three days ago when the delegation of the Rising Veterans Company arrived at Viechester. Their leader, Leopold, had gathered most of the independent adventurers left in the city, along with the smaller companies— those that comprised of a tight-knit group of friends, more than actual members.

He gave the Valiant Dreamers and the True Valiants Companies a day to settle their disagreement before the Rising Veterans’ and their coalition left to meet with the other Honorable Companies. Together, their might would rival even the Van Qieuer Empire. Maybe even surpass it.

That was why Edithe was doing everything she could to ensure that both the True Valiant and the Valiant Dreamers joined this coalition.

The red-haired woman left her room with a yawn, heading down to the mostly empty lobby. She nodded at Sophia who was eating her lunch.

“Afternoon, Edithe.”

“Hello, Sophia. Where’s Cless?”

“He’s out training. Still getting used to being up and about, you know?”

“That’s good.”

Without Rachel to take care of, Sophia was now free to carry out her adventurer duties which was… not much. The city was on high alert, and guards were everywhere. There were no monster threats that hadn’t already been taken care of by the city itself. And it wasn’t like there were many travelers on the road.

Everyone was afraid of the Primeval Demon. Sophia, herself, didn’t feel like she could do much in the grand scheme of things. Edithe felt a similar way— mostly because she experienced how helpless she was in the face of Belzu— but she knew that with everyone’s efforts combined, they could actually do something against him.

“I’ll be going out to meet with Gabriel, now.”

“Gabriel?”

Sophia blinked. Gabriel had been a Diamond Ranked adventurer and a combat [Alchemist]. A powerful member of the Valiant Dreamers Company… until the split.

Her brows creased.

“He betrayed us… why are you—”

“Everyone was betrayed that night, Sophia.”

Edithe cut her off.

“There’s no need to point fingers. What matters now is that we work together.”

“...right.”

Sophia bit her lower lip.

“You’re right.”

“Now, let’s hope Gabriel actually listens to what I have to say.”

Steeling herself, Edithe left the company headquarters and searched for the [Alchemist].

—-

Gabriel waited at the meeting point. It was a field right outside of Viechester— one overgrowing with flowers that were left unpicked. Edithe trudged over to him and spoke his name.

“Gabriel.”

He glanced fractionally at her, looking up from the beige-colored flower he’d been kneeling over and inspecting. Dusting off his knees, he got to his feet and plucked the flower.

“Edithe Dawnrise.”

He greeted her with a smile.

“It has been a while.”

She wasn’t expecting such a warm welcome from him, especially since he now was part of the True Valiants.

“I-I, uh, yes.”

“You know, it is still quite odd calling you by your full name. It was only a few years back, you were a newly-minted Gold Ranked adventurer. Certainly not the noble and Diamond Rank you are today.”

He walked up to her, and she shuffled her feet.

“Thank you, Gabriel. I…”

She pursed her lips. She didn’t expect this kind of a welcome from Gabriel. She expected a lot more animosity and ill will. Instead, he shook his head and smiled.

“Do you know where we are?”

Edithe took in the sight of the field. The overgrowth and the explosion of flora. She vaguely recognized this place.

“If I remember correctly, this is often where you came to gather ingredients for your alchemy.”

“Indeed. It has an abundance of resources. Rich in the lucir flower. Very important in concocting physical enhancing potions. And yet, [Alchemists] don’t often flock here to gather these ingredients. Do you know why that is?”

Gabriel came to a halt right before the red-haired woman. She shook her head, and he chuckled.

“It’s because mixed with the lucir flowers are lakir mushrooms. Those are poisonous fungi, and they infect the vegetation around it with the same toxic properties that are inherent to them. Most low-leveled [Alchemists] are unable to sift out the toxicity, so they simply abandon a place such as this. Leaving it to flourish in their absence.”

“I see.”

Edithe didn’t know how this was pertinent to their meeting, but she let him speak. And when he was done admiring the vegetation in the area, he turned to face her and spoke about the matter at hand.

“Edithe. Why did you wish to speak with me today?”

She answered honestly.

“I believe that the Valiant Dreamers and the True Valiants shouldn’t be fighting amongst each other. Not right now. Not when there’s more pressing matters.”

“The Primeval Demon.”

He spoke her mind for her. She nodded grimly.

“I know what happened with the Iron Champions was Baris’ fault. And I know that he was partially to blame for what happened that night… with the Primeval Demon…”

This was a speech Edithe had rehearsed multiple times. But even with the practice, she found it difficult to truly say. Blaming Baris didn’t feel right to her, and yet the anger of the True Valiants was justified. So, she took in a deep breath and continued.

“But that doesn’t mean what he stood for— what he taught us— was incorrect. That’s why you guys formed the True Valiants, right?”

“Indeed.”

Gabriel agreed, and she nodded.

“That’s why we have to work together. Put aside our bad blood and work with the Three Honorable Companies. Bring down the Primeval Demon. You get it too, don’t you?”

There was a reason why Edithe had chosen to speak with Gabriel. She knew he was the one who would be most swayed by logic.

“I—”

She started. But he cut her off.

“However, while I agree with your sentiments, I do not truly believe that Baris was at fault for what happened that night. Nor do I believe he’s to blame for the Iron Champions.”

She paused. It took her a moment to register what he said. Then she blinked.

“Wait, if you don’t fault Baris for what happened, why did you leave the Valiant Dreamers Company?”

Gabriel sighed, stepping forward.

“Baris was my friend. He’d been my friend for many decades. But do you want to know the truth, Edithe?”

He asked, and her eyes widened.

“I had wanted to leave the company for decades. The only reason why I’d ever been in the Valiant Dreamers Company was because of him. Because of Baris. All because of a promise. And now that he has passed, I was no longer beholden to my promise, so I left.”

Edithe took a step back. She slowly worked her jaw.

“But if that’s the case, why did you join the True Valiants?”

“Because just as the lucir flower in this area needs a skill [Alchemist] to remove the lakir mushroom’s poison in its stem, the True Valiants needs an experienced member to ensure it doesn’t devolve into a group that exists solely to sabotage and make enemies out of the Valiant Dreamers.”

“You mean—”

Her eyes grew round, but he shook his head.

“Do not mistake me. I am not doing this for the sake of the Valiant Dreamers. It is for their own sake— for the True Valiants to succeed, they cannot be forever begrudging to what Baris has done.”

Gabriel placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling.

“Now, for the sake of both our companies, and the rest of Humankind, let us work together and put an end to the Primeval Demon menace.”

He left the field, and she hurriedly followed after him. Her lips curled up as she finally found someone on her side. Not to fight against each other, but to unite as one.

“Let’s do this.”

—-

Together, Edithe and Gabriel spoke with Jake and the rest of the True Valiants. Then they spoke with Hadrian and the Valiant Dreamers. It was hard to convince them to speak with each other, but they only had a day before Leopold left. So, the red-haired woman made it work.

The thing was— there was never any need for the Valiant Dreamers or the True Valiants to cooperate. They just had to work alongside Leopold and the Rising Veterans. That way, there would be no bickering and no arguments.

Many familiar faces showed up for the meeting, and while there were scowls and brief snide comments made against each other, they ended their meeting with a simple mission statement— even if they disliked each other, that didn’t mean they couldn’t face a common threat.

Edithe clasped her hands, speaking to everyone in the room. And both the Valiant Deamers and True Valiants came to an agreement.

“We want to stop the Primeval Demon. We can’t argue and squabble amongst ourselves when our lives— and the lives of the ones we love— are at stake. So, please, let us pool our strength together and fight with each other once again.”

With that, it was finally settled.

A note from MelasD

Remember, no chapter tomorrow.

NEW MONTH. BEST TIME TO PATRON. Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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299. Interlude - Edithe's Elaboration Part Two

A note from MelasD

Quick little announcement:

Thank you all for 1,000 patrons. Normally, I'd happily give a reward, but I gotta get my passport renewed tomorrow, so no chapter unfortunately. Normal schedule resumes Wednesday.

Shoutout to Cruxborne Legends

People play games everyday though the most hardcore gamer can be legendary.

Markus has played video games since elementary school and competed in tournaments since his freshman year of high school, but when he is offered the chance to play as a beta tester for Reality Interactive's new VRMMO game Cruxborne Legends, he jumps straight in.

When he logs in for the first time, Markus learns that things are not as they originally seemed and everything has a cost.

Including lives.

Cruxborne Legends | Royal Road

299. Interlude - Edithe's Elaboration Part Two

“How long will you be gone?”

Rachel stared up at Edithe with misty, round eyes. The red-haired woman pursed her lips. Patting the girl’s head, she spoke in a reassuring tone.

“I promise I’ll be back as soon as we defeat that Primeval Demon.”

“I-I… but…”

The girl sniffed and drew back away from Edithe. Tears streamed down her face as another figure stepped forward. It was Cless. The Gold Ranked [Mage] gave her a melancholic smile. Her eyes widened.

“You too?”

“Thank you, Rachel. For looking after me when I’d been injured.”

He kneeled down to meet her gaze, but she looked away.

“You can’t all be going, right? You can’t—”

She paused when her gaze landed on Sophia. The one who’d been taking care of her for all this time. The girl gasped.

“Sophia? Y-you…”

Her voice trailed. Wiping away her tears, Rachel pleaded with the young woman.

“Please… don’t go?

It was both a request and a question. A hopeful one. Unfortunately, Sophia could only shake her head.

“I’m sorry.”

Edithe wouldn’t have preferred to watch this scene. Rachel’s eyes grew wide, her pupils dilating. Her shoulders sagged, and the welling up of her tears overwhelmed whatever dam that had been holding the deluge back. She cried— full-on ugly cried.

The girl bawled her eyes out as Sophia hugged her. The two held each other for a long moment, while adventurers moved in the distance. They embraced each other at the bottommost steps of the Sanctum of Elements, and a man descended from the marble stairway.

William, the [Priest] who raised Edithe, nodded morosely at Sophia. He took Rachel away, carrying her over his shoulder. He gently tried to calm her— although it was to no avail.

Edithe’s lips pursed as she continued to watch. Obviously, she didn’t want to leave the girl alone. But it was far better than bringing her with them. William would take care of Rachel. Edithe trusted him.

He paused atop the staircase, glancing back at the red-haired woman once.

“Take care of yourself, Edithe.”

She blinked. Then she nodded.

“I will.”

And with that, he returned to the temple. Edithe, Sophia, and Cless watched as Rachel disappeared back into the temple, eyes still full of tears, and carried by William.

—-

“Hadrian.”

Edithe nodded at the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company. He’d been waiting out here alongside the other members of their company, gathered just outside of the banclite walls of Viechester.

“Are we ready?”

Hadrian straightened, and she nodded.

“As ready as we’ll ever be.”

“Good.”

His gaze fixed past her. She followed where he was looking— back towards the city. Their city. It was finally time to depart. And everyone was understandably anxious. Even Hadrian.

“I hope that, when this is all over, I’ll be able to return to this beloved city.”

Edithe shook her head. She held his hand, even as she reprimanded him.

“Don’t say that, Hadrian. You’re the leader of the Valiant Dreamers. If you’re disheartened, the rest of the company will be too. You have to believe that we’ll win. You’ll have to trust that we’ll defeat the Primeval Demon.”

He chuckled, although it wasn’t out of humor. Hadrian smiled at Edithe, bowing his head.

“You’re right. I apologize for that display. Come on, let us get going.”

And they left. A procession of adventurers streamed away from Viechester, led by Leopold. By the Rising Veterans Company.

It was one of the largest gatherings of unaffiliated adventurers she’d ever seen. They weren’t allied companies or just independent’s hanging out at a guild. No— they were all kinds of adventurers, their affiliation irrelevant. And together with the rest of the Valiant Dreamers Company, they marched away from Viechester, heading to a faraway location.

Their destination was supposedly the Helbir Plains. They were going to continue their march north, recruiting all the adventurers that they could before finally heading east. To Lurdroth. It was a neutral country that was located right between Shedos and the Helbir Plains. One that engaged mostly in trading, and hadn’t been engaged in a war in over two hundred years.

That was where the coalitions of the Three Honorable Companies were going to have their meeting. Where they were going to discuss their next course of action.

Edithe trudged alongside this cavalcade of adventurers as they crossed through a long strip of flatlands. Clouds gathered above, darkening the sky and douring the mood.

The Valiant Dreamers Company, once so mighty, had been lessened to the point where they simply blended in with the crowd. Perhaps, in the past, they would’ve stood out. But after the toll taken by the company war and after the True Valiants made their split, they were far less noticeable to others.

Her eyes flickered to the opposing group. Gabriel, Jake, and the rest of the True Valiants marched ahead of the Valiant Dreamers, at the head of the group. They grouped themselves together with Leopold’s delegation, and rumors began to spread throughout the gathered adventurers.

“Is that the True Valiants Company?”

“I hear it’s the successor of the Valiant Dreamers. After Baris’ death.”

“The Valiant Dreamers? But aren’t they right—”

The red-haired woman scowled, but she made no comment. The only reason why Valiant Dreamers weren’t also at the fore of the procession was because Edithe, Sophia, and Cless had to bid farewell to Rachel.

Sophia gritted her teeth as she tightly gripped her bow.

“Didn’t we agree to work together? What are those idiots at the True Valiants doing?”

“They’re not the ones spreading these rumors, Sophia.”

Edithe replied. Sophia growled.

“But they’re doing this on purpose. They’re trying to put us down and elevate their own position. Even at a time like this.”

“That…”

There was nothing Edithe could come up with that could defend Jake’s actions. Even though he listened to Gabriel, he still seemed upset with the Valiant Dreamers. He probably did this on purpose. With a sigh, she just shrugged.

“We don’t want to cause trouble. It’s fine, Sophia.”

“Ugh, I know, but… wait, what’s going on?”

Sophia whispered. Edithe glanced up, watching as Leopold’s group came to a halt all of a sudden. Shadows zipped by overhead, and heads turned.

Everyone looked towards the sky. Eyes widened, and adventurers pointed as flying figures descended from the clouds. A susurration washed over the gathering as a flying carpet descended, carrying three figures on its back. Even from afar, Edithe could tell who they were.

“Those are… Elites…”

Her breath was caught in her throat. She just stood there, in a stupor, dazedly watching their entrance just like all the other adventurers gathered here. Those standing closest to the Elites— who weren’t in Leopold’s delegation— receded. A large gap separated the masses of low-leveled adventurers from those who were above Level 150, giving them their space as they landed.

“What are you guys doing?”

A voice snapped Edithe back to reality. The one who spoke was a figure who floated above the rest of the Valiant Dreamers, who were also enraptured with the arrival of the Elites. And he was the only one who carried a semblance of the former glory of their company.

Ismail Zuland. The [Beastmaster] flew forward with his Pegasus, gesturing at the Elites.

“Let us greet our new guests.”

Greet them? Edithe’s first thought was to protest. Those were Elites. Regular adventurers like them should stay back. Regular… adventurers…

The red-haired woman turned away from Ismail, taking herself in. She was a Diamond Rank adventurer. Just like him. She was no ordinary adventurer. And the Valiant Dreamers Company had been compared with even the Honorable Companies in the past. She knew that their standing had fallen, which was why she shouldn’t be walking with her chin down.

It was just as she said to Hadrian earlier— they needed to bolster their morale.

“To me!”

Edithe rallied the Valiant Dreamers. Sophia hesitated, and Cless didn’t immediately start forward. Even Celine, Edithe’s brash friend, didn’t make a move. Not until Hadrian stepped beside her.

“What are you standing around for?”

He waved an arm, gesturing for them to follow.

“We are dreamers, but we won’t be lost dreaming. Wake up from your sleep and follow me!”

They exchanged apprehensive glances, but they did as they were told. Edithe and Hadrian led the Valiant Dreamers with pride through the crowds of adventurers to meet with the arriving Elites, even if the red-haired woman’s heart was racing. The flying carpet came to a halt a few feet off the ground, and the Elites disembarked one by one.

The first of them was a large woman. One who stood as tall as any Cyclops and carried a massive battle axe on her back. The ground almost shook as her feet touched the ground, and her bellowing voice could be heard even from the back of the crowd.

“Leopold! Still as scrawny as ever, huh? So these are the adventurers you’ve gathered for us?”

[Warrior - Lvl. 157]

“That’s Lofus. The Broken Berserker of Bharain.”

“She’s said to be able to rip a Wyvern in half with her bare hands.”

“Isn’t she an independent adventurer? What’s she doing here?”

Edithe didn’t need to listen to the crowd’s commentary to know of Lofus. With her spiky red hair, and with a body envied by any [Warrior], her reputation far preceded her.

The second figure to step off the flying carpet was a man who stood two heads shorter than Lofus. He landed without a sound, almost slinking into his companion’s shadow. Rubbing his ear, he clicked his tongue and spoke in an annoyed voice.

“You’re too loud, Lofus. You’re going to make me go deaf if you keep shouting.”

[Rogue - Lvl. 161]

“Orgaf. Thief of the Golden Scale.”

“He’s the one who stole a dozen Epic Grade artifact from the Kobold lands and sold them to the Vaun Qieur Empire for tens of thousands of platinum!”

“He nearly ran their vaults dry, didn’t he? It’s no wonder he ran across the Human lands to join the Rising Veterans Company.”

His gaze snapped towards the woman who said that. She shrank back and quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry— I didn’t mean…”

The third figure didn’t speak, even as he pulled himself down from the flying carpet. Yet, the Spirits that accompanied him— the [Will O’ Wisps] that wisped off his white hair and the [Elementals] that clung to his wrinkled body— made it clear who he was.

[Summoner - Lvl. 155]

“Is that Alder Ashford? The highest-leveled [Summoner] in the world, and the Augur Elder himself?”

“What is he doing here? Wasn’t he part of the Forsaken Company?”

The whispers grew louder as Edithe’s eyes narrowed.

“Wasn’t he at the Fall of Nightsveil too?”

“Didn’t he flee and leave Bellward the Blademaster to die?”

“Oi, Alder, they’re insulting you again.”

Orgaf crossed his arms, and the whisperings came to a halt. He glanced over at Alder, giving him an expectant look.

“Are you not going to defend yourself?”

Alder said nothing. Lofus sighed as she leant against her war axe.

“Do not bother with him while his pride is shattered, Orgaf. Please, it is better to let him recuperate by himself.”

“I’m just saying— he’s letting his reputation be ruined by a bunch of nameless mooks. Seriously, are we supposed to work together with these guys to bring down that Primeval Demon? Give me a break.”

Orgaf picked his nose and snorted. He glanced over at Leopold, rolling his eyes.

“Weren’t you supposed to bring us reinforcements or something? Who even are these adventurers? I’ve never heard of half these companies in my entire life.”

“I did my duty as ordered by my superior, Nikodemus—”

“Did that idiot seriously tell you to pick up any adventurer you saw? That’s ridiculous. These guys will only slow us down.”

The Thief of the Golden Scale sighed. He scanned the adventurers gathered, pausing momentarily at Ismail, before shaking his head.

“Only one person in this entire cavalcade of clowns is even worth bringing along to fight the Primeval Demon. You can leave the rest behind.”

He waved a hand off. This dismissive attitude… annoyed Edithe.

She watched as he made a shooing motion at all the confused adventurers, including those of the Valiant Dreamers and the True Valiants. Not even Gabriel drew his interest.

Sophia exchanged an uncertain look with Cless. And she wasn’t the only one who was puzzled. Murmurs rose from the gathered adventurers— even Jake didn’t know what to say— but Ograf put a halt to it with a clap of his hands.

“What are you guys still doing here? There was a mistake. Go back to your homes, already. You have no reason to be here.”

Edithe couldn’t take it anymore. She stepped forward, carrying with her all the dignity of the Valiant Dreamers Company on her back.

“With all due respect, Sir, I believe there was no mistake.”

“And who are you?”

He raised a brow. She proffered him a hand, smiling.

“Edithe Dawnrise. The Liberator of the Plaguelands.”

That made Orgaf pause. Edithe knew that it’d throw him for a loop. She planned on it. But she didn’t expect him to recover so quickly.

“Ah, you’re one of the two friends of that Salvos girl who has been making news recently, are you? Well, I wouldn’t quite say you deserve that Title, but I’ll humor you for now. Come on, tell me why there hasn’t been a mistake.”

He didn’t shake her hand. Instead, he chuckled, and she pursed her lips.

“My company— the Valiant Dreamers— was approached directly by Leopold to aid the Rising Veterans Company in bringing about the destruction of the Primeval Demon that felled Nixa. It is the same reason why every other adventurer here is gathered. To end this Demon threat once and for all.”

“And what makes you think that you won’t be more than mere fodder in the face of that Primeval Demon?”

Orgaf peered into her, a vicious grin spreading across his face.

“What makes you think you won’t just add to his growing army of undead and monsters?”

“I…”

Edithe clenched a fist.

“The Valiant Dreamers are a respected company—”

He cut her off, raising a finger.

“Was a respected company. I heard about what happened. After the company war and after your brief clash with the Primeval Demon… now, you are nothing.”

And that made Edithe snapped.

“We are more than capable of holding our own, and I’m willing to prove it.”

“You wish to prove it?”

Orgaf narrowed his eyes, and sickles appeared in his hands. Lofus shook her head as she watched him sneer.

“That foolish girl…”

The red-haired woman backed up as the Thief of the Golden Scale raised his pair of golden blades.

“Then come, oh pretender. False Liberator of the Plaguelands. I’d be more than willing to put you in your place. I’m waiting.”

“Edithe, what are you doing?”

Hadrian called out. She glanced back at the man, then she steeled herself. She held tightly onto her staff, raising it.

“Bring it, you petty thief.”

She snarled. It was a deliberate provocation. Maybe even stupid. Gabriel and Ismail tensed, and Hadrian reached for his sword as both Edithe and Orgaf stood across from each other. Everyone waited with bated breath as neither of them made a move just yet.

Then the [Rogue] flickered. He moved so fast, Edithe couldn’t even react. His sickles sliced up—

“That’s enough!”

And a voice thundered overhead. Lightning struck down, intercepting Orgaf before he could lash out at Edithe. A figure dressed in gilded robes stopped the Elite’s attack with ease. Edithe blinked as the dust settled, and her eyes grew wide.

An elderly woman stood before her. One who bore the insignia of the Rising Veterans Company on the back of her robes. She carried with her a staff made entirely out of crystal, wearing a crooked crown on top of her head.

Edithe tried to use [Identification] on her—

[??? - Lvl. ???]

And it didn’t work.

“T-that… that’s Helena Warshade!”

Edithe froze. Her gaze snapped up at the mention of the name, and both awe and trepidation coursed through her as more voices echoed from behind.

“She’s the leader of the Rising Veterans Company. She’s the Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy— the second highest-leveled [Mage] in the world!”

Helena Warshade didn’t react to the gasps, nor did she once turn away from Orgaf. She spoke simply, her voice booming through flatlands for all to hear.

“Orgaf the Thief of the Golden Scales. I, Helena Warshade, am the one who ordered for this coalition to be formed. I ask that you refrain from threatening or harming any adventurer under my protection. Is that understood?”

Her voice was accompanied by a crackle of lightning. One that lit up the darkened sky. It was a show of force that left Edithe staring. The mana radiated from that single bolt— it was far more powerful than any of her Skills.

Orgaf drew back, and his sickles vanished.

“Fine.”

He grunted, turning away.

“Whatever.”

“Good.”

Helena Warshade lowered her staff, and the sky cleared. Dark clouds had covered the sky all day, but now they were all gone. With the simple flick of her wrist. Then she addressed the gathered adventurers.

"Now adventurers of the Sunmere Republic! I thank you for heeding my call! My company waits you at the edge of the Helbir Plains. This journey, while long and arduous, I assure you, is for the greater good! Together, we shall bring down this Demon threat once and for all!"

There were cheers as lightning came crashing down all around the flatlands, yet none striking even close to anyone there. Edithe could only stare at this overwhelming display of power as Helena showed off her magic after putting another Elite in his place.

Another susurration ran through the crowd, and this time, it was one of pure wonder.

“Is that really the power of Helena Warshade?”

“If we’re going to fight alongside her, we may actually stand a chance!”

And as Edithe got to her feet, she hoped... she truly hoped...

That it would be enough.

A note from MelasD

Quick little announcement:

Thank you all for 1,000 patrons. Normally, I'd happily give a reward, but I gotta get my passport renewed tomorrow, so no chapter unfortunately. Normal schedule resumes Wednesday.

Also, now that I have your attention, than you to the amazing Sunshine on my discord for commissioning this CUTE new emote for my server. It's Saffron, and she's cheering you on!

Join my discord and get access to even more cool emotes.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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300. Return to Mavos Academy

300. Return to Mavos Academy

Clayton Skyshredder stood atop the Tower of Truth. It was a grand building that was located at the center of Mavos Academy— one where the faculty of this small college town resided. Standing there, he had a full view of the entirety of the campus. Its streets were emptier than usual; he didn’t beheld the sight of a bustling university full of students.

No— most of the students had returned to their homes. Their classes had been suspended ever since the Primeval Demon crossed the border into Inoria. While it might’ve slowed in its approach, its direction was clear: it was headed to Shedos.

The Headmaster of Mavos Academy was a knowledgeable man. He had a wealth of information behind him— a network that would supply him with anything he needed to know. And he knew why the Primeval Demon was heading to Shedos.

In fact, he understood its plan as soon as it had slain Baris Slydrift.

It was collecting the Treasures of Alexander. Mythic Grade artifacts that even very few Elites would be able to acquire. Certainly, the Watcher was likely to have at least one or two Mythic Grade weapons in his inventory. But even someone like Clayton would have a hard time getting his hands on something of the sorts.

He was the highest-leveled [Mage] in the world. He could theoretically pursue a Mythic Grade artifact— after all, there were stories and legends of where some were said to be buried or hidden.

However, Clayton was, more than a fighter on the battlefield, a researcher. A man of academics. He didn’t waste his time searching for some long lost power that could only be wielded by him when he could be actively working to bring that power back into this world for all to use. That was his reasoning in the past.

Now with the Primeval Demon running amok, he wished he had at least one Mythic Grade artifact. He had sent his [Secretary], Marie Schofen, to acquire as many Epic Grade artifacts as possible, but that didn’t mean much when the Primeval Demon had both the Breastplate of Alexander and the Sword of Alexander.

And once it found its way to the Norwood Family in Shedos, it would have another item in the set. The Greaves of Alexander.

Truly, Clayton wished he could intervene. That by himself, he’d be able to slay the Primeval Demon. But he had doubts that he was capable of that. Even if it had been merely at Level 150, it would’ve been a difficult battle. And now, it was nearing Clayton’s level. Last he heard, it was just above Level 160. And Demons… well, they were feared for a reason.

Perhaps if Humankind’s strongest fighters were to get gather—

But no. The Watcher was missing once again. And Clayton couldn’t abandon Mavos Academy. He had sworn an oath. With a sigh, he placed a hand on the crystalline window, watching as figures moved in the streets below. Mavos Academy was still busy; life hadn’t completely ground to a halt, even if there were no classes. It was essentially a city. Even if half the students disappeared, the roads would still be populated.

Clayton would ensure no harm befall his school, no matter what. Be it Demon or monster.

“Stupid!”

“Hey, I’m not stupid!”

“Not you. Idea stupid!”

“What’s wrong with this idea? We just have to show Clayton Centina’s ring— explain everything that happened. He’ll help us out.”

“Demon bring monster to place full of strong Human? Very stupid.”

I rolled my eyes as Willy continued to protest. He was back to his [Will O’ Wisp] form… or should I say, Kron had let her illusions come to an end once we were high enough up in the sky. I was still carrying her and Centina. Willy himself had no trouble flying, although if I sped up too much he wouldn’t be able to keep up with me.

“Look, do you have any other suggestions, or are you just going to keep calling my idea stupid?”

This question stumped the [Will O’ Wisp], and I shook my head.

“What about you, Kron? And you, Centina?”

None of them had any answers for me. They were mostly clueless as to what to do— both Kron and Centina scarcely or never ever wandered into the Human lands. Willy was a Spirit. While he had a master, he was only summoned or called out when needed. He didn’t have a good lay of the land either.

I considered all options I had, and I was pretty sure this was the best one I had. Centina wanted to explore the Human lands, not lurk around its peripheries, so I needed someone powerful to help her. And that someone was Clayton Skyshredder.

He was the most powerful Human I knew, at least.

“Anyway, if anything goes wrong, I’ll protect you guys. Don’t worry too much about it.”

I still had my Grand Skill active, after all. It was half a day since I killed that [Ancient Centinel], and my [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] was still going strong. It was going to last me at least a full day.

Salvos (Secely’s Sentinel) (The Devil’s Daughter)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 130

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 94

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 6

[Title Skill: General Status Effect Resistance] - Lvl. 1

[Ttle Skill: Invoke Wrath] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Protection of the Sentinel] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: The Devil’s Grace] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 150 (+30) (+10) (+100)

[Strength]: 135 (+30) (+10) (+100)

[Endurance]: 150 (+30) (+10) (+3) (+100)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+30) (+10) (+10) (+100)

[Agility]: 320 (+30) (+10) (+5) (+100)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 1]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 10

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 15

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 5]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

After that? Well, I probably was going to be waiting a while before I could use it again.

“Just a little further.”

I saw smoke billowing into the sky from the horizon. We flew over a desolate landscape— burned buildings and destroyed cities littered the ground. Had this been Nixa? Or was it just another area that had been razed to ashes by Belzu?

I didn’t know. Either way, I continued my flight until eventually we arrived at Shedos.

Mavos Academy laid ahead. A city and a school. I saw its tall towers peaking over the clouds. A majestic sight. Yet, it seemed different from before. It didn’t have the ambience of a busy school. Instead, it looked more like a guarded fortress. I narrowed my eyes, swooping down away towards a forest instead.

“Where going?”

Willy asked. I gestured at a cave hidden beneath the trees and the earth.

“My Lair.”

We landed, and I lowered the pair of monsters to the ground. They took in my Lair. At the treasures I had laid out. The [Will O’ Wisp] paused by the Dreaded Goblet.

“Odd.”

“Hm?”

I cocked my head. Then my eyes narrowed as I sensed an odd energy radiating from the blackened water inside of it.

“Huh. I never felt that before.”

I wasn’t sure what it was. It reminded me of when I first learned how to sense mana— the invisible strands that permeated the air. Except, it was specific to the Dreaded Goblet.

Centina found her way to the stacks of books I had arranged in the corner of the cave, while Kron made herself comfortable in my makeshift bed. I didn’t need that bed anymore since I no longer needed to sleep. Good riddance.

“Alright.”

I clapped my hands together, drawing their attention.

“I’ll be going to Mavos Academy now.”

They hesitated. Then they slowly put down their things. I tilted my head as I watched Centina scuttle up towards me. Willy just let out an ethereal sigh, while Kron nodded.

“Me magic, ok?”

She raised a hand, activating her illusion magic. I watched, and they were all wrapped up in their Human forms.

“Um, what are you guys doing?”

I gave them an inquisitive glance. Centina stopped taking in her form and met my gaze.

“We’re going to meet with this Clayton Skyshredder, aren’t we?”

She seemed a little bit excited— either that, or she was happy to look like a Human again. I frowned.

“Why would you…? This is a magic academy. They’ll see right through Kron’s illusions!”

Willy’s Human form blinked. He stared at me for a moment. Even Kron wore a puzzled look on her face. I narrowed my eyes, glancing between each of them.

Centina peered at me.

“What is your plan then, Salvos?”

“I’m going to speak with Clayton and bring him out of Mavos Academy, of course. Not to my Lair, either. We’ll arrange a place for you guys to meet!”

“Oh.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] made a sound of understanding. He faced me, nodding approvingly.

“Smart.”

I looked back at Centina who smacked her forehead.

“That… makes sense.”

Even Kron was surprised by it.

“Ohhhh… me get it.”

I really didn’t get what was going on.

“Wait, what did you think I was going to do?”

Willy shuffled his feet, averting his gaze. Centina pursed her lips, and Kron shrugged.

“Me thought you bring us into Mavos Academy. Me thought use illusion magic to hide us. Me thought you stupid.”

My eyes grew wide. I took a step back.

“Seriously? You guys thought I was going to bring you into Mavos Academy? That’s so stupid!”

“Exactly.”

Willy nodded eagerly. I blinked.

“Huh. So that’s why you thought it was dumb.”

Then I folded my arms.

“See? My idea isn’t stupid!”

A note from MelasD

Sorry for late chapter. I got beat up yesterday. 18 hours on trains will do that to you.

But today I shall ascend to godhood.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Chapter 300 Special: Salvos Side Character Popularity Poll 2

Title says it all. Another popularity poll to see who are your favorite side characters. Chapter 301 will be out soon, but I'd like to see your guys' votes first. Especially a hundred chapters later :)

Also thank you all for reading as always. Y'all are great.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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301. Divine

A note from MelasD

Check out Blaise Corvin's newest book! Apocalypse Cultivation!

The Earth has been overrun with monsters...

Post-Apocalypse America is unrecognizable from the past. Jake survives by working as the leader of a scavenging adventuring team. A former mage, now he follows the strange path of cultivation, taught to him by a mysterious traveler.

As far as he knows, he is one of the only people on Earth with this power.

Events will unfold that change Jake's life forever. Jake might even lose his very humanity while trying to do the right thing. But in return, perhaps he will grasp a second chance to save himself and others, to correct the past. He is about to be caught up in something much greater than himself.

Will he be consumed by the machinations of greater powers? Only one thing is for certain. No matter how terrible the odds, Jake doesn't give up.

Amazon.com: Trojan Nightmare: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Apocalypse Cultivation Book 1) eBook : Corvin, Blaise: Kindle Store

301. Divine

Valda sighed as she sat in the library of Mavos Academy’s Central Square. A textbook laid unopened before her. Her notes were scattered on the desk, a jumbled mess that she couldn’t be bothered to sift through.

“This sucks…”

She murmured. Across from her, Eve, one of her best friends, raised a brow.

“This is unlike you, Valda. Usually I’d be the one snoozing during one of our study sessions together.”

“What even is the point in studying?”

The fifteen-year-old girl scowled. She was a genius who’d enrolled in Mavos Academy six years younger than most of her freshmen counterparts. Eve, for example, was turning 22 this year, while she was turning 16.

And yet, despite being a supposed hard working genius, Valda was refusing to study. She didn’t budge, barely looking at her friend.

“Our entire semester was canceled. There really is no reason to study for the next five months until our next semester begins. It’s ridiculous. I would’ve graduated next year if not for this.”

“Well, to be fair, there is a Primeval Demon skulking around our borders.”

Eve shrugged. Valda snorted.

“Mavos Academy is the most prestigious magical institution in the world for a reason. It has never fallen, even under siege, throughout all of history. Even during the First Great Kobold Invasion or even when the Demon King himself came to the Mortal Realm.”

“Right, but that’s because of the Immortal King Alexander’s intervention— both times.”

That is true… And yet, Valda found herself shaking her head.

“Still, we don’t know where the Primeval Demon is going. It’s trapped in Inoria right now. Has been for the past month. And if it can’t get past Inoria, then it doesn’t stand much of a chance when the Vaun Qieur Empire mobilizes the full might of its army to put an end to this threat.”

“But haven’t you been hearing the rumors?”

Her friend leaned forward. Eve whispered conspiratorially, glancing over at the door of the study room.

“My aunt— she’s a senator, right? Well, she told me there’s more than just a single Primeval Demon. There have been sightings of other Demons— many of them at over Level 100. Dozens of them. Maybe even hundreds.”

She shuddered as Valda’s eyes narrowed.

That sounded insane to think about. That there were that many Demons— no, Archdemons— present in the world. And even still…

“The Adventurers Guild approximates that there are ten thousand Diamond Rank adventurers currently registered in the world. That’s not to mention the thousands that are working in the military such as the Swordsguard Forces of the Vaun Qieur Empire. Or the non-combatants. Or those who work in assassin groups or mercenary armies.”

Valda waved a hand off dismissively. Eve rolled her eyes.

“You’re acting as though all the Diamond Ranked individuals in the world are going to collectively work together to stop this threat. Unlike the Demons, we aren’t so organized. And if there are already that many Archdemons present in the Mortal Realm…”

There was a pause. Eve closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. Even Valda understood the implications.

“Just how many of them are there, hiding away, and waiting in the Netherworld? Surely you understand the gravity of the situation, right?”

The fifteen-year-old girl pursed her lips. She shuffled her feet.

“I know that, it’s just—”

It was that her school life— the life in Mavos Academy she so looked forward to, that she’d worked towards for her fourteen years— was ruined. And just accepting it upsetted her.

Worse than that, it would also admit that… admit that…

“Maybe Saffron was right…”

“Did you say something?”

“No…”

Valda sighed again. She rested her chin on the palm of her hand, glancing out of the study room’s window, and taking in the rest of the library. Columns of bookshelves rose up to the ceiling, creating a forest of books.

“I just wish someone would deal with that Primeval Demon already...”

Footfalls echoed in the hallway just beyond as she massaged her temples. She glanced up as the door swung open, Jeremiah, Marie, and Jonas leaping into the room.

“Valda—”

“What are you guys doing here?”

She blinked.

“Guess who’s back at Mavos Academy?”

Her eyes lit up as she exchanged a glance with Eve.

“A [Hero] could.”

Salvos is back.

I strolled through Mavos Academy, heading for the Tower of Truth at the Central Square. I needed to speak with Clayton Skyshredder about Centina’s situation. To get his help, of course. Unfortunately, I found myself constantly being interrupted on the way there.

“Excuse me— sorry, I’m in a bit of a rush.”

“Hey, is that Salvos?”

“The Diamond Ranked adventurer? I thought she died to that Primeval Demon!”

“Those were just rumors. I saw her on campus after the fall of Nightsveil. She never left Mavos Academy.”

“But wait, her level… how—”

It was nice, of course. Hearing people praise me always placed me in a good mood. Except, not only were they praising me from afar, people were blocking my way to ask question.

“Salvos! Weren’t you Level 110 just a few months ago? When did you get to Level 130?”

I glanced over at the man who approached me. I didn’t recognize him.

“Um, I got to Level 130… twenty hours ago?”

He stood in my way as I tried to get around him. Even though I made it clearly obvious that I was in a rush, he still barred my path, speaking to me with familiarity.

“Amazing. And to think you reached Level 100 just last year…”

“Thanks. Um, do I know you?”

I cocked my head. The man deflated.

“Wait, you don’t remember me?”

He didn’t look like anyone I knew. And that was because he wasn’t anyone I knew.

“Well, we never spoke so I guess that makes sense. I was in your enchantment class last semester—”

“Sorry, I’m in a rush. Gotta go!”

I dashed around him as he called out.

“Wait—”

But I didn’t care. I didn’t know who he was, so it didn’t really matter to me. I wasn’t going to stop for just anyone. Only for people I knew.

I arrived at Central Square moments later, only to run into someone I actually knew.

“Salvos!”

A familiar voice called out to me. I looked over at Valda as she strutted over, waving. I blinked. She was accompanied by her friends. And this time, I had to stop to chat.

“Valda! And Eve, Jeremiah, Marie, and Jonas too. How are you guys doing?”

I smiled, hugging them one after the other. Valda stepped back, eyes wide.

“Amazing, Salvos. You’re already at Level 130. How’d you do it? I mean— where have you been?”

“Oh, I’ve just been busy. You know, fighting Centinels.”

“Fighting Centinels?”

They exchanged confused glances. I nodded.

“Yep. At the Bloodied Gulf. I’ve been there for the past few weeks. Or months. Hard to keep track of time down there.”

“You were at the Bloodied Gulf?!”

Eve gasped. They stared at me, a mixture of bewilderment and amazement in their eyes. I beamed, clapping my hands together.

“Anyway, that’s what I was up to. I do hope you guys have been doing well in your classes. I’m a bit late, but I can’t wait to catch up.”

Valda hesitated. She shuffled her feet, scowling.

“About that—”

“What’s wrong?”

I gave her an inquisitive glance. She didn’t meet my gaze. Eve snorted.

“Valda’s upset because there haven’t been any classes for the past month.”

“There hasn’t?”

“No.”

Valda spoke as she crossed her arms.

“They canceled the entire semester. We’ve been given some work to study on our own, but classes will only resume half a year from now.”

“Huh.”

Well, that was good. It meant I wasn’t late for my classes. I didn’t need to catch up in the middle of a semester like when I first enrolled. However, Valda wasn’t enthused about it.

“It’s just so stupid. Why must this happen when I’m in school? Why couldn’t it happen after I graduated.”

Her friends agreed with her. I watched them mutter amongst themselves, upset about this turn of events. I felt a bit bad. I didn’t really get it, but I knew they were unhappy about their current predicament. I couldn’t slinked away amidst their chatter, but instead I stepped forward to reassure them

“Don’t worry, Valda.”

I placed a hand on the blonde girl’s shoulder. She looked up at me as I smiled.

“I’ll deal with the Primeval Demon. Then everything will be resolved.”

Her eyes went round at that. Eve frowned.

“Wait, but that’s not—”

“You can do it, Salvos.”

Valda cut her friend off. She met my gaze, exclaiming.

“If anyone can do it, you can!”

I took a step back, nodding.

“Yep! I’ll see you later, alright? I need to speak with Clayton about, um, something important. Bye!”

With that, I took my leave. Valda watched me enter the Tower of Truth.

“Do you really believe that, Valda?”

Eve faced the blonde girl, unconvinced. Yet, Valda was adamant.

“Salvos is a [Hero], remember?”

“We think she’s a [Hero]. We have no proof of that, yet.”

“You saw how quickly she leveled— it only makes sense. She killed the Lich, and she ventured into the Bloodied Gulf. And if she’s not a [Hero]...”

Valda’s eyes fixed on the silver-haired woman as she ran through Central Square, finally arriving at the Tower of Truth.

“Then she’s a guardian. Someone who protects. A… sentinel. Secely’s Sentinel.”

Eve’s eyes flickered.

“That… kind of makes sense to me.”

I arrived at the Tower of Truth, leaving the ruckus behind me. This was where the staff of Mavos Academy were gathered, and they were far more professional. They didn’t stop me at each step. Even if I recognized a few of the faces there.

Specifically, Veronica Adash. Former princess of the fallen kingdom of Adash. She was both a student and a teacher in Mavos Academy. And she guided me to Clayton’s office.

“To think that you’d surpass my level in such a short amount of time…”

She shook her head.

“I kind of expected it, but I’m still surprised.”

I raised my chin, grinning.

“Well, I did get some help to get here. But I’m very strong now. Look.”

Rainbow-colored flames coalesced around my fingertips. Veronica frowned.

“I’ve never seen magic like that before. It almost feels… different.”

“Really?”

I inspected the iridescent embers. It felt like it radiated regular magic. Strong magic. But… alright, maybe a bit irregular. It reminded me a bit of the Dreaded Goblet. Huh.

“He’s in here.”

Veronica came to a stop by a double door. I bowed my head at her.

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

She leaned forward, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“And if you ever wish to pay me back, just let me know when your father is back in town.”

I froze. Then I nodded robotically.

“Um, sure.”

With that, I hurriedly rapped on the door and waited for Clayton’s voice to leak through.

“Enter.”

The Headmaster spoke as if he was right next to me,even though he was inside. Some kind of noise amplification magic. I pushed the double doors open, stepping inside.

“Clayton!”

I greeted him, waving. Then I paused.

“I mean, um, Headmaster Skyshredder?”

I wasn’t sure how these titles worked. The Headmaster of Mavos Academy turned to face me. He’d been standing by the tinted glass window, overlooking the school.

“Welcome back. It seems you’ve been busy while you’ve been gone.”

“Yep! Killing [Ancient Centinels] and stuff.”

He didn’t seem too impressed by it, although he fractionally raised a single brow.

“Truly, you know not what risk means, do you?”

He flicked a finger, using magic to pull open a seat for me. I sat down across from him as he settled into his desk.

“Well, I do. I was kind of forced into that situation. But, also, I did have… um, something to help me out so it wasn’t just completely stupid.”

The Breastplate of Alexander saved my life more than once. I wouldn’t have gotten out of the Bloodied Gulf without it.

“Anyway, I have a favor to ask of you, Headmaster. Please, just hear me out, alright?”

Clayton Skyshredder creased his brows. Then he placed his arms on his desk.

“Very well. But first—”

He leaned forward, eyes fixed on me.

“Tell me, Salvos: why do I sense Divine Essence coming from you?”

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302. First Impressions

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Shoutout to Sect Leader by Weavervale

In the wake of an attack by a divine beast, the world blinked and transported Jessica Kim from Denver and her life as an accountant into the Sect of Coldsteel, replacing the now dead leadership. Can she get the support together to build the school back up and running while providing support to the refugees left by the divine beast? Will she be able to use her knowledge of the scientific method to improve the sects standing with local clans?

Sect Leader | Royal Road

302. First Impressions

“Tell me, Salvos: why do I sense Divine Essence coming from you?”

Clayton Skyshredder posed the question to the silver-haired girl. Right now it was soft— difficult to discern. If he hadn’t sensed it as she was making her way to his office, he wouldn’t have thought twice about it.

But make no mistake, this was Divine Essence. The very same he could sense from the Watcher. The very same one he had been pursuing for his whole life but failed to achieve.

Before him was a young woman, roughly twenty years of age. A child. Not in a literal sense, but compared to him, she was nothing more than a child. In such a short amount of time, not only had she reached Level 130, but she somehow attained a Divine Essence.

It was the same power that the Immortal King Alexander was said to have exuded. An aura that commanded respect and authority. His words alone would compel those under him to heed his will.

It was the same one that the Oracle of Light Melissa had. And the very same one the Quisling Zacharius had before he became a Lich.

So, how?

How did Salvos learn this power?

Was she taught by a divine being? Or did she slay an unfathomably powerful creature? Or perhaps, did she study an artifact of great? A Mythical Grade item equivalent to the Treasures of Alexander?

The Headmaster of Mavos Academy took interest in such questions. He was a researcher. He had to know. So, he leaned forward, peering into Salvos. Into the silver-haired girl.

And she shrugged.

“I dunno.”

I watched as Clayton nearly fell off his chair at my answer. He coughed, trying to straighten. Then he faced me with a serious look.

“Are you joking right now, Salvos?”

“I mean, I kind of know how I got it? It was given to me through a Skill.”

“A Skill?”

His brows furrowed. Then he stood up, wide-eyed and staring at me.

“A Grand Skill? You learned a Grand Skill before reaching Level 150?”

“Um, yep? Is that a big deal?”

I cocked my head. I was always under the impression that it wasn’t that special. Well, Grand Skills were special and hard to learn. But I didn’t think it was exactly unusual to have it before Level 150. Apparently not.

“A Grand Skill is rarely awarded, even to Elites, Salvos. I only earned my Grand Skill in my Level 150 advancement. And that was because I slayed a Greater Wyvern in battle.”

Clayton shook his head. I tapped a finger on my chin.

Huh. That meant Zix was pretty awesome, wasn’t he? And I wanted to duel against him on my own.

To be fair, I did have Daniel’s [Hero] Skills boosting me. But that was still very stupid. I wouldn’t have won if not for the flames around the arena. Wait, what did they call it again? Divine Flames?

I creased my brows, mulling what that meant for a moment as Clayton pressed me further.

“Now, Salvos, what could you have possibly done to earn you a Grand Skill?

“I killed, um, a lot of Centinels. Well, I also had the Breastplate of Alexander on me, and I’ve been studying it…”

I scratched the back of my head. Clayton massaged his temples.

“You have the Breastplate of Alexander on you, too…”

“Um, yep. But I didn’t steal it, I promise. Saffron lent it to me.”

“The Merryster child?”

His eyes flickered. Then he leaned back on his chair.

“It’s all starting to make sense, at least.”

“Is it?”

I raised a brow. Clayton drew himself to his feet, running a hand on his desk as he approached.

“The Breastplate of Alexander is a Mythical Grade artifact. It is blessed with divine power. By studying from it and extensively using it, it only makes sense that you should have learned how to use its power for a brief moment. A very brief moment. But even now, I still sense it from you.”

He came to a stop before me.

“What is this Grand Skill of yours, Salvos?”

“It’s called [Divine Essence of the—”

Wait. I caught myself. [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion]. Cambion. A half-mortal, half-Demon. And Daeva Cambion. My Subspecies.

Clayton furrowed his brows as I tried to work my jaw.

“[Divine Essence of the…?”

He waited. I quickly waved a hand off.

“Um, I meant to say that it’s… the [Divine Essence of the Mystic of the Nexeus]! That’s right! And it’s what gives me this!”

I showed him my rainbow-colored flames, and he inspected it.

“I see… this divine fire… interesting.”

Divine fire…? Then it clicked. Wait, is this the same kind of fire that the Kobolds had used in their ritual during my duel with Zix? If that was the case, I could probably deal with Zix easily now if we fought again.

That was cool!

“Yep. Anyway, now that I’ve answered your questions, I need your help, Headmaster.”

“I cannot promise anything, Salvos. Even to a student of Mavos Academy. However, I am willing to hear your request.”

He crossed his arms, and I nodded.

“So, there are, um, these monsters… that I met while in the Bloodied Gulf.”

I explained the situation about the haven. About how I helped work with them to escape after they helped me. I also explicitly made sure to bring up Willy. Having a Spirit at his level working alongside the monsters gave the monsters some repute, right?

Well, apparently, Clayton wasn’t too surprised by the idea of a monster haven.

“I have heard of such places. Monsters, unrelated to each other, cooperating in an extremely hostile environment. They have even worked alongside Humans if they share the same enemy. That is how many [Beast Tamers] or [Beast Masters] have formed their bonds. I heard that once there was an Elite [Beast Master] who’d even managed to befriend a [Ceph of the Deep] because both were stranded in the middle of a devastating mana storm.”

“So… does that mean…?”

I gave Clayton a pleading look. He eventually sighed, nodding.

“I shall evaluate the threat of these monsters myself. And if they truly have nowhere else to go, I shall grant them a home in Mavos Academy.”

“Yay!”

I clapped my hands together. Well, it wasn’t like Centina or Kron couldn’t live anywhere they wanted to. They were pretty high-leveled. The only thing was, well, at least Centina didn’t want to live in the wilderness. She wanted to explore the Human lands. Fall in love.

But there was no need to bring all that up to Clayton.

“Alright, I’ll bring you to them.”

I beamed, leading the Headmaster of Mavos Academy out of his school.

“Do you think it’s going well?”

Centina looked over at Kron. The [Evolved Centinel] was restless. She was afraid things would go wrong. That it wouldn’t end well. And while she was looking for reassurance, the [Krokodis] was looking for a nap.

“Mm?”

Kron groused, blearily looking up. Centina shook her head.

“Nevermind.”

There was no point talking to the [Krokodis]. All she cared about was if she had food to eat and a place to sleep safely. Centina had learned that much over the years.

Years. Had it really been years since she met Kron? She didn’t know. In fact, she had no sense of what time was until Erhard explained it to her. Thanks to him, she had learned a lot about the world. A lot she never understood before.

She knew it had been a long time since Erhard's death— since she was forcefully entrapped beneath the Bloodied Gulf. However, she was never given a clock. The object that was supposed to be able to tell time. So, she still never understood what time was.

All she knew was how to compare a moment to how long she lived. And while this moment wasn’t very long— it hadn’t been too long since Salvos left— it felt like it had been forever and more. Sighing, she took a seat and closed her eyes.

“Maybe I should just sleep as well…”

She trailed off. But before she could doze off, an ethereal voice woke her up.

“Here!”

Willy flitted over both the [Evolved Centinel] and the [Krokodis]. Centina scrambled to her feet.

“Salvos is back?”

“Bringing Human. Come!”

He quickly ushered them out of the Lair, bringing them a bit away to a clearing nearby. Centina fidgeted nervously. She didn’t know what to do or say. Willy turned to her, speaking softly.

“Level high. Careful.”

Centina gulped, tensing up. But there was no reason to be afraid, right? Salvos was bringing him here to protect them.

But who was coming? Was it Clayton Skyshredder? The one who Salvos said was related to Erhard? If so— well, Centina was nervous for more than one reason. And this reason definitely was not fear.

She shifted her many feet, scratching her cheek.

“Hey, Kron, can you maybe use your illusion magic to make me look like a Human? I want to give him a good first impression.”

Kron scowled.

“Me only asked for illusions. Me tired.”

“O-oh, but—”

Before Centina could argue, she heard sharp voices cutting through the trees of the forest. Footsteps on fallen leaves crunched their way over along with a pair of Humans. Well, one of them was Salvos in disguise.

“It’s fine, Clayton. Just try not to scare them. They aren’t used to being around Humans.”

“Do not worry, Salvos. I have interacted with monsters before. During my stay in the Rainforest of Monsters, I’d even saved an Orc commune from an invasion of Wasp Locusts.”

“Good, good.”

The figures reached the end of the thicket, stepping into the clearing. Salvos smiled and shook her head as Centina perked up.

“I just don’t want you to—”

And the man standing next to her— a man with a flowing white beard and majestic robes— paused. His gaze snapped towards Centina.

“Get back, Salvos! An [Evolved Centinel] followed you out of the Bloodied Gulf!”

“Wait, Centina isn’t—”

A longsword with a crooked guard that curved up like horns appeared in his hand as a dark aura appeared around it. Clayton Skyshredder, an unidentifiable high-leveled Human, lashed out at Centina with a powerful magical strike. The ground tore as Willy and Kron threw themselves out of the way.

“[Darkblade’s Sunder].”

And Salvos appeared before the [Evolved Centinel].

“[Protection of the Sentinel].”

Centina blinked as her body was wreathed in rainbow-colored flames. They formed segmented parts over her body. A kind of… outer carapace, made entirely of Salvos’ fire. The dark blade clashed against this flaming carapace, sending trees behind Centina toppling without even touching them. But it didn’t harm her. The attack dissipated as Clayton frowned.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

The Demon scratched the back of her head.

“Oops, did I forget to tell you that one of the monsters was an [Evolved Centinel]?”

She laughed, and Clayton drew back. His brows creased as he glanced between Centina, Kron, and Willy.

“To think you can block one of my offensive Skill... but that doesn't matter. This is unprecedented. So, you’re telling me that this Centinel was working alongside a monster, a Spirit, and a Human against its own kind?”

“Her own kind.”

Salvos nodded.

“Anyway, she’s nice. Please don’t be mean to her.”

Centina lowered her head, her shoulders sagging. That was already not a good first impression. And Clayton was dubious.

“How do I know this is not a trick, Salvos? You could be fooled by this Sage Centinel. They are crafty and dangerous. The most intelligent of the Centinels.”

Wait, he praised Centina. He called her intelligent. That was a good thing, right? Centina looked hopefully at Salvos, and the Demon shook her head.

“Centina is not dangerous! Look, you can trust her— even your great, great, great, great grand-whatever did. Centina, show him your ring!”

“My great, great… what?”

Clayton narrowed his eyes, but Centina quickly pulled out the ring in her finger. She showed it to him, bowing her head.

“This was given to me by the man I loved. His name was Erhard Skyshredder. I was told you were related to him.”

Salvos nodded eagerly.

“Yep, see? Centina’s trustworthy.”

And Clayton’s eyes grew wide.

“You knew Erhard? But… how? He died hundreds of years ago…”

“Please, Clayton. We’ll explain it all— you can even take a look at his research and his diaries. I saved a few things from the haven.”

Salvos stepped forward, placing a hand on the Headmaster’s shoulders.

“I shall listen to… whatever story this is. But whether or not I trust this Centinel… is something I shall determine for myself.”

Clayton folded his arms, marching off.

“Hey, he didn’t kill you, at least. And he agreed to hear this out. Good first impression, right?”

Salvos looked over at Centina. The [Evolved Centinel] pursed her lips, unsure of how to feel. But before she could even reply, the Demon suddenly took a step back.

“Now let’s… why do I suddenly feel very tired?”

She wobbled. The iridescent armor protecting Centina turned to a blue color. Salvos’ eyes closed as if they suddenly grew heavy, and she collapsed to the ground.

“Wha…?”

“Salvos—”

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303. Repair

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Seventh Princess: Adelheid by my good friend Kaiser!

A Tale of Ambition and Power

A soul from Earth awakens as Seventh Princess Adelheid of the Vuldar Empire. With a weak body but a monstrous reservoir of mana that threatens her very life, Adelheid engraves an oath into her very soul. She shall seize the throne at all costs, but with ambitious cousins and discontent nobles, her father and brother are far from her only rivals.

Experience Adelheid's journey through victory and loss to achieve her deepest desires.

Amazon.com: The Seventh Princess: A Reincarnation Progression Fantasy (Adelheid Book 1) eBook : Haenlien, D.C., Dui, Sa, Ford, Chris: Kindle Store

303. Repair

Falling unconscious sucked.

It wasn’t as bad as falling asleep— that was the worst thing in the world. But having to involuntarily black out while your body went numb was always an odd feeling to experience. When I woke up, I wouldn’t be exhausted or refreshed like when I would sleep. My body would ache as reality resumed around me.

This time, however, everything hurt even more.

“Ugh… why is my everything in pain?”

I groused, opening my eyes. I wasn’t in my Lair or in my room in Mavos Academy. Instead, I was floating above the clouds, in a transparent box. A room. One that was atop a tall tower. A familiar tower.

This tower belonged to Clayton Skyshredder. It was where I spoke with him when I first arrived at Mavos Academy. It took me a moment to muster up the strength to sit up, and when I did, I groaned.

“Ouch— yep, this is definitely a side effect of my Grand Skill.”

There was no reason for my body to be in this much agony. It was like all the damage I’d taken was finally registering and catching up to me. I took a look at myself— there were no injuries there. I’d already recovered through healing potions and [Rest]. It was a phantom pain. One that permeated my body.

Well, at least I was still in my Human form. I was a bit worried that I’d transformed back to my normal self. But apparently I could now shapeshift between forms with no problem. I could even become a Centinel with Cyclops hands and Elf feet. It was an interesting passive ability to my Grand Skill, if I had to say the least.

“Salvos?”

An ethereal voice echoed, and a flame flickered to life above me. I looked up at the [Will O’ Wisp].

“Oh, there you are. I was wondering where everybody went.”

“Sleep. You.”

“I didn’t sleep. I passed out. That’s a big difference.”

I scoffed.

“You. Sleep.”

He giggled, and I rolled my eyes.

“How long was I out?”

“Day.”

“A whole day? Huh. That's pretty long.”

Was that going to happen every single time I used [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion? No— that didn’t feel right. I was pretty sure it only happened because I let the Grand Skill run its course. If I ended it earlier, I probably wouldn’t have needed to pass out. Or, at least, I wouldn’t have passed out for as long as I did.

“Where are Centina and Kron?”

I glanced around the room for the two monsters, but they weren’t here. Willy landed right before my bed.

“Test.”

“Test?”

I frowned, not sure what that meant. It took me a bit of prodding to realize he was talking about the ritual of truth. The very same one I took before I enrolled— and every student applying to Mavos Academy’s School of Aspiring Elites would have to undergo it.

According to Willy, Clayton was carrying out the test on his own, so no one else knew about either Centina or Kron’s presence in the school. Not yet. He’d brought us all into Mavos Academy in secret. That was why we were in his needle-like tower far above the clouds.

The entire building was his private quarters. No one else was allowed inside at the moment.

“Well, I hope the test is going well. I hate tests.”

Centina sighed in relief as the questions ceased after an hour. Kron’s questioning had only taken twenty minutes, while hers lasted three times longer. She knew exactly the reason why it went this way.

Clayton Skyshredder disliked her. No— that wasn’t the right descriptor. He didn’t trust her. And if she did anything even slightly brow-raising he’d probably kill her. She wouldn’t be able to put up much of a fight.

There had to be at least thirty levels separating Centina from the Headmaster of Mavos Academy. And an evolution— or, in Human terms, an advancement— too. Furthermore, Centina’s primary Subspecies was lower-leveled than her secondary Subspecies of an [Evolved Centinel].

There was a gulf between her and Clayton. There’d be no use trying to fight back. Not like she wanted it to come to that. He was— despite the animosity that was ever-present between Centinels and… well, everything— helping her.

Even if he didn’t meet Centina’s gaze as she stepped out of the ritual circle, she was grateful. The [Evolved Centinel] shuffled her very many feet and spoke softly.

“So… did I pass?”

“You did. Every word you said was truthful.”

Clayton harrumphed, even though he didn’t quite look pleased about it. Centina knew he didn’t want to continue the conversation— that he just wanted her to leave and follow Kron back to where Salvos and Willy were waiting. But instead of doing that, she spoke.

“Erhard… was a good person.”

His eyes flickered, and she quickly continued.

“I know I already gave you the… details about our relationship—”

Centina was pretty sure Clayton shuddered, even if he didn’t visibly react.

“But he was more than just a man I loved. He taught me many things. He gave me this ring as a sign of trust. And this ritual…”

She trailed off, smiling as she stared at the ritual circle on the ground.

“I may not know magic, but he taught me how to use a basic version of it even still.”

That drew Clayton’s attention. He narrowed his eyes.

“Erhard was the one who introduced the idea of a [Truth Zone]. But he himself never finished creating the spell. Only my great… it was only completed when Celeste Skyshredder enrolled in the School of Aspiring Elites. How…?”

“I’m not sure.”

Centina just shrugged.

“Maybe he finished it during his time in the Bloodied Gulf. He was always so engrossed in his books. In taking notes. Practicing his magic. Researching and learning.”

She chuckled as she fondly remembered the time she’d just watch Erhard waste so much time flipping through pages and pages of books.

“A researcher, then. Just like…”

Clayton pursed his lips. Centina tilted her head, and he sighed.

“That is very interesting to know. I thank you for your time and patience, Centina the [Evolved Centinel]. You have passed the test, so you may return to Salvos now.”

With that, he walked off. Centina watched him go. She wasn’t really an optimist in any sense of the word, but she was hoping that that was a good… sign?

“Yay! Congratulations!”

I exclaimed, forcing myself out of the bed. I threw my arms around Centina and Kron, flinching as I touched them.

“That is— ouch— very good! You passed! Clayton will let you stay here now, right?”

I glanced between the pair. Centina nodded.

“For the time being, he’ll give us a place to reside in. Maybe introduce me to a few trusted individuals to gauge how people would react to a friendly Centinel. And if it goes well, they could take advantage of my Skills and abilities as I am slowly introduced to more of the world.”

“I’m glad.”

I smiled, pulling back.

“So you’ll be able to handle yourself, right?”

“Yes. I appreciate all the help you’ve given us, Salvos. Truly, I am in your debt.”

“Don’t worry about it!”

I waved a hand off dismissively. Kron didn’t say much. She was looking around the room, rubbing at her stomach.

“Me hungry. Where food?”

“Here—”

I flicked my wrist, summoning a few Centinel corpses I had kepted with [Dimensional Pocket]. She salivated and instantly began to dig in. Willy sputtered in surprise.

“Give some!”

He ravenously competed with Kron, scaring down the dead Centinel in mere moments. I laughed, watching this sight.

“Now I don’t need to worry about you guys anymore.”

I could finally move on to my next problem. Centina faced me curiously.

“That reminds me, Salvos. What will you do now?”

“Oh, kill Belzu.”

I spoke simply.

“Although, I do need to check up on Saffron. She was in a bit of trouble the last time my clone saw her.”

I tapped a finger on my chin, considering my options. Ceninta chuckled.

“I do not know who those people are, but I am sure that your enemies would dread to have to battle you, and your allies would be grateful that you are on their side. Especially with that powerful artifact you have, combined with your Grand Skills?”

She placed a hand on my shoulder.

“I am sure you will run into very few issues.”

My eyes widened as she finished. I brought a hand up, snapping my fingers.

“That’s right! The Breastplate of Alexander!”

I stumbled back to the bed, pulling it out of my spatial storage and placing its remains on top of the blanket. Centina, Kron, and Willy stared at the broken hunk of metal. It barely even resembled a breastplate anymore, let alone the magnificent artifact it once was.

It wasn’t rippling with power or energy. It didn’t have motes of iridescent light wisping off it like a thin mist. It was just the husk of what it had once been.

“Yep. I think I may need this to defeat Belzu. But, um, it’s broken.”

“Stupid.”

Willy snorted. I crossed my arms.

“It’s fine. I’ll just let Clayton have a look at it. He’s high-leveled, so he can probably fix it, right?”

—--

“I am sorry, Salvos, but I cannot fix this.”

Clayton Skyshredder gave me an apologetic look as he turned away from the broken pieces of the Breastplate of Alexander. My shoulders sagged.

“Aw, seriously? You can’t?”

“Not at my current level. Perhaps if it was still functional, I could’ve made repairs. But this would requisite a reconstruction of the remains. It is not something I am capable of doing.”

It visibly pained him to admit that. He faced me, shaking his head.

“But I have to ask— what did you do to damage the Breastplate of Alexander to this extent? It is a Mythical Grade artifact… how?”

“Um, I don’t know. I used it a lot, I guess? And it broke against the [Ancient Centinel].”

I scratched the back of my head. His eyes narrowed.

“Even against dozens of [Ancient Centinels], the Breastplate of Alexander, in its full power, should hold for at least a day. The fact that it only lasted a few months with you…”

He sighed.

“Either you are the most reckless individual I have ever met, or it was already depleted before you got your hands on it.”

Well, I didn’t know which could be the case. I just knew that it meant it was going to be a lot harder for me to defeat Belzu when he had the Sword of Alexander and I had nothing. Well, that wasn’t the problem for me. The real problem was… well, I probably should return it to Saffron, right?

“Aww… can’t you at least try?”

I urged Clayton, thinking about how my companion would react when she found out I broke the Breastplate of Alexander.

“I could attempt to reconstruct it, but it would take… a lot of time. A lot of research. Consultation with the greatest [Enchanters] and [Blacksmiths] of the world.”

He looked taken to the idea. But then he lowered his head.

“However, if the Breastplate of Alexander is broken, it means that the Primeval Demon won’t be able to complete his set of the Treasures of Alexander. Perhaps it will be better this way…”

He trailed off, and I pursed my lips.

“Please, Clayton? You don’t have to worry about the Primeval Demon. I’ll deal with him, seriously!”

I just had to placate Saffron’s rage somehow. He hesitated.

“This is an opportunity…”

Clayton glanced at the Breastplate of Alexander with a sidelong glance.

“I shall look into it. But I will make no promises. Leave it here, Salvos. I truly hope that you’ll be able to deal with the Primeval Demon as you promised, but I would rather a student of mine not lose her life trying to keep a foolish promise.”

“Don’t worry!”

I waved a hand off.

“I’ll probably… maybe… hopefully be fine! I’ll just have to find my companions and we’ll beat that stupid wild Demon together!”

Clayton furrowed his brows. He turned away from the Breastplate of Alexander and ran a hand through his beard.

“Your friends— are you referring to the party that accompanied you to the Plaguelands?”

“Daniel and Edithe, yep! Why’s that?”

I cocked my head.

“I have heard… rumors. About their whereabouts. While this Edithe is currently together with a coalition of adventurers working to bring down the Primeval Demon, the… man, Daniel, hasn’t been seen in a month.”

“Well, I wasn’t seen in over a month too, and I’m fine.”

I opened my hands and shrugged.

“I’m sure he’s fine!”

“No, Salvos. You don’t understand his circumstances.”

Clayton Skyshredder held my gaze, speaking with a low voice.

“He was last seen last month in Ertos, the Capital of Elutra. During the fall of Elutra.”

“...what?”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

304. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part One

A note from MelasD

YO SHOUTOUT TO MYSELF TODAY

Sorry, Salvos patreon chapter will be up later, but decided to get public out of the way first. Busy dealing with today's Tian release. I also have an interview with my publisher some time later today, if anyone's interested in checking it out.

Anyway, onto the main point. Lost Soul: Tian Book 1 is now available on the Amazon and Audible stories! If you are a Salvos reader, you may not have heard of Tian before. But it's another serial which I sporadically work on.

Death is a disease, and there is only one cure.

Tian, a Cultivator at the precipice of ascension, is thwarted in her quest for immortality. Defeated, she escapes to another world with Levels, Classes, magic, and monsters.

She becomes a Lost Soul. Her core begins to dwindle, but she does not abandon her goal.

Working with a group of rebels in this new world, she opposes the unkillable tyrant Galgom to learn his secrets. Against his army of machines wielding laser guns and laser swords, she will cultivate her new powers, achieving Feats as she seeks her antidote:

Immortality.

Do consider checking it out, maybe giving it a buy or a download if you have KU. And if you have already read it and don't have KU, I'd really appreciate a review! You can leave a review even without buying/downloading the book, although buying/downloading it helps me too.

Amazon.com: Lost Soul: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (The Tian Trilogy Book 1) eBook : Lewis, V.A., MelasD: Kindle Store

Lost Soul: A LitRPG Cultivation Series by V.A. Lewis | Audiobook | Audible.com

Also, I know Tian hasn't been updated in a while, but that's mostly because I'm now experimenting between alternating fictions I'm working on so I'm only writing two or three at a time at most.

I have an interview with my publisher some time later today, if anyone's interested in checking it out.

304. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part One

“It is time.”

Princess Faith of the Elutra Kingdom looked up from the dressing table. Her oldest sister, Destiny, the current ruling queen after their Father’s death, waited at the doorway with a pair of servants.

Is this really happening? Faith had to wonder. Are we really going to do this?

It was ridiculous. The Inoria Empire had assassinated King Credence— they’d sent a Demon to assassinate Faith herself. Their actions were brazen. It was clear to anyone observing that this attempt at suing for peace was nothing but a facade.

Faith had tried to argue with her sister— that this was clearly a ruse to lower the barrier of the Capital city of Ertos— but it was to no avail. Regardless of whether Elutra surrendered, they’d already lost.

Queen Destiny hoped that by surrendering, there was a glimmer of chance for Inoria to uphold its promises. And even if they executed everyone in the royal family, they’d spare the citizens and the remaining soldiers.

With a sigh, Faith drew herself to her feet and faced destiny.

“Let us hope that your faith wasn’t misplaced, sister.”

“There it is.”

Daniel stared at the city in the distance, built right next to a tall mountain that overshadowed it. It was Ertos, the Capital city of Elutra. A dome-like barrier surrounded it as an army encroached on the city.

He’d rushed here when he’d heard the news. A peace conference was going to be held. An armistice of sorts— except, it would be the total and complete surrender of Elutra. It was an expected outcome of war. Total destruction wasn’t uncommon, but it wasn’t the only outcome either.

Normally, Daniel wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow when he heard such a news. The Elutra Kingdom was going to submit to the Inoria Empire. Surrender. While that sounded innocuous at first, he was aware of not just the King’s stance on Inoria, he was aware of one of the princesses as well.

King Credence saw Inoria as an evil empire— one that Elutra should never submit to. While princess Faith believed that all of Elutra was going to be sacrificed for a mass Demon summoning ritual.

Daniel didn’t believe it, but he knew that Faith truly thought of it as the case. She would never agree to such terms. Something was… wrong.

Amanda whistled, eyeing the Inorian troops.

“Well, that’s quite the gathering, huh? What kind of an idiot thinks peace is going to come from this. I mean, clearly the Inoria Empire intends for war.”

“We can’t let this go down.”

The young man from Earth started forward, without hesitation. But the assassin snorted.

“And how are we going to do that?”

She crossed her arms.

“We’re two Level 100s going up against an army of hundreds of thousand or more. There has to at least be a dozen Level 100s amongst them. Maybe even hundreds, since this is their main force. We’d be walking straight to our deaths, Daniel.”

“We just have to stop this peace conference from happening. We can’t let Ertos drop its barrier— I know what kind of a spell it is. It is a grand magic that even a thousand Diamond Ranks would take months to breach.”

It was a spell that was constantly fueled, but rarely used except in times of war. Ertos was literally drawing on centuries of stored mana.

Amanda shook her head, placing a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.

“And then what? Six months from now— or maybe even a year from now— the barrier gives in and the city falls. What’s the point? We should get out of here before we’re found out.”

Her words made sense, even if it grated on him. Normally, Daniel would be amenable to such a suggestion. That was if the stakes were lesser.

He’d always been the one to run away. To suggest to flee when a situation started to turn dour. He didn’t want to risk more than he was willing to lose. Maybe that was why he got along with Salvos so well— she took risks, he didn’t.

And yet, now, faced with an army that would trample over him without a second thought, he didn’t waver. He didn’t run away.

Daniel Song took a chance for once.

Stepping forward, he drew his blade and faced Amanda.

“I’ve run… for too long. Every time I feel like I’ve changed— every time I feel like I’ve grown and taken a step forward— I always revert back to who I once was. A coward. A fool. A loser.”

He tightly gripped the hilt of his sword, arms trembling as he spoke. He was nervous. Of course he was. Anyone, when faced with an army, would feel fear. But to him, that didn’t matter. Not anymore.

“I’m not going to run again. Not this.”

He spun around and made his way to the city. Amanda, however, didn’t budge. She planted her foot on the ground and spoke with finality in her voice.

“Well, you can go ahead and do that. I’m not going to get myself killed because you’re stupid enough to think you can actually make a difference.”

Daniel paused. He glanced back at her fractionally, shaking his head.

“Fine. You can stay here or run away if you want. But I won’t. Even if I have to face them all alone, I’ll do this. Because it’s what’s right.”

With a deep breath, he turned back to face the Inorian army.

“Because I’m a [Hero].”

Amanda just stared at him as he finished his speech. She bit her lower lip, her gaze shadowing over. Her mouth opened, and—

A voice interrupted her.

“Look, he actually went and said it.”

Daniel’s eyes flickered and his gaze snapped up. Amanda whirled around, tensing, already with her daggers drawn. A pair of winged creatures floated just beneath the clouds smearing the afternoon sky. No— not creatures. They were Demons.

“Hey— Vide, this wasn’t part of Simag’s plan.”

“Sorry, Occis. I can’t resist. They’re just standing there like a bunch of idiots. Simag’s plan will take too long. Why can’t we just kill them now?”

One of them— the first one to speak— looked like a man. He had blue skin and a hunched back, along with a curved tail that morphed into a needle at the end. His voice was familiar. Very familiar. And so was the other Demon’s voice.

Except, Daniel didn’t have trouble placing hers. He knew who it was in an instant. Even if she wore red skin and had a pair of wings— even if she had curved horns jutting out of her head. It was the same difference between seeing Salvos in her [Mortal Form] after she’d been an [Imp] for months. There was an uncanny resemblance that was quite obvious at first glance. That Demon was—

“Cindy.”

He growled, and Amanda blinked.

“That’s Cindy? Wait, that makes no sense. She’s supposed to be a little girl. Not… whatever that is.”

“They’re [Changelings].”

Daniel explained quickly, raising his blade.

“She was only pretending to be an [Informant]. She tricked us— led us here into a trap.”

“Oh, don’t be so full of yourself, Mr [Hero].”

Cindy— no, Occis laughed.

“I didn’t mean to trick you. I was just doing my job when you showed up and presented a perfect opportunity for me. Don’t worry, I’ll be merciful and give you a quick and painless death.”

[Changeling - Lvl. 115]

“Whatever happened to following Simag’s plan?”

The other [Changeling], Vide, spoke up. Electricity crackled around his body as a sneer spread across his crooked lips.

[Changeling - Lvl. 113]

“It’s fine. Look, we’ll just say we were careless and the [Hero] caught sight of us. Not like it matters much, anyway. Look— the fun’s about to start.”

What are they talking about? Daniel narrowed his eyes. Then he felt it. Like the release of an immense amount of mana. As if a powerful spell had been cast. Even if he wasn’t a [Mage], he could feel it when uncontrolled magic was cast.

And it was uncontrolled. The magic that kept up the barrier around Ertos was created by a [Mage] far above the level of those who were utilizing it today. They lowered the barrier, and Daniel felt the ripples of its magic falling.

His eyes grew wide as he faced the Capital city of Elutra. The last city that still stood, belonging to the Elutra Kingdom. Its only protection— the only thing keeping the Inoria Empire at bay— collapsed.

He was too late.

“No…”

“You really shouldn’t drop your guard around enemies, you know?”

The young man blinked, and Amanda shouted.

“Daniel—”

Occis appeared right next to him, slicing for his head. Amanda barely intercepted the strike in time. She parried her attack with a dagger— and the weapon was knocked out of her hand. Sent flying into a tree.

“Oh, the little assassin has chosen her side. And I was planning on letting her go because she was speaking some sense.”

“You fucking moron.”

Amanda cursed, producing her signature double-bladed.

“We’re both going to die now because of you.”

“On the contrary…”

Occis smiled as she opened her mouth. The world went entirely, and Daniel tensed. The only thing he could hear was the Demon girl’s voice. Followed by a piercing screech.

“I’m the reason you’re both going to die. [Song of Destruction].”

Faith watched as the procession from Inoria slowly made their way through the gates. This was a mistake. Even if those fancily dressed nobles looked like they were here for a party— even if they only brought a handful of guards with them— Faith knew not to be deceived by them.

A phantom pain echoed in her right arm. Or at least, what was left of it. A Demon assassin— a [Changeling]— had come for her life. She lost everything past her right elbow from that encounter. It had been a terrible night for her.

Any one of these noblemen could be Demons, she thought. She turned to a man standing guard next to her. Garland Monsterthorne. Captain of the Pegasus Knights of Elutra.

“Why are you here?”

She asked, voice low.

“The queen has ordered me to ensure your safety. I am here to protect you with my life.”

He answered, bowing dutifully.

“What about my brothers and sisters? What about Bel?”

Bel. Her youngest, sickly brother. If anyone deserved to survive this encounter, it would be him. Garland shook his head.

“I’ve instructed my men to transport him out of the city as soon as any fighting begins. He will not be present at the conference. As for your other brothers and sisters, they have been assigned their own bodyguards.”

“That’s good.”

Faith sighed in relief. She placed her left hand in her chest, feeling the hammering of her heart. Truth be told, she didn’t want to die. She wanted to live. More than anything.

But this was their best chance of protecting their citizens. Faith hadn’t been the best princess to her country. In fact, it could be argued she was not even a good princess. That she was too focused on her own gain.

It was her greatest regret. So, if she could possibly save her people with this last and final act of redemption. That she’d be the sacrifice for them to live? She was willing to accept it. As long as her people were safe.

Now, the only question was— when?

Just when exactly was the Inoria Empire going to attempt their betrayal? When were they going to backstab and murder the royals of Elutra? Was it going to be at the end of the treaty? The middle?

Faith eyed one of the carriages in the center of the procession. It was the emperor of Inoria, along with his wife. They were surrounded by not as many bodyguards as Faith would’ve thought. It was quite a small procession, in fact.

Something was wrong.

Raising a spyglass, Faith peered into the carriage holding the emperor of Inoria. He was a man named Alexis. He was supposed to be quite a tyrant, from what she’d learn of him. She expected him to be gleefully smiling, awaiting the moment to spring their trap on Elutra.

And yet, he was pale-faced and nervous. He muttered something to his wife, tightly clasping her hand. His eyes closed, and Faith frowned.

“What is he—”

The carriage exploded.

Faith watched as the emperor of Inoria, his wife, and his bodyguards were all killed in a brilliant explosion. A crimson blast that incinerated the carriage in its entirety. It blasted apart nearby buildings and shook the balcony Faith had been standing in.

She stared in shock as chaos erupted in the streets below. A familiar man leapt out of the explosion. One with gilded armor and raven-black hair. Faith instantly recognized him as the Archdemon who’d been sent to assassinate her, except wearing the skin of a Human. And Faith realized that her speculation had been wrong. That the Inoria Empire— no, the Demons in charge of the Inoria Empire— wasn’t going to waste time with a peace conference.

Their betrayal began now. At the start.

The Archdemon wearing Human skin spread his arms wide, shouting.

“We have been ambushed by the Elutra Kingdom! We have been led into a trap! They’ve assassinated our emperor! This peace treaty shall be called off! Destroy the city! Imprison its people! Do not let a single member of the royal family escape!”

A note from MelasD

YO SHOUTOUT TO MYSELF TODAY

Sorry, Salvos patreon chapter will be up later, but decided to get public out of the way first. Busy dealing with today's Tian release. I also have an interview with my publisher some time later today, if anyone's interested in checking it out.

Anyway, onto the main point. Lost Soul: Tian Book 1 is now available on the Amazon and Audible stories! If you are a Salvos reader, you may not have heard of Tian before. But it's another serial which I sporadically work on.

Death is a disease, and there is only one cure.

Tian, a Cultivator at the precipice of ascension, is thwarted in her quest for immortality. Defeated, she escapes to another world with Levels, Classes, magic, and monsters.

She becomes a Lost Soul. Her core begins to dwindle, but she does not abandon her goal.

Working with a group of rebels in this new world, she opposes the unkillable tyrant Galgom to learn his secrets. Against his army of machines wielding laser guns and laser swords, she will cultivate her new powers, achieving Feats as she seeks her antidote:

Immortality.

Do consider checking it out, maybe giving it a buy or a download if you have KU. And if you have already read it and don't have KU, I'd really appreciate a review! You can leave a review even without buying/downloading the book, although buying/downloading it helps me too.

Amazon.com: Lost Soul: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (The Tian Trilogy Book 1) eBook : Lewis, V.A., MelasD: Kindle Store

Lost Soul: A LitRPG Cultivation Series by V.A. Lewis | Audiobook | Audible.com

Also, I know Tian hasn't been updated in a while, but that's mostly because I'm now experimenting between alternating fictions I'm working on so I'm only writing two or three at a time at most.

I have an interview with my publisher some time later today, if anyone's interested in checking it out.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

305. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Two

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Frameshift again!

Magic. Math. Not a whole lot of context.

Two months ago, I was a wormhole navigator, ripping open a hole in the universe to save a ship of people who only vaguely tolerated me. Two weeks ago, long story short, I threaded an impossible path through the void between dimensions to crash-land into a dungeon. You know the kind: monsters to defeat, corridors full of traps to avoid, and magical powers to earn.

I'm not ashamed to admit that it's been two weeks of loneliness, fear, adrenaline, and constant injury. But I'll make it out of here by myself if I have to, or my name isn't Adam Leviathan James.

... too bad the Levi doesn't stand for Leviathan, huh.

Frameshift | Royal Road

305. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Two

[Changeling - Lvl. 115]

[Changeling - Lvl. 113]

“[Song of Destruction].”

Occis opened her mouth, a screech starting out— and Daniel Song struck at her, interrupting the Skill. He cut it off before it could activate. She backed away, returning to her ally.

“That was foolish of me.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have tried using that so close to the enemy, Occis.”

“Don’t worry, Vide. There is only a five minute cooldown between each use.”

Daniel faced the pair of Archdemons. Each one far above his level. He was Level 106. He’d been around Level 102 when he left the Plaguelands. It had been over half a year since then, and he’d barely leveled. Pathetic. Why hadn’t he been training to get stronger?

The only time he’d fought was when he’d had no choice. And thanks to being a [Hero], he was fully capable of leveling faster than others. Yet, he didn’t take advantage of it. He wasted away at a tavern for months, and even when he got to work, he took far too long to get anything done. So, he was only Level 106.

Normally, he wouldn’t be too worried facing off against an enemy ten levels above him. But these were Demons. If Salvos was any indication, he wouldn’t stand a chance against them.

Sure, he had Amanda on his side. And she was technically above their levels at Level 117. But from that brief clash where she protected him from Occis’ attack, it was obvious the Archdemons were stronger than her.

“We need to run.”

She spoke, gritting her teeth.

“I have Skills designed for disengagement. If you just distract them for a moment—”

“No.”

He cut her off, stepping forward.

“We’re not running. We can’t.”

“Oh? Shooting down another good idea, are we? You really are such a fool.”

Occis laughed, and Vide conjured up a trident made out of lightning. Daniel eyed them before turning to Amanda.

“Go, Amanda. I’m sorry for bringing you into all this. But I won’t leave. My duty as a [Hero] won’t let me.”

He placed his sword on his chest, speaking softly right as Vide hurled the lightning trident at them.

“[Will of the Hero].”

An aura of protection briefly wrapped around the two Humans. It protected them from the crackling explosion that shot up into the sky, parting the nearby clouds. Then power surged through the young man, just as it did through the assassin.

Amanda’s eyes grew wide as she stared down at herself.

“What is this?”

“It’s enough strength for you to get out of here alive. Now leave!”

He yelled, charging at Occis. His Primordial Longsword clashed with the [Imp]-like Archdemon’s claws. She darted back as Vide flanked Daniel from behind, striking him with his needle-like tail.

Amanda stood to the side, watching the battle ensue. Then she turned around and took her leave.

Daniel closed his eyes, knowing that she was no longer there. And he continued his battle.

The Archdemons were strong, as expected. Even if he was a [Hero], two Archdemons above his level was too much for him. He activated [Aura of the Sentinel]— his Skill coated his blade, letting him move with a deft swiftness. It cut Occis’ claws as she parried his attacks.

She backed up, hissing.

“And I thought we were going to have a lovely dance. But if you’d rather—”

Daniel swung for her head, and she flew to the air. Vide struck him from the side, creating a lightning sword. They clashed as in the air, Occis’ mouth hung unnaturally open. She screamed and a wave of air crashed into him.

“[The Siren’s Symphony]!”

The [Hero] braced himself, taking the brunt of the attack. It didn’t knock him off his feet. He planted his foot on the ground, holding on as it subsided. Then Vide appeared next to him. The Demon’s lightning weapon flashed. It curved around Daniel before striking him in the chest and sending him flying back.

Dust and debris kicked into the air as Daniel crashed into the earth. With a grunt, he pulled himself back to his feet and out of the crater. He stared up at the pair of Demons, both of them smirking and chuckling.

“You can’t hope to beat us both by yourself. Your only chance of winning this battle abandoned you. Just give up.”

“No.”

Daniel clenched his fist as a light engulfed his body. Ethereal armor wrapped around his body, shrouding him with a purity that made even the Archdemons hesitate. The light formed ribbons around his blade and coated it so that it was larger than life. He lifted it— the giant longsword— and pointed at them.

“I will not give up. I will stop you.”

[A Hero’s Rage].

What an absolute idiot. Amanda heard the fighting in the distance. The clashing between a [Hero] and a pair of Archdemons. And all she could do was curse. What an absolute fucking idiot. I offered him a way out, and he rejected it.

It was so ridiculous. Even if they defeated those two Archdemons, they were already too late to stop the fall of Ertos. It annoyed her. Why was Daniel being such a moron? Sure, he was always an absolute imbecile, but at least he had self-preservation skills

Not anymore, she guessed. It wouldn’t make a difference to her if he lived or died. So why was she annoyed?

Amanda clicked her tongue as the uneasy feeling continued to build up inside of her. She glanced back once, hearing the shrill shriek of one of the Archdemons. She saw lightning zapping up into the air— and she knew Daniel would lose. More than anything, that idea upsetted her. And she didn't know why.

She stared at where she’d come from. At where the fighting was happening. Sighing, she made her decision.

“What am I doing?”

She muttered as she turned back, heading for the fighting.

“I’m such an absolute idiot.”

Daniel swung for Vide as he took off into the sky. Occis appeared behind him, slashing at his back. The Demon girl grunted as her claws struck his armor.

“What is this made out of?”

She flew back, trying to dodge Daniel’s counterattack. His giant glowing longsword nicked her in the shoulder, and she cursed.

“We can’t fight him in close range, Occis.”

Vide spoke as his body crackled with electricity.

“We have to bring him down from afar.”

“I noticed that.”

Occis rolled her eyes before dislocating her jaw once more. Daniel’s eyes flickered and he raised his blade.

“No you don’t!”

Before she could unleash her screeching sound magic once again, Daniel brought his blade to the earth. It tore the ground open as dark clouds gathered above. Occis blinked.

“What is he—”

And Vide shouted.

“Get back!”

He grabbed her, yanking her away just in time to dodge the golden lightning cracking the sky open and thundering into the earth. He frowned, looking at the dark clouds as more lightning came down.

“That’s not lightning magic. No— what even is that?”

“It’s your retribution!”

Daniel shouted and leapt into the air. Both Archdemons were caught off guard as he closed the distance in an instant. Vide raised a lightning blade to parry the attack, only for Daniel to shear straight through it and dismember his arm.

The Demon let out a guttural cry as he flitted back.

“You fucking asshole!”

“You Demons don’t deserve to say that when you’re out here bringing deaths to hundreds of thousands— no, millions— of innocent lives.”

Occis rolled her eyes as she dodged a lightning bolt falling from the sky.

“When did he get so preachy? I didn’t expect him to be this annoying.”

“Don’t worry, Occis. I’ll be sure to shut his annoying trap for good.”

Vide raised his remaining hand, creating a lightning lance. A savage grin spread across his face as Daniel readied himself.

“Bring it, Demon.”

“Oh, I will. Take this! [Fury of the Tempest—”

And his eyes grew wide. The Demon slowly fell out of the air, his neck slit open and pouring out black blood. Occis stared as her companion dropped, making gurgled noises.

“What…?”

Daniel didn’t know what happened either. Not until Amanda appeared next to him, her blade coated black in Demon blood.

“[Savage Step]. [Pinpoint Strike]. [Disengage].”

She smirked, straightening. He faced Amanda, blinking.

“Why did you come back?”

“I only pretended to run.”

Amanda scoffed.

“I’m an assassin. I attack from the shadows— I don’t do head on fights, you idiot.”

“Oh. I…”

Daniel’s eyes widened as Amanda flicked the blood off her double-sided dagger. Then he smiled.

“Thank you.”

She averted her gaze, scowling.

“Thank me later. We still have another Archdemon to deal with.”

Occis floated overhead, still staring in shock as her friend fell to the ground, dead. Her gaze darkened as she easily dodged another lightning strike. She turned to Daniel and Amanda with bloodshot eyes.

“You killed him. How dare you. I’ll make you pay!”

She spread her arms wide as her jaw cracked open.

“[Song of Destruction].”

A piercing echo reverberated around the area as Daniel reached to cover his ears. It penetrated through his armor, striking his very soul. The grass around him withered away as the trees grew old and decrepit. Amanda collapsed to the ground, clutching at her ears.

“Fuck— what the fuck is this?”

“We… have to… sto—”

Daniel tried to speak, drawing himself to his feet. But he didn’t have the strength to get up. Whatever this was, it drained him of his energy. It made him want to tear off his ears. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t even breathe. He looked over at Amanda. She was curled up in a ball, mouth open and screaming silently.

Above them, Occis hovered, continuing her attack. Unmoving.

The [Hero] focused. He tried to commandeer a lightning bolt to strike her. But his armor vanished. His Skill ended as her attacks continued.

“D-Damn… it…”

He closed his eyes. He thought of all the Skills he had available to him. Nothing he had could stop her. None of his Skills worked from a distance. The only Skills he had that could affect Occis from afar were his [Trader] Skills.

And he remembered how it went down when he used it on Ivan the Deathtouch. It only caused the assassin to pause for a moment and consider what he said. Nothing more. It would just… distract Occis… just like how Daniel had interrupted her Skill just earlier.

He groaned, looking up at the Archdemon. Maybe that was what he needed. This Skill required concentration. It was that obvious. He just needed a distraction. With a sigh, he mustered up all that he had left and shouted at Occis.

“[L-Let’s Make a Deal]!”

For a split second, she paused. She registered his words, stopping her attack.

“What..?”

Her eyes grew round.

And Amanda reacted. The assassin hurled her double-sided dagger into the air. It curved, barely whizzing by the Archdemon’s head. That cut her off entirely.

“You fu—”

Occis cursed, but Daniel was already next to her. He soared through the air, blade glowing as he aimed for the Demon girl’s neck. She raised her claws to block it, but his sword swiftly redirectly, slicing off her legs.

“[Crescent Fury].”

Half a dozen slashes lashed out an instant after. He diced the Archdemon into pieces before she could even react. She wore a shocked look on her face as she was cut apart.

Daniel landed on the ground as her pieces rained around him. A notification— no, multiple notifications rang out in his head. He’d leveled twice from this fight as a [Hero], and once as a [Trader].

He chuckled to himself at the thought. Amanda ran up to him as he sheathed his blade.

“We actually fucking did it.”

She smiled.

“I thought we were going to die there, fuck.”

He looked over at her, meeting her gaze.

“Thank you. For coming back for me.”

Amanda froze. She twisted her lips, shifting uncomfortably.

“Whatever. I didn’t really do it for you, anyway.”

“No, I’m truly grateful. I wouldn’t have won if you hadn’t come back.”

She didn’t respond, and Daniel walked up to her. He glanced over at the city of Ertos as smoke billowed up from the inside. Inoria’s army moved for the gates as the barrier was slowly restored, only to dissipate once more. An explosion blasted apart multiple city blocks as crimson flames blasted out into the sky.

“They’re really doing this…”

Daniel pursed his lips. It was too late. He didn’t make it in time. Ertos was going to fall. But he still had to do something. He had to save those he could. He looked over at Amanda, nodding.

“Please, can I ask for your help again?”

The assassin sighed.

“Sure. But we’re going to die, you know?”

“We won’t.”

He spoke with determination in his voice, facing the city.

“I promise you, we’ll get out of this alive.”

“Seriously… when did you become such a [Hero]?”

Amanda scoffed, rolling her eyes. She placed a hand on his shoulder and muttered.

“Let’s do this— [Savage Step].”

In a few short moments, they entered the falling city.

A note from MelasD

Here's my interview with my publisher if anyone's interested.

Also, remember to check out Tian, my newly released book!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

306. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Three

A note from MelasD

SHOUTOUT TO TOWERCURATOR'S NEW FIC: COLLECTIVE THINKING.

TowerCurator is back at it again with another amazing serial. He's one of the OG serial authors, and his stories-- Void Domain and Vacant Throne-- are some of my favorite stories of all time. CHECK IT OUT, THIS IS AN ORDER!

Dyna Graves grew up thinking she was special. An exception to the average. Not necessarily above her peers, but simply outside their context. However, toward the end of her high school life, she started to realize that nobody was really special. At least not in any fantastical way.

Just as she started trying to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, she got an invitation. A psychic institute scoped her out, realized her psychic potential, and asked if she would undergo psionic training at the Carroll Institute.

Almost immediately, Dyna realized that she wasn’t quite up to the same level as many of her peers. Surrounded by clairvoyants and mind readers displaying obvious abilities made her own lack of ability all the more apparent.

That was, up until the researchers and scientists of the facility realized that there was a bit more to Dyna Graves than met the eye. After an explosive incident during what should have been a routine experiment, Dyna quickly found herself wrapped up in a world of cutthroat espionage.

Collective Thinking | Royal Road

306. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Three

Faith felt the reverberation rumble throughout the city. Explosions blasted out, blowing apart entire city blocks and killing innocent civilians without discrimination. The bubble dome of Ertos reactivated briefly, only for the [Mages] protecting the walls to be slaughtered. Without the defensive barrier active, Inoria’s army could move to the final bastion of the Elutra Kingdom unimpeded.

The walls crumbled, its protective enchantments slowly falling under the onslaught of munition from beyond. Elutra’s soldiers moved to protect their people— to protect the royalty— but it was no use. Those who’d been accompanying the emperor of Inoria were high-leveled. Many of them were over Level 70. Some were even Level 100.

They’d spread out fast and wide, targeting the nobility of Elutra. Faith stumbled back away from the balcony as an arrow whizzed for her head, barely blocked by Garland Monsterthorn. The [Spellknight Outrider of Storms] and knight-commander of the [Pegasus Knights] cut down the projectile and raised his blade.

“[Pegasus Knights]! Protect the palace! Don’t let any of these bastards get in! [Flaming Tempest]!”

His voice bellowed out as dark clouds gathered overhead. Fire and lighting rained down from above, striking down Inorian [Archers] and [Warriors] before they could make their way up the palatial steps.

Garland turned to Faith, grabbing her by the hand.

“We need to evacuate you and your brothers and sisters. Come!”

Her eyes grew wide. The princess hesitated.

“But you have to protect our people—”

“I am sorry, princess. We cannot save everyone. And look.”

He gestured out towards the destruction. It was utter chaos out there. But controlled. All headed in one direction.

“They only have one target. The royal family. ”

Faith bit her lower lip. Deep inside of her, she wanted to live. It was selfish, but she knew she didn’t want to die. More than anything, she wanted to escape this predicament which she predicted. However, as a princess, she had a duty to her citizens. To her people.”

“Garland, I am ordering you to protect the people of Ertos. Let them come after us. If our deaths can save a few thousand lives, then I believe it is worth it.”

She hung her head as Garland stared at her. He sighed.

“I will not follow that order, princess.”

She blinked.

“What?”

He shook his head, grabbing her by her arm and pulling her with him.

“If you escape, you’ll be able to tell the world of the treachery that was carried out today. You will be able to do more than just protect a handful of innocents. You will be able to bring the perpetrators of this to justice.”

His eyes glinted as he glanced back at her. Faith was helplessly pulled along by the knight-commander while explosions and blasts resounded throughout the city. He spoke with a clear determination in his voice, steadfast in his mission.

“That is why I will do whatever it takes to ensure you and the rest of the royal family escape alive.”

In a few quick moments, Daniel found himself standing on the crumbling walls of Ertos. He glanced over at Amanda— the assassin had brought him there in one quick move. He nodded at her, grateful.

“Thanks.”

“Now’s not the time for chit-chat, dumbass. Watch out—”

She stepped before him, blocking an arrow before swiftly throwing a dagger back at the attacker. The [Archer] fell, and she stepped back.

“Give me a moment. [Savage Step] has a ten second cooldown.”

“Right.”

Daniel looked at the distance they’d crossed in a few moments thanks to Amanda’s Skill. Then he looked towards the palace. Smoke billowed out of the tall spire-like towers in the distance. An explosion blew apart half of the palace’s wings. His lips pursed.

“They’re going for the palace.”

“Obviously. If I were an invading army too, I’d definitely be targeting the head of state.”

Amanda snorted as she flicked more throwing knives at multiple [Warriors] and [Archers] running around them. Daniel shook his head.

“We have to hurry.”

“Then stop standing around and let’s move!”

Amanda pulled him as she leapt off the battlements. [Savage Step] activated, and in an instant, they’d crossed multiple city blocks. But still, they were so far. So far away from the palace.

Please… Daniel hoped. I need to get there in time.

If only he’d arrived sooner. If only he hadn’t been a coward.

But no— he had been afraid. Now, he had to deal with the consequences of his own actions. Now, he was going to have to do whatever he could to save anyone he could.

Faith stumbled down the broken gilded corridors of the palace as Garland and three other [Pegasus Knights] escorted her. They turned a corner to see a group of palace guards fending off Inorian [Rogues]. She raised her one hand.

“We have to help—”

“This way, princess!”

Garland tugged her in the opposite direction. She watched as the palace guards barely managed to cut down the [Rogues], right before an explosion blew apart that section of the castle. The tremor nearly knocked her off her feet. She steadied herself, panting as she looked up as dust and debris trickled down from the ceiling.

“Where’s Bel? Where’s Destiny? Where are we going?”

“They should be at the throne room. There’s a secret entrance there—”

Garland began to answer, only for the wall next to them to blast open. He threw himself over the princess, shielding her from the blast. The other [Pegasus Knights] moved to intercept the figure who’d exploded ino. It was a [Warrior].

One who sneered at her with his teeth. He was Level 100. Perhaps Garland could’ve taken him. But they couldn’t waste any time. The other [Pegasus Knights], even if they were only Platinum Rank, held him off. They battled with the snickering [Warrior] as Garland pulled Faith to her feet and ran.

Faith watched as the scene changed. The hallway opened up to a familiar throne room. Scared figures were gathered at the center of the chamber. Destiny stood surrounded by multiple high-leveled bodyguards and her other siblings as they hurried to push the throne itself to the side.

“Sister!”

Destiny called out as Garland arrived with Faith in tow. Faith looked up, blinking.

“Your maj—”

She paused when her older sister threw her arms around her.

“I’m so glad you’re fine.”

Smiling, Destiny pulled away and took a step back. She nodded at Garland.

“Thank you for keeping her safe.”

“Your father gave me everything. I couldn’t save his life. I’ll at least try to save his childrens.”

“Hurry up you idiots!”

A voice called out from the throne. Rel— one of Faith’s older brothers— shouted alongside his twin Iance.

“If you won’t come, we’ll leave without—”

He didn’t finish. A spear shot out, impaling him into the back wall. Iance screamed as his own brother’s blood was smeared on him. Faith spun around, facing the same [Warrior] from before. Except, he was now coated in blood. Black blood.

And his skin was no longer that of a Human. He was—

[Changeling - Lvl. 103]

“Get back!”

Garland drew his blade, calling out.

“[To Me, My Steed]!”

With a flash of light, his own Pegasus crashed in through the stained glass windows and flanked the Demon. He was joined by the other guards in the room as they clashed in battle.

“Get out of here! Go!”

Faith stumbled forward, helped by Destiny as they made their way to the escape tunnel. The royal family funneled their way in one after another, in a rush to close the throne. It was enchanted to lock in place, and it was well-built. Quite difficult to break, even for one at Level 100.

The princess staggered down the steps, her heart racing as she heard the clanging of metal in the background. She took in her siblings and their entourages hurrying down the tunnel. They were in such a rush that they didn’t even wait for either Faith or Destiny. And Faith wanted to make a break for it too, but she noticed one of her siblings was missing.

“Bel. Where’s Bel?”

Her youngest brother. The sickly boy who, unlike Faith and the rest of her family, had never done any wrong. She halted one of the guards from pushing the throne to cover the tunnel, peeking out to see the boy fallen over at the steps leading up to the throne itself.

Faith rushed out, and Destiny called out.

“Bel!”

“Wait, don’t go—”

Bel looked up as Faith swooped him to her one arm, carrying him back towards the throne. She took one step forward, only to come to a pause as a familiar horned Demon appeared before her. He stood a full three feet taller than her, even when hunched, and had the skull-like face of an animal. Ge bared his teeth.

“We meet once again, princess.”

[Changeling - Lvl. 114]

Her eyes grew wide as she stared at him. He was the one who’d taken off Faith’s right hand. She froze, unable to even react. He just quirked his head.

“Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“Stay back, Demon!”

Destiny’s voice cried out. He blinked, looking back as she pointed a ring at him.

“Cast Fireball of the August Archmage Alyssa!”

A sphere of wild and roiling flames expanded at the tip of the ring before shrinking down into a tiny orb. It shot out, and he leapt out of the way. An explosion blasted out behind him as he wiped at his forehead.

“That was close.”

Faith dropped to her knees, tightly hugging Bel as their older sister stood protectively over them. Destiny stepped forward, the enchantments from all her offensive artifacts shining.

“You will not harm my family as long as I stand.”

She declared. Her eyes flickered to Faith and Bel. She helped them up, handing them a pendant. Her only protective artifact.

This was Destiny. The plump lady who didn’t seem like she’d be fit as a queen. Here she was, sacrificing her life for them. Faith opened her mouth, but Destiny pushed her.

“Sis—”

“Run. While you still can.”

That was all she said. The queen of Elutra unleashed her artifacts at the Demon, joining the battle of the throne room. Faith rushed for the tunnel— for the only exit. Then paused as she spotted Hope— one of her sisters— standing there at the entrance to the stairway. She’d pushed the guard out into the open and slammed the entryway shut.

“No…”

Faith gasped. She lowered Bel to the ground as he stared with wide eyes at the fighting in the distance, trying to move the throne, but it wouldn’t budge. It glowed an ethereal gold as its enchantments activated. They were locked out.

“Sister Destiny!”

Bel shouted. Faith spun around just in time to watch her sister get run through by the [Changeling]. She caught the boy from running towards Destiny as her body dropped to the ground, holding him back as the Demon turned his gaze towards them.

“Oh… how pointless. Even if you escaped, we’d have tracked you down. The Inorian army may be made up of a bunch of fools, but they are useful.”

He chuckled— a garbled sound. He strode forward as in the background, Garland tried to make his way to them. But more Demons appeared. Lower-leveled ones. These were barely Level 70, but they were still there.

The [Changeling] shook his head.

“You told the world about us, but they didn’t listen. It’s unfortunate you’ll have to suffer the consequence of their ignorance.”

He raised a claw and struck at Faith. She hugged Bel, shielding him with her body. His claws raked across the Aura of Greater Protection around her, and he clicked his tongue.

“Annoying.”

He struck down with a fiery claw again and again as Faith just curled up, soothing Bel’s whimpering. The boy’s gaze was fixed only on their older sister— at her lifeless fallen corpse.

“It’s alright…”

She whispered, lying to herself as much as to him.

“Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright…”

Her voice trailed off as the aura flickered, finally failing at the incessant attacks of the [Changeling]. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate as the Demon raised a clawed arm.

“Goodbye, princess—”

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

A voice yelled. The [Changeling] leapt back, screaming as his arm dropped to the ground. Faith froze. She recognized that voice. Her eyes slowly opened as she looked up, staring with round eyes at the familiar man.

He stood before her with a gray longsword. One that emitted a soft radiance of ember around its edges. Lowering his weapon, he looked down and met Faith’s gaze.

“I’m sorry that I’m late.”

It was Daniel Song. A young man summoned from another world and forced to fight in a conflict he had no reason to participate in. He’d been ripped from his previous life, thrusted into one that was far more brutal and cruel. He nodded at her before taking a wide stance as the [Changeling] snarled.

“You’re finally here, [Hero].”

A note from MelasD

Also, remember to check out Tian, my newly released book!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

307. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Four

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to There Will Be Dragons here

Alarm goes off, run to class, get hit by a bicycle in the process and then to top it all off a monster devours you and the entire ambulance on the way to the hospital! Mondays, right?

Then, you wake up in another world with a broken system only to find you're destined to destroy the evil transmigrator. Give me a break!

There Will Be Dragons Here [LitRPG] | Royal Road

307. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Four

Daniel Song stood in a familiar throne room. It was the very same place he’d woken to when he heard the alien words echo in his head for the first time. This was Ertos. The Capital city of Elutra. It happened five years ago, and it had completely changed his life.

His mundane, boring life back on Earth was no more the moment he’d opened his eyes and saw the looming figure of the King standing before him. A princess waited at his side, prim and proper, inspecting him with an analytical yet vying gaze that instantly drew his interest.

All his problems felt like they’d finally vanished. It was as though he’d been given a second chance in his new life: to right his wrongs; to start anew; and to become the man he’d always wanted to be.

Unfortunately, what he soon learned was that just because his external problems vanished, his internal problems— that which related to himself as a person— still remained. And when new problems arose as they normally would, he wasn’t able to deal with them.

He ran.

A [Hero] that fled from his duties. Ridiculous. It was so ridiculous. Daniel realized then as he did now that it was such a ridiculous concept. Yet, that was what he did, Unashamedly, he abandoned the country that needed him the most.

It wasn’t as though he didn’t understand what he was doing when he did it. He knew the consequences of his own action, even if he didn’t fully understand it— if that made sense. To him at the time, it was just an abstract idea; he thought that… or maybe, hoped that… things would work out.

Standing here, amongst the corpses of many familiar faces— Destiny, Rel, and many more— he knew that the consequences were finally here. It was no longer a probability, but reality.

Daniel’s gaze darkened as he hung his head in a brief moment of shame, before he turned to Faith.

“I am sorry.”

The princess held Bel in her arms. The youngest prince. Tears streamed down his eyes as she drew to her feet, bowing to Daniel.

“D-Daniel, you—”

“The [Hero] has finally made his triumphant return. It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Simag. An Archdemon of Wrath, at your service.”

A low, groaning voice interrupted her. Daniel narrowed his eyes, turning to the Demon standing at the center of the throne room.

[Changeling - Lvl. 114]

The Archdemon of Wrath stood as tall— no, taller than Salvos had been as a [Changeling]. He had the same skull-like face, although only a single pair of arms… well, a single arm now that Daniel had lopped one off. He had a pair of crooked horns poking out of his head, and his glowing eyes peered into the [Hero] with disdain despite his tone.

“And neither Occis or Vide were here to inform me of your arrival. So, I take it that they’re dead.”

“You’ll be next if you dare try anything here.”

Daniel stepped forward, raising his Primordial Longsword.

“And what are you going to do? Look around you— Ertos has already fallen.”

Simag just chuckled. Daniel shook his head and spoke in a warning voice.

“Pull back your troops. Recall this invasion. The people of Elutra have suffered enough.”

“Alas, even if you kill me, you won’t be able to stop this, [Hero]. After all, you’re not Melissa. You’re not Zacharius. And you’re certainly not Alexander.”

The Archdemon circled around Daniel, speaking casually.

“You’re not even a real [Hero]. You’re just… a coward.”

And something inside of Daniel snapped. He rushed forward, shouting as he swung for Simag’s neck. The Archdemon laughed and easily dodged the attack. He struck Daniel in the stomach before spinning around and kicking the [Hero] back.

“Ack—”

Daniel went flying. Simag sneered.

“Did you think I’d be as weak as Vide or Occis just because I’m at their level? Please. Neither of their Classes are even close to Level 100. Mine, meanwhile—”

The Archdemon snapped a finger as a crimson sphere appeared around his shoulder. It quickly expanded, and he spoke.

“[The Primordial Spark].”

That’s— Daniel’s eyes grew wide. He watched as the explosion shot out towards him. Swinging his blade, he sliced through the brief blast of fire, only to face a dozen burning weapons floating above Simag.

The weapons launched out one after another as Daniel leapt to the side, cutting them down as they erupted into small fiery explosions. The Archdemon just laughed.

“Come on, now. You can’t keep running. Not unless you want to save them.”

He directed his fire weapons at Faith and Bel. Daniel stared in shock.

“You wouldn’t.”

“They’re my targets anyway. I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t.”

Simag snapped a finger, and the attacks came for the princess and prince of the Elutra Kingdom. Faith covered her younger brother as Daniel threw himself in front of them, his blades turning into a whirlwind of strikes.

“[A Hundred Quick Strikes]!”

He struck down the salvo of fiery blades before they reached either Faith or Bel. One of the burning swords went for him, and he caught it out of the air. He tossed it aside as it exploded behind him, facing Simag with a determined look.

“I will not let you take another innocent life.”

“Please, can you really say that when you can’t even protect yourself?”

Simag walked forward as he brought a clawed finger up. Daniel watched him come. A sphere of ice appeared in the Demon’s fingertips. It was familiar. A prickling sensation— a chill of recognition— ran down Daniel’s spine.

The world almost seemed to freeze around him. It was as though the fighting in the background ceased. No more sounds of clashing blades. Daniel backed up as he recognized the words to leave the Archdemon’s mouth.

“[Ray…”

It was an ice attack. One that was incredibly powerful. That would turn everything in the throne room and beyond into ice. It had been used by the Lich of the Plaguelands. The Remnants of Zacharius the Quisling.

But how? How was Simag capable of both ice and fire magic at the same time? Was it his Subspecies? Or was his Class really that powerful?

Daniel didn’t know. He just braced himself, nodding at Faith and Bel.

“Stay behind me.”

“—of Frost]!”

Simag started, only for a figure to appear behind him. The Archdemon spun around, but was too slow to react. Amanda grinned.

“[Charge of a Thousand Blades]!”

She sliced for his throat. Simag leapt back as the blade grazed his neck. Black blood dripped to the ground, and he cursed.

“You—”

“That was for destroying the Harrowed Vindicators.”

Amanda flicked the blood off her double-bladed dagger.

“Well, I fucking hated them anyway. But they paid me well. So I could do at least that much for them.”

“The rogue assassin. I almost forgot to account for you.”

Even though Simag spoke in a casual, uncaring voice, his facial expression was clear— he was upset. Daniel had learned to discern Demon— or at least, [Changeling]— expressions and their meanings from Salvos.

“If only Vide and Occis hadn’t strayed from the plan, you’d both have been dealt with by now. Alas, I have to make up for my subordinates’ mistakes.”

“There is more than just the two of them, Demon!”

Another figure attacked Simag from behind. A man in heavy metal armor. Garland Monsterthorne. The knight-commander of Elutra’s [Pegasus Knights]. He rode on his winged Pegasus, swinging a glowing blade for the Archdemon of Wrath’s head.

Simag barely blocked it with a wall of ice. He started back, surrounded on all sides. By Daniel, by Garland, and by Amanda. The [Hero] stepped forward, raising his gray blade.

“You have lost this battle. Give up. Please, just put an end to this war.”

The Archdemon’s eyes flickered between the three enemies. His allied Demons— the other [Changelings] who’d been in battle with the Elutran royal guards and [Pegasus Knights]— lay dead at the entrance of the throne room. Amanda had caught them off guard, picking them off one by one from the shadows.

That had always been Daniel’s plan. From the very start.

Simag raised his single hand, sighing.

“You’re right. I lost. I can’t possibly stand a chance against all of you. Not by myself.”

Then his lips curled up.

“But if you really want to put an end to this war, you’ll have to make me.”

Daniel narrowed his eyes.

“Very well.”

The [Hero] leapt forward, charging for the Archdemon’s head. Simag’s eyes glinted. There was a shimmer from his claws. Faith shouted, trying to stop Daniel.

“Wait—”

“Take this! [Crescent—”

And Simag raised his hand. A ring shone, reality warping around it.

“Ring of the Forgotten Prison.”

Daniel felt his entire body being tugged towards the ring. He tried to move away, but his body wouldn’t respond. It was like he was being sucked into a whirlpool, and no matter how much thrashing he did, he couldn’t break free from it.

Faith’s screaming was all he heard for a moment. He thought it was over. Then, a figure appeared next to him.

“[Savage Step].”

Amanda placed a hand on his shoulder, whispering once more.

“[Instantaneous Escape]. [Disengage].”

The pair appeared right next to Faith and Bel. Daniel dropped to his knees as his vision returned to normal. The world spun around him, the dizziness too much to handle. But Amanda steadied him.

“Are you fucking stupid? That was obviously a trap!”

“I…”

He groaned, and Simag clicked his tongue.

“Your Skills truly are annoying, assassin.”

“I’m not a good fighter. But I am good at killing and running.”

Faith ran up to the [Hero], staring at him with wide eyes.

“Are you alright, Daniel? Are you…?”

“I’m fine.”

He waved a hand off and drew to his feet. He looked up at Simag as the Archdemon shook his head.

“Well, it matters not that I’ve lost here. The queen is dead. Ertos is ours. Even if a few of you survive, it won’t matter. Not once Belzu is dead…”

Garland again attacked him from behind, but Simag just leapt out of the way, wings spreading wide. He took off, cackling as he flew through the broken ceiling of the throne room.

“Run all you want, princess. [Hero]. We will find you. You cannot escape.”

And with that, he was gone.

Daniel grunted as he straightened. He took a look at Faith and Bel, then at the dead littering around the room. It was a tragedy. More than just that— he heard the explosions from beyond. The screams and shouts of innocents, affected by this unfair assault.

Even as Garland helped Bel onto the Pegasus. Even as Faith said something to him, he only saw the destruction being loosed onto Ertos. Faith grabbed him by the hand as another blast resounded in the distance. A plume of smoke shot in the air as the palace shook.

“Daniel.”

The princess’ voice was eerily calm, even in this situation. Or… no. It wasn’t calm. It was that of resignation.

“We have to leave. We need to tell the world of what happened here. Of what you saw.”

Her eyes welled up as she spoke. She gritted her teeth together, turning to Garland and the Pegasus. Daniel closed his eyes. He shrugged Faith off, walking away from the throne room.

“No.”

He spoke in a determined voice. Faith blinked.

“But we need your help to—”

“I’m not running.”

Daniel stared at the marching army of Inoria as they closed in on the city’s gates. He raised his Primordial Longsword, preparing once more for battle.

“I shall stop this. Somehow. I cannot let others suffer for my own failures.”

It was a hopeless battle. He knew it. The young man from Earth was very well prepared to die trying. But he’d already resolved himself to a decision. So, he continued.

“You can go if you want. But you can’t make me come with you.”

Faith opened her mouth to protest.

“But without you, we’ll be hunted—”

And a voice cut her off. Daniel felt a strike to the back of his neck as he collapsed to his knees. He looked up to see Amanda standing over him.

“[Precise Blow].”

She snorted as she picked him up.

“Who can you save if you’re dead?”

He tried to speak, but nothing came out. Amanda continued.

“Fucking moron.”

And his vision went dark.

A note from MelasD

Sorry for the super late chapter. Injured my fingers.

Also, remember to check out Tian, my newly released book!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

308. Aftermath

A note from MelasD

YO! MY GOOD FRIEND VOIDHERALD JUST RELEASE HIS WEBCOMCI WITH TAPAS!

I am sure most of you have already heard of Vainqueur the Dragon. But it is now being adapted into a webcomic format. It is fucking phenomenal if I have to say so myself. Do check it out here:

Vainqueur Knightsbane is your average dragon: a fire-breathing lizard who loves to sleep on his golden hoard, kidnap princesses for fun, and make the life of adventurers miserable. Vainqueur's only pleasure in life is to watch his treasure get bigger, one coin at a time. So when a would-be thief turned unwilling minion tells him about "classes," "levels," and "quests," Vainqueur wonders if he should consider a career change. Can the world survive the first dragon with levels?

Read Vainqueur the Dragon | Tapas Web Comics

308. Aftermath

The city of Ertos. Located right by Mount Soulcreep. It was the Capital city of the former Elutra Kingdom. I’d never been to the country before, but I’d heard many things about it from Daniel.

For one thing, it was supposed to be quite grand and majestic. The Elutra Kingdom had been considered one of the major powers in the world. It wasn’t on the same level as the Vaun Qieur Empire or the Eastern Kingdom Alliance— although the latter wasn’t really a single entity as it was a coalition— but Elutra had been rather significant in the scale of the Human lands. They even supposedly had two Elite Ranked adventurers at one point.

The first hadn’t been seen since she left for the Beastmen Plains. And the second… well, he didn’t interfere with war or politics. Some adventurers did, of course. But many, like him, didn’t care for such things. They became adventurers specifically to avoid being involved.

Well, it was too late to change minds now that Elutra was essentially gone. The entirety of the country was now Inorian territory. I floated right above Ertos, looking at the flag of the Inoria Empire flying high above the damaged walls. The palace itself lay half-fallen. Streaks of smoke still scarred the sky above the city. Even though it had been a month since the war ended and Ertos was captured, there hadn’t been much done in the way of repairs.

“This it?”

Willy asked, hovering over my right shoulder. I glanced over at him and shrugged.

“I’m not sure. If I’m reading this map right, I think it should be Ertos?”

I produced the map Clayton had given me, pointing at the red circle drawn at the center. I showed it to the [Will O’ Wisp] and gestured at the city.

“This should be the right place.”

“What do?”

“I guess we’ll take a look around. Start our search from here. Unless… are you a [Tracker] or a [Hunter]?”

I looked at Willy, hopeful. He flitted down with a snort.

“No.”

“Aw.”

Before we arrived at the city’s gates, I gave Willy my Necklace of Lesser Obfuscation. I didn’t need it. Not anymore, since I could just focus and show my Class to others. While my Class was relatively high-leveled, I saw no reason to hide it. It wasn’t even above Level 100 yet. I’d draw attention, of course, but it wasn’t comparable to if I was clearly a wandering Diamond Rank.

Willy’s Class, on the other hand, was above Level 100. It’d draw questions. While I liked getting noticed— and I liked my friends getting noticed— it was not beneficial to us. Not at this moment.

There was a long line at the city’s gates as the guards slowly checked everyone who was entering and leaving. They turned away a lot of people from entering, and judging by what was happening on the other side of the lattice, they didn’t allow people to leave either. When Willy and I reached the front, a relatively high-leveled [Warrior] approached me.

[Warrior - Lvl. 78]

“What business do you have in Ertos, adventurer?”

“We’re just here to take up some jobs.”

I smiled, showing him my former Platinum Rank badge. He shook his head.

“Adventurers aren’t permitted inside of the city without an emergency. Orders from our new emperor.”

“Come on— I have an emergency.”

I leaned closer with a smile. His eyes flickered to the glinting objects in my hand, and I nodded.

“It’s so urgent, I may lose a few gold coins on my way in.”

He pursed his lips before finally grunting. The coins vanished from my hand as he stepped aside.

“Let them through.”

I beamed, walking through the city’s gates as Willy gave me a flat stare. I turned to the Spirit and raised a brow.

“What?”

“Illegal.”

“It’s not illegal if you have enough money.”

“True.”

“Alright.”

I clapped my hands together as we stood in the streets of Ertos.

“Now, where can we find a [Tracker] or a [Diviner]?”

—--

The Adventurers Guild of Ertos had been, unfortunately, destroyed during the siege of the city. Not like there had been too many adventurers left before the city fell. And those that had remained had left in the first few weeks after the siege ended. I tried to ask around for any adventurers— anyone with the Skills necessary to help me find Daniel— to no avail.

“Come on! Don’t you know any [Hunters]? You’re literally a [Butcher]! How else would you get all this meat?”

I pestered the shopkeep in front of his stall as a few passersby stared at us. He shook his head apologetically.

“We don’t get our meat from hunting, young Miss. I’m sorry, you’ll have to find someone else to help you.”

My shoulders slumped as I dragged myself away from market street. Willy just snickered, watching my attempts fail.

“Heh.”

“Maybe you should help me out instead of laughing.”

I rolled my eyes. He zipped around me, speaking casually.

“Can’t.”

“Why not? Aren’t you a Spirit or something? Surely you know a [Priest] or two who’s capable of using divination magic?”

Willy stared at me for a moment before turning away.

“No.”

“Do you mean no you don’t know a [Priest] who can help me, or no you don’t want to help me?”

“No.”

Suffice to say, he was just following me around. It was fun talking to him, at least, but I’d have preferred if he was actually able to help me.

Not all of the streets of Ertos were damaged from the fighting. It seemed like the area that was most adversely affected had been concentrated in the main street leading up to the palace. The roads were cracked and there was still quite some rubble strewn about over the sidewalks. Gloomy figures walked about their day-to-day lives, moving slowly. Like phantoms with no direction.

I scanned the sparsely gathered crowd, searching for anyone or anything that could maybe be useful to me. I caught sight of a hooded figure hiding in the cover of an alleyway. A quick use of [Identification] made my eyes widen.

[Archer - Lvl. 81]

An [Archer]— that means she could be a [Tracker], right? I ran up to her, leaving Willy behind in the middle of the street. Even if she wasn’t a [Tracker], she was the highest-leveled [Archer] I’d seen so far in the city. At least, one who wasn’t an Inorian soldier.

She was slinking around in the darkness, about to vanish further into the alleyway before I caught her. The [Archer] leapt back, startled.

“Wha—”

“Hi!”

I waved at her as she eyed me warily.

“Are you a [Tracker], by any chance? Or maybe any tracking Skills?”

The [Archer] blinked. She lowered her guard, frowning.

“T-tracking Skills? I do. But—”

“Oh, that’s good! Can you help me out?”

I reached out to her, but she immediately drew away once again.

“I apologize, but I am in a hurry right now. I cannot help you.”

“Aw, please?”

She shook her head, spinning around.

“I cannot. Goodbye.”

I watched her go. Well, that didn’t work out. I sighed, returning to Willy.

“Hmm, maybe I should just ask around for Daniel…”

I wondered aloud. But that would’ve been stupid. First of all, the chances of running into someone in the streets who actually knew who Daniel was was quite low. Secondly, I knew he wasn’t liked by the Inoria Empire, considering he was the [Hero] who’d been summoned here to defeat them. Asking about him would’ve probably gotten me in trouble.

Didn’t Daniel say he knew a few princesses? I glanced over at the half-destroyed palace in the distance. Maybe I’ll be able to find them there.

With that settled, I started for the palace of Ertos.

What was that about? Willow brushed aside her thoughts about that strange silver-haired woman who approached her in the alleyway. The Level 81 [Augur Markslady] had a job to do, and if she messed up, the entire operation would be jeopardized. So, she couldn’t let herself be distracted.

She clambered onto the rooftop— one which gave her a clear view of the royal palace of Ertos. Soulhome. A once beautiful structure… one which showed the majesty of the Elutra Kingdom. Both were now shells of their former selves.

It angered Willow to see her city and her country ruined, brought to its current state. She wished to exact vengeance on the Inoria Empire. But on her own, there wasn’t much she could do. Even with the rest of the resistance, they couldn’t do much. They needed a proper leader to fight back against Inoria.

That was why she was heading for the palace. Today was the day of the royal family’s execution. Princess Hope and prince Iance were caught trying to flee from an underground tunnel out of Ertos. Unfortunately, the rest of their siblings were killed during the attempted escape.

Willow knew that that was a lie— that the Inoria Empire would’ve preferred to kill them all then and there. But they needed to make an example. To instill fear and suppress any hopes of rebellion. That was why it was going to be a public execution.

And that was Inoria’s first mistake. Willow glanced over at the other figures moving alongside the rooftops of Ertos— at the other resistance members moving into position. They were going to free princess Hope and prince Iance before the execution went through.

Now, the second mistake was what was going to happen at the execution. The new emperor of Inoria was going to be present for the execution. Even though he was just a ten year old child, he was going to be there to witness it. His parent’s bloodlust was clearly evident in him.

That was why Willow felt no hesitation about what she’d resolved to do.

It was a mission with two parts. The first was the rescue, the second was the assassination. By splitting the focus of the Inorian guards, it increased the chances of their success. There was no guarantee, but she truly believed that they could succeed.

Willow leapt onto the final rooftop overlooking the foyer where the execution would soon be taking place. She nodded at the hooded man already waiting there, speaking his name.

“Zane.”

He was a Level 75 [Shadowmaster Rogue]. He would ensure neither of them were noticed until it was already too late.

“Took you long enough, Willow.”

He snorted. Willow pursued her lips.

“A strange lady distracted me for a moment. But it’s been dealt with.”

“Are you sure? This is our only chance of success, Willow. If we fail here, we won’t get another chance.”

“I’m certain she was just an adventurer. And even if she was an Inorian soldier in disguise, she wasn’t even Level 100. Gavyn could take her on without a problem.”

The [Augur Markslady] drew her crossbow as she laid herself down on the tiled roof. Zane shook his head.

“But we won’t be able to take on the dozen other Level 100s patrolling the area if we’re found out.”

“Well, that’s your job, isn’t it?”

Her eyes flickered to the wooden platform propped up at the center of the courtyard. A crowd was gathered there— forced by Inorian troops to witness what was going to happen soon. A bell tolled, coming from the only temple in Ertos. That of the Den of Souls.

“It’s starting soon. Focus.”

Willow loaded an enchanted arrow onto her weapon, eyeing the armed guards walking up to the stand. They brought with them a pair of chained prisoners. Willow recognized them, but their figures were starkly different from what they used to be. The previously beautiful princess Hope was reduced to a haggard, thin mess. Meanwhile, her older brother, Iance, was covered in wounds. It looked like he’d been tortured and starved for days.

They could barely make their way up the steps. A man with a scroll walked onto the stand, bowing at the palace’s balcony that overlooked the foyer. Willow narrowed her eyes— her [Eagle’s Vision] letting her clearly see the new emperor of Inoria standing there with his bodyguards.

“There he is.”

Willow glanced over at Zane.

“You remember the plan, right? The others should already be in position.”

“Yes.

Zane got to his feet, and Willow grunted.

“Then let us begin.”

She just hoped that everything would proceed as planned.

“Look, I’m telling you, we just need to find someone who knows Daniel. They’ll be able to help us find him.”

I argued with Willy as we passed by a large gathering of people— the biggest one I’d seen all day. They flocked to the courtyard right in front of the palace of Ertos, whispering in hushed, worried voices.

“So why palace?”

Willy asked, flitting around me. I wagged a finger sagely.

“Because Daniel said he was friends with the royal family.”

“Then why princess?”

The [Will O’ Wisp] was still dubious, but I smiled at him selfishly.

“Because I want to meet a princess.”

“Dumb plan.”

He didn’t like my idea. He flew ahead of me, still-facing my direction.

“No princess.”

“What do you mean there’s no princess in the palace? It’s a palace! It has to have a princess.”

“Dead.”

Willy replied simply, and I furrowed my brows.

“Nope.”

“Yes.”

“Nope.”

“Yes.”

“Why would they be dead?”

“Because enemy.”

I scowled. That made sense, but I didn’t want it to be true. I was really looking forward to meeting Faith again. Or maybe another princess. Anyone would do as long as they were the princess of a country.

“You don’t know that. For all we know, they could still be alive.”

“Wrong—”

Willy started, and a loud voice echoed throughout the courtyard.

“And now presenting, one of the perpetrators behind the assassination of emperor Rowen Ino! The disgraceful coward who fled her people after starting an unjust war! The former princess Hope!”

I looked over at the wooden platform in the middle of the courtyard. A woman was brought onto the stand, in tears and in chains. I beamed and gestured at her to Willy as he stared.

“See? I was right.”

Then I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Although… is she an actual princess if she’s a former princess?”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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309. Save the Princess

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Heretical Oaths!

Since times long lost to history, magic power has been gained through a contract with divinity. The vast majority of mages are pacted to the eight core gods and the sixty-four lesser ones. Lily Syashan—formerly Lily of House Byron—holds an oath to a forgotten god. Exiled into a peasant village after her parents were executed for treason, Lily swore that she would gain power and succeed where her family failed.

To build her power, she will need to kill, destroy, and ruin. Whether her target is an Altered monster or another human getting in her way, Lily will need to be ready to defeat them all. The journey to the top won’t be an easy one, but Lily is prepared to do whatever it takes to finish it.

Heretical Oaths [A DnD-inspired Progression Fantasy] | Royal Road

309. Save the Princess

“For their crimes against the people of Elutra, and for their crimes against the glorious Inoria Empire, these criminals shall be sentenced to death!”

The man standing on the wooden platform continued, reading from his scroll as he ordered the execution of princess Hope and prince Iance to begin. Willow glanced over at Zane and nodded.

“Let’s go.”

She aimed her crossbow carefully at the executioner walking up to the stand as her companion vanished into the shadows. In the distance, the rest of the resistance moved. Amongst the crowd. In the alleyways. Into the palace. On the rooftops.

There were dozens of them. All high-leveled. And their leader, Gavyn, wasted no time.

At the gates of the palace, a man strode forward, clothed in full hooded robes. The guards moved to stop him, but with a single swing of his sword, the gates smashed open. Dust and debris shot up as he cleaved the earth in half.

“The palace is under attack! The rebels are targeting the emperor!”

A voice shouted.

There were gasps— screams. Soldiers moved quickly to the gates of the palace as the executioner paused. He was standing over princess Hope, a great axe in hand. Then he was on the ground, dead. A crossbow bolt in between his head.

[Rapid Reload]. Willow fired shot after shot, taking down the guards on the stand before they could react. The man with the scroll glanced back and blinked.

“They’re trying to free the princ—”

And a shadow appeared behind him. Zane smiled, whispering before slitting him in the throat. Willow nodded and moved positions. She provided the man with a flurry of covering fire as an explosion blasted up in the distance. One of the resistance [Mages] sent [Grand Fireballs] at the running guards. The blasts distracted them, throwing their movement into chaos.

Another pair of [Rogues] appeared behind Zane, and they secured princess Hope and prince Iance. It took prince Iance a moment to register what was going on, while princess Hope was quicker to react. She clung onto one of the [Rogues], clearly crying even from afar.

Zane and the [Rogues] moved to escort them out, but their first hurdle appeared. From amongst the crowd, a heavily armored figure moved. Willow recognized him immediately. Igor Shardsling. He was one of the most prominent generals of Inoria. A Level 110 [Warrior]. He earned the Title General of Bloodlust for his cruelty in the battlefield.

And he moved quickly, barking orders.

“Stop those rebels! [Field of Ardor]! [Rally of the Ravagers]!”

The entire courtyard shimmered briefly. Zane and the other [Rogues] suddenly slowed in their movements. Sluggish. A red aura flickered around them, trailing behind wherever they went. It clearly marked their positions, even when they vanished into the shadows. The encroaching guards, on the other hand, moved faster. Their eyes were bloodshot— seeking out their targets with a savage look on their faces.

Willow watched as things went awry— as the situation devolved further and further. One of the [Rogues] was shot down by a homing arrow coming from a nearby window. Even if Willow couldn’t see the attacker, she knew only of one [Archer] with that capability who was presently in the city.

It had to have been the Valkyrie Sniper, Jillian. A Level 115 [Archer] and a Diamond Ranked adventurer. Before the war, Willow had looked up to her for her prowess on the battlefield. But once the war broke out, Jillian left her company to join the army. That was when Willow lost all respect for her.

But even still, Jillian’s accuracy with the longbow couldn’t be rivaled. Her arrows swerved around the courtyard, dancing around innocent civilians before striking their targets. Zane narrowly managed to parry one of the arrows, only for another to shoot out from the fallen arrow. An ethereal one that zipped straight for his head— like a phantom rising from the cut down bolt.

His eyes grew wide as it nearly struck him. He couldn’t react in time. But Willow could. Her crossbow bolt clashed with the arrow, and the two projectiles went flying. Zane stumbled back as she landed lightly behind him, nodding.

“Go! I’ll hold them off!”

“What?”

He glanced up at her, staring for a moment.

“But that’s not part of the—”

“Fuck the plan. We need to get princess Hope and prince Iance out of here no matter what. Even if it means the emperor gets to live.”

Willow had a pivotal involvement in the next step— in aiding Gavyn and the others in carrying out their assassination. But if they couldn’t even get at least one of the royal family out alive, it would have all been pointless.

“Now go!”

She shouted, and Zane nodded. He hefted princess Hope over his shoulder and turned to the other [Rogue] carrying prince Iance. Just as they were about to leap away, the air flickered. A fissure formed, obscuring the world around them. It was a dome— one made entirely out of wind.

Zane stepped back, and Willow tensed. They watched as a figure emerged through the barrier enclosed around them.

“[The Prisoner’s Terrarium].”

“Typhest the Wind Lord.”

An old Baron from the Inoria Empire. And a well-known [Grand Mage]— one who’d served as the headmaster Inoria’s Cedric Academy for over a decade. He was rumored to be Level 125 in both his Classes, but there was an obfuscation effect preventing Willow from using [Identification] on him.

He smiled at them, waving his staff as parts of the dome opened up, letting in Jillian and Igor Shardsling. They surrounded Willow and the rest of the rescue team. Princess Hope squirmed as she watched their approach.

“N-no… please—”

“We will protect you, princess.”

Willow raised her crossbow, but a single flick of the finger from Typhest sent her weapon flying. The old man sighed, shaking his head.

“Do not resist. You have already lost.”

“We will not surrender to you or your emperor, Wind Lord.”

She spat, drawing a dagger. Typhest just gestured vaguely around her.

“You are trapped in a barrier that a flock of Lesser Wyverns would find difficulty in breaking through. Even a group of [Senior Centinel] would struggle to burrow a hole through this wind dome.”

He spread his arms wide as Jillian and Igor edged forward.

“To someone like you, this dome is nigh impenetrable—”

And the dome fell.

In an instant, the solid cage of wind that had been surrounding them was dispelled. Blue flames burned away the air as the sky opened up once more. Willow blinked, taking in the courtyard once more. Typhest’s eyes bulged out of his sockets as he stared at his fallen barrier.

“I-impossible. How—”

And a figure wreathed in blue flames approached them. A young woman with silver hair and a blue jacket. She smiled, looking at princess Hope. Then she frowned, eyeing Willow.

“Hey, I know you!”

“That was one of my greatest Skills. And you destroyed it, just like that. Just how did you do that?”

The old man stared at me, his jaw looking like it was about to fall from his mouth. I glanced over at him. I couldn’t identify him— he had some kind of Pendant of Obfuscation or the like. However, judging by his Skills, I was pretty sure he couldn’t be above Level 130.

I shrugged.

“I just threw some fire at it.”

“What?”

He didn’t know how to react. He was entirely speechless. I looked past him, searching for the person I’d come here for. Princess Hope. She was being carried by a dark-skinned man with black hair, standing next to another [Rogue] and the hooded woman I recognized. She just stood there as I waved at her.

“You’re here too! That’s good. I told you this was a good idea, Willy. Now we can get both her help, and the princess’ help to find Daniel!”

Willy flitted by behind me, still against the idea.

“Stupid.”

“It’s fine. If anything happens I can just teleport away.”

“Still stupid.”

The [Mage]’s eyes widened as he took in Willy.

“That’s… a [Will O’ Wisp]. But no— its magic is… is that a Grand Spirit?”

He narrowed his eyes, warily looking at me.

“Are you a [Summoner]? I didn’t know the resistance had one of this level.”

“Resistance?”

I cocked my head. Willy scoffed.

“Them.”

I looked at the hooded woman. They were trying to get the princess— and his brother, I guess— out of here. So that they were a resistance group made sense.

“Hey! You guys should get out of here! I’ll deal with these guys then catch up to you, alright?”

They exchanged confused glances, uncertain of what to do. A fancily clad Inorian [Warrior]— one of the three who’d been surrounding the princess— stepped forward, raising his greatsword.

“I know how to deal with these [Summoners], Baron. Worry not. You just have to strike them down before their Spirit attacks you.”

The bowlady standing next to him nodded.

“I’ll distract the Spirit. Go for it, Igor.”

“Wait, both of—”

The old man started, but they moved regardless. The [Warrior] charged me as the [Archer] loosed a flurry of glowing projectiles at Willy.

The [Will O’ Wisp] easily evaded the attacks, even as they came at him from all sides.

“What do, Salvos?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

I spoke simply as the [Warrior] reached me. He grinned savagely, swinging for my head.

“I got you now! Take this, [Obliterating Strike]!”

I stepped under his attack, reaching into my [Dimensional Pocket] as his slash tore open the earth without even coming into contact with the ground. The tiled roads went flying into the air. I produced a Nebular Scythe. One that wasn’t gray or black, but made of some iridescent metal. Forged from rainbow flames. The same one I had created when I was still under the effects of my Divine Essence.

It didn’t vanish, despite the Grand Skill ending. One of the perks of my [Nebular Constructs]. The [Warrior] spun around, screaming.

“You won’t get—”

“[Radiant Slash].”

And I sliced up with ease. He fell, cut in half in an instant.

“She killed him… just like that…”

Willow stood, frozen, unable to process what was happening before her. Igor Shardsling lay on the ground, his armor cut through like it wasn’t even there. It had to have been a High Grade armor. And yet, the silver-haired woman’s attack didn’t even slow when it went through him.

“Huh. I thought his armor would’ve been stronger. I shouldn’t have wasted that Skill…”

“Y-you— how dare you! You’ll pay for that!”

Jillian the Valkyrie Sniper screamed. She pulled out a glinting arrow— one that shimmered at the arrowhead, radiating an immense amount of mana.

“I never thought I’d have to use this. It is the only one I have, but I’ll kill you and your Spirit with it for what you did. The Giant Killer Arrow.”

The Giant Killer Arrow. Willow had heard of it. She’d never seen one herself— of course not. It was rumored to be Epic Grade at the very least. Jillian took aim at the silver-haired woman.

“[Crescendo of—”

And the silver-haired woman appeared behind her. The Valkyrie Sniper whirled around in surprise, only to find her arms detached from her body.

“W-what…?”

“I’ll be taking this.”

The silver-haired woman grabbed the Giant Killer Arrow, and it vanished. She smiled before swinging for Jillian once more. A blue blaze overcame her scythe. And in the next moment, Jillian was lying dead on the ground.

“Huh. This is easy. Too easy.”

She murmured as Willow just stared. Now was the opportunity to escape. It was their chance to leave, but Willow, Zane, and the others were all too captured in the moment. They watched on as only Typhest was left.

The Wind Lord stumbled back but caught himself. He took a deep breath and pointed at the silver-haired woman.

“I see now. You have a Necklace of Greater Obfuscation, don’t you? Or perhaps you’re showing your second Class. But that doesn’t matter. I know your goal.”

His eyes flickered to the prince and princess of Elutra. Willow’s gaze snapped over to them. She raised a hand, finally breaking from her stupor.

“Zane, get them out—”

But she was too slow. Typhest spun around, unleashing a localized hurricane at them.

“[Thunderwind Vortex]!”

His voice bellowed throughout the courtyard. Even audible through all the fighting and explosions. The spinning gale crackled with electricity, sending a flurry of wind blades at Willow and the others.

She braced herself— prepared to be torn to shreds. But a voice cut through the roaring spell.

“[Protection of the Sentinel].”

A blue glow overcame Willow. A kind of flaming armor that didn’t burn. It protected them from Typhest’s attack. He looked on as even the injured prince Iance came out unscathed when his spell ended.

“What… just how? Y-you… are you an Elite? But why are you with the Elutra Kingdom?”

He backed away from the silver-haired woman as she casually strolled up to him. Typhest gritted his teeth and slammed his staff into the earth.

“Try to stop this, you monster! [Lightningwyrm]!”

The silver-haired woman cocked her head. She watched a serpent made of lightning came into existence around him. It roared a thunder before lancing out at her.

She simply snapped a finger.

“[The Primordial Spark].”

And a similar serpent— one made of blue fire— was conjured up behind her. She was mimicking his Skill with her own, Willow realized. It completely overwhelmed his Skill, tearing through the lightning and blasting him back.

Typhest collapsed to his knees, dropping his staff.

“I-I… can’t win. Someone— guards! Stop her!”

He screamed, looking around for help. Inorian troops closed in on their position, but the Grand Spirit just floated up and sent a wave of flame out, incinerating all those that came close.

“No.”

The Grand Spirit spoke simply, supporting the silver-haired woman from behind.

She continued her casual walk as Typhest unleashed spell after spell at her. She blocked them with ease, coming to a halt before him. He trembled as she loomed over him.

“Just… w-what are you?”

Baring her teeth, she leaned closer and raised her scythe.

“Me? I’m S— I mean, I’m here to save the princess.”

Willow flinched as she swung down.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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310. The Emperor

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Godslayers

In the ancient, brutal days, the Eifni Organization reached heaven through violence and tore the gods from their thrones.

Now their methods are more precise.  Etheric technology allows them to measure love, create beauty, and reincarnate the souls of the dead into new bodies.  By embedding specially-trained operatives—godslayers—into a culture, they can create the exact conditions to kill a god and save the souls it would otherwise devour.

The gods of Eifni's home world are long dead, but theirs is not the only culture afflicted with theism.  Other worlds await, and they are here to free them all.

Godslayers | Royal Road

310. The Emperor

These guys were weak. Like, very weak. Were they really Level 100? My [Identification] said they were somewhat close to my level— and they even had good equipment on them too! But I beat them back with ease. The first man and woman didn’t even put up a fight. Meanwhile, the old [Mage] tried his best. He unleashed a flurry of spells at me, to no avail.

I sauntered up to him, raising my scythe as he stared in fear.

“Just… w-what are you?”

I bared my teeth and swung down.

“Me? I’m S— I mean, I’m here to save the princess.”

He flinched. I was prepared to cut through an Aura of Greater Protection, or any other proactive enchantment he had. But all I did was blink as my scythe struck nothing.

I looked down for the old man, however he was gone. Blinking a few times, I cast my gaze towards a nearby rooftop. I spotted a woman holding him from the shoulder. Murmurs broke out amongst the resistance as I met her gaze.

“That’s… Lucieve theTormentor!”

The hooded [Archer] gasped.

My eyes flickered at the name. That sounded like— I focused, eyeing her every movement. [Identification] told me that she was only around Level 120. Yet, I could tell she was stronger than the old man. A smile spread across her face as she dropped him.

“I’m disappointed, Typhest. The plan was simple. We draw out these resistance rats and exterminate them once and for all. But you failed.”

The old man sputtered as he picked himself up.

“Lucieve, I apologize but this lady is stronger than she looks—”

“I don’t care.”

She spoke over him, stepping forward.

“Go and protect the emperor. Maybe you’ll be useful there.”

Typhest nodded, flying off.

“Yes, lady Lucieve.”

Meanwhile, she just gave me a savage look. I saw the way she bared her teeth at me. I didn’t even need to think twice— I knew what she was in an instant.

She was a Demon.

“I’ll deal with this—”

And there was a flicker. Her eyes grew wide. She barely leapt out of the way in time as the Nebular Sickle Grenade flew past her. The blast lit up the sky behind her. She looked back at the silver explosion, still in shock.

“What…?”

“Hey. I’m Salvos, nice to meet you.”

I appeared behind her, swiping for her head. She flew back as a pair of flaming wings appeared from her back. My attack grazed her arm and drew black blood.

Lucieve panted as she flew to the sky. She raised her hand, shouting.

“You shall pay for that! [Infernal—”

But she couldn’t finish. Because, from behind, a figure grabbed her. A golden, glowing figure. [Salvo of Vanity]. My clone.

“What are you doing? Let go of me!”

She struggled, even as my clone flew higher and higher. I bared my teeth back at her, and something clicked in her eyes. I replied simply as the [Demon’s Mark] on her arm grew brighter.

“Killing you.”

My clone shone brightly as they ascended far above the city. I snapped my fingers when I was sure they were but a speck in the sky. And the speck expanded into an expansive explosion. A gold and crimson blast. One that spread wide, casting a brilliant glare over the city.

A notification resounded in my head as I confirmed that she had indeed been a Demon.

Defeated [Asera Changeling - Lvl. 122]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

“Alright. Now that that’s settled.”

I glanced down at Willy who was casually keeping back any Inorian soldiers from getting to either the prince or the princess. The resistance stared up at me, both in reverence and in fear as I descended back to them.

“You…”

The hooded woman gaped.

“Why would you—”

My eyes flickered to the side. I saw more high-leveled individuals appear from the palace. Many Platinum Ranks, and a few Diamond Ranks.

“This is taking too long. Let’s get out of here.”

I flicked my fingers, breaking large chunks of the earth beneath the resistance members’ feet. They ascended into the air as I waved at Willy to follow. The [Will O’ Wisp] casually floated after me.

“Done?”

“Yep! Although, I don’t know if we’ll ever be allowed into this city ever again.”

I looked at the ruckus we’d caused. It wasn’t… the best idea I've ever had. But I came here for one reason only, and by saving princess Hope and the hooded [Archer], I got what I wanted. A way to find Daniel. My companion.

[Scattering Displacement] took the resistance to the air as I flew off. But before I could make it too far, a voice called out.

“Wait, please!”

The hooded [Archer] spoke out in a panicked voice, quickly looking over at the palace of Ertos.

“Gavyn. He’s still fighting—”

A small explosion interrupted her. One that came from the tall balcony where the emperor had been. I raised a brow.

“You want me to save your friend?”

“Please.”

She bowed her head.

“Sure!”

I summoned two more clones and turned to Willy.

“Make sure my clones don’t misbehave!”

The [Will O’ Wisp] just stared at me as my clones grinned at him. He made a sighing sound before I flew off to where the blast had been. The smoke cleared up as I landed in a fancy room. A ballroom, of sorts. The ground was littered in debris and bodies. A little boy stood backed up in the corner of the room, surrounded by corpses and a single bodyguard. A man with the same smile Lucieve had. A Demon’s smile.

[Mage - Lvl. 108]

He stood over another man in heavy plate armor— Gavyn, I was assuming— who looked like he was on the precipice of defeat. Heads turned as I entered the room.

“Hey, are you Gavyn? I’m here to save you!”

“I-I am… who are…?”

Gavyn stared at me. The Demon disguised as a Human raised a brow.

“It seems even more resistance members have shown up, emperor Rowyn. I fear that soon I may be bested in battle.”

He feigned hurt, clearly mocking.

“Oh, if I flee here and leave you to your assassins, will I be condemned?”

“You’re just going to leave your emperor behind?”

Gavyn grunted, trying to get to his feet.

“Even though you have won this battle? Just what is wrong with you?”

The Demon tilted his head at the accusation. His gaze landed on me as a chuckle left his mouth.

“But I have yet to win this fight. After all, this Level 94 [Mage] has come to your rescue. Surely her powers will be too much for me to—”

I appeared in front of him, baring my teeth.

“Shut up. You’re annoying.”

He froze, unable to react. I placed a hand on his chest and unleashed an inferno that consumed him in an instant. He was reduced to ashes, leaving only a silent scream behind. Gavyn looked at me, his jaw dropping.

“How…?”

“Alright.”

I clapped my hands together.

“Can we leave now?”

It took the resistance leader a moment to gather himself. But before he could get to his feet, the boy— the emperor of Inoria— spoke up.

“You killed Erist. Just like that… he’s dead.”

I shrugged.

“I mean, he was way weaker than his friend, you know?”

“His friend? You mean Lucieve? You killed her too? But she’s—”

“She wasn’t that strong. Well, I guess she’s stronger than an [Evolved Centinel] at her level. But she’s nearly ten levels below me, and I’m… well, me. I may have gone a bit overboard, but I wanted to kill her quickly.”

I wasted quite a few Skills on her, which was going to be a bit of a problem considering the shouts I heard in the distance. Inorian troops were already closing in on our position. I shook my head and turned to Gavyn.

“Let’s get going already!”

“But I have to—”

The leader of the resistance struggled as I dragged him off. The boy watched me go, blinking. Then he called out just before I took off into the sky.

“Wait—”

I paused, glancing back at the emperor of Inoria. He hesitated and closed his eyes.

“Take me with you!”

“What?”

Gavyn stared at him. I narrowed my eyes, considering it as the shouts drew closer.

“Are you sure? Aren’t you an emperor or something?”

The boy shook his head.

“I’m an emperor in name only. I… I can’t stay here. I can’t do anything without my every move being watched. This is for the greater good. You can trust me. Take me as your captive. Please.”

“But why would we—”

Gavyn started, but I spoke over him.

“Alright, I guess. Maybe you can help me find Daniel too.”

I grabbed the boy and hefted him over my shoulder. I returned to the destroyed balcony, eyeing the flying figures approaching us led by the old man from earlier. He raised an arm, pointing at me.

“They have kidnapped emperor Rowyn!”

I sent a flurry of flaming weapons their way, slowing them as I exploded into the sky.

“I’m not kidnapping him, he asked me to take him. See you guys never!”

And we were off. Our pursuers couldn’t keep up. Not for long, at least. I found Willy and my clones soon after. With that, it was finally time for me to start asking questions about Daniel.

—--

I sat in a small clearing in a forest a ways away from Ertos. We were still in the former territory of the Elutra Kingdom, but apparently the hooded [Archer]— Willow— led my clones to the hideout of the Elutra Resistance.

Here it was where we gathered. Me, my clones, a feisty Grand Spirit, a group of victorious rebels, a disgraced prince and princess, and a boy emperor. There was a lot to discuss. First of all, the resistance members had to explain to those in the hideout that I was an ally. Which… I wouldn’t necessarily agree with.

A black-haired man— the one they called Zane— gesticulated excitedly as he recapped what happened to those who’d been waiting in the hideout.

“She swooped in like a [Hero]. In an instant, she defeated both the General of Bloodlust and the Valkyrie Sniper!”

“What? Seriously?!”

“Is she an Elite?”

“She has to be—”

Then next was the question about why the emperor was here. Gavyn looked disapproving, even if he called Rowyn a captive.

“We decided that it was… for whatever reason, better to take the emperor with us rather than ending him and his bloodline there and then.”

His face twisted. Willow nodded, glancing over at me.

“Maybe this was her plan. Maybe we can get the emperor to admit his crimes through a trial. The world will have to support us then, right?”

“There’s no longer any point. I’ve confirmed it myself. Many times. There are Demons amongst the Inorian troops. Even the emperor’s bodyguards had a [Changeling] amongst them. The world won’t list…”

It made sense that Gavyn knew that Erist was a Demon. He did get a notification for the kill too— since he fought against Erist and all.

Meanwhile, I sat happily with princess Hope. She slowly slurped on a bowl of soup. Her brother lay on the ground in a comatose state, being tended to by a [Healing Mage].

“So, do you know Daniel?”

I asked her after a long moment of silence. The princess flinched reflexively from the question. I tilted my head, and she hesitated.

“Daniel… Song? Are you referring to the [Hero] from Earth?”

“Earth A1, yep!”

I smiled.

“He’s my companion.”

“I… know of him. But I haven’t seen him in many years. I thought he was dead.”

“Wait, do you mean you don’t know what happened to him? Are you sure you didn’t see him recently? He was present during the fall of Ertos, you know?”

“Was he? I didn’t even… but when Faith said—”

Princess Hope blinked. Then her eyes glazed over— her gaze grew dark as she shuddered. She brought her knees to her chest, muttering to herself.

“The fall of… Ertos. My brothers and sisters— I’m…”

“Um, hello?”

She didn’t respond. I reached over to poke her, but the [Healing Mage] stopped me.

“I apologize, Miss—”

“Salvos.”

“Oh, uh, and I’m Gene.”

He scratched the back of his head. Then he gestured at princess Hope as she rocked back and forth.

“But when individuals are in a state of shock, they become… catatonic. It’d be best for you to try speaking with her again later.”

“Aw, alright.”

I got up and glanced around this little encampment. If princess Hope couldn’t help me, my next best bet was going to be Willow. But just as I started towards her as she continued her discussion with Gavyn, I felt a tingling in the back of my mind. My clones were calling me towards them.

They’d been looking after emperor Rowyn along with Willy. Well, to be more specific, they’d been bothering Willy as the Grand Spirit tried to look after emperor Rowyn. I walked up to them, waving a hand.

“What’s going on?”

“Help.”

Willy spoke simply. My clones nodded eagerly, and the boy stepped forward.

“I heard you were searching for a man. Daniel Song. The [Hero] of Elutra.”

“Yep. That’s right. Why?”

I tilted my head, and the emperor answered.

“I can help you. I know where he’s at.”

“Huh. I knew it!”

A note from MelasD

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311. Emperor's Explanation

A note from MelasD

I don't know if I'm supposed to shoutout anyone else. Someone help.

311. Emperor's Explanation

Daniel Song opened his eyes as the first light of day leaked over the horizon and into the cavern. The sun ascended into the sky, painting the dark blue canvas into a light azure. The young man dragged himself to his feet, dreading the day that was to come.

He stood at the edge of the cave, looking over the undulating landscape. The hills and valleys that stretched as far as he could see. He turned to his grousing companions, before addressing the brown-haired woman who’d been keeping watch.

“Were there any problems?”

“If there were any, I’d have obviously woken you up. So, no.”

Amanda answered casually. But despite her demeanor, Daniel knew she was just as nervous as the rest of them. They’d been hounded for the past month by soldiers, assassins, and Demons from the Inoria Empire.

They couldn’t travel as quickly as they could. If they wanted to, they probably could have left Elutra’s— or, Inoria’s now— borders within two to three days. But their pursuers forced them to slow their movements. To use the terrain to remain hidden from sight.

Even still, they had gotten into far too many engagements. Ones which had nearly been costly. The only casualty so far, unfortunately, had been Garland Monsterthorne’s Pegasus. Bel and Faith had gotten out of the battles mostly unscathed, but that was only because Daniel demanded Amanda ensure their safety above all else.

It would have all been for nothing, otherwise.

Daniel wished he could’ve saved more people from the fall of Ertos. He heard that the rest of the royal family had been ambushed and killed. He heard that over a thousand innocent lives had been lost that day. Maybe even more.

It upsetted him. And what upsetted him the most was that he couldn’t even do anything about it.

He wanted to stay. He wanted to do whatever he could to save as many people as he could. But Amanda had knocked him out. A single strike to the back of the neck. It caught him off guard, and he fell unconscious.

By the time he woke up, they were already beyond the gates of the city, flying up to Mount Soulcreep. They were being pursued, and if he left them alone to return to Ertos, he’d be leaving them to die. So, he remained with them, protecting them.

Daniel couldn’t lie and say he didn’t feel any resentment towards Amanda for what she did. He saw her point, but he still wasn’t happy about it. There had to have been something else that could’ve been done. Something he could’ve realized if he hadn’t been knocked out.

So, he didn’t indulge in Amanda’s snark remarks. He barely even looked at her as he nodded.

“Good. Then we should get going. We’re reaching the border soon. Shedos will offer you protection. They have a history of animosity with Inoria.”

The [Hero] turned to Faith and Bel. Garland helped them to their feet as they nodded.

“Do you really think they’ll believe us?”

The princess asked hesitantly. Daniel closed his eyes.

“They’ll have to. We have no other choice.”

He started for the cave exit, shaking his head. Amanda just shifted, clearly uncomfortable as he walked past her.

“We just have to hope for the best…”

“He’s somewhere in the Anima Mountain Range.”

I listened as the boy emperor explained.

“You’re referring to the [Hero] that Elutra summoned, right? Simag is hunting him down. He escaped Ertos before its fall, bringing with him princess Faith and prince Bel.”

“Princess Faith is alive? That’s good!”

I beamed, exchanging a glance with my clones. Rowyn’s gaze darkened, his lips pursed as he continued.

“I do not know if they’ll be alive for long, lady Salvos.”

“Actually, it’s just S—”

I paused. I eyed Rowyn as he sat there, clenching a fist.

“Wait, did you call me lady Salvos?”

“I apologize, was that rude of me? My father never taught me how to speak with commoners.”

“No, no, no! That is absolutely fine!”

I clasped my hands together, leaning forward.

“You can call me lady Salvos, if you’d like! In fact, why not take it a step further and call me Princess Salvos?”

He blinked. Then his eyes widened.

“I did not mean to disrespect you, Princess. I wasn’t aware that the Princess of another nation would involve herself with this conflict.”

“Not.”

Willy snorted from the side. Rowyn raised his head.

“Not?”

“Not Princess—”

“Ignore Willy. He’s a [Will O’ Wisp]. That means he’s a stupid Spirit. I am most definitely a Princess, yep.”

“I… see.”

Emperor Rowyn nodded slowly. I waved a hand dismissively and held his gaze.

“Anyway, what were you saying? Why is Daniel in the Anima Mountain Range, again?”

“Because of Simag.”

He spoke grimly as me and my clones drew closer. .

“As you should know, the Inoria Empire is working with Demons. Or to be exact, we are working under Demons. Your resistance is wrong—”

“Their resistance.”

I corrected him, glancing over at Willow in the distance. She looked over at me, frowning over something. And I turned back to Rowyn. He continued.

“R-right. Their resistance is wrong. Most of Inoria doesn’t know this. We were forced into this war by Demons. We didn’t want this. They did. And Simag is one of their leaders.”

The boy’s gaze shadowed over.

“He’s an [Asera Changeling], just as Lucieve had been. But he’s not the strongest Archdemon. Not even close. However, he is one of the most cunning. He was the one tasked with taking down Ertos. And, where previous plots failed, his succeeded. At the cost of my… parents’ life.”

I watched as the boy shed a few tears before steeling himself. He straightened and spoke with the majesty of an emperor, even at his age.

“Now, Simag is hunting down both your friend and the last of Elutra’s royal family. I was told they escaped to Mount Soulcreep before continuing on through the Anima Mountain Range.”

I produced my map and scanned the area around Ertos. I placed a finger on a series of markings that resembled mountains.

“Is this the Anima Mountain Range?”

“That— and all this over here.”

Rowyn traced a large area around the map with his finger.

“It is quite the large natural land border. Not comparable to the Motharis Mountain Range— especially not in terms of the danger present— but it is substantial nonetheless. I do not know whether we’ll be able to find your friend in time before Simag gets to them, however I do know you’ll be able to take him on.”

“Well, of course! I am quite strong, after all.”

I beamed, clapping my hands together. Rowyn agreed.

“You killed Lucieve. She was the one who was responsible for overseeing my… ‘protection.’ To ensure that the Inoria Empire continues to operate smoothly under their thumb. She was far stronger than Simag. But you still have to be careful. He holds many tricks. I am sure he has traps prepared if faced with an enemy stronger than he is.”

“That’s settled, then. We’ll be going to the Anima Mountain Range, Willy.”

I gestured for the [Will O’ Wisp] to get up. He flitted into the air, then paused when he stared past me. He looked over at a pair of figures approaching us. I glanced up at the two Humans— the two members of Elutra’s Resistance.

Willow and Gavyn. The woman raised her brow, peering at the emperor dubiously.

“I heard what you said. Princess Faith and prince Bel are still alive, and they’re being protected by the [Hero] Daniel, right?”

“Yep. Wait, how’d you hear us?”

I cocked a brow. She gestured at her ears.

“[Enhanced Senses]. It’s a General Skill. Most [Archers] have them. You should really put up wards when speaking about private information.”

“Huh.”

Saffron always did it for me. I had no idea how to cast a spell to block out hearing. Willow crossed her arms, looking at Rowyn then me.

“If you’re going to save princess Faith and prince Bel, then count us in. We will help you with that. You asked for my tracking Skills, didn’t you? I’m sure I can find them if I know their general location, and with a little help.”

“Sure! I was actually just about to ask for your help.”

I smiled, glad she volunteered her assistance before I had to request it. However, Gavyn harrumphed, interrupting her.

“But before we do anything just yet, we have one question to ask.”

“Me?”

I pointed at myself. The leader of the resistance shook his head, stepping past me. He loomed over the boy sat by my clones, drawing back in fear. Gavyn’s gaze bore into the emperor of Inoria, speaking in a deep voice.

“Why should we trust you, emperor Rowyn?”

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312. Saving the [Hero]

A note from MelasD

I am on a train

312. Saving the [Hero]

Daniel Song trudged beneath a canopy of green. A dense forest rose along the slope of the mountain, cresting to the very peak together with the [Hero] and his party. Once they were at the very top, they took in the landscape. The terrain ahead shifted. The sea of trees grew sparser, eventually morphing into a world of rock and stone.

They were getting close. One the forest ended, the mountain range itself would slowly descend. And that was where they’d finally be safe. That was where they’d find themselves at Shedos.

Faith grabbed her little brother’s hand, clasping onto it tightly.

“We’re so close…”

Her voice was like a whisper. Amanda glanced over at them, shrugging.

“I could expedite the process if you want. A couple hundred [Savage Steps] or so, and we’ll be right there.”

Daniel knew that her Skill worked almost like a teleportation spell. In nearly an instant, she could cross over a hundred feet with only a short ten second cooldown in between. Still, they were miles out and away from the border.

It was still too risky. Especially if this resulted in them being caught by Simag and his hunters. Daniel shook his head.

“We’ll lay low. It’s just a little further—”

But he didn't get to finish. He was cut off by a loud barking— no, a howling. It was deafening to the ears. A cacophony of them. It resounded from the very base of the mountain. Daniel’s head snapped to face the creatures hounding up towards them.

A pack of dog-like creatures. Ones that were deformed, each wearing a different kind of body. They had bone-like protrusions and oddly shaped claws and irregular number of limbs. Their came in all kinds of sizes too, with distinct colors that made them stand out from each other.

Daniel didn’t know what he was looking at. He just stared at the creatures as they clambered up the mountain. Garland was the first to react. He drew his blade, eyeing the creatures warily.

“They’re not monsters.”

“They… aren’t?”

Faith blinked. She hugged Bel, and Daniel stepped forward. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the metal rings around their necks. Collars.

“Demons.”

The [Hero] whispered. He turned to Amanda, meeting her gaze.

“They’ve found us. Take Faith and…”

His eyes widened. He saw a shadow swooping down, and he leapt in front of the former assassin before the winged creature could swipe at her. Daniel parried a set of claws as sparks flew from his Primordial Longsword.

The winged creature drew back, letting out a screech.

[Cockatrice - Lvl. 105]

It looked like a giant rooster. One with a set of massive feathery wings, and claw-like legs that looked like it was made of bone. It stared at Daniel, its eyes burning with a red glow. It opened its beak, unleashing a flurry of flames at him.

He cut through the fire and turned to his party.

“We need to run— now!”

More shadows flew above head as the dog-like Demons drew closer. Daniel looked up to see a familiar horned figure flying there.

Simag.

“We’ve found you.”

He bared his teeth as dozens of Demons followed after him. All the [Hero] could do was brace himself as he prepared for the worst.

“Why should we trust you, emperor Roman?”

I glanced between emperor Roman and the two members of the resistance. Willow was the calmer of the pair. She wore an analytical look— one that studied each minute change in expression on the boy’s face. Meanwhile, the leader of the resistance, Gavyn, was clearly dubious.

He crossed his arms, harrumphing as he prodded the boy.

“Well?”

He waited.

Roman tensed. The boy emperor couldn’t find any words. His worked his mouth, his tongue dry as he licked his lips. Then something flickered in his eyes. I watched as his demeanor changed, and he straightened.

“I understand your suspicions, sir Gavyn.”

“Don’t try cozying up to me, boy.”

The leader of the resistance glared. Willow placed a hand on his shoulder, frowning.

“Gavyn. You said we’d hear him out.”

“I am willing to listen, but I do not care for his pretty words. Speak, boy, and we shall deem whether you are trustworthy.”

The boy emperor nodded, bowing his head slightly. He rose to his feet and spoke in a regal voice befitting his station.

“There is little of me to trust. Not after what my empire has done to your country and its people. But you heard what I said to Princess Salvos, didn’t you?”

I perked up as he gestured at me. I nodded eagerly, repeating what he said.

“Yep! Yep! Emperor Roman said that he has no control over his empire. Demons are running it from within.”

“So I heard.”

Gavyn narrowed his eyes.

“But that means nothing to me. I still have no reason to trust you. In fact, that makes me trust you even less. After all, the Demons in your empire didn’t come from nowhere, did they? They had to have been summoned into the Mortal Realm. This simply tells me that Inoria had been working with Demons for years… decades, even.”

Roman shifted his feet. His stoic demeanor receded slightly, revealing the boy within. However, he took a moment to poise himself. With a deep breath, he continued.

“That’s… true. I was told that my Father made a deal with an Archdemon long ago. And perhaps that gives you a reason not to trust me. You may think that I am evil for that very reason. And I’m not going to ask you to trust me. Instead, I’ll ask you to trust one thing.”

He held the gazes of both resistance members.

“That I despise the Demons as much as you do. That from the very bottom of my heart, I wish to eradicate their kind from this world. And I will do whatever it takes to ensure that is the case.”

The boy finished. I cocked a brow. Huh. But Willow seemed quite impressed. She was swayed by his resolve. And she turned to Gavyn.

“I think we can trust him, Gavyn. If it means we can find princess Faith and prince Bel— and the [Hero]— we should give him a chance.”

Gavyn sighed.

“Fine. But if he betrays us—”

“I won’t. You have my word.”

Roman stood, resolute. I raised a hand, butting into the conversation.

“Are we done now? Can we leave?”

Gavyn nodded.

“Very well. We shall make preparations to depart as soon as possible.”

He spun around and called out to Zane.

“Zane! We need your Skills to track someone down!”

The [Rogue] hurried over as I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Wait, I thought Willow was the one with tracking Skills?”

“We both have tracking Skills. Together, we’ll be able to help us find princess Faith quicker than alone. We just need to find the general vicinity of where they are…”

Willow spoke, nodding. I glanced over at Roman.

“You said they were at Mount Soulcreep, right?”

“They traveled past it— further to the northeast. Last I heard, they were getting close to the border. If I remember correctly, they were in the Anima Mountain Range passing close to Elios, one of the border cities.”

“I see.”

I clapped my hands together, interrupting Gavyn from his talk with Zane.

“Alright, that’s settled!”

I walked up to Willow and grabbed her by the hand. One of my clones picked up Zane as the man sputtered.

“Wait, what’s going—”

“We’ll be going now. Come on, Willy.”

I ushered the Grand Spirit up. He flitted into the air as my wings spread wide— masked by fire. Gavyn spoke up, clearly puzzled.

“What are you doing, Salvos?”

“Me? I’m going to go rescue the [Hero] and the princess.”

I replied simply, drifting into the air. He furrowed his brows.

“But we aren’t ready. We haven’t done the necessary—”

“Oh, you’re not necessary. Don’t worry.”

I waved a hand off, and he blinked.

“What?”

“I’m saying you guys aren’t needed. Stay here and look after Roman, alright? Or you can follow after us later. It’s up to you. But I’m going to go now.”

“But you’ll need our help—”

“Why would I?”

I cocked my head. He pursed his lips.

“I…”

No response. I shrugged and took off with Willy and my clones.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be going now! See you guys later!”

They watched as I left. I soared to the sky, carrying with me Willow and Zane. I produced my map, locating Elios on it before flying in its direction.

“Hold on tight! I’m not going to go slow!”

And I was off, flying to the rising sun.

I can’t wait to see Daniel again. I beamed. I wonder how he’s doing.

Daniel heard the howling— the barking, the snarling, the growling, and the shrieking. They chased after him as he sprinted through the forest. Up ahead, Amanda ran with Faith and Bel in her arms. Garland was right behind her, barely keeping up with his own enchanted boots.

It was already evening. They’d been chased all day. From noon to sunset. They couldn’t get to the border because Simag had kept interrupting them— diverting their route.

The [Hero] brought up the rear. Slowest of the lot. He was hounded by shadows. Creatures that moved in the shadows. Quick and brutal. They were Demons, but most of them weren’t Level 100. They were close, apart from Simag and the [Cockatrice].

These were—

A shadow leapt out from the bushes, snapping for Daniel’s head. He spun around and smacked it with the back of his fist. He stomped his foot on its underbelly, keeping it down as he stabbed it through the chest with a glowing blade. [Aura of the Sentinel]. It enhanced his attacks. It let him easily pierce through the creature’s thick skin.

It thrashed about for a moment before going limp. Its black blood oozed on the ground as Daniel drew back.

You have defeated [Rabid Hellwolf - Lvl. 95]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

Daniel panted, given only a moment’s reprieve to consider this. These were Demons. But not the usual intelligent kinds of Demons. They lacked any thought or basic mental capacity. They moved like savage wild animals, hungrily stalking their prey.

It was utterly ridiculous. Simag was no longer even trying to disguise the fact that he was a Demon. This move was far too bold— far bolder than anything the Demons had ever tried before. That just showed how desperate they were in trying to kill Daniel, Faith, and Bel.

The [Hero] cut down another [Hellwolf] that leapt at him before making a break for it again. But after taking a single step, he saw a shadow moving overhead. The [Cockatrice] let out a terrible shriek as it unleashed a massive fireball at him.

His eyes widened as he saw the attack coming. He raised his sword, breathing deeply.

[Will of the Hero].

It shielded him from the blast. The [Cockatrice] flapped its wings, ascending once more. But Daniel was getting tired of this chase. He leapt into the air, boosted by his Hero’s Skill and aimed for the monster’s neck.

“[Hero’s Slash].”

He beheaded the giant rooster in an instant. It fell to the ground, dead as a notification echoed in his head. He groaned as he landed back on the ground. He wanted to rest. He needed a break. But he saw the shadows moving overhead, and he was back on his feet.

Simag led a air of [Changelings] straight for Amanda. They zipped through the air and assailed the former assassin from all sides. Garland rushed to her aid, and the two moved to protect Faith and Bel.

Daniel tried to join them, but for every few steps he took, he was intercepted by a [Hellwolf]. He gritted his teeth, cutting them down one by one as he could only watch from afar as Garland was knocked back. His armor was torn open from the combined attacks of the [Changelings].

“N-no…”

His voice came as a whisper. An armor shone around him as he propelled himself forward. Amanda stumbled back, cut across the chest by Simag. The Demon with crooked horns smiled with visible teeth, raising a clawed hand.

Daniel screamed.

“No! I will not let you take another life!”

He exploded past the [Hellwolves]. [A Hero’s Rage]. He landed between Amanda and Simag, already swinging for the Demon’s head. Simag leapt out of the way just in time as his sword cleaved the earth. Lightning struck down from above— a concentrated storm that kept back the [Hellwolves] and the other approaching Demons.

Even the other [Changelings] were pushed back from the attack. Daniel stood before Amanda, Faith, and Bell, breathing heavily.

“This ends now, Simag.”

Daniel stepped forward, bringing his blade to the side. A gust of wind blew the leaves off the ground from that motion. The Archdemon grinned.

“You’re right.”

He pointed at Daniel, a ring in his finger flashing.

“It ends here. Fireball of the August Archmage Alyssa.”

A massive sphere appeared, carrying the weight of the sun itself, before rapidly condensing into a small orb. It blasted out like a bullet, and Daniel’s eyes widened. If he moved out of the way, Faith, Bel, and maybe even Amanda would be killed.

He gritted his teeth and stood his ground. He took on the explosion head on. It shook the earth, expanding into a blast of red. One that incinerated everything it touched. But it stopped at Daniel.

The explosion didn’t blow past him. He stood there, taking the brunt of the attack. The glowing armor from his Skill was partially damaged, but it survived the blast.

“Was that all you got?”

He asked, smirking. Simag tilted his head, raising another hand full of more rings.

“As a matter of fact, I collected quite a few more treasures from the dead queen.”

Daniel stared as the rings all glowed simultaneously. The Demon with crooked horns laughed.

“So, to answer your question, [Hero]: no. That is not all that I have.”

And a flurry of magic assailed Daniel. He took it all, cutting down fireballs and streaks of lightning. Wind blades and a rain of hail. Chinks appeared all over his armor as the barrage continued.

Daniel turned back to Amanda as he struck down a large boulder.

“Get out of here— I’ll hold them off!”

The former assassin bit her lower lip. She tried to pick herself up, but could only groan.

“W-we can’t…”

She pointed past him. Past Simag. The onslaught of magic slowly stopped, and the Demon with crooked horns laughed. The [Hellwolves] surrounded their position. Another [Cockatrice] descended from the sky, accompanied by both Archdemons and Greater Demons. These weren’t even [Changelings], either. They wore no disguise, and were keenly intelligent unlike the [Hellwolves].

The gloves were off. Simag was here to finish the job.

“You’ve lost [Hero].”

Daniel collapsed to his knees as the last of his armor broke off. He closed his eyes, then spoke defiantly.

“I… will… never… surrender…”

Simag chuckled.

“Good.”

He raised a hand as Faith tensed. She covered Bel as Garland and Amanda lay too injured on the ground to move. Daniel brought his sword up, screaming and gathering up the last of his strength.

The Demon with crooked horns just spoke casually.

“[Ray of Frost].”

And a beam of white shot out. One that froze the landscape. One that tore the ground asunder. It came for Daniel as his life flashed before his eyes. He remembered the Lich— he remembered how futile he was against that overwhelming power. How pathetic it made him feel.

Yet, he didn’t give up then. He wouldn’t give up now.

Daniel shouted a challenge, facing the attack without fear. A layer of sleet rapidly approached him as the white beam shot out. For a very brief moment, the world turned cold. Everything had frozen over.

Then it was hot. The world burned. A fire raged around Daniel, melting the ice. The [Ray of Frost] was intercepted by a wall of red and white. A woman clad in flaming armor carried Daniel, smiling down at him.

He blinked, looking up at his savior.

“...Salvos?”

Simag frowned.

“Who are you?”

And she beamed.

“I’m the Princess, and I’m here to save the [Hero].”

A note from MelasD

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313. Vanity

A note from MelasD

I AM BACK HOME

313. Vanity

“Who are you?”

Simag stared at the silver-haired girl as she stood amidst an inferno of red and white. His most powerful Skill was deflected— just like that. How was that possible? Who was she? She carried the [Hero] in her arms like she was the [Hero]. And when she spoke, it was utterly casual.

“I’m the Princess, and I’m here to save the [Hero].”

She was carrying Daniel Song, the [Hero] of Elutra, in her arms. He could only look up at her, blinking. In utter disbelief.

“How did you… find me?”

“I had a little bit of help.”

The silver-haired girl gestured up to the sky. A [Will O’ Wisp] hovered there, alongside a pair of golden figures— flaming figures that resembled the girl. They carried with them two Humans. Simag recognized them as members of Elutra’s Resistance.

They called out, trying to get down.

“Princess Faith! Prince Bel!”

But the flaming figures refused to let them down. Only the [Will O’ Wisp] descended next to the silver-haired girl. And Simag’s eyes flickered.

The flames. They’re… from the [Will O’ Wisp]. It was the only thing that made sense to him. There was no way that Level 90 Human [Mage] could’ve halted his [Ray of Frost]. It was his greatest Skill— only a Grand Spirit could’ve done such a thing. And his suspicions were confirmed by those copycat flaming figures.

It was all the Grand Spirit’s doing.

“A [Summoner]… Princess? Very interesting. But even with a Grand Spirit by your side, you don’t stand a chance. All of you will die here.”

Simag spread his arms wide, and dozens of Demons moved. Whether they were wild Demons or [Changelings] or regular Demons— there were far too many for a single Grand Spirit to take on. Not only that, he had a trump card. His fingers twitched as one of the rings glowed.

Two [Changelings] appeared by Simag’s side. They snickered and laughed. Bolus and Procul. Each were close to Simag’s own level. Level 110 and 108. Simag waved a hand dismissively.

“Kill the girl. The rest of you, distract the [Will O’ Wisp] and those flaming copies.”

The silver-haired girl narrowed her eyes. She lowered Daniel to the ground, shaking her head.

“Stay here, Daniel. I’ll deal with them real quick.

“Salvos—”

He sputtered, raising a hand.

“You can’t…”

Then she smiled at him as the first of the [Hellwolves] moved. Bolus leapt forward with an ice lance as Procul created a lightning bow.

“I’ll be fine, Daniel. I’m me, remember?”

“...right.”

The [Hero] didn’t stop her. Simag’s eyes darted back up to the Grand Spirit. The [Will O’ Wisp] was nearly Level 130. It would be tough, but with numbers alone he’d be able to win. He just had to sacrifice a handful of the wild Demons. Not that they mattered much.

Too many [Changelings] had been killed over the course of this war. The only ones Simag had to be worried about losing were Bolus and Procul. But they could handle themselves.

Their attacks streaked out for the silver-haired girl. It was a clash of frost and lightning. The [Will O’ Wisp] was too slow to react. Even the flaming copies didn’t move. Faith cried out as Daniel stared. Bel didn’t move, sniffling as he hugged his sister.

Simag chuckled and created a fiery axe.

“Now, to deal with—”

And the smoke cleared. It dissipated, revealing the silver-haired girl underneath. She smiled as her flaming armor burned brilliantly. Bolus blinked. Procul stared in shock. Simag just paused.

“...what?”

“Are you done?”

She asked, crossing her arms. The Demon with crooked horns didn’t believe it.

“How did you…? No— I see it now. That armor was given to you by the [Will O’ Wisp], wasn’t it? But that doesn’t matter.”

He turned to Bolus, passing him the Raging Axe of Flames.

“Don’t waste anymore time. Deal with her now.”

“Yes, Simag.”

Bolus vanished, appearing behind the silver-haired girl.

“[Tempest Slash].”

He swung for her head, and Simag sighed. Now he could turn all his attention to what mattered. The [Will O’ Wisp]. He just had to get close…

And Bolus struck nothing. Simag’s eyes widened as the silver-haired girl easily ducked under the attack. She held Bolus’ gaze, raising a brow.

“What were you trying to do?”

A scythe appeared in her hand as she sliced up with ease. Bolus couldn’t even leap back in time. She cleaved him in half with the rainbow-colored weapon. He dropped, dead in an instant.

“Because it didn’t work.”

She finished. Simag stepped back.

“What…? That’s not— that can’t be right.”

His attention finally focused on the silver-haired girl. She laughed as she twirled her scythe.

“Well then, aren’t you guys going to attack me? Or are you going to come after me one by one?”

I was finally here. I finally got to face the Simag Rowyn talked about. We left in the morning, and now it was already sundown. It took us hours of searching, but we arrived just in time. It was thanks to Zane and Willow’s combined tracking Skills that I made it.

Well, supposedly it was because the Demons had left quite the trail behind. They weren’t being inconspicuous at all. Even now, they all showed up in their non-Human forms. Kind of stupid, if I had to say so myself.

And they were weak. The strongest Demon here was Simag himself. He was Level 114. An Archdemon of Weak, or something. The other two [Changelings]— well, one [Changeling] now— weren’t any better. In fact, they were far worse.

There were regular Demons too. Wild Demons as well. And the highest-leveled amongst them was some weird chicken. A [Cockatrice]. The others ranged from Level 70 to 100. There was a single [Djinn], and a bunch of [Fiends]. Again, nothing that would be problematic for me.

I didn’t even know why I was using [Protection of the Sentinel]. I’d been worried they’d be comprised of stronger fighters, so I came in fully prepared with multiple enhancement Skills already active.

That hadn’t been necessary.

I raised my rainbow Nebular Scythe and pointed at Simag.

“Well then, aren’t you guys going to attack me? Or are you going to come after me one by one?”

The Archdemon of Stupid’s gaze darkened. He created a Spear of Flames and shouted.

“Kill that girl! All of you! End her now!”

I grinned as the Demons moved. The other [Changeling] let out a guttural cry as he loosed bolts of lightning at me with his bow and arrow. I turned to my clones, gesturing at Daniel and the others.

“Keep them safe. Get them out of here.”

Willy flitted forward, but I stopped him.

“You too.”

“Help?”

“It’s fine.”

I spoke casually, blocking the onslaught of projectiles.

“I can deal with this myself.”

“Ok.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] sent both healing and levitation flames at the injured brown-haired woman and the injured man in plate armor. My clone scooped Daniel up as he stared at me.

“Get them, Salvos.”

I nodded at him, deflecting another bolt of lightning. Then I fixed my gaze onto the other [Changeling]. Not Simag. I was going to save him for last.

I brought a hand to the sky, unleashing a volley of flames. Fireballs shot out, created by [The Primordial Spark], raining down on the small gathering of Demons. It wasn’t a horde. There were a few dozen of them. Nothing comparable to the swarms of Centinels I saw in the Bloodied Gulf.

Streaks of blue and white crashed down from above, blasting apart the wild Demons before they could even draw close. The other [Changeling] leap back as he narrowly avoided a few of the explosions.

I teleported behind him.

“Hi!”

He spun around, eyes wide. He swung for me, and I tapped him on the shoulder, once again behind him.

“You hurt my companion. Now, die.”

And I sheared straight through him with my burning scythe. He fell to the ground as a shadow loomed over me. I looked up to see the [Djinn] raising a giant hand to crush me. Its arm came crashing down, and I caught it.

“You’re stronger than Lucerna.”

I flipped the [Djinn] over, leaping onto his chest.

“But still weak.”

I tore him in half with my claws. The [Fiends] closing in on me paused. They hesitated, and I reacted. I appeared before them, cutting them down one after another. They were defeated before they could even lay a hand on me.

The wild Demons saw this slaughter. This total and utter massacre. Some of them began to flee. I looked over at the [Cockatrice] as it turned tails and flew off.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

I threw my scythe at it, slicing off one of its wings. I appeared in front of the [Cockatrice] and grabbed my scythe. It spewed fire at me. But the flames were weak. I flew through it and slashed off its head. The giant wild Demon dropped slowly to the ground as the gathered Demons ran.

A flurry of fiery weapons lanced out my way, but I easily blocked them. I caught a Spear of Flames, blinking. I tossed it aside and stared down at Simag.

His gaze burned with anger. With fury. He watched as all his companions left him. Not just the wild Demons. The [Fiends] ran too. They were all afraid. They knew they couldn’t win.

I bared my teeth at him as he stumbled back.

“Just… what is this? How are you doing this? Even a Grand Spirit’s magic can’t push you this far!”

“You’re wrong, Simag.”

I stared at the Demon with crooked horns. I tossed aside the Spear of Flames and descended before him.

“The one who blocked your [Ray of Frost]— the one responsible for these flames— is me.”

“W-what…?”

He trembled, speaking in an almost familiar gravelly voice.

“Just what are you?”

“Me?”

I leaned closer, eyes glinting. I held Simag’s gaze and grabbed him with a clawed hand. He stared at it— at the Demon-like hand. Then he realized what was going on. I finished as I met the eyes of the Demon with crooked horns.

“I’m Salv…”

Then I paused.

“Wait, don’t I know y—”

And Simag moved. He tapped my chest with a ring while I was distracted. I stared at his familiar face, only for a void of darkness to pull me into the ring. By the time I registered what had happened, it was too late.

“Ring of the Forgotten Prison.”

“No!”

Daniel shouted as he watched Salvos disappear. She was sucked into the Epic Grade artifact, unable to react. Unable to escape. He struggled as the flaming figures that looked eerily like Salvos held onto him, still flying higher.

“We have to help her. We have to—”

Simag cackled as he collapsed to his knees.

“She fell for it! She actually fell for it! And hereI thought I was going to die today!”

The [Will O’ Wisp] just stared down at the scene. Daniel glanced between the flaming figures, then the Grand Spirit.

“Why are you guys just watching? We need to do something!”

“No.”

“What?”

He looked at the [Will O’ Wisp] in shock at the rejection.

“But—”

“Stupid. Mistake. Her fault.”

“That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do anything!”

Daniel protested. The [Will O’ Wisp] made a sighing sound. He looked over at Daniel, bobbing in Simag’s direction.

“Watch.”

Daniel opened his mouth… then he stopped. He turned to Simag. The Archdemon was laughing, gloating in his victory, and ignoring the fact that Daniel or the [Will O’ Wisp] was there.

But it didn’t matter. They weren’t going to do anything. Salvos said she would deal with this alone, and if Daniel knew anything about her, he knew she’d do whatever it took to stick to her word.

I found myself floating in a sea of darkness. It was like I was in my Dad’s home, except there were no floating objects frozen in time. There was no supermassive blackhole overhead. Instead, I saw stars. An expansive canvas of space. One that was as beautiful as the night sky.

There was nothing below me, nothing above me. It was just this pretty sight. And I floated in it, lost. My voice echoed as I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Oops. Did I get too cocky?”

Well, it only made sense. I was an Archdemon of Pride, after all. And while my nature sometimes served to my advantage, I knew there were drawbacks too. This was one of them.

“To be fair, I was distracted. I mean, Simag just looks so familiar…”

I shook the thought out of my mind right now. I had to escape this place. This so-called forgotten prison. First, I tried flying away from this spot, but wherever I moved, the world seemed to move with me, forcing me to stay fixed into this point in the plane.

Then I used [Planar Navigation] to take in my surroundings. Yep. I was definitely trapped in a sort of pocket dimension. I couldn’t sense the forest or the trees or the dead Demons around me, like I’d be able to if this was an illusion.

“Alright. So the solution is simple. I just have to— [Long Range Teleport].”

I clapped my hand together, waiting. My body shone. The world warped around me. And… I appeared at the exact same spot.

“Huh. Well, that didn’t work.”

That sucked. I couldn’t do anything but wait for someone to save me… or at least, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything if this was a week ago. Normally, I’d have been stumped. I’d have waited for my clones to free me.

But many things had changed in the short span of one week. I had two Grand Skills now, although neither were applicable in this situation.

However, there were other things I learned. I hadn’t advanced in my Class just yet. Maybe if I did, I’d have learned a planar teleportation Skill and would’ve been able to escape from this pocket dimension. Except, well, if I could do that, I’d currently be in the Netherworld searching for Haec.

So what changed? What was different that left me so unconcerned? Well, recently I gained a new Title. Two new Titles, actually. One of them, Secely’s Sentinel, gave me a pretty good Stat boost and Bonus, along with a few useful Skills. But neither would be applicable here.

My other Title, on the other hand, would finally prove itself here. I was The Devil’s Daughter. My Dad was a master of space magic. There was no way I’d be trapped by such a cheap trick. After all, I was Salvos, and Sal was my father.

I raised my hand and spoke simply.

“[The Devil’s Grace].”

A note from MelasD

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314. Grace

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Feast or Famine!

Morgan Mallory was a perfectly ordinary college student until she was whisked away to another world full of strange creatures and wondrous magic. She is completely mentally stable, has no childhood trauma to speak of, and has certainly never engaged in self-destructive behavior as a form of punishment and emotional regulation.

Morgan has always dreamed of getting isekai’d like the heroes in her favorite light novels, and she wants nothing more than to emulate those heroes. She has always wanted to help those less fortunate than herself, to stand up for the weak, and to be a righteous heroine who puts the needs of others before her own wants. And she has absolutely, positively, definitely never fantasized about murdering thousands, controlling minds, and pursuing total world domination.

Trust her.

Feast or Famine | Royal Road

314. Grace

“[The Devil’s Grace].”

It was my Title Skill. A brand new Skill I had yet to actually try out. But, somehow, I intuitively knew it was a Skill that would aid me in this situation. And it did.

Something shifted. I couldn’t see it with my own eyes, beyond the fact that a powerful magic— almost familiar— was being cast. It reminded me of when I used [Scattering Displacement] or [Warped Time]... except if I was using both at the exact same time and more.

[Planar Navigation] told me that the world around me was altering. That there was a change to not just the flow of space, but the flow of time. And no— time wasn’t just speeding up or slowing down. It almost felt like it was going backwards.

A magical timefield formed. One that expanded beyond just the forgotten prison and back to the Mortal Realm.

I smiled as the same hole that put me into this pocket dimension opened up. It didn’t so much pull me into it as it reverse dropped me out of the forgotten prison. The Mortal Realm reopened around me, and my body moved back into place.

Simag laughed as he caught that silver-haired girl into the Ring of the Forgotten Prison. She was too cocky— too arrogant. And he exploited it. He lured her in and defeated her with his wits. Such was the folly of those born with too much power.

They lacked the guiles and the wiliness necessary to make it far. They typically only had one plan of action: to punch their opponents until they won.

He was nothing like them. Simag knew what it actually took to win a battle against those stronger than him. His cackling echoed throughout the night as he arched back, looking up. Then he paused.

His eyes widened as he spotted a glowing figure floating overhead. A few glowing figures, in fact. The Grand Spirit and the golden apparitions were still there.

Simag gritted his teeth, reaching into a Bag of Holding. He had to react quickly before the Grand Spirit moved to strike him down. But he had used his only Epic Grade artifact. All he had left were a handful of Medium Grade scrolls, and maybe a single High Grade weapon.

Calm down, he told himself. He needed to assess the situation with a cool mind, lest he made a mistake. His eyes flickered around the battlefield— towards the fleeing wild Demons and [Fiends]. Somehow, he had to rally them back here to deal with the Grand Spirit.

Well, the [Fiends] wouldn’t be too difficult to control. He just had to use a Horn of the Caller, and they’d see that the main threat was gone. The wild Demons, on the other hand, were a tough task to deal with. Even getting them to track down the [Hero] had taken quite a while.

Simag produced a tusk-shaped horn from his Bag of Holding, preparing to blow on it. The [Hero] sputtered something at the Grand Spirit, but the Grand Spirit didn’t move. Such foolishness. Once again, their conceit and hubris in their power would be their undoing.

With a smirk, Simag raised the Horn of the Caller—

And he stopped. His body refused to move any further. He couldn’t even lower his arms. What was this? Why wasn’t he able to do anything?

Simag just stood frozen for what felt like forever, before he finally moved again. Except, this time, it wasn’t by his own will.

He lowered the Horn of the Caller, putting it back into the Bag of Holding. A clear reverse of his previous actions— mimicking the exact same movement he carried out to produce the artifact, but backwards. Then he slung his Bag of Holding back over his shoulder as he leaned back and laughed again.

He didn’t feel joy from this. He just stared up into the sky, maniacally laughing in utter terror at his lack of control over his own body. The Grand Spirit and the [Hero] just watched, unaffected by whatever curse or spell this was. The flying [Fiends] fled further. The wild Demons abandoned him.

None of them came for him. The only thing that moved in reverse was himself, and the grass at his feet.

Simag raised his hand as he stopped laughing, and the realization dawned on him. His Ring of the Forgotten Prison flashed. He quivered, barely able to move his lips.

“N-no…”

And the same void that consumed the silver-haired girl spat her back out. She grabbed him by the hand— the exact same position she had held before being sucked into the pocket dimension. She didn’t seem to have control over her own actions either. Only minor movements, just like Simag.

And, well, she wore a savage look on her face.

Then, just like glass shattering, whatever spell had been holding over the both of them ended. Simag paled as he tried to raise the ring once again.

“Ring of—”

“Not again.”

She ripped off his arm.

“...what is that?”

Daniel Song stared in disbelief as he watched the events of the last minute play in reverse. Salvos reappeared from the Ring of the Forgotten Prison as the grass at her feet seemed to sway backward. She grabbed Simag by the arm while the world around them continued with this odd dissonance.

It was like they were moving in their own world. Their own place. Everything outside of what they touched or did was unaffected. They were being restored to their previous state a whole minute ago.

“That’s… a magical time field.”

Princess Faith whispered. Daniel looked over at her, frowning.

“A magical time field?”

“It’s just something I’ve heard about. I’ve never seen it myself. Powerful [Archmages] who are supposedly able to speed up or slow down time— or even momentarily pause time in a certain radius. However, I have never heard of a magical time field that could reverse time.”

She shook her head, staring in awe.

“But make no mistake, it is a magical time field.”

Daniel turned back to Salvos. He wanted to laugh. Was this how strong she’d gotten since he’d last seen her? He had fallen behind. She truly was…

Then, Simag and Salvos clicked back into place. And time around them resumed.

“Ring of—”

“Not again.”

I ripped off Simag’s arm before he could activate his artifact once again.

I probably couldn’t use [The Devil’s Grace] very often. At the very minimum, it had a one day cooldown. It was annoying, but once I leveled the Skill more, I could probably get it down to once every hour or so.

Which seemed quite useful. Except while the Skill reversed everything that happened between me and a certain target in the past minute, it didn’t entirely reverse everything that happened. For example, I had momentarily turned my hand into a claw just before being sucked into the Ring of the Forgotten Prison. I only transformed back to a fully Human form before I activated [The Devil’s Grace].

Yet, here I was, with a Human hand— no claw in sight.

It seemed that whatever physical change that occurred to me over the last minute wasn’t reversed. So if I was stabbed through the chest, I likely wouldn’t be able to fix my wounds with this Skill.

Nevertheless, I was now out of the forgotten prison. And I stood over Simag, tossing his arm to the side. He stumbled away from me, eyes wide.

“You—”

His eyes sharpened. He glared at me in anger, a glowing spark dancing around him.

“You will not get away with this! You’re with him, aren’t you?”

“Who?”

I cocked my head, and Simag unleashed a volley of fiery attacks at me. I sighed, walking forward as my [Protection of the Sentinel] repelled his magical barrage. I slowly approached him as he drew back.

“You traitors— you think you can defy our king, but you won’t succeed. As we speak, Levithus is moving to crush you and your little rebellion.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I countered his flaming attacks with my salvo. It blasted Simag back. He screamed as he fell back-first to the ground.

“Oh you know. You’re just afraid of what would happen to him once Levithus gets there. Trust me, he will die. Belzu’s little show of force will end.”

I paused. My eyes narrowed.

“You think Belzu is my companion?”

Simag snapped up, unleashing a gust of icy wind at me. I burned it away and walked up to him. I closed my eyes, shaking my head.

“Simag, you really don’t know anything about me, huh? Of course you don’t. You don’t even know my name. This is your first time meeting me. But this isn’t my first time meeting you.”

I didn’t speed up or close the distance. I just continued my approach as a memory flashed. One of simpler times. When Haec and I were still together.

We crested up the plateau, and after taking a quick look around at the top and seeing no one, I decided we would stay there for a bit. I had only recovered some of my health when I heard a noise.

“Stay back!”

Simag yelled. His voice was familiar. I knew where I heard it before. I ignored whatever he threw at me. If Clayton Skyshredder couldn’t break through my [Protection of the Sentinel], there was no way a Level 114 Archdemon could. Instead, I continued.

“I know you, Simag. I remember you.”

Peeking over the edge, I looked down at what was a narrow passage between another hill. It was a valley, and down in the valley were moving shapes. Figures, not ones I had ever seen before, were entering this valley.

I looked at the source of the voice, focusing on a large, gray figure at the front of the group. He wasn’t like any other Demon I had seen before, but I intuitively knew he was one. He only had four limbs— unlike my dozen— and only needed two of them under him to walk. He had a long head, with two crooked horns protruding out of the side.

“Keep on moving! If you break, you will be killed!”

The tone he carried was nothing like I remembered. In my memories, he spoke with an imposing, terrifying weight. One that struck fear into my heart. But now?

“W-what are you talking about?”

Simag asked, trembling. I just chuckled.

“You were so strong, then. At least, I thought you were.”

From the other side of the valley came pouring Demons. Wild Demons. Ones that were also new to me, but unlike the mostly uniform group of Demons, these ones were truly distinct. They came in all shapes and sizes, rushing at the Demons that had been traveling down that path. They roared, they howled, they growled, and they made all kinds of noises— none of them making any sense to me, despite my Racial Skill.

I saw the Demon with crooked horns raise his two hanging limbs— his arms.

A ball of flames appeared in front of him. A massive one that shot forward, and instantly obliterated half of the coming wild Demons. Then once the explosion had gone away— when the bright light had disappeared and the reverberation through the ground had stopped— I looked up and saw something else appear in his hand.

It was a long pointed object. One that was burning, with wisps of flame coming off it.

“Slay these Lesser Demons!”

“Now look at you.”

“Y-you won’t— get away… our King will…”

I stared down at Simag. He collapsed to his knees. Nothing he threw my way would harm me as long as my protection Skill was active. I bared my teeth at him.

“You’re so weak.”

I spotted a Demon. Even amongst the group of [Demon Larvae] did he stand out, because I recognized him. He was the Level 3 Demon I had been with the others.

And I watched as a spear shot through him, pinning him into the hill wall.

It was the fire spear the Demon with crooked horns had. He had thrown it at the coward Demon, instantly killing him. I stared in shock at this turn of events. Weren’t they on the same side? And continued to watch as he raised a hand and pointed at the rest of the fleeing group.

“I had warned you! I warned you you would be killed! Learn this lesson, the rest of you— the survivors. Know that you cannot run from me!”

“Run, Simag.”

I spoke simply as he turned tails. [Intimidation] broke him. He didn’t even dare to speak. His wings spread out as he took off into the sky.

Daniel shouted something— princess Faith cried out. Willy observed, unmoving. And I brought a hand to the sky, blue flames coalescing before turning black. A Nebular Spear of Flames.

“But know that you cannot run from me.”

I threw the spear. It shot out, reaching the Archdemon in an instant. I grinned as it tore through him, and I finished.

“Because I am Salvos, and you will remember me for the rest of your life just as I remembered you.”

Defeated [Asera Changeling - Lvl. 114]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating a enemy at least 10 levels below you!

General Skill [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] has leveled up!

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 6] -> [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom - Lvl. 7]!

Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!

A note from MelasD

New month! Please vote for Salvos on TopWebFiction! It takes a second and it helps a lot. Thank you <3

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315. Catching Up

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Godslayers!

In the ancient, brutal days, the Eifni Organization reached heaven through violence and tore the gods from their thrones.

Now their methods are more precise.  Etheric technology allows them to measure love, create beauty, and reincarnate the souls of the dead into new bodies.  By embedding specially-trained operatives—godslayers—into a culture, they can create the exact conditions to kill a god and save the souls it would otherwise devour.

The gods of Eifni's home world are long dead, but theirs is not the only culture afflicted with theism.  Other worlds await, and they are here to free them all.

Godslayers | Royal Road

315. Catching Up

Daniel Song flinched as he watched the Nebular Spear impale Simag. It ran through the Archdemon, propelling him into the side of the mountain. His corpse pinned on the rock as a plume of dust and debris shot up.

Salvos shook her head. She strode forward with a sigh.

“No levels. That sucks.”

“Finished?”

The [Will O’ Wisp] asked, flitting back to the ground. Daniel found himself being lowered as the golden flaming figures descended.

“Yep! My clones can deal with the rest of the Demons.”

Salvos waved a hand dismissively as Daniel was settled to the ground. The young man blinked.

“Your… clones?”

“Well, they’re not exactly clones. They’re made from fire and not made from me. I’d say they’re weaker copycats. Fakers.”

She huffed, and one of the ‘clones’ shook a fist at her. The other clone rolled her eyes and ushered the first clone forward. Together, they took off to deal with the fleeing Demons. The real Salvos beamed.

“They’re useful, though. Very helpful.”

“I… see.”

Daniel wasn’t sure what to say. He watched the Salvos clones go, unleashing a storm of golden flames in the distance. He turned back to the real Salvos, and finally, he approached her.

“Salvos, I…”

He hesitated. The young man glanced over at princess Faith and prince Bel. They were being tended to by Garland as the man and woman accompanying Salvos huddled over.

If not for them— if not for Salvos arriving just in time— they’d all be dead right now. Even though Daniel had tried his hardest, he would’ve failed in protecting them. He couldn’t save anyone. Quite the [Hero], he was.

It was probably such a pathetic display. He used to be able to fight alongside Salvos. She probably thought he was so weak right now. He was almost ashamed to even speak with her. He averted his gaze, hanging his head—

And he paused. He felt a pair of arms wrapping around him. Daniel blinked and looked up to see the silver-haired girl laughing. She hugged him with a smile.

“Hey, Daniel.”

He slowly hugged her back. That was right. It had been a while since he last saw her. He must’ve forgotten what she was like. Even if the way she thought was alien to him— even if she was… well, Salvos, in how she acted. She still truly cared for him

Salvos cocked her head.

“How have you been doing?”

Daniel returned the smile.

“Not going to lie, I haven’t been doing great. But now that you’re here… I’m sure I’ll do much better.”

I wasn’t really sure how long it’d been since I last saw Daniel. But he’d changed a lot since then. He hadn’t leveled much, but I could tell that he managed to grow in other ways. I could tell just from the look he wore on his face.

“Salvos, do you have any healing potions? My friends— they’re hurt.”

I drew back from him and blinked.

“Um, sure— Willy!”

I called out to the [Will O’ Wisp]. Willy sighed and flitted over to check on them. Daniel watched as a green fire shot out, slowly landing on those who were injured.

“What is that?”

“That? That’s Willy. He’s a [Will O’ Wisp].”

“I knew that much. But how did you meet him? Is he Edithe’s summon?”

I shook my head.

“Nope. I haven’t seen Edithe since we split up in Viechester— when I last saw you. I met Willy while in the Bloodied Gulf.”

“You were in the— actually, I shouldn’t even be questioning it.”

Daniel chuckled. He looked over at one of the injured Humans. A woman with brown hair. He sighed in relief as her injuries closed up. The other injured man recovered as well thanks to Willy’s green flames. Willow and Zane helped him up. And behind him was—

“Princess Faith!”

My eyes widened. I excitedly tugged at Daniel’s shirt, pulling him over to greet the princess.

“Do you remember me? We met one time like a year and a half ago— it’s me, Salvos!”

She looked up at me weakly. Her skin was pale— like she’d been dipped in freezing cold water. But otherwise she was mostly fine. A thin smile spread across her lips as she nodded.

“I remember you, Salvos. You left quite the impression on me when we met back then. Of course I’d remember you.”

“She remembers me, Daniel! A princess remembers me!”

I was practically bouncing on my toes as I turned to my companion. He scratched the back of his head.

“Uh, yeah…”

“I apologize for this unsightly scene.”

Faith laughed, almost bitterly. She drew to her feet, helping the boy with her— her brother, probably— up and bowed with him.

“Thank you for saving us. We would be dead without your aid.”

“Oh, don’t mention it at all. When I heard you guys were in trouble, I came as quickly as I could. With help, of course.”

I gestured at the two resistance members who accompanied me. They flushed, averting their gaze as princess Faith turned to them. She bowed her head at them as well.

“Thank you— to the both of you. I recognize you. You worked for Duke Landry, didn’t you? You were his bodyguards.”

Willow exchanged a glance with Zane. She straightened, nodding stiffly.

“Y-yes. We gathered whoever we could after Ertos fell to rebel against Inoria. Gavyn Windborne is with us too— he’s our leader.”

“Is that so? I’m glad to hear he’s still alive.”

Faith sighed, smiling. She raised her left hand and patted both the resistance members on the shoulders.

“Good work. You’re fighting the good fight.”

My eyes flickered. I stared at Faith for a moment. Something was amiss. She was…

And I gasped.

“Faith— your right hand! It’s gone!”

The princess blinked. She shifted back, hiding her right arm behind her back.

“This is…”

“What happened?”

I ran up to her, inspecting the stub where her hand should be. Faith shook her head,

“It’s fine. It happens during war. This is nothing to worry about.”

“No— this isn’t right! Here…”

I reached into my [Dimensional Pocket] and produced a glinting elixir. One that pulsed with magic. Faith’s eyes grew wide. Willow stepped back.

“That’s a…”

“Potion of Regeneration.”

The princess spoke, meeting my gaze.

“Are you sure you want to give this to me? A Potion of Regeneration is worth…”

“It’s fine! You’re a princess! You should use it!”

I raised her arm, pouring the Potion of Regeneration until there was only a little bit left in the bottle. It was still enough for recovering maybe a body part or two.

Faith stared as her hand regrew from the stub. She flexed her newly regenerated hand before turning to me. Her lips quivered. She opened her mouth.

“I…”

And tears streamed down her cheeks. I was taken aback.

“Um, what?”

“Adventurer Salvos, I am forever in your debt.”

She bowed once again, deeper than before. Then she turned to Daniel.

“And [Hero] Daniel Song, I owe you more than just my life. You owed nothing to me. Yet, you saved me. You risked your life for us.”

Faith held her brother’s hand tightly.

“Thank you.”

Daniel hesitated. He scratched his cheeks, not really looking at either the princess or the prince.

“I… arrived too late. I should’ve come sooner. There is nothing to thank me for. I could’ve done more to prevent what happened at Ertos.”

“But you did what you could, and thanks to that, my brother and I are alive today. So, again, thank you.”

Faith was insistent. I nudged Daniel on the shoulder.

“Just accept it.”

I smiled at him.

“Sometimes, you just have to accept it when others praise you,”

Not like there should be any reason for others to not praise me. But Daniel always grew shy and aloof when he was lauded for his actions. He nodded slowly.

“Right. I was just… uh, doing what [Hero]’s do.”

I watched as he cringed as he said that. Faith didn’t seem to mind, and her brother even brightened. Willow and Zane just respectfully lowered their heads. The [Warrior] who’d been with Faith and Daniel crossed his arms approvingly. But someone laughed.

“Even you were embarrassed by that.”

A brown-haired woman strode up to us from behind. The injured woman healed by Willy.

“Amanda…”

Daniel shot a glare at her. I raised a brow.

“Who’s this?”

“She’s—”

“I’m his girlfriend. We met at a bar ”

She smirked, hugging his arm. Daniel flushed, and I blinked.

“Nice! I’m Salvos, it’s nice to meet you.”

I proffered her a hand. Amanda paused, staring at it.

“You… aren’t jealous?”

“No. Why would I be?”

I tilted my head. Daniel’s shoulders sagged for whatever reason. Then he shrugged Amanda off him.

“She’s not my girlfriend, Salvos. She’s an assassin who was hired to kill me. We fought, a few things happened, and now we’re working together and I’m forced to deal with her crap.”

She drew back from him, harrumphing. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Huh. Neat.”

I glanced over at the group of Humans. Then I looked up to see my clones returning from dealing with the last of the fleeing Demons. I nodded at Willy and clasped my hands together.

“Alright. Now that all that’s settled, we should go back to the hideout.”

Faith stepped forward, looking towards the northeast.

“We can’t stay in Elutra, Salvos. We need to leave this country. Inoria is relentless. They won’t stop. They’ll keep sending Demons after us until we’re dead.”

“And we will leave for Shedos.”

I agreed with her.

“We’re just going back to grab the other resistance members first. Then we’ll all go to Shedos together.”

“You’ll… what? How will you do that?”

She blinked blinked. I gestured at Willy.

“Don’t worry, I have help. It’s not too much trouble.”

“...right.”

Faith acquiesced. My wings unfurled from my back as we began to take off.

“Anyway, we don’t have to worry too much about more Demons coming after us. After all, according to Simag, they’re going to be preoccupied, right?”

“Wait, what are you talking about, Salvos?”

Daniel narrowed his eyes. I glanced over at him.

“The Demons— Simag said that they’re busy dealing with Belzu. So, we will probably be fine.”

There was silence. A long pause. Everyone exchanged glances. Princess Faith pursed her lips. Then Bel— the former prince of Elutra— raised a hand.

“Who’s Belzu?”

Belzu could feel his army slowing. Their numbers had been depleted— slowly whittled away as the Primeval Demon made his way through Inoria. He didn’t think it’d have taken this long to arrive at Shedos, but he didn’t think that Regnorex would already be making a move so soon.

Levithus was in the Mortal Realm. A [Hellprince] of the Netherworld. One of Regnorex’s generals. And he was here to put an end to Belzu’s rebellion.

He’d led an ambush that forced Belzu into Inoria. Away from other Human nations— and into the den of Demons. The only reason why Belzu still lived was because of the weapon he held in his hand.

The Sword of Alexander. It had been enough to repel Levithus’ assault. But not at the cost of many of Belzu’s Mindreapers.

He had to replenish his army somehow. He needed to still grow stronger. His current strength wasn’t nearly enough to dethrone the Demon King.

Beluz’s bulbous eyes flickered. He spotted a city up ahead— a relatively large city. It didn’t have much defenses, but it was teeming with life. With Humans. Individuals who could be turned into his soldiers. Be it in undeath, or be it through what was left of his Mindreapers.

And he decided on his next destination.

A note from MelasD

Damn. I didn't get very many votes ;-; Please vote for Salvos on TopWebFiction! Seriously, I only ask like once a month. t takes a second and it helps a lot.

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316. Interlude - Belzu's Blessing

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to All Hollow!

The Teir, a tiny machine powered by long-lost magic, has predicted the end of the world. Only two students from a prestigious university can stop it by mastering that same magic.

Malou Lamaire’s biggest secret is that she can use what little magic is left in the world, but then she uncovers a plot to steal the Teir. So she steals it first and goes on the run to protect it from those who wish to use its power for their own gain.

Her willing accomplice, Gavriel Eng is accustomed to running from his secrets, but he can’t run from his true identity any longer. Not when it requires him to seek an ancient, dangerous magic to make his own—and he’s not the only one on the hunt for it, either.

Their combined power is the key to rooting out an evil that defies the laws of life and death—and their failure means the end of everything.

ALL HOLLOW (Progression Fantasy) | Royal Road

316. Interlude - Belzu's Blessing

Alix opened her eyes as the sounds of chains rattling echoed down the hallway. A sharp voice cut through the shadows, followed by a whip, a yelp, and then silence. Other figures stirred from their cells. Only the fresh faces. The ones who were still frightened of the daily beatings they took.

The guards dragged the bleeding body of a man back into one of the cells before locking it back up. They turned to Alix, and she sighed, rising to her feet.

“I’m coming, I’m coming—”

But they snickered. One of them raised a spell scroll, activating it. Alix’s eyes widened, and the collar around her neck shone. A jolt of electricity ran through her body. Sharp pain which caused her to fall on her knees, writhing on the ground.

“Hurry up, slave. It’s your turn. The people are waiting.”

The pain faded away as they lowered the scroll. Alix wanted to just rip the collar right off and smash the guards’ heads in, but she knew if she even so much as damaged the metal, its enchantments would take effect and her head would go flying right off. And each guard had a copy of the spell scroll with them. Even if she took out one and tore it up, it meant nothing. Not unless the original was destroyed.

So, she acquiesced. They handed her her signature sword and a shield as she made her way out of the cell and down the hallway.

“Fucking bastards…”

She muttered under her breath as they watched her go. Up ahead, she heard the cheers. The clamor and the cacophony of thousands of people. She stepped into the light, and found herself standing at the edge of a massive arena.

There were rows and rows of seats that rose up into the circular structure that girdled around the woman. A huge audience was here to watch her fight. And up ahead, a monster— a beast that stood nearly ten foot tall waited for her.

[Three-Headed Bear - Lvl. 81]

It’s nearly my level, Alix thought, taking on a defensive stance.

That was right. Even though she could be violently killed— even though her head could be brutally ripped off— the audience still cheered.

Past the monster, she stared at a man seated in a balcony. A kind of booth to overlook the arena. This man was well-dressed, surrounded by beautiful women who clamored for him. He smiled, and Alix’s gaze bore into him.

This was Roguehollow. One of the vilest cities in all of the Inoria Empire. Where slaves were made into gladiators like her. And that man was Sore— the lord of the city. The one responsible for her situation.

At one point in time, she’d been a respected adventurer. At one point in time, she’d been cheered on for saving towns and villages all across the Human lands. But now? She was nothing more than mere entertainment at his whim.

The monster roared, and Alix screamed. She charged it without thought— only driven by her rage.

—-

“Another day, another great show by the terrible Alix, eh?”

A voice called out as Alix lay in her cell, the back of her hand resting on her forehead. She didn’t even look up. She was covered in blood— both hers and the monster’s. They offered her only a dapping of healing potion. Low grade, too. It wouldn’t fix up even half of the wounds she took from the battle.

“Fuck you, Quinn.”

She sat up, shooting a glare at the other gladiator neighboring her cell. He wore a shit-eating grin on his face, despite the many scars he himself bore.

“You don’t know what it’s like to face a monster as strong as you every fucking week. All you have to do is warmup the crowd with your little circus acts.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who decided to be a former Platinum Ranked adventurer. I’m just a little Silver Rank, minding my own business and warming up the crowd for the main event.”

He shrugged casually. Alix scowled, and another voice spoke up.

“The both of you lack faith. You were led down an erroneous path in life, and now you are forced to suffer.”

An older man shook his head. He sat in the middle of his cell, arms crossed as his lips were curled up. Alix narrowed her eyes.

“The fuck are you on about, Bran?”

“There is only one true path to salvation. Surrender your mortal desires, and you too shall find glory everlasting.”

He sounded like he was a [Priest]. Like he was preaching the sanctity of what was right and just. But Alix knew better. She rolled her eyes as Quinn chuckled.

“You’re a literal [Cultist], Bran. You should be the last person lecturing us about what’s morally right.”

Quinn spoke, waving a hand off. Bran sighed, lowering his head until his nose was pressed on the ground.

“Oh, my King, forgive them for they know not what they speak. When he comes, he shall literate us from this Mortal Realm. He shall grant us a place in his kingdom.”

Alix didn’t bother to indulge Bran’s insane ramblings, but Quinn continued to pour fuel into the fire.

“And how exactly are we supposed to dedicate ourselves to your Demon King? Sacrifice a little girl to him like you did?”

“Yes—”

Lying back down, Alix closed her eyes and hoped for the day to be over. She just wanted it all to end, already. Sometimes, she didn’t know why she kept fighting. Perhaps it was only her spite and anger towards her captors that kept her going.

If only I never went back to Elutra… if only I listened to my team and stayed out of this stupid war—

She wondered what they were doing. It had been four years since she saw them. Four long years of the worst fighting she’d been forced to go through. If she had her equipment— healing potions, artifacts, and the support of others— it wouldn’t have been so bad. But it was a near-death experience every single time she fought.

That was on top of the regular beatings she had to endure.

Alix’s fingers twitched. She reached for her collar. If she tore it off, she’d die. But… but perhaps it was the better alternative—

And the ground shook. The woman sat up, blinking. She turned to Quinn and Bran— both of whom had stopped their bickering as well.

“Did you guys feel that?”

“Of course I could—”

Quinn started, but was cut off by another heavy tremor, followed by the distant echo of an explosion. Alix leaned out of her cell, looking down the hallway— seeing shadows quickly rush past the dungeon. Panicked voices could be heard. And the ground shook again.

“What is going on?”

She asked, wide-eyed. The [Cultist] laughed maniacally as he stood up.

“It’s time! Our salvation has arrived!”

Bran spread his arms wide, loudly preaching for all the other gladiators to hear.

“My prayers have been answered! Rejoice, for our King has come to this earth to free us from our shackles! Praise him! Beg him to forgive you for your lack of faith— and maybe he shall spare you as well!”

Alix narrowed her eyes. That wasn’t possible. She didn’t want to believe it. But when she heard the cries from beyond the dungeon, she believed. And she was afraid.

“Demon attack! The Primeval Demon is invading Roguehollow!”

The scramblings continued for what felt like both a minute and an hour. Alix didn’t know how much time passed. Just that, eventually, a fancily dressed man stumbled into the dungeon. Alix recognized him instantly. He was the lord of the city. Sorel.

He began unlocking the cells as he spoke in a hurried voice.

“All of you— you stupid damn gladiators— hurry up and get moving!”

He yelled, whipping them into action. Quinn, Bran, and the other gladiators funneled out of their cells, completely confused. Alix blinked as she stared at him. He didn’t have his bodyguards present. He was alone and covered in blood.

He began pacing back and forth before them.

“Alright, alright, good. You guys are strong, right? Yes? And you want your freedom, right? I will grant you all your freedom if you escort me out of the city.”

Alix’s brows snapped together. That didn’t seem right.

“You haven’t told us what’s going on out there. Why is—”

Another explosion. Another earthquake. Dust dripped off the ceiling as Sorel stumbled back.

“I don’t have time to explain. Just listen to me or I’ll kill all of you right now.”

He gestured at the spell scroll. It was the original copy. Her eyes widened as he placed a hand on the symbol at the center.

“Now do as I say!”

Alix clenched a fist… and sighed. She nodded, picking up her sword and shield.

“Yes, lord Sorel.”

“Good… good…”

The lord laughed. He kept his finger on the activation symbol, slowly circling around the gladiators. He ushered them forward.

“Now move!”

Alix led the group, marching out of the dungeon as the other gladiators followed after her. Quinn strolled up to her, whistling.

“You looked like you were going to rip his head off there and then. What stopped you?”

“All it takes is a single thought for him to activate the kill enchantment in our collars. I’m no [Rogue]. I'd rather not test my speed against his reaction time.”

She shook her head.

“I’ll just steal that scroll from him when he’s off guard. Then we can get out of here and escape whatever this is.”

Her footfalls echoed as she finally exited the dungeon. She stepped into the outside world— into the streets of Roguehollow…

And paused. Alix blinked a few times as she saw the utter destruction that had been wrecked into the city. The walls of Roguehollow had fallen. Nothing but rubble and debris circled the perimeter of the city. Buildings had been toppled over. Houses burned. Farmland was razed to the ground.

Bodies— corpses of families— littered the sidewalk. The city’s guards were annihilated without any resistance. Smoke billowed up into the sky, darkening the clouds above and casting an eerie shadow over what had once been a bustling city.

“What… happened?”

Alix just stared. She couldn’t move. Her body didn’t want to move. Fear gripped her as she saw death and destruction, far worse than anything she’d seen in war. She was only snapped back to reality when she heard the monster shriek.

Sorel screamed, pointing at the desiccated figures clambering over a nearby pile of rubble.

“[Crypt Horrors]! Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!”

Alix tensed. She completely ignored the fact that the lord’s guard was down. She readied herself for the undead as they bumbled forward, screeching a terrible war cry. The gladiators clashed with the undead, cutting down the horde together.

The lord of the city just shouted at them. He whipped them from behind, tears streaming down his face.

“What are you idiots doing? Keep on going! We need to get out of here!”

Alix felt the whip lash against her back as she brought down a group of [Crypt Horrors]. She glanced back at him, then took in the rest of the city. She spotted Mindreapers zipping through the clouds of ash. She watched Gatho Mammoths trample over buildings with ease. And she realized… they were all going to die.

Sorel was using them as a meatshield. To get as far away from the city as possible. He didn’t intend to free any of them. Or for any of them but him to live, for that matter. He whipped Alix once more as she stood there, over the corpse of a [Crypt Lord].

And she caught the whip. She didn’t even flinch, even as the lashes drew blood from the palm of her hand. She tilted her head, looking at Sorel.

“What are you…?”

Sorel looked at her, befuddled. She pulled, and the man stumbled her way. Quinn called out to her in a worried voice.

“Alix, don’t be reckless. You were the one who said—”

“If we’re going to die anyway—”

She started, walking up to the fallen lord. Alix glanced over at Quinn, meeting his gaze briefly.

“We may as well die free.”

Sorel’s eyes widened as he watched the woman approach him. He leapt back up, holding up the spell scroll dangerously in his hands.

“Get back. I’m warning you!”

“Do it, lord Sorel. Kill me if you wish. But know that I will not die protecting scum like you.”

She didn’t move any faster. It was like she was strolling towards Sorel. It made the lord hesitate. She knew that he understood killing her would've ensured he died here. After all, she was the highest-leveled gladiator present.

“I will do it! I will—”

Sorel started, and she dashed forward. Alix reached the man a moment later, but the scroll was already glowing. Her eyes widened as he flinched.

Then a light cut through him. Alix came to a halt as a bright glow came down from the sky— like a blade— and cleanly sliced the lord in half. The spell scroll fell to the ground, burned from the energy alone of whatever that attack had been, as the ground was tore asunder.

“W-what…?”

Alix looked up towards the sky. Towards the source of that incredible power. She watched as the clouds of ash parted, and a winged figure descended. The fighting stopped as the [Crypt Horrors] and [Crypt Lords] came to a halt, while the gladiators turned their attention to the figure above.

What did Alix expect? She wasn’t sure what she’d been hoping to see. Perhaps an Elite Ranked adventurer with dove-like wings. Or a [Hero] dressed in divine garments, just as Alexander had been.

Instead, what she saw was a grotesque form. A pair of tiny, buzzing wings. Unnaturally round eyes. Ones that looked straight at every single gladiator present all at once.

It was a giant insect. It floated above them, studying their expressions as they just stood there in shock and fear. No— it was studying their collars. Their shackles. Their bindings.

Alix couldn’t identify it, but she could feel its power. There was something to it. A presence that forced her to her knees. She dropped her weapons, unable to turn away from this creature.

“Praise be, for he is here!”

Bran brought his arm arm, crying tears of joy. He walked forward, unafraid of this creature. The giant insect just peered at him as he continued.

“You all doubted me. You hated me, for I spoke the truth. But I was right all along.”

Alix trembled as she realized what the [Cultist] was saying.

“T-that thing… is a Demon?”

She spoke in disbelief. Quinn had no witty reply or remark to add. The gladiators just watched as Bran spun around, smiling wide.

“Repent, all you non-believers. For the Demon King Regnorex has returned—”

And there was a flash. The same bright light struck down at him, and he fell to the ground. Headless.

The Demon landed right next to his corpse, harrumphing.

“Pesky [Cultist]...”

Alix drew back as the Demon glanced over her way. It pointed at her, and she braced herself for what was to come next. But the Demon spoke simply.

“You. Why do you wear those shackles?”

Its voice was like nail on chalkboard to her. She wanted to claw her ears out, but managed to muster up the strength to reply.

“W-we are gladiators.”

“Gladiators?”

It tilted its head. She nodded stiffly.

“Slaves of the Inoria Empire.”

“Your people force your own kind into servitude? But… why?”

It asked, almost curiously. Alix wasn’t sure what to say. She just answered, like she was explaining the concept of a gladiator to a child.

“O-only in some countries. And we are forced to fight.”

“To fight?”

“For entertainment.”

Alix gestured at the coliseum behind the Demon. It fractionally turned its insect-like head before nodding.

“They pay to—”

“I understand now. That’s enough.”

The Demon faced Alix once again. But its gaze was clearly fixed on all the gladiators present now. An army of Mindreapers descended from the sky as the monsters rampaging through the city encroached on his location.

“I offer you an opportunity, Humans. To all those who are enslaved. I shall break your chains. I shall grant every Human slave their freedom. I shall grant you protection from your own kind. And all I ask for in return is for your strength.”

Was it being serious? Alix forced herself to her feet, even with shaky legs. Even if her knees felt like they wanted to buckle under her body weight. She held the Demon’s bulbous gaze.

“W-why are you doing this? Aren’t you a Demon? You just destroyed our city…”

“Perhaps.”

Its eyes flickered. Like it was thinking about something— recalling a memory.

“But my reasoning is beyond your mortal comprehension. Now give me your answer, Humans. And I, Belzu, the Lord of Lies, and [Hellprince] of the Netherworld, will be the first one to break the chains your own kin placed upon you.”

Was this really freedom? Wasn’t she just trading one form of servitude for another?

Alix didn’t know. But she was afraid. She was too afraid to say anything else. So, she answered the only thing she dared to answer.

“W-we pledge our allegiance to you, Lord Belzu.”

And the Demon laughed.

“Good. Now let us save our planes from their destruction.”

A note from MelasD

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317. Back to Shedos

A note from MelasD

Extra weekend chapter :)

317. Back to Shedos

Emperor Rowyn sighed as he sat in a small tent. Or… was he just Rowyn now? He did run from his duties of being Inoria’s emperor. Well, he was supposedly a hostage under the Elutra Resistance. But the fact of the matter was far more complicated than that.

Demons ruled Inoria. They controlled it from the shadows. Like a marionette master; hidden from sight; upholding their facade. No one else knew of it. There were rumors, spread by princess Faith. But Elutra was gone. It was seen as nothing more than a last ditch effort to gain support.

The rest of the world was far more focused on the Primeval Demon now. That was a real Demon threat— even if it was only a fraction of the scale which would soon follow.

A rebellion, was what Lucieve had called it. A weak one. One that would be crushed by a [Hellprince] of the Netherworld. The Lord of Chaos.

Levithus.

He was one of the Demon King’s generals. Rowyn didn’t know his level— even a [Lesser Appraisal] artifact came up with null results. And such artifacts could identify the General Status of individuals that went up to Level 150.

It was clear: Levithus was a Primeval Demon as well. One who was deemed strong enough to destroy the one wreaking havoc in the Mortal Realm.

There were so many facts. So many things he needed to tell the world. That the real threat was hiding right from all of them.

Right now, however, Rowyn couldn’t tell anyone. Gavyn wouldn’t listen to him— the leader of Elutra’s Resistance was upset that the boy was even alive. So, all Rowyn could do was wait for Salvos to return.

The former emperor glanced out of the tent, sighing.

“But when would she even return?”

He didn’t know. It could take days or weeks. She might not even return. Sure, she was strong. But Simag was crafty. He had cunning to make up for his lack of strength. If he caught her off guard, he could potentially defeat her. And even if she did succeed, who knew who long it would even take for her to find the [Hero]?

There were too many factors to take into account. The only thing Rowyn knew for sure was that he should not be expecting to see Salvos back anytime soon—

“Weeeee’re baaaaack!”

A voice echoed throughout the campsite. Rowyn blinked, starting out of his tent. There was a susurration. A gathering. He spotted shadows approaching from above. Salvos and the [Will O’ Wisp] brought with them half a dozen figures alongside the two they’d left with.

Gavyn’s eyes widened as he pointed at two of the figures. A woman and a boy.

“T-that’s… princess Faith and prince Bel! They’re alive!”

Even Rowyn was at a loss for words. How did they return so quickly? Salvos just beamed, clapping her hands together for everyone to hear.

“Yep! Alright, now that we got that out of the way, let’s get out of here!”

“...what?”

More than one person was utterly puzzled.

I explained the situation to the rest of Elutra’s Resistance— well, to Gavyn. Everyone else was busy fussing over Faith, her brother, and Daniel.

“We need to leave as soon as possible. We’ll be heading to Shedos and reporting everything about the Demons in Inoria to the Headmaster of Mavos Academy and anyone else who would listen to us.”

“That’s a solid plan of action. Especially with someone as esteemed as Clayton Skyshredder to confirm the veracity of our statements. A [Truth Zone] spell would be more than enough to prove us to the rest of the world.”

“Yep! So get packing, and let’s get going!”

I gestured him to the leader of Elutra’s Resistance. I expected him to immediately rally his men— to prepare them to leave. But he simply placed a hand on his chin in thought.

“But… I cannot simply abandon my country.”

I cocked my head.

“What do you mean?”

“My people— they are suffering under the tyranny of Inoria. They are being treated as nothing more than dirt under the boots of those Demon-worshiping bastards. Someone has to stay to look after them. We can’t all leave them behind.”

“Huh.”

He was determined. Like nothing would change his mind. And I certainly wasn’t going to try.

“Alright, then. Let’s get going—“

“Wait!”

A voice called out. Willow ran up to him. The [Archer] stared at him in shock.

“What are you talking about, Gavyn? We can’t just leave you behind!”

“I’m sorry, Willow. Without the resistance, our people will have no one to protect them. Someone needs to stay.”

“But you can’t fight them alone.”

She bit her lower lips. He shook his head.

“I’m sorry. It has to be this way…”

Willow closed her eyes. Her lips quivered as she opened her mouth, taking a step toward.

“Gavyn, I’ll…“

But she couldn’t finish.

“Please do not make rash decisions.”

A calm voice spoke out, drawing both of their attention. Princess Faith strode away from the rest of the resistance, approaching us. After using my Potion of Regeneration, she now had both her hands back— which she clasped together tightly.

“Are you the leader of this resistance?”

Gavyn straightened to attention.

“Y-yes! I am Gavyn Windborne—“

“Son of Duke Landry. Gave up your noble heritage to become an adventurer. And gave up your life as an adventurer to return to Elutra when the war broke out. I know you.”

She smiled, and he blinked.

“I must ask you to accompany me to Shedos.”

“What?”

“You are one of the highest-leveled individuals left in Elutra who is still willing to fight this war. But we have already lost on this front, and now, we must regroup and bring Inoria to justice. I cannot allow a man such as you to die fighting a pointless battle.”

“I must protest, princess—”

Faith shook her head.

“I am not asking you for this as the princess of Elutra. I have failed in my duties, and I cannot, in good faith, command you to do as I say. Rather, I am asking you this as a fellow citizen of Elutra. As someone who wishes for the best of our country. As a friend of your father before he passed.”

“That’s…”

Gavyn pursed his lips. He looked over at Willow as she gave him a pleading look.

“Please, Gavyn.”

She whispered, and Faith bowed her head. Finally, he acquiesced.

“Very well. I shall follow you to Shedos. To Mavos Academy. I will give my account of the events of what happened here under a truth spell.”

Willow let out a sigh of relief, but he raised a hand.

“However, once that is over, I will not wait for the world to act on this matter. If they delay or play their politics, I will not stand around and listen to their petty arguments. I shall make my return as soon as possible to liberate our people from Inoria if the world won’t act in time.”

“That is understandable.”

Faith smiled. She raised her head, taking a step back.

“Thank you for listening to my request.”

I stared at them as they finished. Here we stood in the middle of a haphazardly strewn together encampment. One that was hidden deep within a forest, but still in the middle of enemy territory. And yet, they were wasting time over such a dumb conversation.

“…can we go now?”

I finally piped up. Princess Faith nodded at me.

“My apologies, Salvos. I simply wished to get that sorted. Let us make our departure posthaste.”

“Finally!”

I threw my hands in the air, glad that was over. But another thing came up. A small figure walked over to us. Slightly apprehensive, but still with the confidence of a true and proper noble.

Emperor Rowyn came to a halt right behind Faith. She glanced back at him, raising a brow.

“You’re…”

Her eyes flickered in recognition. Rowyn bowed deeply at her.

“I am the current reigning emperor of Inoria—”

“Rowyn Ino. I am aware. I was not expecting to meet someone such as yourself here.”

She spoke simply. I groaned internally as another issue seemed to pop up, and the boy hesitated. It took him a moment to gather himself.

“I did not think I would end up amongst Elutra’s Resistance today— as a captive— but many unexpected things occurred, and now I am here.”

“So I see.”

“But I am not here as an enemy. Rather, I have come here out of my own volition— voluntarily, even— to offer you my own voice when speaking to other nations.”

Rowyn gestured at himself as Faith narrowed her eyes.

“I know you may not trust me, but if the emperor of Inoria himself denounces his empire for its actions. And if I admit the truth to the world about our… alliance with the Demons, then it would dispute any claims that could be made against the veracity of your words.”

He shuffled his feet, clearly uncomfortable.

“It may be hard to trust—”

“Very well.”

Faith returned his bow.

“Emperor Rowyn. While I may fault your father for the events that have played out since the start of the war, I do not believe that you are responsible for it. Furthermore, you are offering us great help. I thank you for taking this risk for the greater good.”

Rowyn blinked. He worked his jaw for a moment, unable to find the right words to say. I stepped into the conversation, speaking up for him.

“I’m glad that’s settled. But I’m getting bored. Can we go now?”

“Yes. I apologize for the delay, Salvos.”

Faith smiled at me. She turned to the rest of Elutra’s Resistance. Zane, Willow, Gavyn all stood at attention.

“We shall be departing for Shedos immediately. For the sake of our country— and for the sake of Humankind. To do what’s right. And if they still will not help us. If the other nations turn a blind eye once more. Then we will have no choice but to fight for it until our country is saved.”

They cheered. I watched as they all moved, getting ready to head to Shedos. Sighing, I turned to face Daniel. He had a slight smile on his face.

“You look happy.”

I pointed out, walking up to him. He nodded.

“I’m glad that things are finally looking like it’ll turn for the better for Elutra. It’s… my fault things turned out this way in the first place, after all.”

“What do you mean it’s your fault? You had no responsibility for what happened.”

I crossed my arms.

“In fact, weren’t you the one who was dragged into this whole mess from your world in the first place? I don’t believe you are obligated to do anything you don’t want to.”

“But I have the capacity to act, Salvos. If I am able to stop something unfolding before me, don’t I have the duty to stop it?”

He raised a hand, looking into the palm of his hand. I shrugged.

“I mean, do you have the capacity to do it? Not just in a physical sense, either. But if you don’t have the drive or desire to do something, that’s a mental inhibition too, right?”

Daniel blinked.

“That’s—”

“I honestly don’t really care about all that, anyway.”

I waved a hand dismissively. The Human man drew his lips into a thin line. He looked up at Elutra’s Resistance. Then he turned towards Amanda and Willy. Sighing, he shook his head and faced the sky.

“I have the desire, but sometimes, I lose it. I can’t help myself. Every time I feel like I’ve taken a step forward, I take two steps back.”

I tilted my head, facing him.

“Huh.”

I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he met my gaze.

“I make mistakes all the time, Daniel. And I’m me! So, don’t worry about making mistakes even though you’re not me. Because it’s something we all do.”

Daniel stared at me. He held my gaze for a moment as I smiled. Then he chuckled.

“You’re right.”

He straightened, starting forward.

“I’ve made up my mind, Salvos.”

“You have?”

“We have yet to explain the full situation to Faith and the others. But when we do— when we have everyone gathered and ready to talk— I think it’s time for the world to know about this [Hero].”

I looked at him. I noticed the way he stood taller. The way he spoke with more confidence in his voice. And I… felt my shoulders sag.

“Seriously? That’s going to be so annoying. We’re going to have to explain all that stuff about the Demon King and Belzu, then explain everything about you too? Ugh…”

“I know you couldn’t really care about all this, but please, could you bear with me for a bit longer?”

Daniel offered me his hand. I sighed.

“This is taking too long. I thought it would take a day at most, but…”

I snapped a finger, creating another one of my clones. Daniel started back as I addressed her.

“Go find Saffron. Make sure she’s safe, alright? Tell her I’ll be getting to her soon. I’ve just been caught in an annoying mess.”

I shot a half-glare at Daniel. He scratched his cheeks.

“S-sorry.”

My clone nodded, her wings spreading wide as she took off. I could tell she was excited— happy that she could get to see Saffron again. I felt the same way, but I had to wait a bit longer now.

I looked over at Elutra’s Resistance as they finally finished. They were all ready. Daniel, Faith, Bel, Amanda, Willy— everyone. I snapped my fingers as the ground beneath their feet rose.

“Alright! Hold on tight, cause we’re going straight to Mavos Academy!”

A note from MelasD

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318. Time for a Talk

A note from MelasD

Extra chapter 2.

Shoutout to JLMullin's Millennial Mage!

The world is wild, untamed. Humanity thrives, but only in isolated, well defended cities, ever shrinking as the wilds slowly reclaim all that was taken. The most capable magic users are raised up as Mages to serve mankind, further their cause, and defend them over the course of millennia.

Tala is freshly graduated from the magic academy and determined to make her own way in the world. She hopes to pay off her massive debts, quickly, but still plans on living each and every day to the fullest. Too bad the Academy left some glaring holes in her practical education. Loath to let that slow her down, and with no patience for a standard, low-paid apprenticeship (intended to fill many of those knowledge gaps), Tala strives to learn and improve as rapidly as she can on her own. Her unorthodox methods for preserving her own life allow her to take greater risks in search of profit and advancement, much to the surprise of those around her.

Millennial Mage (A Slice of Life, Progression Fantasy) | Royal Road

318. Time for a Talk

“I see....”

The words were soft even in the quiet room. There were two figures. One stood over a desk covered with runes and options, scribbling on a notepad. The other curiously peered over his shoulder. The report was finished, and Clayton Skyshredder lowered the pen.

“So, what was your conclusion?”

Centina asked him, drawing back as he turned around

“The goal of the research had been to discover what it was about Centinels that made them unique—”

“You mean something that makes me unique, right?”

“...yes.”

Clayton cleared his throat. He gestured at the sample of blood he’d collected from her

“This has been what I postulated— something about their magical makeup has to be the reason why they are so commonplace. I have dissected many…”

“Of my kind, right.”

“Indeed…”

Centina rolled her eyes. He was too stiff. She was fine with it— after all, she’d been treated like a research subject before. But Clayton didn’t ease. He didn’t meet her gaze, even as he reached for the flask of blood.

“I’ve never managed to get my hands on an [Evolved Centinel]’s blood before. They rarely leave the Bloodied Gulf, and adventurers who typically venture down there seek glory, not to further their research. After all, Humankind has learned everything there is to know about the Centinel. From the Matriarch Centinel to the [Ancient Centinel]... or so we think.”

His eyes shimmered. There was a blue glow to it as he appraised her blood. Centina tilted her head, and he continued.

“But with this— with your blood— my preliminary testing indicates that there is indeed something about Centinel…kind, that distinguishes them from regular monsters or even Humans. I sense a kind of magic. Unlike any other. A kind of distortion in your mana flow.”

The [Evolved Centinel] blinked.

“A distortion?”

“I am unsure what it is just yet. But there will have to be further research.”

Centina wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but she was interested in it. Even Erhard— his ancestor uncle or whatever— hadn’t pointed this out before. She eagerly nodded as Clayton turned back to face her. Well, not face her. He wasn’t actually looking at her, even as she spoke.

“We should continue more tests.”

“Indeed.”

“Figure out what this oddity is.”

“Yes.”

“And while we’re at it, we should grab lunch.”

“We sh—”

Clayton paused. He caught himself, sputtering out a few coughs. Centina just fluttered her eyes innocently at him. He cleared his throat.

“I believe I have a busy schedule for the rest of the day. I will not be able to make any plans for… lunch.”

“Well, we can always reschedule it for another time.”

Centina waved a hand dismissively.

“I’m not sure if that’s necessary for a formal—”

He shuffled his feet, backing away from her. But she pressed on.

“Oh, I don’t intend it to be formal. I’d rather something more casual. Just to get to know each other more, you know? It’s been a week and we’ve barely spoken outside of your tests.”

“This is…”

Clayton found his back against the glass window. They were in his office in the Tower of Truth. It had a good view of Mavos Academy, unlike his own spire which mostly saw clouds beneath. Centina watched as his eyes flickered behind him.

There was a commotion happening at the Central Square. He narrowed his eyes, and Centina paused, taken from the moment.

“What’s going on out there?”

Clayton sighed.

“I feel like I may know who it is…”

“Sorry— yep. Just carry on your day. Don’t mind us! We got permission to enter!”

I made a shooing motion to the students of Mavos Academy as they stopped to stare at the group I was leading through the city. They pointed, whisper. They recognized me, of course they knew who I was.

“Isn’t that… Salvos?”

“Why is she covered in blood?”

But it took them a moment to register the people following after me. And even then, only some knew who they were. Mostly the nobles who were also attending.

“Wait, that’s princess Faith!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! And that armor he’s wearing— he’s one of Elutra’s [Pegasus Knights], isn’t he?”

“Alright, alright! That’s enough chit-chat from you guys! Even you want to talk about someone, talk more about me.”

I shook a fist at them, and they flushed. I continued on, finally reaching the Tower of Truth. A figure waited for me there. The Headmaster of Mavos Academy. Clayton Skyshredder.

“Hi, Clayton!”

I waved at him. He crossed his arms, taking a look at Faith, Daniel, then the rest of Elutra’s Resistance.

“What is this?”

“Oh, this is my companion, Daniel. He’s been through a lot to help me… wait, didn’t you already know about him?”

Clayton was the one who told me Daniel was in trouble, right? Willy made a sighing sound behind me.

“Stupid.”

“What?”

Faith straightened, walking up next to me. She spoke softly, practically whispering into my ear.

“I believe he’s talking about us.”

“Huh.”

Well, that made a lot more sense. I smiled, gesturing at the troupe of resistance members.

“Well, these guys are, um, people from Elutra? This is princess Faith—”

“I am quite aware of their names and their identities.”

Clayton cut me off, stepping forward. He looked them over with furrowed brows.

“Mavos Academy is a neutral institution. We do not partake in wars, unless we are attacked or aggressed upon.”

“Really?”

I cocked my head. I looked back at the others, giving them a shrug.

“I guess it can't be helped, then. Let’s go back—”

Daniel sighed, and Amanda just stared at me.

“Is she serious?”

But Faith took the lead. She approached Clayton, bowing deeply at him.

“I understand that much, Headmaster Skyshredder. However, this is a matter of import. I plead that you at least hear us out before turning us away.”

He studied the princess as she held that position, unmoving.

“If this is what I believe it is going to be about, then I apologize. But unless you can provide proof of you claims—”

“She can.”

A smaller figure stepped forward. Rowyn nodded at Clayton.

“You’re—”

“I am emperor Rowyn Ino of the Inoria Empire. And I can support the claims that princess Faith of the Elutra Kingdom is asserting against my country.”

Clayton hesitated. His eyes flickered to the blood covering my blue jacket— stains of black and red. Then he ran a hand through his flowing beard.

“These claims… very well, I will hear you out. But I do not believe this is a matter to discuss with only myself. I shall gather the relevant parties. However, I must ask that you do not make a scene until further discussion is had.”

Faith nodded, grateful.

“Thank you, Headmaster Skyshredder.”

I piped up as they finished.

“Oh! Are we getting more important people? I know some as well! Can I bring them?”

Faith pursed her lips. She opened her mouth, but Clayton simply shook his head.

“I trust your judgment, Salvos. If you trust them, you may bring them in as well.”

I beamed, starting past Willy and the others.

“Willy, look after them, alright? Show them around, and make sure they don’t scare Centina!”

The [Will O’ Wisp] flitted back and forth, as if in thought. Finally, he responded.

“No.”

Lamarr, the Warrior King of Traith sat in one of Mavos Academy’s many libraries. He had a pile of history books stacked before him. Research he had been doing in regards to Demonkind. As both a king and one of the Seven Councilmembers of the Eastern Kingdom Alliance, he believed it was his duty to act against this Primeval Demon threat.

Of course, he was aware his level was far below that of making a difference in the battlefield. So, instead, he’d been doing what he could. He’d gather up every single bit of information he could find about the Demon King’s first coming. He’d cross referenced it with the various other times a Demon had rampaged in the Mortal Realm.

There were numerous examples. The most recent one prior to this Primeval Demon was a Greater Demon in Nixa. There… had to be a correlation.

Lamarr wasn’t sure if this was a prefiguration of what was to come. Many of the lesser kings in the Eastern Kingdom Alliance— and even the senators in Traith— thought this was merely another such example of a Demon rampage. But he feared that this could signal the start of something far worse.

Another Demon invasion of the Mortal Realm.

Whatever it was, he had to act. He had to make the necessary preparations in case this was really the start of such an interplanar war. He flipped through the history books, hoping to figure out what the old Immortal Empire did to repel the Demon King after Alexander’s death—

And he heard a susurration. From outside of his private room. He looked up, listening carefully as voices broke through the silence. There was a brief scuffle as someone called out.

“You can’t run in the library—”

“Sorry! I’m in a rush!”

And the door slammed open. Lamarr blinked as a familiar young lady stumbled in. Salvos smiled, waving at him as a panting librarian stumbled in.

“...Salvos?”

“Hey, Lamarr! There’s a super important talk happening soon. Wanna join us?”

“I…”

Lamarr wasn’t sure what to say. The librarian, however, didn’t care for his words.

“Please, Miss. You cannot just teleport into the library and yell the name of the person you’re searching for.”

“Why not?”

Salvos cocked her head. The librarian tried to work her jaw. Lamarr massaged his temples.

“I apologize for the ruckus caused. I shall see to it that you are reimbursed for your time.”

He ushered the librarian out. Then he turned to Salvos.

“It has been a while, Salvos. I appreciate you going out of the way to see me, but I urge you to employ discretion and a hint of politeness the next time such a situation arises.”

“Sorry, I was in a bit of a rush. Because of, you know, the super important meeting I mentioned.”

“So I heard. And what may I ask what this meeting will be about?”

Depending on what she said, Lamarr might have had to turn her away. He was fond of the young lady, but he was not rich in time. Not right now. Perhaps if it was pertinent to the Primeval Demon, he’d drop everything he was currently doing to follow her.

“Oh, it’s just about the impending Demon King invasion of the Mortal Realm.”

Salvos spoke, and he dropped everything he was currently doing to follow her.

“Lead the way.”

“[Sunder Strike]!”

Gallus heaved as he swung his broadsword, slicing the giant ice spike in half. The [Mage] across from him fell to the ground as Gallus drew closer. Finally, the [Mage] raised his hands.

“I yield! I yield!”

“Hmph. You put up a valiant effort.”

With a respectful nod, Gallus drew back. He looked at the [Mage], then at the five other different [Warriors], [Rogues], and [Mages] with him. They were his students. He was mentoring a group of students from the College of Aspirations while classes were not in session. This was the first time they’d ever driven him into using a Skill.

“You’re far too strong, Gallus. Even against all six of us, you didn’t break a sweat.”

One of them spoke, defeatedly.

“And yet, your coordination today as a team was far better than your past five performances. If I weren’t supposed to be harsh on you lot, I’d say you could even qualify to be a part of the Vaun Qieur’s Empire Swordsguard Forces.”

He laughed heartily, placing a hand on his chest. Even without the direct compliment, they beamed and exchanged proud glances. That was right. The Swordsguard Forces were admired throughout the world, not just in Vaun Qieur. While such a comparison might’ve brightened their days, Gallus couldn’t lie and say he himself didn’t feel proud to see such admiration for his group from those around with different backgrounds around the world.

“Alright, you’re dismissed.”

Gallus cleared his throat, and his students slowly funneled out of the sparring arena. And right as they left, a silver-haired woman entered the room followed by the King of Traith.

“Woah, I’ve never been here before.”

“There are many amenities in Mavos Academy that not everybody uses, Salvos. For those at your level however, I would say this training hall is unnecessary.”

“Now those are two faces I haven’t seen in a while.”

Gallus spread his arms wide as he welcomed his former classmates.

“Salvos, King Lamarr. It is a pleasure to see the both of you doing well.”

“Likewise, Sir Gallus.”

“Yep! Glad to see you too, Gallus of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s elite Swordsguard Forces!”

The silver-haired woman beamed. Gallus scratched the back of his head.

“I see you’ve been busy. To think you’d already reach Level 130— I shouldn’t have expected anything less.”

“Aw, of course not! I went to the Bloodied Gulf and killed an [Ancient Centinel]!”

“I… see.”

Gallus couldn’t lie and say that he wasn’t impressed. But just hearing about it was not the same as seeing it. Her words were still registering in his head when Lamarr spoke simply.

“I believe it is best not to skirt around the topic. We can make small talk later.”

“Oh, fine.”

Salvos sighed. She faced Gallus, clapping her hands together softly.

“Want to talk about stuff with us?”

Gallus just stared at her. Lamarr translated for her.

“Apparently, it is in regards to the Primeval Demon. And I believe that the Vaun Qieur Empire would want to be a part of this.”

About the Primeval Demon? Gallus straightened. He stood like a soldier, nodding without any hesitation.

“Yes.”

Valda was strolling out of her dorm building, yawning and stretching her back after a long night of studying, when a hand yanked her to the side. She squeaked, spinning around.

“Salvos?”

“Hey Valda! Saffron says you’re a Vampire, right?”

The silver-haired woman smiled. Valda took a step back, sputtering.

“I-I… what? She told you that?”

“Yep! And Vampires are Demon Slayers, right?”

“Y-yes…?”

Valda just went with the flow. She didn’t know what to question or what to say. Salvos just tugged her along.

“Alright! That means you’re important, so you’re coming with us!”

“Coming with you? Wait, Salvos— what’s going on? Who’s us?”

The girl glanced about nervously, hoping that noone heard about her Vampire heritage. Then she caught sight of the only two people there.

“That’s… Gallus of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s Swordsguard Forces. And the Warrior King of Traith!”

“Greetings, Valda. It is a pleasure to meet you again.”

Lamarr spoke humbly, and Gallus gave her an approving look.

“We are glad to have a Vampire at our side during this time of need.”

She shrank back. Valda wanted to faint. These were very important people. She definitely didn’t belong around them. Why was Salvos…?

“What’s happening? Where are we going?”

The girl hurriedly turned to the silver-haired woman dragging her along.

“Oh, we’re just going to have a chat with Clayton Skyshredder, princess Faith, emperor Rowyn, and a bunch of other important people about important stuff like the Demon King’s invasion of the Mortal Realm. So, not much, really.”

“I see.”

Valda really did faint.

And with that, I gathered everyone I wanted in the Tower of Truth. Daniel Song of Earth, Amanda the Silent Serpent, Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder, princess Faith, prince Bel, emperor Rowyn Ino, Lamarr of Traith, Gallus of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s Swordsguard Forces, Valda the genius Vampire, a few officials Clayton had brought along, and many more.

Oh, Willy was here too. But he was at the side, not really caring about this whole situation regarding Belzu and Regnorex.

I leaned forward on the meeting table, bringing my hands together as I addressed the room— to clear things up once and for all.

“Now, let’s talk.”

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319. Faith's Formidability

A note from MelasD

Extra chapter 3.

Shoutout to my friend RavensDagger!

In the year 2057, the world has become a corporate-run utopia for the super-rich, and a hellhole for all the rest.

Catherine 'Cat' Leblanc is an orphan that is about as far from super-rich as one can be. When the Incursion alarms start blaring and the sky starts raining hungry xenos, it's just another blemish on an already piss-poor afternoon.

Stray Cat Strut | Royal Road

319. Faith's Formidability

Daniel Song sat in a crowded meeting room with a long gilded table and walls decorated with luxurious paintings. It was finally time for all the issues to be addressed: the Demon threat that had been let to run rampant for so long was to be tackled today. The young man couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. After all, he was finally going to spill his big secret by the end of it all.

There were many influential and powerful people gathered. Individuals of note. There were the obvious— Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder, princess Faith, and emperor Rowyn Ino— but there were also individuals Daniel didn’t recognize. Like the man with a mustache, followed by a dozen knights in shimmering armor. Or the elderly man sitting next to Clayton, wearing regal robes fit for a king.

But at the head of the table was a familiar face. Salvos. A Demon girl who was currently disguised as a Human. She could become a plethora of other creatures. From a Kobold to a Cyclops. And possibly even more. Here she was— in her deceit— leading this discussion on how Humankind was to deal with her own kind.

It was an irony of sorts; a tragedy of complacency; even laughable. Daniel was the [Hero] here, yet he remained silent. He allowed Salvos to speak. It showed the tremendous growth she’d been through, and how far he’d have to go to catch up with her. At one point, they were equals. Now, she’d far surpassed him.

“Now, let’s talk.”

Salvos clapped her hands together. Daniel waited with bated breath for the revelation. The truth. The epoch-making news that would shatter everyone’s reality.

Clayton Skyshredder ran a hand through his beard. Princess Faith steeled herself. Emperor Rowyn closed his eyes. Everyone waited. And Salvos… cocked her head.

“Um, hello? That was your guys’ cue to speak.”

…

“What? Were you expecting me to say something? Because I really don’t know what you guys want from me.”

Daniel sighed. She’s grown so much, yet changed so little. He couldn’t help but smile at that.

Faith wanted to cover her face in embarrassment. This was not how she was preparing the meeting to start. She had a speech prepared, and Salvos had already derailed it from the very beginning.

“Thank you everyone for gathering here on such short notice.”

Clayton cleared his throat as Salvos sat back down, shrugging. Fortunately, the Headmaster of Mavos Academy was more than capable of defusing the… awkward situation.

“As Salvos had alluded to, this discussion will not be a short one, and I would like to get to the crux of the issue as soon as possible. Princess Faith, could you please explain the reason why you came to Mavos Academy today?”

Faith nodded and stood to her feet. She addressed the room, carrying whatever leftover dignity she had as a member of the royal family of Elutra. Even though she barely looked it after a month of travel— propriety was necessary in these situations. Especially amongst rich and powerful strangers.

“I am princess Faith El of the Elutra Kingdom. I am sure most of you are currently aware of the situation in my kingdom.”

“The Elutra Kingdom? With all due respect, your country no longer exists. It is now merely a province in the Inoria Empire.”

A man with a bushy mustache scoffed from the side. Faith narrowed her eyes. His words stung, but she recognized him as one of the individuals Clayton had brought into the meeting. He must’ve been important.

Faith would have to conduct herself well. She bowed her head slightly his way.

“I am keenly aware of the perspective outside observers could have of the situation, but I assure you, it is far more complex than that.”

“Complex? There is no nuance to war— a war which your country instigated and lost. Don’t think I am foolish enough to fall for the baseless rumors you keep trying to spread.”

She blinked, and he leaned forward with creased brows.

“Or did you think we all haven’t already heard your lies about Inoria and its hypothetical Demons?”

It took everything Faith had in her to prevent a retort. She didn’t know him. She shouldn’t disparage him. He could’ve been an influential politician in Shedos for all she knew.

“I apologize if—”

“Um, who are you?”

A voice piped up. Salvos peered at the man, a puzzled look on her face. Faith blinked, and Daniel massaged his temples. A brief susurration ran through the room as the man raised a brow.

“I am Jorden Duron, the Lord of Wimborne. I was called here today by Headmaster Skyshredder for what he dubbed an important meeting. If I had known it was a meeting headed by a disgraced princess of a former nation, I would have sent a representative to state my opinion on the matter. In fact, the only reason I have not left this meeting is due to my respect towards the Headmaster.”

Jorden harrumphed, and Salvos tilted her head to the side.

“Huh. So you’re from Shedos, right?”

“Indeed.”

“Which means you’re not from either Elutra or Inoria.”

“That is correct.”

“That also means you haven’t actually seen what’s going on in either countries, so… why are you talking?”

The silver-haired adventurer asked, genuinely curious. Faith pursed her lips as more than one individual in the room sputtered. Jorden burst out of his seat, pointing accusingly at her.

“I am the Lord of Wimborne. I do not care if you’re over Level 100. I will not tolerate such disrespect from you—”

“Yep. Well… you’re a Lord, and she’s a princess. If you wanted others to respect you in the first place, maybe you should’ve shown them the same respect.”

He flushed, face burning with anger..

“Headmaster Skyshredder! Are you not going to intervene?”

Clayton took in a deep breath and raised a hand.

“That is enough from the both of you. This argument does not pertain to the matter at hand. I ask that princess Faith continue with her statement.”

“Thank you, Headmaster.”

Faith was glad that that was over. She faced the room, taking in those gathered as they settled back down after that interruption was dealt with.

“But I must confess, I cannot fault Lord Jorden for his suspicions. It is only fair that aspersions be cast to the veracity of my words. Especially since I have come here today for the very thing he accuses me of.”

Jorden snickered, and a few faces exchanged confused glances. Clayton kept a straight face, but she could tell he was curious about where she was going with this. A man with red hair— one of the ones sitting next to Salvos— spoke up.

“Princess Faith, I am aware of your country’s predicament. I am truly sorry to hear about the outcome of this war. However, I cannot lie and say I do not agree with some of Lord Jorden Duron’s apprehension about your motivations behind your claims.”

“You’re… Lamarr the Warrior King of Traith?”

It took Faith a moment to place where she knew him from.

“One of the Seven Councilmembers of the Eastern Kingdom Alliance?”

“I am but a humble man hoping to do what’s right. Something as audacious as a great power like the Inoria Empire employing the use of Demons in war is unheard of. Outrageous, even.”

Salvos scowled as he nodded.

“Come on, Lamarr! You’re supposed to be on our side!”

“I am on the side of the truth.”

“I agree with King Lamarr here, Salvos.”

A bulky man agreed. Faith didn’t recognize him as she did Lamarr, but she saw the familiar crest he bore. That of Vaun Qieur Empire’s world renowned Swordsguard Forces.

“We are here as representatives of our country. We cannot make any brash decisions, even if we are here on your behalf.”

The former princess blinked. Jorden muttered under his breath with a frown.

“Is that vulgar woman truly the reason why someone of their statuses are here? Ridiculous…”

Faith would have to remember to thank Salvos later. Again. Even though she’d already thanked her many times…

“I apologize, Sir. I do not believe we’ve been introduced.”

She bowed to the bulky man, and he returned a smile.

“You may call me Gallus.”

“Those are understandable worries, King Lamarr, Gallus. And I am certain it is one many of you have here today. After all, as many of you are already aware, my country has fallen to the Inoria Empire. You may believe that I am here to ask for aid in retaking back my nation. Or maybe to seek refuge to protect my surviving family members.”

Her eyes flickered to Bel who was sitting next to her. He looked sickly, especially after the long journey, but he forced himself to attend this meeting. She also thought of Iance and Hope. Neither were in any shape to attend this meeting. Not that Faith would’ve wanted them here. They’d only worsen things.

The former princess of Elutra shook her head.

“I will tell you right now: I am not here to plead for your help.”

There was a pause. Willow frowned, and Gavyn’s brows snapped together. They were the only two resistance members present, and they hadn’t been briefed on what Faith wanted to say. They definitely didn’t expect this.

“This is a warning. Not to just those of you here, but to the rest of the Human lands. I was wrong before. In the past. Inoria is not employing Demons under their command. It is the opposite— the Inoria Empire has been taken over by Demons.”

The other shoe dropped. A deluge of questions was unleashed on Faith. She turned, facing questions and accusations from all sides. Jorden was the first to speak.

“More lies! You’re saying that just so you can get revenge on the Inoria Empire!”

Lamarr stared at her dubiously.

“These are bold claims, princess Faith. I do hope you have proof to back it up.”

“I have witnesses.”

She replied calmly.

“Salvos herself can testify on my behalf.”

“Yep! I saw Demons— lots of Archdemons! They were weak, though. I’d have thought [Changelings] would be stronger than that.”

The silver-haired woman tapped a finger on her chin. Clayton crossed his arms.

“I would not doubt the words of my own students. However, for a matter with as much gravity as this, I do not believe the words of a single adventurer will be able to sway the minds of entire nations.”

“Then what about the words of a single child?”

Faith smiled wryly, gesturing towards a boy. Not her brother. It was someone else, seated next to her brother. Clayton leant back in his chair, speaking the boy’s name and title simply.

“Emperor Rowyn Ino.”

“Greetings.”

Rowyn stood to his feet. Gallus raised an amused brow.

“Now this just became interesting…”

A girl in the corner of the room— the one Salvos had brought with her— squeaked.

“A-as in… the emperor of the Inoria Empire?”

“Seriously? This cannot be real. Why is the emperor of the Inoria Empire with Elutra’s royal family?”

Jorden gaped. Lamarr leaned forward, intrigued.

“Might you explain what is going on, emperor Ino?”

“Of course, King Lamarr.”

Rowyn managed to maintain his poise even with all the outward pressure. Faith didn't particularly like Rowyn, even if she didn’t dislike him either. She was grateful for his help, but she blamed him somewhat for how things went in Ertos, and that was about it. No grudge, no amity.

But she couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t impressed by his current demeanor.

“I can assure all of you, what princess Faith says is the truth. My empire— the Inoria Empire— is now nothing more than a puppet state. Our politics, our government, and our royal family are nothing more than mere playthings to Demonkind. [Changelings] who have disguised themselves as Humans work from the background, running things as they so desire.”

He clenched his fist as he continued.

“My… parents were murdered by these Demons. It was not an assassination attempt carried out by a desperate Elutra as the world has been so led to believe. It was a lie. A justification for retaliatory action during a ceasefire. They were sacrifices, just as the people of Ertos will be.”

“What are you saying, emperor Ino?”

Lamarr placed a hand on his chin. But before the boy could answer, Jorden quickly interrogated him.

“How do we know you’re not an impostor? How do we know you’re not being forced into this? This is insane. How could an emperor betray his own nation?”

Rowyn held his gaze.

“You may test me in a [Truth Zone]. I support everything princess Faith has said today. And I am doing so not to act against my country's interest. Rather, it is because I care for my country, I wish to save it.”

“That—”

Jorden opened his mouth. But Clayton cut him off.

“That’s enough, Lord Jorden. I do not believe emperor Rowyn will lie about such matters. If we wish to test his word, we can do so later.”

An elderly man sitting next to the Headmaster nodded in agreement.

“This revelation is quite startling, but it only makes sense. After all, the Primeval Demon has been ‘trapped’ in Inoria for far longer than even I’d have imagined. I never believed Inoria’s forces could be so effective, especially when split between two fronts.”

“That is a fair assessment, Thorsten.”

Thorsten? As in Thorsten Siegfrid? Faith knew that name anywhere. He was the [Archbishop] at the very head of the Den of Souls. But what was he doing here?

He smiled at Clayton.

“So, Inoria has been the Primeval Demon’s base of operations, and it is restoring its forces there. It seems you called me here for a good cause, my old friend.”

If Faith was being entirely honest, she didn’t know much details about this Primeval Demon. Something major had occurred, but it happened when she was trapped in Ertos, cut off from the outside world.

However, from the brief conversation she’d held with Salvos and Daniel just a few hours earlier, she knew what was going to be said next. Rowyn shifted his feet, clearly hesitant.

“That’s… not true.”

“What do you mean, emperor Ino?”

Clayton studied Rowyn’s facial expression. The boy clearly didn’t know where to even begin, and neither did Faith. Otherwise, she’d have already taken over.

Instead, another man answered for them. Daniel Song.

“Rowyn’s saying that the Primeval Demon is a separate threat. That these Demons in Inoria are working against the Primeval Demon.”

“Impossible. All of Demonkind falls under a singular banner. The banner of the Demon King, Regnorex.”

Thorsten spoke with a dark gaze. Even the name of the Demon King sent a shiver down Faith’s spine. But Daniel didn't react. He stepped forward, insistent.

“Well, that’s not the case now. The Primeval Demon is merely a rebel. A rogue Demon acting up against the Demon King. But he is not the real threat. He simply foreshadows what is to come.”

Clayton understood what Daniel was saying. The Headmaster of Mavos Academy spoke grimly.

“A full scale invasion of the Mortal Realm. Not just a rampaging Demon. Not just a group of Demons taking over a single country. But the return of Regnorex himself.”

“Yes.”

The young man hung his head, letting the implication settle in. The room was silent for a moment. Even Faith was absorbing it. She could’ve winefred just as much the entire time, but she’d been too focused on the fate of her kingdom the entire time. Now that Elutra was already lost, she knew the truth.

But not everyone believed it. Jorden rolled his eyes.

“Now, who is this guy and why should we believe him? What, is he going to say he’s the Emperor Nor Maran? Is he going to claim to be the Watcher himself?”

Daniel paused. He exchanged a glance with Salvos. They spoke without words, and Faith wasn’t sure what to expect from them. She certainly didn’t expect what came next.

“I am Daniel Song.”

Sighing, he got to his feet.

“And I am a [Hero] from Earth.”

“Oh.”

Faith blinked. The third and final shoe dropped, and the room interrupted into chaos.

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320. Daniel's Depth

A note from MelasD

No more extra chapters. This is a regular chapter. I have been awake for 36 hours. Someone kill me.

320. Daniel's Depth

“I am Daniel Song. And I am a [Hero] from Earth.”

There was a pause. Like a beat was skipped. You could hear a pin drop; the shuffling of feet. Daniel held his breath, waiting for this immortal moment to end. But it droned longer as the sea of people remained still.

Then time resumed. The surface tension broke. The silent crowd exploded into a babbling of voices. An avalanche of questions fell upon the young man from Earth.

He drew back, waving his hand and trying to placate the crowd. Each individual in the room wore different expressions. Faith was aghast. Clayton was in disbelief. Jorden was outraged, pointing at Daniel accusingly.

Salvos just tilted her head. Her confusion was evident.

“Huh. Everyone is upset.”

And they really were.

“A [Hero]? The return of the Demon King? This is absolutely ridiculous. Did this girl hire a troupe to put on a show for us?”

Jorden sputtered, glancing over at Salvos. Thorsten the [Archbishop] crossed his arms as he nodded in agreement.

“If this is meant to be a practical joke, it is not amusing. There hasn’t been a [Hero] summoning since Zacharius the Quisling.”

“I am not a liar. I am a [Hero]. I come from another world. From a place where there’s no magic. No Demons. No monsters. Where Elves and Dwarves exist only in fantasy or fiction. Where Humans are the only ones who live in cities. From Earth.”

The susurration died down. Clayton ran a hand through his beard.

“This young man… he’s being serious.”

“But can we believe him?”

Thorsten was dubious. Rightfully so. Daniel didn’t blame anyone for casting any aspersions his way.

The red-haired man— Lamarr of Traith— peered at the young man.

“You have made a bold claim, Mr Daniel Song. One that I cannot believe any sane man would lie about. But I cannot trust your words alone. Can you prove yourself to us?”

“Yes.”

Daniel answered simply. He reached over to a necklace around his neck and yanked it off. The obfuscation effect around him vanished. He smiled and spoke to the room.

“You may use [Identification] on me now. That is proof enough, is it not?”

Thorsten’s eyes widened, and Lamarr nodded. There were gasps. Murmurs filled the room. But some of those gathered still didn’t believe him. Particularly, Jorden Duron and the little girl Salvos brought.

“Lies. You can’t possibly believe this, can you, Headmaster Skyshredder?”

The Lord of Wimborne faced Clayton.

“It’s a trick! He’s using a Skill or artifact! He can’t be a [Hero]!”

The girl spoke indignantly. For some reason, she was even more upset than Jorden.

But Clayton Skyshredder shook his head. The Headmaster of Mavos Academy placed a hand on his chin in thought.

“I have not heard of an artifact or a Skill that’s capable of disguising one’s Class as a [Hero]. Even a Necklace of Total Obfuscation which can block out [Lesser Appraisal] isn’t capable of such an effect.”

“This can’t be… but there hasn’t been a summoning …”

Jorden tried to work his jaw. But Clayton’s confidence killed any doubts he had left. Gallus stood up, frowning.

“Perhaps this is a sign.”

“I beg your pardon, Sir Gallus?”

Lamarr raised a brow. But Thorsten nodded in agreement, gripping his robes.

“Alexander’s coming to our world was never hailed by a summoning. Not by Humankind. While it was never confirmed— while there are many theories as to how he came here— the most commonly believed idea stated in the Book of the Beginning is that Nexeus itself called him into the world. To save Humankind from destruction.”

Daniel blinked. He hadn’t known that was the case. Granted, he wasn’t very well-versed in theology. Not that there was much theology with the temples in the world.

Clayton narrowed his eyes, speaking in a low voice.

“An ill omen, then.”

“That is— if this is all true, this young man is the second coming of Alexander. But it does not bode well for our future.”

Thorsten raised a finger. To which, the awkwardness made Daniel decide it was time to speak up.

“I do not believe I am the second coming of Alexander.”

The young man dismissed their speculations with a sigh, but that only brought up more questions. How did he end up in the Nexeus? If not from the world itself, then he had to have been brought over somehow.

“An illegitimate summoning.”

Clayton came to the conclusion on his own. His brows creased as he spoke, and Thorsten sputtered to his right.

“That is… but [Hero] summonings are costly and dangerous. No lone individual could’ve possibly had the resources necessary to carry one out. It had to have been a powerful but desperate nation—”

He paused. Clayton’s head fractionally turned. The realization soon dawned on everyone else in the room. Daniel took in a deep breath as his eyes flickered to a frozen figure, standing to his left. The only one who hadn’t spoken even once since he made his reveal.

Faith El. The former princess of the Elutra Kingdom.

“Was Elutra the one responsible for this illegitimate [Hero] summoning?”

Clayton interrogated her, his voice calm, but there was something simmering within him. Disappointment? Anger? Perhaps. Daniel didn’t know. Behind Faith, one of the resistance members protested. Willow got to her feet, defending her princess.

“It was not princess Faith’s choice! King Credence made the decree and—”

“It’s fine, Willow.”

Faith raised a hand, giving her a melancholic smile. Jorden, the Lord of Wimborne, stepped forward with his arms crossed.

“Don’t tell me—”

He sneered, speaking condescendingly.

“Are you going to use the Demons in Inoria as an excuse to justify your illegitimate [Hero] summoning? Because that will not hold up against the Council of Cremont.”

Faith nodded.

“I understand that.”

She faced the room, taking in all the stares. The judgmental looks. The suspicious gazes directed towards her. Then she stopped as she caught sight of Daniel. The young man looked at her with a mixture of pity and indifference. He couldn’t lie and say he felt terrile for the situation he put her in.

After all, she was one of the main reasons why he’d even been in the situation he currently was in. But still, Faith stood straight and spoke.

“There was no legitimacy behind Elutra’s summoning of the [Hero] Daniel Song. I accept any and all crimes of my father. For breaking with the Council of Cremont’s decree at the Fifth Council at Alexandria. And for forcing an innocent life from another world to fight in our foolish war.”

Faith bowed her head. She bowed deep and low— unbefitting that of a princess. But she was no longer a princess. She’d admit just as much. Daniel narrowed his eyes. Was it a scheme? Was it a ploy? He was uncertain. He bubbled with an eclectic of emotions, watching her be inundated with questions.

Yet, she continued. She didn’t stop there. Her next words drew Daniel’s attention. More than anything else.

“I never once said this, Daniel Song. More than betraying the trust of other nations because of Elutra’s greed. Never once have I apologized to you. The young man who was forced into the role of a [Hero]. Ripped away from his own world and everything he once knew. I am sorry.”

Daniel blinked. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He stood there as Faith addressed the rest of the room once again. The emotions boiling within him… cooled. He placed a hand on his chest, an odd sense of calm washing over him. And deep within, he felt only one thing. He felt at peace. For this moment, he felt nothing but tranquility.

When he regained his bearings, Faith was still steadily answering the deluge of questions headed her way.

“Why did Elutra carry out a [Hero] summoning?”

“This is a crime equal to Inoria’s!”

“Both nations need to be punished in their actions during the war—”

Daniel felt the need to step in. He watched as Faith simply accepted the blame thrown her way. He started.

“I believe that she—”

But he couldn’t finish. Another voice spoke over him. Over everyone else in the room.

“So what?”

Salvos shrugged as heads turned her way. She glanced over at the [Will O’ Wisp] hovering over her shoulder.

“Does any of this make sense to you too, Willy?”

“All stupid!”

“See? He thinks it’s dumb. And he’s not very smart.”

“Wrong!”

The young woman chuckled, while the Grand Spirit flitted around her head indignantly. Salvos faced the rest of the room, looking over Clayton, Lamarr, Gallus, Thorsten, Valda, Faith— she held everyone’s gaze with no hesitation or fear in her eyes.

“Alright, Elutra summoned a [Hero]. And so what?”

Clayton shook his head as he explained.

“I understand that, as an adventurer, these issues do not matter to you, Salvos. However, there are consequences for every action. A single unruly [Hero] could bring about great devastation to the Human lands. If this young man had been like Zacharius—”

“Except, Daniel is not Zacharius. He’s nothing like that stupid Lich. We even killed that Lich together, didn’t we? That’s why he’s the Liberator of the Plaguelands!”

Salvos gestured at Daniel with a grin. She spread her arms wide.

“And even if that’s the case, that’s not the issue right now. I don’t know if you guys realize this, but the big problem isn’t what Elutra did years ago. It’s the Primeval Demon that’s currently running amok, and the Demons hiding in Inoria. We want to deal with them first before we should even think about punishing Faith, or about whatever kind of disaster Daniel would cause.”

She paused, tilting her head.

“Not like Daniel would do anything bad, anyway. He’s too nice.”

Daniel stared at Salvos as she spoke. Her demeanor was cheerful as always. And she focused on what was important. He nodded, speaking in agreement as he looked at Clayton Skyshredder.

“If you wish to keep me in check, then I am not opposed to it. But these matters are not what’s important right now. We don’t know where the Primeval Demon will strike next, and we need to stop the Demons in Inoria from bringing about the return of the Demon King.”

The room fell silent. Even Jorden didn’t argue with that. Thorsten cleared his throat.

“The girl and the Grand Spirit are right.”

The elderly man faced Salvos and Willy.

“We are being foolish, arguing with one another over these minor issues. This Demon threat is very real. More real than we believed. I trust emperor Rowyn’s words, and we can confirm the veracity of it with a single question in a [Truth Zone] spell afterwards. And more than anything, I trust that a Grand Spirit wouldn’t espouse or agree with these lies.”

He nodded sagely, then he furrowed his brows at the [Will O’ Wisp].

“Although… why do you seem so familiar?”

Willy shrank back.

“D-don’t know…”

Daniel realized something was going on, but Clayton continued.

“Now, we need to discuss a plan of action. Lamarr, Gallus, Thorsten, Jorden— will you bring this news of the Demon King back to your people? But I must ask that you ensure the news does not spread to the public.”

“It is only expected. I shall return to the Eastern Kingdoms and speak to the Seven Councilmembers.”

“I will try to talk to those I know within the Vaun Qieur Empire.”

Lamarr and Gallus agreed. Thorsten even smiled.

“As the [Archbishop] of the Den of Souls, I will speak to my people and to the [Archbishops] of the other sects.”

“Thank you.”

Clayton lowered his head. He looked over at Jorden, waiting. The Lord of Wimborne acquiesced.

“Very well. I suppose this is a matter that Shedos’ senate needs to discuss. I am still skeptical of some of the facts presented today, but it is undeniable that this Demon threat is far more dire than we had initially thought. We need to make preparations. Especially since we do not know where the Primeval Demon will strike next.”

A voice piped up, cutting him off. Salvos raised a hand.

“Oh, I actually know where Belzu is going next.”

“Belzu?”

Clayton frowned. Salvos waved a hand dismissively.

“Belzu— the Primeval Demon. He’s headed for Shedos next. He’s coming after the Norwood Family.”

“And why would he do that? How do you even know this?”

Jorden harrumphed, but Clayton closed his eyes.

“She is correct.”

Salvos paused. She looked over at him, perking up.

“You know about the Vampires too, Clayton? And why is Belzu targeting them?”

“Yes. I had been aware of that. Or, rather, I have made inferences based on the facts I know. But I cannot leave my post in Mavos Academy. I have sent warnings to Gannon Norwood himself. He has already agreed to leave Shedos with the Greaves of Alexander so the Primeval Demon will not enter the country.”

“The Greaves of Alexander? Wait… you mean Alexander’s Treasures? I thought those were a myth.”

Jorden raised a brow. Gallus, too, was puzzled.

“I have been under the same impression as well.”

Daniel would agree with both of them. He learned of the myth, and he always assumed that was what they were. He didn’t think they were real.

But Salvos shook her head.

“They are real. I even had the Breastplate of Alexander for a while!”

“Of course you did…”

The young man massaged his temples. Clayton spoke over him.

“If people know that the Primeval Demon is seeking Alexander’s Treasures, then there will be a panic. We must keep this discreet as well.”

“Very well, but…”

Jorden turned around. He faced Salvos, finally asking the question that might’ve been in many minds.

“How do you know all this? Are you not just an adventurer? You’re aware of the Primeval Demon’s name, you’re aware of the Demons in Inoria, you’re aware of the [Hero], and you’re aware of Alexander’s Treasures. I do not trust you.”

Daniel froze. It was indeed very suspicious. The young man felt a prickle run up his spine— fearing what could potentially happen next. Salvos was a prideful individual. If it was revealed she was a Demon here…

But no. Salvos just beamed.

“If you really want to know, it’s because Saffron Merryster is my companion, and I briefly fought Belzu on her behalf in Nightsveil. Also, I don’t care for you.”

She replied simply. Jorden sputtered.

“How dare—”

“That’s enough. The meeting shall be adjourned for today. We have gone over all the important matters, unless there are other issues that need to be brought up?”

No one spoke up. With a nod, Headmaster Skyshredder clapped his hands together and spoke in a clear voice.

“Then you may all take your leave.”

Salvos slumped back into her chair, sighing.

“Finally! It’s over…”

And they slowly left the room.

The meeting ended. It was a meeting with various peoples of power from all around the world. Everyone had their own takeaways from the discussion that was had. Not everyone contributed much to it. In fact, Valda would say she didn’t participate at all.

However, she still had her own takeaways.

“It’s a ruse…”

She told herself as she left the Tower of Truth. There was no way that low-leveled man was a [Hero]. He looked lost half the time someone was speaking. Meanwhile, Salvos had maintained her composure all the while.

Seriously, Salvos even had the Breastplate of Alexander at one point!

“That’s right. She’s just using that man as a cover. She has to be the real [Hero]...”

Valda was certain of it.

Daniel Song milled about the meeting room, even after it ended. There were still conversations to be had. He overheard Salvos speaking with the King of Traith.

“Aw, are you really going? So I won’t see you again anytime soon?”

“This is a matter that must be discussed in person. Unlike Gallus, I cannot simply relay this information to a contact—”

Amanda walked up behind the young man.

“You actually had the balls to do it, huh? I must admit, I am quite impressed.”

“Not going to insult me today?”

He faced her with an intrigued look. She shrugged.

“Hey, I can be nice too, sometimes. Also, I can remind you that you’re a fucking moron any other day.”

“Of course.”

He rolled his eyes. He looked away from her, facing another woman in the room. Faith El. She stayed behind to answer any questions and clear up any misunderstandings. Jorden was hammering her with accusatory questions, but she took the brunt of it all with poise.

“Why not speak with her?”

Amanda asked, tilting her head. Daniel paused.

“Pardon?”

“You clearly want to say something to her. I don’t know what it is, but you’re just sitting here, staring at her like a creep. Why not just go up to her and say what you want to say?”

“That’s…”

Daniel hesitated. He looked down at the palm of his hand. Then he steeled himself as he clenched a fist.

“I… will.”

He got to his feet, starting past Amanda. He approached Faith as Jorden left, finally placated. The former princess drew back when Daniel reached her.

“Daniel…”

“Faith.”

She pursed her lips. The young man greeted her curtly. Neither one spoke immediately after. They waited for the other to say something, but both hesitated. And when they gathered the courage to continue, they interrupted each other.

“I truly meant what I said—”

“I do not blame—”

They paused. Faith shuffled her feet, but Daniel gestured for her to continue.

“You first.”

“Right.”

The former princess took in a deep breath and spoke.

“I truly meant what I said earlier. I know you do not trust me. That you think I am a conniving woman. Perhaps you are right about me. At one point, all I cared about was my self-interest. But I am truly sorry. For all that has been forced upon you.”

She brought a hand to her chest and hung her head.

“I am sorry, Daniel Song. From the very bottom of my heart: I apologize.”

Daniel listened. He felt his chest tighten. Then relax. He nodded at her, speaking simply.

“I do not blame you for what happened. I was summoned by King Credence, not you.”

Faith blinked as he spoke, vaguely motioning at her.

“The sins of the father should not fall upon his son. Nor should it fall to his daughter. If you had to pay retribution for your own actions, I believe you already did. There is no longer any reason for me to hold a grudge against you. That is why…”

He held her gaze. He saw the regret she buried deep within her, and spoke from his heart. With sincerity in his voice.

“I forgive you, Faith.”

Her eyes grew wide. She stood there in silence. Utterly at a loss for words. A moment passed. She said nothing. Then she laughed. A single teardrop streamed down her cheek as she brought her hand to cover her face.

“Thank you, Daniel Song. For your forgiveness, and for saving my life. Whether or not you are a [Hero] no longer matters, for you are truly an admirable person.”

He smiled at that. The moment dragged on as they stood before each other. Almost reminiscent of a memory long ago. When Daniel had thought he was in love— when he still believed in the lies of Elutra. He returned to the present when Faith wiped away her tears and spoke.

“I take it we cannot be friends, even after all this?”

Daniel thought about it for a moment. Faith was a beautiful woman. She was smart, elegant, and kind. He remembered their past. Then he shook his head.

“No.”

He replied with little hesitation.

“We cannot.”

Faith sighed— not bitter. Just a soft sigh.

“Thought so.”

Faith couldn’t lie and admit his final parting words hadn’t hurt her a little bit. But she couldn’t dwell on it. She had said her piece, and there were far more pressing issues to deal with. Daniel left as she returned to Willow and Gavyn. Neither of them said a word as she came to a halt.

“It seems I have lost the trust for our country today.”

Those who attended the meeting left with two things weighing in their mind. The first was the knowledge of the Demon King’s inevitable return— that was one of the reasons why Faith had come here. But the second was the fact that Elutra had also betrayed the rest of the Human lands, breaking with the Sixth Council at Alexandria.

“I know I promised you that we’ll save our country, but… it appears I failed to keep my word.”

The former princess felt her lips tremble. Her gaze darkened, and she continued.

“I tried, but I really didn’t know what to say. I had to win their trust. And when Daniel told them the truth— I-I couldn’t just…”

She trailed off. She didn’t look at either Willow or Gavyn. She’d failed the resistance.

“I am sorry. You shouldn’t place your faith in me. I am not fit to lead you—”

And she paused. She felt a hand touch her shoulder. She looked up as Gavyn nodded her way.

“You did the right thing.”

Willow agreed with him.

“You had no other choice. The situation was against you. But you got the truth out there.”

“But I…”

And a smaller voice spoke over her. Emperor Rowyn approached Faith from behind, shaking his head.

“You did the right thing. It was the only thing you could do. For the sake of your country, you bore all the blame. That is what a true leader does.”

The boy gave her a reassuring smile.

“I know you don’t want to hear a lecture from me. Not from either a child or your enemy. But what you did today was admirable. I truly hope that, at the end of all this, your country can be returned to you from those evil Demons as Inoria will be returned to me.”

“But you’re…”

Faith stared at him. He bowed at her.

“And if the Council of Cremont decrees a crusade against your nation, I swear as the emperor of Inoria I shall ensure my country sides with you.”

She spun around as Willow spoke up.

“No matter what happens, you are our leader. We trust you.”

Gavyn folded his arms.

“And we shall retake our country no matter what.”

Faith felt her lips curl up. She met their gazes.

“Thank you… all of you…”

When she spoke, a voice echoed in her head. One that made the former princess pause. That made her eyes grow wide. She clenched a fist, a myriad of emotions passing through her. Finally, she raised her chin and nodded.

“I promise I will not fail you again.”

[Title Available]

Title for Great Feats:

Requirements for one Title have been met!

Titles:

(Fallen Queen of Elutra)

You have defended your country to the bitter end, and yet you still fight. For—

I strolled alongside Willy as we left the meeting room. He hid behind me, trying to keep out of sight from Thorsten Siegfrid.

“So… what is that about?”

“N-nothing!”

The [Will O’ Wisp] refused to answer. I chuckled, not pressing it much further. I was just glad. Happy that it was all over.

“I can finally go find Saffron… maybe even tell her what happened today.”

Willy and I turned a corner as I excited bounced on my toes.

“I bet she’ll be so excited! She’ll finally have a bunch of powerful people on her side—”

I froze. Willy stared at me, puzzled.

“Something?”

I nodded stiffly.

“My clone…”

I turned to face the [Will O’ Wisp] with wide eyes.

“Is dead.”

A note from MelasD

Behold Slavos by the phenomenal FuyuDust.

This is the greatest thing I've ever seen.

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321. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part One

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Kairos by Void Herald!

Divine power is not given. It is taken.

It's been centuries since mortals unlocked the secrets of the Fate System and overthrew Mount Olympus, leaving the Old Gods dead and their thrones empty.

Kairos, a young pirate with the ability to speak with animals, has dreams to ascend as the newest deity of a flooded world. Though it will take more than ambition, charisma, and a ship to do so.

He must sail the endless sea, tame fearsome monsters, and conquer new lands. The challenges are many, but he will face them all. For Kairos is a cunning [Rogue] indeed...

Amazon.com: Kairos: The Last Gods: A Greek Myth & Pirate LitRPG eBook : Durand, Maxime J., Herald, Void: Kindle Store

321. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part One

Saffron Merryster closed her eyes.

“All for naught…”

She bemoaned her sorrows as she lay in her bed.

“It was all for naught.”

Roman Crimsonfang had rejected the request for aid. He wouldn’t support either the Norwood or Merryster Families. He’d accuse them of attempting to take his life. An assassin that had killed his bodyguards. One that had nearly taken Saffron’s life too.

It was ridiculous. It was utterly ridiculous. He was their only chance— he was one of the few members of the Crimsonfang Family who was on speaking terms with the Norwoods. Let alone the Merrysters. But now all contact was cut.

That reaction was far too emotional. Far too brash. Yet, Roman was a boy. Saffron could, to some extent, understand his reasoning. But it still pissed her off.

“That absolutely f— no, I can’t swear. I have to keep my cool.”

She breathed deeply as she forced herself out of her bed. It was morning. The day after the attempt at her life. Salvos was gone— or, rather, the Salvos clone was gone. Which meant that Saffron had no bodyguard. No protection.

If another Demon assassin came for her life…

Saffron had to shake away the thought.

“I can’t rely on Salvos for everything.”

That was right. While Saffron was grateful for what Salvos had done for her so far, she was still a noble. She still had her pride. A Vampire of the upper class. Someone who should’ve been ale to deal with her own problems on her own.

“I’ll figure out a way to resolve this.”

No matter what shrewd tactic she’d have to rely on, she was going to get Roman Crimsonfang to agree to talks.

—--

“I said I’m leaving today.”

Roman Crimsonfang strode for Norwood Keep’s gates. The hallway leading to the exit was still damaged from yesterday. The fighting between the Salvos clone and the Archdemon had been intense, even if it was enclosed in a small area.

Workers moved to repair the walls and the gate. Saffron could hear the heavy beating of hammer on nails and wood as she came to a halt behind Roman and Zin Norwood. The former Matriarch of the Norwood Family tried to convince the boy to stay. To change his mind.

“Please, this is a matter beyond just the relations between our families. If you wait for my son to arrive, he’ll be able to explain—”

“That’s enough.”

Roman shook his head, unrelenting.

“I have already made up my mind. My bodyguards… my friends. I should not have come here under your request. If I had known this would happen, I would’ve spat on your letter and sent it back to you.”

“But we did not—”

Zin started, and he waved a hand.

“I will no longer listen to your excuses.”

He marched down the corridor, only to stop when he saw Saffron. The young noble had noticed the argument and moved to act. She blocked his path with her arms crossed. Zin narrowed her eyes.

“Saffron—”

“Wait, Zin. Let me speak with Lord Roman.”

Zin hesitated, but she saw the look in Saffron’s eyes. A red, glinting look. Saffron knew what she was doing. It was risky ploy. However, she was desperate.

There was no other chance, and Roman was acting ridiculous. The only way to combat an unreasonable act is to be unreasonable herself.

“Greetings, Lord Roman. I heard you have decided to leave after yesterday’s attempt at your life.”

The boy frowned.

“After your assassination attempt failed, I would be foolish to stay in the Norwood Keep any longer. I am leaving, and none of your lies can convince me to stay.”

“Indeed. I am certain you won't change your mind. However, I have come to say farewell. And… good luck.”

Saffron tilted her head slightly as she spoke. Roman blinked.

“What are you talking about?”

“Without a bodyguard or an entourage, it will not be an easy trip back to your estates. It will already be dangerous traversing with the threat of monsters. However, knowing that you are under the threat of assassins as well?”

His eyes widened as she continued.

“Well… perhaps if you find an adventurer whose level is high enough, you will be able to return unscathed. If fortune favors the bold, surely a Diamond Ranked adventurer would be waiting for you in Strawford.”

“I-I…”

The boy hesitated, and Saffron shrugged.

“Of course, if you remain in Norwood Keep, perhaps Zin Norwood herself can offer you her protection from these assassins. Or maybe your good friend Gannon Norwood would be of help. He is returning in under a week’s time, after all. If there’s anyone you can trust, it can be him. Alas, you will be gone by then.”

It was intimidation. Saffron didn’t like it, but she had to do what was needed. And if it meant tricking a boy by subtly threatening his life— even if it was a false threat— then she’d do it.

Roman quivered. He drew back, speaking in a hurried voice.

“I believe I have changed my mind.”

He cleared his throat, spinning around.

“I was not aware that Gannon Norwood would be returning in a few days’ time. I would like to greet him and give him my regards before I am to depart. Even if it means staying with those callous Merrysters.”

Zin nodded eagerly, jumping on this opportunity.

“I assure you, Lord Roman, we will offer you our finest bodyguards and keep an eye out on the Merrysters—”

Saffron sighed in relief as she watched Roman walk further back into Norwood Keep. She’d done it. All by herself. She had to play her hand aggressively if she wanted to keep up with the politicking between the Greater Vampire Families.

“Now, I just have to wait for Gannon to actually get here…”

What was she going to do until then?

—--

Saffron didn’t remain idle. Two days passed, and she spoke to every person of import who was present in Norwood Keep. Individuals from lesser Vampire families were coming to represent their stance in the upcoming meeting. It was a gathering called by the Norwood and Merryster Family. Mostly pertaining to the Norwood Family, since Gannon was going to be there.

He was one of the few individuals who remained sensible throughout everything that had happened in the last few months. That was why Roman had been here.

The fact that Roman Crimsonfang wasn’t going to leave, and was going to represent his family at this meeting, meant that Saffron now had some sway. She wrote a message to Father on the day of Roman’s decision to remain, telling him about the news. Now, she heard back from him.

The Veridian Family has agreed to accompany us to the meeting. We will be showing up with their representatives tomorrow.

That was all that had been written on the communication artifact. Saffron sighed in relief, glad that things were finally beginning to move in the right direction. Now she just had to ensure things sailed smoothly at the meeting itself.

She went to find her sister to prepare and plan for what was to come. The young noble still had her speech— her ultimatum— but she wasn’t sure if that was necessary anymore. Mons Merryster would be able to aid her in making the right call.

Saffron found her sister milling about the dining room. The older Merryster sibling was sipping on a cup of tea all on her own.

“Mons, I was searching for you.”

“I can tell, sister. Come, sit.”

Mons patted the velvet cushion next to her. Saffron fluffed her dress before taking a seat.

“What is going on?”

“Hush. Listen.”

“Listen?”

Saffron narrowed her eyes. She heard a voice from the other room. Someone was yelling. It was a male’s voice. It took the young noble a moment, but she recognized the source of the voice.

Mardyth Norwood. Zin’s brother.

“I told you… this meeting is a shameless power grab—”

His words were clipped. Saffron couldn’t make out everything that was said. Eventually, the shouting died down, and a door down the hallway was flung open. Saffron watched as an old figure marched down the hallway. Mardyth stormed off, before Zin slowly walked out of the room with a sigh.

She glanced over at the Merryster siblings. The older Merryster sister simply took a sip from her cup of tea, while Saffron struggled to find something to pretend to be doing. Zin rolled her eyes.

“You girls overheard, didn’t you?”

“Indeed.”

Mons answered simply. Zin sighed.

“I shouldn’t have expected anything less from you two…”

“What happened, lady Zin?”

Saffron stood up, brows furrowing. The former Matriarch of the Norwood Family shrugged.

“My brother is against the meeting. He fears another assassination attempt may be carried out on the day of. He thinks it is a ploy by the Crimsonfangs to ruin both our family’s reputation, while also taking out certain influential targets.”

“What makes him think that? It was a Demon assassin. No Vampire family in their right mind would employ the use of Demons for their own dirty work”

That sounded ridiculous. Mons didn’t seem to believe it either. But Zin shrugged.

“It is a somewhat sound theory. Roman’s parents are, rightfully so, upset about what happened. They have demanded reparation and Roman’s safe return to them. Otherwise, they will retaliate.”

Saffron’s eyes widened.

“Are they being serious?”

More politics? More crap Saffron would have to wade through? No— calm down. She breathed slowly, regaining her composure.

“Do you think Mardyth’s accusations hold any credibility? If the Crimsonfangs are really the ones behind this—”

“I do not know.”

Zin shook her head, speaking curtly.

“I would rather not speculate. However, I shall tell the both of you this one thing: simply be prepared for anything to happen. I will try to look out for you, but I have my own family to watch over. Without your friend—”

“I know.”

Saffron closed her eyes. Salvos wasn’t here. But that didn’t matter. The young noble could handle it on her own.

“It is not Salvos’ mess to clean up.”

“My, sister, you are acting as if this is your job to do alone.”

Mons covered her mouth as she spoke. Saffron shook her head.

“Maybe not. But someone has to do the dirty work. And if everyone is too afraid to step up because of their fear of some kind of repercussion, then I will do it all myself.”

With that, Saffron came to a decision. She would give them all her ultimatum. The political battle for status, wealth, and soft power didn’t matter when their situation was compromised. When they were all exposed as Vampires.

And, finally, the day of the gathering of Greater Vampire Families arrived. Saffron was going to put an end to the needless squabbling once and for all. All by herself.

There was a snap. The clone fluttered into existence as ribbons of golden flames coalesced into the shape of a young woman. Loose gatherings of figures stood in silhouette. The sun dipped over the horizon, and the clone raised her head.

Go find Saffron, the original said. Make sure she’s safe, alright? Tell her I’ll be getting to her soon. I’ve just been caught in an annoying mess.

And the clone obeyed. She luxuriated in the idea of meeting her companion. The lengthy convalescence from their time together would only heighten the vim of their reunion. Her wings spread wide, her body a mere thrall to her excitement, as she departed into the darkening sky. An endless canvas spread out before her. The wheeling stars blazed like smelter pots, illuminating the vast landscape.

The clone saw many things. Undulating hills. Dense forests. Passing over monsters and animals, driven by languor back to their nests. Black clouds emplaned a deluge upon a town. The torchlight twinkled and fizzled out as figures rushed through the raw mud streets.

She landed at the fringe where buildings melded into trees. The rain hammered into her back, simmering into a thin mist of white. A passerby collapsed and pointed.

What are you? asked the Human.

The clone did not answer. She took in the sign. Names were poorly etched onto the wooden board.

Please don’t kill me, the Human begged stupidly.

The sign pointed in different directions. Lightning flashed in the background, followed by a booming thunder. The clone flew off and left the Human alone.

She drifted over the dark clouds as the storm continued. The sea appeared up ahead, and a small city rose up at the edge of the tideline. Fishermen dragged their boats where the sea was teething, bringing back their haul as the day came to a close.

The clone landed amongst them, and they ran screaming. She pulled them back with a Skill, pointing at the peaking buildings behind the city wall.

What do you want? they asked. We have nothing to give you.

She cocked her head, gesturing at the city once more. They exchanged confused glances, and one of them answered.

The city? It’s Eastcliff! At the northern border of Shedos! the Human exclaimed.

The clone nodded at them, grateful, before letting them go. She stood there and watched the shoreline draw closer. The tides grew more animated. The turbulent tempest sent a surf blooming into the beach. The cobbled clouds above dispersed. The sea stilled. A sudden change.

She didn’t take in the pulchritudinous scene. The supremely wondrous weather was but a mere observation in her head. Rather, she gathered her position, using the accrued moments to ascertain the city in relation to her destination.

Finally, the clone surmised her location: she was lost.

A note from MelasD

The last section with the Salvos clone was an attempt at replicating Cormac McCarthy's style. If you don't know who he is, he's an author famous for only using periods and commas. He says, "I believe in periods, in capitals, in the occasional comma, and that’s it."

Very interesting fellow, and I love his style.

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322. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Two

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Morcster Chef by Actus!

It's lasagna time!

After successfully ranking up together with the rest of the Happy Sunflowers, Arek and his party are ready to kick back and enjoy some much needed relaxation. However, they can't can't seem to stay out of trouble for long. After mistakenly angering a ruthless guild, they are forced to flee Riverfall.

They set off for Red Mount, hoping to wait out the storm, but an even greater threat lies in wait for them. Arek's old life threatens to spill out into his new one as the magical runes he had destroyed slowly gain power once more, but he's determined to keep cooking for those in need - even if it costs him everything.

Book 2 in the Morcster Chef Series is here. Join Arek on another adventure against unexpected enemies and burnt crust.

Amazon.com: Into the Fire: A LitRPG Fantasy Cooking Adventure (Morcster Chef Book 2) eBook : Actus: Kindle Store

322. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Two

It was the day of the meeting. A gathering of all Four Greater Vampire Families. Their thralls and other lesser Vampire Families were present as well, but the focus was clearly on the Merrysters, the Crimsonfangs, the Norwoods, and the Veridians.

“Greetings, Lord Ulli Veridian and lady Anya Veridian. It has been a while since we last spoke. I am glad to see that you were able to come today.”

Saffron Merryster bowed at the couple as they strolled through the gilded hallway of Norwood Keep. Ulli Veridian was the brother of Obert Veridian, the current Patriarch of their family. He returned a smile, offering her pleasantries and nothing more.

“It is a pleasure, Lady Saffron.”

They ambled on. Saffron turned to face the small crowd streaming down the hallway. She was, of course, keeping up appearances. Once the meeting began, if there were any pushacks towards the collaboration of all the Greater Vampire Families against the Primeval Demon, she would drop her facade. Before that, she’d, of course, have to tell the rest of her family about her plan.

Mons and Feirdun were already aware. The former fully supported her, although the latter was apprehensive. Not that he could even intervene. He was still injured from the battle with the [Arachne] assassin. Now, all that was left for Saffron to do was to inform Father of her scheme. And if the Veridians were already here, that meant he should be arriving soon.

Sure enough, she spotted Crocus Merryster striding through the hallway followed by a retinue of men and women bearing the Merryster sigil.. He wore regal robes befitting the event. Neither Mother nor her other brothers were with him. He was surrounded only by servants and bodyguards.

“Father!”

Saffron exclaimed, running up to the man. His rough face softened as she reached him. A smile spread through his lips.

“My daughter. I am glad to see that you are still well.”

“Indeed, Father. Mons is entertaining the guests, but Feirdun is— unfortunately— still healing from his injuries.”

“The assassin, yes.”

Crocus’ eyes flickered. He shook his head, patting Saffron on her shoulder.

“Nevertheless, I am proud of you. The three of you. My own meetings with the Veridians didn’t prove productive. While Obert had been willing to talk, he didn’t intend to compromise his advantage over the Norwoods if there wasn’t going to be total cooperation.”

“That is about as expected.”

Saffron massaged her temples, walking alongside her father as they reached the garden.

“What about Brother? How is he?”

“I had asked Cinne to remain with Zahra and the other children. To protect them and keep them safe. While I don’t believe our family will be targeted now that the Breastplate of Alexander is no longer in our hands… that news of the assassin you had brought up to me… it is best to be on guard.”

Technically, Saffron was still a child in Crocus’ eyes. He had even forbidden her to follow Mons and Feirdun to the Norwood estates. But she wouldn’t listen, and he had no choice but to acquiesce.

She shook her head as she caught sight of Mons. The older Merryster sibling was seated next to Zin Norwood. They nodded at each other, and Saffron sighed.

“Well, let us hope for the best. But I must warn you, Father, this meeting may not go as smoothly as you think. Mardyth Norwood claims that the Crimsonfangs are scheming. They plan to make a move, and I believe it may lead to bloodshed and death.”

“Are you certain?”

Crocus furrowed his brows. His hands instinctively reached for the blade at his side. Saffron nodded.

“At least, from what I have been told, it is plausible. But I have also made my own schemes. The Crimsonfangs cannot act if all three other Greater Vampire Families are united against them.”

It was a speech. What could simple words do? Well, Saffron was going to find out.

“Father, I will be giving an ultimatum today.”

“An ultimatum?”

He paused. Saffron sighed, glancing around the gathering. A banquet table was being set up as servants hurried about to bring out the dishes. Alcohol was being served alongside an unlabeled red liquid. Blood— from animals, likely.

Those didn’t have the same effects as drinking Human blood. They offer anything for a Vampire’s [Bloodlust]. But they tasted sweet, and that was enough for them to be served today. No one was listening. Still, Saffron set up a quick silencing barrier around her and Crocus.

“We cannot waste any more time. If everyone’s going to squabble over their own personal interests, then I shall remove that obstacle.”

“You don’t mean—”

Father’s eyes grew wide. Saffron placed a hand on her lips. Even with a silencing spell, she was certain a few individuals could be eavesdropping. Especially if the Crimsonfangs overheard her.

Crocus crossed his arms.

“That is a risky game, Saffron. A bold course of action.”

“I know, but we have no other choice. You can’t stop me, Father. I’ll do what must be done.”

“Stop you?”

He chuckled, smiling at Saffron.

“You have my full support, my daughter. In fact, I am glad I brought him now that I’ve heard this.”

“Him?”

She blinked. And Crocus gestured for a man further back in his retinue. A familiar figure strolled forward, bowing his head towards Saffron.

“Matthew?”

“Indeed, Lady Saffron.”

It was her butler. Her personal caretaker. He was the one who’d been looking after Saffron since she was but a child.

“But why are you here? Father— Matthew isn’t a fighter. You shouldn’t have brought him along!”

Especially if Mardyth and Zin were right. But Crocus shook his head.

“I did not intend to bring him along. However…”

He gestured at the butler. Matthew lowered his head.

“I apologize, but I had insisted to your father that I be brought along with him on this trip. It has been far too long since I’ve checked up on you, and it is my duty to ensure your safety above all else.”

“But…”

The butler smiled, reassuring Saffron.

“Perhaps you may think of me simply as a butler, Lady Saffron. But I see myself as your protector. And while I may not be equal to a Platinum Ranked adventurer, the same could be said for you, could it not? I am sorry, but this is my own selfish request. To the Lady whom I’ve watched after since she was but a mere girl.”

The young noble flushed. She shuffled her feet slightly, lowering her gaze.

“Very well, Matthew. I suppose your help could be used. However, I ask that you keep an eye out, more than anything, for any suspicious activities. We do not want an incident to occur today.”

“Yes, Lady Saffron.”

Her butler bowed. She ushered Father, Matthew, and their retinue towards the table where Zin and Mons were seated. She was about to join in on the chatter when a figure caught her eye. A susurration washed over the gathering.

A familiar man. A man who she’d been engaged with in the past. Gannon Norwood. The unwilling Patriarch of the Norwood Family. One of the top senators of Shedos. He walked alongside Roman Crimsonfang, placating the boy. Probably in regards to the assassination attempt the other day.

Saffron drew to her feet. This was the first time she’d seen Gannon since the auction in Mavos Academy with Salvos— where an Elf attack had nearly taken Ivonne Vigil’s life. The young noble made her way towards him to greet him. He likely just arrived from the Capital of Shedos. She, of course, would like to have a word with him before the gathering officially began.

But as Saffron edged her way there through the crowd, she bumped into one of the servants. A woman carrying a tray of cake and other sweet treats. Saffron must not have been paying attention because she barely noticed her.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!”

The servant exclaimed. Saffron stumbled back as the woman spun around to face her.

“What are you doing, Fictus? Stop being an idiot!”

A manservant who’d been accompanying the woman snapped.

“I didn’t mean to mess up!”

Saffron dusted herself off.

“I am fine. Do not worry.”

She glanced up at the two servants. They were identical to each other. Twins? Although, the man had red hair, and the woman had blue hair.

“I must apologize, but I am in a rush. Please do not blame yourself for this. It was as much my fault as it is yours.”

The woman smiled.

“Aw, thank you so much. See? There wasn’t a problem, Mentior—”

Saffron just started past them, not thinking twice about the interaction. Not until she reached Gannon. She blinked. Wait—

“Ah, it is good to see you’re well, Lady Saffron.”

Gannon smiled at her. Roman wasn’t with him any longer— the boy had found a seat all by himself. Saffron narrowed her eyes before turning back to the senator.

“Lord Gannon Norwood. It has been a few months since we last spoke.”

“Please, I keep telling you to just call me Gannon. Or senator Gannon.”

“I’d rather not be reprimanded for impropriety. Not today, when you are meant to be representing your family during this meeting.”

“You’re always so uptight, aren’t you?”

He chuckled. She smiled as well. They’d known each other for quite a while. And even if their arranged marriage had been called off— because of Saffron— he didn’t bear her any ill will. Instead, he cast his gaze around the busy garden.

“Where’s your friend?”

“My friend?”

“You know who I’m talking about. That adventurer who you were quite fond of.”

His lips curled up, teasing. Saffron blinked.

“Salvos?”

“Yes, her. Or have the both of you gone beyond mere friends now?”

“We are just friends. That’s it. Please do not spread rumors about my relationship with Salvos.”

The young noble scowled. Gannon drew back, placing a hand on his chin.

“I’d have thought she was your type. A fine young lady like here sure piques your interest. And do not worry about me. You should be more afraid of my mother and her gossip.”

“I’ll ask you not to disrespect lady Zin, please. Your mother is a wonderful woman. And no— please stop casting weird aspersions on my friendship with Salvos. It makes me uncomfortable.”

“I assume, then, you wouldn’t mind me trying to court your friend?”

“Good luck. You may as well try courting a rock.”

Saffron snorted. Gannon laughed at that. The pair strode towards the main table that had been set up, only pausing to speak with the various people of import who went to greet the Patriarch of the Norwood Family.

“Hello aunt Sabine. Yes, I am still a senator. No, Saffron and I haven’t been engaged in quite a while. Lord Bast, I am glad to see your family is doing well. And, ah, uncle Mardyth.”

The elderly man glanced up as Gannon called out to him.

“Hm?”

“It is good to see you’re still in good health. I see you’re here on your own today. Is aunt Emeline not attending? She’s usually inseparable from you.”

“My wife has other, more important matters to attend to.”

Mardyth grunted, hobbling past Gannon. Saffron raised a brow. Emeline had been one of Saffron’s distant cousins who’d married into the Norwood Family. Saffron didn’t realize it, but she hadn’t seen Emeline once since arriving at Norwood Keep.

That’s odd… Saffron glanced back at Mardyth as he headed away from the garden. A pair of figures marched their way past him along with a large retinue of bodyguards. She recognized them immediately. They were Roman’s parents.

“They’re actually here. That’s Garlen and Bonny Crimsonfang. They really came all the way over here from the Eastern Kingdoms, huh?”

They were both around Level 100 each. Not as high-leveled as Crocus, of course. But strong enough to fend for themselves.

“Where is our son?”

They reached Gannon and made the demand immediately. Saffron pursed her lips, but Gannon just gave them a calm smile.

“Greetings, Lord Garlen and Lady Bonny. I can assure you, my mother has taken great care of your son during his stay at Norwood Keep. He has been eagerly awaiting your arrival, but he is just fine.”

Gannon took a step to the side, gesturing at Roman who was seated by his lonesome. The boy had been digging into a slice of cake before pausing. Gannon called out.

“Roman, your parents are here—”

“Roman!”

Bonny shoved past Gannon, running up to the boy. She helped him to his feet and dragged him away from the table.

“We were so worried about you. Are you alright? Are you— Roman?”

The boy wasn’t responsive. Saffron looked at the glazed look in his eyes. She glanced back, remembering the strange servants. The duo who’d been bringing with them an array of treats to the table. She understood what happened immediately, even if it took Roman’s parents a moment to register it.

“Roman?”

Garlen ran up to him. The boy swayed back and forth before dropping to the ground.

“Roman!”

They exclaimed. Gannon’s eyes grew wide. Saffron clenched a fist and shouted for everyone to hear.

“The cakes are poisoned!”

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323. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Three

323. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Three

Poison. Roman Crimsonfang had been poisoned. The boy was a noble. An important member of one of the Four Greater Vampire Families. The Crimsonfangs had a strong influence over many parts of the Eastern Kingdoms— a wide reach covering multiple city states and even larger nations.

But now, he was poisoned. During the meeting held by the Norwoods, no less.

“My boy! What did you do to my boy?”

Bonny— Roman’s mother— screamed as she cradled him in her arms. He wasn’t responding. His face was sickly green. The whites in his eyes writhed as his body jolted. Blood sputtered out of his lungs, gargling in his throat.

“We need a healer! Someone get—”

Saffron stood, frozen for a moment as her mind whirred. She considered the facts. The information. She remembered the two servants. She thought of the way Mardyth had been acting— the accusations he’d thrown at the Crimsonfangs a day before the meeting even began.

Her eyes narrowed as Garlen— Roman’s father— shouted.

“You bastards poisoned my son!”

He drew a wand from his belt, aiming it dangerously at Gannon Norwood. His bodyguards readied their weapons as the tension bubbled like the froth from Roman’s mouth. At any moment, the boy could die. At any moment, fighting would break out.

Gannon himself was still trying to cool the situation. He was a senator of Shedos— the Patriarch of the Norwood Family. If anything happened between him and the Crimsonfang Family, it would mean war.

War between the Vampire Families. More unnecessary bloodshed whilst the Primeval Demon rampaged. While Regnorex was at the gates.

No. Saffron wouldn’t allow it. She moved swiftly— deftly. Her gloved hands reached into her purse. An ornate Bag of Holding designed to be fashionable. And she produced a vial.

She approached Roman as he lay in his mother’s arms. Bonny wept, focused only on her son. Garlen tried to stop Saffron.

“What are you doing? Get away—”

“Do you wish to save your son?”

Saffron spoke simply. The man blinked.

“I-I…”

“We don’t have much time. This poison is fast-acting. We have to stall it until an antidote is provided.”

Behind her, the world seemed to slow. The stand-off was forgotten. All that mattered was the boy’s life. Garlen pursed his lips, stepping to the side.

“Fine.”

Saffron knelt next to the boy. She held up the vial as his mother blinked.

“W-what is that? Will it help him…?”

“It’s Demon’s blood. It should help.”

Bonny’s eyes grew wide as Saffron tipped it over. Thank you, Salvos. Saffron breathed deeply She slowly poured the black liquid into the boy’s mouth. Drop by drop. It mixed with the crimson blood, flowing down his throat. Saffron didn’t stop until the vial was empty. And when it was, she produced another vial of the Demon’s blood.

“It won’t do much. But he’ll level. And it’ll raise his Vitality.”

That was what they needed right now. A way to buy time. This was all Saffron could provide. That, and—

“Matthew.”

She called her butler to her side. He was behind her in an instant. Undoing her hairpin, she turned to face him.

“Please, could I borrow a bit of your blood?”

“Yes, Lady Saffron.”

She felt bad for doing this. But it was what needed to be done. Even after giving Roman two vials of Demon blood, he was still convulsing. He looked better. At least, he wasn’t still gargling his own blood. And his body was more limp. Although that could be a bad sign.

Saffron identified him, and she saw that the Demon’s blood had brought him up nearly ten levels. As expected, especially considering the source of the blood. But all that would do was delay. Just like what Saffron was doing now.

“I’m sorry.”

She winced as she stabbed Matthew’s palm with the hairpin. Her butler didn’t even blink. His blood dripped slowly onto Roman’s tongue, and a red glow came from the boy’s eyes.

This wasn’t Demon’s blood. It wasn’t Vampire’s blood. It was mortal blood. Human blood. The blood of someone who was nearly five times Roman’s level. His [Bloodlust] would kick in. It would heighten all his senses and abilities. And perhaps it would help him through this.

Saffron took advantage of the Racial Skills of a Vampire. She hoped it would be enough. Roman still had a pulse, and finally, the healer arrived.

“Excuse me— sorry!”

She stepped back as the healer got to work. Bonny clutched the boy’s arm the entire time. Now, she just had to wait. Garlen lowered his wand, looking at his son in worry.

“We can only hope now.”

That was all she said. Garlen clicked his tongue.

“Who would do this? How dare… I’ll make them pay.”

He spun around to face Gannon.

“If you really didn’t do this, I demand you find the one responsible. Else there will be trouble.”

“I…”

Saffron faced Gannon. The Patriarch of the Norwood Family shuffled his feet, clearly uncertain. Sighing, Saffron spoke as she walked between the two.

“I may know who was responsible.”

Her eyes flickered. She faced Zin who was standing and watching. The other woman’s eyes widened, and Saffron shook her head.

“Where is Mardyth Norwood?”

—-

“Unhand me right this instant!”

Mardyth Norwood, Zin’s brother and Gannon’s uncle, was dragged back to the garden by a familiar man. Feirdun Merryster. Saffron’s eyes glinted red as she caught sight of her injured brother.

“I found him sneaking his way out of Norwood Keep. I heard shouts, and I knew something happened.”

Mardyth glared as he shrugged Feirdun off. He faced Gannon.

“What is going on?”

“Is it true, Mardyth? Were you the one responsible for poisoning the feast?”

Gannon approached him. The Patriarch of the Norwood Family crossed his arms. Mardyth blinked, sputtering in indignation.

“Preposterous! What proof do you have of this accusation?”

“Where exactly were you going, lord Mardyth? Because it almost seems like you were planning on fleeing.”

Saffron held the man’s gaze. He narrowed his eyes at her,

“The Merryster girl…”

“And considering that your own wife isn’t present, I suspect that you had already made preparations to evacuate her, haven’t you?”

He shot a glare at Gannon.

“Are you really going to trust this scheming woman over your own uncle? Where is Zin? I have to speak with her. I knew this would happen—”

“You were trying to instill doubt in your own sister’s mind. You tried to make her believe that the Crimsonfang Family would assassinate their own son to provoke a war. That is ridiculous. The only schemer here is you.”

Saffron spoke over him. She knew what he was doing. He was accusing others of the very same things he was doing. But she wasn’t going to let him out of this.

“And if you want to speak with your sister so much, why not talk to her then?”

Mardyth frowned. He craned his neck, looking behind him. Zin Norwood was returning from the keep. She held under her arm a tome, and her face was pale.

“What…?”

“We checked his room as you suggested, Saffron.”

Her lips were pursed. She held up the tome— blood was staining its outside.

“We found this. It was written by Kolton, the [Cult Leader] of the Netherworld’s Communion. It’s a manual on Demon summoning.”

There were gasps. A susurration washed over the crowd. Even Mons and the rest of the Merrysters were surprised. Gannon stared at his uncle.

“This means… that assassin who attacked Norwood Keep…”

“That is correct.”

Saffron nodded. She thought it had been odd. How did an Archdemon break through Norwood Keep’s defenses without alerting anyone? The answer was simple— it came from inside.

“You were the one responsible for summoning that [Arachne], weren’t you? It only makes sense. It didn’t target Zin. It didn’t target any of the Norwoods. It came for my life, and for Roman’s. You accused the Crimsonfangs for doing exactly what you were planning to do.”

“That is ridiculous! I… I don’t know how that got into my room. It was planted there by the Merryster girl. Zin—”

Mardyth turned to his sister. But Zin didn’t budge. She shifted her feet and sighed.

“We also found… a corpse.”

This caught Saffron off-guard.

“What? A corpse?”

Well, that made sense. There had to be sacrifices to summon an Archdemon. But Saffron expected hundreds of corpses. Servants. But no— it was a single corpse.

“The body of his wife, Emeline, was found hidden in a secret passageway. It seems like she was his sacrifice to summon the [Arachne].”

There was a pause. Zin’s words washed over all those gathered. The Norwoods. The Crimsonfangs. The Veridians. The Merrysters. The lesser Vampire Families. They took it in. And they all exploded in outrage.

The first to speak was Garlen Crimsonfang. His wife was still tending to Roman with the healer, but he and his bodyguards drew their weapons.

“Have you no honor? Betraying our creed? Summoning a Demon? Slaying your own wife? You are a monster who deserves to be put down this instant!”

Crocus Merryster stepped forward as well.

“As the head of the Merryster Family, I cannot let this injustice slide. Emeline had been a proud Merryster before we entrusted her in your care! And you murdered her for your own gain!”

Even Gannon was upset. He faced his uncle with callous eyes.

“You have committed a grave sin, uncle. And for what?”

But Mardyth wasn’t apologetic. He clenched his fist and spat back at Saffron.

“Why? Because you Merrysters think you can come into my keep and make orders to my people? Isn’t that ridiculous to anyone else?”

He spread his arms wide, facing the crowd.

“What about you? Lord Garlen Crimsonfang? And you, lady Anya Veridian? Do you think it is right that this little brat can give you orders? I can understand my nephew’s foolishness. After all, he is infatuated with her after she ended their engagement. But the rest of you?”

He shook his head.

“Utterly ridiculous. I cannot believe you’d let a Merryster girl do this to you. Have you no pride? Are you lesser families or are you of the Four Greater Vampire Families?”

Saffron furrowed her brows. She watched as his words swept over the crowd. Garlen hesitated. The Veridians exchanged a glance. The silence was oppressive. The young noble knew that they saw merit in what Mardyth said. It was a compelling argument for those gathered here.

And it also served as her tipping point.

“I have had enough of this nonsense!”

Her voice reverberated throughout the garden. She met the gaze of every individual Vampire gathered here, speaking loud and clear for all to hear.

“These games have gone on for too long. What does politics and power matter when we’re all dead on the ground? Must I remind you that there is a Primeval Demon out there, rampaging throughout the Human lands? One that felled the entire country of Nixa? No amount of petty power you hold here matters in the face of that monster. And it is coming after us.”

She paused. Saffron looked down at her bloodied hairpin and closed her eyes.

“No— it is not coming after us Merrysters. We no longer have what it wants. It is coming after you, Mardyth Norwood. It is coming after you, Garlen Crimsonfang. It is coming after you, Anya Veridian. It is coming for the Treasures of Alexander. It will not stop until it has the entire collection. Worst of all? It is only a prefiguration of what is to come.”

With a deep breath, she opened her glowing red eyes and spoke softly.

“Regnorex is at the gates, and if we continue to squabble amongst ourselves, he shall come.”

Those words— it had become a common saying at this point among Vampire circles. The meaning was lost, yet it was quite clear what it meant. If the Demon King truly returned to the Mortal Realm, there wasn’t any hope left.

There was no [Hero]. No unified Human empire. Saffron feared it, and she believed that everyone present should too. But her words weren’t compelling enough.

“T-that’s more of her lies—”

Mardyth started. And she put an end to it.

“I have not spoken a single lie. There will no longer be any Greater Vampire Families if we refuse to cooperate today. But if you still won’t listen— if you still insist on this self-destructive insistence to cling onto your political power— then I shall take that away from you.”

He raised a brow. He wasn’t the only one puzzled by her words. Saffron placed a hand on her chest.

“I shall tell the truth to the world. The common man shall know of our influence. Of the treasures we are hiding. Perhaps it may lead to an end of our reign. Perhaps we will fall as the Slydrift Family did. But if that is what it takes to ensure the protection of the Treasures of Alexander, then I will do what I must.”

That finally drew their attention. Mardyth sputtered, wide-eyed.

“Are you insane, girl? We don’t even know if Regnorex is making a return! This is just some rampaging Demon! You are threatening to put an end to our ten thousand year long dynasty for this?”

“Yes.”

Saffron thought she’d be alone. Even Zin was caught by surprise by that. The Crimsonfangs and the Veridians started to protest, but Gannon placed a hand on her back.

“I support her.”

“You too, Lord Gannon?”

Garlen narrowed his eyes.

“You wish to throw away your entire family’s wealth and treasures for this?”

“This is a matter that affects the entire world, lord Garlen. I stand by her, and I’m sure the Merrysters do too.”

Her family— Mons, Crocus, and Feirdun— joined her side. They spoke as one.

“We do.”

Saffron stood tall with the rest of the Merrysters. Zin and a few of the Norwoods followed suit, standing beside her with Gannon. Saffron continued.

“We are Vampires. Demon Slayers. Are we going to just stand idly by as Regnorex threatens to make a return?”

The Crimsonfangs and the Veridians hesitated. But Anya Veridian pushed her family forward by joining the circle.

“We shall not.”

And all that was left was Garlen Crimsonfang. He opened his mouth.

“I-I…”

Saffron looked at him expectantly. The rest of the Vampires waited for his reply. He opened his mouth— and Mardyth snapped.

“I’ve had enough of this! I should’ve just dealt with her this way from the start!”

Mardyth pulled out a scroll.

“Grand—”

And Saffron flicked her wrist. Her hairpin went flying, tearing the scroll in half. It cut him along his cheeks and forced him to stumble back. Her eyes shone crimson as she watched him fall.

“H-how did you—”

“[Bloodlust].”

She licked her lips. Matthew’s blood gave her a small boost in her physical prowess and her instincts. Not as much as Salvos would, but it was enough to keep her on guard. She took a sip from her her hairpin, knowing that fighting might’ve come from this.

“To think you cannot even remember our Racial Skill… it seems you’ve truly forgotten what makes us Vampires, Mardyth Norwood.”

The old man just stared at her. At her glowing eyes. Feirdun seized him immediately after, alongside Gannon’s own guards.

“Take him to the dungeon!”

Gannon ordered. As Mardyth was forced to his feet, Saffron turned her gaze to Garlen Crimsonfang. She cocked her head, peering at him. Her show over. All that mattered was an answer.

“Now, Garlen Crimsonfang, will you work with us?”

And the man… nodded.

“The Crimsonfangs remember our oath. We shall work with the rest of the Greater Vampire Families to defeat the Primeval Demon.”

Saffron smiled. Finally, it was done. No more politics. No more petty arguments. They could finally focus on what they had to do.

“Good.”

She spoke simply.

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324. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Four

A note from MelasD

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324. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Four

Saffron Merryster sighed, glad that it was all over. Garlen Crimsonfang agreed to cooperate. He wasn’t the head of his family, but he was quite influential. Alongside Anya Veridian, Gannon Norwood, and Saffron’s own father, Crocus Merryster, that meant all Four Greater Vampire Families were now united.

This was unprecedented. The last time four of the Greater Vampire Families worked together was when there were Five Greater Vampire Families. Now, the last time all of the Greater Vampire Families worked together— at a time— was nearly a thousand years ago.

And it was all thanks to Saffron. Or… maybe not.

Was it her threats? Or did they finally understand the gravity of the situation? Maybe it was Mardyth’s own actions that drove them to her side?

She didn’t know. She was just glad. Relieved. Happy that it was all over. Regnorex was at the gates, and it was the duty of all the Vampire families in the Human lands to stop his return. They finally agreed on this simple fact. And the young noble couldn’t help but smile.

“Get your hands off me. I can walk on my own—”

Mardyth shrugged off the Norwood guards as they escorted him away from the garden. Garlen glared at the old man when he walked by them.

“If you were in the Eastern Kingdoms, I’d have you executed.”

“Well, too bad for you. I hope your little boy dies.”

Mardyth spat. Garlen’s brows snapped together. He drew his blade, and Mardyth stumbled back. Saffron almost thought she was going to see a decapitation before anyone could intervene. But a voice interrupted them.

“He’s alive! Roman’s alive!”

Bonny Crimsonfang, Garlen’s wife, ran up to the man. She had tears in her eyes, and a boy in her arms. Garlen’s eyes widened.

“Roman—”

He dropped his weapon, running straight for his son. Saffron shook her head as the Crimsonfangs were happily reunited. She faced Mardyth with a raised a brow.

“Do you really wish to die that badly, lord Mardyth?”

The old man eyed her with disdain as she continued.

“You do realize your actions have consequences, yes? And yet, you have done everything from attempting to assassinate the Crimsonfangs with poison, to attempting to take your own sister’s life.”

He opened his mouth— and paused.

“What did you say?”

“Don’t play dumb now.”

Saffron shook her head, turning to Zin. The former Matriarch of the Norwood Family nodded.

“I thought better of you, Mardyth. But to send [Changelings] after me? To send an [Arachne] after Saffron? To kill your own wife? I cannot defend any of your actions.”

“I…”

He stared at them as the guards dragged him further back.

“But I didn’t…”

He started, and Saffron waved a hand off.

“Spare your excuses.”

And he snapped. He shoved the guards off him, storming up to Saffron.

“I didn’t send [Changelings] after Zin—”

Feirdun and Crocus were quick to react. They grabbed him, holding their blades threateningly close to his neck.

“Don’t come any closer.”

“I didn’t do that! What are you talking about? Why would I take my own sister’s life?”

The guards pulled him back as Zin narrowed her eyes. Saffron froze.

“What?”

She slowly spun around to face Zin. The two women stared at each other, visibly confused. Mons Merryster, Saffron’s sister, stepped forward and spoke.

“Wait, if Mardyth isn’t the one responsible for summoning those Demons…”

The rest was left unsaid. Saffron’s mind raced. She felt her heart hammering in her chest. Her hand trembled as she looked around the garden, remembering the two suspicious servants. Her lips quivered as she opened her mouth.

“That means—”

And there was a flicker. A gust of wind blew over the garden. A bell tolled as voices shouted. Zin’s gaze snapped up.

“The barrier— someone destroyed the barrier!”

A glinting figure descended from the clouds as everyone drew their weapons. Saffron backed up while Crocus drew forward. His eyes narrowed.

“That’s…”

Saffron stared as the figure. A fiery aura wisped off it like golden mist. And it waved her way.

“Salvos? Wait, don’t attack! That’s Salvos!”

The Salvos clone beamed as she slowly drifted down. She pointed at Saffron indignantly, shaking a fist at all those who pointed their weapons up her way. They slowly lowered their blades, blinking. Garlen raised a brow.

“Salvos? As in the Liberator of the Plaguelands?”

Gannon furrowed his brows.

“Why is she… golden?”

“That’s her clone. There’s nothing to worry about. Really.”

Saffron answered, smiling. She stepped forward, relieved to see her friend was fine. The Salvos clone nodded eagerly as she landed.

“I’m glad that you’re here, Salvos. That you’re alright. With you here, there won’t be—”

The Salvos clone cocked her head as Saffron paused. The young noble tried to work her jaw, but dropped to her knees. A trickle of blood ran down her nose as the guards around her fell to the ground.

Crocus and Zin staggered forward, but neither of them collapsed. The Salvos just blinked, completely confused. Saffron breathed heavily as she stared at the blood dripping onto the palm of her hand.

“T-this… w-what is going on—”

And the skin on her arm tore, like she’d been cut by many thin threads. The Salvos clone rushed to her side in a panic. Crocus gritted his teeth as even Garlen fell.

“A kind of [Drain Field]? That means… blood magic.”

He spun around as the Salvos clone protectively hovered over Saffron. Saffron herself struggled for a healing potion, but his voice stopped her.

“Don’t! Healing potions won’t help. It’ll only make things worse.”

“W-what…?”

Saffron blinked slowly, seeing only the Salvos clone’s golden glow. Crocus shook his head as he stood back-to-back with Zin.

“It won’t kill you, but you’ll have to bear through it. This is a high-leveled blood magic ritual. We have to find the source and destroy it.”

“T-that’s—”

Her eyes fluttered as the world spun. She bit her lower lip, drawing her own blood with her fangs. No— her own blood wouldn’t help her. She forced herself to face a fallen man. One of the few collapsed Humans present. Matthew. Her butler.

Saffron didn’t want to do this, but she had no choice. Her [Bloodlust] was the only thing keeping her awake. Otherwise, she’d be unconscious like her sister and her brother. But as she crawler her way towards Matthew, a casual voice drew her attention.

“Oh, wow, he really figured it out that quickly, huh? You were right about him, Mentior.”

“A dangerous fellow. However, I would say that is not who we should worry about, Fictus.”

The pair of suspicious servants Saffron bumped into emerged from deeper within the garden, strolling over the unconscious bodies, completely unaffected by the blood magic ritual. They shook their heads in synchronicity as they cast their gaze towards the wary Salvos clone.

“Right.”

Fictus, the woman with red hair, smiled as she spoke. Her body morphed as she shed her Human skin, her hair falling off her head. A pair of horns curled out of her head as her fingers grew claw-like protrusions. A tail swayed out of her back, and she came to a halt.

Mentior changed too. His blue hair vanished, and a similar set of horns grew on his face, spiraling in the opposite direction of Fictus’ horns. Otherwise, he had a tail and claws almost identical to his companion.

It was like they were twins, except… Demons. The only difference was the color of their skin. Fictus had red skin, while Mentior had blue skin. Saffron used [Identification] on them with the little bit of strength she had left.

[Succubus - Lvl. 125]

[Incubus - Lvl. 125]

Saffron clicked her tongue. That was why they’d barely registered to her until she ran into Fictus. They must’ve had some kind of charming Skill to keep attention off of them.

The Salvos clone created a golden scythe as Crocus and Zin started forward. Saffron’s father raised his blade.

“It’s three of us against the two of you. You cannot win.”

“Oh, look, Mentior. The Vampires are confident.”

“Do not make assumptions, Fictus. That apparition could be a Human.”

The pair of Archdemons smiled. They edged closer to each other, raising their hands in unison.

“Nevertheless, they are—”

“—mistaken.”

Saffron watched as their shoulders touched. They grabbed each other with their claws, digging into their skin. Black blood dripped out and coalesced at the tip of their finger before simmering.

Instantly, a blast of black of energy shot out. The Salvos clone leapt back as golden flaming armor covered her, Crocus, and Zin. They moved out of the way as the beam hit the earth. It burrowed through the ground, like a giant blade slicing through flesh.

“Impossible. How are they so powerful?””

Crocus stared at the destruction left behind by their attack. Zin pursed her lips, hovering in the air with a pair of dove-like wings.

“That is… combination casting. No— that isn’t right…”

The [Druid] trailed off. The pair of Demons raised their hands, redirecting the black beam up towards her. Zin was grazed by the attack as it shredded Norwood Keep before eventually dissipating. She clutched at her shoulder— the attack had damaged the golden armor given by the Salvos clone. The fact that it wasn’t even a direct hit and it cracked the armor… Saffron grew worried.

The young noble had to do something. She continued crawling her way towards Matthew as more of her skin tore open.

The pair of Demons sighed at the same time.

“They dodged it.”

“What a shame.”

The Salvos clone threw her scythe, chains forming at its hilt, becoming a kind of pseudo-kusarigama. They leapt out of the way, one after the other. Crocus intercepted Fictus, slashing at her head. She parried the attack, only for Mentior to land a hard kick to his chest.

“Father!”

Saffron called out as Crocus crashed into the ground. Zin and the Salvos clone flanked hte pair of Demons, taking them one-on-one. Fictus chuckled as she clashed with the [Druid].

“This is quite troublesome, Mentior.”

“I agree, Fictus. This apparition is quite troublesome. Especially since the [Blood Prison] doesn’t affect it.”

Mentior backed away from the Salvos clone as Fictus knocked Zin back. The pair of Demons double-teamed the Salvos clone. Saffron cursed internally, unable to help.

Salvos needs help, but Zin and Father aren’t able to fight at full strength… The young noble shook her head, finally reaching Matthew.

“I-I’m sorry, I need to… destroy the source of this blood ritual…”

That was the only way to help. If Zin and Crocus could fight at full strength, they’d be able to stand alongside the Salvos clone. Saffron bit into Matthew’s neck and felt power surge through her. She forced herself to her feet, looking down at her butler’s pale face.

“N-now where is…”

She stumbled off into the garden as the Salvos clone was sent flying into Norwood Keep. Fictus and Mentior clapped their hands together, creating a tiny dark sphere. They tossed it into the castle, and it rapidly expanded.

The Salvos clone flew out of the explosion as her flame armor was left in bad shape. Roots and vines rose from the earth, targeting the pair of Demons as Zin pointed their way. They tore through the attack before swapping places and circling around the flying Salvos clone.

Their blood circled towards each other, forming a ring around the Salvos clone before briefly igniting into black fire. It destroyed her armor as she let out a silent scream. Saffron watched from the corner of her eye, wishing she was able to help.

She knew she couldn’t do anything. That was… some kind of combination casting she never heard of before. Regular [Mages] had to make proper preparations to sync their magic, and they wouldn’t be able to repeat the feat for a while. That was why combination casting was often used by a group of [Mages] at the start of a battle.

But the pair of Demons were consecutively, repeatedly doing it. They were somehow perfectly in sync, and that made them dangerous. That made their magic far stronger than their ostensible levels.

Crocus was kept back as threads woven from his own blood tangled around him, keeping him tied to the ground as Fictus and Mentior continued hovering in the air, wingless. Zin didn’t dare engage up close, using the natural terrain to her advantage as a [Druid]. So the only one left able to do any real harm was the Salvos clone.

“Annoying. I’m starting to get tired, Mentior.”

“So am I, Fictus. That apparition is a pest. But I spot a more troublesome problem.”

The Salvos clone charged at them, tossing a golden sickle their way. They dipped down as the sickle exploded, their gazes focusing on Saffron at the same time as she stumbled over a bush.

“I suggest we deal with it.”

“Very well.”

They brought their hands together once again, aiming directly at Saffron. The Salvos clone’s golden eyes flickered as Saffron herself stared at the black blood coalescing at their fingertips.

“No—”

The dark beam shot out once again, and Saffron closed her eyes. She expected the worst. But a warm figure grabbed her. Her eyes opened as she watched the Salvos clone swoop her up, using her own body to shield the young noble.

The Salvos clone took the brunt of the attack. She carried Saffron away from the danger as half her body was entirely blown off.

Saffron staggered to her feet. She glanced back at the Salvos clone as she lay injured on the ground.

“Salvos—“

The Salvos clone gave Saffron a thumbs-up, even with half her body gone. Only for Fictus and Mentior to crushed her head.

The world seemed to pause. There was a moment where Saffron could only watch as the Salvos clone dissipated into mere wisps. Her only hope was gone. Now there was just Zin and Crocus left, but both were far off.

And Saffron stood alone with the pair of Demons. Mentior shook his head— his voice breaking her out of her stupor.

“Now, to take care of the annoyance.”

“It’s a shame. I liked her. She saw through our disguises.”

Fictus sighed. They raised their hands, once again pooling their magic together as they aimed at Saffron.

Mentior snorted.

“That’s only because your charming Skills backfired. I told you that would happen.”

“Hey! It’s not like you had a better plan. A [Blood Prison] is the perfect counter to Vampires.”

There was a glint as Saffron braced herself, expecting the worst. Fictus smirked.

“Oh well, goodbye, little Vampire girl—“

And there was a flash. Saffron’s eyes widened as a fissure briefly opened up between the pair of Demons. A familiar woman came into existence, grabbing both Fictus and Mentior by the arms.

She interrupted their combination casting as Saffron stared. The pair of Demons tried to leap away, but she held on tight.

“Who are—“

“—you?!”

The silver-haired woman smiled. She finally let go of them, and they leapt back. A rainbow-colored scythe appeared in her hands as she greeted them.

“I’m Salvos.”

They blinked, exchanging a glance. They spoke at the same time.

“Wha—“

But a crimson explosion engulfed them before they could continue. Salvos finished as Saffron gaped.

“And you shouldn’t have killed my clone.”

A note from MelasD

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325. Payment

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Avitue's new fic!

"All right, boys and girls, quit sucking your ma's teats. It's high time we bloody earn our paychecks!"

Born in times of turmoil, orphaned at a young age, and raised amongst rowdy sellswords, young Reinhardt Edelstein joined the mercenary trade as well when he grew up.

When misfortune finally caught up with them, and the mercenary company he had been part of fell into an ambush and was decimated, he survived by chance, along  with a few others.

Then he found the baton of responsibility passed on to his hand, as the adopted nephew of the late captain.

Stuck behind enemy lines, with only the tattered remnants of the once proud company around him, he strived to do his best, to rebuild the company to its former glory... Should they survive the current conflict.

Would he succeed in etching his name in the annals of history? Or would he end up as a mere footnote instead?

Only time will tell…

Free Lances [Army Progression Dark Fantasy] | Royal Road

325. Payment

I was glad. The meeting went well, and I could finally put this whole ordeal behind me. Lamarr said he was going to return to the Eastern Kingdoms, which sadly meant I likely wouldn’t be seeing him around campus now.

It was a bit sad to see him go, but I probably wasn’t going to be hanging around Mavos Academy for long anyway. I had things I needed to do. Like kill Belzu. That was probably number one in my priority list. Unfortunately, I probably couldn’t beat him without my [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion].

That Grand Skill had a cooldown period of about three weeks. It had only been about a week since I used it against the [Ancient Centinel]. So…

Well, anyway, I didn’t have as long of a cooldown for my other Grand Skill. Not that I was planning to fight Belzu yet. There were other matters I had to attend to. For example, Willy’s past.

“So…”

I turned to the [Will O’ Wisp] as he froze. He floated alongside me as we left the meeting room. I motioned vaguely back where we came. He knew what I was going to talk about— Thorsten Sigefried. The [Archbishop] from the Den of Souls.

And he was purposefully using my body to hide from the old man’s view.

“What is that about?”

I asked, cocking my head. Willy replied in an unusually panicked voice.

“N-nothing!”

He was very uptight about it, and I probably shouldn’t have pried any further. Maybe when he was more comfortable, he’d talk more. For now, I just laughed and waved a hand off. I had other things to busy myself with as well.

“I can finally go find Saffron… maybe even tell her what happened today.”

My lips curled up as I reached the end of the corridor.

“I bet she’ll be so excited! She’ll finally have a bunch of powerful people on her side—”

Willy and I turned the corner. He just fluttered around me as I giggled, trying to focus on my clone’s thoughts. On what she was seeing. It was like accessing a part of my mind that had been briefly cordoned off to do its own thing.

But all I saw was a brief moment of immense pain. My eyes grew wide as an intense hatred boiled deep within me. The simmering anger bubbled into a moment of relief.

Then a sharp strike to the head.

I physically recoiled back as my clone dissipated. Willy stared at me, puzzled as I just stood there.

“Something?”

I nodded stiffly.

“My clone…”

I turned to face the [Will O’ Wisp] with wide eyes. Her thoughts— her experiences— flooded through my head. Like I was recalling a memory that I’d forgotten until now. A pair of Demons had attacked Saffron. My clone fought them alongside Zin and Crocus before sacrificing herself to save my companion.

I clenched a fist.

“Is dead.”

“How—”

Willy started to ask, but I didn’t stick around to listen. I raised a hand and focused on my clone’s memories— her surroundings. It was recent enough for me to visualize it perfectly. There were a pair of Demons. A garden. The Norwood Keep lay destroyed. And Saffron was stumbling towards the treeline.

“[Long Range Teleportation].”

I spoke simply as ribbons of light wrapped around me. It pulled me into a fissure in space, and I found myself standing between the two Demons that killed my clone. They had their arms raised, aimed at Saffron.

“Oh well, goodbye, little Vampire girl—“

They blinked as soon as I appeared. I caught them by the arms, interrupting their spell.

“Who are—“

“—you?!”

“I’m Salvos.”

They leapt back, escaping my grip. But it didn’t matter to me. I saw the symbol burn itself into the red-skinned Demon’s skin. She narrowed her eyes as I produced my Divine Nebular Scythe.

“Wha—“

“And you shouldn’t have killed my clone.”

[Demon’s Mark]. A sphere of roiling crimson flames engulfed them. I smiled as I watched the explosion expand, before rapidly contracting. I waited, watching as my flames dissipated.

Saffron staggered over to me, blinking.

“Salvos—”

“Wait.”

I raised my hand. No notification came. The Archdemons were still alive. Saffron paused, turning to face the epicenter of my [Demon’s Mark] blast. The smoke cleared up and unveiled the pair of Demons, still alive.

They held each other by the hand as a black sphere covered them. A kind of barrier. I shook my head.

“Get back, Saffron. I’ll deal with—”

And I lurched forward, coughing up blood. The red-skinned Demon sighed as she strode out of their barrier.

“Seems like it’s finally taking effect. And here I thought [Blood Prison] wasn’t going to work on her.”

“You worry too much, Fictus. We didn’t spend all that time setting up the ritual for nothing.”

Her partner chuckled as he walked right behind her. She rolled her eyes.

“Don’t pretend you weren’t nervous for even a single second, Mentior.”

“Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean I was wrong. You’re a nervous wreck.”

My eyes flickered as I looked down at myself. I could see the stands of mana in the air cutting into my skin— directly reaching for my blood. It sliced thin little slits on my flesh. The fresh blood seemed to weigh on me, trying to tie me down. I gritted my teeth as my body moved sluggishly compared to before.

What is…?

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 150 (+30) (+10) (-10%)

[Strength]: 135 (+30) (+10) (-10%)

[Endurance]: 150 (+30) (+10) (+3) (-10%)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+30) (+10) (+13) (-10%)

[Agility]: 320 (+30) (+10) (+5) (-10%)

“A curse?”

It reminded me of the [Sage Centinel]’s Grand Skill. Except… weaker. And while it inflicted damage to me, it was minor. Still, it was a hindrance. I glared up at the pair of Archdemons.

“What is this?”

They didn’t reply, of course. Instead, Saffron spoke up from behind me. She clutched at her shoulder and looked at the blood on her palms.

“Blood magic. It’s a ritual. I’m trying to find the source—”

“Then go.”

I spoke simply. I faced down Fictus and Mentior as the young Vampire nodded and took off into the trees. They tilted their heads in opposite directions.

“She’s running off, Mentior. Should we do something about it?”

“I believe we have a bigger problem to deal with, Fictus.”

A pair of wings spread from behind my back as I floated into the air. The Demons followed suit, flying up after me. I bared my teeth at them.

“So, you thought you could just hurt my companion and get away with it, huh?”

They snickered in unison.

“We weren’t just going to hurt her.”

“We were going to kill her.”

My brows snapped together as they exchanged a casual glance.I activated [Haste] as I snarled.

“You’ll pay for that.”

The Archdemons froze as . They momentarily stood in shock as I launched their way, swinging my rainbow-colored scythe. Fictus blinked, regaining control of her body a moment sooner than her companion.

She parried the attack, only to be struck by a flaming kick to the back of the head. Mentior assailed me from behind as I spun my scythe. Our clash didn’t last long as vines reached up and gabbed him by his feet. I looked over to the side— Zin Norwood nodded at me, and I grinned.

“[Radiant Slash].”

He raised a hand and ran his claws over his own forearms. A splash of black blood shot out, creating a barrier that actually managed to repel my attack. I blinked, only for a glint to catch my eye.

I dodged out of the way just in time for a blast of black energy to shoot past me. Fictus flew back to Mentior as he tore his way out of the tangling vines. They floated side by side once again, only for a figure clad in heavy armor to soar towards them.

Crocus Merryster cleaved the clouds in half with a swing from his blade as they darted back, now surrounded by myself, Zin, and Crocus.

“This is getting annoying.”

“I agree. Perhaps we should put an end to it.”

I tensed, watching as Fictus and Mentior once again brought their hands together. They pointed at me with their right and left respectively, and I tried to swerve out of the way.

“Salvos, look out—”

“[Blood Prison Enhancement: Blood Bindings].”

Crocus started, but a flurry of needle-like threads struck me. They were woven out of my blood, wrapping around me as I screamed. I dropped out of the air like a rock in water. The pair of Demons brought their free hands up, creating small black spheres from their own blood.

They tossed it down my way as I was still caught in the web of paralyzing blood. Crocus leapt in front of the attack, slicing the individual spheres out of the air with a Skill. Zin sent a volley of thorns towards the two Archdemons and forced them back. The webs vanished as I forced myself back to my feet.

“What was that?”

Crocus shook his head as he helped me up.

“I don’t know. Some kind of snare. They caught me with it too, earlier. But as long as you break their concentration, you should be fine.”

“Huh.”

I watched as Zin was knocked out of the air by the two Archdemons. Their teamwork was annoying. And the magic they cast when they touched hands was always far above their level.

“We need to separate them. We can’t beat their combination casting.”

Crocus spoke as he started forward. I narrowed my eyes.

“Combination casting?”

I’d done that before. Once. With Edithe. And I knew it was nothing like this. I didn’t even need to touch her to do it, in fact. It tired me plenty, too. Yet—

“Why won’t you pesky Vampires—”

“—just die!”

The Archdemons clasped their hands together and fired the same beam of black energy that killed my clone at Zin. The [Druid]’s form changed as she rapidly burrowed out of the way. They devastated the landscape. They tore apart Norwood Keep with their magic.

I snorted.

“If all we have to do is split them up, then we just have to use numbers to overwhelm them.”

I snapped my fingers, activating [Salvo of Vanity]. Five of my clones appeared by my side, all raring and ready to fight. I dashed past Crocus as he stared.

“Don’t worry! Me and my ‘selves’ have got this!”

They waved at him as we bounced into action. The two Archdemons stared at the destruction they caused, searching for Zin until they caught sight of my clones’ glinting. They cursed in unison as they flew higher and higher.

Fictus and Mentior unleashed the same attack once again. Me and all except for one of my clones managed to dodge out of the way. It obliterated her— although she didn’t explode. I wasn’t going to detonate my clones from this close of a range.

One of my clones overtook me, drawing closer to the Archdemons. But she was caught by a black ring that ignited her. She fell as I flew around her. Fictus and Mentior tossed a barrage of spikes, but I easily zipped out of the way.

Another clone was caught in the blasts, but she didn’t immediately dissipate. The Demons hadn’t been using combination casting for that attack. They were getting tired. Now, it was just me and two other clones left.

We surrounded Fictus and Mentior, grinning as they had nowhere else left to go. My clones moved ahead of me and slashed for a Demon each. I halted as I saw the glint. I heard the clap. And I drew back.

My clones were caught in the pulse. A black sphere expanded around them. I knew my clones were gone even before the blast receded. Fictus and Mentior came out of the attack unscathed, protected by the same barrier as before.

I charged them as they floated there, striking in a frenzy with [Barrage of Cinders]. Their barrier held up as they exchanged a glance. They smirked, and suddenly there was a flicker. The sphere that had been protecting them vanished.

I swung between the two of them, but they swapped places. I missed my attack, and they brought their hands together, aiming for my head.

“You were too reckless. You lose. [Combined Skill: Blood Bath].””

They spoke at the same time. A black beam shot out at me, engulfing me entirely.

Reckless. Had I been too reckless? Maybe. But that was the point. I needed to tire them out. And I needed to get close to tear them apart.

“[My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends].”

I flew straight through the attack as they stared in shock.

“You’re wrong.”

I sliced off Fictus’ right arm, meeting their gazes.

“I won.”

A note from MelasD

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326. Given

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Eligos' new release on Amazon: Monarch!

To save the kingdom, he'll have to stop his own murder...

It’s hard to be a drunken idiot when the world keeps burning down around you. Cairn, the charming-yet-utterly-irresponsible heir to the Uskarrion throne, is all too happy to toss the crown aside. But an invasion, conspiracy, and rise of a terrifying villain result in his untimely death.

Then, Cairn reawakens. It's a decade earlier and he's in his childhood body. But he remembers everything...

There's much to accomplish. First, however, he'd really love to stop himself from dying.

Amazon.com: Monarch: A Prince Out of Time: A Progression Fantasy Epic (RE: Monarch Book 1) eBook : McCoy, J., Eligos: Kindle Store

326. Given

Fictus panted as another one of the apparitions was evaporated by her [Combined Skill: Blood Nova]. Well, it wasn’t actually her Skill. [Blood Nova] was Mentior’s Skill. But together, they could enhance its effects with [Combined Skill].

It was a rare Skill she’d obtained alongside Mentior. From the moment of their birth, they’d been inseparable. They’d grown up together, fought with each other always by their side, and found the salvation of Regnorex with one another.

They had been rewarded for it at Level 100. They gained [Combined Skill] together. Regnorex had told them it was incredibly rare. It was a Racial Skill that only Demons or Spirits could get. That mortals would never obtain. The only catch was that it could only be used in unison with another who had the same Skill. And even then, it would take a bit to attune to them.

It meant that Fictus couldn’t combination cast with just anyone. Not that she’d want to. Mentior was her brother. They were born from the same pool of Lifeblood. As much as they bickered, she liked him. As long as they were together, they were unstoppable. That was why Regnorex had entrusted them to deal with the Vampire families.

The [Blood Nova] slowly dissipated as the golden apparitions disintegrated, leaving only the real Human girl before them. Salvos charged them and swung her rainbow-colored scythe. Fictus could sense power emanating from the weapon. It was bad news, and she wasn’t going to let herself be caught by it.

She raised her hand together with Mentior. They spoke at the same time.

“You were too reckless. You lose. [Combined Skill: Blood Bath].”

Fictus winced as her blood seeped out of the tip of her finger. It hurt her. Each spell she cast siphoned away her own life. That was the curse of blood magic. It was incredibly powerful at the cost of the user. That was not to account for the exhaustion that came from combination casting. That was why she needed to end it now.

Her black blood pooled together with Mentior’s, coalescing into mana. A powerful sphere of energy. It blasted out in a beam, striking Salvos before she could even get close.

The [Succubus] sighed in relief, glad that it was over. Even a [Hellprince] would be injured by their combined [Blood Bath] if caught off guard. It was over—

“[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends].”

She blinked as Salvos flew straight through the black tide. The silver-haired girl grinned.

“You’re wrong. I won.”

And Fictus blinked. With a single swing, her arm was cleaved right off. It was a numbing pain. One which took her a moment to realize what just happened. She stared at the stump left behind. She didn’t even have time to react— to create a [Blood Armor].

Her right arm was gone. Mentior’s eyes grew wide as he snarled.

“Fictus! How dare you—”

He slashed his claw at Salvos. But the silver-haired woman just took the strike. He recoiled as he scraped at a flickering blue fire. Sparks streaked out, like he’d cut something solid. But he didn’t harm the girl.

Salvos spun around, smiling at him as good as new. All her prior injuries were gone. The cuts she’d taken from the [Blood Prison] had vanished. She was good as new. And she grabbed Mentior by the arm before he could fly back.

“I’ll be take this—”

She sliced his left arm off, and Mentior let out a terrible scream. Fictus gritted her teeth. While the silver-haired girl was distracted, Fictus created a [Blood Ring] and tossed it at her. Salvos paused as the ring engulfed her, igniting into a black fire.

But even as it flared up, it couldn’t burn past the flaming aura around Salvos. Fictus grabbed Mentior and the pair flew back.

“Just what happened? Why isn’t anything working against her?”

Fictus asked, exasperated. Mentior shook his head and drew out his own blood. He placed his hand on Fictus’ shoulder as she did the same to him. Their limbs began to regrow as they healed each other with blood magic. At the expense of themselves, they were able to restore their limbs.

“Calm down, Fictus.”

Mentior spoke as he flexed his newly healed arm. He eyed the silver-haired girl. She tossed aside his arm and bared her teeth at them. He shook his head.

“We still have the advantage. Even if we can’t harm her, we can just immobilize her—”

“Hey, I just cut that off.”

Salvos interrupted him, frowning.

“I don’t have long. So if you don’t mind me, I’m just going to… rectify that.”

Fictus blinked, and Mentior opened his mouth. Before either could react, there was a flash. Mentior was suddenly flying back towards Salvos. It was like he was moving in reverse. And so was the silver-haired girl.

They plopped back into place— when she had his arm in her hand. She smiled and swung down again. He screamed as his arm was sliced off a second time.

“Mentior!”

Fictus screamed as her brother was kicked to the side. She swooped down to catch him, but Salvos laughed.

“I’m not done with you, either. [Invoke Wrath].”

The [Succubus] froze. The anger boiling within her bubbled up and exploded into rage. All she saw was red. She turned her attention to the source of her hatred. The silver-haired girl. How was she doing this?

Why was she suddenly able to beat them? It only angered Fictus even more. She swung at Salvos, her claws burning as she struck the wisps of flames and nothing more. The silver-haired girl just smirked as she slashed back at Fictus.

But the [Succubus] threw herself out of the way just in time. She felt like she was stronger. She moved faster. Empowered by her rage.

Salvos narrowed her eyes.

“Huh. Didn’t know it did that.”

“Fictus! Snap out of it!”

Fictus barely heard Mentior’s scream. He tried calling out to her, but she charged the silver-haired girl once again. Salvos was prepared this time. She took the brunt of the strikes, timing her counters at the exact same time.

The slashes tore through even Fictus’ [Blood Armor]. She recoiled from the pain, before a volley of black spheres shot up and exploded on Salvos. Mentior grabbed Fictus by the hand, pulling the [Succubus] back as she snarled.

She nearly swung at her brother, but he grabbed her by the shoulder.

“Fictus— it’s me!”

Fictus paused. Her vision cleared up. The haze over her mind vanished as she took in her surroundings. The pain from her injuries caught up to her as she regained her senses. The minor buff she’d felt was gone.

“W-what…? What was that? A curse?”

“I believe so. A high-leveled one at that. But that doesn’t matter.”

He glanced back at the clearing smoke. Salvos cocked her head, still unharmed. He gritted his teeth.

“We need to end this now. Come on.”

“Right.”

Fictuss nodded, accepting her brother’s hand. The threads of mana between them wove together. Their magic became one as they aimed at Salvos. No more offensive magic. All they needed was to bind her.

“[Blood Prison Enhancement: Blood Bindings].”

Salvos paused. She saw the needle-like threads tangling around her. They didn’t pierce her skin, but they bound her. They flickered and held her in place as she just floated there, unable to move.

“Huh.”

“How is this? You can’t move, can you? There’s nothing you can do. You’re trapped in place. You were too arrogant, Human!”

Fictus sneered. Mentior shook his head, speaking casually.

“Now we’ll just wait for whatever Skill that is of yours to end, and we’ll have won.”

Salvos shrugged.

“You’re right. I can’t move. This kind of sucks. Maybe even if I had… however, that’ll take a few more weeks…”

Fictus raised a brow. Why is that Human so calm? It made no sense to the [Succubus]. Salvos should’ve been panicking right now, instead of whatever this was— an eerie coolness despite the flames wisping off her.

“You caught me because you worked together. Good job.”

Salvos’ eyes glinted as she let her scythe vanish.

“But it seems you forgot about one thing.”

Mentior’s eyes widened. Salvos continued.

“I’m not alone.”

Saffron looked over the ritual circle. A dozen servants lay in a pit. They’d been flayed. No skin, just flesh. Their corpses fueled this bloody spell.

“I’m sorry we weren’t able to save you…”

She took in a deep breath and raised her hand. A blast of fire, water, and wind shot out. Elemental magic wiped the spell clean off the surface of the earth. The oppressive feeling on her shoulder lifted, and she sighed in relief.

The young noble looked up towards the distant figures in the sky. She spoke softly.

“Now it’s all up to you, Salvos…”

Fictus’ gaze snapped down as she felt her [Blood Prison] dissipate. Her jaw dropped.

“No—”

The [Blood Bindings] vanished. She stared down at the Vampire. The pink-haired girl had destroyed their ritual circle. Her existence had slipped Fictus’ mind.

“That girl…”

“Oh, I’m not just talking about her.”

Salvos chuckled. Fictus paused. Mentior’s gaze snapped to the side. He pushed his sister out of the way.

“Fictus—”

And from below, a golden figure grabbed onto Mentior’s legs. The apparition. One of them had survived. Not all of them were killed, of course. Fictus was shoved back, unable to do anything but stare as her brother closed his eyes. The apparition glowed, shining brightly before exploding into a brilliant cross.

Fictus went flying back as words resounded in her head.

Title Lost!

(Twins of Despair—

Her brother was dead. Just like that. The one she’d been born with. They’d survived for so long. As [Infant Demons], they’d fought through hordes of other wild Demons. He’d saved her life in many occasions, just like now. And she’d done the same for him.

But now she failed. What would Regnorex think? No— that didn’t matter. Mentior was gone. She had nothing left to live for. She never imagined a world— a life— without him. Everything that she’d worked up to until this point was meaningless. Her life was nothing. She had no reason to live… except to avenge him.

Her eyes blazed as she saw the silver-haired girl flying her way. She stabbed herself, rippling with power as she cried tears of blood. More words echoed in her head as she screamed.

“I’ll make you pay for that!”

Title Gained!

(Avenger of—

Grand Skill [My Life, My Blood—

Abundant experience is awarded for learning a Grand Skill—

A roiling darkness shot out as her skin peeled off. Her entire essence poured out in a cone that seemed to suck in the light of even the sun. It engulfed Salvos as it blasted up. Fictus laughed maniacally as her Grand Skill shot up.

“Sorry, but I already told you—”

Salvos dove straight through the shadows. Fictus’ eyes bulged as the silver-haired girl burned brilliantly, slashing for her head.

“I’m the one here who’ll make you pay.”

I’m sorry brother… Fictus thought as her vision grew dark. I’ll be joining you—

And Salvos unleashed a deluge of white flame at the Archdemon’s decapitated corpse.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Salvos GERMAN Translation is OFFICIALLY Available!

YO, THIS IS A SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT I HAVE FINALLY GOTTEN MY FIRST SALVOS TRANSLATION DONE!

It was kind of pricey to do, but I got it translated to GERMAN. Salvos Volume 1 is now officially in German, that's right. If you want to support me, do consider checking it out here https://books2read.com/u/bw1jrO

And if you're a German speaker who finds any typos or errors, do DM it to me. I'll try to fix it best I can!

Thank you all so much, and please consider dropping a review or a buy to help me out <3

327. Misplaced Confidence

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Warmage!

As the daughter of a renowned War Hero, Shaya was destined for a life of heroism and glory. A life she desired more than anything else – until her mother sacrificed herself for the cause and the very Empire she died for stole Shaya’s dreams from her.

Cunning and resourceful, Shaya worked hard to keep her and her brother safe, clawing themselves out of a system set against them and gaining the power they needed to find their way in life again.

Now, she’s achieved the first step of her dreams: she's been accepted to the prestigious Imperial Academy of War and Magic. In order to become the best gods damned Warmage around, all she has to do is overcome the Imperial system that wants to see her fail and control the demonic blood in her veins that wants for nothing but rage and violence.

...but hey, every obstacle is an opportunity to exploit – if you’re willing to think smart and work hard.

Warmage: A Progression Fantasy | Royal Road

327. Misplaced Confidence

Defeated [Asmodai Incubus - Level 125]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Defeated [Sanguine Succubus of Lamael - Level 125]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 130] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 131]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 94] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 95]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Salvos (Secely’s Sentinel) (The Devil’s Daughter)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 131

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 95

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 7

[Title Skill: General Status Effect Resistance] - Lvl. 1

[Ttle Skill: Invoke Wrath] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Protection of the Sentinel] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: The Devil’s Grace] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 150 (+30) (+10)

[Strength]: 140 (+30) (+10)

[Endurance]: 150 (+30) (+10) (+3)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+30) (+10) (+13)

[Agility]: 320 (+30) (+10) (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 4]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 10

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 15

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 7]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

“That was that.”

I dusted my hands off as my pale fire dissipated. All that was left of Fictus were her ashes. I’d fortunately leveled up once in both my Class and my Subspecies from this encounter. Although, sadly, I still hadn’t reached my Class advancement.

It would’ve been nice to get an early Class advancement at Level 95. But… even if it gave me the ability to travel between the planes of the Nexeus, it wouldn’t have helped. Not right now. I still had yet to deal with Belzu.

So, I descended. Not unhappy or upset. I quite enjoyed that fight with Fictus and Mentior. They were strong for their levels. It was one of the first times I’d struggled so much against enemies who were 5 levels below me.

“I wonder what made them so strong…”

I tipped my head back as I landed at the very edge of the garden. The previously unconscious figures strewn about the grass were now waking up. I recognized a few of them. Like Feirdun Merryster. Or the other people my clone met like Roman Crimsonfang and Zin Norwood.

Saffron Merryster stumbled out of the treeline as I perused the scene. Various heads turned to look at me, eyeing me with suspicion or confusion. They just stared as I leapt forward, hugging my companion.

“Saffron! I’m so glad you’re safe!”

The pink-haired woman paused. She slowly hugged me back, smiling.

“And it’s good to see you too, Salvos.”

We drew back from each other, and she patted me on the shoulder.

“The real you. I quite enjoyed the company of your clone, but it isn’t quite the same thing as hearing your voice.”

“Aw… but my clones are me!”

I grinned as she chuckled. Saffron took a step back, looking me over. She saw the flames wisping off my body— like sparks. It was just my usual blue fire since I didn’t have [Divine Essence] active. But it did its job. Neither Archdemon's magic could harm me. Even when combined.

There were a few points where I’d been worried. Like when I was caught by the [Blood Bindings]. I did have a clone waiting on the ready, and I trusted Saffron to destroy the [Blood Prison]. But the fact that I couldn’t break through the crimson threads had me concerned— especially if Saffron was too slow, or if the Archdemons dealt with my clone.

Then there was that brief power boost Fictus had towards the end of the fight. It was like she’d suddenly grown much stronger. The last of blood magic she struck me with was far stronger than even her combined casting with Mentior. I wasn’t sure if my Grand Skill would’ve held up for a moment. But thankfully it did.

“You really have grown quite a bit since I last saw you.”

Saffron shook her head as she used [Identification] on me. I nodded eagerly, giving her a thumbs-up.

“Yep! I killed an [Ancient Centinel]!”

“...why am I not surprised.”

“It was a very tough battle! It even had its own super powerful Grand Skill!”

She massaged her temples, turning away from me.

“I’d love to hear about your Centinel-slaying adventures, Salvos. But right now…”

Her lips pursed as she took in the scene. Her father worked alongside Zin, helping those who’d been injured by the [Blood Prison].

Saffron sighed.

“Right now, I’ll have to deal with that.”

Saffron followed her father, helping him restore peace in the garden. There was a lot of confusion, and they had to move to placate the growing misplaced anger. For a brief moment, the Crimsonfangs believed that this was another premeditated assassination attempt by the Norwoods. But after seeing the damage done to Norwood Keep, they realized the truth.

This attack was done by Demons. Unrelated to any of the Vampire Families. It had been an attempt at a swift, decisive strike to deal with the Four Greater Vampire Families, all at once. If Salvos hadn’t intervened… they’d have succeeded.

And that struck fear into the hearts of many. They realized— finally— that this threat was real. Garlen Crimsonfang shuddered as he sipped from a healing potion Saffron provided him.

“To think a pair of Demons could do this much damage all on their own.”

Are you serious? Saffron bit back the retort. A single Demon felled my country on its own. But the young noble understood that there was a difference between seeing the threat, and just hearing about it.

“That is why we need to work together. Lest all our families will fall.”

She spoke softly, meeting Garlen’s gaze. He closed his eyes.

“I understand now. I’ll ensure that my family cooperates with yours to ensure the defeat of the Primeval Demon. To prevent Regnorex’s return.”

“Thank you, lord Garlen Crimsonfang. It is good to have you on our side. And it is good to hear that your son is safe.”

Saffron was glad at least that was settled. It likely wasn’t going to be the end-all be-all of things, but she knew it was a step in the right direction. Anya Veridian expressed a similar sentiment— agreeing that this matter was urgent and action had to be taken immediately.

“I apologize for my family’s inaction during the fall of Nightsveil. It was inexcusable. We should’ve offered you our assistance when we could.”

She bowed to Saffron. The young noble shifted back. It was an uncomfortable topic, but she truly did not blame the Veridians or any of the other Vampire families for staying out of it then. The coalition army seemed like it’d have been more than enough to deal with the Primeval Demon, but they failed.

Saffron shook her head as she spoke.

“That does not matter anymore. What matters now is that our families work together to do whatever is necessary to prevent the Primeval Demon from acquiring another of Alexander’s Treasures.”

“Are we truly certain it is aiming for the Treasures of Alexander?”

Anya asked, pressing her lips into a thin line. Saffron nodded.

“I am certain. I believe that the Primeval Demon is collecting them for Regnorex. Without the Treasures of Alexander, what hope do we have of repelling Regnorex’s return?”

“That is troubling. Perhaps the Norwoods will have to evacuate. Last I heard, the Primeval Demon was at the edge of Inoria, right by Shedos’ border.”

“I had hoped for a way to stall the Primeval Demon here. But…”

Saffron glanced over at the destroyed castle. She sighed.

“It seems our only option now is to flee.”

“Wait, are you leaving again?”

A voice called out, interrupting Saffron’s conversation with Anya. Salvos walked up to them, frowning.

“But why?”

“That’s…”

Saffron opened her mouth, but caught herself when she saw the way Anya stare at Salvos. The young noble quickly introduced Salvos.

“Apologies for her interruption. This is Salvos. She’s—”

“I have heard of her. You’re Salvos, the Diamond Ranked adventurer who defeated the Lich, aren’t you?”

Anya raised a brow. Salvos beamed.

“Yep! That’s me!”

“Interesting. Your level is far beyond what I was led to believe. And you were strong enough to defeat both the Archdemons who’d assailed us here.”

“Well, I am amazing, yes.”

Saffron would’ve been more than happy to indulge Salvos’ ego any other time. Right now, though, there were other matters to attend to.

“I’m sorry, Salvos. But we cannot face the Primeval Demon head-on. There is far too much risk. Even with all the resources of our families combined, we cannot muster up a force equal to the one that was defeated at Nightsveil.”

“But wait— I have good news!”

Salvos clasped her hands together.

“You don’t need to rely on just your families’ resources.”

Saffron exchanged a glance with Anya. Salvos excitedly continued.

“I just came from Mavos Academy. We had a really long talk about this— about the Primeval Demon. The gist of it is that Regnorex and the Primeval Demon aren’t on the same side.”

There was a pause. Saffron’s eyes grew wide as she sputtered.

“What?”

Anya placed a hand on her chin, muttering to herself.

“This… this changes everything. Are you certain?”

“Yep! Belzu, that Primeval Demon, is working on his own. I’ll explain all the details later, but basically, I told Clayton Skyshredder, the Headmaster of Mavos Academy— Saffron, you know him— everything.”

Saffron listened to Salvos drone on. She was certain that Anya knew who Clayton was, but Salvos didn’t know that. And, well, the young noble was glad to see that Salvos had grown and now understood that not everyone understood the same things she did. But Salvos had grown a bit too far into the other direction, and was overexplaining things.

“Then we met the King of Traith— Lamarr— he’s part of the Seven Councilmembers of the Eastern Kingdom Alliances…”

“Salvos…”

Saffron interrupted her friend.

“Can you please get to the point.”

“Oh, um, right.”

Salvos tapped a finger on her chin. The silver-haired woman thought for a moment, before smiling as she spread her arms wide.

“Basically, what I’m saying is that a bunch of important people are more than happy to help you guys protect your families! Especially if it means Belzu doesn’t get his hands on the Treasures of Alexander. I’m sure Mavos Academy would take you guys in.”

“I… see.”

Saffron absorbed the implications of it all.

“It seems you’ve really been busy, Salvos.”

Was it selfish or manipulative of Saffron to be glad she befriended Salvos during moments like these? It was something the young noble often questioned about herself. Perhaps it was her ‘Lady’ showing through— deep down, she might’ve thrived in politics even though she hated it.

But she wasn’t going to reject Salvos’ help. Not right now.

“Then let us head to Mavos Academy and speak with Clayton Skyshredder.”

“Yep!”

Salvos pumped a fist into the air. Saffron smiled. Everything could be explained on the way. But for now, what mattered was securing the Greaves of Alexander and ensuring that the Norwood Family was safe.

“Clayton definitely will help us out!”

The silver-haired woman spoke excitedly.

—--

“Absolutely not.”

Saffron stared at Clayton Skyshredder as he spoke. They gathered in his office— Salvos had flown a few of the important Vampires with them to Mavos Academy. Only to be repudiated.

“Mavos Academy shall not harbor the Greaves of Alexander, no matter what.”

There was a sense of finality in his voice. Saffron glanced over at her friend. Salvos deflated.

“Huh. I didn’t expect that.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

328. Triple Confrontation

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to The Elusive Human, So Often Forgotten

Von of Redgrave wakes up to a rather wonderful surprise - five years have passed, and in that time he became the greatest human swordsman in the Six Principalities. Now, he realizes - to his joy - that he could laze around for the rest of his life, never accomplish anything, and still be considered to have brought pride to his noble house.

Yet he feels oddly unhappy about this, even though all he ever wanted was the ability to laze around and do nothing, he finds himself yearning for something more. A request from Talla the Elf sets his heart ablaze, and he once again sets forth on the path of becoming the strongest swordsman - and this time, he doesn't want to stop at just being the strongest human.

He won't stop until he's the strongest to ever live.

The Elusive Human, So Often Forgotten [Progression Fantasy] | Royal Road

328. Triple Confrontation

Faith El, former princess and Fallen Queen of Elutra, strolled into the healing ward. She was accompanied by Gavyn and Willow— members of Elutra’s Resistance. They came to a halt right at the doorway as she continued into one of the private rooms. A [Healing Mage] ushered her in.

A man lay in a bed atop a shimmering healing circle. He was covered in bandages, his skin tender like they’d been freshly healed, but his body unresponsive. Faith glanced over at the [Healing Mage], asking softly.

“How is he?”

“Prince Iance is still in a comatose state. Even after we’d cured all his physical wounds, he still won’t wake up. We’re not sure what it is, but we think it may be a curse of sorts. We’re bringing in a specialist on curses— an [Ailment Wizard]— tomorrow to take a look at him.”

The [Healing Mage] explained, face dour. Faith closed her eyes.

“I see. Thank you. You may leave now.”

She just stood there, eyeing her unconscious brother as she dismissed the [Healing Mage]. He looked just like Rel— except for the birthmark on his left thumb. That was the main way she distinguished the twins from one another. Otherwise, they were similar in every way. They were always charming, carefree, and kind… to those that adored them.

Faith understood that they didn’t always have the best qualities in a person. Let alone the best qualities in a prince. But they were her brothers. Her heart hurt knowing that Rel was dead, and Iance was left in this crippled state for the foreseeable future.

She held up his left hand, unfurling bits of the bandage covering his skin. The birthmark was still there. There was a pause as she took it in— as if she hadn’t believed it was really her brother earlier. Then a bitter smile.

“Prince Iance, even if you are in this state, I am still glad that you are alive.”

That was all she said. She came here to say her piece. And she turned, leaving the room.

Or at least, she was about to leave. Faith came to a halt when she saw a figure standing at the doorway. A familiar woman. One who was wearing recovery robes— who looked like she just crawled out of bed.

In fact, she probably did. Her room was right next to Iance’s. After all, she was both Faith and Iance’s sister. Another former princess of Elutra.

“Princess Hope.”

Faith greeted her simply. Hope shifted back as if Faith’s words struck her physically. But Faith just smiled as she spoke.

“I had heard that there was an ambush at the end of the escape tunnel. That most of our family and retainers perished there. I’m glad to see that you survived the fall of Ertos.”

This time, Hope physically flinched. Her eyes darted to the side as, for a moment, a recollection of the events in Ertos replayed in her head. And Faith remembered too.

Faith rushed for the tunnel with Bel in hand— for the only exit in the throne room. Then paused as she spotted Hope standing there at the entrance to the stairway. She pushed the guard out into the open and, in a single motion, slammed the entryway shut.

“No…”

Faith gasped. She lowered Bel to the ground as he stared with wide eyes at the fighting in the distance, trying to move the throne, but it wouldn’t budge. It glowed an ethereal gold as its enchantments activated. They were locked out.

“Unfortunately, I can’t help but wonder how exactly you survived while the rest of my family passed there.”

Faith started past her sister, tilting her head back. Hope sputtered, wide-eyed.

“T-that’s—”

“Oh. And here I thought you were too traumatized by the fall of Ertos to speak. Is there something you wish to tell me, princess Hope?”

“I…”

Hope trailed off. Faith observed the way her sister uncomfortably averted her gaze. The little movements that were clearly signs of guilt. Sighing, Faith shook her head.

“I do not even know what to say to you. Today and only today, I shall speak to you as your sister. Not as the Fallen Queen of Elutra. Not as a fellow noble. But as someone who has known you all your life.”

She started towards Hope and held the other woman’s gaze.

“Hope El. You are a despicable woman.”

“But I didn’t—”

“I have never met a woman as vile as you. You have no compassion in your heart. You have no love. Not even for your siblings. I do not care that you threw me out to die. But your younger brother— Bel— was there. Destiny, your queen, was there. And you left them to die.”

Faith interrupted her sister. She didn’t care for any excuses Hope had to say. It was only thanks to luck and fortune that Faith was alive today. That Bel was alive. She scorned the woman for endangering their youngest brother’s life.

“And now you dare come here? What makes you think you have any… any… any right to even show your face to me?! Be glad that Bel was not here, Hope. If he was, I’d have burned your face off so he doesn’t have to see this scum of an older sister ever again. Now leave before I lose my temper.”

There was a pause. Faith breathed heavily from the outburst. This was unlike her. She understood that she herself wasn’t free from sin. And perhaps that was what fueled her anger— her own hatred to herself for what she did to Daniel. For her own manipulation and lies.

But even if Faith was a horrible Human being, Hope was still far beyond that. Beyond lost. Beyond insane. Honestly, Faith wouldn't be surprised if Hope was a Demon under that Human skin.

The two sisters stood there in silence as a beat passed. Hope lowered her head. Her lips quivered as her gaze darkened. And, finally, she spoke in a solemn voice.

“I’m sorry…. for what I did— I was wrong.”

Faith froze. She stared at her sister as Hope gesticulated weakly. There was a moment where Faith really didn’t believe what she was hearing. Where everything Faith knew about her sister was instantly shattered.

Then Hope continued.

“But after we left, I can promise you that I never—”

Slap! Faith struck Hope across the face. The other woman stumbled back as her cheeks stung crimson. She stared at the Fallen Queen of Elutra

“Sorry doesn’t change anything, Hope. Neither do your excuses. There is no more time for talking.”

Faith shook her head, walking away from the healing ward. She glanced back at her sister one last time before turning away.

“If you are truly sorry for what you did, then prove it with your actions. I have nothing more to say to you.”

With that, Faith left the woman alone. Never once in her life back in Ertos did Faith think she’d ever treat her sister in that manner. But things had changed. Especially in the past few years. Especially now that Elutra had fully fallen under the claws of Demons and the Inoria Empire.

Willow and Gavyn hesitated for a moment before following Faith. They exchanged a glance, but neither said anything. Faith just rubbed at her hand, speaking casually.

“Now, where is emperor Rowyn? There were other matters we had to discuss—”

She paused as she turned the corridor. Her eyes narrowed, catching sight of a familiar silver-haired woman making her way up the spiral stairway.

“Is that Salvos?”

Faith raised a brow.

“...who are those nobles with her?”

I returned to Mavos Academy. I brought with me a bunch of Vampires from Norwood Keep to speak with Clayton. Obviously, Saffron was going to be accompanying me. But her father was here too. And so were all the so-called important people from their meeting. Like Gannon Norwood, Zin Norwood, Garlen Crimsonfang, and Anya Veridian.

We arrived at the Tower of Truth, found our way to Clayton’s office, and pitched our idea to him. For Mavos Academy to offer the Vampire families protection, and to safeguard the Greaves of Alexander. His response, as expected, was—

“Absolutely not. Mavos Academy shall not harbor the Greaves of Alexander, no matter what.”

“Huh. I did not expect that.”

I scratched the back of my head. I glanced over at Saffron, and she stared back at me with a confused look on her face.

“Salvos, you said he’d help us.”

“I mean, I thought he would. I guess I was wrong.”

Shrugging, I gave her a helpless look. I must’ve misjudged Clayton’s character. He seemed to be pretty all-in on saving the Human lands and defeating the Primeval Demon. I didn’t get why he was suddenly against that now.

“B-but… we have nowhere else to go. Both the Merryster Family and Norwood Family have lost our main estates. We don’t have a stronghold to retreat to.”

“You have the support of the other Greater Vampire Families, as evinced by their presence here alongside you.”

Clayton gestured at Anya Veridian and Garlen Crimsonfang. They drew back— their apprehension on the idea was evident. Saffron gritted her teeth.

“But why—”

She started. Only for Gannon Norwood to start forward. He bowed at Clayton.

“Headmaster Skyshredder, I am here today not as the senator of Shedos, but as the Lord of the Norwood Family. You are aware of our duty passed to us from our ancestors long ago, are you not? To protect the Greaves of Alexander, as the other Greater Vampire Families were tasked to protect other Treasures of Alexander.”

“I am aware.”

Clayton spoke, crossing his arms. Gannon nodded and continued.

“And you are aware that the Primeval Demon is targeting the Treasures of Alexander. So why can you not aid us in ensuring the protection of the Greaves of Alexander?”

There was a moment where Clayton said nothing. He closed his eyes, sighing. Then he cleared his throat.

“My duty is to Mavos Academy, Lord Norwood. You know that as well as I do, Lord Norwood.”

“But the safety of Mavos Academy—”

“Will also be threatened if the Primeval Demon gathers all of the Treasures of Alexander. I am quite aware of that as well.”

“So why do you refuse to offer us your aid?”

Gannon pursed his lips. Clayton’s eyes cracked open. He held the gaze of everyone in the room. He scanned the expressions of the Vampires— the anger, the hopelessness, the fear— before his sight landed on me. It stayed fixed on me, and I cocked my head.

The Headmaster of Mavos Academy answered simply.

“Because, Lord Norwood, the Primeval Demon will never be able achieve whatever goal it has with the Treasures of Alexander.”

“...what?”

More than one person spoke in a confused voice. Clayton simply waved his hand over his desk. I sensed a brief distortion in space before there was a thunk.

“That’s—”

“The Breastplate of Alexander?”

“Wait, why is it…”

Everyone in the room stared at the broken piece of metal lying in his desk. Saffron spoke in a small voice as she stepped back.

“It’s broken.”

And the room erupted into chaos. Anya Veridian shook her head in disbelief.

“That’s not possible. A Mythic Grade artifact… destroyed.”

Gannon Norwood ran a hand over the broken metal.

“But… what could’ve caused this? It must’ve been an Elite threat, at least.”

Garlen Crimsonfang spun to face Clayton in outrage.

“You! You must’ve done this! How dare you desecrate one of the hallowed Treasures of Alexander?!”

Clayton, however, held a cool gaze. He replied with his hands behind his back.

“I was not responsible for this damage inflicted on the Breastplate of Alexander.”

“Then if not you, who else could’ve done it?”

Garlen spoke as if he’d cornered Clayton. Most of the Vampires gathered here looked at Clayton expectantly. Most of them.

The Merrysters, however, cast their gaze towards someone else. Clayton looked in the same direction too. Zin Norwood was the first to pick up the subtle cue and turned away. The other Vampires soon followed, turning to face… well, me.

I scratched the back of my head.

“Um… oops?”

Saffron walked up to me, placing her hands on my shoulder. She spoke as she looked me dead in the eye.

“Salvos… did you seriously destroy the Breastplate of Alexander… one of the Treasures of Alexander… and one of the necessary pieces for the Crown of Alexander’s full potential to be unleashed?”

I just laughed.

“Hey! It’s like Clayton says. At least now Belzu won’t be able to gather all the Treasures of Alexander together, right?”

Saffron just sighed exasperatedly.

“You know what? Sure.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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329. Hasty Preparation

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to The Wandering Inn. Greatest web serial ever.

An inn is a place to rest, a place to talk and share stories, or a place to find adventures, a starting ground for quests and legends.

In this world, at least. To Erin Solstice, an inn seems like a medieval relic from the past. But here she is, running from Goblins and trying to survive in a world full of monsters and magic. She’d be more excited about all of this if everything wasn’t trying to kill her.

But an inn is what she found, and so that’s what she becomes. An innkeeper who serves drinks to heroes and monsters–

Actually, mostly monsters. But it’s a living, right?

This is the story of the Wandering Inn.

The Wandering Inn | A tale of a girl, an inn, and a world full of levels.

329. Hasty Preparation

Saffron Merryster couldn’t help but massage her temples as the discussion came to an end. Clayton Skyhredder refused to offer the Norwoods the protection of Mavos Academy as long as they had the Greaves of Alexander with them. He was willing to house the Merrysters and the Norwoods if they met that stipulation.

But that was never going to happen.

It irritated Saffron. She understood the Headmaster’s rationale, but she couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t upset about it. After all, Mavos Academy had never once fallen in a siege. If the Primeval Demon attacked, it would very likely be repelled… at a cost.

And that was why Clayton refused them. Mavos Academy, while a school and a campus, basically served as its own nation state. It was technically under the jurisdiction of Shedos, however what Mavos Academy did was ultimately decided by Clayton himself.

It was one of the oldest institutions in the world. Only preceded by the Den of Souls, the Sanctuary of Fauna, and the Sanctum of Elements— but even then, those never had a persisting single physical location like Mavos Academy did.

Mavos Academy had been within the borders of many different countries throughout history. They all came and went, and it stayed for a reason. Perhaps Clayton’s pragmatism— and the pragmatism of the Headmasters before him— was the reason why it was still around today.

“Thank you for hearing us out, Headmaster Skyshredder.”

Saffron bowed before making her way out of the office. Clayton just grunted, and the door slowly closed shut. She turned to the gathered Vampires with a sigh.

“I guess we’ll have to…”

She paused when she saw everyone’s attention was off her. Garlen Crimsonfang, Anya Veridian, and even Gannon Norwood still had their focus on the silver-haired woman.

Salvos backed up, raising her hands defensively.

“Look, I told you, it broke while I was fighting an [Ancient Centinel]!”

“And how exactly does a Mythic Grade artifact break to a single [Ancient Centinel]?”

Gannon crossed his arm. Salvos opened her hands and shrugged.

“I don’t know? There were like multiple Grand Skills being thrown around?”

“That still shouldn’t be enough to destroy the Breastplate of Alexander.”

“Well, it’s broken, ok? I just used it and fought a few monsters with it!”

She harrumphed, and Saffron bit her lower lip. The argument was growing heated. Too heated. The young noble needed to step in.

“Perhaps it’s not truly Salvos’ fault, Gannon.”

Saffron spoke up, drawing their attention.

“We don’t know the intricacies behind the Treasures of Alexander ourselves, even though we have been tasked with safeguarding them. Perhaps there is more to it than we were led to believe. Perhaps by leaving it untouched for all this time, its enchantments— its effects and its protection— wore off.”

“That’s true! I think Centina and Clayton surmised something like that!”

Salvos hurriedly agreed. There was a pause. Even Saffron’s father raised an inquisitive brow at that. Saffron narrowed her eyes, mouthing the word in her mind.

“Cen…tina?”

“Oh, um, hey, what are you guys going to do now, anyway?”

Saffron just stared at the silver-haired woman as she quickly tried to change the subject. Having known Salvos for a while, Saffron could infer what that name probably implied— especially with that reaction. Fortunately, Gannon and the others couldn’t. Because if they could, they’d likely be as exasperated as Saffron was right now.

Gannon shook his head, speaking in a low voice.

“Our one goal should be to keep the Greaves of Alexander away from the Primeval Demon. And as a senator of Shedos, I cannot help but have the same worries Headmaster Skyshredder has, but for the country.”

“Are you saying we should flee Shedos?”

Zin Norwood asked with a frown. Gannon pursed his lips.

“If we must…”

His words swept over the group. They began to discuss their course of action as Saffron watched from the side. She didn’t have much input to add. Instead, she faced her friend.

“Salvos.”

“That’s me! Need anything, Saffron?”

The silver-haired woman cocked her head. Saffron rolled her eyes.

“First of all, it’s good to see you haven’t changed one bit, even if you’ve grown much stronger.”

“Well, I am Salvos and I will always be Salvos, so…”

“Right. That’s beside the point.”

“What is the point?”

“If I’m hearing things right, it seems like we’ll be leaving Shedos. I don’t think Clayton even wants us to stay in Mavos Academy for more than a day. The Primeval Demon could get here at any time, so he thinks we’re a danger to the school.”

Saffron reflexively glanced out a nearby window as if she’d see Belzu right there. Of course, all she saw was the clear afternoon sky and the tall towers of the campus city.

“I don’t blame him for it. But I don’t know what’ll happen once we return to Norwood Keep. That’s why I…”

She trailed off. Was she really asking Salvos for another favor again? Was their friendship built around Saffron’s exploitation of her friend’s kindness? The young noble bit her lower lip.

I am not that kind of a person, she told herself. It was a resolution. Her problems were hers to bear with. She wouldn’t force them onto Salvos again.

The silver-haired woman peered closer.

“Is something wrong, Saffron?”

“It’s nothing. I just wanted to thank you for helping us again, Salvos.”

Saffron turned away from her friend, glancing at the discussing Vampires further down the hallway. She closed her eyes.

“And while our reunion was short-lived, I believe we’ll be parting ways again now. I would’ve loved to have spent more time catching up, but it seems the current times don’t allow for such moments of reprieve.”

A sad smile spread across her face as she looked up at Salvos.

“I do hope our next time—“

“What are you talking about?”

Salvos spoke over her. Saffron paused.

“Pardon?”

“I said: what are you talking about? I’m not going to be leaving you alone again.”

The silver-haired woman scoffed.

“You have assassins and Demons actively coming after you, Saffron. Your life is in danger, and no offense, you’re not strong enough to look after yourself.”

Saffron just stared at her. It took the young noble a moment to gather her thoughts.

“I… no offense taken. But don’t you have your own plans? Your own goals? You can’t just follow me around and look after me forever.”

“Nope! I can’t. And I don’t intend to.”

Salvos agreed happily.

“But for now, I can and I will protect you. And if that idiot Belzu does come after you, I’ll just kill him like I said I would.”

There was a moment where the world seemed to freeze around Saffron. She held the silver-haired woman’s gaze. Her golden eyes shimmered— almost inhuman. But perhaps that was because Saffron knew the Demon beneath the Human skin.

Here was a Demon. Someone who had no reason or care in the world to help Saffron. Yet she did. Because Safrron was her companion.

Saffron had already known Salvos. For a while now. Yet this never ceased to amaze her. The fact that Demons could be kind. To a Vampire. To their mortal enemy.

But perhaps only Saffron saw it that way. Maybe there were a plethora of other Demons who were even kinder than Salvos in the Netherworld. These thoughts were odd to her.

Saffron almost felt guilty for wishing she could meet another Demon that wasn’t under the Demon King’s rule…. or who wasn’t rampaging around the Mortal Realm in rebellion. After all, she was raised to hate them. But now they intrigued her more than anything.

“You are…”

The young noble was honestly at a loss for words.

“You are certainly a unique individual, Salvos.”

“That’s because I am—“

“And before you say it, I am aware. Which is why I am pointing it out.”

Salvos just chuckled.

“Aw, but it’s less fun that way.”

Saffron couldn’t help but laugh alongside her friend.

“…seriously, you idiot.”

She whispered under her breath. Once this was all over, the young noble would do everything she could to make sure no one took advantage of Salvos or her kindness.

With that settled, the other Vampires prepared to return to Norwood Keep. I left Saffron behind with them, searching for Willy since I last left him by himself at the Tower of Truth. I bumped into Faith while scouring the building.

“Hey princess Faith!”

“Hello Salvos. I do appreciate your use of my title, but please, you may just call me Faith.”

“Aw, but why not? It sounds better that way.”

Willow was with her, and she stepped forward.

“Because she is now no longer a princess, Salvos. She is—“

But before Willow could finish, Faith raised a hand to cut her off. I blinked.

“She is…?”

“I am but a member of Elutra’s Resistance. That is all.”

Faith replied simply.

“Huh. Well, I was looking for Willy. Have you seen him lately?”

“Your [Will O’ Wisp] friend?”

“Yep.”

“Unfortunately, I have not seen him since yesterday’s meeting.”

“Aw, I wonder where he went.”

I felt my shoulders slumped. Faith gestured down a side corridor.

“Perhaps you can ask Clayton’s [Secretary].”

“Marie Schofen? I’ll find her, thank you!”

I waved at the princess and her fellow resistance members as I continued down the corridor. She smiled at me.

“You are welcome.”

She watched me go. I found Marie’s office soon enough. I rapped lightly on the doorway, entering once prompted.

“Come in.”

“Hello—”

I stepped one foot into the door, and a bright glow zipped up to me. I backed up as Willy hounded me in an uncharacteristically hurried voice.

“Salvos. Where? Go?”

“Willy! There you are!”

I exclaimed as the [Will O’ Wisp] flitted around me. A woman seated in the other end of the room sighed. I remembered her from when I was originally admitted into the school.

“I see you’re finally back. This Grand Spirit has been searching for you all day yesterday.”

“Marie! I mean… [Secretary] Marie?”

“Greetings, student Salvos.

That was right. She was quite a formal woman. And she was apparently busy working, writing up various documents while Willy had been hiding in her office with her.

“I am glad you are finally back. Especially after causing quite the fuss yesterday. You have left me rather preoccupied with all the work you’ve just dumped onto my plate.”

“Oh, oops. Sorry?”

I scratched the back of my head. She stood up, shaking her head.

“That is not meant to be an attack on your character. I must offer you my heartfelt gratitude. Headmaster Skyshredder has now returned to his usual self since you’ve brought light to this news about the Demon King and Inoria.”

“Returned to his usual self?”

“It is quite odd. Headmaster Skyshredder has been rather aloof lately, spending more time in solitude in his tower than he previously has. I had been quite worried. But now that things are back to normal, I know that is nothing to be concerned about.”

She adjusted her glasses, nodding at me. I paused as the realization sank in. Willy exchanged a knowing look at me. I gave Marie my best smile.

I’m the reason why Clayton has been holed up. Well, technically, Centina and Kron were the reason. But I was the reason they were even here in the first place.

“Anyway, aren’t you glad that I’m back, Willy? You don’t need to keep hiding from—”

The [Will O’ Wisp] shot a glare at me. He didn’t even have eyes, and I could still feel his gaze stab me like a knife. I backed up and out of the room, followed by Willy.

“Thanks for your help, Marie!”

The door closed, and I was left with the Grand Spirit in the corridor. I grinned as he drifted closer to me.

“Come on, Willy. There was an emergency. And is it really so bad if he finds out who you are?”

“Stupid. Thorsten. Trouble.”

“Really? He seemed like he was quite nice.”

Willy was indignant.

“Bad. For me.”

“Huh. Well, I’ll keep that in mind.”

I tapped a finger on my chin. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but considering Willy’s reaction, it must’ve been something important. I wanted to pry further, but he refused to speak about it.

So, I just reassured him.

“Well, it’s a good thing we’ll be leaving Mavos Academy.”

“Really?”

“Yep! I’m not too sure where we’re going, but we’re leaving as soon as possible. Isn’t that good news?”

I led him down a stairway, heading out of the Tower of Truth. He followed me, his colors changing to suit his calmer mood. Then he paused.

“Us?”

“Nope. We’ll be going with Saffron and a bunch of other Vampires.”

He stared at me, coming to a halt. I cocked my head.

“What?”

“Forget?”

“What do you mean I’m not forgetting something?”

I furrowed my brows as footfalls echo down the hallway behind me. Familiar, bickering voices accompanied the footsteps as I rubbed my chin in thought.

“What could I have forgotten?”

“I told you this before, Amanda, but you can just leave if you’re going to keep complaining about everything I do.”

“But it’s so much more fun to fuck with you, Daniel. Seriously, you’re such a fuck-able person.”

“Wha—”

“See? So easy.”

I raised my chin in thought as the footsteps came to a halt. Willy stared at the figures behind me. I glanced back at Daniel and Amanda, both standing at the end of the hallway. They stared at me, and I waved at them.

“Hey Daniel! Hey Amanda!”

Then I went back to mulling over Willy’s words.

“I don’t feel like I’m forgetting anything…”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

330. Likes and Dislikes

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to the No Killing Goblins Podcast. It is a fan podcast for The Wandering Inn, but in this special episode it features CasualFarmer and Travis Baldree!

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/dragonus45/episodes/2022-04-22T17_48_26-07_00

330. Likes and Dislikes

“I can’t believe this.”

Daniel Song dragged himself out of the Tower of Truth as he hung his head low.

“You call me your companion, and you just forgot about me…”

“Fucking idiot.”

Amanda snickered as she watched from the side. I shot her a glare, shutting her up before running up to the Human man. I apologized profusely as he glanced back at me.

“I’m so sorry, Daniel! But it’s not that I forgot about you, you know?”

“You were literally going to leave me behind in Mavos Academy.”

“Well, that’s…”

I trailed off. I looked over at Willy for help, but he gave none. I sighed.

“I didn’t think you’d want to come with us.”

“And why wouldn’t I?”

He stared at me, crossing his arms. I shrugged.

“I thought you had your own things going on. Like don’t you have your own adventures to go to with Amanda?”

I gestured at the assassin. Both Daniel and Amanda retorted at the same time.

“I would rather die than do anything for her.”

“I would rather die than do anything for him.”

“The point is—”

I clapped my hands together, speaking over them.

“If I’d known you wanted to come, I’d have invited you!”

Daniel shifted his feet slightly.

“...you could’ve at least asked me about it.”

“I know. And I'm sorry for that.”

I held his gaze as I spoke. He pursed his lips, and I grabbed him by the hand.

“You’re my companion. I won’t force you. But if you really want to, I want you to come with us.”

Daniel looked me in the eye. He hesitated for a moment. Then he nodded.

“I do.”

“Great!”

I beamed, drawing back. He let out a sigh. I turned to Amanda and Willy. They’d just been spectators for most of the conversation. But I directed the same question to them.

“What about you guys? Wanna come?”

“Yes.”

“Sure, I guess it’s more fun than hanging around here.”

“Alright!”

I clasped my hands together, glad that that was settled.

“Then let’s go find Saffron!”

—--

We met up with Saffron and the other Vampires just outside of Mavos Academy. Some of them had left— for example, Garlen Crimsonfang was notably absent. Saffron said he returned to the destroyed Norwood Keep ahead of time on his own to check up on his son’s condition. Zin accompanied him and would be meeting with us once we arrived back there.

Anya Veridian and most of the Norwoods remained. Crocus Merryster was here too. I nodded at him before running up to Saffron herself.

“I’m back!”

“Salvos—”

Saffron paused when she caught sight of the three individuals waiting behind me. She raised a brow.

“Are they coming with us?”

“Yep! You’ve never met them, but this is Willy. He’s a [Will O’ Wisp]. A Grand Spirit. He’s nice and kind of strong?”

“Very strong.”

Willy corrected me. I rolled my eyes, continuing to the next person.

“This is Amanda. I don’t actually know her that well. She’s an assassin or something? Pretty strong, though.”

“...hey.”

Amanda spoke in an aloof voice. I moved on to the third person.

“And this is Daniel.”

Saffron blinked as I introduced him. She raised her hand, trying to speak.

“Salvos…”

“Despite his appearance, he’s quite strong too! And he’s my companion, just like you.”

“But Salvos—”

She started again, and I waved a hand dismissively.

“There’s no need to be nervous! He can hold his own against Belzu too! I’ve seen it!”

“Salvos.”

Saffron spoke clearly this time. I cocked my head, pausing.

“Yes, Saffron?”

“I have met Daniel before. Remember? In fact, I met him before I met you.”

“Huh.”

I tapped a finger on my chin in thought. That was right. I only met Saffron because of Daniel. We accompanied her on an escort mission out of Nixa. Jaakko, Zack, and Helen were there too! I wondered how they were doing…

“That’s good!”

I finally said, grinning.

“That means you don’t need to reintroduce yourselves.”

“Indeed.”

Saffron nodded as she looked Daniel over. Her eyes narrowed.

“Although, I am quite surprised he was able to keep up with you… even if there is a bit of a gap between your levels.”

Daniel drew back, lowering his head.

“T-that’s—”

“That’s fine! I’m sure he’ll catch up in no time, right?”

I patted him on the shoulder. Then I turned back to Saffron.

“Anyway, what are we going to be doing now?”

“Return back to Norwood Keep.”

The Vampire woman answered simply.

“Zin and Gannon will have to gather the rest of their family, then we’ll be heading to the Veridian estates. Anya Veridian says they’ll house us. At least, until we know where exactly the Primeval Demon is currently at. We can plan from there.”

“That’s good!”

I was eager to get into another scuffle with Belzu. Only problem was that I still wasn’t sure if I was strong enough to beat him. Maybe I stood a chance with my Grand Skills— but no, I couldn’t use them right now. I still had a few weeks left for my [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion], and another five or so days for [My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends].

With that, we left Mavos Academy soon after, making our trek back to Norwood Keep.

—--

The castle was in pretty much the same state it had been beforehand. There were no repairs made. It had only been a day since we dealt with the pair of Archdemons to go to Mavos Academy, and I was pretty sure they didn’t intend to fix any of the destruction that had been wreaked. After all, the entirety of the Norwood Family was going to be leaving Shedos.

We were heading west— towards the Helbir Plains. That was where the Veridians had the most influence. They pretty much had some connection to every single city state in the region. And it was populated with thousands of city states.

There were no ‘full’ nations. It wasn’t like the Eastern Kingdom Alliance which was composed of both city states and countries that spanned multiple cities. Although, the Helbir Plains was united by the Helbir League. It was the biggest alliance in the Human lands, just by the number of states alone.

Obviously, because most of them were city states, they were naturally more numerous.

…at least, that was what Saffron explained to me after I kept poking her about it.

“Just… wait here, Salvos.”

Saffron sighed as she sauntered off to help Gannon and Zin. I sat with Daniel, Willy, and Amanda in a crumbling— but still standing— room. The assassin rolled her eyes as she looked out the window.

“This place is a dump. Was it really supposed to be some fancy castle?”

“Yep!”

I nodded, gesturing vaguely towards the garden.

“I got into a big fight with some Demons. They were kind of strong, actually. Level 125 each. But I beat them.”

“Good job. Brag about it more.”

Amanda leant back with a scoff. I grinned.

“I will! They also had this weird combination casting ability! They also had this whole blood magic field set up which made me weaker—”

“But you beat them because you’re an amazing genius fighter, right? Wow, I am so impressed. I am definitely not bored out of my mind right now.”

She snorted, speaking with a flat voice. I stared at her. There was a pause. Daniel shifted back uncomfortably. Willy made a whistling noise for whatever reason.

“Sassy.”

I blinked as the [Will O’ Wisp] spoke over the silence. Then I walked up to Amanda, eyes glittering.

“Really? I can tell you more about it if you really want!”

“What…?”

Amanda turned back and froze. My face was just a few inches away from hers. She backed up, speaking hurriedly.

“I was being sarcas—”

“Alright, so there were two Demons, right? They were Archdemons— very scary. One of them was an [Incubus] and the other was a [Succubus]. As I said earlier, they used blood magic, and that was really troublesome because they could heal each other and—”

I spoke over her, retelling the whole battle with Mentior and Fictus from the moment I teleported into Norwood Keep. She tried to back away from me, but I followed her as I continued the story. Until, finally, after taking way too long to regale what happened in that short fight scee, I finished.

“—then I activated my amazing Grand Skill and defeated them like that!”

I made a swinging motion to close off the story. Amanda had been cornered to the window, and she was looking towards Daniel for help. The Human man just smirked as he stared at her look of desperation.

“I… see…”

She trailed off once I was done. I chuckled, taking a step back.

“Yep! It was really exciting! I was so amazing there— I’m glad that you asked. Nobody ever likes listening to my stories.”

“I told you, I don’t—”

“You’re such a nice person, Amanda.”

I gave her a thumbs-up. She just stared at me.

“What are you.. I am not a nice person. I am an assassin. Someone who’s hired by rich assholes to kill innocent people for existing. That is literally the furthest thing from a nice person possible.”

“Really? Huh. But are you doing that right now?”

I asked inquisitively. Amanda shook her head, gesturing at Daniel.

“Not since I decided to side with that fucking moron over there.”

“See? So you’re not wild! And that means you’re nice!”

I clapped my hands together with a smile. She sputtered.

“I am not—”

“You are!”

I poked her on the stomach, cutting her off. Her face burned red as she swatted at my hand.

“Don’t poke me!”

She stormed past me, and I stepped to the side. The former assassin spun around to meet my gaze once she was a few feet away from me.

“And stop interrupting me! I am a fucking bastard who spent all her life hurting others for her own gain. There is nothing about me that’s nice. Just because I’m on your side now, doesn’t mean I won’t hesitate to backstab all of you if it’d benefit me.”

Amanda panted as she spoke. She then paused, clearly flustered. Lowering her head, she turned and marched for the room’s exit. She stood at the doorway, facing us one last time.

“Also, stop leaning so close to me. We just met, and there’s a thing called fucking personal space.”

With that, she slammed the door shut. I stared at the closed door. There was a trickle of dust that fell from the ceiling just from the force she exerted. Daniel pursed his lips, remaining silent for a moment.

“She seems nice.”

I finally spoke, breaking the silence. He scratched his cheek.

“I don’t think she likes you, Salvos.”

“Oh, I know.”

I spoke simply. I glanced fractionally back at the two men in the room, tilting my head.

“But that was fun.”

Daniel stared at my back. He exchanged a glance with Willy, and they came to an agreement.

“Salvos… you are terrifying.”

A note from MelasD

Sorry for the late chapters, I'm just really, really burnt out.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

331. Weirdo

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Nomad Healer!

Monty was dead until he wasn't.

His body was no longer his own, having been shoved into a dying priest in the heart of a totally different world of magic and death. The priest had been protecting a caravan—a duty Monty now inherited—and he was faced with bandits and worse, all while keeping up the facade of his stolen identity. Luckily, the priest had been capable of miraculous [Light] magic, and now so was Monty. He could heal...and he could kill.

And he would, without hesitation.

He'd rather not die again.

Nomad Healer | Royal Road

331. Weirdo

Nice? Amanda cursed as she stormed out of the room. She was an assassin. A Harrowed Vindicator. Someone who’d been hired to kill high-value targets all the same, regardless of their background or history.

How was she nice? That was ridiculous. That girl— Salvos, or whatever her name is— was utterly stupid. Even Daniel recognized that Amanda was nothing more than a cold bastard of an assassin.

It annoyed her. Amanda didn’t know why she was so upset. Her lips twisted as she came to a halt right by the garden of the destroyed castle.

“Why am I even helping them?”

She sighed as she sat herself on a fallen stone column. Before her, she saw figures moving. The Vampire families were discussing. In talks. And they were preparing to leave for the Helbir Plains. It was going to be a large convoy. It wasn’t just the Norwood Family. The Merrysters were here too, and so were the Veridians.

The Crimsonfangs had notably already taken their leave. They weren’t going to accompany the Norwoods to the Veridian estates. However, they were going to discuss how they could offer their assistance.

It was an odd thing to see, really. Amanda had never thought the Greater Vampire Families would ever cooperate. Or work together to this extent.

Well, it wasn’t like she was very knowledgeable about their politics. Amanda only had a cursory idea of how the Vampires functioned. She mostly stuck to studying her targets, and the Harrowed Vindicators did not take hits on Vampires.

That was what her mentor had… forced onto her.

Amanda gritted her teeth as her memories flashed in her head. The shouting. The whips. The harsh training she’d been forced to endure. Why was she remembering them now?

“I am…”

She sighed as she got to her feet. Then she tensed. Footfalls approached her from behind, and she reached for her double-bladed dagger. A pink-haired woman appeared from down the hallway.

“You’re… Saffron Merryster?”

“Indeed. And you were Salvos’ friend?”

The assassin paused. She bit her lower lip.

“I am but an acquaintance who was roped into this mess, nothing more.”

“I see. Well, I appreciate your help regardless.”

Saffron smiled and gestured to the room where Salvos, Daniel, and the [Will O’ Wisp] were waiting.

“Is Salvos still in there? Or has she wandered off, chasing a walking rock or something as ridiculous as that?”

“Yeah, your friend is in there being her weird self.”

Amanda shrugged. Saffron sighed.

“What’d she do?”

The assassin raised a brow.

“What do you mean by that?”

“She must’ve done something to chase you out. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be out w

“I was just getting antsy, alright? Being in that small room was giving me claustrophobia. Seriously, when are we leaving?”

“At dawn, tomorrow. We’re just making sure all the lesser Vampire families are evacuated as well. It won’t be a long journey, don’t worry. And it’ll be quite easy too. The most dangerous part will only be when we pass the Motharis Mountain Range.”

Saffron spoke as she glanced over to the west. Past Amanda. The assassin blinked.

“Why the fuck would you pass through Motharis with a group of this size?”

“We won’t be passing through it. Our route brings us past it. It is concerning since there have been talks of an influx of monsters migrating out of the mountain range. But with Salvos there, I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

Well, that was fair. Even Amanda wouldn’t be troubled by the monsters that were known to lurked in that Platinum Ranked region. Still, she couldn’t help but find the logistics behind it ridiculous. Not that she was going to argue about it.

It didn’t matter to her if some bratty noble died. That was right— she didn’t care because she wasn’t a nice or even good person.

“Good. I just want to get this shit over with already.”

We left the next day. Amanda had been acting aloof ever since I teased her to the point of her getting annoyed about it. Not that I particularly cared. I found it fun, and she was being rude with her sarcastic quips.

I barely even knew her! I could tolerate Willy’s remarks because I knew he was doing it all in good fun. Amanda, on the other hand, seemed to be quite serious with her words. Or at least, her intentions differed.

Anyway, we left Norwood Keep in a long stream of carriages and wagons. The Norwood Family alone accounted for over a hundred family core members, and their entourages inflated that number to the thousands. There were also a few of the lesser families with us, but the rest were leaving on their own.

“Those are the Marins.”

Saffron pointed at a caravan towards the side. They had different emblems to the Norwoods, although they had a familiar set of root-like protrusions extending from their symbol.

“They’re a lesser Vampire family that is quite estranged to the Norwoods. They’re technically the Norwood’s thralls, but they act quite autonomously. Especially ever since Gannon became Patriarch.”

She continued listing out the various lesser Vampire families traveling with the convoy today. Although, I didn’t get why they were following. It wasn’t like they were in any danger— the Primeval Demon was mainly after one person.

Gannon Norwood.

He had with him the Greaves of Alexander, which he had stored away. Just like Crocus Merryster when I first met him, Gannon wasn’t willing to flaunt his family’s Treasure of Alexander around without due cause.

However, he was at least more flexible in that he agreed to use it if the situation arose.

And we were bringing it as far away from the Primeval Demon as possible. Of course, that didn’t ensure its safety. At any moment in time, Belzu could just descend from the sky and… well, kill almost everyone here, all on his own. Without my Grand Skills, I didn’t stand much of a chance against him.

I would’ve wanted to get even stronger than I was right now. But I knew that I couldn’t really just rush my way to Level 150.

I’d probably get myself killed at one point. I didn’t even have the Breastplate of Alexander as a fallback anymore. And there was still much I had to learn. Like, I didn’t even know Titles had Bonus Effects until recently.

If I got to Level 150 now, I’d be far weaker than if I got to Level 150 later. A mixture of experience and feats would’ve given me a better Subspecies and even a new Title or Class advancement. Still, I did want to at least reach Level 100 with my Class soon.

Regardless, we left Norwood Keep at the break of dawn. I flew alongside Willy over the long convoy as they made their way through the landscape below. We had an aerial view of everything that was closeby, which meant that we could see any threat that was coming nearby.

Daniel and Amanda stayed on the ground. Neither of them had any flight abilities. Although, they could probably jump very high if they tried at their levels.

Neither myself or Willy said much during our flight. I occasionally glanced over at him, trying to bug him about that [Archbishop] from the Den of Souls.

“So… who’s Thorsten, really?”

But, of course, the [Will O’ Wisp] refused to answer.

“No.”

I wasn’t really too interested in knowing. Just idle curiosity. If it seemed like he was getting aggravated by it, I wouldn’t pester him further.

“What do you think about Amanda?”

I finally asked, changing the subject. Willy flitted alongside me. As a ball of flame, he didn’t really have a face or a head. But I could tell he fractionally turned to face me.

“Think?”

“Yep! She’s a bit weird, right?”

“Assassin. Expected.”

“You’re saying that’s expected of assassins? What do you mean?”

He sighed as we followed the slow pace of the convoy.

“Illegal. Kidnap. Probably.”

“Um… can you talk in full sentences?”

“Assassin kidnap. Train young.”

“Huh.”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“You’re saying that assassins usually kidnap each other and train them to succeed them, right?”

“Yes.”

“That makes sense.”

Humans were weirdly obsessed with having only their offspring be the ones to be their successors. I didn’t see why you couldn’t just pick up a random child off the street and do just that. Seriously, why did it matter that they were blood-related?

Willy and I continued flying idly by as the convoy exited from a forest. I spotted undulating hills in the distance. It was the familiar shape of the Motharis Mountain Range. I nudged Willy from the side as I pointed it out.

“Hey— I’ve been there once.”

“Ok.”

He spoke, unamused.

“I met a Fairy, you know? Also met Belzu for the first time there.”

That made the [Will O’ Wisp] pause. He stared at me.

“Really?”

“Yep… wait, what is that?”

I narrowed my eyes as I cast my gaze towards the mountains. I saw a wall of dust being kicked into the air. It was a column of brown that rose into the air. It shook the earth. I frowned as I tried to get a closer look. There were giant figures— with long trunks, thick tusks, and massive ears as the [Gatho Mammoths] had. But they were even bigger.

“[Goliath Oliphants]. Stampede. Dangerous. Strong monsters.”

Willy spoke in a low voice. I watched as the convoy below me began to spread out in a panic. I shook my head and pointed past them.

“What about those things chasing them?”

“Chasing?”

He paused. He looked where I was pointing— at the huge winged figures flying overhead of the [Goliath Oliphants]. He stared at it for a moment.

“[Lesser Wyverns].”

“And I take it they’re more dangerous than the [Goliath Oliphants]?”

“Yes.”

I beamed.

“Good. I was actually hoping to get into another fight. I can’t wait for my Class to level up.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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332. Aerial Battle, Ground Zero

A note from MelasD

Check out Edge Cases!

Rare classes and powerful skills are helpful. Too bad the system doesn't seem built to handle them. What even are all of these errors?

Combine that with a team of outcasts thatactually practice healthy communication, and you've got shenanigans.

Then there's the question of what the system is doing to monsters and to the very gods...

Edge Cases | Royal Road

332. Aerial Battle, Ground Zero

Daniel Song stood his ground as he saw the pillar of brown dust billow into the air. It was like a terrible sandstorm was coming their way. One that shook the earth with increasing violence.

Around him, the caravan of nobles and their bodyguards were falling over as their horses whinnied in a panic. Children cried as they lay on the ground as their parents rushed to restore order. Daniel drew his blade, bellowing in a clear voice.

“Everyone find cover!”

He narrowed his eyes as he peered into the heart of the approaching storm.

“Just what is that?”

Amanda appeared next to him, shaking her head.

“That’s a stampede. And it’s heading our way.”

“A stampede? That’s ridiculous. There’s no way a horde of monsters can cause this kind of a disaster just from their numbers alone.”

“But it’s not their numbers. Its their size and their magic.”

She pointed towards the dark dotted figures at the pace of the dust column. He frowned as she spoke simply.

“Those are [Oliphants]. They’re a branching evolution of [Gatho Mammoths]. And they seem to be their Level 100 [Goliath Oliphant] evolution.”

“That’s…”

His eyes widened. Daniel moved immediately. He couldn’t let them get close. Even if he could deal with a handful of giant elephant-like monsters, that didn’t mean he’d be able to do so while protecting the caravan.

He marched forward as Amanda followed behind him. She sighed.

“Are we seriously doing this? Don’t we usually, I don’t know, need a plan of action before jumping into battle?”

“Here’s the plan: we stop them.”

Daniel spoke simply. His body glowed as he activated [A Hero’s Rage]. He was wreathed in glowing armor. His Primordial Longsword grew in length, becoming a massive broadsword. Amanda stared at him.

“That’s… not a plan, you fucking idiot.”

“[Lesser Wyverns]. Danger.”

Willy spoke as I flew towards the Motharis Mountain Range. Below me, I saw Daniel and Amanda moving as well, while the rest of the caravan retreated away from the giant stampede.

“Come on, they can’t be that bad, right?”

Even from afar, I could tell that they were pretty big. Each one was about 50 feet long— some of them getting up to nearly 100 feet— but I’d fought many larger monsters before. Like the [Ancient Centinel]. And it wasn’t like size was everything.

Each one of the [Goliath Oliphants] towered on average about 200 feet. They were taller than some castles I’d seen. Bigger than most buildings and city walls. Yet, they were being chased and hunted down by the [Lesser Wyverns].

I watched as three [Lesser Wyverns] swooped down at one of the [Goliath Oliphants], felling it with their claws. Another [Goliath Oliphant] turned to help it, but the rest of the pack left them behind. The two were slaughtered by the flock of [Lesser Wyverns], forgotten by the rest.

The [Lesser Wyverns] continued giving chase. The pack of [Goliath Oliphants] made a trumpeting noise, and from their trunks, shot out more sand and dust into the air, kicking up the sandstorm around them. It was like they were trying to obfuscate the vision of the [Lesser Wyverns].

“Huh.”

I looked at the trajectory of the [Goliath Oliphants]. Even if I interrupted their advance, they would’ve still wreaked havoc to the caravan. I didn’t want that. Willy stared at me.

“Something?”

“Yep. I need your help.”

I created a Nebular Bow as the monsters approached. I turned to the [Will O’ Wisp].

“Can you use your flames to redirect the [Goliath Oliphants]?”

“Wyverns?”

“I can deal with them for now. Go get Daniel’s help too. We need to make sure they don’t stampede through the caravan.”

Willy stared at me.

“That… smart. Thoughtful.”

“I don’t want Saffron to be hurt from this. And I especially don’t want her to be upset at me if her friends die.”

I snorted as I loosed a single Nebular Arrow at the flock of [Lesser Wyverns]. I expected to see one of giant winged monster’s fall from the sky. But instead, there was a flicker. Like a sphere of ice temporarily formed and protected the horde.

I blinked. The ice barrier vanished.

“Huh. That’s…”

This was going to be harder than I thought it’d be. I turned to Willy for help, but he was already flying down to meet Daniel and Amanda.

“Good luck!”

The [Will O’ Wisp] called out. I furrowed my brows.

“Wait, I didn’t know they could do that!”

I fired another arrow. And another. I created a volley of projectiles with [The Primordial Spark]. I launched the salvo of attacks at the flock. But it was all repelled by their ice barrier. I narrowed my eyes.

“Just what is that?”

But my question wasn’t answered. Instead, the [Lesser Wyverns] turned their ire towards me. I created a pair of clones as I readied myself for the battle with the giant winged beasts. There was, altogether, over a hundred of them. And they posed quite a threat, even individually.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 123]

…

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 135]

“Well, I’m not scared of you! Come over here!”

I drew their attention, unleashing another barrage of projectiles as they charged me.

“What is she doing?”

Saffron Merryster stared into the sky as she watched Salvos unload a volley of flaming projectiles into the sandstorm. She expected the flying Demon to attack the stampede of [Goliath Oliphants], but instead, she unleashed a flurry of flaming projectiles towards the dust cloud.

But Zin Norwood saw something Saffron couldn’t.

“There are [Lesser Wyverns] hidden there. Specifically, [Lesser Frost Wyverns]. A whole flock.”

“Wyverns?! Are you serious?”

Saffron’s eyes grew wide. She produced a spyglass and peered at the direction Zin pointed out. Indeed, there was a giant shadow moving within the dust cloud. One that glimmered with the faintest bit of magic. Salvos navigated around that dark smear, attacking it with a rapid firing of arrows as it drew closer to her.

“But that doesn’t make sense! Why are there… why are there Wyverns here?”

[Goliath Oliphants] were native to the Motharis Mountain Range. They were amongst the biggest threats there, alongside [Obsidian Scaled Drakes]. They weren’t numerous— if Saffron had to guess, that stampede amounted to all the [Goliath Oliphants] that were in Motharis.

But Wyverns weren’t even native to the Human lands. There were the occasional flocks that were caught migrating over the Human lands between the Beastmen Plains and the Kobold lands. However, it wasn’t the right season for it.

It made no sense to Saffron.

She just stared up at Salvos as, finally, the Wyverns emerged from the dust cloud. And it was more than the young noble even imagined.

“T-that’s… a hundred of them! And the [Goliath Oliphants] are still…”

She didn’t finish. Even if Salvos continued to keep the Wyverns preoccupied, the [Goliath Oliphants] alone would cause significant damage. One which wouldn’t be a pretty sight. Saffron wasn’t sure what to do. That was the main threat. And something needed to be done.

“This is going to be a problem.”

Zin pursed her lips. The [Goliath Oliphants] drew closer, the tremor grew stronger, and the fighting above grew more intense. Saffron watched as the various caravans hunkered down, activating protection spells to prepare for the worse. Like they were bracing for an impending natural disaster.

“We need to—”

Saffron turned to Zin. The [Druid] opened her mouth— but before she could say anything, a wall of blue fire fell from the sky. Both women paused.

“What is that?”

Daniel leapt atop the canopy of trees, feeling the reverberation of the earth. The branches shook. The quaking grew more intense. He saw the colossal figures drawing closer. They made a bellowing noise with their trunks— far deeper than the trumpeting of any elephant on Earth.

Amanda appeared beside him. She pursed her lips as they monsters were finally close enough to use [Identification] on.

[Goliath Oliphant – Lvl 112]

…

[Goliath Oliphant] – Lvl 119]

“Are you sure about this?”

The assassin asked in a hesitant voice. Even Daniel was worried— these weren’t swarm monsters. Each individual [Goliath Oliphant] equaled to the level of a Ghoul in the Plaguelands, but could probably take on a group of the undead on its own.

“We have no other choice.”

Daniel raised his sword— and paused when he caught sight of a flicker. The air sparked. A massive wall of flames cut down from the clouds above. It even sliced through the dust cloud. Like a giant blade.

It glowed blue, and at first, Daniel thought it’d been Salvos’ flame. But it burned cold. It wasn’t fiery and hot as Salvos’ would be. No, it was different. The air chilled, the landscape froze, and the flames raged on. It scared the [Goliath Oliphants] back, just from the jarring sensation.

“This is…?”

“The Grand Spirit’s magic.”

The wall of flames rose up a hundred feet tall, spreading out nearly ten times its height in length. It separated Daniel from the [Goliath Oliphants]. And while each of the giant monsters doubled the height of the flaming wall, it slowed their approach.

Daniel looked up as the [Will O’ Wisp] descended from the sky. Willy flitted between both Amanda and Daniel as they stared at him.

“No.”

He spoke simply. Daniel blinked.

“No?”

“Fight. No.”

“We’re not supposed to fight it?”

Daniel exchanged a glance with Amanda. She shrugged, as puzzled as he was. But Willy continued in a hurried voice.

“Chase. Protect.”

The Grand Spirit flew as if he was gesturing in the direction of the caravans. Daniel finally understood what he meant. The [Hero] nodded as he lowered his blade.

“Right. Draw its attention away. Good thinking. Come on, Amanda.”

“Fuck’s sake. We can’t make up our mind, can we?”

The assassin rolled her eyes as she followed Daniel. With a single leap, he threw himself over the hundred foot wall of flames. Amanda was right behind him. They ran adjacent to the [Goliath Oliphants] as the stampede began to curve around the wall, looking like they were going to navigate around it.

“They’re still going for the caravan.”

Amanda called out. Daniel waved his bright, glowing sword in the air, calling out to them.

“Hey you ugly, oversized elephants! Over here!”

They ignored him. Amanda scoffed.

“Did you think that would work?”

“No, but this will.”

The [Hero] plucked a tree off the ground and threw it like a javelin at the leading [Goliath Oliphant]. This was a stampede— herd. If there was one thing Daniel knew, it was that they adhered to herd mentality.

The pack followed the leader, and the leader was just struck by a giant tree from a tiny Human man. The main [Goliath Oliphant] turned to Daniel, clearly enraged. He grinned.

“Come on!”

He shouted, swinging his glowing sword once again. This time, the glint and the shouts drew the ire of the [Goliath Oliphants]. They swerved around the wall of flames, charging straight for Daniel. He felt the shaking of the earth. Their rage made incarnate. Dozens of [Goliath Oliphants] came straight for him like a swarm of mindless monsters.

And he paused.

“…uh, what do we do now?”

“Fucking idiot— run!”

Amanda grabbed him, and they vanished with a single use of [Savage Step].

Saffron couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief as the [Goliath Oliphants] swerved away from the caravans. Crisis averted. Daniel, Amanda, and Willy were working together to keep those hulking monsters away.

The shaking subsided slightly. But instantly, Saffron turned her attention to something else. Something that was clearer now that the dust cloud was gone.

Salvos continued battling the flock of [Lesser Wyverns] in the sky. And by the looks of it, it was a hard fought battle. One that the Dem— silver-haired woman was struggling with.

“She can’t pierce their barrier…”

Saffron whispered. She didn’t get it. No matter what Salvos threw at the [Lesser Wyverns], they repelled it with ease. A few of the winged creatures tried to swoop in close, but Salvos could deal with them individually. So, they were mostly grouping together as they were protected by their ice barrier.

“What is that? Some kind of combination casting?”

Zin shook her head.

“Combination casting? No. It’s not anything quite as sophisticated. It is simply strength in numbers. If a thousand [Mages] cast the same barrier at the same time, they’d be able to create quite a formidable shield, even if they were low-leveled. The same logic holds here.”

There was a pause. Saffron narrowed her eyes. She took in this bit of information as the fighting continued. It was mostly an even fight— one that was brought to a stand-still as Salvos attacked and the Wyverns simply defended.

But…

“But… if the Wyverns can pool their magic to defend, can’t they—”

“Yes.”

Zin closed her eyes as the Wyverns drew back. She raised her staff, preparing for battle as there was a shimmering from the center of the Wyvern flock. Saffron gaped as the air grew colder, even from afar.

“If the Wyverns can pool their magic to defend, then that means they can pool their magic to attack.”

A blast of ice shot out from the center of the Wyvern flock. Salvos zipped back as it shot straight at her. She was wholly unprepared for it. Saffron shouted as the blast of a hundred [Lesser Wyverns] struck the Demon, taking her out of the air.

“Salvos!”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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333. Battlefield

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Neverstien: This city is doomed

Humans, Legends, Arias, oh my! The world isn't big enough for the three of them.

Reina Romane just wants a normal life, at a normal school, with normal friends, in an ideal world. However, when your school teaches teenagers how to control the elements, your ideal world has government agencies going around freezing time and fighting gods, and you're pretty sure your friend is seeing through her power, the definition of "normal" becomes loose. Oh, and there's a murderous psychopath who wants to kill her.

Will Reina Romane be able to get through school without setting people on fire? Will the psychopath kill her? Or will something else happen. . . .?

Neverstien: This city is doomed | Royal Road

333. Battlefieled

I was growing frustrated— nothing I threw at the Wyverns hit them. It was all blocked by that annoying ice barrier. I flew closer to draw them out, and a few did come, but the moment I took them out, the flock of [Lesser Wyverns] regrouped away from me.

It was annoying. I was genuinely irritated, and maybe that was why I didn’t see it coming.

A Wyvern— the largest of the bunch— let out a terrible shriek. It sounded like a mix between a roar and a screech. I just stared at it, using [Identification] to single out its level.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 146]

It was probably the leader. If I took it out, I could easily disperse with the whole flock. Good thing I’ve fought monsters far higher-leveled before.

Another [Lesser Wyvern] dove in for the kill. I swerved out of the way as it spun back around, opening its maw. There was a glow— a blast of ice. Some kind of… ice breath? A cone of frost shot out, barely missing me as I backed away.

“That’s dangerous…”

I commented idly. It certainly would’ve been strong enough to take out quite a few Humans. Well, these were Diamond Rank threats, right? They were strong. A single one could probably take on a hundred Lucernas on its own.

And here I was, left to face them all on my own.

“Well, maybe not entirely on my own.”

I grinned as the [Lesser Wyvern] recoiled. A golden figure landed on its back, slashing its hide open with a fiery scythe. That was right— my clones were with me. Plural. Because two more golden figures assailed it, taking it out in a mere moment.

“Good job, me!”

I gave them a thumbs-up. They turned their attention to another charging [Lesser Wyvern]. Again, they sliced it up without much effort. I raised my Nebular Bow and aimed for the highest-leveled [Lesser Wyvern].

“What about a Nebular Blazing Bolt?”

Surely that would’ve been enough to pierce through their defenses. The arrow loosed, and the Wyverns regrouped. There was a flash. I stared hopefully as the Nebular Blazing Bolt impacted the icy sphere—

There was a crack. A ripple ran through the air. A fissure formed on the shield for a moment… but repaired soon enough.

“Aw…”

I deflated slightly. On the bright side, at least it looked like it did some damage. I needed something stronger. I considered just sending all my clones on a suicide charge to shatter the barrier, but that would’ve been even more problematic.

As much as I believed in my individual superiority to even the highest-leveled [Lesser Wyvern], I was alone. Willy wasn’t here. Daniel and Amanda were distracting the [Goliath Oliphants] below. And most of all, I had to protect the caravan.

It was all up to me. If I couldn’t even beat this group of Wyverns, how was I planning on defeating Belzu? I wasn’t strong enough. I needed to get stronger. I regrouped with my clones as the [Lesser Wyverns] gathered in a circle with a glint.

“Maybe now would be a good time to use this.”

I reached into my [Dimensional Pocket]. It was an arrow— one that was about the size of a ballista bolt. It was massive. And it glimmered with a red sheen.

[The Giant Killer Arrow: Epic Grade - An arrow created by Odmantus the Giant Killer. It can return to the user as long as it remains undamaged. Deals immense piercing damage.]

It sounded perfect for the job. I struggled for a moment to fit it onto my Nebular Bow. But just as I took aim, the glow from the [Lesser Wyvern] flock shone its brightest. I didn’t notice the intense mana building up before, but I did now as a blast of ice shot out at me.

“Uh oh—”

I braced for it. I couldn’t teleport out of the way in time. At least, not with [Long Range Teleport]. Regular teleports couldn’t have escaped the area of effect. Instead, a shroud of white flames wreathed around me, protecting me as [Aura of the Sentinel] also activated.

It was a double protection. One that could even fend of Clayton’s magic— albeit, with [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] active— but it was still powerful. And yet, the blast of the [Lesser Wyverns] sent me sailing to the ground, tearing straight through my flames and freezing my armor.

I covered myself with my wings. And they too vanished. My clones burned, fading away without me ordering their detonation. I found myself falling from the air as the intense chill crept over my body. The world tumbled around me as I found myself crashing into the ground from hundreds of feet in the air. Then, right as I reached the earth, a tendril of roots and leaves rose up, catching me in a soft embrace.

A voice called out to me as my aching body was lowered gently to the ground.

“Salvos!”

“Ugh… why does my everything hurt…”

I glanced up to see Saffron rushing to my side. The roots that caught me receded as Zin Norwood followed behind the young Vampire woman.

“Are you alright? I have a healing potion—”

Saffron hurriedly uncorked a vial of red liquid and tipped it into my mouth. I coughed, grousing to my feet.

“Ouch— alright, I feel better now. Funny how those things work.”

She sighed in relief before glancing up.

“The Wyverns…”

“I don’t know if I can take them all on alone.”

I shook my head, looking towards the sky. I blinked as I saw a fluttering snowflake eddy down from the clouds above. The air was colder now, and snow fell to the ground like we were atop the peak of a mountain. It carpeted the grassy floor. I just stared up at the Wyverns flying high above.

“That’s some powerful magic…”

And my eyes widened as the same glow from before appeared. The same ice breath, used by the entire flock of Wyverns. They aimed down at me— at us. And my eyes widened.

“Uh oh.”

I hopped to my feet, getting ready to teleport away. But I realized a moment later the folly of my plan. The ice blast would’ve covered the caravan. Hundreds of Humans would die. If I didn’t protect Saffron, she would die.

There was a moment of panic where I wasn’t sure what to do. I instinctively created a trio of clones just so I could work to a plan of action faster. But before I even had to do anything, the same roots that caught me from before shot up. It targeted the flock of Wyverns, splintering into many smaller roots, grabbing the winged beasts out of the air.

Their casting halted. The magic dissipated as the Wyverns drew back. I watched four [Lesser Wyverns] get dragged out of the air, before the barrier once again formed around them.

Zin Norwood smiled as she stood before me.

“We just have to interrupt their spellcasting. Keep them on the defensive. That’s how it works on the battlefield.”

“Huh.”

She offered me a hand, and I accepted it. I saw a flicker— a flurry of spells and arrows shot up straight at the Wyvern flock. The barrier absorbed the attacks, but it kept them from firing back with their ice breath.

“You thought you’d have to handle it all on your own, didn’t you?”

Zin chuckled as I accepted her hand, getting to my feet. I looked around at the magic shooting up. I saw [Mages] of all levels directing their spells above— just to distract the Wyvern flock.

“Sorry, but this is beyond just a mere disaster or a catastrophe. This is a calamity-level threat. A lesser country could be reduced to nothing if a Wyvern migration like this decided to descend on it. I don’t know what sparked this flock of Wyverns to come to the Human lands at this time, but I do know that it’d be foolish even for an Elite to challenge them all alone.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw a blast of red flame shoot above. Willy flew up to the Wyvern flock, spewing his flame like a geyser. Amanda and Daniel appeared to my left, the pair looking exhausted after leading the stampeding [Goliath Oliphants] away from the caravan.

“This isn’t the same situation with the Archdemons. You don’t have to fight them alone.”

Zin smiled at me, finishing. I paused. There was a moment where I just stared at the gathering and planning Humans. Crocus Merryster and Feirdun Merryster were off to the side, hurriedly discussing how the [Warriors] could help the battle.

Everyone was contributing in some way. Even if it was to just keep the Wyvern flock on the back foot. I shook my head as I looked down at the Giant Killer Arrow. Zin was right— I didn’t need to fight the Wyvern flock alone. I didn’t need to fight Belzu alone, either. Even if he was still higher-leveled than me, I could defeat him.

I just needed my companions and a little bit of help from others.

The Giant Killer Arrow vanished as I kept it back into my [Dimensional Pocket].

“We don’t have to defeat all the Wyverns, either. We can just chase them off.”

I spoke clearly, turning to face Zin and Saffron. They faced me inquisitively.

“And how do you propose to do that?”

Saffron asked with a raised brow. I raised a hand, pointing at the largest Wyvern. The highest-leveled Wyvern. It was just over a hundred feet long. But from this distance, it looked small— smaller than even my finger.

“We target the leader, of course. It’s the one ordering them around to attack everything like an idiot.”

Zin narrowed her eyes, but she just accepted my words. Saffron, however, was puzzled.

“And how do you know that?”

“Trust me, Saffron.”

I met her gaze, and she blinked. Then she sighed.

“Very well.”

I produced my Divine Nebular Scythe, twirling it around. I glanced between Zin, Daniel, and Amanda.

“Alright. I need your guys’ help. Just distract the flock for me, and I’ll deal with the leader.”

Daniel shook his head— his glowing armor was gone. His [A Hero’s Rage] had run out.

“I’d love to help, Salvos. But I don’t know how Amanda and I can even get up there.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve got that covered.”

I beamed, snapping my fingers. The ground beneath their feet broke off. Daniel blinked, nearly stumbling off it. Amanda grabbed him, cursing.

“What the fuck are you doing—”

A ten foot long piece of the earth rose up, carrying them into the air. Zin stared as they rose into the air. I created my wings once again, flying across the caravan as I called out to the various stranded [Warriors] who were aching to help out.

“Crocus! Anya! Feirdun! Come on! Join my flock!”

The various Vampires took a moment to realize what was happening. And when they did, they immediately agreed. I carried them into the air with a mix of [Mass Particulate Modification] and [Scattering Displacement].

A few [Mages] followed them. Or those that could fly. Zin sprouted a pair of feathered wings as she flew alongside me. Dozens of other Humans ascended with me, heading straight for the flock of Wyverns. Willy was keeping them distracted with his flames— the hundred [Lesser Wyverns] hid behind their barrier as he blasted out at them with a mix of his yellow and red fire.

“Hey Willy!”

I called out to the [Will O’ Wisp] as he grew tired. His flaming body was dimming, only to blaze once again when he saw me.

“Help.”

“Just get back! They’ve got this!”

I pointed past him. Willy flew back as a trio of golden figures rushed past him. My clones flew straight into the barrier, detonating all at once. It was a condensed explosion— one that sent a shockwave out that dispersed the nearby clouds.

The barrier shattered. The Wyverns reeled, making a screeching noise as if they were in physical pain. And through the collapsing ice, I emerged. I stared at the largest Wyvern, spreading my arms wide as Daniel, Amanda, Zin, Anya Veridian, Willy, Crocus Merryster— and many others— joined me.

“Hi. I’m back for round two.”

I bared my teeth at the large Wyvern. It stared at me. At those accompanying me. Its barrier was broken. And all that was left was one thing.

To fight, up close and personal.

It roared. To Daniel and the others, it probably sounded like a regular monster call. But I heard through the veil. What it meant to convey.

“KILL THEM ALL!”

The Wyvern flock moved. I turned to my companions, friends, and allies.

“Distract them for me!”

I called out, before bursting forward. I dove past the charging Wyverns, weaving through the flock and focusing only on my target.

Behind me, Daniel clung onto his rock, swinging his blade and slicing a Wyvern in half with a single [Hero’s Slash]. Amanda leapt off the back of Wyverns, quickly tearing at their wings and cutting them out of the air. Zin wrapped a group of them in vines and roots. Crocus beheaded one with three quick slashes. Willy countered a blast of frost breath with his own freezing flames, turning a trio of [Lesser Wyverns] into ice.

I saw them fighting. I focused my magic— to keep the rocks afloat so that no one would fall from the air. A Wyvern dove straight at me, but I easily teleported around it. I reached the heart of the swarm, finally meeting my target face-to-face.

The leader of the Wyvern flock loomed over me. It was much larger than I currently was. It let out a frost breath as it bellowed.

“Puny Human!”

I countered with my own blast of flames. The clash of fire and ice resulted in an explosion. One that sent it reeling back. But I didn’t let up. I rushed through the smoke, the frost, and the embers as I swung for the giant winged beast’s head.

“I am the Frost Lord of Sharik! You deserve to be but a mere meal to me and my kin!”

It chomped for me as I barely flew around its closing mouth. The tip of my Divine Nebular Scythe burned, and I unleashed a flurry of [Barrage of Cinders] onto its side. I teleported a ways away back with [Long Ranged Teleportation] as the Wyvern tried to snap me out of the air again. But I wasn’t done with my initial attack.

“Take this—”

I activated [Demon’s Mark]. All it took was a light touched, and I seared the symbol onto its hide. The Wyvern’s eyes grew wide as a crimson explosion engulfed it. I stared, hoping that it was over.

But a blast of frost ate through the explosion. The Frost Lord flapped its tattered wings, eyes glinting as it faced me. It continued to speak— only for my ears. And no one else's.

“The corruption couldn’t defeat me. It tried. It chased me out of my home. But it failed to kill me. What makes you think you can defeat me?”

I narrowed my eyes at the mention of the corruption.

“Huh.”

I had questions. But it didn’t matter. Not now. I created another pair of clones. That was all the clones I could create for the next few hours. My mana reserves were starting to exhaust itself.

I nodded at them, and they spread out around the Frost Lord. We attacked it, one after another. We wore it down together, little bits of cuts all over the giant monster. It bit into one of my clones, and she exploded. The Wyvern screamed in pain as another powerful blast engulfed him.

“I have had enough! I shall end you now!””

It sent a ball of ice at me, and I easily dodged out of the way. I stared at the ice sphere as it exploded into a wave of snow in the distance.

“Is that it? I expected much more than that.”

I shook my head.

“You talk a lot. Seriously, I wish I could just ignore everything you’re saying like everyone else here. Because you really speak too much.”

I gestured vaguely towards Daniel as he struck down another Wyvern in the background. Then I grinned.

“But, honestly, I’m glad you do. I didn’t think a monster could get a Title. But if even a Wyvern can become a Lord, then that means I can become a Princess.”

It stared at me, panting and injured.

“What are you talking about?”

I rolled my eyes at its confusion.

“What I’m saying is that I’ve had enough. Look below you.”

The Wyvern blinked, but before it could react, my clone teleported behind it. She laughed before exploding in an instant. There was a roar of pain as the Frost Lord reeled back. Its skin was burned in many places— I could see the charred flesh beneath its hide.

“Argh! How dare—”

And as it drew back, I cut through the smoke. I zipped straight through the explosion, swinging my Divine Nebular Scythe. The Frost Wyvern stared in shock as I closed the distance quickly— no teleportation. Just [Haste] and a little bit of time distortion.

“Also, I am not a Human! [Radiant Slash]!”

I spoke only for the Wyvern to hear as I swung for its soft, weakened flesh. I tore straight through its neck, decapitating it with that final swing. It tried to say something— probably more grandiose statements about being the Frost Lord.

But I didn’t care to hear it. Instead, I took in the notifications that popped in my head, gladly accepting that over more of the annoying drivel the Wyvern had to say.

Defeated [Lesser Frost Wyvern of the Tempest - Lvl 146]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 131] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 132]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 95] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 96]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 96] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 97]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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334. Wyverns Dead

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Spirits Awaekning

The fabric of reality has been torn apart, and spirits are now appearing everywhere on Earth. While searching for his missing uncle, Rafael will discover the world of shamanism, bind a plant spirit, and face multiple dangers with his newfound magical powers.

Spirits Awakening [Urban Shamanism] | Royal Road

334. Wyverns Dead

Salvos (Secely’s Sentinel) (The Devil’s Daughter)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 132

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 97

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 7

[Title Skill: General Status Effect Resistance] - Lvl. 1

[Ttle Skill: Invoke Wrath] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Protection of the Sentinel] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: The Devil’s Grace] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 150 (+30) (+10)

[Strength]: 142 (+30) (+10)

[Endurance]: 150 (+30) (+10) (+3)

[Wisdom]: 268 (+30) (+10) (+13)

[Agility]: 320 (+30) (+10) (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 7]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 10

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 15

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 11]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

I watched as the Frost Lord dropped. Slowly. Like it was lumbering through the air. Its head fell alongside its massive body, separated cleanly by my Divine Nebular Scythe.

It was a [Lesser Wyvern]. Or more specifically, a [Lesser Frost Wyvern of the Tempest]. With a Title, too. And the battle was tough. It reminded me of the kind of fights I’d used to have when I first arrived in the Mortal Realm. A monster that was above my level— that would inflict a significant amount of damage with each hit. But I avoided its attacks. I wore it down with my barrage of Skills. With my speed.

And I brought it down.

All by myself. No— I wasn’t alone. There were others fighting with me. I spun around, and there the battlefield seemed to slow. Where it looked like everyone was moving at a sluggish pace.

Then I realized it was just the effects of my [Warped Time] still in effect. It ended, and I took in the scene. The fighting. The floating bits of rock soaring through the air. I saw a Wyvern crashing into Daniel’s boulder, only for him to leap onto its back and ride it as he swung at the rest of the flock. Amanda, Willy, Crocus— there were so many people here. Each of them strong in their own right.

The Wyverns fell one after another. And while they were still far greater than us in number, they knew they had to regroup. Strategize. Except… their leader was dead.

I’d killed the Frost Lord.

And they didn’t know what to do then. It was like they were stunned— at a loss of even where they were. Their movements grew erratic. But they still fought. Until the first [Lesser Wyvern] made the decision to flee. Then it was over.

They scattered. Little by little, they spread out. Like flies. They zipped away. Nearly a hundred of the hulking winged creatures flew off, heading back to Motharis. They left in a frenzy. Not organized or even grouped together.

“Good work everyone!”

I clapped my hands together as we descended back down from the sky. Obviously, there were some casualties. Not anyone I knew, so I didn’t really care. But that meant it wasn’t all celebration when we returned.

It was more as though everyone collectively finally let out a sigh of relief. A crisis was averted. And now it was time to tally the damage. Crocus Merryster immediately met up with Gannon Norwood. Saffron helped tend to Zin’s wounds. There were many people injured from the fighting, or caught in the crossfire.

Even though we’d been battling hundreds of feet in the air, there were stray projectiles or breath attacks that crashed into the caravans below. Everyone was cleaning up or dealing with the aftermath. Even Daniel went around with Amanda— forcing her— to help.

I approached Saffron, making sure she was alright.

“I’m fine, Salvos. Look, I may not even be half your level, but I’m still relatively high-leveled.”

She rolled her eyes as she reassured me. I smiled.

“That’s good! I’m just glad we were able to drive off those Wyverns!”

Although I was upset I couldn’t bring down more of them on my own. I just needed a few more levels to reach my next Class advancement. This was exciting.

“Indeed.”

Zin Norwood interjected as she got to her feet. The [Druid] smiled at me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“You did a good job, Salvos. Let’s hope the rest of that Wyvern flock will leave the Human lands. Even a single [Lesser Wyvern] is incredibly dangerous.”

“Yep! But we still beat them easily!”

I flexed an arm, grinning. Zin nodded in agreement.

“That is the power of Humankind.”

She spoke simply. And I froze. I slowly lowered my hand as Saffron pursed her lips, quickly glancing between us.

“Um… what?”

I cocked my head. Zin just continued, not realizing my stiff reaction.

“The power of Humankind. Our unity in the face of adversity. Sometimes, it may take a while for us to band together. But when we do, we are always able to repel any enemies that come our way. The same thing happened with the Kobolds invaded. When the Elves attacked us. When the Centinels came. We’ve always managed to push them back.”

“The power of Humankind… huh?”

That didn’t make sense to me. I mean, weren’t the Centinels all united as well? At least, to a certain extent, they were working together when they fled the Endlands. And what about the Kobolds when they invaded? Or the Elves?

I didn’t understand this logic. And it kind of made me uncomfortable that she was lumping me in together as a Human. Because I wasn’t. Zin just smiled as I shuffled my feet. Finally, she realized something was amiss, and she peered at me.

“Is something the matter?”

“No.”

I sighed, turning away.

“It’s nothing.”

—-

The rest of the trip to the Helbir Plains proceeded smoothly. Although there were quite a few panicked messages sent via spell warning the nearby cities about Wyverns and rampaging [Goliath Oliphants].

We reached the heart of the Helbir League. The nation that was currently in charge of the alliance. It was a massive city state called Alyras. And it was here where the Veridians were located.

We reached their estate— a large palatial structure atop a hill at the center of the city. Our caravan set up an encampment just outside of the city with only minor issues, since the Veridians notified the king of our arrival.

In fact, the king himself greeted us, along with quite the gathering from the city. He actually bowed to Anya Veridian, even though I was pretty sure that was not how kings were supposed to carry themselves. And he spread his arms wide as he spoke.

“We are happy to host the Norwoods, the Merrysters, and their guests here in our city!”

The king shook his head, turning to the audience gathered. His citizens.

“These families have come together to pledge themselves and their resources to bring down the Primeval Demon plaguing our lands. Treat them well, for they are our honored guests!”

A susurration ran through the crowd. They spoke in hurried whispers as they pointed our way. I narrowed my eyes as I heard their talk and chatter.

“Can they really defeat the Primeval Demon?”

“Maybe they’re here to join forces with the adventurer army?”

“The Primeval Demon stands no chance against them!”

I blinked and turned to Saffron.

“Adventurer army? What are they talking about?”

“The Three Honorable Companies are gathering the adventurers throughout all of the Human lands. They’re meeting here, in the Helbir Plains, in a few weeks’ time.”

Saffron explained casually.

“Honestly, that’s part of the reason why we decided to come here. Because if the Primeval Demon does give chase to us, it’d have to face the Hellbir League and the adventurer alliance before getting to us.”

“Huh.”

I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Do you mean every single adventurer is coming?”

“Most of them.”

Saffron raised a brow.

“Why?”

I beamed, clasping my hands together excitedly.

“That means I can see Edithe soon!”

My third companion. I hadn’t seen her in so long. I couldn’t wait to get to meet her again— see how strong she grew.

Saffron just stared at me.

“...who?”

A note from MelasD

Burnout sucksssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

But I ain't gonna take no break. Because I am not a very smart man.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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335. Interlude - Edithe's Embarrassment

A note from MelasD

Yo, it's that time again. Vote for me on TopWebFiction pls or i'll be really sad and cry!

Salvos | Top Web Fiction

335. Interlude - Edithe's Embarrassment

Edithe Dawnrise got up to another day of traveling. The adventurer army was going to be leaving the Sunmere Republic today. There were literally hundreds of companies gathered here as a part of this coalition.

They came from the west and the south of the Human lands— Edithe saw even the Alterian Sages here. They were the most prominent adventurer company in Oda. They weren’t large, but they had a very high bar of entry. They only accepted Platinum Ranks and above.

There were also the Silver Archers from Iceglen. The Vanguards of Sorcery from the former country of Nixa. The Hammer Bladesmen from Elutra. And many more.

That was not to mention the Rising Veterans Company was here too. One of the Three Honorable Companies. They led this coalition. Or, more specifically, Helena Warshade led this coalition. She was the second highest-leveled [Mage] in the world— an Archmage of Mavos Academy.

Edithe honestly couldn’t believe it. She never thought she’d ever meet Helena Warshade in person, let alone work alongside her. The Valiant Dreamers were a part of the so-called Coalition Council as they were one of the larger companies present. And Edithe represented the Valiant Dreamers in that regard.

It was strange. Hadrian was the leader of their company, but he entrusted her to be the representative. Perhaps it was because the True Valiants were given a seat at the Coalition Council too, and Edithe was actually in speaking terms with them.

Regardless, as Edithe sat in the meeting tent and listened to Helena Warshade, she couldn’t help but admire the Archmage.

“We’ll be arriving at the Helbir Plains in a day’s time.”

Helena spoke as she pointed at the map laid out before her.

“There, we’ll be meeting up with both the coalitions of the Forsaken Company and the Remembered Order Company.”

“And is that when we’ll strike the Primeval Demon?”

A bearded man asked. Edithe recognized him as Jordan. The leader of the Vanguard of Sorcery from Nixa. He leaned forward, an eager desire for revenge in his eyes. Helena shook her head.

“No. We’ll need allies. We cannot be hasty. We cannot battle the Primeval Demon alone. We must be prepared.”

It made sense to Edithe. The biggest reason why the Primeval Demon was able to beat back the Human coalition army in Nixa was because of how unprepared they were for this threat. They treated it like it was a ‘mere’ calamity-level threat— but in reality, it was even worse.

A cataclysm-level threat, perhaps. And if the Demon King was really behind this invasion, it could be an apocalyptic-level threat.

It sent a shudder down Edithe’s spine. She was afraid of what would happen if there was an all out interplanar war in her lifetime. It was something she heard about in history books, but never expected to experience herself.

But not everyone agreed with Helena’s assessment of Belzu’s danger. There was a snort. Heads turned to face the familiar troublemaker at this point. Edithe glared at him— at Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scale.

He was an Elite [Rogue]. He sat next to Helena— next to the other Elites like Alder Ashford and Lofus. He was Level 161. His level dwarfed Edithe’s. Normally, such a gulf in level would automatically draw her respect. But he had such an unlikable and vile personality that she could only hate the man.

“Seriously? We’re going to waste more time waiting for more weaklings to join us?”

Orgaf rolled his eyes.

“That’s such a foolish plan, Helena. And you know it.”

The Archmage narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. Meanwhile, Edithe couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She’d cooled down significantly in the last few years, however everything about Orgaf got on her nerves.

“And will you elaborate, or are you just here to be an asshole?”

She asked, crossing her arms. There were a few quiet nods of agreement. Nothing too obvious. But Edithe was sure most of those present were on her side— after all,

“Well, if you insist, I shall continue.”

He sneered at her, speaking boldly for everyone to hear.

“It’s the same mistake we made before. If we continue to let that Primeval Demon run amok, it’ll only get stronger. So what if we bide our time and gather a stronger army? So will it. All this waiting and strategizing is just pure foolishness.”

Edithe blinked. She wasn’t expecting a proper response. He kind of had a point. But she didn’t waver.

“So what do you propose instead? That we charge in foolishly and die now?”

“Maybe you idiots would die. But if we gather a group of Elites and target the Primeval Demon from the start?”

Orgaf shrugged.

“It’d be over in a moment.”

Edithe stared at him. That was never going to work. Not against Belzu’s illusions. Not against his curses. Not when he had an army defending him. She opened her mouth.

“You’re the idiot here if you think—”

“That’s enough.”

Helena interrupted them from arguing any further.

“This discussion is irrelevant for now.”

She gave an exasperated sigh. Edithe pursed her lips— the red-haired woman wished she didn’t say anything now. It must’ve been annoying dealing with their bickering. Like children.

“Before you are dismissed, does anyone have anything else to add?”

The leader of the Rising Veterans Company asked. Edithe drew back with nothing to add. And most of the room remained quiet. No one spoke. Helena Warshade nodded.

“Very well. Then you are dismissed.”

—--

“I fucking hate him.”

Edithe cursed, pacing back and forth. She was back with her company. They were still in their encampment. They were leaving at dawn tomorrow.

Hadrian tried to placate her.

“It’s fine, Edithe. I don’t think Helena Warshade agrees with him, anyway.”

“But he’s still such an asshole!”

“I know.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder. She paused. She turned to Hadrian, meeting his gaze. He continued.

“Look, if you want, I can be at the meeting the next time around. It’s my fault for pushing my job onto you.”

Edithe stared at Hadrian. There was a bit of melancholy on his face. Some semblance of regret. He averted his eyes.

“I just… sometimes, I’m not even sure what to do. Especially since Jake is there. The True Valiants hate me. They blame me for what happened. And they’re…”

He trailed off. Edithe slowly took him by the hand.

“I can handle it, Hadrian. I’m just venting. But there’s no need to worry. Seriously, we trust you..”

She glanced over at the rest of their company. He chuckled as he raised his head.

“You’re right. I’m probably just overthinking it.”

Edithe couldn’t help but worry about Hadrian. About how he was feeling especially after Baris’ death. But that didn’t take precedence right now. So, she explained what happened in the rest of the meeting to him. She relayed Helena’s decision to finally leave the Sunmere Republic the rest of the company. They prepared to leave, packing their things along with the rest of the coalition army.

When morning came, they left. They started heading for the Helbir Plains. They barely stopped at the border cities to gather new recruits. They left a message behind at the Adventurers Guild before continuing on.

And as Edithe marched alongside Hadrian and her company, another company approached the Valiant Dreamers. However, they weren’t there to start trouble. In fact, they were friends. Allies.

Noah. Leader of the Northbury Troops. They actually were from the Helbir Plains. The burly man sauntered up to Edithe and Hadrian, smacking them both on their backs.

“Edithe! Hadrian! It is good to see you here!”

“Noah.”

Hadrian greeted him with a smile.

“I had thought you and your troops had already returned to the Helbir Plains. What were you guys doing still in the Sunmere Republic?”

“We were doing a few jobs here and there.”

Noah waved a hand off dismissively.

“But then I heard about this whole coalition thing. And why wouldn’t I join it?”

“It’s good that you’re here.”

Edithe nodded. He wasn’t that strong. But she knew he was resourceful. Especially since he was… well, a Vampire. She didn’t mean to be discriminatory to him just because he wasn’t fully Human. But they were known to be Demon Slayers. Everyone knew that.

Noah raised a brow knowingly.

“Oh? And what does that mean?”

“T-that’s—”

She drew back nervously. But he just guffawed.

“I’m kidding. I know what you meant. And trust me, that’s exactly why I’m here. Although I’m sure you can count on that boy Hadrian too if you wanted.”

He grinned at Hadrian, but the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company just shrugged.

“Unlike you, I was never raised as a Vampire. Good riddance too. That means I don’t have to keep up with their politics.”

“Actually, that’s why I was searching for you.”

Noah leaned in conspiratorially to them. Edithe blinked.

“Did something happen?”

“Yes. Quite a surprising thing. I just got word from one of my thralls— a message spell. Apparently, all Four of the Greater Vampire Families have pledged their word to work together to deal with the Primeval Demon threat.”

Hadrian paused. His eyes widened.

“Are you serious?”

Edithe frowned.

“Is that that big of a deal?”

She wasn’t familiar with Vampire politics. In fact, she knew very little about Vampires until Hadrian revealed the truth to her. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers nodded.

“It is. The Greater Vampire Families have not been united in a long time.”

“And all it took was a cataclysm-level threat to show up.”

Noah snorted in agreement. Edithe tapped a finger on her chin.

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

“In a sense, yes. But it’s still ridiculous it took this long for them to finally work together. Especially after… you know…”

The burly man spoke, gesturing at Hadrian. Hadrian just sighed.

“What happened to my family before I was born doesn’t matter. What matters now is that we capitalize on this. If we can get Helena to agree to work with them…”

“That’s right. We’d stand a better chance against the Primeval Demon.”

Edithe agreed. Noah glanced between the both of them, grinning.

“Well, do I have good news for you! The Vampire families are gathering in Alyras.”

“That’s…”

“In the Helbir Plains!”

Edithe exchanged a glance with Hadrian. They both nodded at each other. They had the same thought.

“That’s perfect. Come on, we need to find Helena.”

The red-haired woman gestured both Noah and Hadrian forward with her. Soon enough, they found the Archmage and leader of the Rising Veterans Company. She led the coalition army at the very front, sitting atop her floating cloud.

It took a little bit of convincing, but after speaking to Leopold— the same man who’d brought the Valiant Dreamers into the adventurer coalition— they got him to call her down to speak with them.

Helena Warshade descended from the sky, an indifferent look on her face.

“I was told you had something important to tell me.”

She scanned the trio, pausing only at Noah. Edithe stepped forward.

“We have news, Archmage Warshade. Of allies in the Helbir Plains. The Four Greater Vampire Families have agreed to work together. And they have gathered at—”

“Alyras.”

Helena spoke over the red-haired woman.

“I am quite aware. I have my own information network, Edithe Dawnrise.”

She kept her tone neutral, but Edithe almost felt like she was being stung by Helena’s words. Of course Helena would’ve known! The red-haired woman stumbled back, unsure of what to say.

“Oh… that’s—”

“But we have friends within the ranks of the Vampire families.”

Hadrian added. He hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“I am a Vampire, myself. And so is Noah of the Northbury Troops. We can help you link up with them.”

He gestured at Noah, who was nodding in agreement. Helena shook her head.

“I appreciate your help, Valiant Dreamers and Northbury Troops. But I am also aware of your Vampire lineage, and I have already spoken to the king of Alyras via message. We have a meeting with the Vampire families arranged once we arrive.”

Helena spoke bluntly. Even if she expressed gratitude, she looked unimpressed. And while Edithe recognized that as how Helena was most of the time, it still made Edithe feel bad for wasting the Archmage’s time.

“I-I see. That makes sense.”

Edithe bowed her head, wanting to take her leave as quickly as possible. That was embarrassing.

“Thank you for listening to us, Archmage Warshade.”

“Is there anything else?”

“No. We shall take our leave now.”

The red-haired woman backed up, only to pause when she turned around. A man approached the group— a familiar man. The leader of the True Valiants. Jake.

He must’ve seen Helena’s cloud descend and took his opportunity to approach them. Hadrian narrowed his eyes as Jake shot back a disgruntled look.

“Archmage Warshade. I have some matter of import to discuss with you.”

“What is it?”

Helena asked brusquely. Then she glanced over at Edithe and Hadrian.

“And if it is about the Vampire families, I am aware.”

Edithe ducked her head. Jake tilted his head slightly, clearly confused.

“I, uh, have not heard of this news you speak of. But that’s not why I am here.”

“Then speak quickly. Tell me what news you bear.”

Helena didn’t seem intrigued regardless. But Jake continued, still speaking politely as he addressed.

“Actually, Archmage Warshade, while I do have something I need to bring up, it’s not so much news. Rather, I have someone I want you to meet.”

Edithe raised a brow. She saw Jake glance her way. He had a hint of nervousness on his face.

“Is he someone important?”

Helena asked, face cool, but voice clearly intrigued.

“Yes.”

Jake nodded, stepping to the side.

“We have someone here who can help offer you valuable information. Especially in regards to this Demon threat.”

A man approached the base of the cloud. Helena Warshade actually reacted this time. Edithe’s eyes grew wide as she saw who was approaching. Hadrian sputtered out.

“Y-you’re—”

“Orbur Vale.”

Edithe gaped.

“One of the former leaders of the Iron Champions Company.”

The man stepped forward, bowing his head towards Helena and spoke simply.

“Greetings, Archmage Warshade. May we talk?”

Helena placed a finger on her chin.

“Very well. Let us speak, Orbur Vale.”

A note from MelasD

Yo, it's that time again. Vote for me on TopWebFiction pls or i'll be really sad and cry!

Salvos | Top Web Fiction

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336. Get Good

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Lord of Goblins

Corruption. Greed. War.

Lev is no stranger to the evils of the world, having spent a lifetime fighting the predatory system that ensnared the world's population and turned them into puppets for the leaders of humanity. But after being assassinated, he finds himself in a new world—one with different yet familiar evils.

It's a similar road he must traverse, but this time he can do so with a lifetime of experience behind him.

Amazon.com: Lord of Goblins, Vol. 1 (Light Novel) eBook : Werbrouck, Michiel, Bendakji, Hadi, Comics, Darkness, Lo, Nadine, MoonQuill: Kindle Store

336. Get Good

“I am so bored.”

I lay in bed as Willy flitted just above me. We were in the encampment just outside of fAlyras, and even though it had been a full day since we arrived here, we have done absolutely nothing. I kicked my feet in the air, whining to the [Will O’ Wisp].

“I want to see Edithe already!”

Edithe Dawnrise. My companion. The feisty red-haired woman. A [Mage], and a former [Summoner]. She was supposedly a part of the adventurer currently heading to Alyras. And while I could just wait for her arrival, I was getting impatient.

“Just go?”

Willy asked, perplexed. I shook my head.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“Saffron asked me to stay. She said she’s worried that Belzu could be tracking us down by himself. His army hasn’t been seen within Inoria’s borders in over a week. We don’t even know where he is, so it’s dangerous.”

I explained as I sprawled myself in bed. I glanced out of the tent— it was nighttime. Everyone was sleeping. But I didn’t need to sleep. The camp was still as everyone else snoozed like the stupid Humans they were. The only person here who didn’t need to sleep was the one keeping me company.

Willy. And he gave me an inquisitive look.

“Clone?”

He suggested. He spoke in his usual clipped sentence. Especially when the implication was clear enough. I knew what he meant— he wanted me to send one of my clones to find Edithe. I nodded.

“I already sent a clone out. Yesterday, actually. But…”

I trailed off. The [Will O’ Wisp] flickered.

“But?”

I sighed.

“My clone is…”

The dark world rushed around the clone. She moved swiftly over the landscape. As though the ground was gripped with languor, and the placid trees were content with where they stood. The clone looked up and saw the wheeling stars, then down at the rapidly changing map. Her task had been simple.

Go find Edithe, the original said. I can just teleport back and forth if you find her.

The logic made sense. But there was one problem. A minor setback. The clone’s flames dimmed as the realization settled in.

She was—

“—lost.”

I sighed.

“My clone is lost.”

Willy stared at me for a moment. Then he snorted.

“Heh.”

“Come on! It’s not my fault, alright? I bet if I was the one out there searching for Edithe, I wouldn’t be lost.”

“Sure.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] spoke sarcastically. I scowled, crossing my arms.

“And it’s harder when you literally don’t know where you’re going, ok? Saffron just told me the adventurer army was somewhere to the southwest. That’s not a lot of direction to work off of!”

“Get good.”

No matter my protestation, Willy just laughed. We argued as the night continued. I tried to swat at him, but like an annoying fly, he zipped out of the way. Fortunately, since he was here to keep me entertained, the morning finally arrived and I could go bother someone else.

I waited outside a luxurious tent as its flap slowly drew open. A drowsy figure rubber her eyes, taking a single step forward. And I leapt at her.

“Saffron!”

“S-Salvos?!”

Saffron Merryster stumbled back. I placed my hands on her shoulders.

“Are we done waiting yet? Can I go find Edithe myself?”

“What?”

It took Saffron a moment to parse what I was saying. She blinked a few times before shaking her head.

“Look, Salvos, we’ve already had this conversation yesterday. I told you, I can’t stop you from doing what you want to do. Find your friend—”

“Edithe’s not my friend. She’s my companion, just like you.”

“...yes, companion. Whatever. Go find her if you want to. But if the Primeval Demon attacks—”

“You’ll all die and I won’t be there to stop it. I know, I know.”

I rolled my eyes, a bit annoyed. I knew what she was saying was true. In fact, if I hadn’t even been there during the whole ordeal with the [Lesser Wyverns] and [Goliath Oliphants], it was entirely possible Saffron would be dead now.

“It’s just dumb. Why can’t Belzu die already?”

He was the source of a lot of my problems since he appeared. Saffron shrugged.

“That’s what we’re working on, Salvos.”

My shoulders went slack as I drew back. Saffron stared at my clearly worsening mood. She massaged her temples, glancing back into her tent.

“Listen, Salvos, I have to get ready for a meeting later today. But if you’re this bored, why not just explore the city or something?”

“I tried!”

I spoke exasperatedly, gesticulating towards Alyras.

“But it’s literally just like any other city I’ve ever been in. I got bored after taking a look at five streets!”

Seriously, it’d be more fun for me to stare at a rock for hours than just take a look at the same Human settlements over and over again. Saffron shook her head.

“Alyras is very different from the cities you’ve been in before, Salvos. The culture here is entirely different. For one thing, you’d be hard-pressed to find any temple other than the Den of Souls here in the Helbir Plains. Even the architecture draws on a more minimalistic style compared to the ornate or dark designs of—”

“I don’t care. It’s a city. A Human city. Just like any other Human city.”

I spoke over her before, harrumphing. She raised a brow, clearly puzzled.

“Uh… ok?”

I tried to make my displeasure even more clear, but she just moved on. She didn’t pick up on the hints. And while I would’ve loved to vocalize how annoyed I was at remaining in my Human form right now, someone would’ve probably overheard us.

“If you’re bored… how about this.”

Saffron tapped a finger on her chin.

“There’s something for you to look forward to tonight.”

“Something for me to look forward to?”

I cocked my head. She nodded.

“Yes. There’ll be a feast held in the palace. Most of the important nobles have been invited to it, myself included, and I am allowed to bring guests.”

I narrowed my eyes. A feast? That was just another Human thing! And there was going to be lots of gross food too. I made a face of disgust.

“Why would I want to go to a feast? That sounds dumb!”

It was frustrating. I didn’t like being treated like a Human. I wasn’t a Human, and I certainly wasn’t on the ‘Human side’ of this war between Humans and Demons. I was just on my companions’ side… right?

Well, I also disliked Belzu. So I was against Belzu’s side too. But I definitely wasn’t a part of this so-called great united Humankind these Humans loved to boast about.

Saffron furrowed her brows, eyeing me curiously. I could tell that she was starting to realize that I was genuinely upset about something. Then she snapped her fingers.

“Actually, I heard that there’s going to be a princess at the feast.”

I immediately piped up as my annoyances seemed to vanish.

“I want to go to the feast!”

“Finally.”

Belzu watched the sun rise over the mountains. It was day time, and he saw his destination in sight. The gray mounds of rock slowly morphed into greener trees and pastures. The scenery changed. He’d finally escaped Inoria’s borders.

“Levithus won’t dare to give chase to us here.”

His bulbous eyes darted back, warily eyeing the undulating hills behind him. A trail of monsters followed after the Primeval Demon. There were tens of thousands of them— with thousands of them over Level 70, such as the Mindreapers zipping about above the horde. Yet, their numbers were not as plentiful as they’d once been.

The constant battling and attrition with Regnorex’s foolish followers in Inoria had weakened him. His once hundred-thousand-strong army was weaker than ever. Belzu highly doubted he’d even be able to take another Capital city with what he had now, let alone face another coalition army of Humans.

No— he needed to move swiftly. He’d been delayed enough. The next Treasure of Alexander awaited him here. In the Shedos Republic.

Truth be told, he couldn’t care too much about the names of the Human countries. He’d learned them simply to further his goal. But now, he needed to know more. He had to learn more. Because of his recent additions to his army— his attempt at regaining some of his lost numbers.

He craned his insect-like head back, facing a tanned figure waiting behind him. It wasn’t a monster. It wasn’t even under the control of the Mindreapers. It stood there, boots quaking just from his gaze.

“Tell me, Human.”

Belzu spoke simply as he slowly walked his way to the Human woman. She’d been a slave, and he’d liberated her. Given her freedom. And she now served under him. Her name— her history— none of it mattered to him.

All that mattered was that she gave him what he wanted.

“Does this country have more of your… kind?”

At first, the Human woman looked confused. She hesitated, trying to work her jaw as she didn’t know what to say. Then another Human spoke up from behind her.

“A-Alix, I believe that… L-Lord Belzu is asking if Shedos has slaves, just as Inoria did.”

“O-oh. T-thank you, Quin.”

The Human woman hurriedly nodded and bowed towards the Primeval Demon.

“No, L-Lord Belzu. The Shedos Republic voted to ban the trading of slaves a hundred years ago, when their republic was in its infancy.”

Belzu’s eyes didn’t narrow. But his pupils grew smaller. The Human woman gulped, backing away warily. But he turned away from her.

“I see.”

That was unfortunate. He could not replenish more of his army. He considered razing down a few more smaller cities, increasing his numbers with the undead that would come about. But would both slow him down when he was already hard-pressed for time, and run the risk of drawing the ire of another Human coalition army down on him.

No. He’d been too slow. He needed to move swiftly. Belzu raised his insect hand, pointing towards the horizon. His mouth didn’t move, but he sent a pulse of mind magic through the Mindreapers. Voiceless words that echoed in the head of all the monsters and even Humans present in his army.

His command. His will.

Onward. To the Greaves of Alexander.

A note from MelasD

Be me

Write the same number of words per chapter for a year and a half straight

Get a review that says, "chapters are shorter now"

???

Current chapter word counts

Old chapter word counts

God, I hate reviews.

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337. Weird Woman

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Wizard's Tower which just got published!

The humans call me Nemon Fargus. They call me wizard, and [Elementalist] and [Enchanter]. They call me teacher. They call me adventurer.

But I don't care. Not anymore.

For more than 150 years I've served the Kingdom of Sena. Through four Kings and a Queen. Two wars and a rebellion. I've founded and taught at a magic school. I've fought against beast waves and dungeon breaks.

But now? Now, the one close friend I had left has passed. So, I'm done with their politics and their economics. The short and busy lives of humans are more burden than benefit on the weary soul of this half-elf.

Now, I'm looking for a refuge, a place that can well and truly be my own. Away from the growing cities and the bustling markets, away from the pointless wars, away from the eager students and the arrogant adventurers.

I'm seeking the peaceful life of a wizard in his tower, studying magic to advance my spellcraft...We'll see if that happens.

Amazon.com: Wizard's Tower: A LitRPG Adventure eBook : Allanther, Gregory: Kindle Store

337. Weird Woman

Princess Rana Alyras was the sole daughter of Artik Alyras, the king of Alyras. She was his only heir, and that meant she’d inherit his throne when he passed. He doted on her because of that. He always made sure her every needs and wants were tended to. And while she truly appreciated his affections when she was young, now that she was soon-to-be turning eighteen, she wished he was harsher on her.

A lifetime of luxury had made her soft. She was sheltered, and because of that, she wasn’t sure how to carry herself as a real princess. She’d met with other members of royalty— when they came to visit Alyras. They were nothing like her.

Even now, as Rana prepared for tonight’s feast, she was panicking. She looked in the mirror— at her dress— and bit her lower lip.

“Do you really think this is fine, Sevika?”

She turned to the maid standing next to her. Sevika just sighed.

“I already told you, your highness, you look perfectly fine.”

“But I can’t just be fine, Sevika. I hear that the Veridians will be there! And not just them— but the Merrysters and Norwoods too! They’re three of the Greater Vampire Families! I have to impress them.”

The maid massaged her temples. For other nobles, such a reaction from a mere servant would probably be considered quite rude. But Sevika was practically Rana’s best friend despite their relationship. Sevika spoke exasperatedly.

“You’re wearing the finest garments that all of Alyras has to offer. And you’re a princess. No one is going to judge you by what you wear.”

Rana shook her head, turning away from the maid.

“You just don’t get it, do you? It’s a feast with some of the most important people in the world!”

She started down the hallway as her long silk dress barely hovered over the ground.

“No one— and I mean no one— at the feast is going to care that I’m a princess.”

“I’m going to meet a princess!”

I happily skipped behind Saffron as we hopped off the carriage. There was a large archway leading into the palace, and already dozens of nobles from the Vampire families were pouring in. Saffron Merryster followed after me, dressed in an elegant pink dress that matched her tress.

“Salvos, haven’t you met plenty of princesses before? Why are you this excited to meet another princess?”

“Wha— what are you saying?”

I paused, turning around to face my companion. Behind her, her butler Matthew, Daniel Song, and Amanda followed. Crocus Merryster and the rest of his family had gone ahead of us, traveling with Zin and a few of the Norwoods. Daniel shook his head.

“I don’t know, Salvos. I just thought you’d have gotten over your obsession with princesses by now. Haven’t you met Faith?”

“I did! And she’s the most amazing Human I’ve ever met!”

I nodded eagerly. Both my companions just stared at me. I cocked my head, giving them a confused look. Saffron started past me.

“Whatever. Just try to behave yourself, alright?”

“Will do!”

I raised a hand, following her down the gilded hallway as she led the way. Eventually, we arrived at the feast itself. A grand ballroom. One that was filled with over a thousand guests. And I totally wasn’t going to make a scene while in here.

“I’m so nervous…”

The princess shifted as she waited just outside of the feast hall. She breathed slowly, practicing a few meditation techniques her personal tutor had taught her. Sevika nudged her forward.

“Hurry up already. The king is waiting to introduce you to his guests.”

“I got it, I got it. I just have never been to very many parties before, let alone one of this size.”

Rana exhaled, finally steeling herself just enough to take a step forward. Then she paused.

“Actually, I changed my mind. Give me another—”

But Sevika pushed her out. The princess stumbled through the curtain, wide-eyed before shooting a glare back at her maid. Sevika carried herself with poise as she stepped out after Rana.

“You—”

“King Artik, the princess has arrived at the feast.”

Sevika spoke calmly past Rana. The princess froze. She slowly spun around, face burning as she faced the throne. Artik Alyras rose from his seat, disengaging from his conversation with two well-dressed figures. He smiled as he turned to his daughter.

“There you are, Rana.”

“F-Father! I apologize for my lateness. I ran into a problem with the laces—”

“It is fine. Come, Rana, say hello to lady Anya Veridian and Ulli Veridian. You remember them, right?”

He ushered the princess forward. Rana stiffly walked up to the two figures. She recognized them from their reputation alone. Anya Veridian, the head of the Veridian Family. And Ulli was both her husband and former butler. Their romance had been scandalous when it was announced, but now, everyone treated Ulli Veridian with the same respect as any other lord.

“Y-yes. It is a pleasure to meet you once again, lady and lord Veridian.”

Was that even the right way to greet them? Rana didn’t know— they were the most powerful nobles in all of the Helbir Plains! Even her father didn’t have as much influence over the countries here as they did!

“Greetings princess Rana.”

Anya smiled as she bowed back at the princess.

“It really has been so long since I last saw you. You were but this height back then.”

She brought her hand up to her waist. Rana bit her lower lip. That wasn’t right. She met lady Anya when she was fifteen years old. But she couldn’t bring herself to correct the head of the Veridian Family.

King Artik smiled as he gestured past the Veridians. Towards a nearby table.

“Now, Rana, I’m sure you’re hungry as you haven’t had a meal all day much to our [Chef]’s chagrin. You may take a seat, and Sevika will serve you anything that you wish.”

“Thank you, Father.”

Rana barely squeaked out, glad that she was given an out from the conversation. Not like she would’ve even been invited into it. It sounded important. And, well, unfortunately Rana wasn’t very… useful.

“Yes, lady Anya. My sources tell me that the Primeval Demon was recently seen entering Shedos.”

“This is alarming. Hopefully we can meet up with Helena Warshade’s forces before—”

“See, princess Rana? That wasn’t so hard. You held a conversation. Good job.”

Sevika spoke, interrupting the princess’ eavesdropping. Rana blinked, then scowled.

“Oh, hush Sevika. I embarrassed myself because of you.”

“I highly doubt anyone paid attention to you stumbling out from behind the throne, princess Rana. Everyone seems to be preoccupied with their own conversations.”

That was true. Rana scanned the room, taking in the various figures she recognized present.

“That’s… Lord Crocus Merryster from the Merryster Family!”

She stared at the man walking around in plate armor. He was close to Elite in level. Over Level 130. And while he was a Lord, he was also a decorated soldier of Nixa’s army… when it still existed. That was why he was dressed that way.

“Amazing. I heard he was at the Fall of Nightsveil. And he survived it. He must be higher-leveled than even Zura…”

Zura was Alyras’ highest-leveled general. They were a small nation state, after all. They haven’t had an Elite from the country in the last thousand years.

“And next to him— that’s Zin and Gannon Norwood!”

Rana recognized the [Druid] and the senator of Shedos immediately. She expected Zin to be dressed in leaves or to be wearing animal fur, but surprisingly, the [Druid] wore a regular dress.

“They really are here too…”

For a moment, Rana thought about getting up and introducing herself to them. But she immediately thought better of the idea and marched straight to her table. No, I’ll definitely make a fool of myself. Best to limit all social interaction for the night. That is the only way I’ll make a good impression.

“Yes, princess Rana. You were given a guest list, and their names were clearly on it.”

Sevika piped up from behind Rana. The princess rolled her eyes.

“I just thought they wouldn’t actually show up, alright?”

She returned to looking around the large hall with starry-eyes. She saw so many people she heard about. Powerful people. Many of whom she never imagined she’d ever meet.

“That’s Jana Dok, head of one of the most influential lesser Vampire family. They were a thrall to the Slydrifts when they were still around, weren’t they? And that’s Serrin Tash. And that’s Selene Leo. And that’s Alvan Marin— wait, why is he here? I thought his family hated the Norwoods?”

Rana listed out name after name after name. She watched them all as they conversed, busying themselves while interacting with one another.

“And here I am, all on my own… this is even more embarrassing than I thought it’d be.”

She flushed as she sat at the empty table. Sevika’s face didn’t change as she responded.

“You’re seriously going to be moaning about everything tonight, aren't you?”

“You just don’t understand what it’s like to be in my position, Sevika.”

The princess crossed her arms. The maid nodded.

“Indeed. I do not know what it’s like to be born into the most affluent and powerful family in the country. Your life is truly a travesty.”

“You know what I meant by that!”

“Maybe. Maybe not. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and bring you some food.”

Sevika drew back, excusing herself. Rana blinked and raised a hand.

“Wait, Sevika! Don’t leave me alone—”

But the maid was already gone. And the princess of Alyras found herself truly alone this time, awkwardly sitting at an empty table as the room bustled around her.

“...what do I do?”

Rana muttered, wanting to slump over in embarrassment. But to keep up appearances, she couldn’t. She just hoped no one would pay attention to the lone princess seated by herself—

“Ahhhhh!”

Fortunately for her, everyone’s attention was diverted elsewhere as a high-pitched shriek erupted from the corner of the room.

I licked my fingers, watching as the plump lady ran away from the buffet table. Her screaming was causing a commotion. A scene in this grand feast. Seriously, what an idiot. Meanwhile, here I was, behaving myself quietly as I munched on the last of my snack.

“What are you doing, Salvos?!”

Saffron, for whatever reason, ran up to me in a panic. I cocked my head, turning to her.

“Me? I’m just eating. See?”

I held up a large mosquito as it dangled in between my fingers. Its wings flapped, trying to get away, but I stuffed it into my mouth. There was a crunch as bit down on the mosquito.

“Mmm, delicious.”

“Salvos, that’s—”

She just stared at me as her eyes bulged out of their sockets. Those who were standing closest to us paled at the sight. A man gagged, stumbling forward, as a woman covered her child’s eyes. I raised a brow.

“This is a feast, right? What’s wrong with having a snack or two?”

“Where did you even get that bug? I could’ve sworn there was an anti-insect zone set up around the feast.”

“I caught it before we entered of course!”

I happily exclaimed. Then I produced a few dead flies in the palm of my hand with [Dimensional Pocket].

“I also have this—”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Saffron just grabbed me by the hand before I could munch on the rest of my snacks. She dragged me away from the watching crowd, profusely apologizing to the onlookers.

“Sorry! She’s an adventurer! She’s just too used to her weird eating habits!”

Willy followed us, laughing the entire way until we were away from the buffet table. We stood closer to the throne now, and I frowned.

“Hey! I was eating!”

“I don’t what made you think that was a good idea, but I asked you not to make a scene, Salvos. What’s going on with you? I know you’re smarter than that.”

“Nothing’s wrong with me. Maybe something is wrong with you guys, huh? Ever thought about that?”

I stuck a tongue out at Saffron. She massaged her temples.

“And you’re wearing your blue jacket too…”

The young noble paused. She eyed me carefully before shaking her head.

“I don’t know what’s going on— you’ve been acting strange for the past few days— but whatever it is, we’ll talk about it later, alright?”

“Fine.”

I harrumphed. Saffron gestured past me, sighing. Willy just laughed behind us.

“Just please behave yourself until then, please.”

“Ugh, I will.”

“Thank you.”

Saffron smiled and patted me on the shoulder. Then she turned around and returned to the feast. I spotted a nearby table right by the throne. There was only one person seated there. A young woman. I grumbled, dragging myself there as Willy flitted behind me.

“I was told there was going to be a princess. Where is she anyway?”

I really wanted to befriend her— and maybe ask if she could make me her sister.

Rana stared at the weird woman with the blue clothes as she approached the empty table. There was a glowing spark floating above her shoulder, and she said something in an annoyed voice under her breath.

The princess tensed up, unsure of what to do. That woman had eaten a giant mosquito in a single gulp. Even worse— Rana didn’t even recognize her. And she especially didn’t know what to say to her once she sat down.

Sevika… please… save me, the princess begged.

Unfortunately, the weird woman took a seat, and Rana was helpless to do anything but sit there quietly.

A note from MelasD

New cover by Tsu

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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338. Lonely Princess

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Unbound!

A New World. A Thousand Threats. Welcome to The Continent.

Felix's life on Earth had become a series of dead-end jobs, ruined relationships, and rotating apartments smaller than most postage stamps. By all accounts, even his own, he was a coward. Too afraid to move forward, to take risks. Yet when given the chance to choose between risking his life or walking away from a deadly encounter, he didn't hesitate.

Moments before his untimely demise, Felix was snatched from earth and thrust into a magical world known only as ‘The Continent’. Empowered by the ‘System’, he learns that he can strengthen himself through combat and dedication. To survive he'll have to push himself beyond his limits, or else fall to the monsters all around him.

Levels, stats, and magic. Death is the start of a terrible fate, but if he lives…no one knows what he will become.

Amazon.com: Dissonance: A LitRPG Adventure (Unbound Book 1) eBook : Gonnella, Nicoli: Kindle Store

338. Lonely Princess

Rana Alyras hung her head in defeat as the weird woman sat down at her table. Sevika wasn’t going to be returning anytime soon— the maid had said she was going to acquire food, but that clearly was a lie. Otherwise, she’d be back by now.

And now, the princess was trapped. She fidgeted in her seat, casting nervous glances at the weird woman. Please don’t talk to me. Please don’t talk to me. Please don’t talk to—

“Hi! I’m Salvos, what’s your name?”

…why?!

I faced the other girl who was sitting at the table. She had long black locks that were tied into various different braids. Her skin was tanned— dark like most of the people I’d seen from the Helbir Plains. And Ivonne Vigil. That [Merchant] who held the auction for the Fruits of Y’gdrazil at Mavos Academy.

Obviously, they didn’t look related. I could tell that this girl sitting across from me had a different… everything from Ivonne. So I wasn’t going to stupidly lean forward and ask if she knew Ivonne just from that.

Instead, I happily introduced myself to her.

“Hi! I’m Salvos, what’s your name?”

The girl froze. Her entire body tensed. I watched as she slowly turned to face me, tilting her head.

“A-are you talking to me?”

She asked, and I nodded.

“Yep!”

I watched as she bit her lower lip. She tried to work her mouth, but nothing came out. I tapped a finger on the table patiently.

“Um, hello? I am talking to you.”

I waved a hand in front of her head. Her face turned crimson red, and behind me, Willy snorted.

“She heard you.”

“Well, why isn’t she replying then?”

I posed the question to the [Will O’ Wisp]. He flitted up in front of my head, speaking simply.

“Because annoying.”

“I’m not annoying!”

I raised a fist. He just laughed as I swatted at him. My face twisted into a scowl. I sat back into the chair while Willy continued to fly around me. Then I noticed the way the girl’s eyes widened. She stared up at the floating piece of flame.

“That’s… a Grand Spirit?!”

The princess couldn’t believe her eyes. She’d never seen a Grand Spirit before. There weren’t very many [Summoners] in the Helbir Plains. The Sanctum of Elements and the Sanctuary of Fauna didn’t extend to this part of the Human lands. And while the Den of Souls was prevalent here, they didn’t exactly encourage summoning. Not in the same way the Sanctum of Elements and the Sanctuary of Fauna did.

The Den of Souls still looked at Spirits as hallowed creatures. They were the servants of the Spirit Lord, and thus, were to be treated with respect and dignity. To be summoned at the beck and call of any individual Human and fight and die for them.

No— Spirits were summoned in a ritual with numerous [Priests] providing offerings to them in exchange for the completion of a task. It reminded Rana of what she read about [Cultists] and Demon summonings, but she never once voiced her comparisons since she knew the Den of Souls would be gravely affronted at that.

Anyway, all this just meant that there were even fewer Spirits in the Helbir Plains in comparison to other parts of the Human lands. To see a Spirit was already a very rare sight. And to see a Grand Spirit?

Rana’s jaw dropped as she just stared. The [Will O’ Wisp]’s fire blazed.

“I am.”

It took the princess a moment to realize he was answering her question. She lost all sense of her decorum and poise. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him. Like what was his level? Why was he here? Or what even was he a Grand Spirit of?

But before she could continue, the weird woman— Salvos— interrupted the Grand Spirit.

“Nope. Willy’s lying. He’s a Stupid Spirit.”

Salvos clearly emphasized the second last word. Rana blinked a few times.

“...pardon?”

But neither the weird woman nor the Grand Spirit paid attention to her confusion. Instead, they bickered. Almost like children.

“Shut up. You stupid.”

“No you!”

Salvos stuck her tongue out at the [Will O’ Wisp]. He giggled. The princess was at a loss for words. It took her a moment to realize they were just messing with each other. Almost in the same way Sevika would with Rana. And judging by the odd way that the weird woman was dressed, it must’ve meant one thing.

“Are you a [Summoner]? An adventurer?”

“Yep.”

The weird woman nodded eagerly, swatting the [Will O’ Wisp] away.

“I’m Salvos, Secely’s Sentinel. Liberator of the Plaguelands. Death of the Destroyer. Diamond Ranked adventurer.”

She listed out a long list of Titles. Rana’s eyes went round at that. Titles were a rare thing. And it was even rarer to cycle through so many Titles. Also—

“Wait, you’re the Liberator of the Plaguelands? As in one of the three adventurers who killed the Lich?”

“That’s me!”

Salvos beamed. The Grand Spirit groaned in the back.

Rana was in complete awe. The princess just sat there in a daze, trying to parse this. She’d heard news of the Lich’s death. Of the three adventurers who traveled deep into the Plaguelands and slayed it once and for all.

A [Warrior]. A [Rogue]. And a [Mage].

But wait… Rana furrowed her brows.

“I don’t recall there being a [Summoner] amongst the Liberators of the Plaguelands.”

The silver-haired woman cocked her head, in thought.

“Well, there was Edithe? But she’s not a [Summoner] anymore.”

Rana was certain there was some kind of a misunderstanding here. But it’d have been too awkward to explain, so she just bit her lips and tried to move on.

“I have never met such a high-leveled adventurer before. Or a Grand Spirit. I’m sorry if I was rude, I am usually less flustered—”

The princess paused mid-lie. She realized that she’d made another blunder. One far worse than anything else she could’ve committed.

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself…”

“Yep. You haven’t.”

The princess felt her face burning at that. Salvos and Willy both exchanged a glance. Rana hurried to her feet, managing an unrefined bow.

“My name is Rana Alyras. I am the sole princess of Alyras. I am so sorry for my rudeness.”

There was a pause. Rana could hear the feast continue on around them. The room was bustling, filled with ambient music put on by an orchestra Artik had gotten to entertain the guests. And the awkward silence dragged on for a moment longer.

Rana wanted to cry as she felt Salvos’ gaze bore into her.

I messed up didn’t I? She hates me now—

“You’re the princess of Alyras?!”

Salvos finally exclaimed.

Rana blinked. That wasn’t the reaction she was expecting. She glanced up in bewilderment at the adventurer, speaking hesitantly.

“I… am.”

“Woah! You’re really the princess, aren’t you? Just look at the way you’re dressed!”

Salvos got to her feet, gesturing at Rana’s long silk dress decorated in jewelry. The princess flushed.

“I-is it that bad?”

“It’s amazing! You look so rich and fancy!”

There were many things racing through Rana’s mind. But all she could do was watch as Salvos circled around her excitedly. Then the adventurer turned to her Grand Spirit companion.

“Look at her, Willy! She’s the princess of Alyras! I’m actually talking to the princess of Alyras!”

That felt like something Rana should be saying for meeting Salvos. In fact, it was the same excitement that Rana knew she was feeling underneath her gaping and staring. The only difference was that she was too embarrassed to actually vocalize her thoughts.

The Grand Spirit just laughed at Salvos.

“Fool.”

“I am not making a fool of myself!”

“Are.”

“Nope!”

They bickered as Rana stood to the side. She felt her face heat up as they continued their argument. Like children. But also like friends. Sevika and Rana openly traded jibes no different than they did. The only difference was that Rana did it in secret.

But Willy and Salvos did it so freely. Without care in the world. Even if there were dozens of nobles— ladies and lords— giving them judging looks. They continued. And Rana’s lips quivered. She tried to hold it back, but couldn’t.

The princess broke out laughing.

Salvos and Willy paused their argument, turning to face her curiously. Rana tried to cover her face as she continued laughing.

“I’m so sorry. I’m not laughing because it’s— I’m…”

No matter what Rana did, she couldn’t hold herself back. Perhaps it was just the way the pair were acting so freely, it rubbed off on her. And for a moment, she thought they’d have looked at her with disdain for her reaction.

But Salvos laughed too. Before the [Will O’ Wisp] joined. When Sevika left, the table had been empty. Only Rana sat there. Alone, quiet and by herself. But when the maid returned, their table was full of life. Now, the princess had someone to talk to.

The maid smiled.

“Hey, uh, Saffron, was it?”

Saffron Merryster glanced back at the mention of her name. She faced a young man with black hair— one who was just as improperly dressed for this event as Salvos was. Daniel Song. He was accompanied by Amanda who was cross-armed standing behind his right shoulder.

The young Vampire raised a brow.

“Did you need something, Daniel?”

“I was actually looking for Salvos. I haven’t seen her around since the start of the feast.”

He scratched at his cheek, speaking nervously.

“You don’t think she’s going around causing trouble, is she?”

Oh, so that was what he wanted to talk about. Saffron sighed as she remembered the incident just earlier.

“Well, Salvos has already caused trouble.”

“...are you serious?”

Daniel had the same resigned look on Saffron’s face. She nodded.

“And I already spoke with her. But I’m not sure whether she’ll actually listen to me. She’s been acting… weird recently.”

He pursed his lips as he exchanged a glance with the Vampire. They both had the same thought.

“I think we should go check on her.”

They spoke at the same time. The pair immediately marched through the large hall, followed by the bored trailing Amanda, until they finally got to where Saffron had left Salvos. They came to a halt when they saw Salvos… talking.

She spoke normally at a table as Willy floated beside her. Daniel exhaled in relief, placing a hand on his chest.

“That’s good. She isn’t—”

He looked over at Saffron, but she was still stiff. She stared at the two people Salvos was chatting with. Across from the silver-haired woman was the princess of Alyras. A black-haired woman wearing a glamorous silk robe. And next to her was her father.

King Artik Alyras sat with them, laughing and eating as a maid came to serve them a platter of food.

Daniel gave Saffron a confused look.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

She just pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Salvos really just befriended the king and princess of Alyras, didn’t she?”

“Oh.”

Daniel shrugged.

“Well, as long as she’s feeling better, right?”

“I guess.”

Some time after Rana had warmed up to us, her father joined us in our meal. Their maid— a woman named Sevika— offered me a platter of dishes to choose from, and I picked out the lobster because it was the only thing I could eat without seeming rude. I was less upset now compared with before. I could distract my mind with something.

Princess Rana was fun to talk to. She was a princess just like Faith and Hope, but the way she behaved was completely different. In fact, she told me about the things she learned as princess, and it sounded nothing like what Faith had undergone.

Maybe it was because Rana was the sole daughter. The only princess. So she didn’t have to compete for power. Or maybe it was just because of how Artik was as the king and her father. Either way, I found them fascinating. I was certain we could’ve continued chatting into the night, if not for the one interruption that ground the entire feast to a halt.

A man dressed in robes rushed his way through the hall. Heads turned, facing his way as he made his way to the king. At first, I didn’t notice him. But then I glanced up because I heard the ruckus caused by his escort— a group of armored guards clanking their way through the party.

“Your majesty. I bring an urgent missive from Shedos.””

The robed man kneeled before the king. Artik rose to his feet, frowning.

“What is it?”

“The Primeval Demon—”

I didn’t let the robed man finish. My head snapped up as I caught sight of a flash. No— not in the hall. I was looking through my clone’s eyes. Smoke. Blood. Death. Destruction.

And I spoke for everyone to hear.

“Belzu has reached the Helbir Plains.”

A note from MelasD

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

339. Clone Convalescence

A note from MelasD

Announcement:

I'm taking this Friday and next Monday off for Mother's Day celebration. No chap until Tuesday, the 10th of May.

If you'd like to read something else in the meanwhile, I did just get a new book release. It's a young adult LitRPG Apocalypse called Trace. Consider checking it out!

This is the synopsis:

The world falls into chaos. Earth is integrated into the multiversal System. And all Trace has is a gun.

Trace Taylor was at a shooting range when the world was kidnapped by the alien species called the ‘Esvol’ to begin humanity's integration with the System. Each individual person is given a femtochip implant and a class to fend for themselves before being sent back to Earth. Once Trace returns, she finds that the planet too is left scarred by this encounter.

Faced with monsters, dungeons, an annoying AI, and a lot of insane idiots, how will Trace come to survive this newly-changed planet?

Do note this is a Young Adult take on the LitRPG Apocalypse genre. It is also written in British English. But I highly encourage you to give it a shot... no pun intended!

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B09VZM9VV1

Or, if you'd like, you can also read Melas or Tian in the meantime.

Or you can read ahead of Salvos on my patreon

Anyway, have a good weekend y'all!

339. Clone Convalescence

The clone was lost.

A vast flatland expanded far and wide. The blades of grass were but blurring specks beneath her. Even after a few days of travel, she wasn’t able to accomplish her task. She luxuriated in knowing that the Primeval Demon hadn’t yet been seen beyond the borders of Inoria. But she couldn’t lie and say that languor wasn’t catching up to her.

Despair settled in as the first vestiges of the idea of surrendering and returning to the original crept into the clone’s mind. Perhaps Edithe was never with the adventurer army in the first place. Perhaps this task had been all for naught.

But her doubts vanished when she spotted the convoy. There had to have been tens of thousands of figures moving about. An army.

There, the clone thought. This is my destination… maybe.

“Hurry up! Get a move on! We want to be at the Helbir Plains by the morrow!”

A burly man barked the order as the adventurers rushed about the camp. It was early in the morning, and no one wanted to be up at this time of the day. But they had a schedule to keep. A scrawny man— probably a [Mage]— ran past the burly man with a stack of books in his arms.

“Excuse me, excuse me—”

“Oi, what are you doing?!”

The [Mage] flinched, stumbling back as the burly man whirled on him. The books clattered on the ground.

“W-wha…?”

“Go and do something useful, you damn [Mage]! You aren’t helping no one with your books!”

The burly man roared. The [Mage]’s eyes grew wide as he began to sputter.

“B-but my team has already—”

“Excuse me, Sirs. Is there a problem here?”

A booming voice interrupted the both of them. The burly man spun around, frowning.

“Who the—”

And paused when he caught sight of the looming shadow. A hulking green mass of muscle stood before the burly man. There was a pair of arms folded together disapprovingly as another set of arms held up a stack of wooden planks.

It was a Cyclops.

“Well?”

The Cyclops asked, furrowing his brow. The burly man hesitated as he looked up at the single eye.

“I… yes. I was just telling this gentleman right here that his efforts would be better used elsewhere.”

There was a smile. A clear lie. The Cyclops shook his head, addressing the burly man who didn’t even reach his shoulders.

“Tell me, Sir: are you affiliated with the Remembered Order Company?”

“I-I am a part of the Silver Vanguard.”

“Then if you are not with the Remembered Order Company, I do not believe this independent adventurer here has any obligation to listen to your orders.”

The Cyclops gestured at the [Mage] who nearly squeaked. The burly man just nodded placatingly.

“Why of course. I was simply offering him some advice. I assure you, there will not be trouble here, Sir.”

“Jaakko.”

“Pardon?”

“You may simply call me Jaakko.”

“R-right.”

The burly man shrank back as the Cyclops replied curtly. Then spinning around, Jaakko spoke for every onlooker to hear.

“Good. Now that that’s resolved, please everyone, proceed about your business.”

—--

“He really went in and got involved, didn’t he?”

Zack sighed, cleaning his glasses as he watched his leader from afar. Beside him, Helen just rolled her eyes.

“Of course he would. He wouldn’t be our leader if he didn’t have a strong sense of justice.”

“More like a strong sense of being a busy-body.”

“Everything’s resolved without an issue. Why do you always have to complain, Zack?”

“I’m not complaining. I’m just saying, the last time he got himself involved in someone else’s business, we ended up trapped in a [Witch]’s hut for three whole days.”

“It was more like six hours, Zack. Stop over exaggerating things.”

Helen scowled, and Zack pushed his glasses back onto his face.

“You get what I mean. We’re inviting trouble.”

“And yet—”

The Cyclop’s deep voice spoke over him.

“We’re doing what’s right.”

Jaakko patted both his teammates with his two free hands. They looked up at him, and Zack sighed.

“I knew you were going to say that.”

He adjusted his glasses as he shook his head. The trio stood there in the middle of the bustling encampment. Jaakko, Helen, and Zack. They were adventurers— independents who were affiliated with any company. And yet, at the call of one of the Three Honorable Companies, they came.

The Remembered Order Company had swept through the Eastern Kingdoms, gathering any and every adventurer they could. Zack and his team had been dealing with a Manticore threat for the Kingdom of Traith before Jaakko caught wind of this. So they joined the adventurer army. And now, they were on their way to the Helbir Plains to meet up with both the Rising Veterans’ and the Forsaken Company’s own armies.

Zack shrugged.

“Look, I just want to know what you would’ve done if that loud man was actually part of the Remembered Order Company. Because I highly doubt you would’ve backed down, would you?”

“I would not, yes.”

Jaakko agreed simply. Zack knew that was the case. Their team would always get in trouble, no matter where they were. Usually, they’d be able to somehow resolve it— especially with their status. But here?

“There are hundreds of Platinum Ranks other than us here, Jaakko. Maybe even thousands. We won’t get a pass this time around if we cause trouble.”

Zack glanced around the encampment as it was slowly emptied out. A few faces glanced their way, curious. It was quite disconcerting, honestly. They were Platinum Ranked now. But they were a Gold Ranked team not long before, and they’d be quite content with their levels and strength then. It was only after they’d met that strange woman, the Savior of Silvergrove and Death of the Destroyer, Salvos, did they begin taking more risks.

She’d inspired them. The way she’d fought in the Silkfall Crevice Dungeon had stunned the team. Made them reevaluate how they saw themselves. What they wanted to become. Since then, they worked harder. Fought stronger monsters. Pushed themselves past their limits— even to the point where some would call them mad.

It paid off. They were now around Level 80. And if they kept this up, they might even reach Level 100 in two or three years’ time. And while being Level 80 was quite an accomplishment for an ordinary individual, in the grand scheme of things, they were just fodder.

A single low-leveled Diamond Rank could easily take on Zack and the rest of his team multiple times over. They couldn’t compete, at all. Especially if the Diamond Ranked had a high-leveled second Class.

Jaakko didn’t budge.

“And yet, someone has to stand for what’s right.”

“You…”

Zack pinched the bridge of his nose. Helen snorted.

“We’re arguing over nothing— as usual. Come on, we should really get a move on. We’re going to be reaching the Helbir Plains soon.”

Jaakko grunted, turning around. Zack eyed Helen as the encampment was finally fully dismantled, and the adventurer army led by the Remembered Order Company made their way through a valley.

There were tens of thousands of adventurers here, behaving far more organized than adventurers had any right to be. But no one complained. The stakes were clear, and the reason they gathered together was simple.

Money.

That almost made Zack want to laugh. The Remembered Order Company had struggled rallying the adventurers in the Eastern Kingdoms until they offered a massive recruiting bonus for every company or independent that joined their forces. Such was the motivation behind most adventurers— the silver, gold, or platinum they’d earn.

Zack’s team was different, of course. But they were the outlier, mostly because of Jaakko’s honor and Helen’s kindness. Zack himself had to find himself reining the two so they wouldn’t get into too much trouble and actually prioritized making some money.

However, Zack didn’t see glory or gold in this quest they were setting out on. He only saw death, despair, and doing what was necessary to save the Human lands. The Primeval Demon had to be stopped. If not, then everyone would suffer. There’d be no point in any monetary value Zack had.

They streamed their way over the landscape as the day dragged on, following alongside a river as a city made itself barely visible in the darkening horizon. It was already evening, so they would likely be stopping there to rest.

“That’s Westshield.”

Helen pointed out. Her lips curled up into a smile.

“It means we’re arriving at Shedos’ borders now. We’ll be entering the Helbir Plains soon…”

Zack could tell that she was excited. And he couldn’t lie and say he wasn’t a little bit eager to meet up with the other adventurer armies. After all—

“Think she’ll be with the Rising Veterans?”

He asked, and Helen blinked.

“You mean Salvos?”

“Who else would I be talking about?”

“Maybe?”

She replied uncertainly. He wondered aloud as he walked next to her.

“I’m sure she’d be impressed by how far we’ve come…”

They were now higher-leveled than Salvos was when they last met her. Zack couldn’t lie and say he wasn’t proud of that. But Helen wasn’t.

“You heard the news. She’s the Liberator of the Plaguelands now. She’s probably Elite at this point.”

“Well, of course. I didn’t mean to compare us to that insane woman.”

Zack waved a hand off, speaking much to Helen’s chagrin.

“Salvos is not insane. She’s just a poor girl who was forced into extraordinary circumstances, alright?”

“Sure, sure. That’s just your older-sister-side showing.”

She scowled as Zack chuckled. The pair continued to chat, following Jaakko who didn’t partake much in the conversation. Then they almost ran into the Cyclops when he came to a halt. His single eye narrowed as he stared at the city.

“What’s wrong, Jaakko?”

Helen asked with a raised brow. Their leader leaned forward, speaking softly.

“Is that… smoke?”

Zack blinked. He immediately cast a spell of Enhance Vision. It was like he was looking through a spyglass. And he saw gray streaks blotting out the sky over the city. Then he saw the specks— the figures— assailing it. His breath was caught in his throat.

“Westshield is under attack!”

A voice bellowed for the entire army to hear. It was Mori Gladius. Leader of the Remembered Order Company. He was an Elite. A famed [Spearmaster]. He raised a glinting spear, rallying the adventurers into battle.

“To arms! We face the Primeval Demon today!”

A susurration ran through all those gathered. They weren’t ready. No one was prepared to face the Primeval Demon just yet. They’d thought they’d have reinforcements. That the other Honorable Companies would be with them. That they’d be triple or even quadruple their current number.

It seemed foolish to act now. But they saw the destruction happening before their eyes. Westshield was under siege. They had to move, even if they didn’t want to.

Zack found himself nervously flipping through his spellbooks as they marched straight for Westshield. He wasn’t sure what he’d even be able to contribute in this fight. Would it be a full engagement? A quick battle before pulling back? Maybe they were just going to divert the Primeval Demon’s attention?

There were a multitude of possibilities. But Zack didn’t have a say on the matter. All he could do was trust that Mori Gladius knew what to do. The adventurer army moved straight for the city as its walls crumbled. As an explosion shook the earth. There was a flash— a bright light cut through the smoke and the clouds.

It couldn’t have been long since the attack started, but the city was already falling. Zack spotted monsters of all kinds— from [Gatho Mammoths] to Chimeras to Drakes. There were undead too. And the Mindreapers everyone knew about.

These were just the Platinum Ranked threats. That wasn’t to consider everything else in the army. It sent a chill down Zack’s spine. The closer they got to the fighting, the bigger the pit in his stomach grew. He swallowed and licked his dry lips. He wasn’t the only one who was afraid. Everyone’s nerves worsened as another blast rocked the earth.

But before they even reached the city, there was a shout. A panicked scream. Zack’s head snapped to the side as spells and arrows were loosed into the air. He spotted a golden flicker— a glowing figure dodging the attacks, flying over the army.

Mori Gladius yelled at them to stop.

“Do not attack! That is an ally!”

His words calmed the nervous army. Their attacks ceased as the glowing figure hovered in the sky, staring at the destruction in silhouette. Zack almost thought it was familiar. It stayed there for a moment, before glancing down. It stared straight at Zack, and he jerked back.

“Why is it—”

Helen’s eyes grew round.

“That’s…”

And the glowing figure descended. It landed next to Jaakko, Zack, and Helen. The three adventurers just looked at it for a moment. The Cyclops was the least put-off by its presence, while the [Archer] gasped. Zack was confused— the only one left out of the loop. Finally, after a quick [Identification], Zack realized what he was looking at.

“You’re… Salvos?”

The glowing figure beamed at them. She spread her arms wide for a hug. Zack wasn’t sure how to react to this flaming apparition of the adventurer he’d met twice before. But he didn’t need to say anything. Because Mori Gladius interrupted them.

The leader of the Remembered Order Company stepped up to the Salvos clone.

“Interesting. I was curious as to who you were a clone of— I have heard of such Skills,although they are incredibly rare. But to think that you are the Liberator of the Plaguelands. Your presence is a boon to us.”

She nodded excitedly. He shook his head, turning to the city under attack. Then he offered her a hand.

“Will you aid us in repelling the Primeval Demon from the city, Salvos?”

For a moment, she just stared at him. At his proffered hand. Then she snapped her fingers. Five more golden figures appeared behind her. More clones. They gave him a thumbs-up in unison.

“Good. Then let us fight and save Westshield from its destruction.”

Zack watched as they came to an agreement. An unexpected ally appeared. One who’d aid them in facing the Primeval Demon here and now. It was almost reassuring. The adventurer army seemed to be bolstered by Salvos’ presence. Or, at least, the presence of her six clones.

And yet, Zack didn’t sigh in relief. He saw the flash once again— like thunder. And he feared that… it wasn’t enough.

A note from MelasD

Reminder:

I'm taking this Friday and next Monday off for Mother's Day celebration. No chap until Tuesday, the 10th of May.

If you'd like to read something else in the meanwhile, I did just get a new book release. It's a young adult LitRPG Apocalypse called Trace. Consider checking it out!

This is the synopsis:

The world falls into chaos. Earth is integrated into the multiversal System. And all Trace has is a gun.

Trace Taylor was at a shooting range when the world was kidnapped by the alien species called the ‘Esvol’ to begin humanity's integration with the System. Each individual person is given a femtochip implant and a class to fend for themselves before being sent back to Earth. Once Trace returns, she finds that the planet too is left scarred by this encounter.

Faced with monsters, dungeons, an annoying AI, and a lot of insane idiots, how will Trace come to survive this newly-changed planet?

Do note this is a Young Adult take on the LitRPG Apocalypse genre. It is also written in British English. But I highly encourage you to give it a shot... no pun intended!

https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B09VZM9VV1

Or, if you'd like, you can also read Melas or Tian in the meantime.

Or you can read ahead of Salvos on my patreon

Anyway, have a good weekend y'all!

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

340. Clone Combat

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Battlefield NYC (LitRPG Apocalypse)

The world ends on a Tuesday afternoon, a [System] forming before detective Lance Samson's very eyes. As he gains mind-bending abilities, some of the people around him begin to change, becoming monstrous mockeries of themselves that thirst for blood.

Will Lance be able to survive? Can he protect the few remaining sane people left?

Find out as we enter the battlefield once known as New York City.

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/53474/battlefield-nyc-litrpg-apocalypse

340. Clone Combat

“Kill them all.”

Belzu’s order was simple enough. The Lord of Lies wanted to replenish his army— to turn the populace of Westshield into a giant horde of undead before he moved for the Norwoods. And yet, despite the simplicity of the plan, Alix struggled to follow through with the orders.

She pivoted around, dodging the blast of ice magic that came her way. The guard captain was a [Mage]— Level 71. Relatively high-leveled. But still over 10 levels below her.

In a single leap, she closed the distance between them. He created an ice barrier, but she tore through it with a [Focused Strike]. A precise thrust of the sword.

The [Mage] stumbled back as she slashed down at him, cutting him across his chest. He fell to the ground as he gasped for air.

Alix stood over him in the middle of the burning city. He flinched as a locket fell from around his neck. Her eyes widened. She saw a picture— a painting. It was the [Mage] standing before her, but different. Dressed casually. A father with his daughter. He raised his hands in fear.

She hesitated.

“I… I’m sorry.”

Her eyes snapped shut. It took her everything she had to even steady her grip on her weapon. She raised her sword as he looked up at her.

“Why are you doing this? Why do you side with that Demon?”

And she paused. She couldn’t follow through with the finishing blow. There was a blast in the background. The earth trembled. A stampede of monsters destroyed another part of the city’s walls. Alix, the former gladiator and slave, opened her mouth.

“I can’t—”

But before she could continue, a sheering bright light sliced down from the heavens. It cut even the earth like a giant blade. The [Mage]’s was lopped off in that instant. His body went limp as Alix recoiled.

She dropped to her knees, hearing the rapid beating wings descend behind her. A warbled voice spoke to her, sending a terrifying chill down her spine despite the inferno raging around her.

“What are you doing?”

Belzu asked as his presence bore down on her. Alix’s mouth bobbed open stupidly but nothing came out. The Primeval Demon continued.

“I granted you freedom. All I ask of you is to be my sword. But you refuse to slay my enemies.”

Her throat tightened. It felt like a noose was being slowly wrapped around her neck. She didn’t doubt that Belzu would kill her without hesitation if he didn’t give her a satisfactory answer.

“I-I—”

She couldn’t do it. These were innocent people. They’d done no wrong. Killing slavers and monsters was fine— she could work alongside a Demon to survive if that was all it had entailed. But this was a step further. If she followed through with this, there was no turning back.

Belzu’s bulbous eyes flashed in vindictive rage.

“I have shown you kindness, Human. I have given your worthless life meaning out of pity. Do not test my patience.”

Alix wanted to protest. She wanted to stand in defiance against the Primeval Demon. But all she did was hang her head in defeat.

“I understand, Lord Belzu. I am sorry for my disobedience.”

“Good.”

He made a satisfied sound. Alix’s shoulders slumped in defeat. If she wanted to live, she had no choice but to endure this. To do what she needed to survive. Even if it meant killing innocent lives. She got to her feet, picking up her sword and her shield. And Belzu’s head snapped to the side.

She blinked, watching him fly slowly into the air. There was an explosion in the distance— just outside of the city. She heard the cries of a [Gatho Mammoth]. She saw one of the giant beasts fall. What is…? she wondered.

Belzu clicked his mandibles

“Another Human army.”

He scanned the battlefield from high above. Alix stared at his back in disbelief. No… why? She knew what would happen. The army was here to save Westshield. However, there would only be one outcome.

“Drive them back. Turn them into my minions. Go.”

Belzu ordered her forward. His army of mindless monsters moved. Alix watched, unable to do anything, as another army was crushed under the Primeval Demon’s might.

Belzu had arrived at the Helbir Plains. Or, rather, he was bordering between Shedos and the Helbir Plains. He’d traveled quickly. Only a few days ago did I hear the rumors that he’d left the Inoria Empire after having stalled there for months.

Now, he was besieging Westshield. The largest border city in Shedos. I didn’t know why he was attacking it, but all I knew was that my clone was there to help.

I didn’t teleport there myself. I only had one Grand Skill available to use. My [Divine Essence] was still on cooldown. I would’ve only fought Belzu once I was ready— and that meant having both of my Grand Skills.

Still, my clone moved to confront Belzu. Well, six of my clones. At [Salvo of Vanity]’s current level, I could summon six clones at the same time. I wanted to see how well my clones would fare against him— if they were completely and utterly demolished, or if they actually stood a chance. It’d let me gauge how well I, myself, would do against Belzu as I was now.

But also, I had another reason to fight. Jaakko was there. And so were Helen and Zack. I recognized them. They were my friends— they’d helped me out when I returned to the Silkfall Crevice on my own. Then they’d helped Daniel and I when we were being hunted by the Harrowed Vindicators.

They were adventurers. Gold Ranked when I first met them. Now Platinum Ranked. I was very happy to see them. And I was going to make sure they got out of this battle alive.

The adventurer army moved. Tens of thousands of adventurers. They were higher-leveled than the average Human soldier, probably. But still, I highly doubted that they were enough to defeat Belzu and his army.

And the nobles gathered in the room with me agreed. I listened to their discussion, alternating between focusing on my clones and what was going on around me.

“What are they doing? Why are they attacking the Primeval Demon?”

King Artik Alyras paced back and forth as he read the reports his court [Mage] had delivered to him. Rana, his daughter, looked on in worry.

“What should we do? Should we go help them?”

She asked. Gannon Norwood stepped forward, shaking his head.

“We stay put. I have reached out to Shedos, and they’re mustering whatever armies they can to assist the Remembered Order’s adventurer army. But even if we depart from Alyras now, none of us will arrive in time. All we can do is hope that Mori Gladius has a plan.”

“Focus on evacuating the citizens! We need to save as many people as we can!”

Jaakko called out as he threw his kusarigama at a charging Drake. Its chains wrapped around the monster’s scaled neck, and he tugged hard, bringing it to the ground. It fell with a roar before both Zack and Helen unleashed a flurry of magic. The Drake struggled for a moment before going limp.

A notification resounded throughout Zack’s head as he panted.

“That was an [Obsidian Drake]. They’re a rare Drake evolution that’s not even native to the Motharis Mountain Range. How did the Primeval Demon get those in his monster horde?”

“Stop asking questions and keep casting your magic!”

Helen yelled, loosing another three arrows into the air. The enchanted bolts exploded, bringing down a flock of Vurats from the sky. Zack groaned as he brought up his spellbook. He heard screams— he saw a group of civilians fleeing from the crumbled walls as they were chased by undead. The inscriptions on Zack’s book glowed before the sky flashed.

Lightning thundered down from the dark clouds as a fire rain poured down at a horde of [Crypt Horrors] charging after the civilians. The attack targeted only the [Crypt Horrors], felling them one after another. They were very easy to bring down. Not only were they mostly Silver Ranked threats— with some reaching Gold Ranked— they were also undead. Swarm monsters. So they were weak.

But one larger undead bounded through even the tempest Zack had cast. A [Crypt Lord]— the leader of the small undead horde— charged straight at the [Mage] as the flames splashed off its disfigured body. It leapt straight for Zack, dodging a lightning bolt, before swinging for his face. His eyes grew wide.

“[Earth Wall—”

And Jaakko stepped in its way. The Cyclops caught the [Crypt Lord] with one of his four bulky arms. He slammed it onto the ground, creating a small crater on the earth. Then he swung the sickle of his kusarigama once, twice—

The Cyclops drew back.

“Are you alright, Zack?”

Zack nodded in relief.

“Thought I was a goner. That [Crypt Lord] was close to my level. And it went straight for my head.”

His robes were enchanted with protective spells. But he didn’t have any artifacts that granted any kind of protective aura. Those were very rare. And very pricey.

“Come on. We haven’t even entered the city. Mori and his men are already inside.”

Jaakko ushered the team forward. Zack frowned. He didn’t think it was a good idea for them to push into the burning city. Out here, they were able to help out and stay relatively safe. Flee if need be. But in there?

Zack looked up to see a bright light slicing into the air. He didn’t know what that was. He sensed something from it— not magic. It radiated a power he’d never sensed before. And ever fiber of his being screamed at him to flee.

“We’re safer out here, Jaakko. Going further in is suicide.”

This was an adventurer army. They weren’t organized like real soldiers. And that meant that there was no real central command. Perhaps that served to their overall detriment. But it meant that the individual teams could make their own decisions. Like right now.

“Mori gave us only one command. That is to save as many lives as we can. If we push on further and encounter the Primeval Demon, we’ll get ourselves killed without saving anyone.”

Zack had to admit, while he always considered himself the voice of reason, he could oftentimes see Jaakko’s point of view. This time, he was vehemently against it. He saw no logic to it. Jaakko stared at Zack. The Cyclops held his gaze with only a single eye. Helen glanced between the two, unsure of what to say.

Then Jaakko nodded.

“I see. Very well.”

He finally turned away, looking on at the battle occurring at the fringe of the city. Just before the crumbled walls. This was where the bulk of the adventurer army had gathered. They couldn’t push further into Westshield.

But there were still plenty of civilians fleeing— escaping the burning city. Someone had to protect them. Zack sighed in relief, glad that his leader saw reason.

“We just have to hold this line so that the monsters don’t break through—”

Just as he started, he stopped. He caught sight of a massive shadow emerging from the flames. From the city.

“[Gatho Mammoths]!”

Someone shouted in a panic. Zack cursed, watching the stampede of charge straight for the line of adventurers. They braced themselves. These monsters weren’t the highest-leveled there was. They averaged around Level 60. Zack was certain his team could take out a herd of them on their own. But the problem was the destruction they’d wreak.

[Gatho Mammoths] were incredibly destructive. They’d tear through the lower-leveled adventurers with ease before they were even brought down. A group of Silver Ranked and Gold Ranked adventurers readied their weapons, shooting spells at the stampeding monsters. But the [Gatho Mammoths] charged on as they created a small earthquake with their magic. Jaakko stepped forward, and Helen breathed.

“We have to stop them—”

She raised her bow. But before anyone could even react, a golden figure zipped past the three adventurers. Zack blinked, watching as a blast of golden flames swept out at the [Gatho Mammoths]. The golden figure circled them, pouring out a constant deluge of fire until the last of the monsters were utterly incinerated.

Zack blinked a few times. Helen smiled, whispering the name of the golden figure.

“Salvos…”

Cheers broke out as the golden figure floated over the dead [Gatho Mammoths], single handedly halting their charge.

The golden figure beamed, placing her hands on her hips as the adventurer army began to chant. Zack was glad she was here. She’d be able to help them hold the line. And most of all, she wasn’t alone.

Zack glanced back, catching sight of even more golden figures speeding overhead. One. Two. Three. Four. Five—

They flew past Zack, Jaakko, and Helen, soaring over the fighting. They rushed past the first clone and entered the city one after another, sending plumes of golden flames in every direction. They were like a flock of birds, moving in unison as they lit up the dark crimson sky with a golden light.

Zack stared in amazement at Salvos— or, rather, the Salvos clones— as they made waves throughout the battlefield.

I sent all but one of my clones into the city. The first clone— the one I’d summoned to find Edithe— stayed behind, keeping an eye out on Jaakko, Zack, and Helen while the others began to tear through the monster army. I looked through the eyes of the fastest clone. The one most eager to fight. The sixth clone.

She flew through the destroyed streets of the city, washing the pavement clean of monsters with a wave of golden fire. Drakes, Saeves, Yetis, and undead were turned into nothing but ash. Then I watched as the world spun around my clone. She swerved up into a window and through a destroyed roof, following a plume of smoke into the sky. A group of Mindreapers were zipped up above, and she appeared in between them.

The sixth clone smirked as she spread her arms wide. [The Primordial Spark] glinted over her head, creating a flurry of weapons that struck the Mindreapers down in mere moments, tearing their ethereal bodies apart.

She looked down at the other clones as they rapidly tore through the city’s streets. They cut down, burned, or blasted all the monsters in their way apart. They made sudden turns. Followed the roads. Quickly changed directions.

It was a massacre. The sixth clone giggled silently, excited to return to the others. But just as she beat her wings once, there was a flash.

My sixth clone wasn’t even able to react. She didn’t see it in time. I didn’t either. Which didn’t make sense. I was fast, and so was she. It had to have been hidden by an illusion spell. But a giant glowing blade sliced down at the sixth clone, decapitating her in an instant.

Her body exploded, but Belzu cut through the blast. He held the Sword of Alexander, looking down at my four remaining clones in the city.

“So we meet again, Archdemon.”

A note from MelasD

Back from break. Sorry for the super late upload. I literally got back home like 3 hours ago. I had to stay an extra day to look after my mom because she got sick and went to the hospital. She's doing better now, dw.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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341. Champion Part One

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to In Dying Starlight: A Cyborg Sci-Fi Adventure

Aaron is perfectly content to chase bounties in his run-down little space ship, avoid human interaction at all cost, and lay low from the cyborg planet that created him. But when he and Bat—his half-robotic badger companion (who talks just a little too much)—chase their largest bounty ever, they run head-first into not only some dangerous criminals, but other cyborgs much stronger than them, and worst of all, a handful of humans who aren’t going anywhere.

In Dying Starlight: A Cyborg Sci-Fi Adventure | Royal Road

341. Champion Part One

The Remembered Order Company was one of the Three Honorable Companies of the Human lands. That meant that they were one of the largest and most powerful companies in the world. On their own, they were greater than any smaller nation in might, and with all the Three Honorable Companies combined, they rivaled even the greatest empire in the Human lands today.

Yet, this army was all that they managed to muster up. Barely even a hundred thousand adventurers heeded the call of the Remembered Order Company. Mori Gladius didn’t believe it at first. He thought more would’ve come to their aid. But no.

It was a startling wake up call to the leader of the Remembered Order Company. Just a few hundred years ago, they’d been able to amass half a million adventurers at the same time during their war with the Forsaken Company. Half a million. And many of them were far higher-leveled than the soldiers you’d find in an ordinary army.

Throughout the course of that war, the number of adventurers they’d called upon likely numbered in over a million. It was a war that had taken so many lives— pointless deaths. Perhaps that was why so few adventurers listened to the Remembered Order Company now. They had once been a selfish organization that only cared to bolster its own position. This only changed with the previous leadership— Mori’s Master. The previous leader of the Remembered Order Company.

The Watcher. Before the Watcher had become reclusive, he’d been in charge of the Remembered Order Company. He’d made many great reforms that changed the very principles and foundations of their philosophy. And Mori Gladius was proud to have been mentored by the Watcher, taking on the responsibility of upholding these principles of honor and justice for the company.

But it seemed that over a thousand years of having the same reputation meant that it persisted, even if it was no longer true. Mori Gladius could speculate all he wanted, but it changed nothing. The only thing he could do to bring more adventurers to their cause was to offer rewards. Gold, artifacts, power.

It was tedious, but that was why the adventurers in his army came. He’d sent his second-in-command to gather more adventurers from beyond the Eastern Kingdoms, however this would be the bulk of their forces.

And here they were, charging straight into the fray. They had no backup. No support. Nothing. Westshield was being razed to the ground by the Primeval Demon, and Mori Gladius was going to do everything in his power to save as many innocent lives as he could.

There was a roar. A Drake charged through the streets of Westshield, chasing a little girl carrying a doll. She screamed as the Drake’s maw drew closer to her.

“Get back!”

Mori yelled as he leapt forward. He thrusted his glinting spear, impaling the Drake before it could clamp its maws around the little girl. The Drake fell, and Mor Gladius carried the girl back.

“Are you alright?”

He set her down next to a group of adventurers from his company. She looked up at him, eyes welling up.

“M-my mama… she was right behind me…”

She managed to start out. Mori Gladius pursed his lips. He turned to one of the adventurers closest to him. Another Elite. Scarlet the Red Rose. A Level 151 [Rogue]. Mori spoke to her as he drew back.

“Protect the girl. I’ll find her mother.”

“But Sir—”

He didn’t listen. He was running off further into the city in an instant. He left behind his entourage of Diamond Ranked adventurers, pressing further on into the raging fires. A building collapsed next to him, but he didn’t even flinch. His gambeson shone, protecting him from the flames.

Up ahead, he caught sight of a shadowed figure. It looked vaguely like a woman. His eyes widened as he shouted.

“Over here!”

The figure jerked. It turned to face him. And he came to a halt.

“That’s…”

The [Crypt Horror] leapt at him. Mori Gladius was quick to react. He crushed its head with a backfist— without even using his spear. Then he stared at the dessicated corpse of a woman.

“I… I’m sorry.”

He closed his eyes, bowing to the dead woman.

“I’ll make sure your daughter is in safe hands.”

That was all he said before he heard a growl. He looked up— at the encroaching [Crypt Lords] and [Crypt Horrors]. The leader of the Remembered Order Company stared at his foes. At enemies not even half his level. They gave him threatening looks. And he balled his hands into a fist.

“I am Mori Gladius. Leader of the Remembered Order Company. The Champion of the Human Lands— a Level 168 [Divine Spearmaster].”

Motes of light wisped off him like eddying flakes of golden snow. His Divine Essence burned, and he glared at the undead.

“Do you really think you stand a chance against me?”

They didn’t understand his question. And it was their demise. In an instant, Mori Gladius shot out. Like a bolt of lightning. He zapped from one undead to another, decapitating them and slicing off their limbs with poise. He came to a halt, and the mass of undead fell behind him, one after another.

He twirled his spear, straightening to his feet. He eyed the dead undead— they hadn’t even been a challenge. But still, he was upset. Upset because he knew he could wipe out thousands and thousands of them all at once. Yet, he couldn’t. Perhaps if Helena Warshade was here, she’d be able to cast a grand spell capable of wiping out even the entire city.

But he was more acclimated to fighting single opponents. So all he could do was swing his spear and hope that he moved fast enough.

“If only the Watcher was here…”

He knew Master would’ve easily ended the Primeval Demon threat, here and now. But the Watcher wasn’t here. Mori Gladius was the one who was here— the one who’d been left in charge of the Remembered Order Company. If he was the only person who could stand up to the Primeval Demon at this moment, then so be it.

Taking a step forward, he spun around to return to the others. Then he paused as a golden blast wiped a nearby street clean of monsters. He looked up and saw five flaming figures zipping through the air. They flew one after another— like a troupe that was dancing through the sky.

The Salvos clones silently laughed as they blew apart the monsters filling the city. Their flames lit up the dark crimson sky. Like fireworks. And Mori Gladius sighed in relief.

“Right. I’m not the only one here.”

He almost felt like smiling. A sense of relief washed over him as one of the Salvos clones flew higher and higher. She incinerated a group of Mindreapers, grinning triumphantly as she cast her gaze over the battlefield.

Then there was a flash. A flicker of a bright light. Mori Gladius blinked, recognizing the aura of divinity in an instant. A tingling sensation crept up his skin as he watched the Salvos clone drop slowly before exploding.

There was another flash— another swing of the Sword of Alexander. It tore through the golden explosion with ease. Mori stared up at the floating figure as it emerged uncsathed from the fire. A giant deformed insect. Like a fly, but with crooked arms next to its wings. It stared down at Mori with its bulbous eyes, almost condescending.

The Primeval Demon.

I looked up at Belzu from four different locations. Through the eyes of my four clones. Well, I had five clones before he killed one of them with a sneak attack. And I had another clone that was quite far off, looking over Jaakko, Helen, and Zack, making sure they survived this battle.

But even though I wasn’t physically there myself, his presence still struck fear into me. There was a creeping sense of dread crawling all over my skin. It almost felt familiar. Like what I had wielded before, but was used against me. It took me a moment to realize what the source of that feeling was. I only realized what it was when the next flash of light came.

Belzu looked down at the clone closest to him. The fourth clone. She’d just incinerated a group of Mindreapers that’d been hovering closer to the ground, and his eyes flickered. His anger was clear. He didn’t even need to speak. The giant blade tore the earth, ripping apart the streets and felling the nearby houses.

It was the Sword of Alexander.

That was right— I sensed the magic that was being emanated from the Mythic Grade artifact. Or, more specifically, I recognized its Divine Essence. I never noticed that odd aura beforehand. But perhaps it was because I had now attuned myself to the Breastplate of Alexander and had my own Divine Essence, I could now discern just what that power was.

My clone barely avoided the attack. She flew into a nearby burning building, trying to hide herself in the flames. But Belzu didn’t remain idle. He pointed at the direction of the fleeing clone, whispering softly.

“[Forlorn Execution].”

I blinked as a crimson energy trailed after my clone, following her wherever she went. She tried to dodge out of the way, but it quickly circled around her. She halted, trapped by the red energy. It took on an ethereal shape— like an armored warrior made out of mist. It raised a giant axe, and my clone blasted it with a cone of golden flames.

The ethereal warrior just swung down. I flinched as she was cut in half. I stumbled back, watching my clone fall— seeing the world tumble around her. I coughed once and covered my mouth.

A voice drew my attention from the side. Saffron placed a hand on my shoulder, a worried look on her face.

“Are you alright, Salvos?”

I stared at her. At the room I was in. Here I was, in the safety of Alyras’ throne room. Yet, when I looked down at the palm of my hand, I saw blood. My blood. And a dizziness nearly made me collapse to the ground.

“I’m fine.”

Shaking my head, I produced a healing potion and downed it. My vision returned to my remaining clones. The three I had left. They stared at the falling clone— at her intact body, with nothing surrounding her. Then I looked through her eyes at the fading world. At the red figure looming over her, as she fell after being cut in half.

Illusions and curses, I reminded myself of Belzu’s magic. This is going to be more dangerous than I thought it’d be.

Belzu laughed as he watched the second of the five clones fall out of the air. Even though they were apparitions made of fire— even though they vaguely resembled a Human— he knew who it truly was supposed to be. The pesky Archdemon who’d already gotten in his way twice now.

Or… perhaps it had been three times if he included what she’d done to his Mindreapers back in the Brilsum Ruins.

Either way, he knew it was her. And while she might’ve hidden away in some far off place, it didn’t matter. The clones were connected to her in some way. He’d be able to harm her as long as that was the case. That was the power of curses.

Perhaps if she disconnected herself from her clones she’d somehow be able to avoid the attacks. But it didn’t matter to Belzu here and now. He raised the Sword of Alexander, eyeing the next closest clone.

The clone dove out of the way as he swung the sword. Even from afar, the slash tore at the earth. Its Divine Essence coalesced like a giant blade of light. The destruction it caused was immense. The air whipped around violently, fanning the flames that rose amidst the burning city.

Belzu didn’t let up. He brought up the Sword of Alexander once again as the Salvos clone burst up from the fire. She pointed at him, unleashing a volley of flaming weapons his way. With a single swing, he tore apart the salvo.

His eyes flickered. Behind him, the other two Salvos clones launched their own attack. A combined blast of golden flame— it shot out at him like a raging inferno, weaving together in a spiral and becoming a single fiery cone. Belzu braced himself… and watched as the illusion was destroyed.

The Salvos clones blinked. They’d miss the real Primeval Demon entirely. They scattered as hovered just over them, bringing down the fury of the Sword of Alexander their way. Once more, the giant blade of light slashed out. Once more, the clones barely escaped. They spread out, darting across the city as Belzu watched.

He clicked his mandibles together.

“You may hide, Archdemon. But I will find you. I assure you of that.”

A note from MelasD

Sleep schedule since returning has been whack. Still trynna fix it and get back into the writing groove, proper.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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342. Champion Part Two

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to The Traitors Saga

Thanks to the greed of someone he trusted, Mark was killed. It wasn't permanent thanks to a deal he made with his patron, Traitor. Now, revived into the world of monsters, secrets, and dark motivations he had left behind, his patience and loyalty will be tested as he navigates a once familiar role with a rookie at his side.

The Traitors Saga | Royal Road

342. Champion Part Two

A giant blade of light tore the sky asunder. It cleaved through the pillar of smoke rising over the city. The ground shook as it ripped apart the earth. I produced my Pendant of Greater Protection, clutching it tightly as my clones fled the scene. Above them, Belzu watched them go.

He didn’t move. His bulbous eyes fixated on them from every angle. My second, third, and fifth clones escaped in every direction. They could’ve faced him all at once, but I knew that was pointless. They would lose. I had to delay him. Delay him so that the adventurer army— including Jaakko and his team— could leave Westshield. They were already pulling back, albeit rather slowly.

I focused on my first clone for a moment, watching as a woman shouted orders at the army for a retreat. Then Belzu’s head snapped. He faced my third clone as she dipped into the city’s street. His face warped into a smile as he slowly descended.

It looked terrible. Like the wrath of all the bugs I’d eaten was bearing down on me. He came, and my clone ran. She ducked through the city’s streets, wading through the flames and the fumes. Smoke billowed past her, and she used that blanket of opportunity to leap into a nearby building.

I waited. She hid right by the broken doorway. There was a crackle as the flames all around her ate away at the wood. I took in a deep breath, and my third clone poked a fraction of her head out, peeking into the city street.

Belzu had been right behind her. But now he was gone. He vanished, no longer there. The third clone wiped at her forehead, sighing without sound. I grinned. We lost him, I thought as she spun around—

And she stared at the bug-eyes of the Primeval Demon. He stood right behind her as she stared. There was a crack— a crask. A wooden beam fell from the ceiling. My third clone screamed silently as she unleashed a [Barrage of Cinders] at Belzu.

He barely moved. It was like he was standing still, making infinitesimally small movements— minor adjustments— to avoid my attacks. Then he raised the Sword of Alexander, and my clone leapt back. She was off sprinting in an instant. She escaped the building as it collapsed onto Belzu.

She weaved down an alleyway, breaking out into a market street. She ran and ran and ran as the world moved around her. Past a burning food stand, around a shop, into another alley. She sprinted through the alleyway before quickly exiting the other side into a main street.

A market street.

My clone didn’t slow, although I noticed something was odd. She sprinted past a burning food stand. Around a shop. Into another alley. Then she weaved down the alleyway, breaking out into a market street. Past a food stand. Around a shop. Another alley. Through the alley, into a market street—

And I made my clone stop. She blinked as she took in her surroundings. It was the very same market street. The very same burning foot stand. The very same shop. And yet, she was certain she hadn’t been running circles. No, this was something else.

From up above, the clouds of smoke parted. Belzu slowly lowered himself from the sky. The third clone stared with wide eyes as the Primeval Demon loomed over her. He looked far larger than he had before. The Sword of Alexander grew in size like it’d been affected by [Mass Particulate Modification].

She turned and ran, but the ground wheeled under her feet. It was like she was running on the spot, unable to move any further away from Belzu as he gradually brought the giant blade up. She looked back up at him as she screamed a silent scream.

No matter what she threw at him, it missed. Flaming swords, spears, and even Nebular Arrows. She couldn’t strike her target— it was like he had an invisible barrier of air around him, gently guiding the projectiles away from him.

Belzu brought the Sword of Alexander down, laughing maniacally— almost a buzzing sound. The third clone cowered for a brief moment, before accepting her fate. And with that, she was crushed.

—--

My fifth clone glanced up from the belltower as a golden light illuminated the sky. A cross-like explosion that shot up, breaching the clouds above. She looked on, sensing the third clone’s death. It was worrisome. Three of the clones were already dead. Now it was just her and the second clone left. They wouldn’t be able to delay Belzu for long with just the two of them.

At least Belzu was far off. As long as the fifth clone could find a good hiding place—

“Found you.”

A voice echoed behind her. She whirled around, swinging a flaming scythe at Belzu. He chuckled, somehow dodging the attack. Leaping back, she tossed a Sickle Grenade at the Primeval Demon. The explosion took out the top of the belltower, causing the rest of the building to collapse.

She eyed the smoke carefully, watching for any subtle movements. It dissipated as Belzu emerged, flying forward. He sneered.

“There you are.”

What? My fifth clone stared at him, puzzled. And the image vanished. The Primeval Demon was gone. No— he hadn’t even been there in the first place. Another illusion. But now he knew where my fifth clone was.

She hopped between the city’s rooftops, hurriedly trying to get away. But as she crossed over an alleyway, Belzu emerged from the darkness below. He sliced up with the Sword of Alexander, and my clone dove out of the way.

He slashed and slashed and slashed and slashed. My fifth clone flew up, barely navigating around the flurry of attacks. She conjured a Nebular Bow as she spun around and returned fire with a volley of Nebular Arrows.

Belzu harrumphed, vanishing as the explosions engulfed him. My clone’s gaze snapped to the side. The Primeval Demon was flying low, keeping to the ground as he held his sword behind his back. He aimed carefully at the clone before swinging. The blade flashed in the sky. But she darted out of the way again.

When she reoriented herself, she stared down at an army of Primeval Demons. A hundred Belzus flew at her. Her eyes widened. They moved in synchronicity— all at once, they brought up the Sword of Alexander. My fifth clone rapidly loosed Nebular Arrow after Nebular Arrow, bringing down these images one after another. But she never found the real Belzu. Because he wasn’t there.

Directly below her, the real Belzu emerged. He grinned a terrible grin and unleashed the power of the Sword of Alexander at my fifth clone. She watched the attack come. Her eyes were wide. She needed to escape. She couldn’t get out of the way—

And there was a flicker. A fissure in space. My fifth clone barely teleported out of the way. She gasped without a sound, already flying away from Belzu. The Primeval Demon focused his gaze on my clone’s back. She was halfway across the city. He wouldn’t catch her. She’d be able to escape and go back into hiding.

Belzu shook his head, pointing at her.

“Very well then. [Desecration of the Mind].”

A black aura appeared around my clone. She tried to wave it off, but it coalesced around her head. She froze. And there was a dark flash.

—--

I recoiled, stumbling back as my Pendant of Greater Protection flashed. Daniel and Saffron caught me before I could fall. They hovered over me as a few faces in the room turned my way.

“Did something happen, Salvos?”

Rana Alyras asked, peering at me curiously. I sighed as I slumped into a chair.

“I’m down another clone.”

I spoke and focused on the battle once more.

—--

My second clone was all who was left. She kept moving. She didn’t remain idle. The other clones had been hunted down because they thought they could get away by hiding. But they were found either way. So, she continued to move.

Belzu didn’t know where she was. She’d be safe as long as she didn’t alert him of her location. She let out a silent chuckle, darting into an intersection. That was right, she wouldn’t be caught—

And she paused. She stared at the horde of monsters led by Mindreapers. They fixed their gaze on her. Then they screeched. My second clone rolled her eyes.

This sucks, she thought before burning them into ashes. But it didn’t matter. They’d found her. And that meant Belzu did too. There was no longer any point running. Once Belzu caught a glimpse of her, it was over.

His curses and his illusions were too much to overcome. The world grew dark, engulfed by an endless void. She tried to take a step back, but skeleton arms burst out of the shadows and caught her by her legs. Where the ivory fingers touched, her skin seemed to shed— peeling off and revealing her own bones and flesh within. I stared at it. At this illusion. And I saw through it.

My clone was made entirely of flames. That was not real. Even though all of my senses screamed at me in terror and pain, my clone calmly took a step forward. She tore through the illusion. The blanket of darkness fell apart, revealing Belzu hovering right before her.

The second clone stood her ground, producing a rainbow-colored scythe. Belzu didn’t waste any time. He flew straight at her, slashing with the Sword of Alexander for her head.

“Die.”

She charged back at him, screaming silently. Unafraid of the Primeval Demon. The Divine Nebular Scythe glowed bright black. She swung back at the Sword of Alexander with a [Radiant Slash]. There was a clash of light. Black and white. My second clone was thrown back as a white energy pulsed out.

Belzu paused. He stared at the rainbow-colored scythe.

“That is…?”

Shaking his head, he continued as he raised the Sword of Alexander once more.

“So you choose to fight. Tell me: what makes you think you stand a chance?”

The second clone dragged herself back to her feet. She saw through the first clone’s eyes. The adventurer army was finally beginning to pull back. Slowly. So slowly. They’d gotten the last of the survivors of Westshield out. And they moved as they held the army of monsters back.

I couldn’t answer Belzu. Nor did I care to answer his question. Instead, I ordered the second clone to fight. She twirled the Divine Nebular Scythe, smirking. The Primeval Demon just tilted his head.

“So it is for the Human’s sake? Of course. Very well. Then I shall end this now.”

I wanted to protest, but he appeared before my second clone. It was as though he’d just teleported to her. But no— he’d tricked me. He feigned dialogue to close the distance. He was already mid-swing with the Sword of Alexander when I registered what happened. My second clone brought the Divine Nebular Scythe, barely parrying the swing.

She was knocked back a dozen feet from the attack. Belzu harrumphed.

“Do you really think your weapon can stand up to the Sword of Alexander? Once I am done with you, I shall destroy that worthless Human army.”

He swung at her once again. She parried it a second time, this time managing to keep her feet on the ground. The pavement broke off as she blocked the attack, only for Belzu to swiftly stab at her. She was thrown into the air as the edges of the Divine Nebular Scythe were chipped off.

The second clone crashed into a nearby building before the weapon landed next to her. She stumbled up, barely picking up the Divine Nebular Scythe. Belzu crept closer to her. Like an insect crawling its way up an arm— each step a gnawing sensation on my skin. The flames of my second clone flickered as she prepared for her last stand.

Belzu’s face twisted sadistically as he brought up the Sword of Alexander once again.

“It appears you have lost—”

He started, only to be interrupted by a flash of lighting. It zapped down at him, crashing into his back. The Primeval Demon was smashed onto the road. Swatted to the ground. He swung back with the Sword of Alexander, but the bolt of lightning zipped out of the way.

That was when I realized it wasn’t a bolt of lightning, but a person. Mori Gladius, leader of the Remembered Order Company and Elite adventurer, landed next to my second clone as electricity crackled around him. His spear glimmered as he pointed the tip at Belzu.

The Primeval Demon paused.

“Greetings, Champion of the Human Lands.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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343. Champion Part Three

A note from MelasD

Hey all, shoutout to Battleforged! Check it out because the author is a cool folk.

To do list for the post apocalypse:

1. Survive the orcs rampaging through your city.

2. Survive the pod trying to steal your mind.

3.  Pull off the greatest heist of all time.

It still amazed Eric how much the world’s end mirrored the movie his obsessed mother had put into production… set to release just three days after the Apocalypse.

Only problem was, in the real world there were no chosen ones destined to fight the beast hordes now slaughtering countless millions in every major city on Earth.

But humanity wasn’t completely helpless.

You really could level up in this brave new world, and embrace magic, peril, and limitless power!

So long as you didn’t mind a 90% mortality rate in alien vegetative pods as happy to turn you into topsoil as give you any shot at mastering a System designed to benefit elite invaders. Not fragile humans just trying to survive.

But Eric was all about beating the odds…

Even if it killed him.

Battleforged: Book 1 - THE BILLION CREDIT HEIST - An Earth Apocalypse LitRPG Adventure | Royal Road

343. Champion Part Three

As a child, Mori Gladius had been given everything he’d ever wanted in life. His parents were a powerful noble family in the Eastern Kingdoms, and they treated him like a prince but without the responsibility. He hadn’t even been the oldest son— the one to inherit the family as their leader. He had no purposes, and as such, he pursued personal power because that was the only thing he didn’t have.

He trained. Grew stronger. He even became an adventurer just so he could forge his own path. But as a bratty noble, he would always get things his way. He used his influence to join one of the most prestigious companies in the world. One of the Three Honorable Companies. The Remembered Order Company.

And that was when he met the Watcher. Unlike everyone else he’d met up to that point, the Watcher paid no attention to his status. To the Watcher’s eyes, Mori was nothing more than another adventurer. The noble boy was treated as such, and that was how he learned humility.

The Watcher taught him very many things. About right and wrong. About justice and responsibility. Mori learned that there was far more to life than just power and influence. He slowly rose up the ranks of the Remembered Order Company, and in time, he became the Watcher’s successor.

He learned to uphold the principles his Master taught him. To be the leader of the Remembered Order Company. And more than just that, Mori Gladius became—

“The Champion of the Human Lands.”

His eyes flickered as the warbled voice echoed from all around him. He stared at the grotesque insect-like figure before him. The Primeval Demon that had been wreaking havoc for so long. A Level 164 [Hellprince].

“You know me?”

Mori asked, raising his glinting spear. Behind him, a flaming figure got to its feet. The Salvos clone shook her head, bringing up a scythe that radiated a faint sense of Divine Essence. He nodded approvingly at that.

The Primeval Demon chuckled. Its wings buzzed as it rose a foot off the ground.

“Of course I know you. I am no fool. I have studied the Human lands. I have taken note of all of your kind that may be a threat to me. And there are few.”

It began listing Titles.

“The Watcher. The Headmaster of Mavos Academy. The Dark Avenger. The Mistress of the Wind. And lastly…”

Its bulbous eyes fixed on the leader of the Remembered Order Company. The Primeval Demon began to multiply— like a reflection on a shattered mirror. A lattice that reflected his image one after another, spreading out around him.

“You, Mori Gladius, Champion of the Human Lands, and [Divine Spearmaster]. One of the highest-leveled [Warriors] of all of Humankind. You are one of the few Humans who are a threat to me.”

Mori narrowed his eyes. He whirled around as the Salvos clone blinked. He stood back-to-back with the flaming figure, both of them surrounded by a hundred of the Primeval Demon. A thousand voices spoke in a cacophony.

“That is why you shall die here.”

All at once, the Primeval Demon swung down with the Sword of Alexander. The attack came from all sides. The Salvos clone squeaked without a noise. She braced herself, but Mori Gladius stood without fear. He thrusted his spear into the air as Divine Essence coalesced around his weapon.

“[Lance of Radiance]!”

A golden glow shot up. Like a pillar of light. It parried the Sword of Alexander. The clash drove the Primeval Demon back as the illusion vanished.

The Salvos clone just stared.

Huh.

I didn’t expect that. I thought my second clone was going to die there and then, but she survived the attack. And it was thanks to Mori Gladius. He took on a wide stance, holding his spear with only a single arm. Divine Essence flaked off his body, dissipating as quickly as it came. It didn’t come from his weapon— I could tell the Divine Essence was his alone.

Still, that spear managed to drive back the Sword of Alexander. A weapon that managed to survive a direct hit from a Mythic Grade artifact without breaking. It had to be powerful. I used [Identification] on it, but some kind of obfuscation magic prevented me from appraising it.

Mori noticed my curiosity and shook his head.

“It’s a Bloodforged Lance. My Master commissioned it for me. It was created by the greatest [Forgemaster] of the Dwarf kingdom of Vonus. Made from my very own blood mixed with their precious orichalcum, it is tied to my being. Its power is dependent solely on my own.”

My second clone’s eyes widened. That was amazing. A weapon— or armor— that grew alongside you— it sounded too good to be true. And yet, I knew Mori was telling the truth.

Belzu panted, steeling himself after being knocked back by Mori. The Primeval Demon was in disbelief.

“How…?”

“I can’t take him on alone, Liberator of the Plaguelands.”

Mori spoke to me as Belzu eyed us warily.

“Will you help me?”

I looked at the Human man through my second clone’s eyes. He had dark blue hair that was dirtied from the fighting. Motes of Divine Essence gathered around him as he readied for another clash. I beamed, making my clone flex an arm.

He smiled in relief.

“Good. Now let’s—”

“[Abomination Fulmination].”

Belzu whispered, cutting off the Human man. He unleashed thousands of horrors at us. They came out of him. At first, like a deluge of black fire. Then came the chittering. The buzzing that roared louder than the raging fire. Thousands of inky, deformed locusts, roaches, and centipedes poured out of the Primeval Demon’s skin.

They came for both Mori Gladius and the clone. She blasted back at them with golden fire, but they phased through the flames. An illusion?

“Don’t let them touch you!”

Mori shouted, leaping atop a nearby building. The first wave of the horrors reached the clone, and she flew into the air. She glanced over at the [Divine Spearmaster] as he continued.

“These aren’t illusions. They’re curses given form. They’ll drain you of your life. It doesn’t matter if you’re a clone— your real body will be affected.”

That was starting to become a trend, huh? The second clone watched as the horrors pooled up, scrambling for her in a mad frenzy. She swerved sharply around them, only for Belzu to appear before her. He stabbed at her with the Sword of Alexander, and she barely blocked it again with the Divine Nebular Scythe.

The rainbow-colored blade cracked once more as my clone went sailing back. Belzu pressed on, bringing down the Sword of Alexander again.

“Perish.”

“No— [Hallowed Thrust]!”

Mori stabbed with his Bloodforged Lance. Even from afar, its tip extended. It shot out like a bolt of lightning as it went for the sky. Then it curved sharply, moving to intercept the swing of the Sword of Alexander. Belzu grunted as his attack was parried.

“You pesky—”

And my clone grinned. She quickly swung for him as he was distracted. He narrowly zipped out of the way as the edge of the Divine Nebular Scythe nicked his side. The Primeval Demon pointed at her.

“Die.”

The dark horrors from below rushed up at her, and she weaved out of the way. She winked at him as she flew back. He frowned. Then he caught sight of the glowing symbol where he was cut.

“This is…?”

[Demon’s Mark]. A crimson ball of flame engulfed him. It consumed even the fire that was eating away at the city. Mori Gladius raised a hand, watching as the magic faded away. Belzu emerged from the fire, a few burn marks scorching his insect-like body.

“Nice trick, but did you think it was enough to defeat me?”

The Primeval Demon’s eyes flashed. But before he could cast another curse or create even more illusions, Mori Gladius’s entire body was wreathed in a golden light.

“[Lightning Step].”

The Human man became a thunderbolt. There was a crackle as he leapt into the air, rapidly striking Belzu before the Primeval Demon could launch a counter attack. My clone joined Mori Gladius, activating [Haste] and [Warped Time]. Even still, she couldn’t match his speed. Together, they attacked Belzu from all sides.

All the Primeval Demon could do was defend himself. His horrors couldn’t even follow after us. He grunted as he was cut from all angles, unable to block some of the attacks. When both my clone and Mori Gladius struck him at the exact same time, Belzu couldn’t take it anymore.

“Enough!”

His words were like a pulse. A curse. It knocked both my clone and the Human man back. The closest flames dissipated as rooftops crumbled. Even the horrors were affected. They vanished as Belzu’s words reached them.

The Primeval Demon flew to the sky as dark clouds gathered above him. He stared down at both Mori and the clone with his bulbous eyes.

“I am the Lord of Lies. A [Hellprince] of the Netherworld. A Primeval Demon of Greed. I will not be overwhelmed by either a pathetic mortal or a mere Archdemon.”

Mori Gladius paused as he got to his feet. His eyes flickered.

“What?”

I bit my lower lip. My clone averted her gaze as the Human man looked her way. Belzu didn’t elaborate. Instead, the Primeval Demon continued.

“I will not fall. Not until Regnorex is dead at my heel, and his kingdom is mine.”

The ground shook. My clone narrowed her eyes, glancing around her. She saw figures moving about. Closer and closer. Even up above, there were shrouded creatures floating around Belzu. But this was not an illusion. They were real.

Belzu’s army converged on us. The Primeval Demon’s body glowed. The sky twisted. The world itself seemed to bend to Belzu’s will. I recognized this. I understood what was going on. I watched as the moon itself vanished. The sky was painted a blood red. And Belzu uttered the first words.

A Grand Skill.

“[The Oozing Lifeblood of the Netherworld. The Advent of Birth. Reject Your Foolish King. Unite. Rebel. Become One with Me, and Ascend].”

The world began to shrink. Dark clouds formed above. A black rain pattered the white ground. Belzu’s army changed shape— they took on different forms. Shapes with horns. With wings. Which bled a black blood. Belzu laughed as he grew in size. His body contorted, and his eyes replaced the moon in the sky.

“[The End of Genesis: the Desolation of Hell].”

I blinked.I felt my connection to my clone growing weaker and weaker. And just as Belzu uttered his next words, my link to my second clone fully vanished.

“Welcome to my world.”

Mori Gladius looked around. He saw a desolate landscape. A vast and expansive land of white. A crimson dome fell overhead, with black clouds raining a dark liquid from above. He took a step back, blinking.

Where… is this place?

Just as he asked the question, words popped up in his head, telling him where he was not.

Now Leaving [Nexeus: Mortal Realm].

Nothing came after. He was outside of the Mortal Realm. He was no longer in the Human lands. He was… somewhere else. The Primeval Demon’s booming laugh shook the land.

“Welcome to my world.”

He glanced up, looking up at the bulbous eyes of the Primeval Demon. Its eyes seemed to meld with the sky— like the sun and the moon, all at once. Mori Gladius tensed, reaching for his spear. And he… wriggled.

The Champion of the Human Lands paused. He looked down at himself as the laughter continued. He didn’t have any clothes. His Bloodforged Lance wasn’t with him. In fact, he didn’t even have arms. He had a set of nubs that protruded from his body, but that was it.

And wait— his body!

He looked at himself in alarm. He was… a worm. Or a caterpillar. Or a kind of insect larva. He wasn’t sure what he was, but he looked like a grotesque amalgamation between all three of those. He opened his mouth to question what happened to her, but nothing came out.

Mori Gladius had no mouth. All he had were a few nubs and a pair of antennae. He didn’t believe himself. But when he peered down at a black puddle and saw his own reflection, he knew it was true. He jerked back as something brushed by him.

Spinning around, he warily faced another slug-like creature. It looked similar to him, except it lacked the same nubs or antennae. It looked like a monster. He would’ve attacked it the moment it touched him, if not for the fact that it was glowing.

…Salvos? he asked, but again he couldn’t speak.

The same laughter from before reverberated throughout the entire world, causing another tremor.

“This is no illusion, Champion of the Human Lands. You may try to break out of it, but you will fail. You are trapped. Cursed to be nothing more than an Infant Demon.”

Mori Gladius looked up in disbelief. Then he saw the figures ambling towards him. Demons of all kinds. Lesser Demons. Greater Demons. Archdemons, even. They surrounded both him and the Salvos clone. They had hollow eyes. A wild gaze that seemed ready to tear everything— even each other— apart.

The Salvos clone backed up next to him, bracing for a fight. Mori Gladius readied himself too as the Primeval Demon continued.

“Make no mistake, you will not survive. Desolation has begun, and you will die.”

And as if that was a signal, the Demons surrounding both of them rushed out. They charged at the two Infant Demons, snarling, tearing each other apart, all hungry for battle. For the first time in his life, Mori Gladius, leader of the Remembered Ordr Company, and Champion of the Human Lands, didn’t know what to do.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

344. Champion Part Four

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Steamforged Sorcery by my boi Actus!

Ancient magic brought the world to its knees. Now, Angel is bringing it back.

In the time that passed since the old magic vanished, society rebuilt, mixing machinery and what remained of their magic to form something new. Great blimps took to the sky, belching steam and smoke as metal city-states sprouted like weeds below.

Angel, a daring adventurer, scours the desert endlessly in search of what was lost. When he's given an offer he can't refuse, he finds out that he's not the only one seeking ancient power. His opponents wield magic that the world has forgotten, and their methods leave cities razed and the innocent in their wake.

In a race against a group who has lived in the shadows since the Great War, Angel will have to determine just how far he's willing to go to accomplish his goals.

Steamforged Sorcery: A LitRPG Adventure - Kindle edition by Actus. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

344 Champion Part Four

Belzu looked down at the sphere in his hand, seeing the two Infant Demons make a break for it. They ran from the other Demons chasing them. They fled, unable to fight back. The Primeval Demon cackled in his victory. He glanced back down at where Mori Gladius and the Salvos clone had been standing. They were both gone.

That was right. He hadn’t been lying. Or maybe he’d lied a little bit.

It was an illusion in a sense. But an illusion so powerful it warped reality— that it became real. That it trapped Belzu’s targets in a world of his own creation. And they were forever cursed to live through the Desolation. Through the hell that was the Netherworld.

Perhaps they could break out of it, given time. And that was why Belzu hadn’t sent them alone. A small portion of his army was sent along with them to the Primeval Demon’s world. And he’d given the monsters bodies of powerful Demons. They would kill both Mori Gladius and the Salvos clone. Eventually.

Perhaps both the Salvos clone and Mori Gladius would retain some of their abilities. But it would only delay the inevitable. There was nothing more for Belzu to do. His biggest threats were trapped, and he was free to continue his razing of the city. And… bolstering his army.

The Primeval Demon looked over beyond the city walls. He saw the adventurer army retreating. And he moved for them.

“Retreat! We need to leave now!”

A voice shouted. Zack glanced back at the rest of the adventurer army. They were already pulling back. The army had taken severe losses. Thousands of adventurers were dead. But they’d managed to take out just as many— or even more— monsters than that.

But the horde of monsters just kept coming. They didn’t stop. And it was time to leave. Zack agreed with that, but his teammates weren’t as easy to convince.

“Jaakko, you heard them! Let’s get out of here!”

The Cyclops crushed a Saeve with one of his four arms. The ape-like creature went limp. Jaakko turned back and faced Zack with his one eye.

“We cannot retreat.”

He spoke simply. Zack gestured exasperatedly at the burning city.

“There’s not a chance that there’s a single civilian left alive there! Why are we staying?”

“Because…”

Jaakko paused. He looked over at one of the few adventurers who were still fighting close to the city’s walls. Zack followed his gaze and saw Scarlet. The Red Rose. One of the Elites of the Remembered Order Company. She fought alongside another Elite. Tyrian the Brightsbane Archer. They didn’t back up, even when the rest of the company fled.

“What are they doing?”

Zack asked, utterly befuddled. Helen walked up behind him, pursing her lips.

“Mori Gladius hasn’t returned from the city. They’re waiting for their leader.”

“What?”

It took a moment for Zack to process this. That meant they were all waiting for Mori Gladius to return. Zack shook his head.

“Mori Gladius is the Champion of the Human Lands. He can handle himself. And if he can’t, we have no business being out here. Let the Elites handle it.”

Jaakko remained silent. Helen protested.

“But we can’t just leave!”

“We’ll just be in the way.”

Zack spoke, voice level. Still, she wasn’t convinced. She turned to the Cyclops— the leader of their team.

“Jaakko!”

The Cyclops didn’t speak for a moment. It looked like he was in deep thought. He stared at the city as another burning building collapsed. Finally, he sighed.

“Zack’s right.”

“Of course I am.”

Zack snorted, glad his leader was finally seeing some sense. Helen blinked. She opened her mouth to argue, then she looked at her two team members. Her shoulders slumped.

“I… see.”

Jaakko nodded.

“I do not wish to leave the Champion of the Human Lands alone. But our help is not needed here. Let us go—”

He started, only for a blinding light to cut him off. It tore through the battlefield, slicing through the first ranks of adventurers before they could even react. Dozens of Platinum Ranks and a few Diamond Ranks just vanished, killed by the giant blade of light in an instant.

Jaakko, Helen, and Zack would’ve fallen victim to the attack too if they hadn’t been saved. Zack blinked as he found himself floating, being carried by the Salvos clone that had been protectively hovering over them.

“W-what…?”

The [Mage] stared at the ranks of dead adventurers. Both Scarlet and Tyrian managed to escape in time too. They were tense, weapons at the ready for whatever it was responsible for that attack.

The Salvos clone slowly lowered Jaakko, Helen, and Zack to the ground. She hurriedly gestured at them to leave. Zack stumbled to his feet, still in shock. Then he looked at what the Salvos clone was looking at. She stared into the raging flames. At a bloated figure slowly flying out of it.

“No…”

He gasped. That was when he saw it. For the very first time, Zack caught sight of the Primeval Demon.

It emerged from the flames, followed by its army. Monsters of all kinds. Undead of all Species. Zack was almost certain he saw Humans amongst them too, but he was too transfixed on the Primeval Demon to even realize what he was looking at.

The Primeval Demon’s presence weighed on him. A creeping sense of dread crawled over the battlefield, smothering any spark of fighting spirit that had previously been there. A sick grin spread across its face as it spoke a simple order for its army.

“Kill them all.”

And Zack screamed. The adventurers fled as the horde of monsters gave chase, led by the Primeval Demon itself.

This was it. Mori Gladius had found himself in many dangerous situations throughout his life. As an adventurer, he was no stranger to death. Many of his friends and allies had died throughout his adventures. Throughout his journey to become the Champion of the Human Lands.

He knew that a time would come when he, himself, would eventually fall in battle. He was prepared for it. But he didn’t expect to go out like this.

A Greater Demon swung for him as he barely scuttled out of the way, using his little nubs to carry himself as fast as possible. It missed, instead striking a Lesser Demon. The Lesser Demon snarled in anger. It struck back, only to be crushed by the Greater Demon.

Mori Gladius sighed internally in relief, grateful for that brief reprieve— for that delay it had bought him. The Demons continued to give chase as he could only crawl-scurry back. Behind him, the Salvos clone followed. She matched his speed, although it wasn’t very hard to do so.

They were both slug-like creatures that barely had any appendages or limbs. The Primeval Demon’s Grand Skill trapped them in these bodies. It had placed them in this world. In the… Netherworld? Or a recreation of it?

He didn’t know. It didn’t matter to him. All he knew was that he was going to die in some unknown place with the body of some grotesque creature. It was a shameful death. He couldn’t even fight back. He tried, oh, he did.

But when he threw himself at these larger creatures, all he did was flop over and fall to the ground, barely even stalling them. So all he could do was run. But he couldn’t run forever.

A Lesser Demon intercepted him— a kind of [Djinn]. It towered over him, and he swiftly crawled around its legs. The [Djinn] kicked once, sending him flying in the air. The single hit battered his body. He landed on the white ground with a thud, bleeding a black blood that mixed with the rain from above.

He grimaced.

No… He got back up, immediately taking off running again. Not like this—

And an Archdemon caught up to him. Its claws raked his back as he recoiled in pain. He wiggled around the Archdemon’s arms as it picked him up. It had a demented head— that of a monster’s skull. And its jaws unhinged, revealing a hundred razor-sharp teeth. It held him over its mouth as he struggled to break free.

I can’t die like this, he thought as he gazed into the bottomless pit of the Archdemon’s maws. It easily kept back the Greater Demons and Lesser Demons. It slowly lowered Mori Gladius down, closing its jaw.

He shut his eyes, accepting his fate. This is how I go, huh? It was bittersweet. He took solace in knowing that he died protecting Humankind, living up to his Title as the Champion of the Human Lands. But he was going to die in another world. In a reality-warping illusion. As a Demon.

It truly was a tragedy—

And he heard a thud. A hard smacking sound. Almost wet. He opened his eyes to see the Salvos clone throwing her slug-like body straight into the Archdemon’s mouth. It knocked the Archdemon back, causing it to stagger and drop him. Mori Gladius stared at her, confused. She looked down at him once and nodded.

Why…? he began to ask, and the Archdemon bit down. It was a chomp. One that crushed the Salvos clone instantly. Mori Gladius flinched. Why would you save me? he asked again.

It was over. He was next. All she did was delay his death for a second longer. All she did was—

And there was a glint. A bright light coalesced deep within the Archemon. It paused. It fell to the ground in pain. Mori Gladius’ eyes widened. He leapt back, scuttling past the other Demons as the light grew brighter. Before, finally, a powerful explosion ripped apart the landscape. It killed the Archdemon instantly, before blowing apart the nearby Greater Demons and Lesser Demons.

Mori Gladius himself was caught in the blast. He was sent flying back and slammed into a large rock. He fell over in a daze, vision growing dark. Now is this really it? he wondered as the world vanished.

—--

“You did it.”

A soft voice spoke in the room. Mori Gladius sat up abruptly, nearly knocking over the report that had been laid on his desk. He glanced over at the figure standing by the doorway. A young man, barely twenty years old, stood there with a raised brow.

“I’m surprised. I’d have thought you of all people would have fucked up.”

“Fuck up? What are you—”

Mori Gladius started in anger, before catching himself. He straightened and bowed at the young man.

“I’m sorry, Master. But may I ask why exactly did you think I'd fail my mission?”

“I told you before, Mori. You don’t have to address me so formally.”

The young man just chuckled. He walked over to the desk with a skip in his step. Utterly carefree. He sat down and crossed his legs.

“I told you, you can just call me Yves.”

Mori stared at the relaxed young man. At Yves Virgil. The leader of the Remembered Order Company. The Watcher. The highest-leveled Human in the entire world. Then Mori shook his head.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot address you that way, Master. That would be disrespectful and rude of me to do so.”

“Geez, you’re always so uptight, aren’t you? You need to relax more. Although… I guess that stubbornness of yours is why you got that Title.”

Yves smiled. Despite his youthful appearance, he was nearly twice Mori’s age. Mori wasn’t sure how the Watcher looked so young. It was possible that Yves had a second Class as an [Alchemist] and concocted Potions of Youth for himself.

Mori Gladius never thought to ask. Yves continued.

“Champion of the Human Lands, huh? What a prestigious Title. You’d think you’d have gotten it from besting the Demon King in a duel, or fending off a Kobold army all by yourself. And yet, all you did was negotiate with the Elven Matriarch Ios-friel and convince her not to invade the Human lands. You, of all people.”

The Watcher placed his hand on his forehead like he was in disbelief. Mori Gladius pursed his lips.

“Did you think I was going to fail, Master?”

“Maybe. I can’t say for sure with you, Mori. When I first met you, you were the most brash idiot I had ever accepted into my company. But now?”

Mori Gladius stood slightly straighter— prouder. And Yves grinned.

“Now? You’ve changed so much. You’ve grown so much stronger. But you’re still a brash idiot.”

“...oh.”

The Champion of the Human Lands deflated. But his Master just waved a hand off.

“That’s not to say you were the exact same person then as you are now. And you’ve shown how much you’ve grown since then. But at the very core, you haven’t changed. Because whether you are good or bad, weak or strong, rich or poor— none of it matters. That is not who you are. The very essence of your soul hasn’t changed.”

Mori Gladius looked up at the Watcher. He stared at his Master, listening carefully. Taking in every word that came out of Yves’ mouth as the young man got to his feet.

“If you had failed, it would’ve been a terrible war. A calamity to the Human lands. But you are Mori Gladius. My successor. I trusted that you wouldn’t fail. And you didn’t. You succeeded. You prevented it.”

Yves patted Mori on the shoulder with a soft smile.

“So… good job. Because it is now up to you to protect Humankind, Mori.”

With those words, the Watcher left the room.

—--

Mori Gladius’ eyes fluttered open. He was no longer in that old office back at his company’s headquarters— that wasn’t even his current office which was far larger and more luxurious than what he had now. It had been a memory from a time long ago. When he’d still been a Diamond Ranked adventurer.

The Watcher had picked him as the next leader of the Remembered Order Company. At the time, Mori had been perplexed. He didn’t know why his Master didn’t choose any of the other Elites there. But perhaps it was because his Master saw something in him that others couldn’t.

Forcing himself back up, Mori Gladius took in his surroundings. He was still in the crimson world, although the dark rain had stopped falling from the sky. His body was injured— ripped and torn by the Demons before being blasted by a golden explosion.

Here he was, still trapped in the body of an Infant Demon. In a harsh world far from his own. He wasn’t in the Human lands. He was going to die in a foreign place with the broken body of a creature he scorned.

A moving figure caught his eyes. He looked over at an ambling Archdemon walking over the corpses of the other Demons that had been caught in the blast. This wasn’t the same Archdemon that had tried to eat him. That Archdemon had been incinerated by the golden flames.

No— this was another Archdemon that managed to avoid the blast. It came down now to collect the scraps and leftovers, although there were none… except for Mori Gladius himself. He tried to crawl away, but it slowly walked up to him. It wore a vicious smile on its face as it reached over to him. Like a vulture swooping down to its prey.

Mori Gladius stared at it. At the way it hungered for him. But Demons didn’t eat. This was a monster wearing the skin of an Archdemon, as he was a Human with the form of an Infant Demon. That was why it opened its mouth— that was why it scooped him into its maw.

Then he looked past the Archdemon. Towards the site of the explosion. The golden blast. The Salvos clone had… exploded. He remembered seeing the very same blast erupted throughout the city. Despite being reduced to a mere slug-like creature, the Salvos clone still retained that ability.

He craned his neck, looking at the Archdemon. Then at himself. And he remembered his Master’s words.

That’s right.

The Archdemon closed its teeth around him as he stared at his impending death.

I am the Watcher’s successor.

He would face death in the face and laugh. Mere death was nothing to a [Divine Spearmaster].

I am the leader of the Remembered Order Company.

The essence of his soul hadn’t changed, even if he looked like an Infant Demon now. His divinity wisped off him as there was a chomp. A crunch. An intense pain swept through his body. And he laughed.

I am the Champion of the Human lands!

With that thought, he activated his Grand Skill.

“[Divine Resurrection]!”

The Archdemon paused. It stumbled back as something emerged from its stomach. It spat out the body of the Infant Demon, only for the eddying golden flakes to coalesce around the corpse. A bright light shone for a bit before morphing into the vague shape of a Human body. And from that, emerged Mori Gladius. He carried his Bloodforged Lance, blue hair dripping with black blood.

He smirked as the Archdemon stepped back. He didn’t let it escape. Instead, he thrust forward. He stabbed at the Archdemon even as it fled. His spear lit up the entire crimson sky, painting it gold as he shouted.

“[I Shall Pierce the Heavens]!”

And his second Grand Skill impaled the Archdemon. It reached the end of the small world, breaching its edges. It moved in a straight line, cracking the sky. The entire world shone gold, before everything shattered.

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345. Champion Part Five (End of Volume 5 Part Two)

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345. Champion Part Five

Belzu watched as the adventurers tried to flee. His army moved, intercepting them before they could get far. The Humans fought— a futile attempt at surviving. With a single swing of the Sword of Alexander, he’d wipe out dozens of high-leveled adventurers. Only their Elites stood a chance against him.

His eyes flickered to the side. A red blur rushed at him, striking at his neck with a set of curved daggers. Belzu didn’t even need to dodge. Scarlet the Red Rose missed entirely, striking at an illusion. He swung back at her, and she leapt out of the way.

“Pathetic.”

The Primeval Demon spoke simply. A volley of arrows shot out at him, but he cut them from the sky. He fixed his gaze at the other Elite present. Tyrian the Brightsbane Archer. He nocked another arrow onto his bow. But Belzu just whispered.

“Behind you.”

Tyrian whirled around in a panic, loosing the powerful bolt at the image of the Primeval Demon behind him. It tore through the illusion, but didn’t actually reach Belzu. After all, Belzu hadn’t moved. The Primeval Demon cackled as he sliced down with the Sword of Alexander.

The giant blade reached Tyrian from afar. He tried to jump back, but he was far slower than Scarlet. He screamed as his right arm was cut cleanly off.

“Tyrian!”

Scarlet shouted. She dashed for him, and Belzu moved to stop her. However a blast of golden flame shot him. He glared at the flaming figure above him.

“You only have one final clone left. If you truly wish to save these people, show your real self so I can kill you instead.”

The Salvos clone just stuck her tongue out at him. He replied with a curse.

“[Desecration of the Mind].”

She recoiled and flew off, clutching at her head in pain. It wasn’t enough to kill her on its own, but he knew he was attacking the real Salvos at the same time. And that was all that mattered to him.

“Suffer, pest.”

He watched as she scurried off, running once again. That was all she did. Belzu turned his attention to the more dangerous opponents present. The two Elites were huddled together. He could take them out with one fell swoop. Most of his Skills were on cooldown, but he still had the Sword of Alexander.

Belzu grinned, creating an illusion to disorient them. The Elites moved around in a panic as it looked like the world was falling around them. The Primeval Demon flew closer, hidden from their view. He raised the Sword of Alexander—

And paused. He heard a crash. He glanced down at the sphere that he’d been carrying, looking at a giant webbed crack running through it. His eyes bulged.

“Impossible.”

And the sphere that was carrying his world broke. It shattered completely, letting out everything he’d caught within. He watched bodies of monsters fell from it— dropping out of the sky one after another. Then there was a glint. A spear stabbing for his face.

The Primeval Demon zipped back just in time to dodge Mori Gladius’ attack. The leader of the Remembered Order Company landed right next to his fellow Elites, spinning his spear as he took on a battle-ready stance. The adventurer army paused. Even the Salvos clone looked on in awe. Then they erupted to cheers as the Champions of the Human Lands stepped forward.

“Primeval Demon! Your rampage ends here!”

He declared. Belzu just stared in shock.

“My Grand Skill… he broke through it…”

It was now or never. Mori Gladius had revealed everything he had. Both his Grand Skills. Everything in his repertoire had been used up. He glanced back at his dwindling army. He barely had half the numbers he’d started with in such a short amount of time— and whether that was due to death or desertion, he wasn’t sure.

But the Primeval Demon wasn’t going to let up. It would not stop until his army and the civilians they were protecting were all dead. After all, the Primeval Demon itself had lost so much from this. Its army of monsters, too, had been reduced. It hovered there, injured. Bleeding and hurt. If not to replenish its numbers, it would press on for the sake of its pride.

The Primeval Demon raised a hand as its army gathered behind it. Monsters of all shapes and sizes listened to its call. Mindreapers flew alongside it as it cast a scornful gaze at Mori Gladius.

“You grow conceited, Champion of the Human Lands. Your army is broken. You stand no chance against me.”

Mori Gladius shook his head. That was true. He looked at how haphazardly scattered the adventurers were. They had no organization, unlike a proper military. But still, they were here. They fought on. And that was enough for him.

He stood taller, shouting for everyone in his army to hear.

“To me, adventurers of the Human lands! Help me bring an end to this plague! It has spread its pestilence for far too long— it has taken far too many lives! We don’t know who will be the next one to suffer by its claws. It could be your friends— your family!”

The fleeing adventurers paused. They looked at each other, then at the battlefield. They saw the destruction that had been wrought. And they listened.

“We have proven it time and time again through history. If Humankind bands together, we can achieve anything. A lone Demon cannot and will not bring us to our knees. We will not let it continue!”

He brought his spear up, and there was a pillar of light shot up. The adventurers stared at him. At the Champion of the Human Lands. There was some hesitation. A moment of doubt. But they heeded his call. They put aside their selfish needs and desires, listening to his valor.

“Now come! Let us put an end to this today!”

And they cheered. The adventurers charged with him. He ran straight for the Primeval Demon. It rallied its own army, glancing back at the mindless monsters.

“Slaughter them all! I shall gladly add your corpses to my numbers, you foolish mortal!”

The Mindreapers raced forward. The [Gatho Mammoths] stampeded ahead. The Drakes roared as Saeves clung onto their backs. The undead sprinted until their limbs broke. They listened to the Primeval Demon’s command. Only a small section of the monster army stayed back. They hesitated, not charging straight into the fray, although the Primeval Demon didn’t notice it.

Mori Gladius didn’t pay attention to them either. He didn’t even notice their haggard looks. They weren’t monsters or undead, but Humans. All the Champion of the Human Lands saw was his target. The Primeval Demon.

He clashed with the front lines of the monster army. He ripped straight through the undead. The [Gatho Mammoths] were barely even a threat to him. He impaled a Drake, before bringing down a group of Saeves. A blast of mind magic struck him, causing him to stumble. Dozens of Mindreapers attacked him all at once.

He glared up at them, but didn’t even get a chance to attack as a wave of golden flames incinerated the Mindreapers. The Salvos clone flew alongside him, giving him a thumbs-up.

Then a flicker of red shot past him. Mori Gladius watched as Scarlet the Red Rose tore apart the front ranks of monsters, screaming at him.

“Go!”

He nodded as he charged on. A volley of arrows exploded ahead of him, blowing apart a group of Howres. He leapt atop a [Gatho Mammoth], boosting off it as a team of adventurers brought the monster down. He looked up above, spotting the Primeval Demon. As the battlefield raged on around him, he saw a Diamond Ranked adventurer fall from a sundering cut from the Sword of Alexander.

The Primeval Demon caught sight of Mori Gladius too. Through all the fighting. It roared a garbled sound as he shouted.

“I am the Champion of the Human Lands! Your reign of terror ends now!”

He poured the last vestiges of his Divine Essence into the Bloodforged Lance. No more Skills. No more tricks. Just sheer power alone. The Primeval Demon screamed back as it swung down with the Sword of Alexander.

“I shall not lose to a damn mortal!”

They clashed mid-air. Their blades were locked for what felt like an eternity compounded into a single moment. A wave of energy burst out, knocking back those closest to them. Mori Gladius felt his power fading. He didn’t have much Divine Essence left.

He grunted as he pushed on. The Primeval Demon stared, watching as the Sword of Alexander was pushed back.

“No—”

“This is over!”

Mori Gladius yelled with all his might. There was a glimmer. And then a blast of Divine Essence exploded in all directions. The fighting below stopped as the shockwave pulsed out. The Primeval Demon looked on in shock as the Sword of Alexander itself went flying.

Time seemed to stop. Everyone stared on, unable to parse what just happened. Mori Gladius overwhelmed the Sword of Alexander on his own. Even the Salvos clone wore a look of surprise on her face. The Primeval Demon just uttered one word.

“How?”

The Champion of the Human Lands grunted, bringing back his Bloodforged Spear. He remembered his Master’s words. The task that had been entrusted to him. This was it. He would not fail here. He thrusted forward, aiming for the Primeval Demon’s heart.

“Because I am Humankind’s protector—”

And blood went splattering out. It dripped down from the wounds, mixing together as everyone stared on. There was a gasp. No— gasps. The blood pooled together. Red blood. And… black blood.

Both Demon blood and Human blood dripped down from the golden scales as everyone looked up. They froze at the sight. At their Champion as he was impaled alongside the terrible Primeval Demon.

Mori Gladius trembled as he looked down at what was protruding from his chest. It tore straight through his heart. A golden thing. A… tail.

A tail. It was hooked at the edge, with jagged barbs poking out of its side. It connected both Belzu and Mori Gladius. The Primeval Demon looked just as shocked as the Human man.

A soft laugh broke the silence.

“Oh, how lucky of me. I have caught two of my prey with a single hook.”

The tail receded. Mori Gladius glanced back at the serpentine figure floating behind him. His eyes widened.

[Hellprince - Lvl. 171]

“Oh.”

Mori Gladius said as he dropped from the sky. He stared up weakly at the red sky. At his new foe. And a final thought crossed his mind as darkness consumed him for the last time.

I am sorry, Yves…

Belzu coughed out black blood as the tail pulled out from him. He flew back, watching the Champion of the Human Lands drop dead. The owner of the tail tilted his head.

“You’re quite durable for a mere insect, aren’t you?”

“Levithus.”

Belzu spat as he clutched at his wound. It wasn’t enough to kill him. Of course not. He was not a weak mortal who couldn’t survive without his head. Nor did he even have a heart.

The other Primeval Demon, Levithus, just laughed.

“Even with our King’s treasures, you are weak.”

He held up the Sword of Alexander. It glimmered in the night sky. The sight of the Mythic Grade artifact broke the Human adventurers out of their stupor. They screamed, turning tails and fleeing.

“Mori Gladius is dead!”

Another person shouted, louder this time.

“The Champion of the Human Lands has been killed!”

Levithus barely even gave them a glance. His gaze was fixed only only Belzu. The Lord of Lies edged around the other Primeval Demon. Belzu would’ve fled immediately if he could, if Levithus didn’t have the Sword of Alexander in his hands.

Belzu paused when he caught sight of a glint past the other Primeval Demon. And he decided to speak.

“You are but a slave, Levithus. Even if you kill me today, you will always be weak.”

“On the contrary, Belzu. I did not come here to slay you on our King’s orders.”

“He is not my king.”

Belzu snarled, but Levithus ignored him.

“Rather, I asked our King to let me kill you. An insect like you deserves to be exterminated. And I desire the grand honor to put a traitor like you to death.”

Levithus inspected the Sword of Alexander. The weapon flashed as he bared his teeth.

“Then once I am done with you, I shall deal with these puny mortals—”

But a blast of flames interrupted him. Levithus spun around and caught a golden figure. The Salvos clone struggled as he coiled around her with his body. Her arm transformed into a scythe as she tried to cut her way free.

“And what is this? An ally of yours? No—”

Levithus narrowed his eyes, inspecting the shapeshifting clone.

“How peculiar…”

This was Belzu’s only chance. He pointed.

“[Desecration of the Mind]!”

Levithus recoiled. His eyes narrowed and he swung for Belzu. But the blade cut through only an illusion.

The real Belzu appeared far away, already flying off into the distance. Levithus roared.

“Coward!”

His body tightened around the Salvos clone. She let out a silent scream before exploding. The blast barely scathed Levithus. The golden flames whipped around him, billowing smoke into the air. The flames wisped off him as he fixed his gaze at Belzu. He swung the Sword of Alexander down, cutting into the army of the Lord of Lies.

Monsters fell by the dozens. Each swing took out a chunk of Belzu’s army. But they went scattering everywhere. Leviticus spun around, opening his maw and unleashing a torrent of black flames at Belzu’s direction.

The blast shook the earth. It engulfed everything in its sight. But his targets… vanished. Illusions that had tricked him entirely. The giant serpent paused, floating in the air amidst gold and black fire. He glanced back at the Humans, then at one of the many Belzus in the distance. Both armies fled from him. Both sides were a fraction of their former selves. And Levithus spoke dangerously as flames licked out of his mouth,

“Run, little insect. Flee with what’s left of your army. But know that your time is running out. Our King is here, and he shall cast his judgment on you.”

With that, the battle was over. All six of my clones were dead. Killed by two different Primeval Demons. Hopefully, Jaakko, Zack, and Helen escaped. I tried to buy them whatever time I could by using my last clone to distract Levithus, but… he was far stronger than even Belzu.

I couldn’t even hurt him. At all. So I just hoped that they escaped.

I sat there, in the throne room of Alyras, far from the battlefield, just exhausted. And in pain. I’d taken a lot more damage than I wanted to when I hadn’t even participated in the fighting myself. Daniel once again asked me if something was wrong, and I finally decided to relay what had happened.

A babbling of voices broke out. The Vampires and the nobles hurriedly gathered around to discuss the event. They spoke of Mori Gladius’ death. Of the second Primeval Demon’s power. And of Belzu’s defeat.

I listened, not contributing much other than to clarify any questions. I was too worried. I hoped that my friends survived. And I wondered how I was even going to take on Belzu as I was, let alone Levithus.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I could empathize with Daniel. I just didn’t want to think about my problems for a moment. But then all the discussion in the room came to a halt. Because, for the second time tonight, a messenger rushed into the room. And this time, I perked up at hearing what it was.

“The Rising Veterans Company has arrived.”

The messenger said to the king of Alyras before repeating himself for all to hear,

“The first adventurer army has reached Alyras!”

There were cheers. Relieved looks. Saffron smiled as she turned to her family, more confident than just a few minutes before. And I found myself getting excited too. Just not for the same reason as everyone else.

I turned to Daniel. My eyes lit up. He gave me a knowing look. And I beamed.

“Edithe is here!”

End of Volume 5 Part 2 (Book 6)

Author's Notes:

So this was it. The end of Volume 5 Part 2, or Book 6. I quite enjoyed writing it, but sort of burned out towards the end. When I wrote this finale, it was 341-345 all-in-one chapter and I really liked how it turned out. Individually... I'm not sure if it's as impactful. Maybe I'll try more things out in the future, or maybe I won't. Either way, I hope you guys enjoyed reading it.

P.S. pls follow my Twitter ty. https://twitter.com/melas_d

Also, here's a new cover by FuyuDust!

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346. Willy's Will (Start of Volume 5 Part 3)

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Shoutout to The Future that Never Was

The Future That Never Wasis an extended universe where Mars was terraformed before the Beatles sang Penny Lane, the Soviets colonized the asteroid belt and pirates plundered the rings of Saturn. In this alternate space age, humankind couldn't dream of a brighter future. Alas, the minute Earth turned into a nuclear wasteland, shadows already conspired from the heart of the Moon to the mysterious Planet Nine—and maybe beyond...

The Future That Never Was — A Cyberpunk/Space Western book series | Royal Road

346. Willy's Will

He went by many names. Far too many to even remember. All his life, he’d been worshipped. Revered as though he were a god. He’d been known as Ayati, Adash’s Deity of Day. Bodha, the Sun Spirit of Timira. Or Citta, the Hearthkeeper of Zaetya.

If he were a mortal, he’d be nearly five thousand years old. And the last millennia had been spent in the Mortal Realm, where he grew lazy. Weak and conceited. But most of all— lonely.

Being exalted was an incredibly lonely thing. It meant he had no friends. No companions. All that surrounded him were mortals who saw themselves beneath his station. It was like he’d been crowned as king when he didn’t want to be king. Imprisoned in the role of a god.

He thought his life would never change. Not until he met her.

She was an idealistic young woman. She didn’t treat him with the same reverence as the others. And perhaps that was because of her background. She was different. She was unlike the others who spent all their time praying to him— he couldn’t even hear their prayers!

That was because she wasn’t a Human.

It was the Humans who placed him on this pedestal, and the very fact that she wasn’t one of them already made all the difference in the world. She took him away from them— brought him with her to explore the world. To become an adventurer who’d help all those who were in need.

Her name was Nynen. A Cyclops from Ajih. She was his first and only master. A free soul who’d swoop into danger without a second thought. And that was how she died: at the bottom of the Bloodied Gulf, trying to save him from the wrath of a group of [Evolved Centinels].

After her death, he’d felt like he was alone again. Like nothing mattered once more. He just… existed. He lived amongst a sanctuary of monsters. A haven for the lost— for those just like him without a place in the world. A [Will O’ Wisp] whose flames burned softly. Flickering like the fire had exhausted all its fumes.

Then a strange girl entered the Bloodied Gulf. A Demon who went by the name of Salvos.

She reminded him of Nynen. That fearless— almost reckless— desire to always face the odds and come out on top. She promised the monsters of the haven that she’d help them escape. It sounded insane. He didn’t even think it was possible. Yet, she did it.

She killed an [Ancient Centinel]. She learned two Grand Skills. She surpassed his level in a matter of weeks. And she even gave him a name.

Willy. That was the name he’d bore since he met her. Truthfully, he didn’t think he’d ever go with another name since Nynen’s death, but now he did. Furthermore, he was following the girl. The Demon. Salvos.

Why was he following her around? He didn’t know. Perhaps it was because she reminded him of Nynen. Or perhaps it was because he didn’t have anywhere else to go. But—

Willy glanced over at Salvos. The girl was happily skipping down the gilded hallway, giddily whispering to herself over and over as her companions followed.

“I’m finally going to see Edithe again! I’m finally going to see Edithe again—”

If he was being honest, he was just glad he wasn’t alone again.

After weeks of arduous travel, they’d finally arrived at Alyras. It wasn’t the largest city in the Helbir Plains. In fact, it wasn’t even home to the greatest military power here. It was simply the current city state that was in charge of the Helbir League.

Edithe Dawnrise wasn’t sure why this was their destination. She wasn’t the one in charge of leading this army of adventurers. Companies from all across the western and even some of the southern nations in the Human lands banded together for one reason and one reason only: Helena Warshade.

The leader of the Rising Veterans Company— one of the Three Honorable Companies of the Human lands. Also an Archmage of Mavos Academy. And the second highest-leveled [Mage] in the world. Some even had contended that she was the strongest [Mage] in the world, since the highest-leveled [Mage] in the world, Clayton Skyshredder, was more of a researcher than a combatant.

Edithe didn’t know enough about either of them to make any concrete statement. But after just meeting Helena Warshade, she could see why she held such a reputation in the first place. The leader of the Rising Veterans Company was incredibly powerful. She could change the weather with just a wave of her staff. Even in a room full of Elites, she'd stand above them through her sheer presence alone.

And it was not just strength. It was wisdom too. Helena Warshade was intelligent. Smart beyond her years, even though she was old. Although, she didn’t look nearly half her age.

So there had to be a reason why the adventurer army was in Alyras. Perhaps it was to negotiate with the Helbir League— forge an alliance with them to bring down the Primeval Demon. Or maybe it was simply where the various adventurer armies were going to meet up.

Edithe knew that the other Honorable Companies— the Remembered Order Company and the Forsaken Company— were mustering up whatever forces they could as well. It was their top priority to bring down the Primeval Demon. They had all agreed upon that.

Whatever the case was, they were here in Alyras and they were here to stay. For now.

“Looks like they’re throwing a party to welcome us.”

Celine, one of Edithe’s closest friends, observed. Edithe looked to the edge of the city state and saw a large crowd gathered just outside its walls. They cheered and shouted, celebrating the arrival of the Rising Veterans’ adventurer army.

“For good reason! We’re here to save the day and beat up that Primeval Demon!”

A voice exclaimed. Edithe looked back at the young woman clinging onto Celine. Nora. An adventurer from the Northbury Troops. She swept her blue hair back and continued.

“...or die trying.”

“Come on, Nora. You’ve gotta have more confidence than that.”

Celine chided the blue-haired woman with a grin.

“Puff up your chest and say it with me: We’re here to save the day and beat up that Primeval Demon, or die trying!”

“I don’t know if we should be enthusiastic about dying, Cel.”

They both laughed as Edithe just watched on. Then she cast her gaze past her friends— past the gathering outside of Alyras. Her eyes focused on something camped beyond the city’s walls. It was an encampment. Edithe stared at the flags flying high above the tents.

“That’s…”

She narrowed her eyes. And someone else finished her sentence. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company— her company— stepped forward.

“That’s the Merryster Family’s sigil.”

Hadrian spoke softly. His eyes were fixed on that flag. Edithe raised a brow, puzzled.

“I think I have heard of them. But why are they here?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he shook his head, gesturing at other flag designs that were flown throughout the encampment.

“And that’s the Norwood Family’s flag. The Veridian Family’s flag. The Marins. The Patels… they’re all very influential families. Powerful, although some more than others. And—”

Slowly, he turned to face Edithe. He closed his eyes, speaking in resignation.

“And they’re Vampires.”

“Oh.”

That was all Eidthe said.

—--

Vampires. They were known as Demon Slayers. Demon Hunters. They were notorious throughout all of the Human lands for this reputation. They’d been elevated to nobility for their actions of the past. But the layperson didn’t know which of the tens of thousands of noble families out there were actually composed of Vampires.

After all, Vampires worked from the shadows. They were the hidden protectors of Humankind. So since they were here, that was a good thing… right?

Except, Hadrian wasn’t too enthused about their presence. In fact, he looked rather worried. And Edithe knew the reason why.

Hadrian was a Vampire. More specifically, his father, Baris, had been the Head of the Slydrift Family. One of the Five Greater Vampire Families. Before they’d been driven to destruction by the other Greater Vampire Families.

Edithe wasn’t too certain of the details. And Hadrian wasn’t either. He just knew that—

“It was the Crimsonfangs and the Veridians who destroyed the Slydrifts.”

Hadrian spoke in a daze as the adventurer army set up their own encampment outside of Alyras. He glanced over at the flying flags and the other encampment a few miles to the west. He bit his lower lip.

“I don’t see the Crimsonfang Family’s flags anywhere, so at least that is one problem gone. But the Veridians have… a strong influence over the Helbir League. If they find out that I’m here…”

He was worried. Understandably so. But Edithe placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking reassuringly.

“You’ll be fine Hadrian. I highly doubt the Veridians will be able to recognize you as a Slydrift.”

After all, he wasn’t raised as a Slydrift. He hadn’t even known he was one until recently. Edithe continued.

“And even if they recognize you, they have no quarrel with you. The Slydrift Family is gone. You are Hadrian, the leader of the Valiant Dreamers— our leader.”

“Edithe…”

He looked at her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She spoke in a soft whisper.

“Even if you are a Vampire, you were never raised as one. They won’t raise a finger against you. No one in the company will let that happen.”

She held him in that embrace for a moment. He closed his eyes, slowly returning the hug.

“Thank you.”

The two remained silent. Neither said anything, simply luxuriating in their presence. Then a voice broke out, interrupting them.

“Hey, uh, I don’t want to interrupt you guys, but I think we’re needed for something.”

They turned to face Celine. She scratched the back of her head.

“Bad timing?”

Hadrian flushed, drawing back. Edithe just rolled her eyes and faced Celine.

“Not really. What’s going on?”

“Dunno.”

Celine shrugged.

“Apparently there’s big news. Helena Warshade herself is going to make an announcement.”

Edithe exchanged a glance with Hadrian. He didn’t seem like he knew anything about this. She paused— she thought of Jake. Of Helena’s meeting with Orbur Vale a few days ago. And she had a thought.

“Do you think Helena’s going to announce the truth about the Iron Champions? That they were led by Demons?”

That would be big news. Yes, the Valiant Dreamers had tried to get the news out when they discovered it. But they were largely ignored, especially following the destruction of Nightsveil. It was taken as mere slander— not much to substantiate it. And when the True Valiants broke off from the Valiant Dreamers, Hadrian and Edithe had been too busy dealing with that to try to prove their claims.

But Helena would corroborate it. And perhaps it would draw more allies to them. Edithe hoped for that. But as the red-haired woman strolled through the encampment, she had an inkling of a feeling that that wasn’t the case.

“Did you hear—”

“...it was terrible…”

“—are you serious? Him?”

Edithe frowned. She listened to the whispers. The rumors being spread by the gathering adventurers. But she couldn’t exactly discern what it was. The Valiant Dreamers eventually joined the crowd at the center of the camp.

Helena Warshade was already there. She stood atop her floating cloud, looking down at a piece of parchment. Her face was pale, although her expression didn’t change. Finally, when she was ready, she descended from the cloudy sky.

She addressed the crowd as her voice was magically amplified for everyone in the encampment to hear.

“Just three hours ago, I received a report. I did not want to believe it at first, but I have confirmed its veracity. It is as follows.”

Edithe narrowed her eyes.

“A report?”

“What could it be?”

Hadrian was just as confused as the red-haired woman. They both quietened down as Helena continued.

“Yesterday, at nightfall, the Primeval Demon assailed Westshield, the largest border city in Shedos. The Remembered Order Company and its allies were in the vicinity and moved to support Westshield.”

There was a pause. Edithe watched as Helena showed her first signs of any emotion. The leader of the Rising Veterans Company hesitated, lips quivering. A susurration through the crowd, and she continued.

“And… after a difficult battle, I regret to inform you all that the Remembered Order Company was defeated and their leader, Mori Gladius, the Champion of the Human Lands, was killed.”

Edithe’s eyes grew wide. Hadrian took a step back. Even Celine was surprised. Pandemonium broke out amongst the adventurers as the news settled in— that Mori Gladius, Champion of the Human Lands, and one of the highest-leveled Elites in the world, died by the Primeval Demon.

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347. Edithe's Elation

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347. Edithe's Elation

Mori Gladius was dead.

It was not something anyone expected to hear today. Edithe Dawnrise couldn’t believe it at first. He’d been one of the highest-leveled Humans in the world. He was literally known as the Champion of the Human Lands. It was said that he couldn’t be killed— that he once was slain in battle fending off a Goblin King and its army. Yet, he came back the next day.

Perhaps Mori Gladius would return. Maybe he might come back like he did before. However, once Edithe heard the full details, all her hopeful thoughts… vanished.

“A second Primeval Demon…”

She massaged her temples. It wasn’t even something she’d thought about or really considered. A single Primeval Demon was bad enough, but a second one on top of that?

“The Watcher really needs to return from wherever the fuck he’s been hiding for the last three decades, or we’re all going to be so fucked.”

The Valiant Dreamers Company was back at their section of the encampment now. Edithe looked over at Hadrian and Celine. They exchanged a glance, and she exasperatedly gestured vaguely to the southeast— to where Nixa had been.

“An entire country has been razed to the ground, and more Demons keep popping up. We need to put an end to this before it gets out of hand.”

“I mean, isn’t that why we’re gathered here?”

Celine piped up. Edithe nodded.

“But it’s still not enough. We’re still just… fucking about. Ugh!”

The red-haired woman groaned. Her temper was flaring up again. She always was quite hotheaded. She’d managed to keep in check by lengthening her fuse. But once the fuse was gone, she’d explode like she did right now.

“We’ve lost too many Elites at this point. If they all just fucking worked together, they’d be able to kill the Primeval Demon yesterday.”

There were nearly a hundred individuals who were above Level 150 registered right now. Of course, not all those who were above Level 150 had combat Classes. But still, that meant there were about… fifty-or-so Level 150 individuals who were combatants. And while a good chunk of them were missing in action like the Watcher, whatever was left was still more than enough to take care of Belzu and that other Primeval Demon.

The fact that they were too stubborn and idiotic to put aside their differences and work together to save millions of lives was just ridiculous at this point. It frustrated Edithe. She paced around the tent, cursing as Hadrian and Celine watched.

The leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company rose to his feet. He raised a hand, hesitating. Edithe glanced at him as he drew back. Hadrian said nothing. She opened her mouth, about to urge him to speak. But a voice interrupted her.

“Excuse me.”

She turned to face the figure standing at the flaps of the tent. He wasn’t part of the Valiant Dreamers, but he was a familiar man. Leopold, a member of the Rising Veterans Company. The one who’d informed them of the coalition. He bowed as he entered.

“I apologize for my intrusion. Helena Warshade has requested all representatives from the major companies present to attend a meeting.”

“A meeting?”

Edithe raised a brow, and he nodded.

“Indeed. One to acquaint you with our new allies in Alyras. It need not be your leader if he is busy. Anyone from the company will do, simply to represent your interests.”

Her eyes flickered as Leopold explained. Hadrian shifted back. She knew what that meant— the Vampire Families were going to be present. She started past her leader, volunteering herself first.

“I shall go.”

Leopold looked over at her approvingly.

“Very well. If you’ll follow—”

“Wait.”

Hadrian cut them off. He turned to Edithe, meeting her gaze.

“I’ll be going with.”

Edithe opened her mouth. But what about the Veridians? she wanted to ask, but caught herself. He looked determined. Despite his worries and his fears, he was going to step up to his role as the leader of the Valiant Dreamers.

“As long as there isn’t any issue.”

“There is no issue with multiple representatives. As long as you don’t bring your whole company…”

Leopold eyed Celine. She just shrugged.

“Hey, I’m comfortable with having no responsibilities.”

“Alright, now follow me.”

Leopold led them away from the tent, gathering other representatives from other companies and bringing them to Helena Warshade.

—--

Once all the major companies had their representatives present, they left for the city state itself. They made their way to the palace at the center of Alyras. It was a grand structure that looked almost reminiscent of a temple. It had a domed roof at the center, while its base was made entirely from marble. There were no spire towers, and it was rather uniformly built— entirely even.

They rode into the city on horseback. No caravan, no carriage. An unceremonious procession. Yet, they were greeted by cheers from the people of the city. Edithe looked over at the hopeful faces of the citizens of Alyras, wondering if they’d heard the same news she heard just earlier today. If they did, would they be this excited for the adventurer army’s arrival?

Or perhaps it was precisely because they’d heard of what happened, they were elated to see an army here ready to protect them.

Edithe found herself riding into the palace— through a massive door-like gate that led into a gilded hallway. Helena Warshade was at the front of the procession. Everyone recognized her. The guards lining the walls fixed their gaze on her in awe and wonder, even though she didn’t so much as glance their way.

Finally, they reached their destination. It was a hall. It looked like it was used for parties or balls. While the outside of the palace had been relatively bland, the inside was teeming with opulence. Edithe alighted from her horse and entered this gilded room, her footsteps on the marble floor echoing along with the clatter of the other adventurers.

Their guide through the palace— a young man dressed in regal robes— bowed smoothly as he stepped aside.

“The king will be here soon. Please, do make yourself comfortable.”

He gestured at the food that had been set up. There were various tables and chairs prepared for dining. It was about lunchtime, and Edithe had stuck mostly to eating rations for the last few years. It wasn’t unusual for adventurers to occasionally have feasts or dine in fancy establishments— especially those who could afford it. But Edithe had been so engrossed with the company war and what came after that. That was ignoring the fact that she’d been stuck in the Plaguelands for quite a bit before that.

She took one look at the food— at the delicacies and treats that had been arrayed throughout the room. There was cake and steak and everything in between. Her stomach rumbled, and her face turned crimson. Hadrian glanced at her as she quickly apologized.

“I, uh, haven’t had lunch.”

He just laughed. She drew back, flustered. He waved a hand off in a carefree manner.

“Hey, we’re all adventurers here. It’s not like we’re a bunch of snobbish nobles.”

And as if that was some sort of cue, another group joined the adventurers. They funneled into the room from a different hallway, all dressed in fanciful garbs and speaking in eloquent voices. Hadrian caught sight of them. And he paused. His apprehension was evident.

Edithe didn’t know who they were, but by his reaction alone, she could infer that they were likely the Vampire families. The Demon Slayers. The Demon Hunters. And the ones who were responsible for the fall of Hadrian’s family. But… as Edithe had said, they shouldn’t have had any quarrel with Hadrian himself.

And yet, reason warred with anxiety. Hadrian tensed up. Even Edithe grew nervous. She watched the Vampire families as they moved to greet Helena Warshade at the head of the adventurer representatives.

Hadrian eyed them warily. He listed out names as they stepped forward, one after another. The first was a man wearing plated armor.

“That’s Lord Crocus Merryster. He’s the head of the Merryster Family. He was Nixa’s strongest general. A Level 130 [Warrior].”

Crocus Merryster introduced what looked like a few of his family members before drawing back. Hadrian watched as the next group stepped forward. The leader of the Valiant Dreamers spoke softly.

“Those are the Norwoods. A powerful family in Shedos.”

He picked out two specific individuals. One of them looked like an ordinary man. Dressed relatively well, but nothing too flashy. And the other was a woman. An odd woman. She looked like she hadn’t even been told there’d be a meeting. She looked messy with unkempt hair, and wild eyes that looked as though she were a wildebeest looking for her next prey. Oddly enough however, she didn’t speak brusquely but did so with poise and elegance.

“That’s Gannon Norwood. The Patriarch of the Norwood Family. He’s a senator in Shedos— one of their most popular politicians. And that’s Zin Norwood, his mother. She’s a high-leveled [Druid]. She is said to have survived for a whole entire year in the Rainforest of Monsters when she was only equal to a Platinum Ranked adventurer— all on her own.”

Edithe’s eyes bulged. The red-haired woman was in complete shock. Sure, she managed to survive the Plaguelands when she was a Platinum Ranked, and the Plaguelands and the Rainforest of Monsters were both considered similarly dangerous. But Edithe hadn’t been alone. She’d always had Salvos or Daniel by her side. And they’d regularly taken trips to cities, be it a Kobold or a Human city.

“Seriously? I had no idea they were all Vampires. They really are hidden in plain sight, huh?”

She gaped at Zin. Hadrian shifted uncomfortably, and she blinked.

“Wait, was that offensive? I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine. I know what you mean. Vampires are a lot more prevalent than most people would think. But that’s why they are the hidden protectors of Humankind.”

He almost looked proud when he said that. Then he pursed his lips, eyeing the last family to greet Helena Warshade. Edithe didn’t need him to tell her who they were. His reaction spoke volumes, and simple process of elimination meant that it only could be—

“The Veridians.”

One of the Greater Vampire Families that had collaborated to crush the Slydrifts. Hadrian’s family. Edithe saw the way he looked at them. She wasn’t sure if it was contempt or nervousness in his eyes. But she held his hand, calming him.

“It’ll be fine.”

She spoke softly. He glanced over at her, face softening.

“Right.”

Hadrian shook his head and faced the middle-aged woman at the fore of the Veridians.

“That’s Anya Veridian. She’s the head of the Veridian Family. Not just that— she’s an [Enchanter-Mage]. One of the best in all of the Helbir Plains. People from all around the Human lands would pay a gross amount of money to get their artifacts enchanted by her.”

Anya laughed and said something to Helena Warshade. The leader of the Rising Veterans Company, of course, didn’t show much emotion as always. But Helena was pleasant enough in her curt responses. Edithe furrowed her brows.

“I’ve heard of them before. But I thought they were a group of [Merchants], not nobles.”

“Nobility in the Helbir Plains isn’t like what you imagine elsewhere.”

Hadrian explained.

“They can be [Warriors] or [Traders]. It is simply a lineage. They aren’t given lands by the king or the queen to manage since the city states are so small.”

“I see— wait…”

Edithe stared at Anya Veridian. The lady was looking their way. She excused herself and approached them as Edithe’s eyes widened.

“Is she… heading our way?”

Oh no. Edithe looked on in fear as Anya Veridian walked past the other adventurers, barely nodding at them out of courtesy. She really was heading towards both Edithe and Hadrian. Edithe turned to him as a pit opened in her stomach.

“What do we do?”

Hadrian didn’t say a word. He slowly brought a hand to the hilt of his sword as Edithe warily backed up. Anya Veridian reached Hadrian— the son of Baris Slydrift. The enemies of the Veridian Family.

Edithe grew worried. She feared that a battle might break out— that Anya Veridian would suddenly strike out. The red-haired woman didn’t know what to expect. She just waited as the tension in the air became palpable. Hadrian didn’t break eye contact with her. He didn’t let down his guard. And as for Anya, she… walked past him.

Hadrian blinked. Edithe paused. She stared at Anya Veridian as the noble lady addressed her.

“Are you Edithe Dawnrise?”

“I… am?”

It took Edithe a moment to answer. And when she did, she was somehow uncertain of herself. She caught herself, remembering her manners as she was speaking to a noble.

“I mean— I am Edithe Dawnrise. But… how do you know about me?”

Anya Veridian smiled politely, bowing at the red-haired woman.

“How would I not know of you, Liberator of the Plaguelands? Your reputation spreads quite far and wide. A former [Summoner]. A Gold Ranked adventurer who nearly reached Diamond in under a year while fighting in the dangerous Plaguelands?”

Edithe nearly physically stumbled. She did have that Title, yes, but this was the first time anyone really properly addressed her by it.

“I-I am indeed… one of the three adventurers who killed the Lich of the Plaguelands. But I, uh, didn’t really contribute as much as my companions.”

“Nevertheless, you have the Title. I am Anya Veridian. It is an honor to meet you, Liberator.”

Anya straightened as she spoke. Edithe hurriedly returned the bow, still caught off-guard by this.

“And I am Edi— uh, fuck! I already said that…”

She cursed before flushing.

“I mean, it is an honor to meet you too, Lady Anya Veridian.”

“Please, I am but a mere lady. I do not have the Title of a Lady, which is rather irksome to even maintain. And, please, there’s no need to stress over formality with me.”

Anya spoke reassuringly. The head of the Veridian Family was… nothing like what Edithe imagined. She stared at the noble lady, before looking past her at Hadrian. He was just as lost as Edithe was.

Neither of them expected this, evidently enough. They’d been worried about meeting with the Veridian Family. If there’d be any sort of issue. But so far it had gone the exact opposite way. It had been rather pleasant instead of hostile.

Edithe nodded with a bit of uncertainty.

“O-of course. I appreciate your… generosity?”

She was never one who could deal with nobles. Their diction alone had too much nuance. Edithe was a street rat— the daughter of a prostitute. She felt stiff when talking with Anya.

“I’d love to chat with you for longer, Edithe Dawnrise. I’d especially be delighted to hear about your exploits in the Plaguelands. But, alas…”

Anya glanced back. Footfalls echoed down a nearby corridor. More figures were approaching for the meeting.

“It seems that the meeting is starting soon. And while we still have time to chat, I’d rather not intrude upon your reunion.”

“My… reunion?”

Edithe didn’t know what Anya meant by that. She stared, perplexed. Confused. Then she heard the footsteps grow louder and louder. The door to the hallway was thrown open— quite literally thrown open.

It broke and went flying, nearly hitting a handful of the gathered adventurers. Helena Warshade’s eyes flickered. She flicked a finger, sending a gale of wind to deflect the door. A figure raced through the crowd and leapt forward.

Anya Veridian stepped back. One of the Merrysters sighed audibly. And Hadrian had to duck to avoid the blurred figure. Edithe watched as it zipped straight for her. She braced herself— until she heard the excited voice.

“Ediiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiithe!”

A familiar silver-haired girl collided into Edithe Dawnrise. The red-haired woman found herself on the ground as a pair of arms hugged her tightly. The world seemed to freeze as Edithe saw the girl’s beaming face. The exuberant smile.

“Salvos…?”

“That’s me!”

Salvos spoke as she clung onto Edithe. Slowly but surely, the red-haired woman returned the hug. She ran a hand through the girl’s silver hair, laughing as she used [Identification] on her friend.

“It’s been a while. You’ve grown quite a lot since we last met, haven’t you?”

A note from MelasD

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348. Companion Reunion

A note from MelasD

Check out Book 3 of The Menocht Loop series!

Amazon.com: The Eldemari's Wrath: A Progression Fantasy Epic (Book 3 of The Menocht Loop Series) eBook : Ryburn, Lorne, caerulex, Sontag, Silas: Kindle Store

Here's book 1's synopsis

Ian Dunai is trapped in the only maze an arch-decemancer can't escape. Time.

Only 1% of the population is blessed with magic affinity at birth. Fewer still have high enough affinities to rule. Ian’s decemancy eclipses all, granting him ultimate control over Death. He conquers cities with a thought and turns them into ruins with a gesture. But overwhelming power isn’t enough to escape the time loop or reveal its purpose.

When Ian discovers a critical clue that he missed years ago, escape is finally at his fingertips.

Little does he know, he's been stuck in the first realm.

The Menocht Loop: A Progression Fantasy Epic (Book 1 of The Menocht Loop Series) - Kindle edition by Ryburn, Lorne, caerulex, Sontag, Silas. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

348. Companion Reunion

How long has it been? A year? Maybe two?

For Edithe Dawnrise, it hadn’t felt like it’d been too long since she’d gone off to deal with the company war. A year was a relatively short amount of time for her. But for Salvos— the silver-haired woman clinging onto Edithe? A year was a significant chunk of her life thus far.

Edithe returned the hug, speaking in a soft voice.

“You’ve grown quite a lot since we last met, haven’t you?”

“I have!”

Salvos exclaimed. Her arms wrapped tighter around the red-haired woman. Edithe smiled warmly. She saw how far Salvos had come— the silver-haired girl was now Level 132, standing taller, straighter.

In Edithe’s eyes, Salvos was like a child. She’d grow so much in such a short amount of time. Edithe could only imagine all the things Salvos had been through since they last met. All the things Salvos had learned. All the things Salvos had overcome.

There were a myriad of questions Edithe wanted to ask. So, so many. But their reunion was cut short. A sharp voice interrupted them.

“Salvos, why did you just destroy the…?”

A pink-haired woman stepped over the destroyed door. One of the Merrysters. She sighed exasperatedly, before turning to Helena Warshade.

“I apologize for my friend’s reckless action. She is just a bit… excitable.”

“I can tell.”

The leader of the Rising Veterans Company didn’t bat an eye, but Edithe could tell by what she thought of Salvos from the tone of her voice alone. Helena Warshade wasn’t impressed in the slightest.

“I have heard of you.”

She faced the silver-haired girl without so much as curiosity as she did the brusqueness she always carried.

“You have reached great heights and gained the notoriety nearly equal that of an Elite in such a short amount of time. Salvos, Secely’s Sentinel. The girl who reached Diamond from Gold in a year. Who slayed the Lich. Who dove into the Bloodied Gulf and killed an [Ancient Centinel].”

Edithe’s eyes widened when she heard the last part. A susurration ran through the gathered adventurers. Disbelief and shock.

“Seriously? But she’s only Level 132—”

“She killed the Lich! Of course she could—”

“But the Bloodied Gulf is even more dangerous than—”

It sounded incredibly ridiculous, but Edithe believed it. If it was Salvos, then anything was possible. The red-haired woman looked at her friend with a grin.

“You’ve been busy, huh?”

“I have! I also have made plenty of friends— also, sorry Saffron. I just couldn’t wait.”

Salvos nodded at the Merryster woman. Edithe raised a brow at that. I did not expect that, she thought. Helena Warshade continued as the crowd quietened.

“Your reputation precedes you, Salvos— Secely’s Sentinel. And, yet, you are not at all how I envisioned you would be.”

Edithe gulped. She looked over at Salvos with worry, unsure whether she should speak up. She expected the silver-haired girl to lash out, or maybe react immaturely to the mention of her name. But Salvos just scratched the back of her head.

“Oops, yep. I made a mess. I didn’t mean to make a scene! It’s nice to meet you, though. You’re… the leader of the Rising Veterans?”

She gave Helena Warshade an inquisitive look. Edithe pursed her lips, and the leader of the Rising Veterans answered simply.

“That is correct. I am Helena Warshade of the Rising Veterans Company. One of the Three Honorable Companies.”

Helena Warshade remained cool and poised, even in the face of Salvos’ carefree nature— that was until Salvos tapped a finger on her chin and spoke.

“Huh. I actually met another leader of an Honorable Company. His name was Mori Gladius. Do you know him?”

And Helena’s guard just dropped. She slowly stepped forward with narrowed eyes.

“You knew Mori Gladius?”

“Not really? I met him at Westshield. And, um, we didn’t get to speak. But he was very strong! We fought against Belzu together!”

Salvos nodded, and even Edithe paused to register her words. Was Salvos being serious? She was at the fall of Westshield? Nobody believed it. Again, murmurs rose from the crowd of gathered adventurers. Edithe herself wasn’t sure she believed it fully. It could’ve been a misunderstanding, right?”

Helena Warshade frowned.

“Belzu… the Primeval Demon? You were there? When Mori—”

She faced Salvos, not finishing her sentence. Salvos lowered her head.

“My clones were. I tried my best, but…”

Salvos shifted back. She actually deflated a bit as she continued.

“I couldn’t really help out much. Especially when that other Primeval Demon showed up. It attacked Mori from behind— when he had Belzu cornered. I’m, um, sorry.”

Edithe didn’t expect to hear the sincerity in Salvos’ voice. The silver-haired girl had grown more than just in strength since they last saw each other. Was this empathy? Or was Salvos just pretending to be empathetic? Either way, Edithe looked at her friend in a different light.

Helena Warshade closed her eyes. She remained silent as the murmurs grew louder and louder. Eventually, she raised her head and steeled herself.

“I see. You have no reason to apologize. He fought the Primeval Demon, but it wasn’t enough. Because we weren’t aware of the second Primeval Demon. It was an oversight. We will not let that mistake happen again.”

She spun around, leaving it at that. She approached the king who just entered the room, getting his servants to clean up the mess Salvos caused. Now that that was over, Edithe heard the susurration die down. She raised a hand, speaking to her friend.

“Salvos—”

“Edithe!”

Salvos interrupted the red-haired woman before she could continue— the demeanor from earlier returning.

“So much has happened since we last saw each other. You need to meet Saffron. And Willy. All of them!”

Edithe blinked a few times. She opened her mouth as Salvos pulled her to the side. But a figure stopped them. The red-haired woman’s expression instantly changed. She glared at the man barring their path.

“Orgaf.”

One of the Elites who’d been accompanying Helena. He was the Thief of the Golden Scales— and he’d been quite the pretentious asshole. Edithe hesitated. Was he here to cause trouble once more?

But no— her expectations didn’t come to pass. Orgaf smiled at Salvos, bowing his head lightly.

“Greetings, true Liberator of the Plaguelands. It is an honor to meet one such as you.”

Edithe stared. Wait, is he actually being nice? He held a hand out to Salvos, introducing himself.

“I am Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scales, Elite Ranked adventurer. One of the greatest [Rogues] of—”

“Yep, cool!”

Salvos brushed him off. His eyes widened as he started back. Edithe looked at him as they walked past him. He watched Salvos lead Edithe to the pink-haired Merryster Lady.

“Edithe, this is Saffron. I think I mentioned her to you before? A while back?”

And Orgaf sputtered.

“But I am—”

“You’re Orgaf. Some thief guy, right? Nice to meet you! Anyway, Edithe. I want you to meet my other friends too! This is Saffron…”

Orgaf’s jaw dropped as Salvos completely ignored him. Edithe glanced between him and her friend. She tried to muster up anything— any kind of reaction. Then she just laughed. Orgaf gritted his teeth. He looked like he was about to explode in anger, but a man stepped up to him.

“Ah, you must be Orgaf. I am king Artik Alyras—”

He was trapped in a conversation with the king of Alyras. He couldn’t excuse himself without appearing rude, so all he could do was bite back whatever he wanted to say. Edithe shook her head, turning at her friend’s voice.

“Edithe? Edithe? Hello?”

Salvos waved a hand in front of the red-haired woman. Edithe smiled.

“Sorry, Salvos. I was just distracted. What were you saying?”

“This is Saffron! Saffron Merryster! I don’t think you’ve met her before, but she’s that noble I met after you left Hazelbury!”

Edithe stared at the pink-haired woman. The fact that Salvos could befriend a noble boggled Edithe’s mind, let alone a Lady of the Merryster Family. One of the Greater Vampire Families. Saffron raised her dress as she bowed at Edithe.

“Greetings, Edithe Dawnrise. Salvos has told me a lot about you. And I have heard of your achievement as well.”

Salvos leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially.

“Also, don’t tell anyone, but she’s secretly a Vampire!”

“Salvos!”

The Merryster Lady hissed. Edithe watched as they bickered, trying to work her jaw.

“What? Edithe’s my companion! It’s fine!”

“I know, but still—”

Saffron groaned as Salvos protested. Slowly, Edithe raised her hand and spoke over the two.

“I, uh, already knew that. So there’s no need to worry, Lady Saffron.”

Salvos beamed.

“See?”

“You still should ask for my permission first.”

Saffron rolled her eyes. She drew back and addressed Edithe.

“And, please, there’s no need for formalities. A friend of Salvos is a friend of mine.”

Edithe was dragged away a moment later by Salvos. The red-haired woman found herself standing in front of an elegantly dressed young woman. The young woman was adorned in jewelry, standing out even more than Anya Veridian.

“Also, Edithe, meet princess Rana Alyras!”

The red-haired woman’s eyes widened. A princess? The actual princess of Alyras? So Salvos befriended not just a Lady of the Merryster Family, but the sole princess of Alyras?

Honestly, Edithe didn’t know what to say. Which was good, since Salvos kept going on.

“I met her just yesterday, actually. But she’s really amazing! She’s a princess! And she’s very fun! And she’s very smart! And, also, did I mention she’s a princess?”

“You, uh, did, Salvos.”

Edithe spoke as she scratched her cheek. She wasn’t sure how to address the princess. Speaking to royalty was a very delicate matter, which made the fact that Salvos somehow didn’t completely alienate them even more impressive.

Rana Alyras wasn’t as refined as Saffron. In fact, she stuttered as she jerked to a bow.

“I-it’s a pleasure to meet y-you, Edithe Dawnrise. To meet with another of the Liberator of the Plaguelands… I-I am so honored to meet you.”

She flushed as she realized she repeated herself. Edithe watched the princess bury her head in her hands and pretended she heard nothing.

“Princess Rana Alyras, thank you for welcoming us here today.”

As soon as Edithe was finished speaking, she found herself being whirled around to face another of Salvos’ friends. This time it wasn’t a Human. Edithe stared at a glowing ball of blue flames. A [Will O’ Wisp].

“This is Willy! I met him at the Bloodied Gulf! He’s a—”

“A Grand Spirit of Diligence.”

Edithe gasped. Her breath was caught in her throat. While she was surprised by the princess and the Lady, this actually left her breathless. She stared up at the [Will O’ Wisp] with awe and admiration.

“Honored Spirit, I thank you for looking after my friend. Your presence is a blessing to us all.”

She spoke as she kneeled on the ground, remembering her teachings from her caretaker— William’s instructions on how to treat a Level 100 Grand Spirit from the Den of Souls. Willy paused. He spoke slowly in response.

“Rise, mortal child, for it is through our Lord’s blessings that I am here.”

“Praise be the Spirit Lord.”

Edithe replied automatically. It was like she was once again in Viechester’s Sanctum of Elements, surrounded by [Priests]. Reciting scripture. But it was how she’d been raised. And she got to her feet.

Salvos glanced between them.

“Huh. Why are you speaking in full sentences, Willy?”

“Shush.”

The [Will O’ Wisp]’s flames dimmed. He flitted away, and Salvos shrugged. The silver-haired girl grabbed Edithe once again, but this time, her eyes were sparkling as she led Edithe past the princess and the Lady. At the back of the group was a man. A familiar young man.

He looked like he was close to Edithe’s age. Slightly younger, perhaps. His black hair was styled back— looking like it’d been recently trimmed. He had a longsword sheathed at his sword. Edithe faced him, and he adjusted his gambeson. Her eyes went round.

His Class was hidden, of course. He appeared as a [Warrior], but if his level was correct, he was just about 10 levels above Edithe. That was a surprise, considering his true Class.

“Daniel…”

Edithe stared at her friend. The [Hero]. A young man from another world. Neither of them looked like they knew what to say. They were friends, but both were too awkward to just step forward and hug each other as Salvos would in their situations. Finally, Edithe just chuckled.

“It seems we’ve both fallen quite far behind from Salvos, haven’t we?”

“I know. Please don’t remind me of that.”

Daniel Song sighed. Then he smiled at her. They both hugged each other, greeting each other after a year-or-so apart.

“I see you’re Level 100 now, Edithe.”

“And you look more confident. You even cut your hair.”

“Well, it was getting quite messy…”

The two were abruptly cut off as a third figure joined them. Salvos joined their hug, her lips curled up. She was smiling from ear-to-ear. Her embrace was tight— as though she didn’t want to let go. Edithe and Daniel both smiled at that.

The three of them stood together in that ballroom, hugging. The Saviors of Silvergrove. The Liberators of the Plaguelands. The three of them— allies by circumstances, but friends through hardship. The adventurers.

They were finally together again.

“We’re back, and Belzu can’t defeat us this time!”

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349. Feast

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to the king of RoyalRoad, Beware of Chicken..

A laugh-out-loud, slice-of-life martial-arts fantasy about . . . farming????

Jin Rou wanted to be a cultivator. A man powerful enough to defy the heavens. A master of martial arts. A lord of spiritual power. Unfortunately for him, he died, and now I’m stuck in his body.

Arrogant Masters? Heavenly Tribulations? All that violence and bloodshed? Yeah, no thanks. I’m getting out of here.

Farm life sounds pretty great. Tilling a field by hand is fun when you’ve got the strength of ten men—though maybe I shouldn’t have fed those Spirit Herbs to my pet rooster. I’m not used to seeing a chicken move with such grace . . . but Qi makes everything kind of wonky, so it’s probably fine.

Instead of a lifetime of battle, my biggest concerns are building a house, the size of my harvest, and the way the girl from the nearby village glares at me when I tease her.

A slow, simple, fulfilling life in a place where nothing exciting or out of the ordinary ever happens . . . right?

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349. Feast

It was a wonderful day. The birds were singing, the sun was shining, and the flowers were in full bloom. Everything was going great!

The only thing that could make the day even better was a delicious morning breakfast. A scrumptious meal at the crack of dawn. Oh, what would be better than feasting on the terrified Human fleeing down the road?

Crunch! The large Wyvern swooped down, swallowing the man in a single bite. A group of nearby travelers saw this bloody scene. They erupted into screams before taking off in full sprint. With a burp, the large Wyvern looked up and watched them go.

She wasn’t in a rush to chase them down. They were weak. Humans were always weak. And they’d always lead her to others. A single Human wasn’t enough to feed her, let alone her flock.

Raising her head, she saw the other flying figures waiting for her above the clouds. There were about forty of them. Her kin. [Lesser Frost Wyverns]. She was the leader of their pack. Their flock. Or… whatever was left of it.

They’d been far more numerous, once. Until a contingent of Humans had attacked and beaten them in battle while they were pursuing a herd of Oliphants. It was ridiculous. How could Wyverns be beaten by those weak pests?

But it hadn’t been Humans that defeated them. No— that silver-haired girl was responsible for their defeat, and she hadn’t been a Human. She’d been able to speak their language. No Human, Kobold, nor Cyclops was capable of that.

The large Wyvern was certain they had been dealing with something else. A Spirit, perhaps. There’d been a Grand Spirit present too, so the silver-haired girl might’ve been a Spirit in disguise. Or maybe an apparition created from the corruption of the world’s end— like the one that had chased them out of Sharik.

Whatever the case was, the Wyverns had fled. Their previous leader had been slain. The Frost Lord. And as the next highest-leveled Wyvern in the flock, she was in charge of a large bulk of the remaining Wyverns. She became the Mistress of the Remnants.

Not all of the survivors had followed her. The rest had either scattered or formed their own smaller groups. Still, forty was plenty. More than enough to bring down entire Human settlements with ease. The Mistress of Remnants roared as she took off to the sky, giving chase to the fleeing Humans.

They’d hidden behind tall walls, crawling beneath the shadow of buildings. Her flock hesitated as they caught sight of the city. They were still slightly afraid— scared that they might be defeated once again. But she rallied them. And as the city raised its alarm, she unleashed a frost breath and took out an entire section of the wall in an instant.

Her flock saw this. They were emboldened by it. In an instant, they heeded her call. They descended on the city. On the screaming Humans. And they had a grand feast that morning.

It was, after all, a wonderful day.

It really was a wonderful day!

Edithe, Daniel, and I were finally back together. My companions, reunited. It made me so happy. I found myself grinning from ear-to-ear the entire time as we chatted and caught up with each other. I literally couldn’t stop smiling.

Of course, I’d already met with Daniel again a few weeks ago. And Saffron was here too— she was also my companion! But there was something quite special with being with both Edithe and Daniel again. It made me feel warm and happy inside.

We settled down at a nearby table, secluded to our own conversations. Helena Warshade was talking to king Artik Alyras about… something unimportant. Blah blah Primeval Demon, blah blah Humans dying. Something like that.

Edithe shook her head as she faced me.

“I still can’t believe you went down to the Bloodied Gulf by yourself, Salvos. That’s reckless, even for you.”

“Don’t worry about it! I wasn’t really alone. Willy was there with me the entire time. Also, there was Centina and Kron too!”

I waved a hand off dismissively. Daniel raised a brow.

“Centina and Kron?”

“Yep. Kron’s a [Krokodis] and Centina’s an [Evolved Centinel]. They’re my friends who helped me out in the Bloodied Gulf!”

My two companions paused. They exchanged a glance, Then they burst out sa one.

“Wait, you befriended a Centinel?”

Both Daniel and Edithe stared at me with round eyes. I placed a finger on my lips, hurriedly looking round. No one was paying any attention to us. I sighed in relief and I whispered.

“Shhh. Not so loud!”

“You’re the one who said it out loud.”

Edithe massaged her temples. We continued talking. I wasn’t the only one who regaled stories of what I’d been through while we were apart. Daniel scratched the back of his head, averting his gaze as he spoke.

“I… uh, became a [Trader] for my second Class.”

My jaw dropped. Edithe blinked a few times. And he scowled.

“Look, I didn’t want another combat Class, alright? I like money, so it made sense at the time.”

I didn’t say anything. I just continued staring in shock. Daniel shifted back uncomfortably and sighed.

“I just wasn’t in a good state of mind back then. I know, I’m an idiot. Don’t worry, I’ll get a [Bishop] to reset my second Class—”

And I exclaimed.

“What?!”

Daniel paused. I leaned forward, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him.

“Why would you do that? But [Trader] is such an amazing Class!”

He looked at me, working his jaw.

“W-wait, you weren’t judging me?”

“Judging you? Please, Daniel. I’m not stupid.”

I scoffed, drawing back to my feet.

“I met an amazing [Trader]— or, um, [Merchant]? I don’t know what the difference is— when I was in Mavos Academy. She had these rainbow-colored fruits that could grant you a 30% increase to all your Stats for a day—”

I excitedly told both Daniel and Edithe about Ivonne Vigil and the Elf attack that happened after. When I was finished, I gave Daniel an approving look.

“[Trader] is a great Class! You should keep it!”

Edithe nodded in agreement.

“If it’s what you want, then I don’t see a problem with it. Plus, while it may sound ridiculous, non-combat Classes can be useful even in battle.”

He scratched his cheeks, flushing.

“Well, I did beat an Archdemon 10 levels above me thanks to my [Trader] Skill.”

I gasped.

“Woah… amazing!”

Then it was Edithe’s turn. She spoke of the company war— of the hard-fought battles with the Iron Champions Company. And its outcome… with Belzu. I was a lot more grim than Daniel or my stories. I watched as the red-haired woman teared up, talking about Baris’ sacrifice.

“I couldn’t even avenge them. I couldn’t protect them. I…”

She trailed off. I hugged her, speaking softly.

“You did your best, Edithe. Even though Belzu has 60 levels on you, you still managed to hold him back. You even saw through his illusions. It’s not your fault.”

For whatever reason, Daniel gave me an impressed look. When Edithe had recollected herself, she pulled back and shook her head.

“I know I keep saying this, but you’ve really grown a lot, Salvos.”

She mustered up a smile. I gave her a thumbs-up.

“I’m more Salvos than ever! And I already was Salvos!”

Edithe and Daniel chuckled as I laughed with them. The red-haired woman glanced back. She faced the rest of the room— the adventurers were mixing with the Vampires as they were served plentiful meals by servants. It was a feast, of sorts,

“Hadrian is here too. I’m sure he’d love to speak with you again, Salvos. Although…”

She narrowed her eyes. I spotted the blond man locked in conversation with another man. It didn’t seem like a good conversation either.

“Fucking Jake…”

“Jake?”

I cocked my head. Edithe waved a hand off, resigned.

“It’s nothing. I can deal with that later.”

She turned back to face me. She opened her mouth. And hesitated.

“By the way, I forgot to mention this, but…”

Edithe sighed.

“Rachel misses you. Both of you. I left her with William, but she feels like she’s been abandoned again.”

I blinked. I looked over at Daniel, and he shrank back guiltily. I fidgeted in my seat. Then I resolved myself.

“I’ll visit her soon. I promise. After we deal with Belzu.”

Edithe smiled.

“Thank you.”

Even though we were fully caught up with each other, we continued to sit there. Just relaxed. We talked and laughed and enjoyed ourselves. I got Willy to join us at the table, although he was oddly shy in front of Edithe. Saffron briefly left her family when I called her over, but returned to them after five minutes.

Hadrian eventually finished his quarrel with that Jake Human and came over. I greeted him cheerily, but he just stared at me.

“I can’t believe you out-leveled me in such a short amount of time.”

“I am amazing, yes.”

I nodded. He laughed as he took a seat. Our conversation dragged on, and I thought we’d be there for the whole day— which I honestly wouldn’t have minded— until a familiar robed man ran into the room.

The court [Mage] of Alyras. He wore the same expression on his face as he did the night before. And, immediately, king Artik Alyras rose to his feet.

“What is it, Kast? Is it the Primeval Demon again?”

The room instantly hushed as the pale-faced [Mage] gathered his breath. I raised my hand.

“Actually, it’s the Primeval Demons now. There’s two of them, not just one.”

Willy snorted next to me. Kast, the court [Mage], shook his head. He unrolled a scroll he’d been carrying. My brows snapped together as he read out the missive.

“The city of Catark is under attack by Wyverns!”

“Huh.”

A note from MelasD

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350. City Destruction

A note from MelasD

Check out my good friend Rhett's new book release. Cold as Hell. It's also available in some stores across the US.

In the West, there are worse things to fear than bandits and outlaws.

Demons. Monsters. Witches. James Crowley’s sacred duty as a Black Badge is to hunt them down and send them packing, banish them from the mortal realm for good.

He didn’t choose this life. No. He didn’t choose life at all.

Shot dead in a gunfight many years ago, now he’s stuck in purgatory, serving the whims of the White Throne to avoid falling to Hell. Not quite undead, though not alive either, the best he can hope for is to work off his penance and fade away.

This time, the White Throne has sent him to investigate a strange bank robbery in Lonely Hill. An outlaw with the ability to conjure ice has frozen and shattered open the bank vault and is now on a spree, robbing the region for all it’s worth.

In his quest to track down the ice-wielder and suss out which demon is behind granting a mortal such power, Crowley finds himself face-to-face with hellish beasts, shapeshifters, and, worse … temptation. But the truth behind the attacks is worse than he ever imagined …

The Witcher meets The Dresden Files in this weird Western series by the Audible number one bestselling duo behind Dead Acre.

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350. City Destruction

Catark wasn’t a large city. Well, that wasn’t exactly right. With a population of over thirty thousand citizens, it was the largest city in all of Perios. But Perios was a rather small region in the Helbir Plains. And when compared to, say, Alyras or Dolonia which both had a population in the hundreds of thousands, it wasn’t a stretch to say that Catark wasn’t a large city.

Nevertheless, it had a standing army of nearly ten thousand soldiers. A third of their populace. They conscripted every adult male into their military when they became of age at sixteen, and kept those over thirty in the reserves. This was because they regularly got into conflicts with their neighbors— no, not neighboring cities, but neighboring regions.

That was the hallmark of the Helbir Plains. No one could get along with each other. Sure, they were all a part of the Helbir League, but that was only because they needed to work together to have any sort of standing on the world stage. It was an alliance out of necessity, not friendship. And because they didn’t want to bicker over their objectives as an alliance, they’d regularly alternate the city state that was put in charge of the Helbir League.

The current leadership of the Helbir League was the city state of Alyras— the largest city in Thesi. They neighbored Perios, and because of that, were in relatively unfriendly terms with Catark. But since Alyras’ military was the dominant force in the area, Catark hadn’t actually been at war with them in decades.

That didn’t mean they were allies, of course. Catark was a proud city state that valued its independence. It would never fall so far as to stoop beneath a larger nation to earn favors— they could take care of themselves.

But today… oh, today, as the city’s siege alarms blared and an entire section of the wall was turned to ice in an instant, Beldon wished that Alyras was their ally. Or Dolonia. Or any other nation. Anyone to come support them.

A cold chill crept over the city. Beldon saw flakes of snow eddy down from the sky, carpeting the street floor with a thin layer of frost fell. He was a [Warrior]. A sergeant on patrol. It had been five minutes since the siege bell tolled, and they were rushing down the streets to keep the peace.

“The city is under attack!”

He yelled, rallying his patrol. He led his men back to the barracks as he shouted at the panicked civilians.

“Get inside! Find shelter!”

His commanding voice boomed down the street. For a moment, it calmed the panic. He was Level 45. Equivalent to a Gold Ranked adventurer. His presence had to be reassuring. But any semblance of safety indoors vanished the moment the blast of frost struck the streets right ahead of him.

The entire street was turned into a frozen wasteland in seconds. He stared with wide eyes at the glinting figures— at the fleeing citizens, turned into ice sculptures before his very eyes. Then a large shadow passed over him. He looked up in horror as he heard the wing beats. The shrill screech.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl ???]

A few of his men fell to their knees. One of them even dropped his weapons. Beldon spoke in a constricted voice, feeling the bands of fear tightening around his neck.

“Wyverns…? But—”

His gaze snapped to the side as he saw the blur. He barely reacted in time. Beldon threw himself to the side, avoiding the Wyvern as it descended from the clouds. It was a giant winged beast, yet it fell like a bolt of lightning. A hundred feet, closed in the same amount of time it took him to throw himself five feet to the side.

The Wyvern’s maw closed around one of his men. The one who’d discarded his weapon. With a single crunch, it killed him before flying back to the sky. Beldon stared at the Wyvern as it circled back to its flock. And it was quite the sizable flock.

The sergeant got back to his feet, eyes growing wide in terror when he saw how many Wyverns there were. These were Diamond Ranked threats. No— they weren’t swarm monsters at the same level. A single [Lesser Wyvern] could’ve probably taken on a dozen [Senior Centinels] of the same level. Perhaps even more.

And there wasn’t just a single Wyvern attacking the city. There were at least forty of them. Forty monsters, each more than capable of leveling over entire towns on their own. Perhaps even small cities. Here they were, attacking Catark.

But this was no small city. This was Catark. The largest city in all of Perios. Sure, their highest-leveled general was only Diamond Ranked. They didn’t have many of those who were above Level 100— fewer than a dozen, for sure. But they had an organized army of thousands. They’d be able to deal with a few pesky Wyverns.

Beldon got to his feet, raising his blade. He turned to his men as they trembled in defeat.

“Get up, you idiots! What are you just staring for? Your city is under attack!”

His words temporarily broke them out of their stupor. They turned to him, and he pointed at one of the flying Wyverns.

“I don’t care if they’re Wyverns or Drakes or Centinels. We have a duty to protect Catark. If not for the city itself, then for your friends and family. So get up off your asses and fight!”

Still, that wasn’t enough for them. They hesitated as he cursed internally. They weren’t former soldiers like him. They’d never been to the battlefield before. They were just guardsmen. But then a flash caught their eyes.

They looked up— at the Wyvern Beldon had pointed out— and saw it fall. It had been struck by a [Grand Fireball]. And it was falling. Beldon’s eyes widened.

“That’s… from the barracks! It must be [Magus Master] Arkenon’s spell!”

Their highest-leveled [Mage]. Beldon grinned as another spell shot out, grazing a nearby Wyvern. He turned to his men again as a third spell fired out, bringing down another Wyvern from the sly. The guardsmen cheered. Even if they were horribly outmatched, they outnumbered the Wyverns. And they had powerful individuals amongst them too.

“That’s right! We are Catark! The head of Perios!”

Beldon continued as his men rallied behind him. Arrows flew to the sky. Spells were being flung out. The Wyverns recoiled— a third one falling. They regrouped as they flew high up above the clouds.

“We will not fall to a bunch of monsters—”

And just as the words left Beldon’s mouth, he saw the flash. The glint. It was an overwhelming force of magic. The blast of frost magic launched into the heart of the city. The Wyverns unleashed it— their collective breaths. In a single instant, the entire landscape changed.

Beldon reeled back, covering his eyes. He felt the gust of cold wind sweeping him off his feet. He went smashing into a wall. The brick cracked, and he grunted in pain. The next thing he knew, he was lying sideways on the ground.

He placed a hand on the floor and felt something soft. Something chilling. He thought he’d been thrown back into his bed, and that entire ordeal had been a dream. A nightmare. But he soon realized that what he was touching was not his sheets but pure white snow, and that everything happening around him was very much real. His entire city had been blanketed in snow.

He groaned as he picked himself back up. He looked towards the city’s barracks. Where the army had been stationed. He gasped at what he saw.

“No…”

It had been turned to ice. The entire barracks was now frozen inside a giant ice cube. Catark’s army was defeated, unable to even fight back. It had been ten minutes since the Wyverns descended, and they’d already won. The sergeant tried to work his jaw. But he looked around him. His sword was gone, his armor was dented, and his men lay injured and fallen around him.

He thought of this city— where he’d been born and raised. He thought of the reason why he fought. His family. His loved ones. His wife of fifteen years. Their five-year-old son.

Then he made his decision.

Beldon ran as the Wyvern flock spread out once again, scattering across the city. It was a slaughter. He wouldn’t be able to fight back. It was stupid of him to even think that was possible. He ran down the street, ignoring the cries of help all around him. A Wyvern swooped down and grabbed a man into the air, but he didn’t even once glance back.

The Wyverns could’ve destroyed the city in minutes if they’d just used their combined magic a few more times. But they didn’t. They came down, one after another, feasting on the inhabitants of the city. It was a buffet for them, and they weren’t going to ruin their dinner. They took their time, savoring their food. It had been nearly thirty minutes since they arrived, and it didn’t seem like they were going anywhere soon.

Beldon turned the corner at an intersection, recognizing the familiar street. Finally! He stumbled into his house as he caught his breath.

“Marika! Myron!”

He called out to his wife and son. They came out from hiding in the basement at the sound of his voice. Marika ran up to him, carrying their boy in her arms.

“Beldon! What’s going on?”

“We need to leave, now!”

Beldon grabbed them, yanking them to the doorway. He paused and glanced about to make sure no Wyverns were lurking directly above. A large Wyvern flew overhead, but didn’t descend to the ground. It almost looked like it was just enjoying the scene. Once it passed, Beldon led his family down the street. They headed for the city’s walls— for the gates.

It had been an hour now since the Wyverns arrived. Most of the civilians realized what was going on. They fled as well. But they crowded around the gates. A chokepoint. And a feasting ground for the Wyverns.

He watched as a Wyvern swept into the crowd, scooping up dozens of screaming people in its talon-like claws. He shook his head and brought his family down the other street. To the other side of the city.

“B-Beldon, why are we—”

“We can’t leave by the main gate. That’s a death sentence for us. If we leave, it’d have to be through there.”

He pointed at one of the city’s walls. A sheening wall, covered in ice. The section that had been blasted at the initial stages of the attack. Only dead men lay there, and that was why it was the safest route.

“Let’s go.”

They ran against the crowd. While the Wyverns saw easy targets with the large gatherings of people rushing out of the city, they’d miss Beldon and his family slipping their way down the city’s streets. But just as Beldon exited from an alleyway closer to the frozen wall, he heard the heavy beating of wings.

He reacted instinctively. He shoved at his wife’s back, throwing his family to the side as he leapt away. The Wyvern’s talons barely grazed his shoulder, but missed his family entirely. He clutched at the wound as he shouted.

“Run!”

“Beldon—”

“Daddy—”

His family didn’t listen. They called out to himas he looked back to the sky— at the Wyvern coming back for a second chance at them. He grabbed a rock from the ground, preparing to fend off the giant monster. It was three times his level. It was a [Lesser Wyvern]. It was more than capable of killing him in a single bite.

But it didn’t matter to him if he died here. As long as his wife and son were safe, that was all that mattered. So, he stood his ground. He was going to hold the Wyvern off, even if he died. It swooped back down as he readied his strongest Skill.

“Eat this you foul beast! [Fury Strike]!”

He tossed the rock. It shattered against the Wyvern’s hide. It looked at him— at his pathetic display of valor. And it looked like it was about to laugh. The attack barely even scratched the monster.

The Wyvern drew closer as Beldon stared. Its descent seemed to slow as he accepted his fate. It was as though the giant winged beast was moving underwater. He shut his eyes, hoping. Praying that the Spirits would listen. Marika, Myron, please… get out of here—

And he winced as the ground shook. He heard the thud. Like something heavy had crashed into the ground. Slowly, his eyes cracked open. He expected to see himself inside the belly of a Wyvern. But, instead, he looked down at the lifeless gaze of the Wyvern that had been about to swallow him whole.

“What…?”

He stared at its corpse. At the burning wound cut across the Wyvern’s back. He stumbled to the ground, recoiling in shock and relief.

“W-who did this? H-how…?”

A figure hopped off the Wyvern’s back. A girl with silver hair. A pair of flaming wings grew out from her back, and she carried a pair of figures with her. She beamed at Beldon.

“Hi! I’m Salvos!”

The silver-haired girl smiled as she lowered the black-haired man and the red-haired woman to the ground. She gestured at them proudly.

“And this is Edithe and Daniel. They’re my companions. Together, we’re going to kick some ass!”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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351. Rematch of Pride

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to my friend Alice's story, The Reincarnated Master Craftsman Just Wants To Live A Peaceful Life! Check it out!

Kuro filled with regret; having a promise to accomplish. At the border of death he makes a wish. Waking up in a familiar but unfamiliar world.

I will make the best out of this life and be the best big sister!

Wait... big sister? How did this happen!

And worst of all, I am known as the best craftsman the world has ever seen... I just want a peaceful life.

This story contains: Cute interactions, Overpowered and dumb protagonist, lots of cliches, more fluff and lots and lots of hugs.

The Reincarnated Master Craftsman Just Wants To Live A Peaceful Life | Royal Road

351. Rematch of Pride

The Mistress of Remnants watched in triumph as her flock feasted on the Human city. They’d been starved for days, ever since they lost the Frost Lord. Their previous leader. They’d been regrouping atop the tall mountains to the southwest— scouring for any scrounges they could.

They were hungry. Not just for food, but for vengeance. And the Mistress of Remnants reveled in what she saw. She savored the moment as her flock was fed while delivering revenge to the Humans who thought they defeated the Wyverns.

The Wyverns could’ve easily destroyed the whole city. But they didn’t. What good was food when frozen? They continued tearing down the city, ever so slowly. Swooping down from above as the Humans screamed and ran for the gates. Little did they know, there was no escape.

Victory wasn’t just assured. It had already been taken. This was simply the victory lap. An after party. The Mistress of Remnants roared in glee as her flock encroached on the fleeing Humans like a scourge of locusts. The Humans weren’t fighting back. They couldn’t fight back—

And she heard the screech. The shrill shriek of her kin dying. The Mistress of Remnants looked down, watching as one of her pack fell. Cut down by a flaming scythe. She recognized the blue glint— the flash of silver hair.

It was the silver-haired girl. The one who’d killed the Frost Lord. Who’d humiliated the Wyvern flock just weeks earlier. She had arrived at the city, bearing with her a pair of Humans.

The Mistress of Remnants looked at her enemy. For a moment, she considered fleeing. Leaving before they were defeated once again.

No! she thought as her hatred and pride won out. We will not be chased away! Never again!

And she roared a battle cry, rallying her flock. They looked up at their leader, heeding her call. The Wyverns rose to the sky as they prepared for battle.

“Together, we’re going to kick some ass!”

Beldon stared at the silver-haired girl as she pumped a fist in the air. He tried to use [Identification] on her— she’d brought down a [Lesser Wyvern] in a single strike. But he couldn’t see her level. He tried to work his jaw. He was at a complete loss for words.

What was there to say? He didn’t know. But he just had to express his gratitude. He got up, approaching her— and was promptly cut off.

“Salvos! That’s vulgar!”

The red-haired woman exclaimed. She turned to the black-haired man, aghast.

“Did you teach her that, Daniel?”

“What? I literally haven’t spoken to her for as long as you have!”

He took a step back defensively. Beldon watched his saviors as they bickered amongst each other.

“In the first place, Edithe, you’re the one who’s always swearing up a storm. Maybe she picked it up from you!”

“I don’t fucking swe— I mean, I don’t swear. And even if I do, I don’t do it that much… anymore.”

“Look, if you really want to know who taught her that, why not just ask her?”

“Alright, where’d you learn from, Salvos?”

They both turned to face the silver-haired girl. She spun her scythe around before looking their way. She shrugged.

“I dunno. Somewhere?”

“Yeah… we should’ve expected that.”

The man called Daniel sighed. He drew a gray longsword hanging off his belt, and Beldon’s eyes widened. As a [Warrior], Beldon didn’t normally have an eye for magical artifacts. He couldn’t tell whether a scroll was actually brimming with power, unless he could use [Identification] on it. He could only discern swords from one another.

And he knew that the blade this Daniel wielded was powerful— full of untapped potential.

The redhead, Edithe, stepped forward and raised a staff made of a seemingly similar material. She turned to the silver-haired girl.

“Salvos, what’s the plan?”

“Take these and don’t die.”

Salvos tossed a bunch of trinkets at them. Protection artifacts of all kinds. Edithe blinked, and Daniel stared at the objects.

“These are—”

“Medium Grade artifacts?”

“Yep! Found them at the Bloodied Gulf. I only use them when my Pendant of Greater Protection runs out, like against that annoying Sage Centinel. But...”

The silver-haired girl grinned as her wings spread wide. Beldon couldn’t help but be entranced by her graceful movements. It was like watching an elegant swan unfurling its wings in a gentle dance. He didn’t even realize his wife and son had come back to him, and were helping him to his feet. His eyes were fixed on his savior as she ascended.

Salvos craned her neck ever-so-slightly. She looked down at both Daniel and Edithe, smiling. Then her facial expression changed. From a gentle smile to a savage grin. She bared her teeth as Beldon flinched in surprise.

“But don’t worry, I won’t be needing much for this fight.”

And she took off. She exploded to the sky, raising her flaming scythe. Beldon hugged his family as he watched her go. His son, Myron, gasped.

“Amazing…”

Salvos (Secely’s Sentinel) (The Devil’s Daughter)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 132

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 98

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 7

[Title Skill: General Status Effect Resistance] - Lvl. 1

[Ttle Skill: Invoke Wrath] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Protection of the Sentinel] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: The Devil’s Grace] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 155 (+30) (+10)

[Strength]: 140 (+30) (+10)

[Endurance]: 150 (+30) (+10) (+3)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+30) (+10) (+13)

[Agility]: 320 (+30) (+10) (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 2]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 10

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 20

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 13]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

I saw the flock of Wyverns gathering up ahead. I heard the screech— the rallying cry of their new leader. These were the same Wyverns I’d fought while leaving Shedos. I’d killed the Frost Lord, their previous leader, in single combat.

It was going to be easy. All I had to do was get to their new leader and defeat it. Then they’d scatter, leaving the city alone. Considering I’d already killed the highest-leveled Wyvern, beating the second highest-leveled Wyvern was going to be a simple job too, right?

But there was one difference. I looked down at my weapon. At the blue glint. I carried with me a flaming scythe. It burned brightly, its flames whipping with the wind. It felt natural to hold. I didn’t even question it. Yet, it was different from what I’d been using so frequently lately.

It didn’t have a solid base, even if I could grasp it. It didn’t glimmer with the color of the rainbow. And it especially didn’t emanate any Divine Essence from it.

That was right— I no longer had my Divine Nebular Scythe with me. I’d lost it. During the battle of Westshield, my clone used it in combat against Belzu. It’d been damaged— worn down by the Sword of Alexander. But it didn’t break. Not fully, at least.

The reason why I didn’t have it was simple: I lost it.

When Belzu trapped my clone with his Grand Skill, she had the Divine Nebular Scythe with her. And when Mori Gladius broke free from that false reality, the weapon didn’t return. It was gone forever.

Well, not forever. I could always create a new Divine Nebular Scythe whenever I activated my [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] in the future. In fact, I probably could create multiple copies and store them with my [Dimensional Pocket] next time around. I just didn’t think to do it the first time around, and now, I was at a disadvantage compared to when I’d fought the Frost Lord.

That didn’t stop me from charging straight at the Wyverns, of course.

“Take this!”

I shouted as I swung for a Wyvern desperately trying to dive out of the way. I slashed straight through its wings, and it screeched. The Wyvern fell out of the air, spinning as it tried to keep me back with its claws. I unleashed a [Barrage of Cinders] as I cut the Wyvern apart.

I heard a roar. Above me, I saw a large Wyvern— a female Wyvern— screeching in anger.

“You will kill no more of my kin!”

She fired a ball of ice my way. It came, zipping at me with immense speed. I leapt back and used Short Range Teleport to narrowly escape the explosion of ice. It wasn’t like the Wyvern’s breath attack which froze everything it struck. This attack literally exploded, ripping apart the brick ground.

“Hey! I already beat up your Frost Lord! Don’t make me beat you up too! Just leave and there’ll be no need for any more of your kin to die!”

I raised a fist at her. This new Wyvern leader snorted. Literal snowflakes shot out of her nostrils.

“Do you think you can intimidate me, false Human? I am the Mistress of Remnants! I shall crush you and regain my pack’s pride!”

She shouted as she drew back, creating another frost sphere and loosing it at me. I found myself jumping from rooftop to rooftop as her attacks ravaged the already-destroyed section of the city.

“Well, I guess you don’t want the easy way out of this. That just means more experience for me!”

I beamed as the flaming scythe vanished. While I didn’t have the time to create a Nebular Scythe, I did have a Nebular Bow and some Nebular Arrows still stored away in my [Dimensional Pocket]. I produced them as I avoided another of the frost spheres. I fired back a Blazing Nebular Bolt at her. She created a barrier, but the blast still knocked her back.

“Take that—”

I started, only to be immediately interrupted as a pair of sharp talons swiped for me. I backed away from the first Wyvern as it narrowly missed. But the second swooping Wyvern was too fast. I couldn’t avoid it. I raised my hands, bracing myself for the attack. The Wyvern, however, targeted something else.

My Nebular Bow.

The gray bow went flying to the side as the second Wyvern took off into the air. I stumbled back, looking up just in time for a third Wyvern to charge straight at me. I hurriedly leapt away as [The Primordial Spark] ignited just over my shoulder. The third Wyvern opened its massive maw, chomping for my feet. But I pulled a flaming chain from the speck of flame.

I wrapped the flaming kusarigama around the third Wyvern as its attack missed, tangling it up and bringing it back down to the ground with me. The blue blade flashed red as I struck for the Wyvern’s neck.

“[Radiant Slash]!”

It fell without so much of a sound. Its head went flying, and I snapped my gaze up instinctively. Perhaps it was [A Hunter’s Sense], or maybe it was just my awareness of my surroundings. But I saw the frost breath coming. I raised a hand, creating my own blast of blue flames. It clashed with the blast of ice, and both attacks dissipated.

I stared up at the Mistress of Remnants. She glared down at me as I deflected her frost breath.

“I know not why you aid the Humans, nor do I know why you disguise yourself amongst them.”

My eyes flickered, and I saw blurred figures zipping through the air to join her. Dozens of Wyverns circled around her, eyeing me like hawks when faced with a cornered prey. I bit my lower lip.

“I’m only doing this because Saffron and princess Rana asked me to, alright? I don’t want to fight you.”

“But we wish to fight you.”

She replied with vitriol. The beating of her wings sped up as I groaned.

“This is going to be a bit more difficult than I thought, huh?”

I snapped my fingers, and golden figures burst into existence around me. [Salvo of Vanity]. It was Level 20 now. Not yet maxed, but it would be soon. I glanced at my clones, counting them.

"Well, hey, I thought I'd get my Class to Level 100 last time I fought with you Wyverns but didn't. Maybe this time I'll finally be able to advance my Class."

There were eight of them. Eight clones. That was all I could create right now. They conjured up their own flaming weapons as I faced down the bulk of the Wyvern flock. All on my owns.

The Mistress of Remnants continued.

“We care not for your reasons. Just know that your fate has been sealed.”

And, all at once, the Wyverns attacked.

A note from MelasD

Sorry for late chapter. Went on a date today. Let's just say I'm even worse than Salvos at handling dates lmao

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

352. Being Saved

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Lord of Goblins by Mike which just dropped its third volume!

Amazon.com: Lord of Goblins, Vol. 3 (Light Novel) eBook : Werbrouck, Michiel, Bendakji, Hadi, Light Comics Studio, Lo, Nadine, MoonQuill: Kindle Store

Volume 1 + Synopsis:

His Lordship Arrives.

Corruption. Greed. War. Lev is no stranger to the evils of the world, having spent a lifetime fighting the predatory system that ensnared the world's population and turned them into puppets for the leaders of humanity.

But after being assassinated, he finds himself in a new world—one with different yet familiar evils. It's a similar road he must traverse, but this time he can do so with a lifetime of experience behind him.

Amazon.com: Lord of Goblins, Vol. 1 (Light Novel) eBook : Werbrouck, Michiel, Bendakji, Hadi, Comics, Darkness, Lo, Nadine, MoonQuill: Kindle Store

352. The Search

We were outnumbered, more than two-to-one. There were over twenty Wyverns circling around me, and I only had eight clones. Just using [Salvo of Vanity] drained me of a lot of energy, but it was necessary. The Wyverns charged us, unleashing their frost magic as my clones and I took off to the sky.

Fire and ice clashed— a brilliant explosion of magic. The Mistress of Remnants was weaker than the Frost Lord. She was 4 levels lower than him. A Level 142 [Lesser Wyvern]. But to defeat the Frost Lord, I had the help of two of my clones. And while she was weaker than him, she was still strong, so I’d have difficulty taking her down without any of my clone’s help.

There were three Wyverns for every one of my clones, while I battled the Mistress of Remnants on my own. I was pushed back by a blast of her ice magic, watching from the corner of my eye as one of my clones was clawed from behind by a Wyvern’s talons. We struggled, locked in combat with our enemies that outnumbered us.

We only had one saving grace— this wasn’t the entire flock of Wyverns. There were still more of them scattered throughout the city. If they’d been here, I might’ve lost. But they were preoccupied. Busy with my companions. Busy with the city. And thanks to that, I stood a chance.

Edithe Dawnrise craned her neck as she heard the shrill shrieks echo from above. She saw Salvos clashing with dozens of Wyverns, accompanied by golden figures. They looked like duplicates of the silver-haired girl, borne from fire and magic. The red-haired woman gaped.

“What… is that Skill?”

“Edithe!”

A young man’s voice snapped her out of her stupor. Daniel called out to her as he raised his Primordial Longsword.

“Focus. We have a job to do.”

“R-right.”

Edithe blinked a few times, glancing between him and the crowd behind them. They were just two people, yet they stood protectively over the evacuees fleeing the city. A city guard of Catark raised a hand, pointing at a shadowed figure swooping down from above.

“It’s coming again!”

Panic ran through the crowd as they saw the Wyvern coming down for a quick snack. Daniel braced himself as Edithe glanced up. She raised her Primordial Staff, aiming at the Wyvern as it let out a roar.

“[Frostflame Vortex]!”

A blast of fire and ice shot out from the tip of her staff, enhanced by its inherent effects. It struck the Wyvern head-on. It engulfed the winged beast in frost and flame. Edithe thought it would’ve slowed— that her attack would’ve at least scratched the monster’s hide. She was, after all, a Level 104 [Sentinel of Elements]. A Diamond Ranked adventurer. Amongst the peak of Humankind. But she was mistaken.

Because it dwarfed her level entirely.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 126]

The Wyvern tore through the attack. It let out a screech as it came for the red-haired woman, angered by the blast of ice and fire more than anything. Edithe’s eyes grew wide as it drew closer. And Daniel leapt in front of her.

“[Crescent Fury]!”

He unleashed a flurry of strikes at the Wyvern. His blade sunk into the monster’s skin, tearing its hide open. The Wyvern let out a roar as it flew back to the sk and circled above them like a vulture. Daniel panted, glancing back at Edithe.

“Stay back and make sure the people are safe!”

“But what about you?”

She started, and he shook his head. Daniel Song, the [Hero] from another world, stepped forward. A glow overcame him. He was wreathed in a glowing armor. His sword extended, powered by some kind of aura. Edithe stared as he glanced back once.

“I’ll keep the Wyverns back.”

Then he leapt forward. Edithe watched as he jumped a hundred feet into the air, slashing at the flying Wyvern with his now gigantic broadsword. He was only Level 113. Barely 10 levels above Edithe. Still 10 levels below the Wyvern. Yet, there he was, battling it in the sky.

Meanwhile, Edithe stayed on the ground. She was unable to help, aside from casting the occasional spell to distract the Wyvern. She followed the evacuation as they funneled out of the city’s gates, looking at the two sets of fighting from a distance.

At the very heart of Catark, she saw explosions. A golden blast ripped throughout the city, bringing down multiple Wyverns as Salvos continued her fight with the bulk of the Wyvern flock. And much closer to the city’s walls, Daniel finally felled that one Wyvern he’d been fighting. He leapt onto another’s back, cutting apart its wings as they both dove out of the sky.

And as Edithe watched these two scenes, she realized something. She’d once again fallen behind. Salvos was up there, fighting dozens of Wyverns with no one but… her clones accompanying her. Daniel was fighting Wyverns 10 to 20 levels above him and winning.

Edithe wasn’t even able to help. The red-haired woman gritted her teeth as this realization sunk in. As she stood on her own, far beneath her friends. She wanted to do something. She felt like she needed to do something. But she couldn’t, even if she tried.

Screams erupted behind her. She saw the shadow— heard the beating of the wings. A Wyvern landed before her as her gaze snapped up.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 131]

It was larger than even the first Wyvern that came for her. Its eyes fixed on Edithe, hungry and wild. The nearby [Archers] loosed arrows at the Wyvern with their Skills as [Mages] formed a circle and erected a barrier. Edithe stood ahead of them, shouting.

“Get back!”

Daniel and Salvos were preoccupied. It was all up to her to hold off this Wyvern from getting to the evacuees. She unleashed another [Frostflame Vortex], but the Wyvern sent its own frost breath back at her. The explosion of the clashing magic sent her flying back. She stumbled to her feet— the world wheeling around her as she heard the heavy footsteps of the Wyvern drawing closer.

Edithe looked up just in time for the Wyvern to loom over her. Its mouth hung open, almost like it dislocated its own jaw. She flinched—

And the aura around her flashed. The Wyvern stumbled back, repelled by the myriad of protective artifacts Edithe wore. She scrambled to her feet as the Wyvern charged her once again.

“[Shield of the Misty Lord]!|

She slammed her staff to the ground, and a giant wall of ice appeared before her. The Wyvern crashed into the ice barrier. It stared at it, confused. Then it tried to swerve around it. But Edithe just moved her staff, and the [Shield of the Misty Lord] swung with it.

Wherever Edithe pointed, the barrier was there. The Wyvern couldn’t get to her. It unleashed a blast of ice magic— sending down a hail of ice spikes at the red-haired woman. But despite their level differences, Edithe’s greatest defensive Skill managed to hold up.

The Wyvern roared in frustration and turned away from Edithe. Then it caught sight of a susurration. It looked over at the side— at the evacuees and the few city guards with them. And Edithe’s eyes widened.

“No— [A Guardian’s Blessing]!”

She called out, but it wouldn’t help. The city guards moved faster. They were wrapped in ribbons of light. Like butterflies that came down to render them aid. They’d have healed from any injuries they sustained. And their Stats would gain a minor boost. But it wasn’t enough to face the Wyvern.

Edithe cried out, dropping the [Shield of the Misty Lord] as the Wyvern rammed through the defenses of the guards. Dozens of figures went flying into the air, like ragdolls being hurled. Their bodies were broken, and they fell limply to the ground with heavy thuds.

“You bastard!”

She raised her Primordial Staff as it flashed. The Wyvern actually glanced back at her as it caught sight of the glint. A golden light coalesced around her staff as she screamed.

“[Ray of Retribution]!”

It was one of Edithe’s strongest Skills. A beam of gold shot out. It moved almost instantaneously. The Wyvern couldn’t even react, despite the speed it normally moved at. The [Ray of Retribution] struck the monster, engulfing it in a rainbow-colored blast.

The red-haired woman panted as the Skill ended. It drained her of her magic. She looked up hopefully, staring into the smoke that was clearing.

An ice sphere shot out at her from the smoke. She tried to throw herself out of the way, but the explosion of frost caught her. Her protective artifacts failed. The blast knocked her back as the aura around her dissipated. She winced, cut on the cheek and the forearms by the ice shards. She rolled on the ground to a stop as the Wyvern emerged triumphantly from the smoke.

Edithe lay there, grimacing. She was weak. Too weak. She couldn’t hope to defeat the Wyvern. It was 20 levels above her. There wasn’t much she could do. Daniel and Salvos were preoccupied, and she’d already used up most of her good Skills to no avail.

The Wyvern rose up as it let out a screech. Edithe craned her neck. She could only see the monster’s figure reflected on the ground amongst the death and destruction. It cast a shadow over the corpses of all it had killed. Edithe stared into the lifeless eyes of a man. One of the guards who’d helplessly held the line against the Wyvern.

The red-haired woman heard the screams of the panicked citizens of Catark. She sensed the magic coalescing around the Wyvern. She thought of Daniel and Slavos. And she rose to her feet.

No, I am not weak! She still had one trump card left. Edithe raised her arms as she strode amongst the dead. She wasn’t a [Necromancer]. She couldn’t raise the dead. But she could draw power from them. Avenge those who had died.

The gloating Wyvern flapped its wings as it gazed at those fleeing Catark. It had all of them to itself. It would feast on their corpses— a grand buffet. Then a voice shouted, drawing its gaze.

“Hey!”

Edithe stood as the ground beneath her feet seemed to sparkle. Motes of cinder rose from the dead surrounding her. The Wyvern stared at her, puzzled at the sight as the red-haired woman raised her staff.

“I’m not finished yet. [Vindication of They].”

All at once, the gathering sparks shot upt. It took on the ethereal, burning form of a mirror-image of the Wyvern. The spell drew from the pain that had been inflicted here, and the Wyvern’s eyes grew wide.

Its confusion turned to anger as it unleashed the frost breath it had been building up. But it phased through the apparition. [Vindication of They] came for the Wyvern, moving faster than the monster could flee.

Vengeance incarnate. It struck the Wyvern mid-flight, erupting into a blaze of brilliant crimson. Edithe’s eyes glinted at the sight. There was a terrible shriek. Words echoed in her head. Then it was over.

Defeated [Lesser Frost Wyvern - Lvl 131]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Class [Sentinel of Elements] Level Up!

[Sentinel of Elements - Lvl. 104] -> [Sentinel of Elements - Lvl. 105]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Edithe grinned in victory as the Wyvern fell. She’d just recently leveled up, so the fact that she’d already leveled up again was quite exhilarating. She would’ve luxuriated in this moment if not for the fact that she heard a shrill screech. She glanced back just in time to see another Wyvern descending from the sky.

[Lesser Wyvern - Lvl 126]

“You’ve got to be fucking—”

She backed up hurriedly as the Wyvern dove straight for her. It was a dive bomb. It came so fast, she barely saw the blur. Edithe closed her eyes and whispered.

“[Greater Aura of—”

Would she cast it in time? She hoped that she would. But before the spell could even go off, she saw a flicker through her closed eyes. A bright light flashed, seeping through her eyelids. Edithe felt the heat. The flames.

She looked up, blinking as the burning Wyvern lay on the floor. It was writhing in pain. One of its wings had been entirely burned off. The red-haired woman gaped.

“...Salvos?”

A golden explosion erupted in the middle of the city as Salvos continued her battle, far from Edithe. But if it wasn’t Salvos, then who…?

The red-haired woman paused. She finally caught sight of her savior. A [Will O’ Wisp] flitted down beside her, glinting a dark crimson.

Willy.

He sent another blast of crimson flames at the Wyvern before it could get up. It slowly burned to death as Edithe stared. Then she narrowed her eyes.

“But if you’re here, that means—”

Her gaze snapped to the sky as she saw the clouds moving. And with a booming thunder, a figure descended from the sky.

The trio of Wyvern crashed into my clone’s back, snarling and snapping at her head. She was tired. Exhausted. So she just accepted her fate. She exploded into a golden cross that tore through the city. It ripped apart the frozen barracks, melting the ice as it took out the three Wyverns.

That was another clone down. I was now down to just four of my clones. Half of the eight that I started with. And I was getting tired. The Mistress of Remnants sneered as she sent a salvo of ice spikes my way.

“Are you tired, false Human? Give up and abandon these people if you wish to live. They are not your own.”

I dove down out of the way. A few of the projectiles struck my back, finally breaking the Aura of Greater Protection around me. I yelped and faced the Wyvern leader.

“I made a promise to Saffron and princess Rana. And I’m not going to lose to you.”

I countered with my own flaming projectiles. The Mistress of Remnants reeled back as she took the brunt of my attacks. My clones fought with her Wyverns all around us..There were still nearly 20 of the Wyverns. Around a dozen and a half. My clones weren’t able to take down as many as I’d have liked— the fact that I was grossly outnumbered here hurt even more when I’d already used up all my speed Skills just to get to Catark.

But my biggest mistake might’ve actually been summoning all the clones I did all at once. It exhausted me. Made it difficult for me to defeat the Mistress of Remnants on my own. If I wasn’t as tired, I could’ve possibly beaten her by now.

The Mistress of Remnants laughed as another one of my clones was brought down, killing only two Wyverns this time. The Wyverns were finally picking up that my clones would explode upon dying, so they were smart about it. They managed to avoid it best they could this time.

“Then you shall die for no greater cause.”

Three Wyverns broke off from fighting my severely outnumbered clones and charged at me. The Mistress of Remnants joined them as they flew my way, and I readied myself to take them all on my own. Despite my exhaustion. My hand glowed as [Demon’s Mark] seared itself on my palm, ready for use.

But before the Wyverns could encroach on me, lightning fell from the heavens above. It thundered down, a shower of strikes. The Mistress of Remnants hurriedly dodged out of the way, avoiding the lightning bolt entirely. But the Wyverns accompanying her weren’t as lucky. They exploded from the attack as even more lightning fell from the sky.

The Mistress of Remnants cried out— not in any physical pain, but pain nonetheless— as her kin died. She cast her gaze to the sky, glaring in anger as the clouds parted. I looked up in shock as a figure emerged.

Storm clouds had gathered at some point, masking the evening sky. But there was no rain. No violent wind. A woman stood atop the only pure white cloud as it slowly descended. She looked down at the frozen city— at all the dead scattered throughout the streets. And her brows creased.

I recognized her, even though I had only met her briefly just a few hours ago. Everyone had looked at her with respect. With a sense of admiration.

Helena Warshade.

She simply raised her crystal staff, speaking simply.

“[Mana Storm: Lightning Vortex].”

My eyes widened as the ground shook. The strands of mana in the air bent. Crackling electricity shot up from the earth and crashed from the sky. The Wyverns dove around in a panic, but many were caught by the torrent of lightning.

These were monster’s I’d been struggling with, even with my clones. I had so much difficulty dealing with them. Yet, half their numbers were culled at that moment. They’d been greatly reduced, just like that. They’d dropped to just seven Wyverns left, including the enraged Mistress of Remnants.

I stared, slowly taking in the scene. I looked up at Helena Warshade in awe. This was the power of an Elite. This was the strength of the greatest the Human lands had to offer.

The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy. The leader of the Rising Veterans Company. The second-highest leveled [Mage] in the world. The pinnacle of Humankind. An Elite.

“Huh.”

Now I understood why everyone had so much respect for her.

A note from MelasD

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353. Succumbing to Corruption

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to The System Apocalypse Australia series by KT Hanna and Tao Wong! They just released book 3, check out book 1!

What's worse than Australian wildlife? Mutated Australian wildlife.

The System Apocalypse has come to Australia, altering native organisms and importing even more menacing creatures to the most dangerous continent on Earth. For Kira Kent, plant biologist, the System arrives while she's pulling an all nighter at work with her pair of kids in tow.

Now, instead of mundane parental concerns like childcare and paying the bills, she's got to figure out how to survive a world where already deadly flora and fauna have grown even more perilous - all while dealing with the minutiae of the System’s pesky blue screens and Levels and somehow putting together a community of survivors to forge a safe zone to shelter her son and daughter.

It almost makes her miss the PTA fundraising sales. Almost.

Town Under is the first book in a new series, The System Apocalypse: Australia. It's set in the same universe as Tao Wong's The System Apocalypse and starts in the same time period as Life in the North but focuses on the changes in the deadliest of continents, Australia. Fans of the original series, LitRPG, fantasy, science-fiction and post-apocalyptic novels will want to take a look.

Amazon.com: Town Under: A Post-Apocalyptic LitRPG (The System Apocalypse: Australia Book 1) eBook : Wong, Tao, Hanna, K. T.: Kindle Store

353. Succumbing to Corruption

Helena Warshade stood on a white cloud, staring down at the destroyed city of Catark with a cool gaze. Her eyes flickered. She turned to me— then the remaining Wyverns. There were seven of the monsters left. They glared up at her, their hatred clear even if she couldn’t understand their words.

She tilted her head fractionally.

“They survived.”

The Wyverns responded with a combined blast of their frost breath. I flew back with my clones, reeling from the chill even from afar. The air froze and turned to snowflakes, eddying down to the broken city like cold ash. Such an attack would’ve probably killed me if I didn’t have any protective artifacts, so I fully expected Helena Warshade to fly out of the way.

But the Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy simply raised her staff. The air around her warped as her mouth moved.

“[Eye of the Storm].”

The wind spun around her, faster and faster. It accelerated until it became visible. Like she was being shielded by a typhoon. It repelled the blast of ice, and the frost splashed off like it was nothing but water.

I stared as the barrier held up with ease. The Wyverns stopped their attacks, uncomprehending. The Mistress of Remnants was at a loss for words. She didn’t snarl or shriek as she’d kept doing while I fought her. Instead, she looked on at Helena Warshade.

The leader of the Rising Veterans Company frowned.

“You are stubborn. Very well, then.”

The cloud lowered as she pointed at one of the flying Wyverns.

“I shall break you. [Burst Hurricane].”

And the Wyvern exploded.

No! The Mistress of Remnants watched her kin die. Again and again, the great Wyverns fell from the sky. Ever since the corruption spread to Sharik, they had been incessantly slaughtered. They’d been forced to band together— form great flocks and migrate away from their home. It was the only way they could survive. Even a [Greater Wyvern] had been felled there.

She thought they’d be safe here. The Frost Lord had seen the mountains in the distance as the perfect place to build a nest. After all, the mountain range had been mostly empty— deserted, for whatever reason. However, that meant that they were starved. Hungry. And when they’d hunted those [Oliphants] down to feed the flock, the Frost Lord perished.

Now, here, in these weak lands, they were still being slaughtered.

The Mistress of Remnants wouldn’t accept it. She turned to that Human on a cloud and unleashed a salvo of ice magic. Icicles that were as large as trees launched out, but the Human dismissed it with a flick of her staff.

“[L— h…. m].”

The Human spoke— her words were utterly gibberish to the Mistress of Remnants. But it clued the Wyverns in that an attack was coming. They scattered as lightning streaked out of the Human’s crystal staff. It took on the shape of a grossly misformed Wyvern. One without wings and a long serpentine body.

The Mistress of Remnants hissed, diving away from the attack. The lightning struck another of her kin, but it didn’t explode. Instead, it latched onto the Wyvern’s wings, draggining it through the air until it came into contact with a second Wyvern. The lightning spell exploded, taking them both down with a brilliant flash.

Another two Wyverns down. There had been seven of them, but in such a short amount of time, there were now only four of them left.

With a roar, the Mistress of Remnants rallied the remnants. Three Wyverns accompanied her as she zipped through the air, heading straight for that annoying Human.

The Human narrowed her eyes. The cloud dipped out of the way just in time for the Mistress of Remnants to crash into a frozen tower. The Wyvern roared as the last of her flock swerved, giving chase to the Human throughout the city.

The cloud wove between the alleyways, leading the Wyverns low, then high, then circling around a junction and passing the Wyverns. One of the three Wyverns let out a frost breath, but the Human just countered with a blast of hot wind.

It was bad enough that they couldn’t break through the Human’s defenses, but they couldn’t touch the Human either.

The Mistress of Remnants was pissed. With every second that passed, she grew angrier and angrier. And when one of her three remaining kin fell as well, she had enough. Magic— something beyond even magic— built up within her chest. She rose to the sky, driven by fury and desperation, surpassing any limits she’d had before.

“I shall lay waste to your weak Species—”

She started, but a scythe dug into her chest. She exhaled, letting out the magic prematurely. The cone of ice erupted into the sky, raining down like hail. The Mistress of Remnants looked at the one who’d attacked her.

“Hey, did you forget about me?”

The silver-haired girl grinned, circling around to the Wyvern leader’s back. The Mistress of Remnants roared as she tried to shake off that false Human. But before she could fight back, four golden figures charged her.

“You’re mine!”

The Mistress of Remnants shrieked as she was cut by five different scythes. Attacked from all sides. Her wings was shredded, and she fell like a rock. In the distance, she heard the screeches. The sounds of her kind dying. Lightning and thunder boomed out as the remaining three Wyverns whimpered and died.

Title Lost!

(Mistress of Remntants—

The Mistress of… no. The lone Wyvern looked up, seeing the charred corpses of her kin fall from the sky after her. She crashed as the false Human and the flaming clones continued to tear through her hide.

The Human on the cloud descended, looking callously at the lone Wyvern thrashing on the ground. The former Mistress of Remnants could’ve fought. She could’ve tried to break free. Unleash her magic.

But she was tired. So tired. Her pride was shattered. Her flock was dead. She lost. There really was no point fighting anymore.

How did she even get here in the first place? How did all this come about?

Her eyes closed as exhaustion settled in. A creeping darkness crawled its way over her. And she remembered. She remembered when the apparition came beyond the ocean. The twisted being that distorted space wherever it went. It corrupted everything it had touched— from the clouds to the earth to the sea.

It was powerful. It would’ve shorn through everything, if the [Greater Wyverns] of Sharik hadn’t banded together and sacrificed themselves to chase it back whence it came. But it was too late. The land was overwhelmed by corruption. Their little island, gone.

They flew over the land of the Beastmen. Over the sea of the Centinels. They came all the way here, searching for haven. And this was… where it all ended.

The lone Wyvern would accept it. She let the darkness settle it as the pain subsided, leaving behind only a numbing sense of calm. It was all over. This was where the Wyverns of Sharik would finally die—

And her eyes snapped open.

Die? Here? She couldn’t accept it. Her wings began beating once again, despite the holes on her skin. A breath of frost left her maw as she let out a shriek. One of the golden figures was frozen in an instant, and the silver-haired girl leapt back with a yelp.

“W… g— n?”

The Human on the cloud asked, startled. The silver-haired girl answered in an unintelligible language as the lone Wyvern got to her feet.

There was no ying today. The lone Wyvern felt herself flying, powered by magic. Powered by something more. She couldn’t just die here. She had to become stronger. She remembered something stronger. A [Greater Wyvern]? No. The corruption.

It coursed through her. It breathed life into the lone Wyvern. She was going to use that same power to destroy them all.

“My people are dead, but I will not rest…”

She felt the corrupting growing stronger and stronger. She accepted it as the silver-haired girl’s eyes flickered. The Human on the cloud stared with wide eyes. The lone Wyvern began to laugh as the sounds became distorted.

“Nŏ̷̻͍t until I̴͉̥͂̈́̾ DEŞ̸̡̡̡̟̱̦͇͎͎̣̩͈̠̪͙̖̠͍͇͔͓̙̲̣͍͒TRÖ̸̧̱̬̙̩̩̺̝͗͋̑̽̒́͐͋̈̈͛́̌̈́͆̑̂̓́͘̚Ŷ̸̨̟͔͉̲̬̞͖̮͕̹̙̘̲̣̠̑̀̇̃́̐̚͝ ̵̧̢̡̯̠͕̬̟̹͔̬̯͍̯͗͊̄͛͌̓̾́̊̌̆͋̀͛̍̈́̀͠͠͝YO̴̢̨̮̣̫̯̺̱̞̳̱̬̱̰̞̩͕̻̣̻̍͑͊̉̉̎̆̓͊̿̐̂̔͑̆̋̓̐͑̚ͅU!”

Grå̸̧̘̙̦nd Skill [Come à̵̢͓̫͓͇̟̙̗̳̘͚̙̓̈́̓͛̃̄͌̄́͂̕͝nd See, the Depths of my Ḍ̸̢̮̪̈́̃͘espair] is̴̛̻̖͎͋̀̄ gą̵̱͓̞̝̒̚͝in̷̘̿͌̿͛è̷̢̢̠͚̤̲̠̋̄̍̆̎ḓ̷͚̳̲͚̓̅̊̈́ͅ—

Abù̵̺̺̇̂͗̑̇́͗̇̾̊̽͠ņ̴̛̭̻̈͗̉̒͋̏͛͒͗̽͗̈́̔̊ͅdă̶̡̛̲̱̜͉̳̻̫̈̐̏͆n̵̪͎͙̩̣̲̓͑́͒̊̌̾̈ͅt̷̨͙̯͙͇͕͉̒̋̉͒͐̿̀̈̚̚ expę̸̲͓̻̥̖͇̬̣͉͙̣͛̕͝͝rię̶͍̦̟̪̘̼̓͛̋̈́̿̔̇̎̅̋͐͐̄͑́͑̽͋̕̕͝ͅͅn̵̡̧̖̫̪͕̻͍̈́͝c̵̢̧̝̯͕͚̟̼͉̠̪͎͚̯̊͆̏̑́͛̏͗́̌̋͛͒̊͘̕͜ḙ̸̛̬̪̯̑͊͊̄͂̚͘͠͝ is… not rewarded!

Le̵̩̳̞̾̃͋̉̍͂̐͗̏̃͊̿̕͝͝à̸̢̫̼͖͈̺̜͇̩̳̼̉͑͜ŗ̴̲̟̖̝̝̥̳̞̦͚̯͙͓̝̮̯̓̔̑̊͒̈́̔͋̄͒̊̈͝͠͝n̶̡̧̼̫͖̥͚̜͖̙̦̬̊͗̏̎̈́̂̈́͒́̉͋̈́̎̏̕͜͠ï̴̦͈̰͖̜͇̯͚͛͌̄̍̀̀̌̚̕̕͝ng of G̵̢̨̛̤͇̰̹̲̲̎͗̔̿͌̕͠ŗ̴̛̯̹̞̖̖̺̦͕̣̠̪͂̓͗̈́̑̕̚a̵̧̞̳̫̠̎͌͛͂͌̏̋͝n̶̫̬͈͒d Skill fa̷̧̙̞̹̯̤͗̎͜͜ͅͅi̸̯̲͕̗͚̩̻̟̟̯̩͒͝l̴̢̪̍͌́͆ͅé̵̮̱̐͌͂̀͊͐̋̌͋͝d!

No experience is aẅ̵͙́̊̔͋͛̏̏́́͐̏̓̌̀á̷̖̓̽̈́̆͆̽̋̌r̸̡̧̨͉̼̖̯͚̜̝̫̬̃̂͆̓͋̈́͌̈́͊͘ͅd̵̼͕̘̤͖͙̟͎̃̊̉̀͌͋̄̓̀̚ͅͅè̴̛͙͉̠̣̳͖͖̻͛̿̓͆̒̌̈́̓͊̈́͝d for the faiļ̷̢̘̠̝͙̟̳̱̞̹̼͎͎̰͙͉̃̽͐̓̊̌͂̃̿͜u̵̙̥͙̎̀̂̽͒͆̈́̿̕ṟ̸̨̤̘̱̙̼̞̼͙̗͓͔͔̱̙͔̜͇̇̑̀́ͅē̴̞̝̻̗͖̮͕̱̭͈̳̜͚̦̱͕͎̞̜ ̸̢̯̖̠̭̣͈̩̟͑͛͋̓̃̑́̏͛̌̾̌̉͐ó̷͍̏͑͌̄͌̓̏̎̑̕f̸̡̧̯̩̖̩̻̟̦͔̬̜̭͇̱̽̒̒́̈̍͛̓͂͆̍͂̏̓͂̈́͛̒̓͝ ̸̛̝͇̔̀͌̾̎̈̆̾͗͊̈́͛͜͝l̷̰͖͝ĕ̸̛̲̹̟̳̯̣̙̓̃͋͌͑̄́̀̿̄̄͒̾̊̉̕͜͠ȧ̴̰̮̗̪̠͖̻͍̾̀̔̀̂́̋̈́̎̌̌̏̂̽̃͘̚r̴̩̪̫̼̈́̿̄̎̚n̵̡̘̂̄̓̀̕i̶̢̛̪̳̥̬͛̒̊̉̊̽̏͑͋̽̀̓̂̈͝͝ng a Ǧ̷̡̡̧̤̺̻̞͎̬̳̙̫̥̞̗̓͑̆̀̔̏͐̂͂͛̎͂͒͂̎͌̽̋̒̽̕̚r̶̡̧̢̭͓̺̗̮̠̦̍̋͑́̿̋͗̽̂̚͘ȃ̶̠̥̼͈̇̈́͗̒͒̇̑͆̈́͒̂̅̑̚͜n̶͎͍̦̙̝̏̔̚͝d̷̢̧̟̲̘̩̫̹̣̦͈͓̱̟͕͉̻̳̞̞̹̫͙̩̮͎̋͒̅͊͝͠͝ͅ ̵̤͔͍͇͙̮͓̰̥̩͌̈́̉̉͂̈́͊̃̉̕̕͠ͅŞ̶̢̜̬̣̮̩̈́̂̓̂̌́̏͊̾̒͒̀̏̄́̃̃͘̚̚k̴̢̘͈̫̳̬̳̘̻̺͇̬̣̗͔͍̘͕͓̹͛̑͌̔̔̓̃̃̎͗̎̇̅̾͑͂̓̕̚̕͘̕ī̷̺̻̯̹̼̀̌͗̆͒̽͌̄́̃̚͝͝͝ͅl̶̡̧̨̛̛̩̯̞̞̼͈̖͔̦̭͍͖̲̫͓̰̼̏͌͆͛́͐̈̈́̄̒̅̊͂̋̀̄̚͘͜͠͠͠͝l̷̢̹̩̗͙̬̥͚̺̺̲͎̺̤̲̬͉͕͙͖̳̼̟̦̯͚̿ͅ!

T̶͓̮͓̦̲̹̟͙͖̞̝̦̹͕̞̟̝͆̂̓̈͛͊͊̐͑͝͝h̶̡̠͍̳͙̞̫̠̮̥̜̖͖̘̼̬̟͚̞̓̀̓̅͛͐̔̈́̌̒̀̃̾̋͜͝͝͝ȇ̵̡̧̡̧͈͕͙͚̤̪͕̗͇͕̲̲̤͚̞̞̜̳̳͙̞̱̹̥̼̹̻̺̼̞̙̱͆̾̒̀̊̕͘͜͜͝ ̸̧̧͖͚͎̘̬̣̭͕̦̻͕͙̤̝̈́̉̐͒͋͝c̷̢̧̹̻̯̹̯̠͕̥̙̭̝͔̰͓̜̠̭̟͓̰̈̈́͑̐͐͌̈̄̋̈́͆̈́͑̄͌̃̕̕͘͝ͅȯ̸͎̼̲̮̦̩͇̥̮͉̻̦̟̖̓̏̅͆̓̂͂͆̾̐̐̈́̎̀̆̄͛͊̐̾̓̔̄̃͒͒̀̾͘͝͝r̷̛͓̜̘̞̳̹̤̻̗͖̣͔͈͇̠̪̼̬̗͉̦̹̗̫̥̻̰̆̔̆͊̅̀̆̋̌͂͂ͅŗ̵̨̛̱͚̫̠̼̭̥̝͈͕͕͎̫͔͚̠̗͙̬̦̱̪̟̻̺͓̣̘͔͔̆̌͐̋̑͛̓̀̈́̽̈́͑̆̿̄̈́̀͒̓̉̉̐͛̓̾̾̀͊̚̚̚͠ͅͅự̶̻̘̲̹̄̈́̿͒͆͆͗̆̃̈̚͝ͅp̷̡̢̢̧̛͇̗͖̼͎̙̭̥̝͈̖̣̳͖̟̝̳̦̣̘̜̹̮̥̲̓̊̿̆͑́̈͗͗̇̂̽͒̚̕͜͜͠t̵̢̛̛̛̤̪̹͕̼̫͎̝̲̯̩̭̘̰̱͕̪̖͉̹̼̮̬̗̪̼̘̞̋̈̉̿͂̏̉́̌́̃̓̏̓̈́̈́̋̀́̔̕̕̚ị̸̢̨̻̫͎̝̞̥̼̮̺͚͖̭̮͍͛͆̐̄͌̽́̿̅̏̈́̀̿̆̐̐̈̆̈́͗̓̇̿̎̂͋̿̒͆̑̏̍͗̀͘̚͠o̴̢̡̨̢̰̫̯̰̙̼̫͖͈̠̤͕͙̰̳̘̤̯͍͕̣͖͍̠͔͉̫̜̠̒̑̈́͑̈́͘̚͜͜ṅ̶̨̙͖̖̤̳̫͇̞̣̤͓̰̗̗͇̣̣̚ ̷̧̧͙̱͙̦̟̾̇̋́̏̎̌́̈́͗̀͂͋̄͒̓̽͂̂̚̕̚͠͝͝d̵̡̡̛̛̤̗͇̭̬̳̲̣͎̙͈̱̮͈̺͓̱̞̻̪̞͉̣̟̜͈̩̯̹̹̰̖̥̦̈́̈́̀̂͋̓͆̀̈̚͜͠ͅȇ̴̡̧̧̛̛̺̤̭͙͇͎̱͚̲̳̖̘̼̪̤͕̝̜̔̾̃͆̄́̀̇̿̓͑́͊̀͗̑̄͋̊̈́̈̀̎̈̆̕͜͠͝͝s̸̞͈̩͍̠̹̞̞͔͓͔͕͉̼̻͈̱̠̔͗̍̎͂͌̑̽͛͛̓̍̐͑̉̂͂͝ͅṱ̵͈̘̮͓̈͆̍͂̿͋̅̇̅̍̒̆̾͂̾̄̇̉̈̾͛̆̽͌̽̄̐́̚͠͝͝r̶̡̢̨̨̡̛͚̦͎̳̤̭͇͎̥̻͎̲͈̪̭͍̭̳͙͕͕͐̾͛̊͌̄̓͐̀̀̐̇̾͊̂̐̒͛͗̍̕͘̕͜͜͠ͅọ̷̢̹̇̐̑͑̓̂̾̒̄̑̔̽̽̓̃̑̾͋̐̀̄͌̊̏͘͠͝y̴̧̲̜̟̯̘̰̬͓̙̮͈̬͚̮͉̣̯̹̰̙̱̰͒̋̈̊̽̉̕ͅs̵̛̗̽̀̐̐̑̂͊̆͑̉̕͘ ̸̢̭̬͔̟̳͈͎̃̑ȳ̴̰̘̠̮̙̯͉͇̯̝̣͈̝̼̜̰̜͎͈̩̙̗͉̻̤̲͇̞̟̭͍̮̖̍͒̽̐͆́͒̌̓̑͌͒͐́͋̎̀̀̓̊̾͋̔̔̈́̑̿̾̈́̚̕͠o̷̧̗̟̰͇̙͕̻̰̦͖͕̠͎̮͓̮̳̱̪̹̮͈͚̲̰̝̝̬̠̞̺͂͊̎̂͂̋̌͌́͆̂̽̅̍̽̉̃̔͘͠͠͝ͅu̴̧̧̡̩͎̬̞̭͈̲̻̲̯͎͙̭̩̩͖̯̪͙̬̹̙͍̰̟̖̠̅͗͆̒͋͋̏͗͂̈́̈́̇̒̐̿̂̽͋͆͘͜r̴̛̝̺̙͔̤̠̻̟͚͔͑͂̂͂́̈́̆͊̓͊̔̑̇͗̔̈́̐́̊̌̆̐̋̄̄̒̈́͆͋́̿͘͘͝ ̴̡̢̛̜̖̺̤͈̲̟̥̲͉͖̩͔̤̗̪̖̖̦͕̘̯͍͚̞͍͇͔̭̮̔̈́̍̍̉̏̇̂͌͑̐͋͋̄̓̐͆̈́̂̂̌̓̈́̌̚͘͘̕͜͠͝͝͝ͅͅb̶̢̢̨̢̨̢̛̖͓̮̟̞̻̰͇̪̙̻͙͕͇̠̲̻͈̜̈́́̿̉͛͐̄̇̄̏̑̐̀̊͛̍̿̈̐͛͌́̈̀͐̈́̿͊̎͑̑̉͘͜͜͝͝ơ̶̡̧̧̢̠̖͚̗͙̩̪̳͇̝̞̠̲̺̬̹̖̱̩̞̝̭̹̘̗̘̤͇̗̠̲̝̮̟̆̾͊̒͊͌̽̏̾͆͂̂̎͋̍̑̍͒̂͌͒̌̂̑̕d̶̢̧̫̪̺̹̹̘̞̹̥̙̤͔̤̗̥̼͖̪͎̮͉̬̳̬̻̘͒͌ͅͅy̵̧̰͚̥͖̺͇̙̦̮̳̖̺͙̝͈̺͉͖̟͍͓̹͊̚!̷̞̩͎̗̳͓̩̬͖̇ ̷̡̧̢̡̠̲̼̠̦͔͎͈͕̟̥̠̤̲̥̰͚̞͗̑͒̔͛͑͂̓͘͜͜͝

Ṡ̷̫̑͗́̌͆̅̐̂́͌͋͒̾̽̽̒̂̏͘̕p̴̘̯̟̺̺̤͙̣͚̺͕̤̄̆̒́̂͌̈́̅̀͒͗̆̆̿͛̽̂̓̑̂̕͘ȩ̶̛̲͇̫̙̥̝̭̩̤͖̘̟̳̬̭͔̜̼́́̆̉̐͗̀̊̉̓̎͋̍͂́̌̽͗̉̈́̍̚͝͝c̵̼̘̤̠͕͙̮̦͓̺̘̜͙̯̹̓̔́͛̓̔̂͗̾̍́̋͗͆̒́̄̈͘͠ǐ̴̧̛̹͔͙̜͍͚̍͒͛͆͒ͅe̵̡̞͚̙̫͎̘̙̦̲̝̰̙̦̠̯͚̪̱̬͊̈́̒͘͝ͅs̵̡̡̛̼̝̬͈̝̙̦̯̹̥͙̦͓̃̌͌͒̐͆̿̐͗̓̑͋̎̋̑͛̅͑͒̌̐͘͜ ̵̮̳͇̠͔͙͔͙͉̬̺̗̪̘̱͆͋̑́̂͝D̵̢̗͈̠͉̬̣͎̦̘̤̓̐̎͐̅e̴̢̨̝̮̮̰̪̤͕͚̞̖͇̣̬̙͍̫̰̙̿̒̋̾̽͌g̸̨̧̛̛̠̪͔̖̦͖̫̱̜̠͈̯̝̤͙̝̙͙͉̰̼͉̝̪̠̏̀̓̽̑̽͆̎̅̏̊͊̈̍̈́̕͝ȩ̸̨̨͖͕̞͙̹̞̱͙̖̬̗̥̣̜̫̤͎̘͓̱͓̥̓̅̃̈́̂̏̊͒̽̚͘̕ǹ̴͈̹̘͎̺̹̜͓̰͈̾̉͜ȩ̷̜̬̔͛́̈̓̂̃̈́̅͋̂͌͘̕͠r̶̬̖̥̝͓̻͈̯̩͇̰̦̬̰̺͚̥̻̙̈́̏͊͋̊͂̾̌̆̆̈̀͘ͅa̴̧̧̝̠̣̩̳̗̗̘͙͕̠̤̙͍͈̽̋̍͐̀̄̚̕͜͠͠ͅț̶̼̘͚͓̲̞̎̏̑̑̆̌i̶̤̗̤͍̗̒͑́̐͑͜ö̶͍̟͙̪̲̹́͆̌̿͌̏̽͝ņ̵̧̛͎̙͓͓̫͖͍͉̯̖̙̟̟̼̦̬͕̄̈͐̂̌͌̆̑̂̒͆̎:̵̧͚̞̫̲̾̽̕

[̴̨̨̧̛̜̖͖̖̠̲̗̩̮͚͓̘͚̫̼̫͍͖̠̖̓͛͊̈́̈́̿̂̕͜͝W̴̛̰̬̙͎̻͎̰̙̳͉̭̘͓͓̯̣̓͂̉̂͊̑̊͌̌͒̍̈́̄̆͗̔͌͆̄́̊̄͑į̶̧̡̡̛̟͔͈̮̘̩̗̣͓̒̉͛̃͑͐̋̆̈́͊̉͗̂͑̾̓͗͑͘͘͘͝n̶͎̪͉͖̫͑̓͌̓̈́͑̇̂͐̃̒̍̆̕͠ǵ̶̝̰͔͍̜͔́̏̀̌͒e̴̠͉̭͖͖̯͔̥̘̘̾̕ď̵̛̼̻͍̝̹͇̗̘͖͇͓̤̳̦͎͙̣̺̀̿̉̽̈̽̊͘͜͠ ̶̢͎̥̯͕̳̞̼͕͖̯̥̠̣͈̳̝͇̮̼͊̌̒̓͂͆̐̓̑́̉͑͒̈̐̕ͅͅẆ̶̡̨̧̡͕͈͎͔̝̫̙̥̝͚͚̘̤̳̮͒̃̊̿̎̂ͅy̶̡̡̧͖͕̭̙̞͍̥͚̫͇͖̤͈̤̺̳̺̩̮̼͎̲̅̎͆͐̂̈́̆́̏͛̈́͑̀͑̓͌̂̚̕͜ͅv̸̢͕͚̜̮̞͎̜̘͎̬̘̰̠͕̫̤͕͗̎̃̔͆͐̈̊̑͘͜͠e̴̢̯̜͉͚̘̩̙̱͆̅̓͆̓̾̊̈̓̉̌̓̋̔̿̓̆͑̊̎̈́͘̕͝r̵̛͍̞̦̭̩̥̭̫͎̫̠̩̰̠̹̝̤̥͒̇̽̆̉̊̈̄͐̈̔͑̽̽̿͘̕̚͝ṇ̸̡̨̨͖̞̹̪̤̃̔̆̋͜]̶̫̙̖̞͎͇̭̦̾̿͊ ̷̧̖̭̗̝̟͈̩̳̬̻̬̤̲̜̆̑̑̾́̓͒̂͊̀̐̏͌̕̚͜͠ͅ-̴̡̖̖̫̫̩̩̮͍͇̹̮̖̤͉̝̙̮̬̪̥̳͇̏̾̄͠>̶̛̛̰̱͎̫̫͇͉̒͊̋̊̒̎̓̓̐͛̌̎̓̓͘͠͝ͅͅ ̵̧̛͉̝͇̝̻̞͎̫̪̥̂̂̈́̏̈̔̃͒́̽̏͒͊̕͝[̶̻͕̹͇̱̝̞̤̏̓̏͗̕̚̚̚Č̴̡̨̢̛̛̛̤͍͓̔͂̄͝ơ̴̢̡̦̤͈͓̙̯̲͎͕̣̫͙͔̥͖̟̼͖̫͙̯̊̂͆̒̀̈̑̀̀̅̊͑̓̎͂͑́́͘͜͝͝͝ͅͅr̸̡͎̘͍̲̩̩̯̮̞̥͕̰̐͐̄̇͂̇́̎͗͊͐̕͘͝ŕ̶̞͕̟͙͙̔̑̆̾͂̃́͗̒͂͑̊̽͊̃̿̚̚̚͝ų̴͉͈̝͉͈̳̲̦̖̅̏ͅp̷͖̼̒͆̓̓̇̒̈́̊̆͘͝͝ţ̵͍̯͕̜̥̘͕͔̭̩̱̟͙͙̯̝̦̗̮̟̩̥̦̺̖̎̃̌̋̔͗̓͑̓̇͑̈́͊͒͊͘̚ě̶͕̪̖̹̣̂̀͑̽͌̈́̉̐̈͆͋̆͂͌̃́̊͌̀̏̚̕͝͝͝d̸̡̧̢̰̺̘̞̥̪͓͉̖͍̰̳̩̄̌͐̉̐̃̀̇͌̓͑͊̈́̈́̀́̀̑̓̔͐̕͝ ̵̡̨̧̼̖̫̪͉̪͉͈̱̦̮̮͇̰͖̖̖͓̣̤̎͑͌̓͐͝͠Ẉ̷̨̢̧̲̪͉͔̰̦̲̗̗͓͈̲̻͓́̂͂̒͐̿̏̎͗́̿͋̓̀͊̊͘͝ý̷̨̡̢͎̠̤͖͙͎̦͖̰͙̣̬̗̘̞̳̮̤̩̀́͑̎̓̒̅́̎͌̔͜v̶̥̺͔̠̌̅̉̓͗̋̇̈́̀̾̓̎͜͝ȅ̵̢̢̱̖̭̖͔̭̖͔͎͙͚͎̠̍͂͒͂̊͂̀̃͛̋̊̐͆̿̾̚̕̚r̸̤͙̞̺̼̥̼̊͊̽̎̈́̐̏̐͛͂͘͘n̸͓̺͙͚̑́̇̅́̏̈̐͛͜͝]̶̝̺̪̉́̈̒̈́̍̌́͛͂͐͝͝͠

̸͔͌͗͂̋̐̌̓͘

S̸̡̞͍͓̻͓̣̱͕͔̬̟̙̹̰̿͋͌̀̄́̒͗̀̍̎̇͛̒̀̊̚͠ű̵̧̖͇͔̻̦̪̯̳̥̪̺͌͋͒̃̇̒̑̋̎̽̆́̒͗͛̕͠b̵̢̲͈̗͕́̽͒̃̃͂̄̈́̈́̇͑̓̏̌̒̆̂̊̚̕s̸̲͙̻̪̣͓͈̺̯͙͕͔̹̹̞͓̗͔̽͑͜͜͜p̴̧̨̬̖̗̦̰͊̐̋͐̒̂͌̄̓̀̆̓͛͛̀̑̈ę̶̞͖̬̖̞̮̗͓͎̹̻̰̩̦̹̪͕̬͉͓̙̦͊̑͐̓c̶̨̡͚̖̣̤͍͉̺͙̰͖͖̘̱̱͎̗͖͉͔͈͓̱͐͊̾͌́̍͂̈́̑̚͝ͅî̶̢̡̡̧̧̩̟̯̺̠̭̝̲̭̻̻̱̈̆̄̂̽̈́̕͘̕͜ę̶̨̫͎͓̫̲̱̺̤̣̰̖̲̘̿͒̆͌̈́̏̈́̍̏̈́͠͠ş̷̢̛̛̞̰̼̪̱̜̘̮̫̟̖̜̩̻̬̩͈̣̰͒̒̋̔̉̿̊̌̐̑̐̇͌͆̐͝ͅ ̶̡̡̲͇̼̙̭̦̪̺̺̜̪̹͗̅̾̔̓͐͗̓͆͐̉̀̐͛̊̐̒̕̚͜͜D̸̢͙̹̘̹̗̖̟͇̦͈̼̲̲͎̏͊̄͂̄̀̄̾̏̆͘͘ę̸̨̢̖͍͚̖͎̥̤͔̤͈̝̪͚̓̒̃̆ͅg̵̟͙̮̬͆̀̿̀̄͂̈́̌͒̐̾̌̚͝e̵̛͈̽͆̏͆̋́̐͒̈͑͐̈́̓̏̄̽̅͝͝͝ņ̵̨͉̤̻͚̲͍͔̹͉̾́͆̾͛̋͊̽̄̀̇̊̃̐͘é̸̢͚͚̘̦͍̠̝͕͈͌͂̓̊͝ŗ̶̛̠̹̪̪̙̘̙̭̲̱͕̪͇̗̂̔̂̎̉̃̂̅̓̇͂́͆͌̚͝͝ă̶͙͇̋̊̇̓̄͂͌̇̄͑͋̆̍̈́͛͒̍͑̚t̶̨̗̩͍̙̗̫͚͕̣̹̗̳̣̤̗͎̱̘̩̬͓̦̳̞͕̊̐́̀̾̑̽̂̓̏̎̈́͗̓͊̕͘͘ͅì̴̛̠̳̯̈́͂͑͌͑̑̌̃̊̌̐̀̉̋͗̽̿̈́̈̕͝ǫ̸̢̛͓̫͚̘̺̳̞̩̘̯̪͓̼͌͗ṇ̸̢͓͉̦̠̠͚͕͈͚̞͍̉͋̏̈́́̉̈͂̇̂͒̔̓͆̒̀̃̓́̕͘͜͠:̵̨̛̥͓̫̺̗̖͎͔̜̺͉̙̤̪̘̜͔̈͂̃̓̀̾̈̆̚͠ͅ

[̶̧̪̖̪͇̘͓̫͆̑́̆̃̈́̈́̊͊́̇̅̓̕͠͝Ĺ̶̹͍̺̝͍̞̗̣̦̭̥̼̃̇͛̒̐̍̚ȩ̴̨̢̧̤̼͎̻͕͉͓͔̞̞̖͇̉̆͆͐̾̒̋̈́̋̀̾̐̔̚͜ş̶̧̢̺̪͓̟̣͍̥̱̺̦̦̝̟͐̏͆̈́̇̈́̑͑͆̂͘͜ͅͅs̷̢͈̍̀͝͝ȩ̷̡̡̪̼̻͚̫̙̥͕̳̞̼̱̱̟̮͈̀̈́͛́̊̅͑̃̒̋͊͑͗̓́͒̿̃͒̽̓̓̆͗͘͝ȓ̴̢̡͚͎̠̦̼̗̰̳̙̘̙̖͍̯̰̠͚̬̯͓̭̦͐́̀̏̆̀̽̈́̒͋̈́͐́͘̚͘̚̕͝͝ ̴̡̡̛̭͔̥̤̖̙͎̼̼̲̣̩̮͎̳̫̞̠̞͕͎̙͖̣̫͒͒̆͐͂̈́̋́͛̓̋͛͑̃̃̿̋̃̔̓̊͊͘̚͠F̸̢͍̥͖̗̖̮̺͕̪̻̐̿͒r̴̨̧͓̥̦̺͎̳̯͈͎̠̙͙̱̟͑͑͐͛͂͌͆̕͘͜o̶̡̨̜̪̜͉̻͈̹͈͔̳̩̯̦̻̻̳̦͕̖̣̺̙͕͂̏̔̐̒̆͒̽̽̂̽͜͝͠͝ś̴̢̧̖̲̝̥̰̳̩͉̝̯͙͔̗͎͇̜̱͍̝̊ͅẗ̷̢̢̛̛͈̘̻̳̥́͂͑̊̒̌̌̕͠ ̶̳͖̞̪͚̟͉̟͇̠͊̇̎͆̄͛̐̋̈́͑͆̃͋̈́̅́͂̄̓̀͌͑̽͝͠Ẅ̴̫͔̠̫͓̲̟͎́̈́̄͋̓͑̓̇̐͠ẙ̷̛̛͈̳̹̝̤͈̬̩͈̫̥͙͔͙̤̊̾̏͂̍̈́̀̊́̊̌̂̎̓̾̈́̐̋̂̽̏̎͜͝͝v̶̢̧̹̹͍͇̯̬͇̖̆̓̋͑̑̊̉͑̎̈͐̂͊̃̚͜e̸͓̦͉͉̯̦̞̱̐̋͛͆͐̂̄̇͂̅̐̇̅̃̌̈͜͠ŗ̷̡͎͎̮̲̠͔̼̲̙̪͚̊͛̃͐̋ͅͅn̷̢̫̼̫̜̜̭͈̭̞͕͓̹̖̳̳͔̮͚͖̥̯͍͇̿̅̈́̈̽͒́̒̾̓̆̂͊̎̍̀̇̑̋̅̚͜͠͠]̴̛̛̛̝̝̱̖̝̖̤͔̗̤̟̻͔̟͇͙̭̜̇̋̅̇͋̓͛̅̒̈́͗̌̑̿̃̉͂̄̔̕̚̚͝͠ͅ ̴̨͔̤̤̟͇̠̼̓͗͐̃̐͜-̵̟̜̫͉͚͔̱͎̤̱͉̙̻̯̻̊̓͜>̴̹̠͎̝̐̏́̎̍͋̀͋̐̉͒̒̔́͑̀̈́͊͌̀͘̕͝͝͝͝ ̸̡̛̛͖̤͇̫̺͚͙̝̠̻͚͙͔̲̒́̇̅͂̐̽̽́̓̿̀͑̂͌̒͊̒́̾́̾̌͝[̴̢̢͙͔͇̥̮͓͉͈̮̥̫̫̠͙͗ͅͅ-̷̞̱̞̝̭̫̞͍̋̂͌̅̈́̂͘̚-̶̡̩̬̣̖̬̱̥̾̽̊͋́̕͘-̵̡̧̟̩̳̺̪͇̮̺͇̓͛͛̐̔̈͜ͅ-̶̛̛̥͎̗̻͔̹̮̘͓̦͑̋̓̔̽̇́̈̀̿̈́͆̐͒̒̎̍̿̎̈́̃̈́̕͠ͅ ̴̧̮̖͕͉͇̣͚͈̫̎̊̊Ẅ̵̥͋̓͊̽͋͋̃͌̿͒̊̇̓͛͑͗͘͘͝y̵̨͖̟̤̗̥̜͚̳͓̽̌̇̂̀̅͌͑͝v̴̧̨̛̠̝̟̭͕̫̹̺̩̯̯͙͇͕͉̜̹̠̟̮̽̉̅̕͜͝ē̴̱̻̥̠̗̻̇̇͑ͅṛ̸̢̛̻̩̰͕̮̠̍͆͗̌̇̍͆̐̈̂̂̂͑̊̾ń̴̛̦̘̼͔͈̲̝̺̰̿̐̀͂̽̏̾͗̋̅̈͘̕̚]̶̟̟͙͖̣̩͈̳̭̍͒͛̍

Š̴̡̻̟͎͈̖͎̺̃̈́̆̀̂̈́̀̈́͒̀͠k̸̖̘̜͎̘̻̘̺͇͕̒͂i̸̡̢̡̡͖͕̲̠̱͕̻̳̞͔̩̤͍̳̖̼̓͊̇̂̆̅̾̔̈̒̇͑̀̈̀͐͗́͘͜͜͠ļ̶̢̣̜̼̖̬̫͈̝̝͕̗̙̥͔̰̲̮̻͙̜̻̠̬̌͋͊͛̾̐̔͋̋̌̋͑͌̈́̅̈̈̏͋̓̎͂̎̐̽̕͠ͅl̵̛̯͙̺̖̐́̿̄͛̅̀͗̓̍͘ ̵̨̢̧̡͉̫̮̮͎̗̟̥̠̻̳̹̬̱͙̲͈͉̈́͛͗̈́͋́̄̏̇̈́̓̔͜͝͝͝ͅ[̶̢̛̫̦̟̪͕͈̪̬̩̪̩̳̮̺̩̉͋͑̇͆̈́́̋̂̔́͂̒̋͛̅̐̉̐͂̎͘͠͝͝F̵̢͚̥͇̩̦̥̹̊̃̈́̔̋́̑̀̋͑̿̓̔̓ͅr̴̡̧̖͖̘̦̰̦̙͚͎̖͚̩͉͕̩̹͔̳̐͑̏͘ó̵̢̡̨͓̩͔̘̬̗̗̞̯͚̹̭̺̟̪̙̺̈̒̈́͛̉͘͜ͅs̵̢̢̨̭̤͕̟̟̙̱͎̼̘̱̯͍̝͖̼̼͕͇͓̳͕͐̀̒͋̆̈́̈́̚ͅͅt̴̡̨̡̢̩͚̬͍͉̳͉̰̪̳͇͎̹̙̱̪͓̻̥̭̪͎̊̾̍͗̇͌̈́ ̵̢͈͉̦̳͇͉̘̤̹̘̫̮̻̲̩͖̊̔̊̈́̃͆͂̿̄͋̀̌͝B̶̢̨̰̦̙̟̤̯͔̲̟̌̔̓̌̽r̶̨̧̤͈͚͉̺͎̭̃̀̀͆͑̚͜ę̶̡̧̛̹̰͍͉̯̖͔̝̖̼̪̳̪̯͉̫̯̼͕͎͑̓̓̿̏̀̽̐̓̕͠ä̸̡̡̰̘̟̻̩̠̹̟̰̬̫̠͎͔͇͉̳̩̠͙̤̦̟͍́̾̑̈́͛̄̔̏͐̀̇̈̍̄͛͑̓̀͘͝͝͠͝ͅţ̶̧̠̻̫̤̜͆̂̎͑͋́̔͗͜͝͝h̴̢̬̹̗̦͙̲͖̜͖̩̦̤̭͎̞̳̱̘͎̭͉̀̿̋̿̏̏̔͐͂͜͜͜ͅ ̸̢̨̢̡̨̢͖̠͉̥̭̩̻̼̬͍͈̭̺̪̯̳̺̼͆̓̉̍̽͊̃̓͋̂͜-̴̢̨̢̪̻̺̞̪͇̯͔̤̖̤̜͓̬̳̳̝͙̰̐́͗͐͜ ̶̧̢̧͇̼̱͕̳͈̗̦̗̳̬͕̱̻̠̜̜͈̪̻̙͍̫̊̈́͌̾͐͑̑̃͑̅̏̌̈͆̀̑͜L̷̢̨̡̛͔̺̱̘̻͖̪͕̹̤̫̲̤̹͈͖̠͍̖̓̄̅̽̉̋̒͋̚͘͝v̷̢̧͉̪͚̼̙̱̜͈͇̈̃̔́̎͑̉̑́͐̋̿̊͑͗͆̍͘͝͝ĺ̶͎̮͈̞̦̥͔̗̦̂̿̀͑̈̏̐̽͆̅ ̵̖̱̫͈̺̥͚̘͕͊3̸̡̢̢̧͈̻̱͓͇̣̳̭̗͍̫̠͉̫̰̞͓̉̔̅̄̂̀̊̈́̓̎̓̐̎͒͗́̈́̽̌͘͝͠͝͠0̷̝̤̩̼͎͕͚͝ͅ]̵̢̢̡̻̲̱͎͍̱͙̘̪͚̤̤͖͓̠͎̼̗͐̊͊͊̾̈́̉́̇̋́̇͑̕̚͘ ̴̢̢͎̤͖̭͕̠̫͕͌͂̔́͋̆̽̃̎̈́Ĺ̷̨̺̞̓̉́̔̍̌͑͗͋͂͋̿̈́͐̓͆̒̊̊̓͒̕͠͝ờ̵̖̙̖̝̪̹̬͖̼̝̀̀̑̍̽̾͛̌̋̇̈́̒͒̍̑̕͠s̴̜͎͓̉̎̽̅̑̽̌̒̓̀̽̔̀̓̇̐͑́̓̅̏̍͘̚t̶̨̜͎̠͉̩̦͙͓̠̝͈̞̙̻͖̠͉͓̬̥̗͖̟͓͗̈́̽—̴̻̳͈̆́

S̷͓̪̹̩̍͂̅͒̀̅̅̐̒̑̋̀͛͒͊̊̓͑̔̎͘̚̕͝ḱ̴̯͖̱͙̫̤̻͇͓̤̮̜̘͉̮̮̙̝͕͉͔͓͙͇͜͝i̸̧̭̩͖͙̺͂̎͂͑̽̊̈́̈͘͘͘͠l̵̨̧̧̧̛͍̣̹̰͇̙̫̹̰͓͔̺͇̠̜̭̆̀́̓̎͘͠͠͠l̷̨̢̢͕̖̗̥̳̲̲̩̝̠̻͕̭̠̺̖͔̼̭̟̘̠̅͐͊̆ ̵̙̱͇̳̘͈̣̌̀̈́̋͑̈́̆[̴̘̫͓̲͇̪̦̻̣̘̆̀̏̍̏Į̴̯͍̻̭̉̿̐̉͋͋̇c̵̛̣̫̙̮̈́̒͒̎̃͌̐̆͛̽̋̈́̌̆́̾̇̄̒́̃̽̕̕͝ë̴̬͉̩͐̒̈́̊̔̀̈́͗͊̑͆̀͐̃ ̴̨̲͓̠͚͂̎͜͠ͅM̶̡̩̤͇̭̪͎͙͈͖̗͖̞͔̳̀̏̉͐̀͛́̑̓̍͐̏̔̓̚͠ͅͅͅ—̶̛̯̈́͒̐́̆̕

The lone Wyvern’s consciousness began to fade as she let the corruption take over her. All she could dream of was vengeance. Or… no. Not vengeance. She dreamt of protecting her kin. Her people. As that final thought plagued her mind, regret sank in.

And she wished she didn’t succumb to that which destroyed her home.

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Wyvern - Lvl. 142]

“What is that?”

Helena Warshade stared in shock as the former Mistress of Remnants’ body twisted into itself. The world around the Wyvern tore apart, rippling with the familiar distortion I’d seen twice before. I leap back, and my clones readied themselves.

“That’s the corruption! Get back! It’s dangerous!”

“The corruption?”

Repeating after me, the Archmage stupidly stayed where she was instead of actually listening. I scowled as the world itself began to warp and tear, permeating the corruption to everything that was around it. A fissure seemed to whip out at Helena Warshade, and that was when she finally moved out of the way.

The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy unleashed a crackling lightning bolt into the center of the corruption, but it swerved into the distorted mass and joined it. The corruption grew larger. Helena Warshade stared.

“What… is going on? That is not any space magic I’ve seen.”

She struggled to even articulate herself as her cloud circled around the corruption. I scowled, looking into the blurry figure of the Wyvern with [Planar Navigation].

“That’s because it’s not! It’s the corruption. You know, the thing that comes from the Endlands?”

“The End… what—”

She started, only for a flying rock to shoot her way. The Archmage barely conjured a barrier in time as I narrowed my eyes.

“Focus! You can’t attack it, but we can still stop this!”

It wasn’t like the [Ancient Centinel] which seemed to have control over the corruption. I remembered the transformation when I battled it— the Corrupted Centinel. It transformed all at once, and it retained its sanity.

But the Wyvern? The former Mistress of Remnants? She made garbled noises as she shrieked, breaking apart and dying. It was completely different. The corruption was taking control over her.

I turned to Helena Warshade as the corruption began to spread out.

“Can you use space magic?”

“I can only cast space magic spells equal to a level 70—”

“That’s good enough! I need you to contain it!”

My clones and I charged forward as I reached out with [Mystical Projection]. The pair of invisible arms tore into the corruption, pushing it apart as Helena Warshade supported me from behind. The corruption was almost palpable— I could feel it pushing me back and digging into my skin.

I grimaced, and my clones leapt in front of me to lead the charge. Their flaming skins flaked off with each step we took. Behind me, I heard Helena Warshade mutter and point at the area around us.

“Cube of Isolation.”

The ground beneath me shifted, like it was overlaid with a box. And the box began spinning, shrinking as it trapped myselves and the Corrupted Wyvern. The corruption grew thicker the instant it was cordoned off, and I couldn’t hear anything outside of this faux pocket dimension.

I got closer and closer as the corruption grew wilder. The pocket dimension began to crack, the corruption threatening to leak out once more. One clone vanished as I used [Mystical Projection] to finally pull apart the distorted Wyvern hide. Finally, I caught sight of the source of the corruption.

Blood. It was blood. The former Mistress of Remnants was nothing now but a mosaic mess of scales and hide and wings, but her blood continued to flow. Even without a body. Even without anything to course through. It moved faster and faster, glinting with ever-changing colors as it hovered at the center of the mass.

A voice cried out as another of my clones dissipated, bubbling away into distorted wisps.

“̴͎̟͎̲͉̅̇͝M̴̺̣̬̭̹͎̿̔͊̎̏̃͛́͂͜y̵̨̗͎͎̪͓̼͖̠̻̮̑̓ͅ k̸̢̗͎̓̎̾́͐̑̊͂͆͝i̶̯̪̳̐́͜n̷̜̱͈̰̭̦͇̺̻͓̮̔̃̂̆̉͋͛͋̓̑͑ͅ…̴̨̝̰͙̭̳̰̾́”̵̢̜̟̗̟̙̹̀̍̽͂̇̈́̌͂̊̃̕͝

“What? How are you even talking?”

It echoed around me like a whisper. I stared at the former Mistress of Remnants’ head as it wheeled around me. Its eyes faced my direction, crystal clear despite the blur that was everything else.

“̵̭̤͎̻͈͔͍̩̍́͑̓͒̚P̴͈̲̜̩̲͇͛̇̍̅͂̃́̃͗̀̕ͅl̵̦͒́̅͛̒ȩ̷̻̩̣̰͓̗͉͎̻͋̍̏̑̍̔͜͠å̵͓̣̥̙̮͉̻̻̲͆͒̈́̇̌ṣ̸̩̰͈̩̭͔̘͎̳̹̱̉̂̈́e̴̢̗͈̘̯͔̺̪̼̥͓̟͆͊̃̔́̀̆̇̀͠…̵̢̩̦͎͕̠͚̞͈̈́̑͌͌͋͛̓̓̿̀́͘”̸̢̡̣̞͙̬͖̝̯͗̂͗͌̇̂͆͑̂̃͝

I felt my grip over my [Mystical Projection] growing numb. Like when I’d been fighting the Cursed— or Corrupted— Boulder. A third clone died, and I was left with just one another clone as the Cube of Isolation failed. I gritted my teeth as I felt my body twisting, trying to tear itself apart.

“I’m a bit busy right now—”

And I recoiled. The Wyvern head stopped right before my face. I stared directly into its hollow, dead eyes. The mouth moved.

“Save them.”

It spoke in a clear voice. I blinked. It was the voice of the Mistress of Remnants. I looked at it, uncomprehending. But it didn’t matter. As the Cube of Isolation shattered, the Wyvern parts suddenly… receded.

All at once, the corruption was forcefully withdrawn to the broken body of the Wyvern. No— it looked like the Wyvern’s distorted corpse was containing it. Whatever it was, I saw a way out.

I threw myself back as my clone hurled herself into the twisted mass. The corruption seemed to reject her. It wanted to repel my fiery clone and send her flying. But she went through even the corruption. Thanks to Partial Phasing, she slipped through the cracks of space and reached the center of the mass.

I braced myself as I spun around, and I saw a flash of red. Just as I looked away, my clone detonated. She erupted into a wild blast— perhaps it was because of the corruption, but I couldn’t control the size of the explosion.

Everything nearby was swept up by the golden flames. Even me. I readied myself to be burned by my own fire. But I heard a voice. I looked up just in time to see Edithe running down a few streets away with Willy and Daniel. She pointed at me.

“Salvos— [Aura of Greater Protection]!”

A flicker ran through my body. The familiar protective aura wrapped around me, and I beamed.

“Huh. Thanks Edithe—”

And I was engulfed in my own golden flames.

Defeated [-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Wyvern - Lvl. 142]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 132] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 133]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 98] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 99]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 99] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 100]!

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

[Advancement Available]

A note from MelasD

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354. Explaining Stuff and Other Boring Stuff

A note from MelasD

Yo, I have new merch in the store. It's relatively simple logo designs that come mostly in black and white but do check them out!

https://deltaverse-merchandise.creator-spring.com

354. Explaining Stuff and Other Boring Stuff

“Salvos!”

Edithe shouted, running forward as the golden explosion filled her vision. The red-haired woman recoiled and covered her eyes from the flashing light. It was a powerful blast— magic that came from Salvos. Or… a clone of Salvos.

It was honestly so much to take in for Edithe. The fact that Salvos could, firstly, create a clone of herself, and secondly, produce such extreme magic. The red-haired woman realized just how far the gap between them had become.

The explosion was uncontrolled. Distorted by something that made the golden flames lose its shape. It engulfed Salvos as Edithe could only watch. There was no shockwave, despite the size of the blast. It felt muted, somehow. Perhaps by that odd distortion.

All Edithe could do was watch in worry as the golden flames dissipated. An odd sensation mixed with the magic emanated from the center of the blast. Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder, speaking reassuringly.

“Salvos will be fine. Don’t worry.”

Edithe glanced over at him. She pursed her lips. And a flicker of flame flitted ahead of them. Willy gazed into the smoke as it cleared and said a single word.

“Alive.”

Both Humans paused. They leaned in, and they caught sight of a flash of silver. Salvos lay in ground zero— at the very heart of the blast. There was no crater. No shredded tiles. It didn’t even look like there had been an explosion. But the [Aura of Greater Protection] covering the silver-haired girl was gone.

“Huh.”

Salvos sat up, looking down at herself. She turned to Edithe and Daniel. The pair stared at her in both shock and relief. Then she grinned, flexing an arm.

“I’m pretty amazing, aren’t I? I could’ve killed myself!”

“Salvos!”

They both cried out as they ran over to her. She chuckled, getting to her feet, only to get tackled back down by a pair of hugs. Edithe gave the silver-haired girl a worried look.

“What was that? I’ve never seen anything like it. It… I could barely even see it.”

Edithe didn’t know what happened during the battle with the Wyvern flock. She saw Helena Warshade arrive. There had been lightning and thunder. The red-haired [Mage] sensed the immense magic being thrown around the battlefield.

Then something changed. For a brief moment, Edithe had felt an unsettling presence. She saw a ripple in space. And it was like staring into a void. The sight prickled on her scalp— like ants crawling on her skin. A sense of dread had settled in. Like she’d seen something so wicked. So unreal. Flowers made of flesh. The scraping of bone. It terrified Edithe, and it seemed she was not the only one who was affected by it.

Helena Warshade, the Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy, and leader of the Rising Veterans Company descended from her cloud. She faced Salvos with a look Edithe never expected to see on her face. A single bead of sweat slid down the side of her face as she breathed deeply.

“We need to talk.”

Salvos blinked. Helena Warshade glanced towards where the explosion had been. Then she steeled herself.

“And you’re going to explain everything about whatever that was to me.”

“Um… sure? But I just got my Class advancement. Could I do that first?”

The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy crossed her arms.

“No.”

We flew away from the destroyed city of Catark, watching the refugee camps forming just outside the city over the night. A few small convoys of soldiers had arrived from the nearby cities in the region after hearing the call for aid, and they were now maintaining the peace. Even a retinue of knights had arrived from Alyras to help.

But we had no reason to stay. We were adventurers, and we did our job exterminating the monsters. There had been dozens of Wyverns there, and we killed them all. I lay back on Helena Warshade’s cloud and stared up at the sable sky as I thought about it.

The Mistress of Remnants’ last words weighed on my mind. But before I could think too deeply about it, Helena drew my attention.

“Now tell me everything, Salvos.”

She spoke, seated on the cloud in a cross-legged position. Edithe and Daniel were at the very edge of the cloud, looking uncomfortable being in such close proximity with Helena Warshade. Willy rested on my shoulder as I shrugged.

“I mean… what is there to say? That was the corruption. It does things like corrupting stuff.”

Helena Warshade’s brows creased.

“I noticed.”

She got to her feet and paced around the cloud.

“I have never seen something quite like it. It wasn’t space magic. It wasn’t time magic. No— it wasn’t even magic. It twisted reality and made it a perverse version of itself. When I blasted it with lightning, I could feel it ripping my magic from me and turning it into something else.”

“Yep. That’s what it does!”

I nodded eagerly. Helena Warshade came to a halt. She wore an exasperated look on her face for a moment. Then she calmed herself. She looked at me with a sigh.

“How did you discover this corruption? Why have you never informed others about this discovery? Are you not a student of Mavos Academy? Does Headmaster Clayton Skyshredder know about this?”

I backed up from her, raising my hands.

“Woah, woah, woah. That’s a lot of questions at once! Give me a second to answer them, alright?”

The Archmage drew back, and I placed a finger on my chin in thought.

“So, um, I am in fact a student of Mavos Academy, yes. Clayton doesn’t really know about this. I haven’t told anyone about it. And as for how I discovered it? It’s kind of a long story, but basically…”

I regaled Helena Warshade of the time I was in the Beastmen Plains. I explained the whole ordeal with the Cursed Boulder and how I defeated it thanks to the help of the Breastplate of Alexander. She narrowed her eyes.

“And you attained possession of the Breastplate of Alexander due to your relationship with the Merrysters.”

“Yep! I was supposed to return it after I was done using it, but I kind of broke it?”

“I have heard.”

Helena Warshade closed her eyes, letting this information sink in. Then she frowned.

“But that still does not explain how you heard about this ‘Corrupted Boulder’ you encountered.”

“Oh, that?”

I shrugged, leaning back casually.

“My Dad told me about it. He said it’d help my space magic if I beat it up, so I beat it up.”

“I see.”

Helena Warshade took that in without much of a reaction. Of course she didn’t. She didn’t know me. But the other passengers on the cloud sputtered in shock.

“Wait, your Dad? You have a father, Salvos?!”

Edithe spoke up with wide eyes. She stared at me, the confusion evident. Daniel raised a brow.

“But I thought you were born from—”

The redhead’s gaze snapped to the side. She immediately placed a hand over his mouth, interrupting him as she spoke in a hurry.

“I thought you were born out of wedlock! And your dad left your mom before you were even born!”

I cocked my head.

“But I don’t have a mom?”

Edithe smacked her palm on her forehead, groaning. Daniel blinked a few times, then mouthed an ‘o’. Willy just chuckled as he watched them from over my shoulder.

Helena Warshade cleared her throat, cutting us off.

“I have heard of your father, Salvos. Clayton Skyshredder had informed me of this man called ‘Sal’. It is interesting how I have never heard of him before he visited Mavos Academy. Yet, somehow, Clayton estimates that he is comparable to an Elite in level.”

“Oh, that’s because he comes from a far away place! He rarely visits the Human lands! Usually just to check up on me and stuff.”

I waved a hand off with a smile. Then I glanced over the horizon. I saw Alyras in the distance. We were finally returning back to the city. I turned back to Helena Warshade.

“Anyway, is that all?”

“There is still much to discuss.”

She replied simply. I rolled my eyes, but the Archmage continued.

“However, that is all the questions I shall ask you today. There are other matters to attend to. And I believe there is something else that draws your attention.”

I perked up excitedly. I raised a hand, grinning as Edithe watched from the side with pursed lips.

“Yep! I just hit my Level 100 Class advancement!”

Finally, I could look through the options.

A note from MelasD

Yo, I have new merch in the store. It's relatively simple logo designs that come mostly in black and white but do check them out!

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355. Difficult Choices

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355. Difficult Choices

Salvos (Secely’s Sentinel) (The Devil’s Daughter)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 133

Class: [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] - Lvl. 100

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] - Lvl. 7

[Title Skill: General Status Effect Resistance] - Lvl. 1

[Ttle Skill: Invoke Wrath] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Protection of the Sentinel] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: The Devil’s Grace] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 155 (+30) (+10)

[Strength]: 145 (+30) (+10)

[Endurance]: 150 (+30) (+10) (+3)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+30) (+10) (+13)

[Agility]: 320 (+30) (+10) (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 5]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 10

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 20

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 17]

[Dimensional Pocket] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mass Particulate Modification] - Lvl 10 (Maxed)

[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 15 (Maxed)

[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Scattering Displacement] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Warped Time] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Advancement Available]

The words played in my mind as we arrived back in Alyras. We landed right at the palace, and were immediately bombarded by questions from those who’d stayed behind. Princess Rana Alyras wore a concerned look on her face as she approached me.

“What happened? Did you manage to deal with the Wyverns?”

“Yep! Helena took out most of them, but I killed a fair share on my own! Don’t worry, I was awesome!”

I waved off her worries, reassuring everyone that the threat was dealt with before excusing myself from the interrogation. I left Helena Warshade and my companions to answer everything else as I focused on one thing and one thing only. Edithe glanced my way right before I slipped away.

Requirements for four Class advancements have been met!

“Huh. Only four? I expected more.”

I wondered aloud once I was alone in a side room. I guess being at higher levels means there are fewer options. Although, I did only have three advancements for my Level 70 Class advancements. Four was a lot, anyway. More than for my Subspecies evolutions.

I could still hear the chattering from the other room over. But it was muted. And it was all drowned out once I immersed myself in my thoughts. Now, what are they?

Class advancement:

[Archmystic of the Nexeus]

An [Archmystic of the Nexeus] is a [Mage] who has achieved greatness. Power, friendship, knowledge. They have it all. What they have sought for all their life is now in their hands, yet they still find themselves wanting for more.

+25 [Wisdom]

+15 [Vitality]

+15 [Endurance]

+10 [Strength]

+10 [Agility]

“Huh.”

I furrowed my brows as I took in my first Class advancement option. Judging by its name, it was a direct advancement of my current Class. I’d go from a [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] to an [Archmystic of the Nexeus].

It was a tempting advancement, right off the bat. It offered me a good distribution of Stats, and it offered me a sense of safety. Like I knew it wouldn’t be such a drastic change from what I currently had. Still, I steeled myself. I had others to look through, and the description of the Class didn’t exactly feel right to me.

“Well, what about the next one?”

It… wasn't what I was expecting at all.

[Draconic Apprentice]

A [Draconic Apprentice] is one who’d followed the path of Dragonkind all their lives. Regardless of their current Class, they have taken up arms against the corruption and stymied its spread throughout the Nexeus. As the apprentice to Dragons, no power is limited from their reach, whether it be elemental in nature or other essences. After all, there is no limit to the soon-to-be divine…

+20 [Vitality]

+20 [Strength]

+20 [Endurance]

+20 [Wisdom]

+20 [Agility]

My jaw dropped. I blinked a few times, refocusing on the Class option. And, yep. I didn’t misconstrue it. It was a Class related to Dragons. I wasn’t even a Dragon! Or a Kobold! I was a Demon!

But it was right there, offering itself to me. And soon-to-be divine? It was literally telling me it would let me use divine essence on the regular if I went down this Class path. Unlike my first advancement Class option, it didn’t hint at any security. It was a complete and total shift from the goal I’d been progressing towards the entire time.

Yet, despite this, it offered me power. It piqued my interest, and made up for the drastic change in Class by expanding my abilities. Even its Stats distribution was greater than any Class or Subspecies I’d ever seen before.

“This is…”

I massaged my temples. My first two advancement options were already hard to choose from. It was nothing like when I was given my Subspecies options— those always felt obvious to me. This was actually hard.

It actually made me hope that my next Class advancement options sucked so the choice would be just between the first two. Unfortunately, it was good.

[Space Archmagus]

A [Space Archmagus] is one of the final advancements of the [Space Mage] Class. It is given to those who have peered deep into the cracks of space and seen the expansive nature of the reality encapsulating them. Reality would bend to their will, and space is but a tool to be used. A [Space Archmagus] is considered to be a proto-[Space Archmage] of sorts, since it offers many similar benefits of the [Space Archmage] Class, but is unlocked at Level 100 instead of Level 150.

+20 [Endurance]

+20 [Wisdom]

+15 [Vitality]

+10 [Strength]

+10 [Agility]

“So… I can become an [Archmage], but at Level 100— which is called an [Archmagus]?”

I cocked my head. I had learned during my time in Mavos Academy that [Archmages] were considered the top of the top for magic. Helena Warshade, for example, was called the Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy. And she was, quite clearly, very powerful.

“Surely this means that interplanar travel would be easy, right?”

It seemed likely. At least, more like than with my other Class options so far. And if it really let me travel between the planes of the Nexeus with ease, then… then that meant I could see Haec again soon if I took this Class option.

I felt something building up inside of me. A kind of excitement I had never felt before. But, at the same time, something weighed heavily in my chest. It was almost a melancholic feeling. Both happiness and sadness at the same time. Nervousness, maybe. An unease that came bundled along with the uncertainty of the catharsis I’d find once I met Haec again.

After all, I didn’t even know if he was alive. Sure, my dad told me that he was, but that was a month ago. I wasn’t even sure if I could find him. And, most of all, I had no idea if he would even remember who I was or not once I found him. It had been far too long since I’d seen him. It scared me to think that he could forget who I was from our time apart.

I shifted slightly. I wasn’t sure what to think. But I just knew that I wanted this Class as much as the others.

“Ugh, what about my last Class?”

I moved on, and I was left unsurprised to see it was another good Class for me to pick.

[Younger Sentinel of Spacetime]

A [Younger Sentinel of Spacetime] is a [Space Mage] who has time and time again fought to preserve the world around them from destruction. They have sacrificed their desires and wants for something even greater than them. A cause which outweighs anything of their own. So, they fight. For those they hardly know. Whether it be monster or animal, friend or foe, mortal or Spirit or Demon, they will fight to protect the world.

+30 [Wisdom]

+20 [Strength]

+15 [Agility]

+10 [Vitality]

+10 [Endurance]

“But I do not want to protect the world!”

I protested, exasperated. It offered more Stats than both [Space Archmagus] and [Archmystic of the Nexeus], but less than [Draconic Apprentice]. And just like [Draconic Apprentice], it didn’t feel like it was something I wanted.

Yet, they both offered me power. Meanwhile, both [Space Archmagus] and [Archmystic of the Nexeus] offered me something else. The chance to achieve my goals. It was a dilemma. I’d never been so torn over what Class option I’d want to take.

I grabbed a nearby chair and slumped over. All my Class options had their advantages. They all served my goal in one way or another. It could help me defeat Belzu or help me find Haec or just help me protect my companions. It wasn’t really one or the other, since I knew that they’d all eventually lead down the same road. But this was about what they offered me right now.

So, the question was simple: what did I currently want?

It wasn’t something I really felt I could answer. Not without deep thought. And, well, before I could mull it over, the door behind me creaked open. I glanced back as a flash of red hair entered the room.

Edithe Dawnrise stood there, curiously peeking in as I met her gaze.

“Hey, uh, Salvos, you busy?”

“...kind of, but not really.”

I sighed, getting to my feet. I faced my companion as she closed the door behind her.

“Do you need something, Edithe?”

The red-haired woman came to a stop a few feet before me. She paused, hesitating for a moment. Then she nodded.

“I do, actually. I’ve just…”

I raised a brow as she thought over her words. Finally, she closed her eyes and spoke.

“I saw you fight with that Wyvern flock, all on your own. You were so amazing, Salvos. I couldn’t believe my eyes— to see how much you’ve grown. These aren’t just undead. They aren’t swarm monsters. They are [Lesser Wyverns], but you killed dozens of them, even though they were close to your level or even higher.”

Normally, I’d vehemently agree with someone if they were praising me, but I could tell there was something off about the way Edithe spoke. I shrugged and peered at her.

“Well, they’re each about as strong as an [Evolved Centinel] around their level, and I fought plenty of those while I was in the Bloodied Gulf. Plus, I had artifacts and stuff too! But I did end up needing some help to deal with them..”

“You’re right. You needed help.”

Edithe nodded, face dour.

“But even though you brought me to help you, I couldn’t do anything. I only managed to bring down a single Wyvern. I wasn’t… strong enough. I was too weak.”

She took in a deep breath as I cocked my head. Edithe Dawnrise stood straighter and held my gaze.

“But I’m not going to sit around and mull over my weakness. I felt useless there, and I hated that. That’s why I’d like your help, Salvos.”

I knew what she was saying there and then. I stepped forward, remembering the time we spent in the Plaguelands. And before that— Silkfall’s Crevice. I narrowed my eyes.

“You want me to help you get stronger?”

“That’s right.”

“Are you sure about that? It’ll be dangerous. You almost died so many times when we were at the Plaguelands. And there was that whole thing about the Lich, remember?”

“But I survived. I grew stronger. And it was thanks to your help.”

Edithe stepped forward, placing a hand on her chest.

“I’m not saying we should go back to the Plaguelands. I just… you helped me once, I know you can do it again, Salvos. Please.”

She stared at me with a determined look. I could see the fire in her eyes burning, yet she was icily cool. It wasn’t a brash decision that made her approach me. She had thought about it before this. Yet, I opened my mouth, still uncertain.

“But—”

“Are you guys really having this discussion without me? Man, I feel like I’m not a part of the team.”

Daniel Song strolled into the room after Edithe. The redhead and I looked at him as he entered. He must’ve followed after us, also fleeing the discussion happening in the other room about Catark and overheard our conversation. He tilted his head back.

“Although, were we ever a team? Did we even have a team name?”

“Nope. I don’t think so.”

I shook my head. Daniel shrugged.

“Whatever the case is, I agree with Edithe. I feel the same way as her. Seeing how much you’ve progressed and how far I have fallen behind, Salvos… that motivates me. It makes me want to catch up to you.”

He grinned uncharacteristically. Edithe nodded as she stood next to him, speaking with a smile.

“You can’t just leave us completely in the dust, Salvos. We’re your companions, aren’t we?”

“And we want to help you, too.”

They both came to an agreement. They reached the same conclusion as I stared between them. I stood there, faced with both my companions as they asked for my help. I thought about it for a moment. But, deep down, I already knew my answer.

I wanted to help them. I would fight for them. They were my companions. What I wanted right now was… to protect them.

I could figure out my Class later. When it suited what I needed in the future; I had plenty of time to think it over. I couldn’t just abandon Daniel and Edithe. Right now, what mattered was making sure my companions were safe. That those around me would survive even without me. That meant helping them. That meant dealing with Belzu. That meant dealing with Levithus. And, eventually, that meant dealing with the Demon King.

So, for now, I pushed aside my thoughts of which Class was best for me. I’d already learned, back in Mavos Academy, that it was only smarter to figure out what I wanted before making a decision. After all, an uninformed decision would’ve been disastrous. There were no take backs.

I clapped my hands together as I got to work, doing what I currently wanted.

“Alright! I’ll make sure both of you are Level 120 by the end of this month!”

A note from MelasD

End of the month. I just wanna say thank you all for reading as always, and a special shoutout to Elli for being one of my first readers and biggest supporters <3

Check out the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. They help educate and fund research into cystic fibrosis which is a genetic disease that causes long lasting lung infections.

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356. Interlude - Belzu's Bane

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Trash Tier LITRPG: Dao of Insults by my good friend NoDragons!

A certain trickster spirit was fond of saying, 'me and my big fat mouth'. That could be Jasper Stone's motto. There's never been a situation in his life he didn't make worse by opening his mouth, because when he does, ridiculous amounts of trash-talk and overconfidence just spills out. He's never managed to do anything with his wits -- but when the God of Fools tosses him into another world for amusement's sake, he'll need to put them to use. Because there are bandits, dragons, and cultists out there -- none of whom appreciate Jasper's particular gift for insults.

Trash Tier LITRPG: Dao of Insults | Royal Road

I wrote a review for it too. You can check out my review here.

356. Interlude - Belzu's Bane

It had been a single night since the battle of Westshield. A single night since that terrible battle. It was still fresh in Alix’s mind. The flames. The screaming. All the death and destruction. It had been seared into her memories, promising never to leave.

She shuddered at the thought of being responsible for killing all the innocent lives in the city. It wasn’t even something she’d done personally. Belzu had sent her alongside his army. She’d hesitated even when faced with the city’s guards, let alone their populace. And it wouldn’t have made much of a difference if she’d been present or not.

Yet, she blamed herself for what happened. The only solace she found was the fact that Belzu had been defeated there. His army of monsters was a fraction of what they’d been before Westshield. They battled against a coalition of adventurers, led by the Remembered Order Company. The Champion of the Human Lands, Mori Gladius, had been there.

Alix watched the fighting. She saw how Mori had nearly defeated the Primeval Demon. He would’ve killed Belzu. If not for the third party’s appearance. The interloper. Another Primeval Demon. It had dwarfed Belzu in size, making him look like a mere insect in comparison. This Primeval Demon, Levithus, impaled both Mori Gladius and Belzu.

It killed Mori Gladius in that single blow.

The Champion of the Human Lands, the leader of the Remembered Order Company, and one of the highest-leveled [Warriors] in the world was slayed there and then.

Levithus proceeded to decimate Belzu’s army, laughing maniacally as he culled the Mindreapers and the undead. Belzu could only flee and accept his defeat.

He’d retreated away from Shedos. He’d pulled back with whatever forces he had to the Motharis Mountain Range. And Alix was forced to follow. She was, after all, still his captive. Along with the other gladiators and slaves he’d gathered in the Inoria Empire.

They didn’t question Belzu. They just obeyed him. Even though there were thousands of them, they were afraid of the Primeval Demon. But they… hoped that he’d treat them better than their former ‘masters’.

And when they arrived at the Motharis Mountain Range, Belzu… proved them wrong.

“Do not stop.”

His words echoed for all to hear. Alix blinked as she leaned against a rock. Quinn, one of her cell neighbors, was bandaging up an injury he’d sustained to the leg. They thought they were going to make camp and rest, but Belzu commanded them forward.

“The Humans will find us if we stop here. Levithus is surely following our trail. Continue. March on. We will not fall here.”

Quinn gaped.

“Is it being serious?”

“I… think so.”

Alix watched as Belzu flew ahead of them. The undead and monsters dragged themselves forward while the Humans just waited stupidly. Shaking her head, Alix ushered Quinn up to his feet.

“Come on. We’ve got to keep going.”

“That’s fucking stupid. We’ve just escaped a huge battle, and we’re supposed to keep on marching because that thing is paranoid?”

Quinn groaned, and Alix nodded apprehensively.

“But Lord Belzu will kill us all if we don’t listen. We don’t have much of a choice.”

“I know, I know. Can’t a man just complain a bit? I mean, it’s not like we’re allowed to do anything else…”

Alix paused. She looked at Quinn as he walked past her. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment before following.

It’s fine, she told herself. The Primeval Demon can’t force us to march forever.

—--

Alix came to a halt as a figure dropped just behind her. She turned around, looking at a woman as she collapsed to the dirt ground. The woman was older than Alix with brown hair fading to a gray-white. Her name was Winsley, and she wasn’t a slave of Roguehollow. She’d been picked up by Belzu along with hundreds of other slaves in Aysgarth.

And while Alix hardly knew her, she knew that Winsley hadn’t been a gladiator. Winsley had been a slave working the fields. Originally of the Elutra Kingdom, before the country had been conquered by Inoria. So it only made sense that after three days, fatigue would catch up with the older woman.

“Someone get her a healing potion!”

Alix rushed to Winsley’s side. A man produced a vial of yellow liquid, but the former gladiator dismissed it quickly.

“Not a stamina potion. She’s had too much of those. They’ll only poison her and kill her from the inside. We need to treat her injuries and her injuries alone.”

Winsley groaned, lying there as Alix was quick to replace the older woman’s bandaged feet. The same man from before returned with a red vial this time, speaking dourly.

“We don’t have much left. Our stocks of potions are running low.”

“Then we’ll just have to conserve it.”

Alix drenched a cloth with water before dabbing it with the healing potion. The cloth was dyed a light red, and she applied it on the older woman’s wounds.

“Here. You’ll be fine. Just relax.”

The pain on Winsley’s face eased, and Alix helped her up by the shoulder.

“Do you think you can walk?”

“M-maybe…”

Winsley whispered. Alix’s eyes darted to Belzu who was still moving, even as his continent of former Human slaves slowed. Perhaps they could just come to a halt completely, and the Primeval Demon wouldn’t notice. But, deep down, Alix knew that he would just slaughter them if they didn’t follow him.

“Just take it easy. I’ll help you.”

Alix grunted as she aided Winsley, supporting the older woman as they marched on.

“I’m sure we’ll be getting some rest soon.”

The former gladiator lied to herself, and the third day came to a close.

—--

“We’re out of potions…”

Alix cursed as the news reached her. A susurration ran through slaves. They were in a colder part of the Motharis Mountain Range now. At a higher altitude. It only heightened their sense of encroaching dread and fear. Panic that they might not make it. It had been six days of marching, now. And it didn’t look like they were going to stop any time soon.

The most exhausted and injured of them were being carried by the higher-leveled ones via makeshift wagons or magic as they simply followed this long march.

“It’s almost been a week.”

Alix whispered. Quinn sighed as he overheard her words. He gestured at the mountainous terrain around them, no end of the undulating shapes in sight.

“And we’re not going to be stopping anytime soon. We’re fucked, Alix. We’re all going to die.”

“That’s…”

Not going to happen, right? Alix hoped, but Belzu continued his march.

—--

It was now the tenth day. A week had gone by, and they didn’t rest. Not for more than mere minutes. Now, they ran into a different problem. As they exited the colder parts of Motharis back to warmer land, they were faced with… monsters.

“We’re under attack!.”

“[Vurats]! Keep them back!”

Alix shouted as the flock of small winged creatures rained down from the sky. They didn’t target the large monsters, staying far away from the few [Gatho Mammoths] that remained. Instead, they targeted the undead or the wounded. Those who lay, carried by others and unable to move.

The [Vurats] would’ve been easy enough to deal with if they’d been at full energy. But they were weak and tired. One caught Quinn off guard, striking him from behind and sinking its teeth into his neck.

“Quinn!”

Alix ran hurriedly to his side, slicing the [Vurat] in half. Around her, she watched as the [Vurats] were driven off. The undead and the monsters actually working with them to fend off those incessant pests.

But many were injured. Quinn was on his knees, clutching at the wound he suffered at the hands of the [Vurat]. Alix tried to help him up.

“Are you alright?”

“Just fantastic, Alix. The weather is delightful. It’s such a wonderful day to be out and slowly dying from attrition. What about you?”

He groaned as she supported him by the shoulder. Alix pursed her lips. She looked behind her— at the other gladiators succumbing to their injuries and exhaustion. Even the monsters that were following were tired. A few of the brittle-looking undead actually broke and fell into a crawl. Her eyes flickered to the figure moving ahead of them, leading them callously forward despite the brief skirmish with the [Vurats].

They’d been traveling for too long. Through harsh terrain, without any pause. Over a week. And that was after what happened at Westshield. Alix knew that even the highest-leveled [Warriors] would falter if they were pushed to their limits like this.

“We can’t go on like this.”

Alix spoke as she settled Quinn down next to the healers. She balled her fist and sheathed her blade.

“We’ll die if we don’t get some rest. If we don’t get our injuries treated. If we don’t have food or drink.”

With that, she resolved herself and marched straight for Belzu. The Primeval Demon buzzed forward, not even turning one of his bulbous eyes in her direction. Alix spoke out as she trudged beneath him.

“Lord Belzu!”

Her voice echoed in the mountain range. But the Primeval Demon didn’t slow. He continued flying as she struggled to keep up.

“Lord Belzu, please. We need to rest. We can’t keep this up.”

He didn’t waver. Alix came to a halt. She bit her lower lip, watching as he went on. Quinn dragged himself up to behind her as a bandage covered his neck, sighing.

“Just give it up. He doesn’t care about us. I’m sure if we die, he’ll just use his [Crypt Lords] to bring us back as undeads anyway. He’d definitely prefer those silent undead than us noisy Humans.”

Alix glanced back at him. Despite Quinn’s annoying tone, she knew he was right. And yet, she acted. Perhaps it was her weary mind that moved her. Or maybe it was because the stakes were gone— she’d die from this trekk anyway, even if he killed her for speaking out.

“Lord Belzu!”

She called out to him one last time. The Primeval Demon didn’t even slow. But she wasn’t finished. She continued, and this time, Belzu actually paused.

“Did you not say you were going to free us from our bondage? Were you not granting us our emancipation? What is this but slavery? What is this but bondage in ”

Alix gestured at Quinn and the other exhausted gladiators. Belzu slowly turned to face her. Quinn hurriedly backed up, stumbling behind a rock.

“I’m just gonna… sit this one out.”

She didn’t pay him any mind. The Primeval Demon descended, landing right before Alix. The former adventurer wasn’t fazed in the slightest. She met his gaze as he spoke in a booming voice.

“What did you say to me, Human? Do you dare challenge me?”

Alix flinched. It must’ve some kind of magic— his illusion. It caused her to stagger, as if she’d been punched across the face by just Belzu’s voice. But she took a deep breath and didn’t back down.

“I am challenging your words, Lord of Lies. You offered us freedom for our strength. We have lent you our power. We have fought our own kind on your behalf. We have kept up our end of the deal. However, you have not given us any autonomy. You have not given us protection. You have treated us like we are but mere cattle.”

Belzu quirked his head slightly, and she clenched a fist. Taking a step forward, she faced down the Primeval Demon. The one who’d razed so many cities to the ground. Who’d killed so many other Humans. And she was not afraid.

“We are tired and weary. We need rest. Even your monsters need to rest. If you aren’t going to uphold your promise, then…”

She trailed off, looking at Quinn then back at Belzu. The former slave chuckled maniacally.

“I guess I was a fool for believing someone who goes by the Title ‘Lord of Lies’.”

Belzu’s eyes flashed. He was in front of her in an instant. With one of his insect-like claws, he grabbed her

“Do not use that Title lightly, Human. Not if you know not the history behind it.”

“Then enlighten me.”

Alix snarled.

“If you wish to lead us, don’t just bark your orders and expect us to follow. Tell us what we’re doing. Let us rest. Treat us like people, please.”

She wasn’t even sure why she was being polite with a literal Demon. But she was tired. Oh, so tired. Even if her protests would fall on deaf’s ear, she needed to get it out. Things hadn’t been any different ever since she was freed from the gladiator arena. She was still a slave, fighting against her will.

And she was completely tired of it. Alix looked up at Belzu and raised her blade.

“Either that, or you can kill me right this instant. I no longer wish to live in a world where I am forever chained.”

“You—”

Belzu started in anger. Then he paused. The Primeval Demon actually remained quiet, taking in her words with an eerie silence. He studied the former gladiator’s expression like a predator. Alix braced herself. She expected him to lash out at any moment.

He opened his mandibles— and he spoke slowly.

“I see.”

Alix blinked a few times, feeling her shoulders going slack.

“You… get it?”

“I understand. You are right, Human. It seems I have made an error in judgement.”

She didn’t believe what she was hearing. Was it an illusion? Was he just tricking her before he killed her? Alix’s mind raced as Belzu floated up. He surveyed his army and harrumphed. Then he spoke out for all to hear.

“Today, we shall rest. Recoup. For we have suffered a great loss at the hands of the Demon King.”

The former adventurer wasn’t the only one who was visibly confused. The other slaves looked at each other deliriously. As if they’d all fallen under the effects of a very strong psychedelic at the same time. Quin climbed out from behind his rock, staring with wide eyes.

“Is it being for real?”

“I… think so.”

Alix spoke quietly. She hadn’t expected that to work. Yet, Belzu flew back down to Alix. He held her gaze as Quin flinched.

“I have listened to your pleas, Human. I have answered them.”

She was at a loss for words. She struggled to work her jaw, but Belzu spoke over her.

“But know this: do not mistake my kindness for weakness. I grant you mercy because I am not like Regnorex. You are not my slaves. And once I have defeated the Demon King, you shall have your freedom.”

Then his bulbous eyes shimmered. Literally. It showed images on it. Like Alix was staring into a pool of reflective black water. And she saw herself. On her knees. Crying. Weeping. Bleeding. A shadow loomed over her as Belzu continued.

“However, if you ever mock me again, Human— if you mock my Title without knowing its meaning— know that I will not show you any mercy or kindness. You will die.”

Alix closed her eyes as blood splattered on the ground. The illusion in Belzu’s eyes ended, and the real Alix stared on in horror. Beads of sweat crawled down her neck as a prickle ran down her spine.

“I…”

She straightened as Belzu tilted his head.

“Yes, Lord Belzu.”

“Good.”

The Primeval Demon flew back up to the sky, but he didn’t force them to march. He didn’t continue forward. Instead, he perched atop a nearby mountain, on his own, as the Humans were finally given the reprieve they had long sought.

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357. Grudge

A note from MelasD

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357. Grudge

He was Orgaf. Thief of the Golden Scales. Elite Ranked adventurer. A [Nightcrawler Shadower]. He was someone of great import, and he had been… embarrassed.

Humiliated.

He had a reputation to uphold, but it had been ruined.

It had been a gathering of very many powerful people. Those who were held to high esteem. However, what they thought of him didn’t matter— he couldn’t give a rat’s ass whether his standing fell in front of a bunch of posh nobles.

However, there were some present whom he’d respected. And to be left red-faced and ashamed in front of them? In front of the one woman in the world he even held in high regard? He couldn’t forgive it.

He left the gathering because of his embarrassment. He didn’t even hear of the Wyvern attack on Catark until it was too late. His chance of redeeming himself was ruined. It irked him.

And it was all because of that damned girl. He blamed the girl for what happened. He wouldn’t forget this humiliation he felt. No matter what.

I made a promise to my companions. I’d help them grow stronger. It was just like before the Plaguelands all over again. After my brief contribution in the company war where I killed Stepehen and saved Edithe’s life. My companions came to me, and I helped them overcome their weaknesses and become something more.

It was the same scenario. Except, this time, I… didn’t know where to go.

I tapped a finger on my chin as I paced around the gilded room. I’d been given a place to stay in the grand palace of Alyras since I was Rana’s friend, so I didn’t have to stay at the dingy campsite just outside of the city. Saffron Merryster sat to the side, watching me as I tore my hair over what to do.

“Maybe I could bring them to the Plaguelands again? But the Lich is dead. The undead are leaving the land in droves, and the blight is disappearing. It’s not as dangerous as it was anymore. What about the Bloodied Gulf? No— the Matriarch Centinel would definitely kill me if I returned…”

I mulled over my options, and Saffron lowered her cup of tea. Her butler, Matthew, took the cup as she stood up and faced me.

“Salvos… first of all, I’m going to ignore the fact that you somehow angered the Matriarch Centinel of the Bloodied Gulf to the point that it holds a grudge against you—”

“I didn’t really anger her. I just killed one of her children, and she’s mad now or something. I don’t know.”

“Right.”

Saffron didn’t waver. She stared at me, arms-folded.

“Secondly, what exactly are you stressing about now?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

I waved a hand off casually. Saffron Merryster quirked a brow, and Matthew answered from behind me.

“It seems to me that Ms Salvos—”

“Salvos.”

I corrected him. The butler nodded.

“Salvos appears to be concerned about her other companions, Daniel Song and Edithe Dawnrise. If I had to guess, they made a request to her and she’s struggling to fulfill them despite promising she would do it.”

Saffron turned to me inquisitively, as if checking if Matthew was right. I snapped a finger and pointed at him.

“Yep! How did you know? Can you read minds, Matthew?”

I gasped, leaning closer. He shook his head.

“Unfortunately, I cannot. But I have been listening to you murmur to yourself for the last hour while Lady Saffron has been preoccupying herself with her notes.”

“Notes?”

I cocked my head, and Saffron shrugged.

“Helena Warshade called a meeting. A bunch of kings and queens from all around the Helbir Plains will be gathering next week. We’ll need to figure out how we’ll deal with that second Primeval Demon and the Inoria Empire.”

“Why can’t you just declare war on them?”

I asked the obvious question. Both Matthew and Saffron exchanged a glance. The pink-haired noble sighed.

“It’s far more complex than that.”

“But you guys have proof that they’re taken over by Demons, right? Emperor Rowyn said so.”

“That is correct. But we’d be forced to fight against an army of our own kind to get to them, Salvos. And revealing the fact that we know about these Demons ruins the element of surprise we have on our side. We can’t act brashly. We need to collect ourselves then retaliate in one swift blow.”

She spoke simply, wagging a finger as she explained the situation to me. I listened to her carefully. My brows furrowed as a thought crossed my mind.

“What about Belzu?”

“That Primeval Demon… I don’t know. But last we heard, its army was shattered. It would take a while to build its army back to size.”

“Then isn’t the best time to deal with him right now?”

I stared at Saffron with a raised eyebrow. She shrugged.

“Perhaps. We already have [Scrying Mages] trying to track down its location, but it is not easy. Its magic is masking its movement. We just know that it is somewhere in the Motharis Mountain Range with an army less than a tenth of the size it had been before Mori Gladius and the Remembered Order Company faced it.”

“Huh.”

It made sense that the adventurer army led by Mori Gladius dealt quite the blow to Belzu. They were all elite fighters— and I didn’t mean it in the sense that they Elite Ranked. Adventurers just tended to be higher-leveled than common soldiers.

However, to challenge Belzu’s army to the extent that it did? It didn’t make sense to me. Not unless Belzu’s army had already been weakened while in Inoria. And that was very much a possibility.

There were a lot of things to consider. But none of it was really my problem. There was a possibility I considered.

“Hm, maybe I could find Belzu and kill him right now with Daniel and Edithe…”

“Uh, did I just hear you right, Salvos?”

Saffron blinked at me a few times. I shook my head and spun around.

“Nope, it’s nothing. Just a thought.”

She didn’t look like she believed me. Instead, she just gave me a resigned expression and gestured vaguely around her.

“Look, before you do anything reckless, just consider asking your princess friend for some help. Alyras is sure to have a plethora of information that can aid you in not getting yourself killed, Salovs.”

“You’re right!”

My eyes widened. I leapt out of the room and burst down the corridors, waving at Saffron.

“Good luck with your meeting thingy! I’ll be hanging out with princess Rana!”

I beamed, excitedly searching for the princess.

—--

When I found Rana Alyras, I was reprimanded. I’d caused a bit of a ruckus by running around the palace. The princess wasn’t the one who scolded me, of course. Neither was it her father, the king. It was actually her maid.

Sevika folded her arms and spoke in a stern voice.

“I understand that you are a guest here, and we have offered you our most luxurious lodging. But I must ask that you reciprocate our kindness with your own by, at the very least, maintaining the peace of the palace.”

“Princess Rana… your maid is being mean to me.”

“There, there.”

I sulked, hiding behind Rana Alyras as she comforted me. The maid glared at Rana, and the princess jerked back. She straightened, creaking her head slowly to turn around. Sevika sighed.

“And princess Rana, please don’t indulge Salvos’ mischief.”

“I wasn’t being mischievous! I was just excited!”

I protested. Sevika wasn’t like Saffron who was tired of dealing with me. She didn’t sigh or give me an exasperated look. All she did was speak in a stricter voice.

“Then I ask you to curb your excitement the next time this happens.”

I pouted, and she spun around. The maid left us alone. I looked at Rana as the princess smiled.

“So, what did you need of me, Salvos?”

“I’m looking for, um, dangerous places.”

“Dangerous… places?”

“Yep! Full of wild monsters that want to hurt me! Not monsters that are nice. I don’t want to fight nice monsters. Just wild monsters.”

I nodded eagerly as Rana sat there, listening to my explanation. She scratched her cheek uncertainly.

“That sounds like you’re describing a Dungeon.”

“Woah.”

I was taken aback. That was right. I’d been to far too many dangerous regions lately that I forgot Dungeons existed. I narrowed my eyes.

“Wait, but are there any Diamond Ranked Dungeons nearby?”

“There aren’t very many Diamond Ranked Dungeons, Salvos. Those are incredibly dangerous. If they’re left unchecked, they can end up bringing destruction to entire cities. Small countries, too. So they’re usually exterminated once they’re made known.”

“Huh.”

Rana shrugged as I hesitated.

“Aw, that sucks.”

She watched me twiddle my fingers together, looking up at her hopefully.

“But surely you’d know of some super secret Dungeon that Alyras is hiding, right?”

“Unfortunately, keeping such a secret would be harmful to all the countries of the Helbir Plains. And as the head of the Helbir League at this moment, my father would never do such a thing.”

My shoulders went slack. I deflated. Rana pursed her lower lips as I dragged myself away from her room.

“Well, I’m sorry for causing trouble over nothing…”

I slinked away. The princess shifted slightly. She called out to me just as I reached the doorway.

“I can’t help you, Salvos, but maybe… maybe the Adventurers Guild might know something?”

I paused. I brightened and grabbed Rana by the shoulders.

“You’re right! You’re a genius, princess Rana!”

She bobbed back and forth as I shook her.

“T-t-t-thank you?”

I let go of her, about to dash out. I halted when I remembered Sevika’s words. I calmed myself, straightening my back as I shifted from a run to walking with poise.

“I must be the one to thank you, princess Rana.”

I bowed at her as I stood by the decorated doorway.

“It’s nothing? Like, it’s really nothing.”

Princess Rana started, and I smiled.

“I owe you a great debt. Truly. You are wise in the ways of the world.”

“Alright, now I’m not sure if you’re mocking me.”

She gave me a flat stare. I waved at her and started out the door. The princess blinked and raised her hand.

“Wait, Salvos—”

“Yes, princess?”

I spun on my heel and faced her. Rana chewed her lower lip, averting her gaze slightly.

“I know we just met and all, but I was wondering if you would…”

“I would?”

I gave her a curious look. She closed her eyes as she shook her head.

“It’s nothing. I hope you find what it is you're looking for, Salvos.”

I tilted my head, slightly confused. But I didn’t question her further. Instead, I continued down the palace before eventually entering the streets of the city.

—--

I walked down the streets of Alyras in thought, not noticing the passersby giving me a weird look.

“What if there aren’t any Dungeons? Hm…”

A susurration ran through the street vendors and the [Traders] as they faced me. A man stopped me, rubbing his hands together as he smiled.

“I heard you’re heading to a Dungeon, dear adventurer. Perhaps you would like to look through my wares to stock up before you go? I’m sure someone of your status could afford a few healing potions, yes?”

“No thanks! Daniel will handle that!”

I waved him away before I continued on, mulling out loud.

“Would a Diamond Ranked Lair work? Or, no— what about the other Wyverns of Sharik?”

But that wasn’t right. The Mistress of Remnants had asked me to save them. I wasn’t too keen on listening to her request, but I also wasn’t going to go out of my way to spit on her last wish and kill off the last Wyverns from her flock. If I heard something related to the Wyverns, I’d definitely consider intervening, at the very least.

“Hey, miss adventurer, I see you’re in drastic need for new armor. Why not try out this brand new breastplate I got from—”

Another [Merchant] tried to get my attention, but I ignored him. And another one. Again and again.

“Miss adventurer, would these spell scrolls catch your eye—”

“I have a berry that can grant resistance to—”

“No! I don’t want any of it! Go away!”

I ran past all the [Traders] trying to get my attention. It was weird. I was never really bothered by street vendors before. Not like this. And they seemed to be targeting me, for whatever reason. Eventually, however, I entered the Adventurers Guild, safe from their hounding.

“So annoying.”

I rolled my eyes. There had been music playing when I opened the door, but now when I spun around, I didn’t hear any songs. A few heads were turned, facing me. Wide-eyed. I gave them confused looks, but otherwise just walked in. The music resumed after I reached the counter. The receptionist on duty blinked as I showed her my Diamond Ranked badge.

“Hi!”

“This is…?”

Her eyes bulged out of their sockets. She stared at it for a moment, and i waved my hand.

“Hello? I’m Salvos!”

I greeted her, and she instantly straightened. She slowly spoke stiffly as she tried to adjust her uniform.

“I— uh, y-yes? How may we— I mean, I help you?”

She sputtered as she faced me. Why was she so startled? It was odd. With a shrug, I pointed past the counter at the bulletin board behind her.

“Can I have a list of all Diamond Ranked Dungeons nearby?”

The receptionist stared at me for a moment. Then she tried to work her jaw.

“D-D-Diamond Ranked Dungeons? I-I am not sure we have such a list…”

I frowned.

“Aw, but I—”

“But I am not entirely sure!”

The receptionist squeaked, cutting me off. I looked at her as she stumbled past the counter, knocking down a stack of documents. She nearly slipped and fell as she turned to me with a pale look.

“I-I-I, uh, am sorry for the mess! I’ll try to find what you’re looking for— I mean, I will find it!”

She took off as I stared at her. I placed my hand on my chin, curious. First there were those [Traders] and [Merchants] acting weird. And the receptionist actually seemed to be afraid of me. I wasn’t accidentally in another form, was I?

I looked down at myself, and only saw my Human form. Nope— so what was it then?

“Why is everyone acting so weird?”

I wondered aloud. A voice answered me.

“The reason is simple, Ms Salvos.”

My brows snapped together. I whirled around, raising a hand warily. A shadowed figure stood behind me. I didn’t even sense his presence. He snuck on me with a hood up and a grind on his face.

“Who are you?”

I asked, tense. The figure just chuckled as he lowered his hood. My eyes flickered in recognition as I saw who it was. A man with gray hair. Pure black eyes. He looked young, yet he wore the scars of experience on his face. I stared in disbelief.

“You’re—”

And I paused. Wait, I don’t actually remember his name. I just remembered seeing him yesterday when I reunited with Edithe. But I barely paid him any mind. He quirked a brow, but his head turned as whispers broek out amongst the gathered adventurers.

“That’s Orgaf! The Thief of the Golden Scales!”

“Seriously? What is he doing here?”

“I hear he’s with Helena Warshade’s company now—”

Orgaf’s eyes darted to the one who said that. The man shrank back in his seat, hurriedly looking away. Snorting, Orgaf looked away from them. He faced me with a scowl on his face.

“I told you, Liberator of the Plaguelands, the reason is simple. It is the same reason they dare not even make eye contact with me. It is because you are a high-leveled adventurer.”

“Because I’m a high-leveled adventurer?”

“Of course. I’m sure you’re used to being in large cities in the central Human lands. Maybe even around Mavos Academy where Diamond Ranks aren’t too unusual. But Alyras is not such a city. It is a city in the Helbir Plains. Adventurers are a scarce commodity here as most of the able men and women join their city’s military. Furthermore, since the city is small compared to the ones you’re used to, the sight of those at your level and mine is far more rare.”

He explained simply, giving a sidelong glance to the receptionist. Shaking his head, he turned back to me.

“I’m certain that you are bothered no matter where you go, but in places like these… it is far more of a pain in the ass. That’s why I prefer to travel in obscurity.”

He gestured at his hood and a necklace around his neck. I recognized it as a Necklace of Obfuscation. I looked down at myself, realizing my Necklace of Obfuscation wasn’t active.

“Huh, I see.”

I was more used to being praised for being high-leveled. But, here, the adventurers were scared of me, and the [Traders] saw me as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sell all their wares at once. I didn’t really consider hiding my level here, but maybe I should’ve.

“That’s helpful to know. Thank you, Orgaf.”

I smiled at him. He nodded.

“It is my pleasure. If I could recommend, however, the next time you seek assistance from the Adventurers Guild, you could simply send a servant or pay someone to make the query for you. Trust me, it saves you a lot of the trouble and the ogling.”

That was true. I could’ve actually asked Rana’s maid to help me out. Then I furrowed my brows.

“Wait, then why are you here?”

That was contrary to his advice. Orgaf’s lips curled up before he drew closer.

“Ah, it is simply because I have heard about your plight—”

He bowed deftly, taking my hand as his eyes glinted. I met his gaze, and he spoke in a soft voice.

“And I’d like to offer you my help.”

A note from MelasD

It's that time again, vote for Salvos on TopWebFiction please or I shall despair.

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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358. The Scheme

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Ullyr's fic Land of Nowhere!

Lucian Lane, a simple, hardworking man from the southern states, may be the final barrier separating humanity from the terrifying truths that lie beyond its reach. He must acquire power, survive terrifying trials, and build an empire to prevail in the perverse Tournament of Nowhere. Lucian's potential victory is all that stands between the horrors of the Galaxy and those that he holds dear...

Land of Nowhere | Royal Road

358. The Scheme

Edithe Dawnrise strode through the encampment with a sense of unease building up in her chest. It weighed on her. Her eyes rapidly darted from corner to corner in search of a flash of silver hair. She didn’t find who she was looking for, which only made her more nervous. She glanced to the side as her companion voiced her thoughts for her.

“I can’t help but feel nervous.”

Daniel Song spoke as he fidgeted, even while walking. He scanned the camp with Edithe, but neither of them could find Salvos. The young man continued.

“I’m starting to think this was a bad idea. I mean, the last time Salvos helped us train, she brought us to the Plaguelands when we were severely underleveled.”

“We’re the ones who asked her to help us, alright? Just have faith in her, Daniel.”

“I know, I know. But… it’s just nerves, you know?”

He gave her a weak smile, and Edithe pursed her lips. She definitely felt the same way as he did, but she would trust Salvos with her life. So she raised a hand, stopping a woman in her thirties with the Merryster emblem on her clothing.

“Excuse me—”

The woman paused. She turned to Edithe, raising a brow.

“Did you need something?”

“I apologize for the trouble, lady Merryster. But I am searching for a friend. Her name is Salvos, and she told my friend and I to meet her here.”

Edithe bowed politely. The lady tapped a finger on her chin.

“Ah, Salvos. Well, first of all: I am not a lady. I may be of the Merryster Family, but I have given up my nobility in pursuit of my passion. You may simply call me Mons.”

Mons Merryster smiled as Edithe blinked. The redhead hurriedly apologized.

“Oh, I’m so sorry—”

“It is fine. I take no offense to it.”

Chuckling, the lady-turned-[Merchant] gestured towards the edge of the encampment.

“You’ll find your friend there. She’s waiting for you with a friend of hers.”

“Thank you so much.”

Edithe hurriedly thanked Mons and excused herself. She turned to Daniel who was just staring at Mons with wide eyes. The redhead pulled him away, speaking quickly.

“Come on, Daniel.”

“R-right, sorry.”

He followed Edithe, glancing back occasionally towards Mons Merryster. Edithe narrowed her eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Daniel’s eyes were wide. They were practically bulging out of their sockets. His neck creaked as he faced her, and he started.

“S-she…”

“She?”

Edithe frowned, glancing back at Mons Merryster.

“Did something happen? What did she do?”

“N-no, she—”

Daniel took in a deep breath, and Edithe tensed.

“She was a… Level 100 [Merchant]!”

There was a pause. Both Edithe and Daniel came to a halt. The redhead sighed.

“...let’s just find Salvos, alright?”

And they did. Shortly after that, they found the silver-haired girl waiting at the very edge of the Vampire encampment. Salvos beamed when she saw them, running up to the pair with round eyes.

“What took you guys so long?”

“Sorry, we were lost.”

Edithe shrugged. Salvos frowned at Daniel.

“But aren’t you stayin here?”

He shook his head.

“I booked an inn in the city just to get away from Amanda. She’s been more annoying than usual, lately.”

“Huh. Cool. Anyway, I’ve finally figured out where we’re gonna go.”

Salvos clapped her hands together. Edithe felt the pit in her stomach widen. The nervousness from earlier built up. Her trust in Salvos warred with Salvos’ personality. Edithe begged— hoped— that Salvos wouldn’t just drop both her and Daniel in the middle of the Bloodied Gulf and leave them to fend for themselves.

Fortunately, Edithe’s faith went unpunished.

“We’re going to be hunting down those [Goliath Oliphants]!”

“Those… [Goliath Oliphants]?”

Edithe raised a brow, her confusion evident. But Daniel looked like he knew what Salvos was talking about. He explained.

“It was when we were leaving Shedos— we ran into a herd of [Goliath Oliphants] being chased out of the Motharis Mountain Range by those [Lesser Wyverns] we faced in Catark.”

The redhead nodded slowly.

“I see.”

“Yep!”

Salvos nodded excitedly.

“You should’ve been there, Edithe. I nearly died!”

“That’s… not something you should be bragging about.”

Edithe rolled her eyes.

“But [Goliath Oliphants], huh? I hear those range from Level 100 to Level 125. Lower to medium Diamond Ranked threats.”

She could probably take on a few of them on her own. However, she’d be faced with the same problem as against the Wyverns. These were tanky monsters. And they weren’t swarm monsters. They were each, individually, very powerful.

A Wyvern’s strength lay in their magic and their speed. They had defensive magic too, which let them brush off Edithe’s weaker spells. Meanwhile, [Goliath Oliphants] tended to have higher raw defense and strength, with some area of effect magic that wasn’t really quite effective in single combat.

But aren’t…? Edithe furrowed her brows. She turned to Salvos.

“Aren’t Oliphants mostly docile monsters? Are you sure you’d be fine with attacking them for no reason, Salvos?”

Edithe knew Salvos. There was a whole logic about being ‘wild’ which Edithe sort of understood. If they hunted down Oliphants just to level up, then Salvos shouldn’t be happy about that. And Salvos agreed.

“Yep— but see, he told me that these Oliphants are destroying everything right now. They’re rampaging or going berserk or something, so they’re killing monsters and animals and Humans.”

“He?”

Daniel and Edithe exchanged a glance. Salvos nodded, gesturing behind her.

“The guy who helped me out!”

And from her shadow, a figure emerged. A man wreathed in the darkness. He wore a cloak that seemed to hide his features. But he pulled back his hood, revealing his sneering face.

“You’re—”

Edithe stared at Orgaf as he stood next to Salvos.

“Orgaf, the Thief of the Golden Scales.”

“Greetings, Liberators.”

The [Rogue] spoke simply, that annoying grin still plastered on his face. Edithe instantly drew back warily.

“What are you doing here?”

He barely even glanced at Edithe’s way as he started forward.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet all of you. I met your friend here, Salvos, in the Adventurers Guild just a few hours ago. It seemed like she was troubled, and I offered her my assistance. That is all. I couldn’t just stand aside and do nothing, could I?”

Orgaf spoke in a smooth voice. Salvos just looked at him agreeably, while Daniel gave him a grateful look.

“Thank you… Orgaf, was it?”

“Indeed. And you must be Daniel Song?”

“I am. You can just call me Daniel.”

“Well, I’m sure you may have some qualms with fighting the normally gentle Oliphants. But I assure you, these ones are displaced. They are even worse than a Centinel. Their herd is running amok, and we have to put a stop to their path of destruction.”

“Of course—”

Daniel smiled as he shook Orgaf’s hand. Edithe watched from the side, still tense. She eyed Orgaf’s every little move. She barely even heard his words.

The redhead reached for her Primordial Staff, readying herself for anything Orgaf might try. Salvos and Daniel didn’t know him. They were completely clueless as to what kind of an actual psychopath Orgaf was. He would’ve killed Edithe if not for Helena’s intervention. This was definitely some kind of a ploy.

Orgaf’s eyes flickered. He turned to Edithe, a mocking look on his face. His smile widened as Edithe’s heart raced. He opened his mouth as Salvos and Daniel stood unknowingly next to him, and she braced herself—

“Salvos!”

A voice cut through the tense silence. Edithe nearly jolted back at the sharp voice. She saw a flash. Looked on as a [Will O’ Wisp] darted straight for the silver-haired girl.

“Willy? What’s—”

“How dare!”

Willy spoke indignantly as Salvos backed up. Daniel, Edithe, and Orgaf watched the [Will O’ Wisp] continue to hound her.

“Wait, what did I do?”

“Leave me!”

“Leave you? I was just going on a—”

“Without me!”

“That’s…”

Daniel sighed. He glanced over at Edithe and Orgaf before excusing himself.

“I’ll… give her a hand.”

Edithe watched him go. He left both Edithe and Orgaf alone together, and suddenly, the prickling sensation that grabbed her was back. She realized she was alone with the man who tried to kill her. The despicable Elite who looked down on others as mere frivol.

She immediately faced him as she cast an [Aura of Greater Protection] on herself. He snickered.

“You’re looking awfully nervous, aren’t you?”

Edithe glared at him, ignoring his remark.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Why am I doing what?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.”

She spat, and he chuckled. Edithe pointed her staff at him. He eyed the magic emanating off the tip of the gray-black staff.

“My, aren’t you intense?”

“Don’t you dare hurt Salvos. If you do anything to her—”

“What? You’ll make me pay?”

Orgaf shook his head.

“Please. You are barely at the same level as her second Class. Let alone her main Class. You won’t be able to do anything.”

Edithe bit her lower lip. She knew Orgaf was right. But still— she wouldn’t just watch if something happened to Salvos.

“I—”

She started, but Orgaf waved a hand dismissively.

“Besides, I’d never lay a hand on Salvos even if you offered me a Mythic Grade artifact.”

“W-what?”

Edithe paused. She looked at Orgaf suspiciously, and he met her gaze.

“Are you confused? Don’t be. It should be quite obvious.”

“You’re the Thief of the Golden Scales. You’re that bastard who screwed over the Vaun Qieur Empire and nearly sparked a war between the Humans and the Kobolds. Why are you suddenly being all nice?”

He drew back, glancing at Salvos in the distance with Willy and Daniel.

“It’s because—”

Orgaf slowly turned back to Edithe and placed a hand on his chest.

“I am in love.”

“Bullsh—”

Edithe had been prepared to call out any lie or excuse he had prepared. But his answer made her pause.She blinked, processing his words. Then her jaw dropped. She stared blankly at Orgaf as he spun around, curling his hair back with a single hand.

“You’re… what?!”

“You heard me. I am in love. How couldn’t I be?”

Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scales, Elite Ranked adventurer, and Level 161 [Rogue] twirled around to face Salvos. He stared at her longingly, practically hugging himself as he breathed.

“Salvos. Liberator of the Plaguelands. Savior of Silvergrove. Secely’s Sentinel. Oh, such a wonderful woman. In under five years, she’s already built a legend. She’s gone from Level 40 to Level 130 in, what, four years? Three?”

He threw his head back, laughing.

“Please, even that annoying hag Helena Warshade can’t compete. This is the next Watcher in the making— no, the next Alexander! How could I not have fallen in love at first sight?”

He continued on as Edithe just watched. She wasn’t sure whether to be relieved that this was how Orgaf felt, or to be even more worried for Salvos.

“She cares not for repute. It doesn’t matter to her if you’re a king, an emperor, or a god— she’ll treat you all the same!”

Edithe thought of the way Salvos acted around princesses. Orgaf was definitely wrong about that. Shaking his head, Orgaf pointed accusingly at Edithe.

“But you! You embarrassed me in front of her! How dare you!”

“I did?”

The redhead genuinely didn’t remember that. But Orgaf was insistent.

“Yes you did. And if I had known that Salvos was bringing you along in this journey… ugh!”

He made a frustrated sound.

“I never would’ve offered my help!”

“You really have a grudge against me for no reason, huh?”

Edithe sighed. She gave Orgaf a sidelong glance as he continued ranting about how Edithe humiliated him. He only stopped when Salvos, Willy, and Daniel returned. No— Orgaf didn’t just stop. He pretended that never happened, posing as if he was calmly glancing off to the side.

“That settles it!”

Salvos clapped her hands together.

“The five of us are going to be going after those [Goliath Oliphants] together!”

“Yes.”

Willy agreed, clearly pleased he wasn’t going to be left behind. Daniel scratched his cheeks, fine with that arrangement. Orgaf nodded, clearing his throat as he barely looked their way.

“Very well then. If you shall follow me, I’ll lead you to them. They were last spotted near the Sickleshade Valley—”

Orgaf brought them away from the encampment as he spoke. Edithe looked at the Elite, still slightly worried. But not as much as before. She was just glad that it seemed like everything was going to be fine.

There was a rumble. The earth shook— like a terrible tremor was crawling its way through the hills. The army of monsters paused as Alix steadied Quinn. The man stared.

“What is that?”

He looked at the plume of smoke up ahead. Alix narrowed her eyes. She recognized that magic. She’d only ever read about it— never actually seeing it before. But that was the hallmark of—

“[Goliath Oliphants].”

She spoke softly. Looking up, she caught sight of the leader of the army. Belzu. The Primeval Demon. His gaze was fixed on the [Goliath Oliphant], wanting. Alix pressed her lips thinly into a line.

“And possibly new recruits into our army.”

A note from MelasD

I got like 30 votes ;-;

Can I please have more?

Salvos | Top Web Fiction

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

New fic announcement: Violet (Not a chapter)

A note from MelasD

Violet | Royal Road

Chapter will be out soon, but check out a new fic of mine! It's called Violet: Overpowered Magic Goo!

It's an action comedy with some satirical undertones. I wrote it from an alt, originally, but now I'm migrating it to my main account cause I can't be assed to handle so many alts at once. Be sure to follow it and leave a rating or review please, thank you <3

Violet woke up trapped in a dark, dank cave filled with dangerous creatures in a magical world with Skills and Levels. To get out of the Hollowdark and get to the surface, she’ll have to fight through friendly monsters that want to eat her, insane Dark Elves, and a comically evil empire led by a comically evil God King— all that as a blob made out of purple goo.

Well, anyways, I’m starving. Is there anything to eat around here? Seriously, I could scarf down a whole village!

Violet | Royal Road

A note from MelasD

Violet | Royal Road

359. Sickleshade Valley

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to the Undying Magician by Wolf!

How would a true immortal with average talent in magic fare within a world where magic is everything?

In the world of Aria, only one tenth of the population are classified as magicians.

These magicians are able to use magic through the manipulation of the mana they are born with and are the core of the military strength within every nation.

However, one nation in particular uses magicians to an even higher extreme than the others.

This nation is known as The Republic of Arcania.

The largest power in Aria.

Our story follows Nathan Fox as he graduates from high school and is sent to the Arcane Academy for his required military training as a magician before he eventually serves his ten year term in the military.

Nathan has been a true immortal ever since he got a semi-magical disease that makes any damage done to his body instantly reverse itself, bringing him back to his top form on the day that he became an immortal.

Ever since then, it has been impossible for Nathan to die.

But there are worse things in the world than death.

And if the power-hungry magicians of the world were to learn of Nathan's true immortality?

Then he might just experience those things himself.

What will happen to Nathan as he traverses life in the academy?

Will his secret be found out?

Or will he be able to safely make it through the four years of academy life with his secret intact?

That has yet to be foretold.

The Undying Magician | Royal Road

359. Sickleshade Valley

“Salvos?”

Saffron rapped lightly on the door before entering the room. She glanced about the opulent room, but the silver-haired girl was nowhere to be found. With a frown, the young noble stalked down the gilded halls as she wondered aloud.

“Did she leave already?”

“Are you looking for someone?”

A soft voice asked. Saffron craned her neck, facing a regal girl. Rana Alyras, princess of Alyras, approached the Vampire with a maid slowly trailing after her.

“Princess Rana. I apologize for the disturbance.”

Saffron hurriedly bowed, raising the seams of her dress. The princess just smiled as she waved a hand off.

“You don’t have to be so formal with me. You can just call me Rana.”

“If I may interject, I do not believe that a princess ought to be so casual with a woman she just met.”

The maid spoke politely with her head bowed. But Rana flushed, sputtering.

“That’s not— you’re Salvos’ friend, aren’t you? Saffron Merryster.”

She turned to Saffron, scowling. Saffron raised a brow and nodded.

“I am indeed, princess— Rana. I was looking for her since she was granted lodging here, but I can’t seem to find her. Have you seen her anywhere within the palace?”

Rana exchanged a glance with her maid. She shook her head.

“Unfortunately, Salvos has left Alyras with her companions to pursue the berserk [Goliath Oliphants] to the southeast of the Helbir Plains.”

“Wait…”

Saffron blinked.

“She already left?”

“She told me she was departing this morning. And considering how high-leveled she is… I don’t think you’ll be catching up to her anytime soon.”

The princess nodded as she spoke in an apologetic tone. Saffron frowned, and Rana fixed her with an inquisitive look.

“Did you need her for something?”

“I just…”

Saffron sighed. She didn’t expect Salvos to leave so soon. But that was to be expected with the silver-haired girl. There was never a ‘slow’ for Salvos. Shaking her head, the young Vampire smiled politely at the princess.

“Archmage Warshade had asked for her.And I don’t think she’ll be too happy to hear that Salvos had already left.”

Rana blinked.

“Wait, why does the ArchmageWarshade need to speak with Salvos?”

“I take it it has to do with something that happened in Catark. Archmage Warshade didn’t offer much details. I’m sure it’s some mess Salvos got into… again.”

Saffron shrugged. She was used to Salvos’ shenanigans at this point.

“I’ll just let Archmage Warshade she’ll be back soon. I’m sure Salvos will return before the meeting next week. She is Salvos, after all.”

Seriusly, it wouldn’t be a surprise to Saffron if Salvos somehow returned with her two companions— Daniel and Edithe— and they were all Level 150.

“The meeting… next week?”

Princess Rana paused. Saffron nodded, waving a hand off.

“Indeed. Is something the matter?”

The young Vampire narrowed her eyes, sensing something was amiss, but Rana just shifted uncomfortably.

“I-I— it’s nothing.”

“I see.”

Saffron didn’t pry any further. It wasn’t her place to ask, however she took note of Rana’s odd reaction as she thanked the princess and excused herself. Then she wondered how Salvos was doing— her previous predictions were hyperbolic, of course. But surely the silver-haired girl would be already at her destination, right?

“I’m lost.”

I threw my hands up into the air, frustrated. Daniel and Edithe snorted behind me, speaking in unison.

“Of course you are.”

“Where’s this Sickleshade Valley? Are we there yet? The map says we should be there by now!”

I gestured at the piece of parchment I was holding. It had led me through forests and past rivers. I’d spotted mountains in the distance, although those were now nothing but undulating dark silhouettes at this point.

There was no valley in the shape of a sickle. No crescent depression between two hills— one taller than the other. It was angled so that one of the hills permanently shaded the second one from the sun. A river ran alongside this valley as it spanned for nearly a mile, and monsters oft found shelter and rest there from the oppressive heat during the summer. Due to this potential threat, travelers were urged to stay away from it as a result.

Which was a warning that wasn’t necessary at all, since I couldn’t even find it!

“Salvos, Sickleshade Valley is nothing more than a smidge in a map that shows the entirety of the Human lands. We might be at the right coordinates, but we’re probably still miles off from where it actually is.”

Edithe explained as I scowled, tossing the map aside. She shrugged and spoke casually.

“It’d probably be smart of us to find a nearby settlement and ask for directions from there. Searching this jungle for a specific valley when there are literally hundreds of different valleys around the area isn’t really a smart idea.”

I tapped a finger on my chin as she gestured vaguely around us. Daniel nodded in agreement.

“Edithe’s right, Salvos. We’re lost, but it’s not really your fault that we’re lost. We should’ve honestly brought a guide with us. Find a [Tracker] or a [Scryer] before we left Alyras.”

“Agree. Stupid.”

Willy chimed in. He made sure to include his eye-rolling remark to end it off. I crossed my arms defensively, but a voice spoke up in support of me.

“Ah, but I’m sure Salvos has already determined they’re not necessary.”

Orgaf, the Thief of the Golden Scales, strutted forward. He waved a hand off dismissively.

“After all, tracking down something like the Sickleshade Valley is mere child’s play, even if it would take a little bit of time. We’re not lost. Merely on our way to our destination.”

He finished, nodding at me. Willy made a scoffing noise, while Daniel rolled his eyes. But Edithe just stood back, lips pursed. I, however, snapped my fingers.

“You’re right! I’m not lost, the map just sucks!”

Sure, my clones got lost all the time. But that was because they were my clones. I was me. I was better than me!

“If you wish, I could scour miles of this jungle in but a—”

Orgaf started, but I hopped past him. I leapt into the air as my wings spread wide.

“Don’t worry, I got it!”

I flew up, speeding past Orgaf as he blinked a few times. He stared at me, and I turned back to face the group below.

“I’ll find it in a moment! You coming, Willy?”

And I shot up, activating [Haste] as I soared through the air. The [Will O’ Wisp] sighed, but followed after me moments later as we looked out for this so-called Sickleshade Valley, leaving behind Orgaf, Daniel, and Edithe alone. Nothing could possibly happen while I was gone, right?

Edithe watched as Salvos left, flying swiftly into the sky. The silver-haired girl’s speed was evident. The way she just exploded into the air— Edithe couldn’t help but note it even now. However, her focus was drawn elsewhere.

She looked down and eyed the man standing where Salvos had been. Orgaf. Thief of the Golden Scales. Elite Ranked adventurer. He was someone the redhead didn’t trust in the slightest. He was, to put it plainly, an asshole.

There were a plethora of incendiary remarks Edithe could make about his character. However, more than anything, she was afraid of what he could or would do. He was a prideful man, judging by the way he’d talked lowly of even Diamond Ranked adventurers.

And the fact that Salvos just brushed him aside like that? Edithe could tell his ‘nice’ facade was on the verge of breaking. The way Orgaf stood there staring at the speck in the sky that was Salvos after being rudely dismissed? At any moment, he was going to lash out. Edithe just knew Orgaf’s mind was full of devious thoughts, on the brink of exploding.

That Salvos… Orgaf looked towards the sky. Beyond the white blotches painting the blue canvas above. He closed his eyes. His jaw clenched, and he tightened his fist. …is so amazing!

He was absolutely enamored with her in every way. She was truly a once in a millennia prodigy. The fact that Helena Warshade missed something so obvious just proved how out of touch she was. Orgaf believed— no, knew— that Salvos was going to surpass even the Watcher one day.

Seriously, even though she was only in her Level 130s, she was moving at a speed that matched Orgaf when he was on the brink of Level 150. And he was one of the fastest adventurers in the world!

Just imagine what she would become when she finally became an Elite. Orgaf fully believed Salvos would be even stronger than Orgaf currently was at only Level 150. He sighed wistfully, watching her flit around in the sky.

He wanted to impress her. He had to impress her. And yet, it had been a full day since they left Alyras, but he still hadn’t done anything to catch her eye. The Motharis Mountain Range lay in the distance, and he’d been too nervous to do anything. Even now, he could’ve maybe… followed her. Showed her his [Darkfriend] Skill and accompanied her in the air, trailing after through her shadow.

But he didn’t. He was too nervous. He didn’t want to… weird her out. Or creep her. And because of his apprehension, he couldn’t keep up with Salvos. It was insane to think of— the fact that he couldn’t keep up with someone?

And that was why Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scales, independent Elite Ranked adventurer, and [Nightcrawler Shadower], resolved himself. He would impress Salvos by the end of this trip even if it killed him.

Edithe wasn’t sure what nefarious thoughts Orgaf had, but she knew it couldn’t be good. She slowly stepped over to Daniel as the Thief of the Golden Scales was distracted. With a nudge, she whispered to the [Hero].

“Daniel, I think we should be on our guard.”

“On guard?”

Daniel faced the red-haired woman, raising a brow. Then he shook his head.

“I don’t think we need to worry so much. The [Goliath Oliphants] are massive. We’d see them from a mile away— or at least feel the effects of their magic.”

He laughed and gestured at Orgaf as Edithe looked at him for a moment.

“Besides, Orgaf is here. He’ll look after us.”

Edithe tried to work her jaw, glancing between Daniel and Orgaf. After steeling herself, she insisted.

“That’s exactly the problem. Orgaf is here. We can’t trust him.”

“Why not?”

Daniel frowned. He looked at Edithe with narrowed eyes. He wasn’t skeptical of her, just curious. She pressed her lips into a thin line, not sure how to explain the full situation in a few sentences.

“Just trust me. He’s up to no good.”

Edithe was aware that she was being cryptic. But she also knew Daniel. He was the one who found her after her defeat to Lucerna. They were both, individually, closer to Salvos. However, they were still close friends.

“I… see.”

Daniel nodded slowly. He looked up as Salvos descended from the sky, chippering excitedly.

“I found it! It’s over there—”

“No. Found, me—”

Willy zipped down beside her. Daniel nodded in their direction.

“Should we tell Salvos?”

“I’m not sure.”

Edithe turned away from Salvos and Willy’s arguing. She faced the [Hero[, taking a deep breath.

“But we should be on our toes—”

Before the red-haired woman could finish, Orgaf spun around. His eyes flashed as he whirled to face her, raising a single jade dagger. Her eyes grew wide, and Daniel called out.

“Edithe—”

But Orgaf lashed out. Neither could react in time. Orgaf leapt forward, stabbing with his blade. The redhead flinched back, gasping.

“You—”

There was a snap. The splintering of wood. Edithe’s heart hammered in her chest as her eyes bulged out of their sockets. Orgaf had missed her, striking a tree behind the red-haired woman.

She stared at Orgaf, gritting her teeth.

“What are you doing?”

“Saving your life.”

He snorted, pulling his blade back. Edithe paused as she caught sight of a black cloth. A torn cloak clung onto Orgaf’s dagger before he flicked it off. A single drop of blood splattered on the dirt. Edithe looked at him, then turned as Orgaf spoke sharply.

“Name yourself, assassin.”

Salvos slowly landed, puzzled at the commotion. Daniel blinked.

“That’s…”

He stared at the shadowed figure as she lay on the ground before continuing..

“—not an enemy.”

“You know her?”

Orgaf peered at Daniel inquiring. The [Hero] from another world sighed.

“Yeah. I didn’t think she’d follow us here. But… why are you here, Amanda?”

He asked with a sigh. And Amanda, the brown-haired woman lying on the ground, gripped her bleeding shoulder tightly. She faced Orgaf, sputtering.

“What the fuck am I doing here? I should be asking you what the fuck are you doing? You nearly killed me, you fucker!”

A note from MelasD

If you read Violet, be sure to leave it a rating! Violet | Royal Road

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

360. Oddities

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Chrysalis which was just published!

Anthony has been reborn!

Placed into the remarkable game-like world of Pangera.

But something seems a little off... What's with these skills? Bite? Dig?

Wait....

He's been reborn as a WHAT?!

Follow Anthony as he attempts to adjust to his new life as an ant in his new Dungeon home. He'll have to learn how to survive, level-up, and grow both himself and his bite-sized colony into a force to be reckoned with.

Chrysalis: The Antventure Begins: A LitRPG Adventure - Kindle edition by RinoZ. Humor & Entertainment Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

360. Oddities

“I came here to fucking help you guys, but what did I get? I was nearly stabbed in the fucking face.”

Amanda cursed as she got back to her feet. I tilted my head, facing her and listening to her complaints. Daniel wore an annoyed look on his face, while Edithe and Orgaf just looked confused. But I just smiled.

“I’m glad you’re here, Amanda! I’m so sorry that happened— Orgaf! Why’d you attack her?”

I turned to the Elite with a frown. I looked at him accusingly, and he drew back.

“What? I sensed we were being followed. I thought it was an assassin.”

He shook his head, gesturing at Amanda.

“No, she is an assassin. I can tell. You’re… part of the Harrowed Vindicators, aren’t you? Amanda the Silent Serpent.”

Orgaf’s eyes narrowed. He stared at her suspiciously— not really wary, considering he could deal with her with ease if she tried anything. Not that I’d allow that. I liked Amanda.

The brown-haired woman spat back at Orgaf.

“So what if I am? Do you have a problem with assassins, thief?”

“No. But I do have a problem with those who lack any respect for their betters. Watch your words carefully, girl. Or the next time I swing for you, I won’t miss.”

He spoke dangerously, taking a step forward as he brandished his dark blade. Amanda bit her lower lip, clearly nervous, but didn’t back down.

“Fuck you—”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

I clapped my hands together before either of them could kill each other. Orgaf opened his mouth to protest, but I raised a hand.

“Amanda is a friend, Orgaf. I don’t appreciate that you attacked a friend, simple as that. Now let’s just apologize and make up, ok?”

I looked between the two of them. Amanda shifted, averting her gaze. She said nothing, while Orgaf shuffled his feet as he grumbled.

“She’s the one who started it first, it’s not my fault…”

“It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. We’re not here to fight each other, but fight alongside each other. Now shake hands and apologize!”

I made them shake each others’ hands. Orgaf murmured under his breath.

“Fine, I’m sorry…”

“It’s whatever, I shouldn’t have insulted you either—”

Amanda spoke without meeting his gaze. I grinned, patting them both on the shoulders while a small audience watched.

Edithe blinked a few times, taking in this scene. Both Orgaf the Thief of the Golden Scale and Amanda the Silent Serpent were apologizing to each other like they were children who’d gotten in trouble. And Salvos, of all people, was acting like their mother.

The redhead turned to the other member of the audience.

“Daniel… can you please explain to me what I am watching?”

He closed his eyes, slowly burying his head in his hands out of sheer embarrassment.

“I don’t know either…”

And a voice laughed. Edithe turned around to face Willy, the [Will O’ Wisp] cackling behind them.

“Heh.”

“Someone, please, pinch me.”

Edithe sighed. This day can’t get any weirder.

Now that that was settled, I led the group away from that small forest clearing.

“Come on! It’s just a few miles from here.”

“I didn’t expect you to find Sickleshade Valley so soon. It must really stand out quite a bit, huh? Is it actually shaped like a sickle?”

Edithe commented idly. I shook my head.

“Oh, I didn’t find this Sickleshade Valley.”

I replied with a straight face. Willy piped from my left.

“Because I found it.”

“What? No! I saw it first!”

I sputtered, but the [Will O’ Wisp] was insistent.

“Nuh-uh. Me first!”

“You only knew what it was when I pointed it out to you—

“Wait, what do you mean by that?”

Daniel’s voice interrupted our bickering. I smiled at him, running forward. I ushered my companions to hurry as I ran on.

“Come on, you’ll see.”

We continued for about five more minutes before I came to a halt. My companions, Orgaf, and Amanda were a step behind them. They all came to a halt as I spread my arms wide.

“Yep, this is it.”

They stared with wide eyes. Speechless. They had nothing to say— no input. Willy flitted around me, and I turned back around to face the desolate landscape. The forest of trees came to an end here. Or, at least, was briefly cut off. Trees lay overturned at the fringe of the trampled ground. A line had been cut through the forest. A path paved by a stampede.

“This is proof the [Goliath Oliphants] had been through here.”

I walked over the broken trees and fallen branches. It was like a hole had been carved through the forest, leaving destruction at its wake. I glanced left and right, seeing it spread out far and wide. It curved like a river flowing through the forest. I could see neither ends of this line of destruction, but one side led to the northeast to seemingly nowhere while the other led southwest to the Motharis Mountain Range.

“So…”

I looked back at my companions, still surveying this landscape. I pointed at one end of the path, then the other.

“Where do you think the Oliphants went?”

—

No one in our party was a tracker, per se, but we did have Skills. Passive Skills that would help us survive in the wild. And with the help of those Passive Skills and our general intuition, we all agreed that it was highly likely the Oliphants traveled to the southwest.

Towards the Motharis Mountain Range.

It only made sense. Their original habitat had been deep within Motharis before the Wyverns drove them out. They probably had a natural instinct that would draw them back to their home.

So we set out towards those mountains in the distance as the sun began to set. Edithe and Daniel were slightly nervous, but they’d already resolved themselves to grow stronger. Meanwhile, Willy, Amanda, and Orgaf had no qualms about this since they were higher-leveled.

These [Goliath Oliphants] weren’t even that big of a threat anyway. Edithe would’ve struggled the most against them but I believed in her power.

But despite that, I was the most nervous out of all those present. Or maybe nervous wasn’t there right way to describe it. I was… antsy. Excited. Anxious. Why? Well, the answer was simple.

Belzu was last around the Motharis Mountain Range.

There was a chance I could run into him again once I entered Motharis. Sure, that chance was minuscule. After all, the Motharis Mountain Range spanned hundreds of miles long. Yet, there was a building trepidation within me— either hope or worry— that told me I’d run into Belzu again.

We always seemed to find each other, no matter what happened, and I didn’t know why. But this time, I wasn’t going to fight via clones. I wasn’t going to run. I had everything I needed to beat him.

My fist tightened as I led the way, and Edithe walked up to my side.

“Are you alright, Salvos?”

“Hm?”

I cocked my head. She peered at me, studying my expression.

“You just look worried about something.”

“Do I?”

I didn’t know that it was that obvious. But I paused. I glanced back. I saw Amanda looking uncomfortable as Daniel rolled his eyes.

“Fuck, if I’d known I was going to be attacked for offering my help—”

“No one asked you to come, Amanda. Seriously, stop complaining—”

Willy and Orgaf didn’t pay much attention to my feelings either.

“So, what is a Grand Spirit doing without a [Summoner]?”

“...no understand.”

“I was under the impression all Spirits were born with [Universal Language Comprehension]. How odd…”

“Uh… no speak?”

“But you’re speaking right now—”

It was just Edithe. She noticed my subtle fidgeting masked with each step. And she looked at me warmly.

“I know I’m the weakest one here, Salvos. But I’m not an idiot. And I’m your friend. You can tell me if something is wrong.”

“Um…”

I shrugged, not sure what to say. Then I met the red-haired woman’s gaze.

“If anything really bad happens, Edithe, I want you to run.”

“Run?”

She furrowed her brows. I nodded.

“Yep. I’ll be fine, don’t worry. But you have to run, alright?”

“...I see.”

That was all she said, and the conversation ended. I could’ve told her that I had a feeling we were going to run into Belzu, but she’d have immediately turned back. There was no way she was going to let me face the Primeval Demon at my current level.

But I didn’t want to endanger her life. So, I raised a hand and snapped my fingers.

“And don’t worry.”

I spoke as all six of my clones appeared around me in an instant. They were summoned quite quickly, too. Was it because my Skill was maxed? Edithe paused. Amanda looked away from Daniel, giving me a puzzled look.

“What’s she doing?”

“Just some precautions.”

I answered the former assassin before turning back to Edithe. I gave her a reassuring smile.

“I’ll make sure you and Daniel are safe.”

Edithe nodded slowly. We continued on. The Motharis Mountain Range was still so far away. And we followed the trail of destruction. It would lead us to the undulating hills. We spoke about mundane topics. I barely paid attention as Daniel and Amanda recycled their usual banter.

“Seriously, just leave if you don’t want to be here—”

But as day turned to night and we were still miles away, I began to sense something was amiss.

“Huh. Why aren’t we there yet?”

“It’s just a few more miles. We’ll be there by sunset.”

Orgaf spoke simply. I shook my head.

“But hasn’t it already been sunset for a while?”

I gestured at the line where the sky met the earth. The sun was setting. Slowly. But it didn’t seem to fully descend. Orgaf, however, just gave me a confused look.

“What do you mean?”

“I…”

I trailed off. I looked towards the sunset. Then towards the Motharis Mountain Range. Orgaf shrugged and turned back to Willy.

“It’s probably nothing. Don’t worry about it. Anyway, what’s a Grand Spirit like you doing without a [Summoner]?”

He addressed the [Will O’ Wisp]—

And I froze. Didn’t they already have that conversation? I faced my companions. Amanda was arguing with Daniel again as Orgaf and Willy were having the same small talk as before. Then I turned to the sunset. The orange ball was hanging there in the sky, where it’d been before. And I craned my neck towards Motharis. No matter how much closer we get, we were not getting closer—

“Salvos?”

Edithe’s voice interrupted my mind’s ramblings. I sputtered before she could speak.

“Is something—”

“Not you too?”

I stared at her, aghast. She blinked.

“Me… too? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t you see what’s going on? This doesn’t make sense. None of this makes any sense. I—”

She grabbed me by the shoulder.

“Calm down, Salvos. What are you talking about?”

“This is has to be magic. A curse? An illusion? No—”

I pursed my lips. Edithe narrowed her eyes. She met my gaze.

“Are you sure, Salvos?”

I nodded as I activated [Planar Navigation], but I didn’t sense anything was wrong. Everything felt right to me, even though I knew it was wrong. I tried to work my jaw.

“It’s an illusion. It has to be Belzu’s illusion. And a curse, maybe. But my [General Status Effect Resistance] isn’t…”

I couldn’t finish my explanation. Edithe was staring at me as I stammered wildly.

“Belzu? His illusions? But why is the Primeval Demon—”

And she paused. Edithe’s eyes widened. Her green eyes shimmered for a moment. As if she saw something I couldn’t. I took a step back.

“Edithe?”

“This is an illusion!”

She yelled, swinging her staff at something. Daniel, Amanda, Orgaf, and Willy turned to her as she was knocked to the ground by thin air. I shouted, running to her side.

“Edithe!”

And a figure stepped in front of me. No— not just a figure. Six figures. They made me come to a halt. My own clones stopped me. I tried to move them out of the way, but all six of them ignored me.

All six of them? That wasn’t right. I didn’t have only six clones. With [Salvo of Vanity] maxed at Level 25, I had ten clones now. Also, the fact that I was still at full strength even after summoning them… unless I didn’t summon them at all?

One of them lashed out my way as the realization sank in. Orgaf’s eyes widened. He shouted, leaping to intercept the attack.

“Salvos—”

He cut through the attack with ease. He looked around in alarm as I warily backed away from him.

“What’s going on? When did we get trapped in an illusion? Why are your clones attacking you?”

“It’s Belzu’s! The Primeval Demon’s illusions! He must’ve caught us off guard—”

I started, and Edithe rose to her feet. She glared at something in the sky and shouted.

“That’s enough!”

Edithe’s voice echoed. She slammed her staff on the ground, casting a beam of light to the sky. The sky cracked from the blast. I covered my eyes from the blinding light. The world shattered around me as Orgaf, Daniel, Amanda, and Willy drew back. We all looked on as the illusion was torn down. A dark dome hung overhead, speckled with stars. A warm breeze washed over us. I stumbled back, casting my gaze around as I caught sight of the dead trees.

These desiccated trunks jutted out of the ground and spread out for a mile in every direction. Figures moved between them, and what had previously looked like my clones transformed to Mindreapers.

And up above, floating underneath the moon, was Belzu. The Primeval Demon. Edithe was staring right at him. He clicked his mandibles together.

“Hmph. if you’d just followed the illusion and left this forest, you wouldn’t have to die today. Alas…”

He raised his arms, and a cacophony of terrible shrieks echoed from all around us. I looked up as Wyverns darted around him. I felt the earth shaking as Oliphants charged us from every direction. Belzu finished as he pointed at me.

“This will be the last time we ever meet, Salvos. Goodbye. [Forlorn Execution].”

A note from MelasD

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

361. Afraid

A note from MelasD

YO HELP ME GET MY GOOD FRIEND ARC TO 6,000 FOLLOWERS! HE REALLY DESERVES IT, AND HE JUST NEEDS 90 FOLLOWERS! Seriously you can just click follow and that's it. A total of three seconds of your time.

A social worker father and his adult daughter crash land on a desert full of crystal plants and little else. City walls rise in the distance, but as the pair hike closer they see those walls are more like mountains, and the mega-metropolis behind them is long dead.

Luckily, the adventuring city of Spur is alive and green, and well outside of Ar’Kendrithyst’s shadow.

Follow Erick Flatt as he tries to make a nice life with new friends in a new home with his daughter at his side, but this land is rarely as kind as its people, and Erick will need to change if he wants to live the life he wishes to live.

Ar'Kendrithyst | Royal Road

361. Afraid

“This will be the last time we ever meet, Salvos. Goodbye. [Forlorn Execution].”

Belzu’s voice echoed all around me, and my eyes widened. I remembered this spell— his Skill— during the fall of Westshield. It was both a curse and an illusion: one which I couldn’t avoid and killed my clone as swiftly as it was summoned.

It was like a crimson mist, pouring from in between the Primeval Demon’s insect-like mandibles. I leapt back as the red aura coalesced around me. It tried to trap me like it had with my clone. Its form changed, taking the shape of a giant suit of armor wielding an axe. I met the glinting gaze of this illusion and grinned.

A ring glinted. One of my two necklaces shone. A flaming armor wisped off me as the axe came swinging down. There was a flash of light— a powerful force tried to sweep me off my feet as the axe struck the air. A barrier of protection shielded me from this attack as I stood my ground.

That was the difference between me and my clones. I was covered in powerful artifacts— ones that were designed to protect me. But even still, this was Belzu. A Primeval Demon. My Pendant of Greater Protection flickered, beginning to fail under the weight of this attack.

“Salvos!”

A voice called out. Belzu’s bulbous eyes darted to the ground beneath him. His shadow reached out for him, trying to drag him into the earth.

“This is…”

He flew back as Orgaf appeared from between the dark tendrils, swinging for the Primeval Demon’s head.

“I will kill you, Demon!”

Orgaf stabbed Belzu right in between the eyes. The armored axeman attacking me slowly dissipated, and I stumbled forward. I stared up as the Primeval Demon recoiled, a dagger plunged into his head. Then his form changed, and he reappeared right behind the Thief of the Golden Scale.

“Annoying pest—”

Belzu pointed at Orgaf, but before any magic could be cast, the Elite [Rogue] became a shadow once more. I grinned as I leapt into the air.

“Thanks, Orgaf!”

I created a scythe, swinging for Belzu. But before I could reach him, I heard a shrill screech. My eyes widened as a blur crashed towards me. A Wyvern nearly knocked me out of the sky.

I teleported back, only for a blast of multi-colored flames to shower around me. Willy flew beside me, unleashing his magic. I blinked, and he laughed.

“Need help?”

“No way!”

I scowled and raised a hand. A flock of [Horned Eagles] swooped down at me, only to be incinerated by a cone of white flame. With Willy at my back, we circled around and burned away the encroaching monsters.

“Stop stealing my kills!”

Even the Wyverns were too scared to draw close. Only the [Vurats] were stupid enough to be burned by my fire. Willy harrumphed.

“No you.”

“This is easy! I can handle this myself!”

But not everyone would agree with that sentiment. A shout drew my attention. I looked down, seeing a torrent of lightning tear through the dead forest. A [Goliath Oliphant] fell as Edithe drew back, panting. She formed a circle with Daniel and Amanda, surrounded on all sides by the charging monsters.

“Salvos!”

Edithe called up to me. I looked down as the redhead unleashed a blast of ice and fire.

“There’s too many of them—”

“We need to pull back! [Crescent Fury]!”

Daniel spoke for her as he cut down a [Crypt Lord] and its charging undead. I glanced back up as Wyverns circled the air around me. The earth quaked as the looming shadows of Oliphants encroached on our location.

With the Wyverns, the OIiphants, the Mindreapers, and the thousands of other monsters— my companions were clearly in trouble. But even if I joined them, I couldn’t ensure their safety. I had to help them. I couldn’t waste time on the endless mobs— I had to end this now. I narrowed my eyes, turning to Belzu as he floated just above the clouds.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make this quick.”

“What are you—”

Edithe started, but I took off into the air, leaving Willy alone. Wyverns and other winged beasts whizzed past me. I dodged around them, uncaring of their presence as I pointed at Belzu.

“[Invoke Wrath]!”

His gaze snapped down at me. His eyes were wide and full of rage. He flew my way as I continued weaving through the flocks of flying monsters.

“That’s not all—”

My flaming armor burned brighter and more brilliantly. It grew wilder, then sharper— wisping off me with the intensity of the sun. My blue scythe began to change color, morphing into a golden hue, then silver, then white.

My flames expanded around me, burning away the monster that got close as I activated the Skill. It was a Skill that even my Dad was impressed by. A Grand Skill that needed a month to recharge. One that would last a whole day. My greatest Skill.

[Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion].

The rainbow flames washed away the darkness. Daniel, Edithe, and Amanda looked up in awe as I was wreathed by my Divine Essence. Orgaf appeared from my shadow, cutting down a Wyvern and blinking in shock.

“This is—”

He couldn’t keep up with me. [Haste] and [Warped Time] propelled me even further as Belzu began to snap back to reality. The Primeval Demon looked at me, baffled. He tried to fly out of the way, but burning chains wrapped around him, keeping him in place.

My scythe turned into a rainbow-colored kusarigama, brimming with divinity. I tugged him my way and aimed for the Primeval Demon’s head. He struggled for a moment, but stopped as I yelled.

“I told you I would kill you!”

And with a [Radiant Slash], I tore straight through Belzu. He couldn’t dodge. I felt my blade sink into his flesh before going through him. He couldn’t defend himself. His mandibles opened, but nothing came out. I killed him in that single swing.

“And I always keep my promises.”

I bared my teeth as I spun back around. His body slowly dropped out of the sky, lifeless. It was not an illusion. I sensed it fall with [Planar Navigation]. Even a notification popped in my head, confirming the kill—

Defeated [Nightterror Mindreaper - Lvl 105]—

Less experience is—

And I paused.

“Wait, what?”

Once again, the world seemed to shatter. I stared as every single Wyvern flying in the air disappeared. Their figures faded, along with most of the looming Oliphants. A few [Vurats] and other winged monsters filled the air. And on the ground, there were hundreds of undead, a few dozen Drakes, and other monsters.

But the bulk of them were gone. There was no threat of a hundred thousand monsters here. There hadn’t even been a single Wyvern.

“That was… another illusion?”

My eyes were wide. Half the monsters that had been hounding Daniel and Amanda vanished. But most of the ones attacking Edithe remained— actually real. The red-haired woman cursed as she brought down the last Oliphant present.

I looked around for Belzu, and he was nowhere to be found.

“...he fled?”

—--

The last of the monsters were taken care of easily enough. I scanned the ground, searching the dead monsters. I spotted about a dozen dead [Goliath Oliphants]. Thousands of undead. Hundreds of the other lower-leveled monsters. But no Wyverns, as I suspected.

Edithe wiped at her forehead as she drank from a healing potion. She leveled up twice from bringing down half of the [Goliath Oliphants]. Now she was Level 107. But she didn’t celebrate that.

“You mean to tell me you guys were fighting thousands of other monsters that weren’t even there?”

Daniel shifted uncomfortably, looking at his blade. It was bloody, but not as coated as it had been before the illusion fell.

“Yeah. I didn’t expect the Primeval Demon to cast a second illusion over all of us.”

“It’s not your fault. Belzu probably used that evolved Mindreaper to amplify his magic. I’m more surprised that he was smart enough to exclude me from the spell. He knew I’d have seen through it.”

The redhead clenched a fist, clearly annoyed. I was annoyed too. I looked up at the moon, then the dead trees and the corpses.

“Belzu has gotten stronger since Westshield. His illusions are more powerful than I remembered. Or maybe he’s using more of his Skills since he lost the Sword of Alexander. I don’t know.”

I spoke as I turned back to my companions. They exchanged a glance, and I gritted my teeth.

“I even used my Grand Skill. But Belzu just… ran. Why would he do that?”

“Perhaps it’s because of what he saw.”

Orgaf opined, approaching me. I cocked my head.

“What do you mean? What did he see?”

“This.”

He vaguely gestured at me. Edithe gave him a weird look, while Daniel just looked confused.

“The Primeval Demon was afraid of Salvos?”

“In a sense, yes. But more specifically—”

The Elite brushed his fingers lightly against the rainbow-colored flames wisping off me.

“Divine Essence.”

There was a gasp. Amanda just stared at me, mouth hanging open.

“What the fuck? Are you serious?”

She was in utter disbelief. But Orgaf just nodded.

“I only know of three other Humans… no, two other Humans currently alive who have attained a semblance of divinity. It’s a power all of us at the high levels seek. Very few of us achieve it. Yet, here you are, Salvos, at Level 130, already capable of drawing out your Divine Essence. It only makes sense that the Primeval Demon would flee from you.”

Amanda was still reeling from the fact that I had Divine Essence, but Daniel and Edithe seemed to accept Orgaf’s explanation. I, however, didn’t.

“Then why did Belzu try to lead us away from the very beginning? Why didn’t he just attack us right from the start?”

I pointed back in the direction where we came.

“Don’t forget, he was trying to chase us away from him with his illusions. And he didn’t know about my Divine Essence until we started fighting.”

Orgaf paused.

“That is true.”

He rubbed his chin ponderously. I continued, walking forward.

“I’ll tell you why he ran. He didn’t run away because he was scared of my Divine Essence. He ran away because he’s losing. He knows he’s losing. He cannot afford to take any more losses here.”

I gestured at all the dead lying around us. Then at the six of us gathered here.

“We’ve got him cornered. He has nowhere else to run. He cannot have gotten far. That’s why we shall find him.”

I met each of their gazes. At Daniel’s wide eyes. At Amanda’s look of befuddlement. At Edithe’s apprehension. At Orgaf’s approval. I finished.

“And we shall finish this, once and for all.”

Belzu glanced back once, sensing the death of his highest-leveled Mindreaper amongst those remaining. It was a sacrifice he hadn’t wanted to make, but one that was necessary. He was now back in the Motharis Mountain Range, and he had a dome of illusion around his army shielding them as they fled.

He looked back down to see one of his subjects standing beneath him. One of them— a Human woman by the name of Alix— looked like she wanted to speak. And he was willing to listen. She was the one who had suggested using that multi-layered illusion to escape. Perhaps these Humans would prove useful after all.

“Speak, Human.”

He descended before her. She shifted back slightly, not meeting his gaze.

“Lord Belzu, that [Mage] can see through your illusions. We should find a place to hide and lay low until they’re gone.”

“An annoying Skill, yes. And they will try to hunt us down. But it is all the more reason why we should keep moving.”

The Primeval Demon replied simply. Alix hesitated, opening her mouth as if to protest. But Belzu spoke over her, shaking his head simply.

“I am no fool, Human. However, if we hide, we will only be waiting for our inevitable demise to one of their armies. I will never allowed that. So heed my will and march onward: to the place this all started.”

He pointed into the heart of the Motharis Mountain Range.

“To the Brilsum Ruins.”

A note from MelasD

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

362. Last Resort

A note from MelasD

I'll say this one more time:

YO HELP ME GET MY GOOD FRIEND ARC TO 6,000 FOLLOWERS! HE REALLY DESERVES IT, AND HE JUST NEEDS 90 FOLLOWERS! Seriously you can just click follow and that's it. A total of three seconds of your time.

A social worker father and his adult daughter crash land on a desert full of crystal plants and little else. City walls rise in the distance, but as the pair hike closer they see those walls are more like mountains, and the mega-metropolis behind them is long dead.

Luckily, the adventuring city of Spur is alive and green, and well outside of Ar’Kendrithyst’s shadow.

Follow Erick Flatt as he tries to make a nice life with new friends in a new home with his daughter at his side, but this land is rarely as kind as its people, and Erick will need to change if he wants to live the life he wishes to live.

Ar'Kendrithyst | Royal Road

362. Last Resort

“It’s finally going to happen.”

Sal sat up in his little home. He waved a hand, and the screen before him flickered. It showed two different scenes— close to each other, but separate. With a reverse pinching motion, the Devil enlarged the screen and produced some snacks.

“So the rebel retreats. Recoups. Returning to whence he came.”

His eyes flitted to the right, focusing on the other side of the screen.

“And my daughter pursues. Like a predator stalking its prey.”

As Salvos spoke to her party, and as Belzu fled further into the Motharis Mountain Range, the Devil smiled. He reached for his snacks, tilting his head coyly.

“Now, which one of you will survive?”

It was a question Sal didn’t know the answer to. He wanted his daughter to come out victorious. He believed that Salvos was going to be someone truly unique. Just as the Devil himself had been. But he had been wrong before. In the past. Many times over.

Sal reached for the snacks and munched on them.

“For your sake and mine, my daughter, I hope that you deserve the Title of my daughter.”

“And we shall finish this, once and for all.”

I spoke with finality in my voice. My companions looked at each other in disbelief. Daniel and Edithe didn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth. The redhead was the first to speak, taking a single step towards me.

“Salvos, are you saying you’re going after the Primeval Demon?”

“Yep! That’s exactly it!”

I pivoted, facing Motharis. We were close. But thanks to Belzu’s illusions, we’d been traveling parallel to the mountain rather than towards it. Still, now that I had a proper hold of my bearings, it wouldn’t take me long to get there. Especially if I just flew ahead.

“Belzu couldn’t have gotten far, and we know he’s getting desperate. We don’t want to let him grow stronger or come back with an even bigger army, do we?”

“That’s true, but…”

Edithe shifted slightly. She didn’t look fully comfortable with the idea. Even Daniel hesitated. But Amanda was the one who spoke out.

“Are you crazy? That’s literally fucking insane. You want to charge after the Primeval Demon responsible for killing millions of lives? For killing Mori Gladius, the fucking Champion of the Human Lands?”

She pointed at me with a shaky finger. I shrugged.

“What else would you want me to do? We can’t waste this opportunity, right?”

To me, it made perfect sense. Amanda, however, saw things differently.

“Well, if you ask me, a more sane idea would be to get Helena Warshade and an army of adventurers to back us up before we try to fight that thing. Even then, I still doubt that’d be enough.”

“I can’t do that.”

I shook my head, glancing back to the Motharis Mountain Range. Then I looked down at myself. Rainbow-colored flames sparked off me— the Divine Essence ran freely like an aura around me if I wasn’t actively suppressing it.

“If we let Belzu go now, I won’t be strong enough to defeat him. My Grand Skill only lasts a day. After that? I’ll have to wait for nearly a month before I can use it again. Plus, who knows if we’ll even be able to find him again if we let him run free now.”

Daniel pursed his lips. He nodded at Amanda before facing me.

“I hate to agree with Amanda, but this is incredibly risky. Belzu is a Level 165 [Hellprince], Salvos. Even Orgaf here isn’t at that level. It’d be six against a Primeval Demon and a small army. The odds are heavily stacked against us. Especially Edithe and I— we’re 50 levels below him. Even if you win, we could… die.”

I looked at Daniel, my companion. He wore a concerned look on his face. And to be fair to him, these were very valid concerns. In fact, I fully agreed with what he was saying.

“I know, Daniel. You’re right. That’s why…”

I hesitated. I slowly cast my gaze from Daniel to Edithe, taking in my companions. Their nervous expressions. And I gave them the best smile I could.

“That’s why I think you guys should stay back.”

The expressions on their faces instantly changed. From worry to surprise to protestation. Daniel was the first to react.

“Wait, Salvos, that’s not what I meant—”

“You can’t just go alone!”

Edithe added, raising a hand to her chest. I nodded.

“Yep. That’d be even more stupid. But I’m not going alone.”

I broke away from my companions, approaching Orgaf.

“Orgaf, I know this is a big favor to ask someone I just met, but would you accompany me to kick Belzu’s ass?”

The Thief of the Golden Scales stared at me. He tried to work his jaw for a few seconds. Then he laughed.

“Of course I would. I am an Elite. I didn’t get to where I am now by shying away from danger.”

“Thank you.”

I bowed at him gratefully. Then I casually glanced over at Willy.

“And Willy, are you down to come?”

“Sure.”

The [Will O’ Wisp] answered without any hesitation.

“Nothing better to do.”

“See?”

I turned back to Daniel and Edithe, spreading my arms wide.

“Amanda doesn’t have to come since she doesn’t want to. But I won’t be alone. I’ll be fine. And I’ll deal with Belzu.”

Both Daniel and Edithe looked at each other. They were at a loss for words. I walked up to them, giving them a hug before they could speak.

“I know you guys are worried about me, but I made a promise. A promise to Belzu— and I’m going to keep it, no matter what.”

“But what would we do?”

Edithe asked, grinding her teeth together. I drew back and gave her a reassuring look.

“I promised I’d keep you both safe when we left, didn’t I? I won’t let any harm befall either of you. You’ll return to Alyras. Find Helena Warshade. Get her here as fast as possible. We may need her help if we get in trouble. ”

I chuckled, shrugging.

“Hopefully it won’t come to that, though.”

Daniel averted his gaze. He clenched a fist, murmuring quietly.

“I see…”

Edithe just looked down. Her brows arched darkly over her face as she remained silent. I smiled at them as I took off into the air. Willy flew after me, and Orgaf disappeared into my shadow. I called out to my companions as I flew for the Motharis Mountain Range.

“Don’t worry about me, I will kill Belzu!”

“I glanced back at my companions once as I took off. They stood there, under the starlight— not waving back. I thought everything through— or at least I thought I did. I wasn’t going to risk their lives unnecessarily, and I was going to finally put an end to Belzu. Everything was going to be fine!

So… why did my companions look so upset?

“Here it is.”

Belzu looked over the Brilsum Ruins. The familiar place where he first appeared in the Mortal Realm. He had a simple goal when he came. To put a stop to the Demon King’s plans. His first obstacles were the [Cultists] who thought he was just another one of the foolish minions adhering to Regnorex’s will.

They realized quickly enough they were wrong when he ignored their commands. Why would he listen? They had no control over him. They couldn’t banish him back to the Netherworld. Even though they had ‘summoned’ him, he had no collar. He wasn’t bound by that pesky artifact created by the Demon King for control.

No— Belzu had been granted a gift. One bestowed by the Devil of the Netherworld himself. A mark that allowed the Primeval Demon to cross planes as the Spirits did. Perhaps it was even superior to what the Spirit Lord gave his subjects. After all, Belzu could choose where he would go.

It was the best of both Demon and Spirit summoning. Summoned Demons would be able to decide which ritual they would answer— no matter where it was in the world. Meanwhile, Spirits could only cross through the portal that came to them.

But that was not all that it allowed of him.

The Primeval Demon flew forward, followed by his army as he reached the inner city of the Brilsum Ruins. He heard a buzzing coming from the side. A swarm of [Locus Vurats] had made this place their home now that the monsters inhabiting the Brilsum Ruins were gone. Belzu’s eyes flickered once, and he waved a hand dismissively.

“Begone, pests.”

The swarm of [Locus Vurats] encroaching on the army immediately turned tails, fleeing from an illusion that was larger than life. A creature with the body of a wolf without fur, bearing the heads of a dozen serpents. A being that Belzu had only seen once, slumbering. Yet, the Primeval Demon feared it more than anything else he had ever encountered.

The Beast.

It was but a memory. Crafted from Belzu’s fear. But it felt so real. Even Belzu’s army trembled at the sight of the Beast. Alix shifted back, wide-eyed as she stared at the looming figure.

“What… is that?”

“That is the pinnacle of the Netherworld. Pray that you’ll never encounter such a terrible being in your mortal lifetime, Human.”

Belzu answered simply as he drifted further into the Brilsum Ruins. Alix apprehensively followed after him. The rest of the Humans were a step behind her, pausing briefly to stare at the illusion for a moment longer.

With a wave of his hand, the Primeval Demon dismissed it.

“Come.”

He called out.

“We have work to do.”

They entered the half-standing palatial structure at the center of the inner city. It had once been a beautiful castle where a royal family lived. Then it had become home to monsters. After, it became the hideout for [Cultists]. Now it was simply empty— devoid of life.

But that didn’t mean it had no use to Belzu.

The Primeval Demon reached the central chamber where he was first summoned. Unlit candles were littered around the room, and books were scattered across the floor. Alix paused when she caught sight of a splatter of blood on the walls. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the desiccated bodies piled up in the corner of the room.

“What is this place? Why are we here?”

The former slave asked, wide-eyed. Belzu didn’t answer. He simply descended, his insect-like feets touching the marble ground with a clack. Alix called out after him.

“Lord Belzu, you said you’d stop treating us as slaves. Please, tell us your plan. What’s going on?”

He glanced back at her once. She had desperation in her voice. He sighed, answering simply.

“I never thought I’d return here. I never wanted it to come to this.”

The Primeval Demon ran one of his arms along the ground, clearing the dust off an inscription on the floor. No— not just an inscription. It covered the center of the chamber. A massive ritualistic circle, carved out of the stone.

Alix stared in shock. The other Humans gasped, backing up nervously. Belzu spoke without glancing back once.

“Before I left, I made preparations. A last resort. A contingency in case I were to fail. This place is where sacrifices are made. A place where my kin are brought to this plane.”

Without even turning his head, Belzu could sense Alix stepping away from him. Her fear was palpable. She tried to reach for her blade. Then she paused as a Mindreaper floated up to her side.

“Lord Belzu… why did you bring us here?”

Alix spoke in a trembling voice. The Humans were surrounded. An army of monsters gathered around them as they formed a circle in fear. The Lord of Lies finally tilted his head. His bulbous eyes glinted as he answered her question.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

And he flicked his arm. A crimson aura shot out, and Alix unsheathed her blade.

“No—”

But she was too slow. The gathered Humans screamed. A body dropped. Blood stained the ground as the ritual circle began to glow. And Alix opened her eyes, blinking.

“What…?”

She looked down, staring at the dead Mindreaper next to her. Belzu turned as the summoning circle behind him began to change shape.

“This is not any ordinary summoning circle. This is more than just a portal for a single Demon. More than just a portal for the Demon King’s minions. This is the gift the Devil gave to me.”

He opened his mandibles, and a symbol in his mouth began to glow. The ritual circle turned into a portal. A small one that showed a red world. White rocks. Alix just watched as the Netherworld revealed itself to her.

“This is my last will to you, Humans: slaughter the rest of my army. Sacrifice them so that I may bring chaos to this Mortal Realm. So that I can bring an end to Regnorex’s foolish plans.”

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363. Purpose Served

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Shoutout to A Travelling Mage's Almanac

Yenna Bookbinder loves learning magic. As a teacher of the Arcane, she has helped countless students to become mages—yet the world outside her classroom beckons to her.

When a band of adventurers comes through town as part of a grand expedition to parts unknown, she finds herself offered a position on the crew as the party’s mage. Leaving behind her old life for exciting days on the road, Yenna travels with new allies to uncover all manner of magical mysteries.

Between uneasy alliances, ancient dark magic and a plot that threatens to swallow the expedition whole, Yenna Bookbinder’s discoveries may shape the future of magic irrevocably—but will she live to see her findings published?

A Travelling Mage's Almanac | Royal Road

363. Purpose Served

“Hey, Orgaf.”

I spoke as I flew through the sky, passing over the mountainous landscape. The clouds obfuscated my vision. I felt a cool wind brushing against my face. But I didn’t slow, and I didn’t drop my casual tone.

“So… you can hide inside shadows, right?”

“That is correct.”

An ethereal voice spoke from over my shoulder. The shadow of a head crawled underneath my wings. Even though my wings were burning brightly, the shadow persisted.

“And I can create shadows where shadows cannot be. I am a [Nightcrawler Shadower], after all. A combination of a [Rogue] and a [Mage].”

“Huh. I think I’m the same.”

I could probably ask him for some advice, then. I tilted my head to the side, pondering another question.

“If you can create shadows out of nothing, why can’t you create wings?”

“Unfortunately, I am not an expert in shadow creation magic. Shadow conjuration is my specialty. But to create solid objects out of the shadows is… difficult. And inefficient.”

“Inefficient?”

“If I truly wanted to fly, I could simply drink a Potion of Wings or use a Scroll of Flight. Perhaps even learn said spells myself with my second Class. But I never saw the importance of an aerial advantage. Not with my skill set.”

“I see.”

That was true. He was a close combatant, from what I’d seen so far. But I had a lot of long-ranged Skills. I even had magic that could engulf a whole forest in flames in moments. Flight was thus very important to me, unlike for Orgaf.

My eyes glazed over the Motharis Mountain Range. [A Hunter’s Sense] had told me Belzu fled in this general direction, but I wasn’t able to pinpoint exactly where he was hiding or if he was still running. Worst of all, I wasn’t even able to focus on tracking him down.

“What about you, Willy? Are you good at fire creation magic?”

“No. Useless.”

“Hey, it’s not useless just because you suck at it—”

I made inane conversation. Not because I didn’t care about finding Belzu. But because my mind was preoccupied with something else.

Why? Why was I distracted even though I had decided to go on my own to chase after the Primeval Demon? Well, it was simple.

I left my companions behind. For their safety, I asked them to go find Helena Warshade and bring her here. I didn’t want them to die to Belzu or anything. And he could use them as bait or even hostages. It was too risky. It was exactly as my companions said.

Yet, they clearly looked upset. They didn’t look happy about being left alone. I didn’t get it. And it made me upset. An uncomfortable feeling bubbled up inside of me, and I only snapped out of it when Orgaf spoke up.

“We’re not covering enough ground.”

The shadow said. I cocked my head, looking back at Orgaf.

“Huh?”

“At this rate, we won’t find the Primeval Demon. We need to split up to cover more ground. The only problem is… do either of you have a communication artifact?”

“Um…”

I exchanged a glance with Willy. Both the [Will O’ Wisp] and I answered at the same time.

“Nope.”

“No.”

“That’s… unfortunate.”

Orgaf sounded disappointed. He pondered aloud, trying to figure out a solution to this dilemma.

“Perhaps we could agree to return to the same spot in an hour. We do not want to face the Primeval Demon on our own—”

“Wait!”

I exclaimed. Orgaf wanted us to cover more ground, but I had a simple way to do that!

“What if I do this?”

I snapped my fingers. And this time, I felt a surge of mana draining from my body. I was instantly exhausted, but golden sparks flickered to life around us.

My clones appeared around me. All ten of them. This was the real number of clones I could summon. My max clones. I grinned as they looked at me, nodding.

“Split up! Find Belzu! Go quickly!”

And they flew off. Orgaf’s shadow turned to Willy, and the two stared at each other as I beamed.

“I’m a genius!”

Willy scoffed.

“No.”

Alix screamed as she swung her sword. Her ears rang. Blood splattered on her. The monster fell, and the ground shook. Taking in a deep breath, she ignored the words resounding in her head and looked towards the glint in the corner of her eye.

Experience is awarded for defeating [Goliath Oliphant - Lvl 114]!

More experience is awarded for defeating—

Just from doing this, she’d leveled up five times. Five times in an hour. Alix didn’t believe it. But it worked. These were monsters far above her level, and she was killing them. They were fueling her level— as well as the other former slaves with her. Quinn, for example, had leveled up eight times since they began. Winsley, while a low-leveled combatant, had leveled up three times.

Together, the Humans brought down the Oliphants and the Drakes and the undead under Belzu’s command. Alix knew this never would’ve been possible under normal circumstances. But these were no ordinary circumstances.

The bright light flashed, and Alix covered her eyes. The portal shimmered faintly. The image on the other side grew more solid as its circumference expanded. Alix stared as a creature— a Demon with many legs and a dozen eyes and spikes jutting out of its body— leapt for the portal. She flinched, but the Demon didn’t break through.

There was a harrumph. Alix turned to a dissatisfied figure, lowering itself to her.

“You’re too slow.”

Belzu, Lord of Lies, and Primeval Demon spoke simply. Alix lowered her head, sputtering. She gestured at a [Goliath Oliphant], standing defiantly even as a hundred slaves assailed it.

“I-I… we’re trying our hardest. But we cannot possibly take down these Level 120 beasts—”

“That’s enough.”

His eyes flashed. Alix stumbled back. Then there was a crash. The [Goliath Oliphant] fell. Again, the ritual circle grew brighter and wider.

“Go.”

The Primeval Demon’s voice boomed. Alix blinked. A susurration ran through the cowering slaves. They paused, exchanging glances. They spoke in hushed voices as Alix barely mustered up the strength to speak.

“...what?”

Belzu twisted his head to face her. He addressed not just her, but all the slaves present.

“Leave. You have served your purpose. You are no longer of use to me.”

He waved a hand dismissively. Then he turned back to the ritual circle as his eyes flashed a dark crimson, killing a chunk of his monster army without even looking.

“I always keep my promise.”

Alix stood in disbelief. The other slaves were at a loss for words at first. They looked at each other, confused. Not sure if this was a test or not. They finally reacted when a voice exclaimed.

“We… we’re free!”

Quinn jumped in joy. He turned around, excitedly wading his way past the other slaves.

“Get out of my way— I’m getting the fuck out of here!”

Alix stared as the man left. Then it broke the stupor. A dozen of the former slaves clamored after him. Then a hundred. And all at once, a stampede made their way out of the Brilsum Ruins.

“We can finally return to our homes!”

“I lived! I didn’t die to that insane…”

“Move! Hurry up idiots—”

Was this real? Alix saw them leave, and she realized it was true. But she still couldn’t comprehend it. She turned to Belzu, raising her sword.

“You’re letting us go.”

Her voice trembled as she spoke. The Primeval Demon killed another hundred monsters, and she shouted.

“Why? Aren’t you the Lord of Lies? Aren’t you a Demon? Why would you set us free, just like that?”

Alix didn’t understand. She couldn’t comprehend it. But the Primeval Demon didn’t care.

“You said you are a slave, Human. That is why I took you into my army. But I realize— that is not true.”

His wings buzzed as he floated before her. He raised a hand as a powerful curse gathered around his fingertips. Alix hesitated, but he didn’t face her. He turned to the [Goliath Oliphants], felling them all at once. They trumpeted as they died, sending small earthquakes throughout the Brilsum Ruins.

“You have your free will. You could oppose me or your captors as you wish, even if it is at the cost of your life. You do not understand what it is like to truly be a slave. To dedicate your life to servitude, believing your master is right, only to learn of his follies.”

The Primeval Demon’s mandibles clicked before spreading wide. The symbol burned in his mouth shone brighter than before as he faced Alix.

“So I have no use of you. I have no care for you. I do not want you here.”

Alix stumbled back as the portal pulsed with energy, no longer expanding. The ceiling fell, crumbling around Belzu as a translucent pillar reached for the sky. The dark clouds gathered turned pitch black, and a red glow shone down from above them.

A screech drew Alix’s attention. Her eyes darted to the base of the portal. A claw crawled up the corner of the circle.

“That’s…”

[Hellwolf - Lvl 93]

The first of the waiting Demon pulled itself onto the Mortal Realm, eyes glowing red. An untamed, wild beast. It bore no collar. Belzu had no control over it. It snarled as Alix screamed.

“No—”

But it leapt past her. Alix fell to the ground, panting. Confused. Then she saw the blotch of magic covering over her. An illusion shielded her from the Demon’s sight.

Belzu turned away from Alix as his voice grew quiet.

“Now go. Return to your cities. Hide. Do as you wish with the time you have left. And pray for salvation.”

Alix ran. As the wild Demons crawled their way out of the Netherworld, she fled the Brilsum Ruins. The sky turned red. The magic illuminated the night. And hell was unleashed on earth.

“What is… that?”

Orgaf’s voice quivered as he spoke over my shoulder. I looked up. From eleven different perspectives. All my clones saw it. I saw it. The familiar crimson sky. The dark clouds. A pillar of translucent light, emanating a magic that I mastered. It came from the center of the Motharis Mountain Range. A place I’d been to before.

And my eyes narrowed.

“That, Orgaf, Willy—”

I turned to the [Will O’ Wisp] and the Elite’s shadow.

“Is our destination.”

With that, I took off, rushing to put a stop to whatever that was before it was too late.

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364. Ripples

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364. Ripples

The trio made their way through the forest. The falling leaves brusquely brushed by Edithe’s face as she rushed past the sturdy trees into a clearing. A cold wind sent pinpricks down her spine, and the redhead came to a sudden stop.

Daniel paused, glancing back at her. Amanda was a step slower, but she eventually came to a halt too.

“The fuck are you guys doing?”

“I don’t know, Edithe just…”

The young man from Earth bit his lower lip when he saw Edithe’s pained expression. Her brows arched darkly on her forehead, casting a shadow over her face. She raised her head as she spoke.

“Daniel, are you fine with this?”

“Fine with…?”

“This. What we’re doing right now.”

Edithe gestured at the both of them. She breathed in deeply— the scent of burned wood and ash. Almost coarse to take in.

“Leaving Salvos alone. Going back, scared, unable to even help as she charges to fight the Primeval Demon.”

Daniel stood there in silence. Edithe barely even saw him as she gritted her teeth. His silhouette was barely visible. Still, she expected him to argue— to speak the same logic Edithe spoke to Salvos. After all, that logic made sense. Edithe wouldn’t have been against the idea if her logic hadn’t made sense. So, surely, Daniel would’ve argued against her now.

But when he opened his mouth, he agreed with her.

“You’re… right.”

The redhead blinked.

“You agree with me?”

“I do.”

He nodded, holding her gaze. Edithe stared at him.

“But it’s stupid risky. We’re literally 20 levels below Salvos in level. And that Primeval Demon is 30 levels above her. If we follow after her—”

“We may die.”

Daniel finished the thought for her. She lowered her head as his words settled in. Both of them were silent for a moment. And a voice interrupted them.

“Great. We are all in agreement that it’s fucking stupid to charge at the Primeval Demon responsible for killing literally millions of people.”

Amanda clapped her hands together, giving them both an annoyed smile.

“Can we get the fuck out of here now?”

Edithe and Daniel exchanged a glance. They had a silent conversation. The very same thoughts crossed their minds. When they spoke, they spoke as one.

“No.”

“Are you fucking serious?”

Amanda gaped, and Edithe stepped forward.

“I didn’t ask Salvos to bring me here just so I can run away at the first sign of danger. I want to become stronger. I want to protect my loved ones. To avenge those who have fallen.”

The redhead raised a tight fist. She glanced back when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Daniel stood next to her, a determined look on his face.

“I’m the same. I promised I wouldn’t run anymore. That I wouldn’t be a coward. But with every step forward I take, I take another half-step back. It’s frustrating, being afraid. Even though I promised I’d get better. Even though… I’m a [Hero].”

“Wait—”

Edithe turned to Amanda in alarm, but the former assassin just snorted.

“I know.”

“Oh.”

Crisis averted. The red-haired woman sighed in relief, but Amanda crossed her arms. The former assassin glared at both Daniel and Edithe.

“You’re both insane. You’re both over Level 100. You’re higher-leveled than literally most of the world, and you’re here talking about being too weak. Just because there are a couple of idiots higher-leveled than you doesn’t mean shit. I’m strong. You’re strong. We aren’t weak. Stop being a bunch of morons.”

Edithe met Amanda’s gaze. It was clear the former assassin didn’t want to help. There was no fault in that. In fact, her arguments were entirely fair. But—

And the ground shook. A terrible tremor ran through the earth. A flash of light drew the trio’s attention to the southwest. Towards the Motharis Mountain Range. There was a weak glow coming from beyond the tallest mountains. Like a thin pillar of light was shimmering— faintly lighting up the sky. It was barely visible from where they stood, but the magic it emanated was clear.

Edithe visibly recoiled as the oppressive aura struck her. It was like she’d been whipped by a burning flail or splashed with a highly corrosive acid. This magic was on a scale she’d never felt before. Not from how far away it was.

It had to be the kind of grand magic that took the power of thousands of high-leveled [Mages]. The ones which could only be carried out by world powers working in tandem. Or a ritual that took life and turned it to magic.

“That’s…”

Amanda’s eyes were bulging out of their sockets. Even Daniel, who had no forte for magic, could feel it. Edithe shook her head, starting past the former assassin.

“And that’s exactly why we’ll help.”

Edithe spoke simply. Daniel joined her. They both stood there, facing the thin pillar of light. The [Hero] addressed Amanda without looking her way.

“Amanda. Go find Helena Warshade. Bring her here.”

The former assassin blinked, and he continued.

“You’re the fastest one out of all of us. Edithe and I will only slow you down. Plus—”

He couldn’t finish. Amanda scoffed, vanishing with a [Savage Step].

“Don’t need to tell me twice.”

With that, just Daniel and Edithe were left. They nodded at each other. The redhead turned back to the red beam of light.

“Salvos said she’d train us, didn’t she? But here she is, going off on her own. I can’t believe it.”

Daniel shrugged.

“She broke a promise with us just to keep a promise to that Primeval Demon. Kind of racist, if you ask me. Was it because we’re Humans?”

Edithe grinned his way.

“Well, we’re her companions, aren’t we? Let’s help her remember that.”

And they were off. They both charged straight for the heart of the Motharis Mountain Range. Whatever that magic was— they knew that was where Salvos would be.

Helena Warshade looked up from her meeting with Lofus of Bherein. The Elites had been discussing the missive they received from Clayton Skyshredder. About the reports of odd movements within the Inoria Empire.

The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy narrowed her eyes.

“That is…”

Her head inclined towards the south, and Lofus raised a brow.

“Something wrong, Helena?”

“I am not sure…”

She couldn’t place her finger on what it was, but she sensed an odd magic. The vague direction of where it came from. And she knew it was powerful. Very powerful. Unfortunately, she didn’t know what it meant.

“We’re finally here.”

Zack sighed in relief as he sprawled down on the floor of his tent.

“We actually made it to the Helbir Plains.”

“We’ve been here for the past day, Zack. Stop being so dramatic.”

Helen rolled her eyes. The remnants of the Remembered Order Company’s coalition were gathered here. Even though they were a fraction of their original size, they were still headed for the meeting at Alyras. Zack rolled and faced the female [Archer].

“Look, just because you can’t appreciate—”

And he paused. Helen raised a brow.

“Zack, is something wrong?”

“I’m… not sure.”

He got to his feet, looking to his left then right. He faced Jaakko as the Cyclops entered the tent.

“Did you see anything out there, Jaakko?”

“I did not.”

“Oh.”

Zack furrowed his brows. Helen gave him a worried look.

“What’s going on Zack?”

He hesitated. Then he shrugged.

“Probably just my imagination.”

The pulse of magic rippled across the Human lands. High-leveled [Mages] could sense it. They knew something was amiss. But most weren’t aware of what it entailed. Only a few were keen enough to discern the nature of the magic.

Clayton Skyshredder stood atop his tower. It loomed even over the clouds. He could see over great distances from this height. And with a simple spell that enhanced his eyesight, he could even spot the red beam from here.

“The Demons in the Inoria Empire are finally making their moves, and now this happens.”

He sighed. Centina piped up, approaching him from behind.

“You said it was… a summoning ritual?”

“Not like any I’ve seen before. This is different. Its magic is uncontrolled. There are no foci to it. No medium to concentrate its magic.

“Me no sense anything. Clayton sure Clayton sense something?”

Another voice piped up. The [Korkodis] cocked her head, clearly confused. Clayton Skyshredder nodded.

“Indeed.”

“Should we do something then?”

Centina pursed her lips, worried. Clayton Skyshredder’s eyes flickered. He saw the danger. He knew it could be cataclysmic. Yet, he closed his eyes.

“There it is!”

I called out, spotting the Brilsum Ruins in the distance. Three of my clones had made it here even before me. The familiar former Dungeon spread out at the center of the canyon— a city that lay destroyed from thousands of years ago.

It should’ve been nothing more than rubble and debris. Yet, it stood against time itself, still empowered by the fading magic left within the city. By the Dungeon that was formed of its ruins. It would’ve remained standing for another thousand years, perhaps. Maybe longer.

But now it was all collapsing. The ground shook as an intense tremor tore across the earth. A magical aura ripped its way up and around the city, spiraling up into a single point in the sky. It carried parts of the city up with it. Even the remains of the antimagic banclite walls crumbled under the intensity of this spell, swooped up and swallowed into nothing.

“Woah.”

I stared for a moment, and a figure emerged from my shadow. Orgaf drew his dagger, speaking over me.

“We need to act fast. That magic… it’s not just a summoning ritual. It’s—”

“Tearing a hole.”

He paused as he was cut off. Willy repeated himself, facing the sky as it shone red. I exchanged a worried look with Orgaf.

“Is that bad?”

Willy flitted around, in thought. He spoke longer than he normally did.

“Depends. If have enough magic? Permanent. If not? Temporary hole. Will fix easy. Not issue.”

“Really? That’s good.”

“No. Still problem.”

“What problems are there?

I raised an inquisitive brow. And another pulse ran through the beam of light. A strong gust of wind brushed over Willy. His flames whipped wildly, but he didn't budge. He cast his gaze to ground zero of this ritual.

“That.”

I saw it, even before turning. Through the eyes of my clones, I caught sight of the figures running throughout the Brilsum Ruins. Creatures I’d seen plenty of before. Very familiar in their size and shape.

Wild Demons.

There were hundreds of them. Most of them were weak. Low-leveled and easy to deal with. I didn’t think of them as a problem. But mixed among them were Archdemons and the like. [Hellhounds] and [Hellwolves] mixed, [Gadarenes] and [Arachne]. They charged their way through the desolate landscape, snarling and killing each other with each step.

“Huh.”

I grinned and a flash engulfed the first line of Demons. I was bombarded with notifications as I turned to Willy and Orgaf.

“Don’t worry, my clones can take care of them. We just have to find Belzu and put an end to this as soon as possible.”

My three clones incinerated the horde of wild Demons without an issue. I leapt into the fray, followed by Orgaf and Willy. We avoided the fighting, charging straight through as a fourth clone arrived and joined the battle.

A Level 95 [Hellwolf] tried to intercept me, but I cut it down with ease using a Divine Nebular Scythe I’d prepare on the way here. A group of wild [Djinni] barred my path. The giant Demons lumbering figures were difficult to navigate around, so I just tore them apart with [Barrage of Cinders].

These Demons were just fodder. A fifth clone arrived and lit up the entire battlefield with her magic, burning them all away as quickly as they came. I reached the crumbling palace soon enough, and a pair of golden eyes shone in the darkness.

A terrible maw snapped for me as I leapt back. A large creature— one with the wings of a falcon and the body of an alligator crawled forward. It faced me, hissing as it beat its wings.

[Savage Agarat - Lvl 130]

“Get out of—”

I started, but it came to a halt. The Archdemon collapsed, its head already gone from its body. Orgaf smirked, standing on top of its corpse.

“[Killing Blow]. A Level 100 [Rogue]’s Skill, yet one of my favorites, even now.”

He flicked his blade, and I smiled.

“Glad to have you here, Orgaf.”

“More.”

Willy’s sharp voice cut through my chatter. He sent a blast of yellow flames into the hall, burning and melting away a group of [Savage Agarats]. They rushed out after him, and he charged at them.

“Go!”

He urged Orgaf and I forward. The both of us nodded at each other and ran. I managed to keep up with the Elite [Rogue], despite our level disparity. We cut through the other weak wild Demons roaming through the corridors. I recognized this place. I remembered fighting [Cultists] here with Daniel. Now, I was fighting with Orgaf instead.

We reached the throne room— where I had first nearly encountered Belzu. A great ritual circle had been carved in the center. This was where Belzu had been summoned. And it was the center of where this ritual he was carrying out was located.

“Belzu!”

I yelled as I came to a halt. I raised my scythe, ready for any illusions. Orgaf tapped his ring, and a shimmering light came over him. Neither of us were going to fall for any illusions this time.

Belzu floated before a portal. His gaze was fixed only on the pillar of red light as it struck the sky. His voice echoed around us. Wispy and soft to the ears.

“I’ve been expecting you.”

He turned, slowly descending to the ground. I expected a curse. I braced myself, activating [Protection of the Sentinel] for both Orgaf and I. But Belzu did nothing. He just spoke.

“Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scales. Another one on my list. Not as high up as Mori Gladius had been, of course. A lesser threat. But still— a threat.”

“I don’t know what you’re trying here, Demon, but give it up. It’s all over.”

Orgaf snapped as he took a step forward. My eyes narrowed. I saw the shadows around the room moving. He was doing something, even as we held a dialogue with the Primeval Demon. Belzu shook his head.

“What I’m doing is simple. It’s the same as what your [Summoners] do at your temples. Tell me, what is there to stop?”

“What is there to stop?”

The Elite laughed.

“More of your wretched kind from stepping a foot into our lands. Why don’t you do us all a favor since you have your portal ready. Go back to where you came from, Demon.”

Orgaf spat, and a shadow shot out for Belzu. The Primeval Demon’s figure vanished, and he appeared floating where he had been before. Not even facing us. I narrowed my eyes, and Belzu craned his neck.

“Oh?”

He faced Orgaf, his mandibles opening wide in a smile. He spoke slowly, and I felt a prickle run down my spine.

“That is… ironic, considering your partner—”

“Enough.”

I shouted over him. I sent a blast of rainbow-colored flames at the Primeval Demon. But when the flames vanished, he was still flying there, unaffected. His voice echoed from all around us and I cursed.

“What are you talking about?”

Orgaf frowned as Belzu’s laugh echoed.

“Did you not know?”

“Shut up!”

I dashed forward, slicing for Belzu. He was cut in half, only to split into a hundred tinier Primeval Demons. They all faced me, sneering.

“Salvos is—”

“I got you!”

I grabbed for a figure through the illusions, trying to use [Demon’s Mark]. But the Skill refused to activate. Belzu emerged behind Orgaf, and the Elite leapt back.

“You—”

“A Demon.”

Belzu spoke simply. Orgaf paused. He stared at the Primeval Demon, halting his movements.

“What?”

The Primeval Demon just smiled, repeating himself as I slowly descended to the ground.

“You are fighting alongside a Demon.”

A note from MelasD

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365. Vain

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Noble Assassin [Demonslayer Portal/Isekai LitRPG Timeloop]

When I died on death row, that should've been the end. Except I was transported to a new world with a System where I was the forgotten third son of a powerful duke. I tried to live a normal life, but I was executed for my family's treason. After that, I regressed back to when I was 17. Six different times.

So it's time to try something different─like learn magic and exploit this stupid System to Hell. Maybe literally. Whatever it takes, right?

Unfortunately, the System might already be exploited to Hell and I’m this world’s only chance at saving itself from being annihilated by demons. All I have to do is kill the strongest one of all.

Noble Assassin [Demonslayer Portal/Isekai LitRPG Timeloop] | Royal Road

365. Vain

“You are fighting alongside a Demon.”

Belzu’s words echoed in the room like a cascade of voices. It was a quiet choir. An avalanche of whispers. Hearing it sent prickles shivering down my spine— I could almost see the voices taking shape and dissipating as the echo died down. My body stiffened, and I mechanically turned my neck to face the only Human in the room.

Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scale, Elite adventurer, and one of the highest-leveled Human [Rogues] in the world frowned. He stared at Belzu for an eternal moment. Then he laughed.

“Seriously? You think I’ll fall for that?”

He spat and stepped forward.

“You’d have to try harder than that, oh Lord of Lies.”

The Primeval Demon inclined his head as I sighed in relief. Good, I thought. Orgaf isn’t going to attack me. If I had to fight both him and Belzu— I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to win. Facing off against two different Elite Ranked threats on my own wouldn’t be the smartest thing to do at my current level.

However, it seemed Belzu had the same thought too, and he didn’t accept it.

“You do not have to believe me, Human. You can simply ask her yourself. You are a Demon, are you not, Salvos?”

He turned to me with a sickening grin, mandibles spread long and wide. I gaped at the question, nearly stumbling back.

“W-what?”

I couldn’t work my jaw. Orgaf scoffed, crossing his arms.

“What kind of a question is that? Of course she’s not a Demon.”

“Then answer the question, Salvos. I want to hear it from your mouth and your mouth alone.”

The Primeval Demon’s gaze bore into me. He waited patiently as Orgaf raised a brow at me.

“Salvos?”

I jerked back, glancing between them. If Orgaf found out… I couldn’t let that—

“Of course I am…”

But I trailed off. My voice refused to work, even though I tried. An unsettling sensation simmer within me as Orgaf stared at me with a frown.

“What’s going on? Is this some kind of an illusion?”

“It is not.”

Belzu answered as he descended before me. I raised my Divine Nebular Scythe warily, but he just tilted his head.

“Is something the matter, Salvos? Why would you not speak? Or don’t tell me— are you actually ashamed to be a Demon?”

“No—”

I started, and Orgaf's eyes narrowed. He shifted. A subtle movement. But it was clear he was readying himself for something. I lowered my head, lips quivering as Belzu continued.

“No? That’s not it?”

The Primeval Demon clicked his mandibles, evidently amused. I could repudiate him at any moment— accuse him of lying. Or maybe I could stay silent. There were a myriad of ways this could play out. However, I felt the uneasiness begin to bubble and boil.

And Belzu’s final words made it burst out.

“If you are not ashamed of being a Demon, then perhaps… do you wish you were a Human instead?”

“Shut up!”

I yelled at the Primeval Demon. My Divine Nebular Scythe glowed radiantly, and I swung for Belzu. The powerful slash tore the room asunder without even touching the ground. His bulbous figure vanished, and he appeared floating behind me. I pivoted around before he could speak, pointing his way.

“I am an Archdemon of Pride! [The Devil’s Grace].”

The world moved in reverse. Belzu’s illusion didn’t reappear, but his real body froze above head while I was forced back to my previous spot. His eyes bulged when he could finally move as I spun around and reached for him.

“You’re not getting away!”

My arms shifted, turning to that of tendrils. Ones that belonged to a Horror Centinel. Orgaf stared with wide eyes as I tried to grab onto Belzu, even from afar. The Primeval Demon flew back, barely dodging out of the way.

I stood up straight as my arms receded back into my body and became normal. Then my entire body changed, morphing into something else. A pair of horns protruded from my head, and my skin turned into a lighter hue tinted gray. My arms, however, juxtaposed darkly as they were coated in an ashen black. Like I’d been burned up to my elbows. My wings flapped once as my flames washed away and I glared at Belzu.

“So you reveal your true self. You no longer disguise yourself amongst these foolish mortals. How does it feel, breaking away from your mortal constraints? It’s freeing, is it not?”

The Primeval Demon laughed as I tightly gripped my Divine Nebular Scythe with my claws.

“It’ll feel better if you shut up— [Demon’s Mark]!”

His eyes flickered. A symbol seared into his arm glinted. And a powerful blast engulfed him. A rainbow-colored explosion that was enhanced by my Divine Essence. He let out a high-pitched scream— his buzzing stopped.

I stared at his silhouette, burning through the flames. It vanished, and my eyes narrowed. I sensed a distortion in space as he appeared behind me. The Primeval Demon panted as he clung onto the wall, his bug-like eyes facing me with only a bit of the same mockery as before.

“Your strength… it comes from what you are. From what we are. Yet, you shun it. However, look at her, Orgaf. Thief of the Golden Scales. Feast your eyes on what she truly is.”

He turned to the Elite [Rogue]. Orgaf was just standing there, face shadowed over. He didn’t look my way. His head was lower, even so he spoke.

“So you really are a Demon?”

He spoke quietly, but his question was audible even through the blare of the ritual and the portal. Even though Demons were exiting through the pillar of light, screeching and snarling, I heard him continue.

“You’ve been pretending to be a Human all this time?”

I faced Orgaf defensively, unsure of what to say. I didn’t know what he would do. Perhaps I could’ve avoided this in the first place, but the truth was already out. I nodded slowly.

“I am. Do you have a problem with that?”

I eyed the Thief of the Golden Scales. The Elite adventurer. The Level 161 [Rogue]. He raised his head slightly.

“I see.”

And his figure blurred. Orgaf vanished into the shadows as I flinched.

“[Darkfriend].”

His voice assailed me from all directions. All the shadows in the room came to life, taking shapes of their own. They were Humans and monsters. Animals and insects. Even inanimate objects like swords and spears. My eyes widened, and Orgaf suddenly appeared before me.

I barely reacted in time, raising my Divine Nebular Scythe. His dagger smoothly slid over the flat surface of my weapon’s blade, and he rotated around me. He smoothly transitioned into a thrust aimed straight for my face, and I pulled back under it.

He was fast.

It was like he was an experienced dancer, leading me through the moves, and all I could do was follow in his step. Even with my Grand Skill, I was struggling to keep up. All I could do was block and parry. Some of his hits even went through my defenses, and only [Protection of the Sentinel] saved me.

How about this? [Haste].

My movements sped up. I ducked under a fast swing from Orgaf, shifting my weight and countering with a horizontal slash. The [Rogue] simply vanished into the shadows before I could land a hit.

I glanced around the room, eyes darting from one shadow to another. His Skill hadn’t come for me yet, but I knew it would soon. The shadows grew in number and I bit my lower lip. [Protection of the Sentinel] might not last long under that assault.

It would hold up for a bit. It was able to even withstand Clayton’s magic. But—

And the shadows moved. I braced myself, preparing for the onslaught of shadowed figures. They encroached on me, rapidly covering the distance as I raised my Divine Nebular Scythe. I spotted Belzu through the moving shadows as he gleefully watched the shadows assail me.

But something moved behind him. The Primeval Demon spun around just in time for Orgaf to appear, landing a devastating blow across his chest.

“What—”

I blinked as the [Shadowfriends] vanished, and Orgaf leapt away from one of Belzu’s curses. He landed beside me, shaking his head.

“Orgaf…?”

My voice came out apprehensively. I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he just nodded at me.

“I don’t… understand what’s going on. But right now, we have the same enemy. We have a clear threat. One that has killed millions.”

His gaze fixed on Belzu. The Primeval Demon floated there, clutching at his chest. Orgaf raised his dagger.

“Let’s put an end to this first, then we’ll talk later.”

I grinned at him.

“Got it! Let’s go!”

Orgaf and I dashed forward, weaving around each other as we charged Belzu. But the Primeval Demon brought his arms together and unleashed a powerful ring. A curse that corroded everything it touched. A curse of death.

We were knocked back, but my [Protection of Sentinel] managed to hold up. I watched as the edges of the glowing armor turned to dust. I had deactivated Orgaf’s [Protection of the Sentinel] when he attacked me, so he took the full brunt of the attack. He stumbled back as his protective enchantments failed.

“Orgaf!”

“This is nothing—”

“Hrmph. I’d have thought you would’ve fought for longer. But it is no matter. I have delayed you for long enough.”

Belzu’s voice boomed around us. I stared at him, getting back to my feet.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ll see.”

He cackled as a bright light shone over the room. The rest of the ceiling collapsed around us as I turned to the portal on the ground. It began to expand as the red pillar that was bringing Demons over flickered— vanishing entirely.

Edithe came to a halt as the crimson light in the sky dissipated. The beam flickered out of existence along with much of the magic she’d sensed. Her eyes narrowed, and Daniel stared at the undulating horizon with a frown.

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure.”

The redhead shook her head.

“But I think we might not make it in time.”

“Then we have to hurry.”

Daniel ran forward, sprinting as fast as he could. Edithe took a step, about to join him, and paused. She glanced up as a speeding figure caught her eye.

“That’s—”

Only the mouth of the portal remained. A few winged Demons still flew through the portal. I readied myself for them as they came straight for me, but they continued on. They flew hurriedly. Like they were in a panic. As if they were fleeing something. A Level 135 [Savage Agarat] escaped the portal—

And came to a halt.

A giant clawed hand caught the [Savage Agarat] mid flight before it could escape. It drew back down as the Archdemon struggled to no avail, and I gasped.

“What… is that?”

There was a crunch. The screeching of the [Savage Agarat] was silenced, and Belzu laughed maniacally, pointing my way.

“You who have lived safe in the Mortal Realm— you who have shed what you are in exchange for the security and protection of Humans— come and see what the Netherworld has in store. Behold its might! Be ready for your demise!”

The clawed hand emerged once again. I managed to use [Identification] on it this time, and I stumbled back in fear. Even Orgaf was at a loss for words.

“No…”

[Hellabomination - Lvl 180]

The massive arm loomed over the sky as Belzu continued to gloat. He looked down at Orgaf and I, his arms spread wide.

“You have lost—”

And the hand swatted the Primeval Demon to the ground, crushing him.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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366. Insect

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to An Outcast in Another World that just launched its book 3!

Amazon.com: An Outcast in Another World 3: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Book 3 - Rising Insanity) eBook : KamikazePotato: Kindle Store

Check out its book 1 here!

Amazon.com: An Outcast in Another World: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Book 1 - Human Insanity) eBook : KamikazePotato: Kindle Store

Rob didn't think of himself as anyone special, but when a pitch-black portal tried to wrap his best friend in chains, he stepped up without thinking and found himself ensnared instead. His moment of heroism results in being torn away from everyone he knew and loved, kidnapped by an unknown force that leaves him with a note in his pocket stating: "Good luck."

After being thrown into the wilderness of Elatra, a hostile fantasy world ruled by levels, stats, progression, and bizarre video game logic, he finds himself entirely out of his depth. Armed with nothing but a sword and the clothes on his back, he sets out on his the first day, and almost dies. On the second day, he almost dies again. On the third, he began to notice a worrying trend. And almost dies.

It doesn't get any easier from there.

Overcoming the wilds is just the first step in his journey; the society of Elatra is incredibly hostile to humans, having just come off of a devastating war that left over half the population dead, and getting the locals to kindle their faith and trust the last human in existence is a struggle in and of itself. Between being powerless in a world that hates him and suffering under a System that is altering his mind in unwanted ways, Rob quickly finds that monsters aren't nearly the biggest thing to worry about.

As far as LitRPG Isekai adventures go, Rob drew the short straw in many ways. But that's okay - all the bullshit in the world won't keep him down. He'll carve out a place in this world with his bare hands if necessary. He'll survive, and then he'll thrive.

Whether anyone wants him to or not.

366. Insect

[Hellabomination - Lvl 180]

I watched in horror as Belzu was squashed like a bug. It was so unexpected, I remained standing there in shock as the massive clawed hand drew back into the sky. Its shadow loomed over me as the Primeval Demon’s crushed body twitched once before falling still.

“Huh.”

And Orgaf shouted.

“Look out—”

The Elite [Rogue]’s voice snapped me back to reality. My gaze snapped up as the dark shadow engulfed my being. I flew back, propelled by my still-active [Haste] and a burst of flames as the [Hellabomination]’s hand descended on where I’d been.

The ground trembled under the wild Primeval Demon’s weight. I swerved up to the sky, watching as Orgaf quickly backed away hundreds of feet from the portal. Willy flitted up beside me, ignoring the flying screeching Demons all around us.

“What…?”

He was at a loss for words. There was no quip and no snarky comment for him to make. It was 20 levels higher than the [Ancient Centinel] I’d fought in the Bloodied Gulf— and I didn’t even have the Breastplate of Alexander on me!

What was worse was that it was a Demon. That meant that it was… likely far stronger than mortals and monsters around its level. I turned to Willy, shaking my head.

“We’re not beating that thing. We need to stop it from passing through the portal.”

A second arm, just as enormous as the first, emerged next. The [Hellabomination] started to pull itself up as a third arm reached out into the sky.

“Come on!”

I flew forward, along with Willy and six of my clones. I raised my hand as rainbow-colored flames coalesced into a wispy ball of fire. A blast from eight different directions struck down at the [Hellabomination]. Not combination casting— simply multiple spells, acting in tandem like the Wyvern flock did.

Gold and silver flames mixed with Willy’s crimson flames only to be lost in my torrent of iridescent colors. It crashed down at the [Hellabomination], knocking it off balance. One of its arms slipped as it raised its third arm, trying to block the deluge of fire.

“It’s working! It’s working—”

I started, only for a glint to catch my eyes. I saw a blue light flicker from the other side of the portal. I leaned forward, frowning.

“What is that…?”

And a pillar of blue fire shot up from the portal. It burned straight through our combined magic, aimed straight for us. Willy and I managed to duck out of the way, but two of my clones weren’t so lucky. They were engulfed and killed as the wild Primeval Demon’s blue flames dissipated.

Panting, I looked down to see massive eyes staring up at me. The [Hellabomination] wore the face of a beast’s skull. It had a pair of forward-facing horns, each one as long as its clawed hand. A fourth arm emerged from the portal as it continued its climb up.

I stared down at the wild Primeval Demon. It reminded me of what I used to look like as an [Asura Changeling]. Except… about a hundred times as large.

The [Hellabomination] let out a terrible roar. One that was followed by another blast of blue flames, and I hurriedly backed away. Willy and I descended next to Orgaf as my four clones circled around the portal while unleashing their silver and gold flames.

“That thing is as high-leveled as the Watcher. We can’t let it escape or it’ll cause more destruction than destroying a single country!”

Orgaf growled, facing the [Hellabomination]. I turned to him as two more of my clones arrived and flew straight into the fray.

“How do you suggest we do that?”

His eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, sheathing his dagger.

“Stand back, but keep it distracted with your clones.”

“Um, sure?”

I did as he said, standing behind him with Willy as my clones continued to zip around the [Hellabomination]. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to keep that up for long. One of my clones drew too close, trying to knock back one of the massive arms, only to be snatched up by the clawed hand. She exploded, but it barely even caused the wild Primeval Demon to flinch.

Orgaf closed his eyes, still standing ahead of us. His mouth moved as he whispered to himself.

“[Darkness reigns, horrors lurk. Shadows linger as the day is snuffed out. Swarm and slither, consume and devour. All shall suffer.]”

It was night. The world was covered in shadows. And I watched as the darkness seeped out of everywhere the light didn’t touch. An eerie quiet befell the ruined city as the [Hellabomination]’s roar, the flying wild Demons’ screeches, and even my own breathing was muffled and silenced. All I could hear was Orgaf’s words as he finished his Grand Skill’s chant.

“[Nightmare’s Haunt].”

And I stepped back. Sound returned as a wave of shadows launched forward. It consumed everything in its path, wrapping it all in darkness. My clones flew back as the [Hellabomination] lifted its torso up into this plane. Then the shadows reached it.

They wrapped around the wild Primeval Demon. Like some kind of web. And as the [Hellabomination] thrashed about, the shadows only tightened around its pale skin.

“This Grand Skill is my only area of effect magic I have. It can incapacitate tens of thousands of soldiers for an entire day. There’s no point struggling against it because the shadows will only grow stronger.”

I stared at the wild Primeval Demon, caught in Orgaf’s trap. It struggled, trying to use one of its free arms to tear off the shadows. But, surprisingly, the shadows held on. However, that didn’t solve our problem.

“What now? Do we just hope the portal closes after a day?”

“We do not. Trapping it was the first step.”

Orgaf answered simply. I cocked my head.

“What’s the second step?”

“That Grand Skill belonged to my second Class. Now—”

He drew his dagger as his body shifted. The shadow of his silhouette split and protruded around him like the hands of a clock. His smile thinned, spreading unnaturally wide up to his ears.

“Observe my true Grand Skill. [The World Shall Bleed By My Blade].”

And Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scale, Elite adventurer, Level 161 [Nightcrawler Shadower] dashed forward. His shadows began to spin. At first, only on the ground. Then as their movements sped up, an odd illusion seemed to take over where it looked like it slowed instead. Before I could even parse this, the shadows were breathed life and emerged from the earth. They spun around Orgaf like the slashing of a thousand blades in a circular motion.

And it tore into everything it touched.

Orgaf leapt into the air, landing on the [Hellabomination]’s first arm with his whirlwind of shadowed blades. The Demon reeled as he assailed it and ran up to its shoulder. My eyes widened at the sight of black blood spilling over the ruins of the palace. He was actually hurting it!

I nodded at Willy, spinning my Divine Nebular Scythe.

“Let’s help him!”

Another clone arrived at the scene as I soared into the air with the [Will O’ Wisp]. I raised my hand, slowing the area around only the [Hellabomination]’s head with [Warped Time] as it craned its neck to face Orgaf. It tried to swat him off, but he simply leapt to another arm and ravaged it as well.

It recoiled, two of its arms now in the air thanks to Orgaf’s attack. It only had two other arms to steady itself up atop the portal. My six remaining clones flew with Willy to one of the arms, readying their magic as I broke off for the other and created a flaming bow.

“Ready?”

I called out to them, holding up the bow. They nodded, and I reached into my [Dimensional Pocket]. Their flames pooled together, blasting the wild Primeval Demon’s other arm back. It began to lose its balance as I produced something I had been hiding for a while now.

[The Giant Killer Arrow: Epic Grade - An arrow created by Odmantus the Giant Killer. It can return to the user as long as it remains undamaged. Deals immense piercing damage.]

The arrow itself was massively oversized. Even longer than I was tall. It glowed red as I nocked it into my flaming bow.

“Take this— The Giant Killer Arrow!”

It shot out, faster than even I was expecting. I felt a link connecting me to it as it soared straight for the wild Primeval Demon’s forearm. It dug deep as the [Hellabomination] roared in pain. It recoiled in pain, finally losing all grip it previously had. I tugged at the link to The Giant Killer Arrow and it appeared back on my bow.

“And again! And again! And again—”

I fired The Giant Killer Arrow repeatedly at the [Hellabomination] as it fell back through the portal. It had been nearly through moments ago, but now it was only shoulders up into the Mortal Realm.

“It’s working!”

I turned to the Elite. His attack continued. The shadows clung on. The wild Primeval Demon closed its eyes, falling as only its head poked out of the other side.

“Come back!”

I called out to Orgaf. He nodded, throwing himself off the [Hellabomination] and landing at the edge of the portal. I sent two of my clones straight past him, sacrificing them to push the wild Primeval Demon all the way through to the other side. They detonated in its mouth before it could release another fire breath.

“We did it—”

I started, watching as its last arm disappeared beneath the portal. But… something grasped onto the other side. A little bit of white stuck out from the portal, even as the rest of the wild Primeval Demon had fallen off the portal. It looked like it was made out of bone, but it was just as massive as the [Hellabomination]’s forearms had been. It bent in a crooked way, accompanied by a second of this same thing.

Both these limbs pulled the wild Primeval Demon back through the portal as I stared. They were…

“...wings?”

Bone-like wings. Just like my [Wings of the Netherworld]. The [Hellabomination] climbed back to the other side as magical wings spread out from its upper back. A thin plume of smoke left its mouth as my mouth moved.

“Oh no.”

I dove out of the way from the fire breath. It caught another of my clones as the wild Primeval Demon swiveled its head around. I cursed as some of the flames washed over my back, saved only by the combination of my Aura of Greater Protection and [Protection of the Sentinel].

Orgaf, Willy, and my remaining clones managed to steer clear from the fire, but that only allowed the [Hellabomination] to crawl back out of the portal. It concentrated its flames on the shadow that was tangled around it as it tried to rip itself free from the bindings. I nocked The Giant Killer Arrow onto my bow once again, shouting.

“Why won’t you just go back to where you came from!”

I was about to loose the arrow, but a strong impact struck my back. I spun around, blinking. A heavy creature clung onto my back.

“What—”

A [Savage Agarat] snapped its maws for my head as I tumbled out of the air. That was right. There were still other Demons present. And they were wild— without thought. It attacked me simply because I was looking the other way.

“Get off of me!”

A blast of rainbow-colored flames dealt with it easily enough. However, when I looked up, I was flying next to the looming figure of the [Hellabomination]. All four of its arms were on the other side of the portal, and Orgaf’s shadows that were keeping it down were mostly gone. It spread its wings wide and huffed once. I braced myself.

“No—”

And the [Hellabomination] swatted me down. Just like it had with Belzu.

A note from MelasD

Sorry, some things came up irl so I'm probs gonna be posting at weird/odd times and days since I'm not currently in the right mental space to write rn.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

367. Weaknesses and Strengths

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Cutting to Life: an NPC LitRPG (Battle Royale)

Nikola is a prominent NPC in The World of Wills. She leads a life of bloodshed and murder - that is, until she one day wakes up sapient. Struggling with her newfound freedoms, morals and even some pesky emotions, she is soon plunged into a Battle Royale whose participants think they're on a week-long gaming retreat. Just as Nikola begins to become a person with real, non-scripted thoughts, she and the players 'vacationing' in The World of Wills are told they need to participate in the killing - or die.

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/55308/cutting-to-life-an-npc-litrpg-illustrated-battle

367. Weaknesses and Strengths

Willy wondered why he simply followed Salvos as she embarked on these ridiculous adventures. He had just barely met her about two months ago in the Bloodied Gulf. She piqued his interest. Reminded him of his master. But maybe that wasn’t just it. Maybe it was because he thought— hoped— that things would be different.

Nynen died, and so could anyone. So could Salvos. The [Hellabomination] swatted the silver-haired girl out of the air, crushing her against the ground. Rainbow-colored flames burned and were snuffed out under the giant claws. The [Will O’ Wisp] flinched as the ground shook.

Gold and silver flames instantly rained down on the wild Primeval Demon as it drew its clawed hand back. All the remaining Salvos clones stopped what they were doing. They zipped straight for the [Hellabomination], flying around it recklessly as Willy rushed to the real Salvos’ side.

She lay buried in rubble at the very bottom of a crater. Salvos was still alive. Bleeding, in bad shape, but alive.

Orgaf shouted something, leaping back into the fray as Willy hurriedly transported Salvos back and began healing her with his green flames. In the background, the [Hellabomination] roared, unleashing another pillar of blue flames.

“What… is that?”

Edithe Dawnrise stared as the night sky was lit up by a brilliant blue light. In the distance, a hulking creature rose from the ground, gripped by shadows. Daniel Song spoke to her side as they flew closer.

“I don’t know. But we’re about to find out.”

The Salvos clone carrying them sped up, soaring over the canyon and towards the destroyed city. She moved in a panic. Edithe could tell— something happened a few moments ago that changed her demeanor. A flock of winged Demons intercepted them, but the redhead blasted them apart with her magic as they drew closer and closer.

The monster in the distance— the enormous Demon— spread its wings wide as it tried to break free from the dark tendrils holding it down. It ripped off one, burning another. A pair of Salvos clones crashed into its back, exploding into a brilliant blast.

But that only knocked it back. Some of its skin was burned. Blood was drawn. However, it continued its ascent. Edithe scanned the battlefield, watching Orgaf unleash a whirlwind of blades at the Demon. But she was searching for something else. Someone.

“Salvos!”

She cried out when she spotted the figure lying bloodied by some rubble. Salvos. The silver-haired girl wasn’t in her Human form, but Edithe barely even noticed that. Instead, the redhead saw how Salvos’ wings were torn and tattered. How her arms bent in the wrong direction— how her spine itself was twisted.

It was bad. Very bad. And Salvos wasn’t even responding. Willy floated next to her, wreathing her in green flames.

“What happened? Is she alright?”

Edithe and Daniel quickly landed with the Salvos clone carrying them. The [Will O’ Wisp] answered while still focused on his healing.

“Hurt. Need help.”

“I have healing potions. They should—”

Daniel produced a vial, but Willy rejected it.

“No.”

A nearby [Hellwolf] leapt for the stationary Humans, but Edithe blasted it back. She turned to Willy.

“What? Why not?”

“Need stronger.”

Both Daniel and Edithe exchanged a glance. They knew what that meant. But Daniel was offering the highest grade of healing potion there was. The only things that were superior were elixirs and other advance alchemical potions. He didn’t have that.

But someone did. Or, well, Salvos did. The Salvos clone produced a Potion of Regeneration. It came in a crystalline bottle, and it didn’t look like there was much of the magical liquid left. Still, it was all they had and they carefully poured the Potion of Regeneration into Salvos’ mouth.

Edithe watched with bated breath as Salvos’ wounds began to close. The Demon girl’s arm righted itself along with her spine. The holes in her wings sewed themselves shut. But only mostly. She was still lying there, unresponsive.

“Why isn’t it working?”

Daniel turned to Willy. The [Will O’ Wisp] was uncertain. They looked at Salvos, lying there. Then they turned to the Salvos clone. She just shrugged and flew off, heading straight for the giant Demon as it swatted down another Salvos clone.

A voice interrupted the quiet deliberation. Edithe glanced back as Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scale, emerged from the shadows. He clutched at his shoulder, panting.

“My Grand Skill will not hold on for much longer. That [Hellabomination] will escape—”

He paused when he caught sight of Edithe and Daniel. His brows snapped together.

“Great. And what are you two doing here?”

“We’re here to help.”

Edithe replied simply, holding his gaze. Orgaf scowled.

“You’ll only get in the way. Seriously, we’ll have to protect you idiots as we leave this place.”

“Leave this place? We can’t let that Demon run free.”

She narrowed her eyes, and he shook his head.

“There’s no way we’re defeating that thing without help. We need to go. Now.”

“I’m not leaving. If that Demon breaks free, it’ll destroy us all.”

“Are you fucking serious? Then go ahead and die if you want. I’m not getting myself killed because of you.”

Orgaf laughed as he started past her. An explosion boomed in the background. There were just two Salvos clones left. Edithe pursed her lips.

“So you’re just going to leave? Aren’t you an Elite Ranked adventurer? Aren’t you Orgaf, Thief of the Golden Scale?”

“I didn’t get to where I was being a moron and charging into fights that have already been lost. So, yes, I’m leaving now.”

Edithe stared at him as his shadows formed ribbons around him. The fact that he had the audacity to just up and leave infuriated her. After all his bragging— his belittling of her— he was going to flee? Her fists tightened into balls, and she snapped.

“You’re a fucking coward, Orgaf.”

And the Elite paused. He slowly faced Edithe as she continued.

“All that talk and you’re just going to run at the first sign of trouble, huh? I shouldn’t have expected anything more from you.”

Again, another explosion. One Salvos clone was left distracting the [Hellabomination]. Orgaf held Edithe’s gaze. His eyes were cool. Even with the fighting in the background. In spite of the wild Demons buzzing around the ruined city. He tilted his head dangerously.

“You left before the battle even began, and now you’re calling me the coward? Do you really think I’ll allow such an insult to go unpunished, girl?”

Edithe drew back, tensing up. But her lips still moved as she stared straight at him.

“You’d rather fight your own ally then work together to defeat an enemy, huh? Of course.”

Orgaf frowned. He raised his dagger.

“I—”

“That’s enough, both of you.”

And Daniel stepped between them. He glanced once at Edithe, shaking his head.

“Whatever spat you have with him, just drop it. We have more important matters right now.”

The redhead opened her mouth to protest. Then she bit her lower lip. She hung her head, slightly ashamed at her outburst. Daniel then turned to the Elite.

“And Orgaf, I can’t force you to stay. None of us can. But you’re the best of us here, and you’re our best chance of helping us defeat that thing until Salvos wakes up. Or are you just going to leave her here to die with the rest of us?”

Orgaf took a step back. He glanced between Daniel and Salvos. Then he crossed his arms.

“She’s a Demon.”

“But she is still Salvos. The very same person you came here with. Weren’t you just praising her a day ago?”

The Elite shifted once again, unable to muster up a reply. Daniel sighed. He walked up to Salvos, placing a hand on the Demon girl’s shoulder. The last explosion resounded as all the Salvos clones fell to the [Hellabomination].

“You’re right, Orgaf, that we’re weaker than you. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do what we can to help. And that’s what I’ll do.”

Daniel closed his eyes and spoke for all to hear.

“[The Will of the Hero].”

A radiant glow overcame Salvos as she lay there, eyes-still-closed. Orgaf blinked a few times, in disbelief of Daniel’s words.

“Wait, what?”

But Daniel didn’t stop there. He pivoted around, facing the [Hellabomination] as it ripped off the shadow bindings. He strode forward as ribbons of light wrapped around him.

“So I will do what I can. Do what needs to be done. And, hopefully, come out of this alive.”

He leapt into the air as an ethereal armor covered him. His blade grew in length, overtaken by the same aura. The [Hellabomination] raised a hand his way.”

[A Hero’s Rage]! And—”

Daniel Song, [Hero] from Earth, shouted as a blinding light of power overcame his sword.

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

He stabbed the palm of the clawed hand, tearing straight to the other side. The [Hellabomination] recoiled. It pulled its hand back, screeching in pain. Daniel leapt back as Orgaf watched with wide eyes.

“A… [Hero]? In this age? But—”

“I know the risks, Orgaf.”

Edithe spoke over him, walking up to Salvos’ side as well. Willy’s gaze trailed after her as she came to a halt.

“Maybe you think I’m a burden. That I’ll drag you down. Or maybe you’re concerned— worried that I’d get myself killed— so you’d feel responsible if you couldn’t save me. I know. I understand that I’m not as strong as you. That I’m not a [Hero] like Daniel. That I’m not as special as Salvos. But I am here too.”

She raised her staff as her magic poured into Salvos.

“[Patron of the Skills]. [Aura of Greater Protection]. [A Guardian’s Blessing].”

Her head raised, and Willy just stared at her. She spun around as her magic flared up.

“So don’t you dare count me out!”

And she charged after Daniel. Orgaf and Willy looked on as the two lower-leveled Humans ran straight into danger. Then the [Will O’ Wisp] snorted.

“Anyone can die. Stupids.”

He followed after them. It was just Orgaf left. The Elite. He stood quietly for a second, looking over at Salvos. Then he grunted and silently joined the fighting once again.

Everything was dark. The last thing I remembered was the [Hellabomination] looming over me. I wasn’t even able to react. It crushed me with its massive claws, and my vision disappeared. My body was limp. All I felt was intense pain. I couldn’t hear anything. I couldn’t even think. I only saw flashes of scenes— perhaps through my clones’ eyes. But they dwindled in number, and I began to see less and less of the world.

Then the stabbing pain assailing my body suddenly vanished. My hearing returned; I heard voices around me. I couldn’t make out what was being said. I just knew it was an argument. Then one declaration followed by another. I sensed the last of my clones perish, only for a surge of power to wash over me.

It empowered me. It made me feel stronger than ever. But it wasn’t enough. I still couldn’t move. Couldn’t think— until I felt it.

A warmth. Like the hug of a companion, or the recognition of those around me. It calmed me; I could hear my breathing; my mind collecting; a fog clearing; this dazed dream fading. My thoughts whirred as my fingers twitched.

I heard the explosions. The shouts and the fighting. It was all clear to me now. My strength returned. My lips moved. I opened my eyes, and the last of my wounds vanished.

“[My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends].”

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 155 (+20%) (+30) (+10) (+100) (+15)

[Strength]: 145 (+20%) (+30) (+10) (+100) (+15)

[Endurance]: 150 (+20%) (+30) (+10) (+3) (+100) (+15)

[Wisdom]: 265 (+20%) (+30) (+10) (+13) (+100) (+15)

[Agility]: 320 (+20%) (+30) (+10) (+5) (+100) (+15)

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

368. Portal

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Goblin Cave

[Goblin Cave] is a perfectly average Dungeon that becomes unsatisfied with its work.

Goblin Cave | Royal Road

368. Portal

“Daniel!”

Edithe shouted, and the [Hero] leapt back. The [Hellabomination] was too fast. It swung for him as he braced himself for the attack. Before it could impact him, the shadows beneath his feet flickered and a figure pulled him out of the way.

Orgaf appeared with Daniel in his arms as the wild Primeval Demon tore through the earth. Edithe blinked a few times as she saw this, then she smiled.

“Alright.”

She turned to the [Hellabomination], raising her staff as Willy assailed it with yellow fire from above. It flew into the air, wings beating and sending strong gales down below. A group of winged Demons dove straight at it, and it burned them with a blast of blue flames.

Edithe could feel the heat from here. It ate through even the acid fire Willy rained down on it. Its spread its wings and arms wide as it let out a terrible screech.

“You do realize this is not going to be easy, right?”

Orgaf spoke as he spun his dagger nervously, eyeing the [Hellabomination]. The wild Primeval Demon was massive. Edithe watched as it blotted out the moon in the sky, illuminating the night with only its flames. Still, she shook her head defiantly.

“We’ll just have to take it down with everything we’ve got— [Vindication of They]!”

She raised her staff, and power surged through her. Flames shot out like a pillar, coming from all the dead littering the ruined city. It burned the wild Primeval Demon. She watched as the magical ethereal inferno raged on. It was a powerful magic. Her greatest Skill.

But the [Hellabomination] tore through it with ease. It didn’t even flinch. Its skin wasn’t even burned. The wild Primeval Demon came crashing straight down, crossing a thousand feet in a moment. Edithe stumbled back, blinking.

“Fuck—”

And, from the corner of her eye, Edithe saw a flash. An iridescent glint. A figure blurred forward, rushing straight for the [Hellabomination]. It struck the wild Primeval Demon before it could land, knocking it back into the air with a shock wave that shook the earth.

Edithe steadied herself, staring up with wide eyes. She looked at the winged Demon floating before her. The girl with horns protruding from her head like a crown.

“Hey, you almost killed me.”

Salvos tilted her head simply as she spun her scythe.

“I’ll make you pay for that.”

And she exploded forward with a burst of rainbow-colored flames.

I unleashed a [Barrage of Cinders] at the [Hellabomination] as I ran down the side of its arm. It tried to shake me off, but I beat my wings and flew around its face. Its jaw unhinged, ready to breathe fire, but I hurled my own fireball into its mouth.

The explosion caused it to recoil and fly back. I felt strong. My attacks were actually damaging the wild Primeval Demon. All thanks to the boost Daniel and Edithe gave me.

I drew blood with each slash, and I burned its skin with my magic. It was honestly a lot. It wasn’t as significant of a boost as [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] alone, but combined it allowed me to surpass even Orgaf in speed— let alone the [Hellabomination]. The wild Primeval Demon couldn’t even touch me. It tried to swing at me with one of its four arms, and I grinned.

“Now— [Radiant Slash]!”

I sliced straight through the joint where the forearm met the hand. The [Hellabomination] reeled, screeching in pain as one of its claws fell to the ground. I bared my teeth up at it.

“How’s that?”

I expected [Intimidation] to have lasted for at least a few seconds. But apparently that Skill wasn’t powered by magic as much as it was by something else. Its eyes flickered once and it roared.

A pulse of fire exploded from its body. I couldn’t dodge out of the way. It knocked me back, but my invulnerability Grand Skill held up. I crashed next to Edithe as a shadow darted straight for the [Hellabomination].

Orgaf continued assailing it as Willy supported him with his fire. Daniel ran up to me while Edithe threw her spells from below.

“Salvos, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Even that [Hellabomination] won’t be able to hurt me for the next five minutes.”

I dusted myself off, giving him a reassuring nod. He sighed and looked back up. Orgaf was attacking the wild Primeval Demon from all sides. The Elite looked like a fly from all the way down here. Daniel shook his head.

“We need to ground that thing. I can’t help as long as it’s in the air.”

“No.”

I replied simply, starting past him.

“We can’t bring it down here. It’ll just kill both you and Edithe, then the rest of us. We need to send it back to the Netherworld.”

I cast my gaze to the side. The portal was still open. But I could tell it was going to close soon. Its magic was rapidly running out now that the [Hellabomination] had gotten through. I turned to Edithe as she panted.

“My attacks aren’t even drawing its attention.”

She cursed, and I turned to her. I closed my eyes, feeling a synergy with her. As if there was something within me drawing me to borrow her power. I took what I felt I needed. What was right. And my eyes opened.

Temporary Skills:

[Ray of Retribution] - Lvl 10

[Shield of the Misty Lord] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - The Protector’s Boon] - Lvl 5

“Edithe.”

I didn’t even look her way. I could sense her every movement, no matter how subtle it was. She raised her head, blinking as I continued.

“We’ll draw its attention. Together.”

“...what?”

She stared at me, puzzled. I just offered her a hand.

“We can use combination casting. We did this before, remember? Against those stupid Kobolds. You’re the only one I can do this with. Together, we’ll be able to really hurt the [Hellabomination].”

Her mind whirred. She opened her mouth, protesting.

“But back then—”

“Back then we could do it. So we can do it again.”

I held her gaze as I spoke over her. Edithe pursed her lips but nodded slowly. I took her hand, looking up at the [Hellabomination] as it erupted into flames. Orgaf leapt away, and its body burned. Its own blue flames covered it entirely, forming a blazing armor that even I didn’t want to get close to. I felt the synergy with Edithe grow stronger as I gritted my teeth.

“Daniel, protect Edithe in case anything happens.”

I faced the Human man. He nodded, raising his blade. The red-haired woman and I brought our arms up as the [Hellabomination] barreled through Willy’s flames. It came down at us like a trailing comet.

“Don’t worry. We can do this.”

I reassured Edithe. She stepped forward, agreeing.

“Yes— now!”

And at the same time, we unleashed our magic. It combined, becoming one. I drew from Edithe’s pool of mana, and she took from mine too. She stood straighter. Her eyes burned. We shouted as a beam of light shot into the sky.

“[Ray of Retribution]!”

It pierced through the clouds. Towards the heavens. The wild Primeval Demon halted when it saw the gleam coming its way. But it was too late. The magic struck the [Hellabomination], burrowing a hole into its stomach. It let out a deafening shrill shriek in pain as it bent back. The [Ray of Retribution] continued onward, unimpeded through the wild Primeval Demon.

Daniel looked up, hoping.

“Did we beat it?”

“Not yet.”

My eyes sharpened. The [Hellabomination]’s back cracked as it leaned forward. It bared its teeth down at me and roared, charging straight down once again. I turned to Edithe, continuing.

“Next— [Shield of the Misty Lord].”

Together, we conjured the ice barrier over us. It was like a literal dome. One that spread hundreds of feet wide. The [Hellabomination] crashed into it, cracking the center. It recoiled from the hit, and I ran past Daniel and Edithe.

A spark began to forge something in my hand, creating a metallic object that extended a dozen feet.

“Take it!”

I tossed the object both ways at my companions. They caught it, looking at what it was.

“Divine Nebular Chains. Use it on the [Hellabomination] when it’s distracted!”

They were perplexed. Daniel opened his mouth.

“I don’t think this is enough to—”

And he paused when [Mass Particulate Modification] began to take effect. The chains grew larger and larger as I leapt up, feeling a ripple run through my body. The ice above cracked and shattered as I emerged, flying straight for the [Hellabomination].

Orgaf didn’t know why he was still fighting. He was exhausted. All his Skills had been used up. His protective artifacts had been drained— used up. He limped forward, grimacing as he clutched his shoulder. Blood trickled down his arm, and he sighed.

“...maybe I should just leave.”

He considered it. He really did. But his better side won out. He watched the [Hellabomination] continue pummeling the massive ice barrier and forced himself forward.

“I’ve already come this far. I might as well see it to the very end.”

Orgaf brought his dagger up, ready to unleash an assault on the Demon from behind. However, just before he could throw himself to his probable death, the ice dome broke. A shadow emerged from the collapsing barrier. He saw a flash of silver. A carapace. Like a mirror.

His jaw dropped as a colossal figure crashed into the [Hellabomination].

“Is that a… [Senior Centinel]?”

But it wasn’t any ordinary [Senior Centinel]. It wasn’t blood-red like most Centinels. It was a silver-white color. And it rammed headfirst into the Demon.

“How?”

Willy flitted down next to Orgaf as he . The [Will O’ Wisp] answered simply.

“Salvos. That’s how.”

I threw myself at the wild Primeval Demon with all my might. I had wanted to become an [Ancient Centinel], but something stopped me. Perhaps it was a mental block. Maybe I couldn’t transform into something that large. Or… it could’ve been because an [Ancient Centinel] was an evolution above my current level.

Either way, I could only transform to a [Senior Centinel]. Still, I was nearly a quarter of the length of the [Hellabomination].I slithered up its chest, headbutting it straight in the jaw. It roared, falling back. Its feet touched the ground as it tried to steady itself. I could see the portal just behind it, slowly shrinking in size. I pushed as hard as I could, forcing the wild Primeval Demon another step back.

It growled, pushing back against me. I felt my momentum vanish. It gripped me with all three of its remaining hands as I tried to stand my ground this time.

“Daniel, Edithe!”

My voice came out garbled, almost like Centina’s. I watched the two Humans run around the [Hellabomination], bringing the chain on either side. They used the chains to pull at its feet, and it stumbled back. I found myself moving forward, edging the wild Primeval Demon closer to the portal.

It was wild. It didn’t realize what we were doing, but it grew more enraged. It didn’t like how we were challenging it, so it pushed even harder. I forced it back another step, and it breathed fire at me.

The flames caused me to recoil. It didn’t hurt, of course. I was still invulnerable. But the weight of the fire still threw me back ever-so-slightly. And I could sense Edithe’s grip… slip.

Edithe felt the ground shake. The [Hellabomination] exerted its weight forward as Salvos lost some of her ground. She tried to hold on. But the chain went flying off as she lost her foot. Her eyes went wide as she reached for it.

“No—”

However, before the chain could be entirely lost, it was caught by someone. A shadowed figure appeared before Edithe, gripping onto the chain. He grunted as he held onto it, blood dripping down his arms. She stared at him.

“O-Orgaf?”

“Yes, that’s my fucking name.”

He gritted his teeth, glancing back at her.

“Well? What are you doing? Give me a hand, you damn Diamond!”

Edithe blinked a few times. Then she got back up and rushed to his side.

“Right.”

Together, they pulled and regained the momentum for Salvos.

I powered through the [Hellabomination]’s flames. Orgaf joined Edithe, and with Daniel, they managed to pull it even further back. I took a step forward. Then another. And there was no stopping me now.

The wild Primeval Demon must’ve realized this, so it began beating its wings, trying to escape up. But just as it spread its wings wide, a blast of blue flames struck the left wing. It wasn’t just regular blue flames, either. It was ice-cold.

Willy hovered over me, continuing his barrage of icy flames at the [Hellabomination], keeping it grounded. It roared, breaking through the ice, but it didn’t matter. Its first foot touched the edge of the portal and slipped, then it was over. With all of my strength, I shoved it down the hole where it came from.

It roared as it went falling. I pulled back right as I reached the portal’s fringe, beginning to shift back to my regular form. I laughed as I flew back up and away as the hole quickly shrank.

“We won! We actually did it!”

I didn’t think it would work. I was so happy. My invulnerability Grand Skill was going to end soon, and when it failed, I didn’t think I would last long. Especially when brawling directly with the [Hellabomination]. My wing beat once as I celebrated.

And a hand caught me. I looked down in shock, feeling a strong tug yank me straight down.

“No—”

The [Hellabomination] caught me. It pulled me with it as it fell through the hole. It happened so fast. By the time I looked up, I was already entering the portal to the Netherworld. Edithe, Daniel, Willy, and Orgaf rushed for me, yelling as I reached up for them.

“Salvos!”

But… the portal closed above me.

Now leaving [Nexeus: Mortal—

A note from MelasD

I was in a podcast for The Wandering Inn! Check it out!

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/dragonus45/episodes/2022-06-16T14_10_39-07_00

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

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369. Back in Time

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Sporemageddon by my good friend RavensDagger!

Why survive the apocalypse when you can become the apocalypse?

Nature is dying, but perhaps before the world is turned into an industrious machine nature itself can play one final trump card to save itself.

Summoned to a new world, a mushroom loving mycologist needs to grow up and grow stronger in order to accomplish the goal which brought them to this new place: to save nature from the system that the sentient races have created.

Stats, levels, classes and skills are all well and good, but when you’re a Child of Poverty in the slums of City Nineteen, there’s little you can do to change the world. Not unless you’re willing to think outside the box!

Sporemageddon | Royal Road

Back in Time

“Salvos grab my hand!”

I glanced up and saw my companion leaning over the edge of the portal. I tried to swim out of the darkness— out of the black ocean that was closing in on me. My companion reached out for me and I reached for him—

And the circle closed.

Everything went black. There was no more light. I felt like I was being born once again, stuck in an infinite void. I tried to break out of it. I swung my arms, scratching at the surface, but nothing broke. Nothing except for the silence in my head.

Now Leaving [Lair: Lucerna’s Lamp].

Now Leaving [Demon King’s Domain].

Now Leaving [Nexeus: Netherworld].

After those words came, there was nothing for a moment. Just a moment. Then I heard a crack.

Now Entering [Nexeus: Mortal Realm]—

“Salvos!”

And I snapped back to reality; felt the loss of gravity. The memory flashed in my head, coming and going in an instant. I remembered that moment— the moment where I’d lost my first companion, Haec. It haunted me to this day. It was my greatest regret.

I hadn’t been prepared for it. I was only trying to save him, but I abandoned him. I broke my promise to him. I said I’d be his leader. That I’d always protect him. I failed. I left him alone in the Netherworld to fend for himself.

Was he still alive? My Dad told me he was alright. But that had been a month ago. The Netherworld was a dangerous place, and plenty of things could change in mere moments there. After all, I remembered a time when it hadn’t just been Haec and I. When there had been others there. We banded together. Not necessarily for safety, but simply because we didn’t know any better. There were so many of us, and in a flash, I was alone.

And it was happening again.

I was going to be alone again. Not just that— I was breaking my promises again. Just like last time. All in an instant.

I looked up. Daniel, Edithe, Willy, and even Orgaf yelled as they ran for me. I reached out to them, opening my mouth—

And the circle closed.

Everything went black. The portal vanished as I was dragged out of the Mortal Realm.

Now leaving [Nexeus: Mortal Realm]!

I remembered this feeling like it was just yesterday. The odd sensation of crossing through the planes. From the outside, entering and exiting a portal seemed simple enough. It was as though I entered and exited one limb at a time. Nothing complex about that.

But when I entered the portal, I was engulfed in darkness. No— it wasn’t just shadows. It was nothing like Orgaf’s magic. It was different. A deep, looming emptiness consumed me. I couldn’t even feel the [Hellabomination] clinging onto my leg. In here, there was truly nothing.

The only thing I sensed were words in my head, somehow echoing in this bottomless pit.

It was odd. I had been here before, but I felt nothing like this the last time I crossed planes. It was, as I remembered, a moment of nothingness. Then suddenly I was in the Mortal Realm.

However, here? At this moment? A split second extended to an eternity. A place where time itself didn’t matter. It was like I was trapped in a [Warped Time] bubble, except far more potent. It was the home of the Devil: the place where reality mattered not.

I could sense everything happening, unlike back then. But why? Why was I acutely aware of my surroundings? How did I know how quickly I was traversing through the thin fold between planes? No— it wasn’t a distance I was covering, per se, but it was the only thing that let me contextualize what I knew was happening.

It was like seeing something you couldn’t quite comprehend. It reminded me of when I first saw the corruption— or when I first took in the sight of a rock before proper examination. I knew what it was, yet I couldn’t quite parse this. But the fact that I was even aware of something I hadn’t known before was a testament to how far I’d grown. To the strength of my Class. [Planar Navigation] and my other Class Skills helped me make sense of my surroundings, and it let me act during this immortal moment.

I closed my eyes— not that it made a difference— and I concentrated. I was being pulled into the Netherworld. Not just by the wild Primeval Demon, but by something else. By the magic of the summoning ritual.

The fold between planes was nothing like how I’d imagined— there were layers to it. I was tearing through these layers, damaging reality itself. The holes closed behind me, reality reasserted itself, but weaker now. And I didn’t have much of reality to pass through until I was fully out the other side.

I had to cut it off if I wanted to escape. To get back to the Mortal Realm. I began to focus on distorting reality around me: to create a field that snipped the threads of magic reeling me into the Netherworld.

Then I hesitated. Did I really want that? This was my goal all along, wasn’t it?

I had wanted to return to the Netherworld since the very beginning. Since I arrived here to the Mortal Realm. I’d be able to find Haec— reunite with him! I’d make sure he was safe; bring him back with me.

…to the Mortal Realm. Where Humans would hunt him and kill him for who he was. For the sin of being born a Demon.

If he was discovered, I wouldn’t be able to protect him. Not against Helena Warshade. Not against Clayton Skyshredder. Not against Humankind.

I was not strong enough to keep my promise to him. I didn’t want to admit this— my pride refused— but I knew it was true. I’d fail him, just as I did the first time around.

And more than that— I still had promises to keep in the Mortal Realm. There were so many things I had to do. I couldn't leave yet.

Words echo in my head. Belzu’s words.

“You who have shed what you are in exchange for the security and protection of Humans.”

It swayed me— tried to convince me not to make my choice.

“Are you actually ashamed to be a Demon?”

But I’d already made my decision. Long before this moment. I brought up an arm, even if I couldn’t feel it. The only thing I sensed were the mana threads that tugged me through the fold between space, protecting me from its pressure.

Once I severed the thread, nothing would protect me from the all-consuming nothingness. I’d have to fend for myself. Still, I grabbed the mana threads and ripped it all away—

Then I was turning. I was tumbling. I was no longer headed for the Netherworld. I was spiraling out of control, yet I remained still. It was paradoxical. It didn’t make sense. But a sense of dread crept in. And the encroaching death of my senses loomed over me.

I began to wrap myself in my own magic, like [Warped Time] did to my targets. A distortion in space, but in this compressed reality. I wove the threads, creating a cloth to wear. To protect me.

I couldn’t build a house with what little magic I had to work with. I wasn’t as strong as my Dad— not yet, anyway. I only had what little layer covering me. And it was eroding quickly. It would fall to this overwhelming pressure.

My sensations numbed even further. Even my magic felt like it was withering away. I opened my mouth to scream— just to feel something. But nothing came out.

I couldn’t lose myself. I had to make it back to the Mortal Realm. I couldn’t die here, trapped between the planes. My Dad wasn’t going to save me. No one was going to save me here. Except for—

[Advancement Available]

—myself.

I still had a Class advancement. One that I had saved up for the future. I had options. Four of them, to be exact.

[Archmystic of the Nexeus] was the first of them. It offered me security— kept what I had and built upon it. There was little risk to it, and while it could save me from being overwhelmed by the fold between planes, it also might not offer me a way out.

The next was [Draconic Apprentice]. It offered me power, pure and simple. It was a drastic shift away from the path I had undertaken, but it gave me strength above all else. Perhaps it might be enough for me to brute force my way out, or maybe not…

Third came [Space Archmagus]. It was the clearest solution to this predicament of all: a net of safety in this pit of nothing. The equivalent of a [Space Archmage], I’d undoubtedly be able to find my way back to the Mortal Realm with it. And, eventually, I’d be able to find my way to Haec with it. But… would I be able to keep my promise then?

Lastly, there was [Younger Sentinel of Spacetime]. It promised to give me what I needed to protect those I cared about, and more. To save the world. Like a [Hero]. Unfortunately, I wasn’t a [Hero]. That was Daniel’s job, not mine.

I looked through my options. All four of them, once again flashed in my mind. [Archmystic of the Nexeus], [Draconic Apprentice], [Space Archmagus], and [Younger Sentinel of Spacetime]. It was a tough choice.

I felt the cloth of protection I wore beginning to peel away, the threads undoing themselves. A sense of fading urgency moved me to act, and I considered it all.

Belzu’s words. My failures. My regrets. My goals. My predicament. It all weighed on me.

All of it. For a moment, it felt like it was too much for me to handle. My pride felt like it would shatter. But my eyes flashed. In the nothingness, there was something. I was there. And I made my choice.

Advancement Complete—

A note from MelasD

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370. Intuition

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to the Hedge Wizard that just launched on Amazon!

Legends speak of wizards with the power to rival Gods…

To Hump, it’s just a story. Apprenticed to a wandering wizard, he grew up following the coin from one quest to the next. He always believed his master was just an ordinary hedge wizard, until the old man suddenly died, and his book of spells bound to Hump’s soul.

Knowing no other life, Hump takes up his master’s staff and heads out alone into a world of dungeons and monsters. Scorned by the gods, wizards can trust only their own wit and skill to survive.

Lacking the godly gifts and grand ideals of the Chosen few, Hump fights for something else. If he wants to eat, he needs to work. And with a new Dungeon opening in Bledsbury, where better for a young hedge wizard to earn some coin?

So begins the path of The Wanderer. The White Flame. The Hedge Wizard.

Experience the start of a Progression Fantasy LitRPG/GameLit Series about a working-class wizard out to forge his own path and prove that one does not have to be Chosen to do great deeds.

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370. Intuition

“Salvos!”

Edithe reached for the portal— and it vanished. It all happened so quickly, the redhead couldn’t comprehend it. She stood on barren ground, surrounded by destruction.

“No…”

Her voice trailed off. She dropped to her knees, and Daniel stared at where the portal had been with wide eyes.

“Is she going to be… ok?”

He asked, looking around in a daze. Edithe didn’t know the answer to that. She didn’t even know how to begin answering the question. Even Willy was at a loss for words. The [Will O’ Wisp] didn’t have any quip or remark to make. He floated there, waiting.

Edithe waited too. She was hoping for something to answer Daniel. For Salvos to pop out of the ground and tell them she was fine— to escape the claw that dragged her to the Netherworld. But Salvos didn’t appear. The silver-haired girl was gone, and no one was going to answer Daniel’s question. Except… someone did.

“She’s a Demon— she’s from the Netherworld. Of course she’ll be fine.”

Orgaf scoffed, sheathing his blade. Edithe turned to him, blinking. He looked so… nonchalant. He dabbed a cloth drenched in healing potion on his arm, flinching as his wounds closed up.

“I don’t see why you’re all up in arms over it.”

The redhead looked at Orgaf. He waited for her to say something, but she continued to peer at him until he shifted back uncomfortably.

“W-what?”

“Aren’t you worried at all?”

Edithe finally asked. Orgaf blinked.

“I—”

And he bit his lower lip. He shook his head, snorting.

“As far as I’m concerned, there’s no need to worry about a Demon returning to the Netherworld where she belongs. It’s not like she should’ve even been in the Mortal Realm in the first place. That’s exactly the problem we’ve been dealing with for the past two years— all these damn Demons just keep showing up.”

Orgaf crossed his arms as he finished. Edithe tilted her head slightly.

“But didn’t you say you admired her?”

“That…”

Her gaze bore into him, and he finally turned away. He shuffled his feet.

“That was before I found out about the truth. I ignored it at that moment because we had the same goals, but I have no reason to admire a Demon.”

Edithe could tell he didn’t have much conviction in his voice. However, she didn’t bother to argue. She just nodded simply.

“I see.”

Orgaf blinked as the red-haired woman turned around and took a seat on a nearby rock. He tried to work his jaw, but she was no longer paying him any mind. Finally, he sputtered.

“What? Are you actually really that upset that I don’t care about a Demon?”

Edithe raised her head fractionally.

“No.”

She replied in a cool voice.

“I just think that if you admire someone, you should admire them for who they are, not what they are. What you felt towards her— it was never admiration in the first place if it changed from finding out that Salvos is a Demon.”

Orgaf stared at her. He tried to work his jaw as Daniel and Willy watched from the side, not wanting to join this conversation. The Elite opened his mouth.

“You—”

And he paused. He cursed and turned around.

“Whatever.”

He left her alone as she looked over her notifications from the battle.

You have defeated a [Savage—

Experience is awarded—

Class [Sentinel of the Elements] has leveled—

…

Class [Sentinel of the Elements] has leveled up!

[Sentinel of the Elements - Lvl 111] -> [Sentinel of the Elements - Lvl 112]!

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

—--

“So, what are we doing now?”

Daniel asked Edithe after Orgaf wandered off. They all still waited around where the Brilsum Ruins had been. None of them left, mostly because they were still recuperating from the fight. But Edithe— she sat with purpose.

…as odd as that sounded.

She looked over at Daniel and shrugged.

“I’m waiting.”

“Waiting?”

“For Salvos to return.”

He raised a brow.

“You really think she’ll be able to make it back?”

“If not, then I’ll find a way to summon her back to the Mortal Realm. I used to be a [Summoner], after all.”

Edithe answered simply. Daniel shifted slightly as he sat next to her.

“I don’t know if we should do that, Edithe. Spirit summoning is vastly different from Demonc summoning. And…”

He trailed off. He looked towards where the portal had been then back to her.

“Hasn’t it been her goal ever since we met her to return to the Netherworld?”

His question made Edithe’s eyes narrow. The red-haired woman sat there, staring into nothing. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Not like this. Salvos wouldn’t want it to go down like this.”

Daniel didn’t reply. He sat with her— possibly waiting with her. Or maybe not. They said nothing, hoping together that Salvos would suddenly appear from the earth. But all they got was a [Will O’ Wisp] flying up to them.

“Look.”

Willy’s voice came out like a whisper. He flitted up, and their gaze trailed after him. Lightning crackled in the distance. A stormcloud gathered overhead as a pure white nimbus flew over the Brilsum Ruins.

Orgaf raised his head.

“She’s here. A bit too late.”

Edithe and Daniel got to their feet. The redhead’s eyes were wide.

“That’s…”

Helena Warshade. The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy arrived, riding on her cloud. Amanda stood behind her. They descended together, landing right before the gathered group.

Amanda looked over at Daniel as she hopped off.

“You guys got beat up, huh?”

“We did.”

He didn’t say much else to her. She glanced around at Edithe then Willy, while Helena disembarked and addressed Orgaf.

“What happened here?”

“Well, if you must know, we found the Primeval Demon here, and it was summoning an even stronger Primeval Demon into the Mortal Realm. But we took care of it.”

Orgaf waved a hand dismissively, and Helena frowned.

“Another Primeval Demon?”

“Yes. And this one was Level 180. Nearly as high-leveled as the Watcher.”

He held her gaze. The Archmage didn’t show much visible emotion often, but she was clearly distressed by that.

“That is… concerning.”

“You can fucking say that again. We only won because we drove it back to the Netherworld. Otherwise, you’d be arriving here to a field full of corpses and a calamity-level threat running amok on its own.”

How many Elites would’ve had to be sacrificed to stop that [Hellabomination]? Edithe shuddered to even guess. The fact was— it had tanked multiple Grand Skills and [Hero] Skills without looking like it would’ve gone down anytime soon. It was truly a terrible monster.

It was a miracle they all survived.

Helena Warshade considered this. She placed a hand on her chin, in thought. Then she shook her head.

“I’ll need to know more details. Give me a full briefing of what happened as we fly back to Alyras.”

She returned to her floating cloud, waiting expectantly for everyone else to follow. Orgaf rolled his eyes and joined her, but Amanda paused before hopping back on.

“Wait, where’s that annoying girl?”

Amanda looked around, confused. Daniel furrowed his brows.

“I thought she was running around or something, but none of you have even mentioned her. Did she die?”

The former assassin raised a brow. Edithe pursed her lips, not sure of how to respond to that. Daniel opened his mouth, about to reply, but someone spoke over him.

“You mean Salvos?”

Orgaf frowned at Amanda. Edithe’s eyes widened as Amanda nodded.

“Yeah, her.”

And a sense of fear and dread crept up on the redhead. She realized that since Orgaf now knew about Salvos’ secret, he could tell… well, everyone about it. That would be disastrous, especially when Salvos returned to the Mortal Realm.

Edithe looked at Orgaf. She met his gaze, and she knew he was thinking the exact same thing. But Orgaf just shrugged.

“Salvos sacrificed herself to stop that Primeval Demon from clawing its way back through the portal. She did what any good adventurer would do.”

Helena Warshade cocked her head slightly.

“Is she alive?”

“We don’t know.”

“I see.”

The Archmage shook her head.

“That’s an unfortunate loss. She was a brave adventurer.”

Edithe watched as Helena turned away. The Archmage waited, and Amanda and the others got on. Even Daniel. He got on and looked at Edithe.

“Are you coming?”

The red-haired stood there, hands clenched. She stared past Daniel, eyeing Helena Warshade. Edithe spoke softly.

“She’ll be back.”

Helena didn’t have any visible reaction, but she did meet Edithe’s gaze.

“I’ll wait for her. Because she’ll be back. I know she will. She made a promise.”

“Edithe…”

Daniel started. Then he saw the resolve on her face. And he nodded.

“Just take care of yourself.”

“I will.

Edithe reassured him. Amanda glanced between them, confused.

“So… are we just leaving without her?”

Helena nodded simply.

“If that is what she wishes, we shall be returning to Alyras now.”

“Alright then?”

Amanda looked confused, but Willy, Orgaf, and Daniel didn’t press Edithe further. The cloud flew up, leaving Edithe alone at the Brilsum Ruins. Over the horizon, the sun began to rise. Morning came, and the red-haired waited. Even as the sun slowly crawled its way through the sky, she didn’t leave.

It was an odd thing. But Edithe was compelled to stay. Something told her that Salvos would return, and return soon. It wasn’t just her faith in her friend to keep her promise— there was more to it.

Call it intuition. Maybe even instinct. Or it was something else. It might’ve been thanks to [Patron of the Skills]. There was a magical connection between Edithe and Salvos. A link that would last for a day. And it told Edithe that Salvos wasn’t fully gone.

Or maybe Edithe was just being hopeful. Still, she stayed. A few [Vurats] flew over the Brilsum Ruins, feasting on the corpses of the monsters and Demons, and she scared them off. The sun began to set as nothing happened.

The redhead heard a storm approaching. This time, it wasn’t a magical one created by Helena Warshade. It was a regular storm, converging over the Brilsum Ruins. The sun slowly disappeared over the horizon, and Edithe closed her eyes.

Maybe she’d been wrong. It was possible— entirely possible— that she imagined that feeling. That Salvos really was trapped back in the Netherworld. That she was never going to return to the Mortal Realm. After all, it was as Daniel said: her goal was always to leave this place.

Edithe sighed, getting to her feet.

“What am I doing?”

She shook her head—

And there was a crack.

A bright light flashed above Edithe. Like lightning. But different. It didn’t vanish the moment it appeared. In fact, it shone even brighter as the redhead looked up.

She saw a fissure in space— reality itself warping around this tear in the sky. Her mouth fell agape as she sensed the magic. The power that was exuded.

It wasn’t like a summoning ritual, nor was it like teleportation. It felt like it was pure, brute force. Unrefined. Not a proper portal by any means. It was done so out of desperation, if anything, and would be difficult to replicate. The hole in space grew wider as a figure emerged from it.

Edithe’s eyes went round as she saw the flicker of rainbow-colored flames. Silver hair. A girl. A Demon with two pairs of wings. The first pair was magical, made out of bone. The second pair looked like that of a giant bat. She had pale skin, matching the color of her hair.

“Salvos…?”

The redhead gasped. The girl looked like Salvos, but Edithe wasn’t entirely certain. Not only was her eyes different— more narrow, and in the shape of a flaming spark— but her hands were too. Her forearms, which looked charred, now had an odd texture to them. They looked more solid. Like armor. Like… scales?

And Salvos raised a clawed hand, tearing through the fissure with all her might. The claws were sharper too, and it was enough to break through reality. Salvos fell, crashing right before Edithe as the hole closed and the world returned to normal once again.

“Salvos—”

Edithe ran up to the silver-haired girl. Salvos lay at the center of a small crater, groaning.

“Ugh… hey, Edithe. I’m back.”

The redhead smiled. She stared down at Salvos, feeling a sense of relief. She even used [Identification] just to make sure that she wasn’t hallucinating. But what she saw made her freeze.

“Your Class— why is it…? Why can I…?

Edithe struggled to find the right words to say. Salvos sat back up, laughing as she scratched the back of her head.

“Oh, yep. That’s… going to be a thing now, huh?”

[Draconic Apprentice - Lvl 102]

A note from MelasD

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371. Hunch

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to SCS by RD Again!

Stray Cat Strut | Royal Road

Check out CB too!

Cinnamon Bun | Royal Road

371. Hunch

Advancement Complete!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] -> [Draconic Apprentice]

Gained 30 Stat Points!

[Vitality] +20

[Strength] +20

[Endurance] +20

[Wisdom] +20

[Agility] +20

Gained 3 Secondary Skill Slots!

Gained 9 Secondary Skill Points!

General Skill [Lesser Enhanced Wisdom] becomes [Wisdom of the Old Gods]!

General Skill [Corruption Resistance] gained!

Available Secondary Skill [Partial Phasing] becomes [Full Phase]!

Secondary Skill [Dimensional Pocket] and Available Secondary Skill [Cube of Isolation] consolidates and becomes [Fragmented Pocket Dimension]!

Secondary Skills [Mass Particulate Modification], [Mystical Projection], [Planar Navigation], and [Scattering Displacement] consolidates and becomes [Passive - Master of Material Manipulation]!

Secondary Skill [Long Range Teleportation] becomes [Greater Teleportation]!

Secondary Skill [Draconic Fury] is now available!

Secondary Skill [Manifestation of the Old Gods] is now available!

Secondary Skill [Truth Divination] is now available!

Secondary Skill [Passive - Dragon Scales] is now available!

Secondary Skill [Passive - Weaker Regeneration] is now available!

Salvos (Secely’s Sentinel) (The Devil’s Daughter)

Species: [Archdemon of Pride]

Subspecies: [Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 137

Class: [Draconic Apprentice] - Lvl. 102

General Skills:

[Advanced Mana Manipulation] - Lvl. 8

[Corruption Resistance] - Lvl. 1

[Identification] - Lvl. 6

[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] - Lvl. 2

[Rest] - Lvl. 5

[Wisdom of the Old Gods] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: General Status Effect Resistance] - Lvl. 1

[Ttle Skill: Invoke Wrath] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: Protection of the Sentinel] - Lvl. 1

[Title Skill: The Devil’s Grace] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

[Racial Skill: Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Stats:

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Vitality]: 175 (+100) (+30) (+10)

[Strength]: 175 (+100) (+30) (+10)

[Endurance]: 175 (+100) (+30) (+10) (+3)

[Wisdom]: 290 (+100) (+30) (+10) (+20)

[Agility]: 350 (+100)(+30) (+10) (+5)

Skills:

[Available Skill Points: 18]

[Barrage of Cinders] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Demon’s Mark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Haste] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Intimidation] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Faux Limbs] - Lvl. 10

[Nebular Construct] - Lvl. 10

[Radiant Slash] - Lvl. 15 (Maxed)

[Salvo of Vanity] - Lvl. 25 (Maxed)

[The Primordial Spark] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Wings of the Netherworld] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - A Hunter’s Sense] - Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

[Passive - Blue Flames] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Weapon Mastery] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[My Flame Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] - Lvl. 1 (Maxed)

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 30]

[Draconic Fury] - Lvl. 1

[Fragmented Pocket Dimension] - Lvl. 1

[Full Phase] - Lvl. 1

[Greater Teleportation] - Lvl. 1

[Manifestation of the Old Gods] - Lvl. 1

[Truth Divination] - Lvl. 1

[Warped Time] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Dragon Scales] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Master of Material Manipulation] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Weaker Regeneration] - Lvl.1

“Huh. Are you saying you can see my full Class?”

I cocked my head, and Edithe nodded. The red-haired woman stood before me as I slowly picked myself up. She gave me a hand, still blinking in confusion.

“How’d you get out of there, anyway? What… happened while you were gone?”

Her eyes drifted towards the pattern that ran down my forearms. Where my hand was black— charred-like.

“Oh, this? It’s just my new Skill. [Passive - Dragon Scales]. I got it from my Class advancement.”

“Class advancement? Are you saying you killed the [Hellabomination]?!”

Edithe gaped. I shook my head.

“Nope. I managed to escape the [Hellabomination] while falling through the portal, but I ended up trapped in the fold between planes. Luckily, I had a few Class advancement options available. I chose this one— [Draconic Apprentice]— and got a bunch of new Skills!”

I managed to prevent myself from being ripped apart with [Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. It created space around me where there was none. A far inferior version of the pocket dimension my dad had shown me as his home. Then with [Full Phase], [Greater Teleportation], and [Master of Material Manipulation], I brute forced my way back to the Mortal Realm.

“They helped me get back to you! I’m not going to lie, I think they’re very good!”

I flexed an arm. My body had been cut and torn from forcing my way through the fabric of reality. Shards of broken space had sliced through all my protection, and blood leaked from the wounds on my skin when I first got out. But as Edithe got a closer look, I showed her that most of the blood had dried up and the cuts were gone.

“See? I can even naturally heal faster now thanks to [Passive - Weaker Regeneration]!”

“That’s… amazing.”

She stared as I finished recovering, before [Rest] even took effect. But these were superficial wounds. I highly doubted that my Skill would regrow a lost limb or a more grievous injury. Regardless, it would really help me in battle. I no longer had to quickly down a healing potion if I was hurt.

I beamed, happy to see Edithe praising me. I puffed my chest up and looked around the desolate landscape. My brows furrowed, and I turned back to the Human woman.

“Anyway, where’s everyone else? Did something happen while I was gone?”

“It’s been over twelve hours since you disappeared, Salvos. They all left a while ago. They thought you were…”

Edithe pursed her lips. She glanced between me and where the portal had been. Shrugging helplessly, she sighed.

“They thought you were gone.”

“Oh.”

Well, that made sense. I didn’t have any means of traveling between the planes, so the only conclusion they could draw was that I was trapped in the Netherworld— or even worse, dead by the [Hellabomination]. And it had been twelve hours, huh? It didn’t feel like that much time had passed since I was dragged through the portal. However, I experienced no sense of time while there. A hundred years could’ve passed while I was gone, or a single instant, but I wouldn’t know any better.

Edithe shook her head.

“Don’t blame them for leaving. I knew you were coming back. I think [Patron of the Skills] was what clued me in that you were still trying to make it here. And Daniel thought you wouldn’t even try to return since that’s your goal—”

She started, but paused. I hugged her and smiled.

“Thanks. For waiting for me.”

Edithe slowly hugged me back. Once we were finished hugging, I drew back and gave her a reassuring look.

“Well, I always keep my promises. And I told you guys, didn’t I? I’d help you get super strong before the end of the month!”

She smiled back at me.

“I guess my faith in you wasn’t misplaced.”

I took her by the hand as a mischievous grin crossed through my face.

“That Daniel, though— I bet he still thinks I’m in the Netherworld. Let’s surprise him, shall we?”

“Uh, what?”

My body shifted as I took back on my Human form. I could hide my scales with my shapeshifting abilities, so having that wasn’t really a problem unless I was in my completely natural form. Even then, it was mostly subtle. It was only really visible on my forearms to my claws where my skin was charred-like.

I took a hold of Edithe, and laughed.

“Hold on tight— [Greater Teleportation]!”

And with a pop, we vanished.

Daniel Song felt bad. He left Edithe all on her own to wait for Salvos. He had wanted to stay with her— wait with her— but he didn’t think Salvos was going to return. It had been the Demon girl’s dream to get to the Netherworld since he met her.

He remembered so vividly, the first time he met her. It was a chance encounter. A [Hero] meeting a Demon in a cave. She asked him for his help— told him she was searching for a way back to her home. But just because she was a Demon, he didn’t believe her. They fought, and of course, he lost.

That was just how Salvos was. She was— and he knew this would stroke her ego— quite special. He was a [Hero], they were the same level, yet she beat him. Sure, he had basically no experience in fighting. But the fact was [Heroes] were amazing.

Even the way Helena Warshade reacted to finding out Daniel was a [Hero] proved this. The Archmage was in utter disbelief. She’d interrogated him for an hour before letting him go. Whether or not she revealed the fact that he was a [Hero] to others was entirely her discretion, but Daniel no longer cared about keeping it a secret.

Anyway, if Salvos had been dragged to the Spirit Realm, Daniel was sure she would find a way back to the Mortal Realm. But it was the Netherworld, and he knew that was her goal. She had no reason to return after. She just had to escape the [Hellabomination], which he was sure she could, and she’d find her other companion she always talked about. Haec.

Daniel turned in his bed, uncomfortable at the thought. It wasn’t that he was… jealous of this Haec. It only made sense. They were both Demons. And Daniel was a Human. But still, the feelings he knew he felt was—

He closed his eyes. Whatever it was, he just hoped Salvos was happy—

“Hey Daniel, did you miss me?”

Salvos appeared before him, holding onto Edithe.

“Holy fuck—”

He swore in English, falling out of his bed.

“Is that a yes?”

I explained what happened to Daniel once he got back up and recovered himself. He was in disbelief for a moment, then relieved to hear that I’d come back for him and Edithe.

“Thank you, Salvos. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”

He apologized even though I didn’t think he needed to. He brought me to Helena Warshade, and we explained what happened— minus all the parts related to what my second Class actually was and the fact that I was a Demon.

Fortunately, Orgaf remained silent about that fact, although when I saw him again, he did look a little bit uncomfortable. I felt annoyed by that change of attitude of his, but it was at least good that he didn’t seem to scorn me over it. Maybe we could talk it out— as unnecessary as I thought it was.

“It’s good to hear that you survived. We’ll need your help in defeating the second Primeval Demon in Inoria. Just because the first is dead, doesn’t mean the threat is eliminated.”

Helena Warshade spoke bluntly as I stood in her office. I raised a brow.

“Wait, is Belzu really dead?”

“Indeed. Orgaf confirmed it with a kill notification. You did get one, right?”

The leader of the Rising Veterans Company peered curiously into me. I frowned, placing a hand on my chin. I didn’t really pay attention in the midst of battle, but now that I thought about it, i did get one.

Defeated [Hellprince of the Desolation - Lvl 165]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 30 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

“Huh. He really is dead.”

It was why I had leveled up so much. In addition to taking on all those Demons, I had been partly responsible for killing Belzu. I just stared blankly at Helena Warshade. She gave the smallest hint of a smile as she looked approvingly my way.

“It is good that we have at least taken care of that threat, but—”

Her words faded into the background as I just stood there. It didn’t feel right to me. Belzu was dead? Just like that? Wasn’t he the Lord of Lies? A [Hellprince] of illusions? My dad had spoken… of Belzu.

It wasn’t high praise, but Sal didn’t praise anyone. The fact that he even talked about Belzu spoke enough. For a simple [Hellabomination] to be how he met his end— it didn’t feel right to me.

But how else would the notification be explained?

“To think I’d have to use my other Grand Skill to escape…”

Belzu’s single wing buzzed as he lay against a cold stone wall. [To Fool Reality With My Lies]. It was his second Grand Skill. One that temporarily distorted reality. He had died— to a certain extent, that was true.

Reality believed it was a fact. It even awarded experience to those who’d so-called killed him. But he survived. It was an illusion so powerful that it was true. Just like his first Grand Skill, except on a scale that distorted this world, not his own.

What died up there could’ve been considered a clone. But it had been him until the very last moment. Until the [Hellabomination] lowered its claws on him. He reacted just in time, activating his Grand Skill, creating a doppelganger that perished.

He didn’t like it— the fact that he got a version of himself killed. But it was necessary.

“Now I shall simply have to bide my time again.”

His voice echoed in the tunnel as his mandibles clicked together. Failing here was but a learning experience. He had formed an army once before, he would do it again, but this time, he would be even stronger. Not even Levithus or the greatest [Hellprince] in Regnorex’s army would be able to best him.

Going for the Treasures of Alexander had been a foolish plan. All Belzu had to do was to wait. Wait for the ritual to be complete. Wait for Regnorex’s kingdom to come.

“Then I will kill Regnorex himself with my own two hands.”

The Primeval Demon got up, feeling his lips curl up in a smile.

“Huh. That’s not really a plan, you know?”

He spun around, alarmed at the sudden voice. A figure emerged from the darkness. A Demon with silver hair. Scale-like skin on her forearms. A burning eye. Two pairs of wings. Salvos. She smirked as Belzu drew back.

“What are you doing here? How did you know where I would hide?”

He winced as he backed up against the wall. He was still injured. [Rest] could only heal so much, and the missing limbs and damaged wings was not something that would even heal with that General Skill.

“I thought you’d be here. Well, I had a hunch you’d survive. And there’s nowhere else to hide around the Brilsum Ruins. But to think you’d really hide at the place where you’d killed Lily’s friends…”

Salvos glanced dismissively towards a mound in the center of the cave chamber. A former Fairy Mound. She shook her head and approached him. With each step she took, there was a flash of a different colored flame. Her Grand Skill was still active. And Belzu could barely fight in his state.

He would die.

“Don’t worry, I know what you’re thinking, and I’m not going to kill you. Not yet, at least.”

Belzu blinked. He stared at Salvos as she came to a stop before him, narrowing his bulbous eyes.

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s nothing. I just remembered a question you asked me. Whether I’m ashamed to be a Demon. Well, I wanted to give you a proper answer. I wanted to come here and tell you that I’m not ashamed to be a Demon. In fact, I am proud of it. Of who and what I am.”

She gestured at herself, and Belzu tried to edge around her. But she didn’t let him. She brought a claw up to stop him, leaning against the wall at his back. He shrank back, asking in a quivering voice.

“What do you want from me?”

“Me? Well, as a Demon, I want to make a deal with you, Belzu.”

Salvos bared her teeth at him. And he listened.

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372. The Search

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Shoutout to Wish Upon the Stars by Malcolm Trent!

Heroes, Villains and those in between constantly struggle in a world where the race to the top of the food chain can be brutal and unforgiving. For people like Shane, though, sometimes you get a leg up on the competition. Maybe he can be one of the few that can actually make it to the top. Or maybe that's just Wishful thinking.

Wish upon the Stars | Royal Road

372. The Search

And, so, the news spread through Alyras like wildfire.

“Did you hear?”

“What happened?”

“The Primeval Demon has been killed.”

“Seriously?”

“No way!”

“It’s true! The Archmage Helena Warshade herself made the announcement with king Artik. It was a joint statement made to the whole Human lands.”

“Who did it? How could they possibly have succeeded where Mori Gladius failed?”

“I heard it wasn’t just one person. It was a group of adventurers. And they caught the Primeval Demon off guard.”

“Elites?”

“Only one.”

“Who?”

“Orgaf, the Thief of the Golden Scales.”

“That bastard? Seriously? That’s bullshit.”

“It’s true. It happened in the Motharis Mountain Range. They even had a body.”

“Who else was there?”

“I’m not sure about the others, but someone called Salvos was there too.”

“Salvos? Who’s that?”

“I’ve never heard of him.”

“Actually, she’s a girl. Quite young at that.”

“Wait, isn’t he the one who killed the Lich?”

“That’s right! She’s the Liberator of the Plaguelands, isn’t she?”

“Oh, I have heard of her. But I thought she was a student of Mavos Academy—”

There were rumors going around. Lots of rumors. Mostly about Salvos. Her name was starting to be established in the public mind. Most laymen would’ve heard of her in passing, but they weren’t too well-acquainted with who she was. However, there were some circles where her reputation had already been cemented.

Amongst adventurers, for example. Or, well, any good adventurer who kept up to date with what was happening in their line of work. They were quite understandably intrigued by this Salvos. She inspired many of them to work harder and strive to be the very best they could be simply because they admired what she was doing. But it wasn’t all good impressions.

Some veterans would be quick to dismiss her. They’d heard of these rising stars before. Those quickly came and went. There was no reason for them to believe this Salvos would be any different from, say, Cyrill of the Hundred Blades or Fara the Wizened. They’d both reached Level 100 in the span of under a decade, and now they were gone. Just fads of the past. Nothing special. Certainly not on the same level as the Watcher.

However, more astute observers would liken Salvos’ growth to the Watcher. A once-in-a-lifetime legend. Someone who might only show up every few hundred years. Her potential was there, and it seemed like she was going to live up to it.

But Orgaf would disagree with all those previous takes. He was an Elite. He had seen plenty more than even the most astute of observers. After all, he was there— he was the one experiencing it himself. Clayton Skyshredder and Helena Warshade would never see it. [Mages] never did. Orgaf knew that Salvos would be akin to the Immortal King Alexander. Cut from the same cloth as Melissa the Oracle of Light.

Orgaf had speculated on Salvos’ history. For someone to have come out of nowhere and rise as quickly as she did, he almost bought into some of the rumors that had apparently been gaining traction in Mavos Academy: that she was a [Hero].

However, he had his doubts. And as it turned out, his doubts were right.

Salvos wasn’t a [Hero]. She wasn’t even a Human. It was a shocking revelation, but she was a Demon.

Orgaf didn’t believe his eyes. He was flabbergasted— confused. He thought it had been an illusion, and even now, a day later, he still thought he was trapped in one. But it was real. Everything he experienced at the Brilsum Ruins was reality.

Salvos was a Demon.

It took time to settle in. He didn’t know how to feel about that. He didn’t want it to be true. He had considered telling Helena Warshade about it, but decided against it because that annoying Diamond Ranked girl kept pestering him.

Still, Orgaf didn’t like it— knowing that someone he admired hadn’t been who he thought she was. Whatever Edithe said… it was wrong. It wasn’t that he never admired Salvos in the first place; he admired her, but a false, idealized version of her. Now he knew more. And, well, it was time for him to figure out who Salvos truly was.

So as the Elite Ranked adventurer strode through the palace of Alyras, he had a goal. He listened to the chattering of the maids and the manservants, but he didn’t care for it.

“The meeting is still in a few days. I hear that there’ll even be delegations from the Eastern Kingdoms!”

“What about the Vaun Qieur Empire?”

“I’m not sure. But I hear that the Remembered Order Company’s coalition army is arriving ahead of time. And a delegation from Dolonia.”

“Dolonia? Do you think the princess will be fine—”

Orgaf came to a halt. He stood outside a room. A guest room, specifically prepared for one of the friends of princess Rana Alyras. Salvos’ room. He took in a deep breath and pushed the door open—

And paused.

“Wait, where’s Salvos?”

She wasn’t there. Of course she wasn’t there. Orgaf sighed.

“You still haven’t told us where we’re going, Salvos.”

Daniel looked up at me. I flew over the clouds, carrying both him and Edithe in my arms. I tilted my head, looking down at him.

“I told you guys, didn't I? I’d get you both to Level 120. You’re still Level 117, Daniel. And Edithe is only Level 112. We’re just picking up where we left off.”

He sighed.

“I get that much. But you should at least tell us where we’re going so we’re not charging into battle blindly.”

I rolled my eyes as we continued onward, flying full speed ahead.

“Some wild Demons escaped through the portal and ran out of the Brilsum Ruins. We couldn’t get them all, of course. It’s our job or whatever to find them and track them down. Plus, I want to test out my new Skills, you know?”

“Salvos… you’re still not answering the question.”

Edithe spoke, massaging her temples. We descended as I scoffed.

“This is the place.”

There was a city down below. Not a large city by any means. It was relatively small, even for cities here in the Helbir Plains. It was called Iliana. We descended, and I explained.

“There were reports of a flying crocodile monster here. And that sounds almost like… well, a [Savage Agarat] which just so happens to be around your levels.”

I grinned at them. They exchanged a glance. Edithe pursed her lips.

“I’m pretty sure they’re above our level, Salvos. And they’re Demons.”

“Same thing.”

I waved a hand off dismissively. We landed a bit aways from the city, and entered through the north gate, passing by [Farmers] entering and leaving the city with their wagons full of crops. There was no entrance fee here. We walked in without an issue, and found the head of the town militia.

“Oh, are you adventurers here to answer our request? That was quick. We only put it up last night.”

“Yep! We’re here to help and stuff!”

I showed him my badge, and the guard captain’s eyes went round. He sputtered.

“Diamond Ranked adventurers? I’m sorry, I don’t know if we can afford you—”

“It’s fine! Don’t worry about the money! We’ll do it for free, even. Just tell us where these monsters are.”

I gave him a reassuring look. The guard captain paused. He cleared his throat and spoke gratefully.

“Thank you. Thank you so much…”

He explained the situation to Edithe, Daniel, and I. Apparently, there were some farmlands to the south— closer to the Motharis Mountain Range— that were ravaged overnight. They thought it was a monster because it had indiscriminately killed the farm animals and destroyed the produce.

“It was seen flying here after it was done.”

The guard captain pointed out an area in the map. It was right at the edge of the Motharis Mountain Range. And a very vague direction.

“Sorry, there isn’t much else to go off of. If I knew where its Lair was, I would direct you to it. But there is supposedly a Gold Ranked Dungeon around the area. Perhaps it could be related?”

“That’s fine. Thank you.”

I nodded at the man and turned to my companions.

“Alright, let’s get going!”

I ushered them out of the city. They looked at me quizzically.

“Are you sure that’s all we need? Shouldn’t we investigate more, Salvos? We barely even know where the [Savage Agarat] went.”

Edithe asked, and I waved a hand off dismissively.

“It’s fine. My spatial magic lets me sense everything in a pretty wide radius. If we get there, I’ll just use both my space magic and my [A Hunter’s Sense] to track it down!”

She exchanged a glance with Daniel. They shrugged.

“Alright.”

And we were off again. The sun began to set as we reached our destination. There were still vast swathes of land to cover, but I looked around and saw only the space which things occupied. I didn’t sense much disturbance here— no mindless destruction I’d expect from a wild Demon.

“Maybe we should investigate the Dungeon first.”

Daniel suggested. I nodded.

“Alright.”

We followed the map to the supposed Gold Ranked Dungeon. It was a cavern by the side of a mountain. Again, I didn’t think the [Savage Agarat] would’ve gone here. Wild Demons were too destructive to not leave a trail of dead animals and monsters behind it. But…

“The Dungeon’s empty. All the monsters inside are dead.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“All except for one.”

Edithe and Daniel stared tremulously into the cavern. The redhead nodded.

“Then I guess this is it.”

We started inside, heading into the Dungeon. I heard the echo of water dripping from the stalactites hanging above. My gaze swiveled to the side as I saw bloodstains on the cave walls. Edithe and Daniel grew wary, raising their weapons as I stepped over a dead [Cave Yeti] and ushered them further in.

“Come on. It’s still deeper inside.”

We continued on, walking past the skeletal remains of monsters making a path to the very end of the Dungeon. A Lair used to be here. But all I saw were bones and corpses. The large figure that had been here vanished from my spatial sense, and all I saw were little gray things lying in the middle of the former Lair. I peered over, confused. My companions took a moment to register what it was.

“That’s… eggs?”

Daniel blinked. Edithe stared at it. Her brows furrowed.

“But I thought Demons didn’t lay eggs—”

And my eyes flickered to the side. I moved.

“Edithe!”

I shouted and leapt in front of her. A claw that fell for her head, but I blocked it with ease. A shrill shriek erupted as a pair of beating wings sent a gust of cold air, knocking my companions down. Daniel looked up as he steadied himself, and Edithe’s eyes grew wide.

“That’s not a Demon. That’s—”

“A Wyvern.”

I looked up at the giant winged creature, looming over me in the large cave chamber. It roared a challenge as I stood my ground. I mentally took in my new Skills, and I bared my teeth back at the [Lesser Wyvern].

“Alright, this is actually perfect. Which one of my [Draconic Apprentice] Skills should I test out on you first?”

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373. Empathy, Probably

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to my good friend, VoidHerald's, AMAZING new fiction, Apocalypse Tamer!

“Whoever will reach level 100 first shall become Earth’s new Overgod.” So said the screen as dungeons summoned invaders from alternate realities, woke up ancient gods slumbering beneath the earth, and empowered humans with levels and classes. A battle royale of worldwide proportions begins as the world descends into anarchy.

But Basil Bohen doesn’t give a crap about the apocalypse.

He would rather live in the woods with his monster pets, but people just won't leave him alone...

Apocalypse Tamer | Royal Road

373. Empathy Probably

The [Lesser Wyvern] loomed over me. It was massive, even in the large cave chamber. But compared to the Mistress of Remnants or the Frost Lord, it was relatively small. Perhaps it was an adolescent— or maybe that was simply because it was lower-leveled at Level 125. However, that didn’t matter. Here, in this enclosed space, the Wyvern didn’t have much space to fight.

I leapt forward, flipping over its swiping claws. Daniel moved in front of Edithe and blocked the attack with his Primordial Longsword. He continued parrying its attacks as the redhead blasted the Wyvern with fire and ice. I stood on the ceiling, looking down at the battle while I considered my Skills.

Secondary Skills:

[Available Secondary Skill Points: 30]

[Draconic Fury] - Lvl. 1

[Fragmented Pocket Dimension] - Lvl. 1

[Full Phase] - Lvl. 1

[Greater Teleportation] - Lvl. 1

[Manifestation of the Old Gods] - Lvl. 1

[Truth Divination] - Lvl. 1

[Warped Time] - Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Passive - Dragon Scales] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Master of Material Manipulation] - Lvl. 1

[Passive - Weaker Regeneration] - Lvl.1

I had Skills. Plenty of new Skills to try out. I hadn’t distributed most of my secondary Skill Points yet because I hadn’t used most of them just yet. But there were few that piqued my curiosity. One in particular that I wanted to try.

I raised a hand and pointed at the Wyvern.

“Take this— [Truth Divination]!”

There was a flash. A bright light filled the dark cavern. It caused Edithe and Daniel to recoil. Even the Wyvern shielded its eyes with its wings. I waited for something to happen. For the Wyvern to combust— or maybe to disintegrate.

But… it just stared up at me, confused.

“Huh.”

I looked down at my finger. Daniel called up to me.

“What was that?”

“I don’t know—”

And the Wyvern roared. It unleashed a blast of cold air my way, knocking me off my feet. It didn’t hurt as much as I expected it to, even without a flaming armor. My [Passive - Dragon Scales] really did its job well. The frost layered over my arms cracked off as I pounced forward.

I raised a fist, grinning.

“What about this? [Draconic Fury]!”

A red aura overcame me. Like flakes of ember or trails of vapor. I swung down as the image of a fierce claw overlaid with my hands. It was like a Kobold’s claw, except larger. If I had to guess, this was what a Dragon’s claw looked like— or at least an imitation of it. I struck down, tearing through the Wyvern’s hide with ease. It reeled back, stumbling into the rock wall.

“Interesting. This could work well together with [Barrage of Cinders].”

I stared down at these ethereal claws covering my hands. They were a simple buff to my attack— it could be quite useful in helping me whittle down a strong enemy. However, I was hoping it’d have been a single powerful attack like [Demon’s Mark] and the like.

“Whoops.”

I ducked under the chomping bite of the Wyvern, then easily danced around a series of follow-up strikes. I shouted at Edithe and Daniel.

“Hey, it’s your guys’ turn!”

I wanted them to get some experience from this, after all. They both moved forward as I leapt back, landing right next to a cold hard object. I glanced down at the odd sensation and blinked at what I saw. It was the Wyvern’s egg. But it was only the upper half. It was broken. I stared at it as my companions assailed the Wyvern for a moment.

The Wyvern suddenly screeched. It knocked aside both Daniel and Edithe, barreling straight for me. I braced myself, readying the next Skill I wanted to try out.

“[Manifestation of the Old—”

And I paused. Something rolled back against my leg. An unbroken egg came to a halt at my feet. I stared down at it, then I looked up at the angry Wyvern. I narrowed my eyes. Even without words, somehow, I could sense the Wyvern’s feelings and thoughts.

“Wait.”

My voice echoed in the cave chamber. The Wyvern swung down for me with its claws, but I raised a hand. There was a flicker in space. A crack in reality. The air around the Wyvern cracked as it was encased in a fractal dome. The Wyvern struck against the glass-like wall, only for its claws to go sliding off. It backed up, only to find the same translucent dome at its back.

“[Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. I told you to wait.”

I straightened, rolling my eyes. The Wyvern let out a soft growl, and I strode forward.

“Are you going to speak?”

Edithe and Daniel stared at me, puzzled. They exchanged a glance, and the redhead spoke out.

“Salvos, are you saying something?”

“I’m talking to the Wyvern. I think she’s just protecting her nest because we intruded.”

I turned again to the Wyvern, raising a brow.

“Is that right?”

She whimpered, lowering her wings and staying close to the ground. The Wyvern unleashed a frost breath that only filled the room with snow, before lashing out once again— and fell back. There was nothing she could do to break through that. It was my own space, and it wouldn’t be easy to penetrate.

I watched her fall down, lying with her belly exposed in the sleet. And I saw a cut across her stomach. A deep cut. And it wasn’t one that was dealt by either myself or my companions. I frowned and leaned forward.

“Are you injured?”

The Wyvern’s eyes darted over to me. She wheezed out tiny snowflakes and sighed.

“So what if I am, monster?”

“Monster? I am not a monster. I am Salvos.”

I harrumphed, crossing my arms.

“You are the one who killed my leader. You who have doomed my people. You are a monster.”

I was being called a monster by a monster! Seriously? I wanted to argue— then I caught myself. The same feeling from before came to me— like I could understand how she felt. From her perspective, it did kind of make sense that she’d think I was a monster. I was the one responsible for defeating the Frost Lord, after all. Still, I shook my head.

“Even if I’m a monster, I’m not the one who did that to you. What happened?”

I had an inkling of a feeling. This Wyvern was over Level 120. Gold Ranked monsters wouldn’t even be able to touch her. The fact that she was hurt in this cave meant that she had encountered something even higher-leveled than her. And the only possible option was—

“A Demon attacked me.”

The Wyvern finally answered. She shook her head and glanced towards the exit of the cave.

“It came here and killed my children before they were even born. I only managed to save three of my children before I could chase it away.”

“Only three of them?”

I looked back, and sure enough, there were only three Wyvern eggs that remained unshattered. The rest lay in pieces throughout the nest. I pursed my lips. This was one of the last few Wyverns of… wherever they came from. Sharik, or whatever. They hadn’t even come here until they were forced out of their homes. Against their own volition.

I remembered a plea. The Mistress of Remnants begged me to save the last of her people. I didn’t like the Mistress of Remnants— I tried not to think about what she asked of me. But this Wyvern here was innocent. She didn't wildly attack us. All she was doing was protecting her children, like I protected my companions.

But more than that, the same feeling that pushed me to stop made me reconsider. I stepped back and turned to Edithe and Daniel.

“We shouldn’t kill her.”

Edithe blinked, and Daniel stared at me as he spoke.

“Are you serious, Salvos? This is one of the Wyverns that attacked Catark—”

“Actually, we killed all of those Wyverns. This is a different one. She was with the Frost Lord, but not the Mistress of Remnants. And all she wants to do is protect her children. Plus, she can help us. I’m sure she knew where the [Savage Agarat] went, right?”

I looked over at the Wyvern, repeating the question in her tongue. The Wyvern slowly nodded.

“I can tell you where that Demon went.”

“See?”

I grinned at Daniel, and he shifted back.

“Still, this Wyvern was one of the ones who attacked our caravan .”

“And you attacked me when we first met, remember?”

I waved a hand dismissively. I looked at the [Hero], and he hesitated. Edithe stepped forward, speaking up.

“Maybe it’s because I wasn’t there, but I think Salvos is right. We have no reason to kill this Wyvern if it’s not going to harm anyone.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that.”

I shrugged. Wyverns had to eat, and that meant she’d be hunting down monsters, animals, and maybe even Humans. Edithe shuffled her feet.

“I think I may know a [Beast Master] who may be able to help with that. And he’ll probably be interested in learning more about Wyverns.”

“Huh. That's good. So, what do you think, Daniel?”

The [Hero] looked between Edithe and I. He raised his hands resignedly.

“You’re both probably right. But if anything goes wrong, we blame Salvos, alright?”

Edithe nodded.

“Deal.”

“Hey, wait what do you mean by that—”

I sputtered. Then they laughed. I protested, smiling as I went with the joke. Then I heard a thud. I glanced back at the Wyvern as she lay sprawled on the ground. Her chest rose with labored breath as her eyes barely hung open.

I ran over to her side, dismissing my little [Fragmented Pocket Dimension].

“What’s wrong?”

The Wyvern gasped and raised her head slightly.

“I can’t…”

And that was when I realized her injuries were even worse than I thought. I quickly produced a healing potion and poured it onto the wound. But the blood didn’t stop pouring; the cut didn’t heal. Daniel and Edithe rushed behind me as I spoke in a reassuring voice.

“You’ll be fine. You’ll be—”

But the Wyvern raised a claw. She pointed past me, towards the cave exit.

“The Demon went east. Away from the mountains. Towards the edge of the plains.”

“What?”

I stared at her. She met my gaze before looking towards her eggs. The Wyvern placed her claw on my chest, and I knew her feelings were true.

“Please, protect them. They are the last children of Sharik. I am sorry. If only that apparition hadn’t showed up. If only—”

Her eyes rolled up. The connection I felt with her vanished. She lay there, dead, no longer breathing. I drew to my feet, looking down at my hand. A shimmer ran through it as the Skill finally ended. And I realized what had happened from the start.

[Truth Divination]. I could sense the truth in her words. More than that, I felt her feelings. Her dying breath— I could understand the emotions whirling inside of her. She didn’t want to leave her children with us, but she had no other choice.

It was like when I left Haec alone. I had to just trust he’d be safe. Like the Wyvern believed that we’d keep her children safe. I closed my eyes and nodded.

“Don’t worry. We’ll find that wild Demon and kill it. I promise.”

I got back up and turned to my companions. A notification resounded in my head— one I didn’t want— and I looked back at Daniel and Edithe who were both a level stronger.

“Come on.”

I ushered them to follow. They exchanged a glance.

“What about the eggs?”

I snapped my fingers as a pair of clones appeared at my side.

“They’ll be fine.”

My clones scooped up the eggs, and I walked out of the former Dungeon. My companions followed as I spoke simply.

“Now let’s get going. We have a wild Demon to hunt down.”

A note from MelasD

Sorry for the super late chapter, had to go to deal with personal family matters. I'll make up for it tho! Expect two chapters tomorrow... or today since it's past midnight for me!

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

374. Predator

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Kino's new fic, Apotheosis!

Stranded in a world straight out of fairy tales, Serena Araceli is forced to reconcile all she knew with what she slowly discovers. With her understanding and capability with magic altered and being forced to start anew as a beginner, the only boon of this situation is the voice in the back of her head.

Now if only that voice would stop recommending that she take villainous actions for better results.

In which an internal energy practitioner is transmigrated to an external energy magic-focused fairy tale land.

Apotheosis [A Slow Progression Gamelit Dark Fantasy] | Royal Road

374. Predator

“You’ve been looking awfully antsy for the past few days, Zack.”

Helen’s voice drew the young man out of his stupor. He fidgeted, glancing around the encampment one last time as it was dismantled before turning to his teammate.

“I’m… fine. Just a bit on guard.”

They were getting close to their destination. Two nights ago, the remnants of the Remembered Order Company’s coalition arrived at the Helbir Plains. After their defeat to the Primeval Demon— or Primeval Demons— at Westshield, they’d spent the next few days recuperating and gathering back together so that they were at least a sizable amount.

They had been at a loss as to what to do. Some wanted to return to the Remembered Order Company and raise another army— albeit not as large— since Mori Gladius was dead. But others had insisted they pressed on to Alyras and meet up with Helena Warshade and her army there. So they split in two. The bulk of their force, including Zack and his team, continued into the Helbir Plains while a select few dozen returned.

And that was when Zack sensed something odd. A feeling which struck his soul. He’d conferred with the other high-leveled [Mages] present, and a few of them agreed: they’d sensed the same thing.

Unfortunately, none of them could ascertain the nature as to what it was. They were all left perplexed; some tried to dismiss it, but others were wary. After all, it had to have been some strange and powerful magic if multiple [Mages] sensed it all at once.

But not everyone paid the [Mages] any mind. When Zack and the other [Mages] approached the temporary leader of this coalition, Marwin the Silver Swordsman, he laughed off their concerns.

“I’m sure whatever it is, it will be fine. Our main objective is to get to Alyras as soon as possible.”

Zack remembered the Level 141 [Warrior] speaking as he waved a hand dismissively. And when Zack protested that they should at least take some precautions, Marwin dug his heels in.

“Both Scarlet and Tyrian left me in charge of this army, boy. And unless it’s another Primeval Demon, we have no reason to slow our advance to our destination. That’s enough of this conversation. I will not be lectured on what to do by a damn Platinum Rank.”

Dickhead, Zack thought at the moment. Of course Marwin wouldn’t listen. He had a reputation for being an asshole. Zack wasn’t even sure why he tried to bring it up in the first place.

Back in the present, Zack just sighed as he turned to his team. Jaakko marched on with no worry in the world— or maybe he was worried, but he was simply prepared to face any challenge or threat that came at them. Meanwhile, Helen was slightly concerned over Zack’s warnings.

“Do you think whatever it is is that bad?”

She asked, shifting slightly. The small army of adventurers began to move, and Zack glanced over towards the horizon. A shudder ran through his spine as though ants were creeping along his skin.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but I feel like we should be prepared for something. Anything. I know I sound a little crazy, and maybe I am if it was just me.”

Zack clenched a fist as the midday sun reached its zenith. The small army of adventurers crested atop a hill, reaching the end of a crossroads that led to the town of Dimona.

“Whatever it is, if multiple high-leveled [Mages] start sounding an alarm, you should be worried.”

“And prepared we are.”

Jaakko rumbled. He planted one of his four hands firmly on Zack’s shoulder as his single eye focused only on what was ahead.

“I understand your worries, Zack. However, there is not much we can do other than follow our orders and be ready for anything to happen.”

Chains rattled as the Cyclops placed a hand on his kusarigama. Zack eyed it, then turned to the small town just up ahead.

“Well, I hope I’m just losing my mind.”

The [Mage] sighed. Somehow, he felt like they were being… followed.

The [Savage Agarat] saw the fleshy things moving in the distance. Miles and miles away. But the Archdemon stayed hidden beneath its wings. The magical feathers blended in with the brightly-colored foliage around it, and its red eyes dimmed.

It continued to stalk the fleshy things. There were so many of them, and it understood that it didn’t stand a chance against all the fleshy things if it struck now. Not after its battle with the winged thing at the mountain.

The Archdemon’s eyes slowly fixed on a single target. A fleshy thing leading the other fleshy things. And the [Savage Agarat] lusted for the levels it could gain. It continued stalking them, waiting for its time to strike.

“My clones have made it back to Alyras.”

I reassured my companions as we flew away from the Motharis Mountain Range.

“That’s good. That means the Wyvern eggs will be able to hatch safely.”

Edithe spoke as she smiled in relief. Daniel nodded.

“But now we have to focus. Otherwise that [Savage Agarat] will cause more destruction as it runs amok.”

“Yep!”

I agreed with him. I wasn’t flying too quickly. I took my time as I surveyed the landscape, trying to see if there was any trail of destruction left behind by the [Savage Agarat].

This wild Demon somehow wasn’t as wild as I thought it would be. I would’ve assumed it would destroy everything from the trees to literal rocks after injuring the Wyvern. But despite the fact that I’d been flying for an hour, I saw nothing.

“Are you guys sure I’m going in the right direction?”

I cocked my head after a few more minutes of flying.”

East. The Wyvern told us that the [Savage Agarat] had gone east. But I was starting to doubt the Wyvern’s sense of direction. Daniel and Edithe both exchanged a glance. The Human man piped up.

“I mean, we could be going the right way. The biggest problem is that it’s so vague that we could fly for hours and find nothing, you know?”

“Huh. I guess.”

That was annoying. I was contemplating summoning more clones to help expedite the process, but Edithe narrowed her eyes and pointed ahead.

“Do you guys see that?”

I blinked. I leaned forward as I flew on. Towards the horizon, I saw…

“Smoke?”

Daniel whispered. I sped up as I agreed with his assessment.

“That’s definitely smoke. Let’s go!”

—--

We arrived at a destroyed town soon after. I was wary to approach it at first because I spotted a myriad of figures gathered around the ashened remains. I was expecting them to be brigands or undead or monsters, but it turned out it was an army of adventurers. I waved at an [Archer] who raised a bow in panic.

“Hey! Don’t shoot! We’re adventurers too!”

The [Archer] hesitated as I landed before him. He eyed me warily, bowstring still drawn and aimed for my head.

“Identify yourselves.”

“I am Edithe Dawnrise.”

Edithe was the first one to speak. She produced an adventurer badge and gestured at Daniel and I.

“This is Salvos and Daniel. We are Diamond Ranked adventurers.”

“Salvos— wait, you’re the Liberators of the Plaguelands!”

The [Archer]’s eyes widened. He quickly lowered his bow and apologized.

“I apologize for that. We’re just a bit on edge. I’m Joseph. They call me the Ranger of Xyren.”

He was Level 110. Relatively high-leveled, which explained why he had a Title. Daniel approached him, looking around the destroyed town. The [Hero] gritted his teeth..

“What happened here?”

“We don’t know.”

Xyren shook his head.

“We just arrived here and Dimona was already destroyed. Whatever it was killed all the citizens. It spared no one.”

I narrowed my eyes as I scanned the remains of the dead Humans scattered about. They weren't half-eaten or mauled. They were simply massacred, brutally and haphazardly.

Shrugging, Xyren gestured vaguely towards the Motharis Mountain Range.

“I’ve heard reports of stray migratory Wyverns destroying towns and cities over the last month. This could be a Wyvern attack.”

“Nope.”

I answered quickly enough. Xyren raised a brow, and I faced my companions.

“It wasn’t the Wyverns that did this. They were [Frost Wyverns], after all. And I don’t see any frost, do you?”

“Right…”

Xyren rubbed a hand on his chin. He spun around and gestured for us to follow.

“Well, you can tell that to our leader. He’s convinced it’s the Wyverns that did this, and I’m not going to bother arguing with him.”

“Huh.”

I exchanged glances with my companions. They nodded, and we started to follow after Xyren, walking past various adventurers who turned to face us. A few of them whispered and pointed our way. I heard them saying my name. And to a lesser extent, Daniel and Edithe’s names.

“Marwin!”

Xyren called out. A burly man with a pair of silver blades at his hips turned around from a discussion with a group of other Diamond Ranked adventurers. He furrowed his brows at the [Archer].

“What’s going on, Xyren?”

“We’ve got guests. These are the Liberators of the Plaguelands, and they’re here to help.”

Xyren stepped aside, gesturing at us as I looked around at the gathering of adventurers. Marwin blinked and grinned.

“The Liberators of the Plaguelands, huh? Quite an impressive group, you lot are. I’ve heard about you. Of course, not as impressive as me. While you do have a remarkable feat, it is a single one compared to my dozens of achievements. I’m sure you’ve heard of me, haven’t you?”

He crossed his arms, still smirking as I turned to Edithe and Daniel. They both shook their heads, then I turned to the man with a puzzled look.

“Nope. I don’t know you.”

“You… what?”

The man stared at me as Xyren rolled his eyes in the background. I cocked my head.

“Are you supposed to be famous or something?”

“I’m Marwin! The Silver Swordsman! The Master Duelist! I’m one of the top members of the Remembered Order Company!”

I watched him sputter. Marwin harrumphed, his gaze turning to a glare. I tapped a finger on my chin.

“Who?”

Marwin’s face turned red as a figure pushed through the crowd of gathered adventurers.

“I am ranked as one of the top five next in line to become an Elite Ranked adventurer in all of the Human lands! How have you not heard of me?”

He exclaimed, and my eyes went round. My jaw dropped as Marwin wore a self-satisfied look on his face. He leaned back, content.

“Ah, it seems you do know me—”

“Jaakko!”

I exclaimed as I spotted the Cyclops through the crowd. Marwin paused, and I dashed past him. I made a break for it straight for a group of three adventurers. Zack, Helen, and Jaakko. I hugged them as they came to a halt. My companions massaged their temples, watching me make a scene.

“I’m so glad you guys are safe! I wasn’t sure if you had gotten out in time—”

“Salvos? Is that really you this time?”

Helen looked at me as I beamed up at her. Zack just pushed me away.

“Get off— you’re suffocating me!”

“It seems fate has once again led us together, Death of the Destroyer.”

Jaakko nodded his head simply. I drew back, still smiling at them.

“Westshield was a mess, wasn’t it? I wish I could’ve been there myself, but it was too dangerous.”

“We only got out of there thanks to your clones. Even if you weren’t there in-person, you did what you could.”

Helen reassured me. Before I could respond, a sharp voice drew my attention to my back. Marwin pointed at me, snapping.

“I will not tolerate this disrespect. How dare you insult me. We don’t need your aid, Liberator of the Plaguelands— if that’s even your Title. Begone. We have Wyverns to slay.”

I frowned at him. His loud voice drew a lot of attention to him. Heads turned, and even the guards keeping a lookout for any nearby monsters ignored their post to face him.

“Wait, you’re wrong though. This wasn’t done by Wyverns.”

“Wasn’t done by…? Do you think I care about what you have to say, girl?”

Marwin waved a hand dismissively. I opened my mouth, raising a hand as something shifted in one of the nearby destroyed houses. But he spoke over me.

“I told you, I am the Silver Swordsman. I am on the precipice of becoming an Elite. I think I’d trust my intuition and experience over yours. And I know a Wyvern attack when I see one—”

He started, and froze. A blurred figure shot out of the broken house. It moved even faster than I could react. It flapped its wings, cutting through the air as it chomped into Marwin’s arm with a red aura.

I stared at the crocodile-like Demon as it ripped the Silver Swordsman’s arm off in an instant.

[Savage Agarat - Lvl 146]

Marwin screamed as he fell back. His protections were shorn through in a moment. The adventurers erupted into action. They shouted and yelled, readying their weapons as the Demon took off into the sky. Daniel and Edithe readied their weapons as I looked at them. They called out my name.

“Salvos! Go and stop it!”

I looked between the Demon and the injured Human. Then I shrugged.

“Huh. I mean, he was kind of annoying. He kind of deserved that.”

“Salvos!”

They repeated, and I rolled my eyes.

“Fine.”

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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375. Not So Wild

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Tainted Reflections by CyberCinder!

Thirty-five years ago, the world ended. A small subsection of humanity was sent to a brand new world with a game-like system that 'ensured' our survival, and the rest simply disappeared. I fought my way to the upper echelon of levels, made and lost friends over the years, and it finally felt like humanity had carved itself a small foothold in this Godforsaken place.

Until one final person died. Until the system reset, and took everything I'd worked so damn hard for with it. I found myself staring at a face I barely recognized as my own, and the Earth began to end once again.

Tainted Reflections (A Litrpg Portal Apocalypse) | Royal Road

375. Not So Wild

The creature ripped off Marwin’s arm in an instant. Zack didn’t even see it happen. It moved like a blur, flying to the sky as blood rained down from above. Marwin the Silver Swordsman collapsed as he let out a blood-curdling scream.

And that was when Zack finally laid eyes on what it was. A creature that looked like a crocodile, except far larger. One with feathery wings and crimson eyes. The [Mage] didn’t know how he hadn’t noticed that goliath of a monster— no, Demon— hiding in the first place, but now that he saw it he was stricken with fear.

[Savage Agarat - Lvl 146]

“It’s almost the level of a Primeval Demon…”

He worked his jaw. Zack gaped at the winged beast. It gobbled up Marwin’s detached arm in a single bite before casting its gaze down below. He flinched as a susurration ran through the gathered adventurers. They were caught in a stupor; trapped in time; frozen in fear; standing still. Then Jaakko’s voice boomed.

“Stop that Demon!”

He drew his kusarigama. The chains clanked together as the Cyclops tossed it into the air. [Mages] and [Archers] loosed bolts of projectiles up at the [Savage Agarat], but it was deceivingly quick. Zack and Helen weren’t even able to keep up with their attacks. Of course not— it was over 50 levels above them.

It dove around the salvo and swooped back down for Marwin. The Silver Swordsman looked up in horror, raising his still-attached limb. He mouthed a Skill as it snapped its jaw at him.

“Stay back! [Crescent B—”

Zack flinched and heard a crunch. He expected the worst. He thought Marwin would’ve been eaten whole. But when he looked up, he saw a woman dressed in fiery armor standing over the Silver Swordsman.

Marwin gasped and stared up at his savior. Zack blinked a few times.

“Salvos?”

The silver-haired girl grinned as she lowered her arm. A white fire wisped off her, coating her like a second skin. The [Savage Agarat]’s jaw was locked onto the flaming armor; it refused to let go. Salvos grunted.

“Huh. That kind of hurts…”

I charged forward and activated my Title Skill [Protection of the Sentinel]. Honestly, I could’ve given it to Marwin himself, but I didn’t like him. He was annoying and rude. So I wasn’t going to actually protect him with the flaming armor. It was very durable, and it would’ve guaranteed he lived if the [Savage Agarat] somehow managed to get to him.

Unfortunately, it seemed I was wrong. Even though— together with my Divine Essence— my [Protection of the Sentinel] was able to withstand a blow from Clayton Skyshredder, this Level 146 Archdemon was able to tear into my flaming armor. My [Aura of Greater Protection] shimmered as its teeth clenched down, and I frowned.

“Huh. That kind of hurts…”

I didn’t have my Divine Essence. But I had made preparations before it ran out. I produced a Divine Nebular Scythe and grinned.

“Take this! [Radiant Slash]!”

I yelled as I swung up, The [Savage Agarat] was quick. It unhinged its jaw and flew back with a single beat of its wing. I leapt up after it, not backing down.

“How about—”

[Barrage of Cinders]. Blue flames coated my blade as I unleashed a flurry of strikes. The [Savage Agarat] continued dodging each attack and I narrowed my eyes. I pulled back, activating [Haste] as a red aura overcame my hands, before merging into my scythe.

“And—

[Draconic Fury]!

I swung wide, missing the Archdemon once again. It barely swerved out of the way as I clicked my tongue. I raised a hand and brushed against its spine. There were needle-like protrusions poking out along its back, and I winced as it poked at me.

But the fact that I got a touch in was all that mattered. The [Savage Agarat] flew back, and I raised a hand with a smile.

“Got you.”

I started, and the emblem searing itself onto the Demon’s skin glowed. Its eyes flickered and its body shifted. My eyes grew wide as, in a moment, it shed its outer skin. The molted hide dropped to the ground as my [Demon’s Mark] flashed, still clinging onto it.

A powerful explosion ripped through the air. [Mages] down below pooled their magic together and created a barrier to shield themselves from the blast. I blinked as I watched the [Savage Agarat] fly, far from the blast and baring its teeth my way.

“Seriously?”

I stared at it. And from its mouth, I heard a garbled laugh.

“You missed.”

The [Savage Agarat] growled, and I froze. I thought I was hearing things. Then my jaw dropped.

“What?”

I stared at it. No— at him.

The realization settled in. I finally understood why there had been no trail of destruction. Why it hadn’t mindlessly attacked anything and everything. I didn’t even realize it, but it had specifically targeted Marwin in this ambush. Any regular wild Demon couldn’t do that. But why? The answer was simple: this wasn’t a wild Demon.

He was a regular Demon.

That was right. Amidst the horde of wild Demons Belzu called into the Mortal Realm, a few Demons that weren’t so wild managed to sneak through as well.

And while this [Savage Agarat] clearly wasn’t under Regnorex’s command judging by the fact that he had no collar, he still wasn’t wild. It made sense. The Netherworld was a vast place. There were bound to be plenty of Demons lurking about that weren’t exactly wild.

I’d encountered quite a few of them, too. When I was still with Haec. A horned Demon attacked me. He lured Haec and I into a false sense of security and nearly killed me. He wasn’t wild— not in the same sense as the mindless hordes of the Netherworld. He was very much capable of thinking. And the [Savage Agarat] here was the exact same way.

“You—”

I started, but someone shouted over me. Edithe raised her staff and aimed for the [Savage Agarat].

“[Vindication of They].”

The not-so-wild Demon tried to fly back, but the smoke vapors from the destroyed town coalesced into a spear. One that tracked it down and impaled it even as it tried to flee. The attack injured the [Savage Agarat], slowing its movements even if it didn’t die.

I glanced back at Edithe as she huffed, and the gathered adventurers screamed.

“Now’s our chance!”

They sent a volley of magic up into the sky as the [Savage Agarat] tried to fly back. I raised my Divine Nebular Scythe, breaking out of my stupor, but It let out an ear-piercing screech— one that made me recoil and repelled the attacks coming its way. Then it spun around, flapping its wings as it flew away.

By the time I recovered, the [Savage Agarat] was far off. It vanished into the horizon as the sun set ahead of it.

“Huh.”

It was gone.

—--

“What in the world was that thing? Where did it come from? How did no one catch it sneaking up on us?”

Marwin demanded once the [Savage Agarat] was gone. He grimaced, clutching at his missing arm as no one could answer him. He picked at his bandages then scowled.

“And where is my damn Potion of Regeneration?”

He snapped at Xyren. The [Archer] fidgeted, averting his gaze.

“We used up most of our resources during the battle of Westshield, sir. We don’t have any Potions of Regeneration in stock.”

“You’ve gotta be fucking with me!”

Marwin cursed. I approached him as I descended from the sky. I had tried to give chase, but I didn’t know where the Demon went. And now that I knew it wasn’t a wild Demon, I understood this wasn’t going to be as simple of a hunt as I thought it’d be.

Edithe and Daniel ran up behind me. They took one look at the expression on my face and exchanged a glance. They knew something was up, but I couldn’t say it yet. I crossed my arms as I listened to Marwin continue droning on.

“And that was a Demon? Great, just great.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Not only do we have two Primeval Demons running about, we now have an Archdemon that’s on the precipice of becoming a Primeval Demon too. How did it even get here, for fuck’s sake.”

“Actually—”

I finally piped up, raising a hand. Heads turned my way as I met Marwin’s gaze.

“There’s only one Primeval Demon running about. The other one is dead.”

Marwin narrowed his eyes as I continued.

“Also, that [Savage Agarat] got here just the other day. Thanks to that huge summoning ritual in the Motharis Mountain Range.”

“Summoning ritual in the— and one of the Primeval Demons is dead? How do you even know all this, girl?”

The Silver Swordsman furrowed his brows. I shrugged.

“Because I was there. And I helped kill the Primeval Demon.”

There were gasps. Xyren stared at me, nearly dropping his bow as Marwin’s eyes bulged out of their sockets. Even those who weren’t at the meeting paused when they heard what I said. Jaakko, Helen, and Zack turned to me, each with differing reactions.

“Seriously?”

Zack pressed his hands together, genuinely concerned and confused.

“She’s insane. She’s really insane.”

Meanwhile, Helen covered her mouth, suppressing a gasp.

“Salvos… you… I can’t believe it. Are you alright?”

Jaakko just nodded approvingly.

“Hmph. As expected.”

I waved a hand reassuringly at them.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Daniel and Edithe were here with me. Orgaf and Willy were there too. Helena arrived a bit late when it was all over. It was a mess, honestly.”

They looked at each other, all of them disbelieving this time. Xyren stepped forward as he raised a hand.

“Wait, do you mean the Helena Warshade was there too? And the Thief of the Golden Scales?”

“Yep!”

I nodded ecstatically. Marwin gritted his teeth as the nearby adventurers whispered to each other. He faced me with an accusing tone.

“Ridiculous. What an outlandish story from a poser girl. And why should we believe anything you’re saying?”

Daniel’s brows snapped together. He spoke out in my defense.

“You can literally just ask Helena Warshade—”

“It’s fine, Daniel.”

I raised a hand, stopping my companion.

“I bet if I told him that I can make a Potion of Regeneration, he wouldn’t believe it. But you know what?”

I stuck my tongue out at Marwin and turned around.

““I don’t care enough about this guy to prove anything to him. Let’s go, Daniel, Edithe. We’ve got a Demon to hunt down.”

We started away from the adventurer army as Marwin the Silver Swordsman yelled after us.

“More nonsense from the fakers of the Plaguelands! Do you really think anyone will believe your stories when your betters failed where you claimed to succeed? You won’t be able to keep up this facade for long. Or, what? Do you think you can take on that Demon alone?”

“Well, it’s dangerous for sure, and we could certainly use another hand .”

I winked back at him, gesturing at his single arm.

“But it seems like you need it more than we do.”

And we took off as Marwin the Silver Swordsman sputtered and raged in the background.

A note from MelasD

The funniest thing ever happened today. I was accused of writing a story I don't alt because the "style is similar to MelasD's style" of writing. It is fucking hilarious.

But jokes on y'all, I am actually a pirateaba alt.

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

376. Wisdom

A note from MelasD

Shoutout to Burden of a Fire Dragon

Captured as a baby dragon, Fia is forced to fight for her life in a coliseum.

And she's not the only one.

Thrown into a cell with an aggressive, juvenile dragon, Fia hopes to survive if she can appeal to the mysterious Umbra Caligo. However, Umbra seems as desperate to survive as her—and Fia has nothing to offer him.

The older black dragon is far too young for the countless scars on his wings. Fia wonders if she must become more like him to not only survive, but also escape and make it home….

Burden of a Fire Dragon | Royal Road

376. Wisdom

“Where are we going, Salvos?”

Daniel asked as I carried him away from the adventurer army. Well, it wasn’t really the size of an army. At least, not any army I had ever seen. It was far too small. A fraction of what it had previously been— before Westshield.

It was a good thing it wasn’t a real army; I’d been surprised if that annoying idiot Marwin the Stupid Swordsman was left in charge of a proper army. Seriously, I really wanted to punch him between the legs but stopped myself. That wasn’t something I’d felt compelled to do for a long time!

I grew out of it because Daniel and Edithe said I couldn’t solve all my problems by punching someone between the legs. And when I tried to punch a [Stone Golem] down there once and nothing happened, I realized that was true.

Anyway, I turned to my companions and answered their questions.

“We’re going after that [Savage Agarat], of course. We’ve got to find it as soon as possible. We can’t let it escape. I need to…”

I trailed off. Daniel and Edithe exchanged a glance. The [Mage] scratched her cheek.

“What do you need, Salvos?”

“I need to talk to him.”

I finally sighed. She raised a brow, and I continued.

“That wasn’t a wild Demon. He was a… real Demon. No— not real. That’s not the right word. He was…”

“Sapient?”

Daniel suggested. I looked down at him as he shrugged.

“Or sentient? I don’t really know the difference.”

“That doesn’t matter. So you think it’s intelligent, Salvos?”

Edithe spoke over him as I nodded.

“Yep. He could speak. But he didn’t have a collar, like Belzu. I think I want to ask him some questions, maybe. Before we try to kill him.”

“Are you serious, Salvos?”

Daniel stared at me, aghast. He sputtered as he gestured back at the destroyed where we came from.

“That Demon is responsible for killing hundreds of innocent people! Maybe even more!”

“How are we sure of that?”

I peered at Daniel. He blinked, opening his mouth. But I created a third arm with [Faux Limbs] and wagged a finger.

“Don’t forget, you Humans like to attack Demons on sight for no reason. The [Savage Agarat] was forced into an alien world that is incredibly hostile towards him for no reason. He would be completely justified in killing a few Humans if they attacked him first.”

“I—”

He started, but I continued.

“Or did you forget the lesson you learned from when we first met?”

I created another arm with [Faul Limbs] and crossed my arms that way. He bit his lower lip, hesitating. Edithe glanced between Daniel and I.

“As much as I can see your point Daniel, Salvos is right. We made the same mistake last time around with Salvos. This could just be the same situation… except with a far stronger Demon that can raze down a village for attacking it— him.”

“Yep. And if anything goes wrong, we can just kill him anyway.”

I nodded eagerly. Daniel looked between Edithe and I. He slowly acquiesced.

“Alright. Let’s just hope this doesn’t go badly.”

With that settled, we now just had to find this [Savage Agarat]... where it went.

“If only I had a proper tracking Skill.”

I sighed. I looked through my Status. I wondered if [Demon’s Mark] somehow allowed me to rack down an enemy. I focused, trying to use both [Passive - Master of Material Manipulation] and [Greater Teleportation] to bring me to the [Savage Agarat]. But no— that was not how [Demon’s Mark] worked. That was never how it had worked.

“Edithe, Daniel? Did either of you become a [Tracker] with your second Class?”

“I’m a [Trader], remember?”

Daniel answered, and Edithe shrugged helplessly.

“I’m still kind of undecided.”

“Huh. You should decide to become a [Tracker] then. Or a [Hunter]. Are [Spellcaster Hunters] a thing?”

I wondered aloud. Edithe gave me a proper answer, but I barely paid attention to it.

“Actually, there are quite a few Classes that are a hybrid of [Mage] and [Archer]—”

I looked over my Status again and again. I searched through my [Fragmented Pocket Dimension] for any items I had in store. I had a few pieces of equipment lying around but nothing too useful.

Nope. Nothing to do. I considered finding some kind of [Diviner]. I remembered when I got Hoxle’s help when I was lost in the Plaguelands. He was very helpful, although I highly doubted that even with his help we’d be able to find such a high-leveled Demon that was hiding from us.

I needed help from someone more… powerful.

And that was when I remembered one of the new Skills I gained. It purportedly borrowed the power of something that was beyond my abilities. Something that was great and powerful.

[Manifestation of the Old Gods]. What did it do? I wished I knew. It could’ve been a strong offensive Skill. I remembered Zix having a similar Skill which was highly destructive. It tore apart the landscape with ease, unleashing the forgotten fury of a Dragon onto this modern world. A phantom of a time long gone.

But it had been the [Wrath of the Old Gods]. It made sense that it would be used to destroy. Now… a manifestation. What was a manifestation? Well, I would assume it was more than just a brief memory of destruction.

“Hey, do you guys want to see if something works?”

I turned to my companions with a wide grin. They both gulped, but slowly nodded.

“Sure?”

They spoke at the same time, and immediately regretted it. I laughed.

“Alright, here goes nothing—”

I activated the Skill as I raised both my [Faux Limbs] in the air.

The [Savage Agarat] barely escaped. There were too many of the things there. And one of them in particular was quite powerful. He didn’t expect it. He knew that fighting all of the things would not be easy— that he would probably die when faced with that many enemies of that level. So he targeted the highest-leveled of the things.

As it turned out, there was another strong thing amongst them. One with silver hair. The Archdemon of Wrath hadn’t expected it. He was surprised that it could keep up with him. But he was cunning, and he escaped.

This was a strange world. It was such a stark difference to what he was used to. There was no dark red sky; no rolling hills of white. The stone and the rock— all of it was gone. He was now in a place with a clear blue sky. One that changed and grew dark during the night.

There were trees and houses and lakes and rivers and clouds and oh so many things he wondered about. He even touched grass for the very first time. It was such a change from what he was used to. He couldn’t die now.

Even though this place was far more plentiful with things— or at least, the things gathered together in far more concentrated numbers than the things back in that red world. Such a new place… oh, he couldn’t wait to lay waste to all the new things here.

He couldn’t wait to unleash utter destruction.

And as he descended, he slinked into the background. He was hard to find. Of course he’d have abilities that helped him survive. To camouflage himself and hide away. He wandered for a bit, searching for another prey. There was a gravelly path, and he followed it out of curiosity more than anything else.

Then he heard voices up ahead. A small caravan rode down the road. Things leading things on wheels. The [Savage Agarat] listened.

“Are you sure we should be going to this meeting, Queen Faith?”

Faith El, former princess of the Elutra Kingdom, and the Fallen Queen of Elutra raised her head as she heard the uncertain question come from beyond the carriage. Willow rode on horseback alongside Faith with pursed lips.

Shaking her head, Faith answered simply.

“Believe me, I would love to return to Inoria. But if what Headmaster Skyshredder said is true… we can’t go back. Not without an army that comes from every corner of the Human lands.”

It had to be a true coalition. A proper one that didn’t just rely on the bulk of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s forces. Faith hoped that the gathered parties in Alyras would listen to her plea— that they would act now before it was too late. She took a risk, leaving Mavos Academy like this. After all, a Demon could hunt her down at any time, and Clayton Skyshredder offered her only a few artifacts and this enchanted carriage for protection.

“It’s ridiculous. The more time we waste, the more our people suffer. We could be freeing them here and now rather than spend more time on idle talk and inaction.”

Gavyn was here too. He was the leader of Elutra’s Resistance. And he had wanted to return to Inoria and fight off the Demons rather than waste time here. He only came at Faith’s behest— as the Fallen Queen of Elutra, she was able to convince him to escort her.

“I’m sorry, Gavyn.”

Faith looked towards the other window. At the man scowling as he rode on the opposite side of the carriage to Willow. She bowed her head.

“Unfortunately, this is what must be done. We can only pray that we’ll be able to convince all the parties present at the meeting to act soon.”

Gavyn clicked his tongue. Faith wished there was more she could do. She wished things would be so much easier. But for the sake of her country— of her nation— she would do anything. The Fallen Queen of Elutra played with a ring on her index finger as she sighed. Then she looked up at the sound of Willow’s voice.

“What is… that?”

The [Savage Agarat] found his next target. He saw the small caravan reach the end of the road. And he bared his teeth at them— at the shouting and screaming things as they fell back.

He attacked without any hesitation in the world.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

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377. Manifestation of the Old Gods

A note from MelasD

I have no one to shoutout today. So... maybe check out my new novel Violet again before it's published?

Violet woke up trapped in a dark, dank cave filled with dangerous creatures in a magical world with Skills and Levels. To get out of the Hollowdark and get to the surface, she’ll have to fight through friendly monsters that want to eat her, insane Dark Elves, and a comically evil empire led by a comically evil God King— all that as a blob made out of purple goo.

Well, anyways, I’m starving. Is there anything to eat around here? Seriously, I could scarf down a whole village!

Violet: Overpowered Magic Goo | Royal Road

377. Manifestation of the Old gods

“[Manifestation of the Old Gods]!”

My pair of [Faux Limbs] were raised towards the heavens. The golden disc above shone radiant rays that parted the clouds. I waited. My companions looked at me; their anticipation was evident. And I was excited to see what came next too.

Unfortunately, nothing happened.

“Uh, Salvos…?”

Edithe spoke up uncertainly. I pursed my lips and waved my magical fiery arms.

“Give a second— come on, why won’t you work? [Manifestation of the Old Gods]!”

Daniel exchanged a glance with the [Mage]. My companions were, quite clearly, puzzled by what I was doing. He raised a hand apprehensively.

“I don’t think it’s working.”

“No, it has to!”

I insisted. It was a hunch at first, but now I was instinctively drawn towards using it. Maybe it was intuition, or it was simply misplaced optimism. However, it felt like something was missing. I began pouring more mana into the tip of my [Faux Limbs] as I repeated myself.

“[Manifestation of the Old Gods]. [Manifestation of the Old Gods]. [Manifestation of the Old Gods]...”

Edithe and Daniel looked at each other with concerned expressions. They waited for a moment as I continued. I needed something else for this Skill. Something I didn’t have right now. But I had it. Deep within. I just had to reach inside.

My companions started.

“Salvos—”

And I closed my eyes as something was forced out.

“[Manifestation of the Old Gods].”

I gasped. My entire body froze. I felt a reverberation run through my chest. It was like a violent heartbeat; an electrical pulse. I could feel my breath taken; power surging; an aura collecting. It caused me to viscerally shudder as flakes of rainbow-colored flames wisped off my skin against my will.

My companions recoiled as the divine fire burned them. My divinity leaked out, even though my Grand Skill wasn’t active— even though it couldn’t be active. Yet, some of it leaked out. Through sheer will and force, I called onto my Divine Essence for but a single moment, and it answered.

It powered my Skill— [Manifestation of the Old Gods]— and it filled my vision. The rainbow-colored flames that sparked off me quickly receded to my body, covering me in silver mist. It sank back into my chest, and the world grew intensely more vivid.

Daniel and Edithe stared up at me as a ripple ran through my body. The hidden scales at my forearms hardened. My perception of everything was altered. It was like I could see the pebbles on the ground— the cracks in the dirt. I saw a hare rushing through the open fields. The forest and a meadow hundreds of miles away. Edithe opened her mouth and her voice blared.

“SALVOS?”

I recoiled, tumbling to the ground. My companions sputtered in a panic as I covered my ears with my [Faux Limbs]. I closed my eyes and yelled back at them.

“S-stop it!”

They tried to argue, but another set of [Faux Limbs] shot out and covered their mouths.

“I can’t—”

I gritted my teeth as I activated my spatial sight. I didn’t use my eyes to see. Instead, with magic, I realized we were getting close to the ground. Steeling myself with a deep breath, I swerved up right before crashing into a rolling hill.

Once I was back in the air, I stopped and just hovered there. My wings flapped gently behind my back as I slowly tried to open my eyes. I blinked a few times, letting the influx of light seep in— trying to acclimate to my new vision— before shutting my eyes again. I spoke softly to my companions, explaining what had happened.

“I can hear… see… too many things. I can smell the air… the birds… the— it’s all so disgusting.”

I wrinkled my nose, covering it with another, another [Faux Limb]. But my sight and my scent weren’t the worst of it. In fact, it was quite mild to my most enhanced sense: my hearing.

“What do mean—”

Edithe started, and I physically cringed. Daniel quickly covered her mouth, shaking his head at her. He moved his lips subtly, whispering.

“Can you find the Demon with this?”

It was soft enough that it didn’t hurt me to hear it, but it was still slightly grating to my ears. I pursed my lips and answered.

“I can… try.”

I had a better sense of scent, sight, and hearing. If I used it right, I could possibly track down this Demon. My eyes fluttered open once again. This time, I took it all in. I didn’t shy away from it. I accepted it without fear.

A bright light flashed. The crimson clash of night and day shone directly at me. I looked past it, clenching my jaw as I cast my gaze over the expansive landscape. My head grew dizzy. The world started to spin. It was disorienting.

I could almost see through the leaves of the faraway tree. I could almost see the intricate detail on the surface of a blade of grass— the dew that matted its edges during twilight. There was so much detail to take in. So much I never would’ve seen all the way from up here.

But I faced it. And I scanned through the vast landscape. I saw everything in hundreds of miles: the ants crawling under a pebble; the [Merchants] traveling down the dirt road; the city bustling with life. I could pick out any individual face— look in through the open windows. Yet, there was so much.

It was overwhelming. I could see either everything at once, and that meant I saw nothing. It all became a blurred mashup of a painting to me. Was it up ahead? Was it to the side? Was it directly below?

I didn’t know.

I needed something to help me focus— narrow down what I was looking for. Give me a sense of direction.

Scent wouldn’t help here. I didn’t know what the Demon smelled like. Perhaps if I had gotten a whiff of him with this Skill before— but no. All that was left was to…

I breathed deeply— then made a disgusted face. And I uncuffed my ears.

All at once, a cacophony of voices assailed me. I heard wailings— the cries of a baby. The screams of a child. The growling of a dog. The crickets, the pindrops, the wind—

My entire body tensed up. It was far worse than being able to see all. What I heard made me want to scream. I opened my mouth, but let nothing out to spare me from further torture. I listened. I heard everything from the adventure at their camp.

“I said send a missive to Helena Warshade now—”

To the little boy at his home.

“Is the Primeval Demon really dead? Can things finally return to—”

To the food vendors alongside the streets. To the [Traders] haggling their deals.

“Yes, this dagger was forged by the finest [Magecrafter] in all of Serinus’ School of Sm—”

To the monsters, to the animals, to the insects, to the birds, to the wind. I heard it all, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

My mouth hung open, unhinged. My pupils dilated as they vibrated on the spot. I would’ve ripped out my ears there and then if not for the fact that it would’ve made absolutely no difference. I had to end the Skill.

But I had to find the Demon. I couldn’t just give up. But what was I even searching for? I didn’t even know. But I had given myself a task. But I was in so much pain. But it wasn’t killing me. But I couldn’t bear it. But—

And as I was overwhelmed with sensory-overload, I heard it.

Perhaps it was because it was a familiar voice— or perhaps it was because I recognized the word, accompanied by a tone so commonly thrown my way— but I picked it out. Amongst the babble. Amongst my sanity. I heard it.

“Demon!”

My head snapped to the side. My vision narrowed. I went from seeing everything at once, to only a single thing. And it was so clear, even though it was hundreds of miles away. Even though I wasn’t anywhere close. All I heard was what was happening there. All I saw was a princess being attacked by a Demon. I whispered.

“There you are.”

And the world around me warped.

“What… is that?”

Willow’s voice drew Faith’s attention. She had been talking with Gavyn— ruminating their situation— when the carriage suddenly came to a halt. The carriage driver leaned forward, narrowing his eyes as Faith blinked.

A creature barred the path ahead of them. It looked like a crocodile. Except far larger. With wings that somehow blended into its surroundings. It took Faith a moment to use [Identification] on the monster. And when she did, her eyes widened. It was a Demon.

“No…”

An assassin. Sent to stop her. Just as she’d anticipated. And it was incredibly high-leveled. Faith called out to the carriage driver.

“Get us—”

But the Demon leapt forward. With a single bite, it snapped the enchanted carriage in half, taking the driver and the horses into its jaw. Gavyn and Willow leapt towards it, ready to throw their lives away, but Faith was faster.

She raised one of her rings.

“The Prisoner’s Terrarium!”

A domed vortex rapidly formed around the Demon. It stopped both Gavyn and Willow from charging to their dooms as Faith pulled herself out of the carriage-wreck. The other bodyguards— the rest of the caravan— rushed to her side, but she only shouted at them to retreat.

“We need to get out of here! That’s not just a monster. That’s a—”

Faith started, but the spell shattered. The barrier broke apart as she spun around, looking at the giant winged crocodile leap out.

“Demon!”

She pointed another ring its way, shouting.

“Ray of Frost!”

Gavyn and Willow both pulled back as the blast of ice struck the Demon. It fell back, the entire landscape freezing over. But the Demon simply got back up, brushing the snowflakes off its fur. Faith gaped.

“H-how? That’s an Epic Grade artifact..”

The Demon snarled, not caring for her words. It barreled straight for them. None of the bodyguards here would’ve slowed it for even a second. Maybe Gavyn, but that made no difference. Everyone was as good as dead—

And there was a flash. The Demon drew back as the world opened up between them. Faith blinked a few times as a familiar figure emerged from thin air. The Fallen Queen of Elutra’s jaw dropped.

“Salvos?”

It wasn’t just the silver-haired girl. She carried in her arms Daniel Song— the [Hero] of Earth A1. And a red-haired woman. A [Mage]. Faith didn’t recognize her, but she heard of Edithe Dawnrise in reputation.

The three Liberators of the Plaguelands. The trio that nobody could defeat.

It was almost a familiar sight to Faith. Not long ago did Salvos save the former princess against a powerful Demon right on time when it looked like all hope was lost. It was happening again.

A shred of hope burned within Faith as she got to her feet. A susurration ran through her escort. They pointed at Salvos— noting her new level since they last met her. They grew hopeful as Faith opened her mouth, expecting Salvos to cut down this Demon like it was nothing.

“You guys—”

But all Salvos did was drop to her knees, covering her ears and closing her eyes shut.

“I-I can’t…”

She groaned while on the ground. Daniel and Edithe landed right next to her. They hesitated as the Demon raised a brow, still growling. It looked confused for a moment— which confused Faith more than anything.

Daniel and Edithe looked down at Salvos then turned to each other at the same time— the only ones standing before the Demon.

“I think this is up to us, huh?”

Daniel shifted his feet, and Edithe sighed as she raised her staff.

“Well, fuck.”

The Demon bared its teeth and lashed out again.

A note from MelasD

Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Not A Chapter: Some Introspection After A Year of Full-time Writing

Sup y'all,

The chapter will be up later, but I just wanted to take this time to do some introspection after a year of being a full-time author. If you don't care about me, the author, you should probably just ignore this and come back 6 hours from now when the chapter is likely going to be up-- no promises though, cause I am bad at sticking to schedules. This is also going to be a bit of a ramble so bear with me.

Anyway, if you don't know me, I am obviously the author of Salvos, but I am also the author of quite a few fics too like Melas and Tian and Trace and Violet and whatever else I decide to write. I started full-time writing on the 1st of July 2021 after graduating from UCLA with a pre-law degree, making this my 1-year anniversary of full-time writing. My online username is currently MelasD, however it used to be delta201, and I changed it to promote my first ever fiction Melas. I write under the pen name of V.A. Lewis, and I turned 22 years old just three months ago on March 1st, making me one of the younger "big" authors on this website. Seriously, did you guys know that most of your favorite authors here are over 30 years old? Boomers, I tell ya.

I started writing Melas in November of 2019, inspired by my forever idol, pirateaba of The Wandering Inn. I barely even knew what a web serial was at that point, and I'm not gonna lie, I barely even read any other web serials before being too engrossed with writing my own. The few I did read though, I really loved. Worm, Azarinth Healer, Void Domain... they were fucking awesome.

When I started writing, I wanted to create an expansive world with a compelling story that I know my readers would love, one that went on for at least three million words (because that's the word count TWI was at the time I discovered it). I wish that Melas could've been this story since it's my first ever story and I have a fondness for it, but I'm really glad that Salvos took off too because I absolutely adore the character, the world, and the story. And considering that I just recently passed a million words for Salvos and we're not even at the halfway point, I'm glad to say that I'm getting to where I wanted to be as an author when I first started.

I definitely am pretty good at the output side of things, but I do feel like I failed at other aspects of writing at times. For example, creating compelling side characters. And I don't mean characters like Daniel or Edithe who are practically main characters. By side characters, I mean those like Sal the Devil. Where they appear briefly for a few dozen chapters and disappear for a hundred or more, but their appearances always leave a mark in the story or to the readers. I think I succeeded a handful of times like with Mori Gladius, and obviously Sal himself. But characters like Lily, Jaakko, and even Rachel? I wish I could've done better-- and I'm still striving to do them justice. Even if they're not really popular (as seen by the popularity polls).

I also feel like I've failed time and time again in terms of pacing, where the story just drags on over minor plotpoints which should honestly just be resolved in a chapter or two. But I have a weird tendency to hyperfocus on the importance of even minor plot threads during my planning stage (whenever I'm outlining) and thus allocate an entire ten chapters on an arc that could've been done in half the time or less.

Hell, my pacing is so bad that what I intended to be a single Volume 4 has gone on from Volume 4, to Volume 5 Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and currently Part 4 on patreon. What I initially projected to be roughly 200-300k words is now nearly 600k words and still going. To you guys, it's more content and it's cool and super special awesome, but to me, I see it as a failure of either improper planning or bad pacing. Whichever one fits the bill better depends on how you look at it.

Another place where I failed, I feel, is in terms of output. I had planned to write 2,000,000 words in 2022, but it's already halfway through the year and I'm only at roughly 500k words. Sure, I'll probably hit a million words this year, but blegh I hit a million words last year and I had six months of university while I haven't had many responsibilities this year other than writing and trying to touch grass. I wasn't exactly slacking off since I did injure my fingers in February, then fell into a major depressive episode which I'm still trying to pull myself out of right now, but I could've written so much more. Even right now I could be writing my Salvos chapter instead of this lmao.

I also feel like, at times, I've failed as an author. Not a writer, but an author. Being able to take criticism well is one of the most important aspects of being both an author and being on the internet. It doesn't matter if it's constructive criticism, unfair criticism, or whatever. I should be able to take it well. And I tend to take feedback which I feel is legitimate quite well, but those that I find stupid tend to annoy me much more than it should. Someone once criticized me for writing in first person past because they believed that writing stories in first person wasn't a thing. I had to show them the numerous examples of literature in both the east and the west to convince them that they were wrong. And this is a good outcome because they actually changed their mind at the end of it-- unlike most of the other interactions. Seriously, I am probably too much of a spiteful petty fuck at times, and I'm trynna tone it down, but some comments just make me want to fucking claw my eyes out.

However, I know at the end of the day that those are in the extreme minority which I shouldn't even be frustrated at because it's usually just a misunderstanding (or sometimes I may be wrong, and their criticism may be right too). I also know that most readers will be fine if I scale back on my schedule, even if I have no intention of doing so as of right now. I've been a year full-time, and I haven't taken a proper break once. Even during the holidays, when I took three weeks "off" during Christmas, I was still posting 2-3 chapters a week. Or during my finals before graduation, where I did 1 chapter a week. Why? Because I know I can do better. I genuinely believe I can do better, and I hope to deliver not just the best quality work but also a high output story to you guys so you always have something to look forward to every week.

God, I wrote a lot here. But I just needed to get this off my chest and post it somewhere because I think you guys are fucking awesome. I'd literally be dying studying to become a lawyer right now if not for you guys. I still think some of you are cringe af and I have no regrets blocking the super duper fucking cringe ones who can only complain or troll every chapter, but 99.9999% of y'all are super cool and awesome <3

Love y'all, and I hope y'all continue to love my books,

MelasDelta

P.S.

I am a he, not a she. A lot of people seem to think that I'm a she, and I'd rather there not be any confusion about that fact. I am, sadly, a man writing women. So you can post my shit on reddit if you ever cringe reading anything I write.

A note from MelasD

Consider supporting me on patreon and read up to the end of Volume 5 Part 3.

378. Overly Sensitive

A note from MelasD

It's that time again, vote for Salvos on TopWebFiction please or I shall despair. I only ask once a month, so it would really help if you do it.

378. Overly Sensitive

“Fuck— [Shield of the Misty Lord]!”

Edithe cursed as she raised her staff. The [Savage Agarat] crashed into the ice. It was stopped for a single moment as a huge spider web crack formed on the barrier’s surface. It snarled a second time and swiped a claw, shattering it into a million pieces as Edithe winced.

“Daniel!”

She called out. The [Hero] stepped forward, body already glowing with an aura of armor. His blade extended with an ethereal light as he whispered.

“[Rage of the Hero]. And—”

He raised his sword, swinging for the Demon as it leapt through the shards of ice.

“[Hero’s Slash]!”

There was a flash. Edithe covered her eyes. Daniel’s blade sunk into the [Savage Agarat]’s chest. It tore through the tough hide— cutting deep and drawing the black blood. But the attack didn’t kill the Demon. Not even close.

The [Savage Agarat] growled and leapt back as Salvos covered her ears in pain. Edithe glanced back at the silver-haired girl, then towards the pouncing Demon. It knocked Daniel back as Edithe raised her staff.

“[Frostflame Vortex].”

A blast of ice and ember struck the Demon. Normally, the Skill would form a layer of sleet over the target before chipping it away with the fire. This would significantly slow down enemies— especially large hordes. But Edithe concentrated it into a cone that spread out just before her. She aimed past Daniel, focused only on the [Savage Agarat].

But the Demon didn’t slow.

It bounded straight for the redhead [Mage]. She braced herself, casting a quick [Aura of Greater Protection]. It chomped on her, grabbing her by her legs. It ragdolled her around as one of the people in the caravan— a woman who dressed like a princess— shouted something in the background. Arrows bounced off its thick hide before it tossed Edithe at Daniel as he tried to get back up.

She crashed into the [Hero], her protective aura breaking. They both lay there as the [Savage Agarat] turned its attention to the caravan. The same fancily dressed woman raised a pendant as a Diamond Ranked [Warrior] stood before her. A fireball shoutout from the pendant, but it simply splashed over the [Savage Agarat] like water.

Edithe scrambled to her feet as Daniel rushed forward. She shouted, trying to cast a spell in time to stop the Demon from massacring the woman and her bodyguards. But what would even work on it?

Someone else moved as Edithe hesitated for a single moment. Salvos pushed herself up, flinching in pain as she spoke aloud.

“T-that’s enough.”

The silver-haired girl stood on her feet. The [Savage Agarat] halted. The Diamond Ranked [Warrior] took the chance to slash at it, but it leapt back. It faced Salvos as Daniel and Edithe rushed to her side.

“Salvos, what are you—”

Edithe started, but Salvos covered the redhead’s mouth while grimacing in pain.

“You.”

Salvos met the Demon’s gaze. The [Savage Agarat] tilted its head, eyeing Salvos warily. She continued.

“You don’t have to do this. We’ll stop attacking you, but you have to promise you’ll stop attacking us too. We’re not your enemy.”

The [Savage Agarat] didn’t let down its guard. One of the fancily-dressed woman’s bodyguards spoke up as Salvos winced again.

“Queen Faith, is she trying to negotiate with a De—”

“Shut up, Willow.”

Salvos glared at the bodyguard and turned back to the [Savage Agarat]. Steeling herself, the silver-haired girl spoke tensely.

“You’re… not wild, are you? You can think for yourself. You can even speak. I heard you. Don’t pretend you can’t.”

The [Savage Agarat] paused. Slowly, it cocked its head.

“I can.”

Edithe blinked as she heard its voice— as she understood the words. But it only made sense. After all, Edithe could hear Salvos just fine. But it was almost as jarring as hearing Salvos speak for the first time.

The woman called Faith gasped. A susurration ran through the bodyguards gathered. Salvos’ eyes slammed shut as she pulled at her ears. The [Savage Agarat] eyed her curiously. Edithe spun around and met Faith’s gaze.

Somehow, Faith understood immediately what Edithe was trying to say without any words. She turned to her escort.

“Silence! We can’t—”

She looked at Salvos. The silver-haired girl was in so much pain. The chatter died down slowly as they listened to Faith. Everyone exchanged a glance— then looked at Salvos.They all nodded, understanding.

Salvos offered them a grateful weak smile. She raised her head once again, walking forward— ahead of Edithe and Daniel. The pair looked at each other, uncertain whether to intervene. But Salvos knew what she was doing… right?

“Listen, we can be companions, alright? Just calm down. We won’t hurt you. Just promise me you won’t hurt us back.”

The silver-haired girl proffered a hand. A very Human-like gesture. But Salvos had lived here in the Mortal Realm— amongst Humans— for a majority of her life now. Edithe knew she couldn’t help but pick up their mannerisms.

The [Savage Agarat] looked at Salvos. Its eyes darted between Salvos’ gaze and the hand. Faith watched tremulously as Edithe tightly gripped her staff. Then the Demon lowered its wings— like its guard was finally let down.

Edithe almost felt a sense of relief when it opened its mouth in a smile.

“NO!”

The [Savage Agarat] shouted. Salvos physically recoiled from the sudden sound. And that was when the Demon took its chance. It pounced on her. It closed its mouth on her head as she dropped to the ground.

Edithe moved, wide-eyed. Daniel started forward. But they’d be too slow. No one would reach them in time. The first fang sank into Salvos’ neck. And the world moved— backwards.

Everyone watched as time moved in reverse. As, in an instant, both Salvos and the [Savage Agarat] returned to their original positions, then further back. Salvos lay on the ground next to Edithe again as the [Savage Agarat] looked ready to pounce.

The Demon blinked in confusion as Salvos clutched her bleeding neck.

“Salvos—”

Edithe caught herself. She rushed to Salvos’ side, trying to stay silent as Daniel charged the [Savage Agarat]. It took the Demon only a second to realize what had happened before it lashed out at the [Hero] again. This time, Faith’s escorts rushed into battle to support him. And he stood more of a chance as Faith herself unleashed a bunch of magical spells from her artifact to restrict its movements.

The redhead checked Salvos. The wound didn’t dig too deep. That was good. Nodding, Edithe got back up and was about to join the fighting when Salvos grabbed her by the hand.

“Edithe, I…”

“I’m sorry, Salvos.”

Edithe shook her head, trying to brush Salvos off.

“We tried to reason with it. I know it’s one of your kind, but—”

Salvos bit her lower lip. Perhaps it was the loud noises. Or maybe it was something else. Finally, Salvos sighed.

“I know.”

She replied, much to Edithe’s surprise. The redhead expected to argue about it. But…

“I understand.”

Salvos already knew it was pointless. She raised her hand as magic poured forth.

“So, please, take my hand.”

She met Edithe’s gaze. The [Mage] blinked. Then nodded.

“I see.”

They linked hands as the fighting continued.

So foolish. All so weak.

This world was so incredibly weak.

The [Savage Agarat] laughed— although it came out more like a hissing growl. He spun around, knocking back two of the things as they charged him with swords. A net shot out at him— a magical one that slowed him for only a moment, but he ripped it off.

This world had been so odd. So strange. But especially so weak.

He remembered the Netherworld— where he came from. There was never any hesitation in battle. There was only bloodshed and death. Only the strongest survived. Those that banded together did so out of necessity. But once that necessity was gone, they would slaughter each other without a worry.

That was his life. That was all he ever knew, and that was all he ever would know. So he would kill these things. Gain experience and grow stronger. That was all there was to it. There was nothing else to live for.

He snarled as he tore through the thing with glowing armor, smashing the armor apart. The thing screamed, only for a blast of magic to bounce of the [Savage Agarat]’s back. It was a beam. One that actually hurt.

He recoiled in pain as his hide was burnt off. He spun around and faced the thing with red hair.

“Hey, asshole! How’d my [Ray of Retribution] taste?”

The [Savage Agarat] tilted his head. How did something so weak have such powerful magic? It annoyed him. And its words annoyed him even more.

“Come and try some!”

The thing with red hair threw a ball of electricity his way. He simply bit through it, laughing at how pathetic that attempt was.

“Then die, weak thing!”

He beat his wings once, flying through the air. Flying straight for the thing with red hair. It braced itself as he closed in. Then the world seemed to flicker. All around it, the air grew visible. Outlined. It somehow caught him before he could crash and rip apart the thing with red hair.

The [Savage Agarat] crashed into a hard surface, still midair. He was… caught in something. The space around him seemed to carry him. He struck out with his claw once, only to hit a fractal window.

The thing with red hair grinned.

“[Recall Skill: Borrow Skill]. [Borrow Skill: Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. And, lastly, combination casting so you can’t break through.”

He growled. Did it think it could hold him? He lashed out, cracking the glass-like surface. The thing with red gritted its teeth as he continued to smash this [Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. It began to break down. The thing with red hair clearly began to back away in fear, but something else moved past it.

The thing with silver hair strode forward, holding hands with the thing with red hair. It brought the thing with red hair with it, coming to a stop before the [Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. The [Savage Agarat] bared his teeth and yelled.

“Free me!”

And he realized— there was no sound. Nothing came out from his mouth. The space he was trapped in didn’t let him speak. The thing with silver hair sighed.

“It’s very lonely, isn’t it? Being alone all the time. Having no one hear your voice, even though you’re speaking. As though your words mean nothing. I thought we’d be able to understand each other.”

The [Savage Agarat] continued to claw the space around him. It was working. He was tearing apart through sheer force alone. But the thing with silver hair just continued.

“I thought I could have a new companion. I thought you weren’t wild. But it seems… more than anything, I just forgot what life there is truly like.”

He struck the fractal surface once again, and a huge crack formed. The thing with silver hair closed its eyes and placed a hand on the other side of the barrier.

“Goodbye. [Full Phase]. [Greater Teleportation].”

The [Savage Agarat] didn’t understand what that meant. He was so confused, but he was so close. He grinned as he swung again. But before his claw could come into contact with anything, the world around him changed.

He was caught in the middle of the void. Where everything was nothing and nothing was everything. The things were gone. He was all on his own. He was puzzled by it, but he didn’t let it stop him from breaking himself free.

“Let me out—”

He smashed the space apart, laughing in victory. Now he just had to find them once again. Track them down. He looked around savagely, his lust for battle still clear in his head. But… slowly, his thoughts began to vanish. An eerie calm washed over him.

His laughing stopped. The wounds he’d sustained stopped hurting. The [Savage Agarat] looked around blankly. He wondered— no, he didn’t wonder. He didn’t think. He didn’t speak. He just floated there.

And he perished as nothingness took hold of him.

A note from MelasD

It's that time again, vote for Salvos on TopWebFiction please or I shall despair. I only ask once a month, so it would really help if you do it.

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

379. Meeting Royalty

A note from MelasD

Hey y'all! You should checkout my friend, Azrie's, new story on RoyalRoad! It's called Don't Call Me a Grim Reaper and it's super cool.

What does death mean? Happiness, of course!

Kaiti Necros is an aspiring Grim Reaper, who has always disliked sadness and chaos. As a denizen from the Underworld, those two things have always been present all her life. However, as fate would have it, she finds herself in the human world. A world free of bloodlust and despair, a world in which she can help people, and more importantly — a world in which she can make others happy!

But, to her dismay, things aren’t as simple as she initially thought. Whether it is the realization of Grim Reapers being perceived as ultimately grim, or the shadow of her home following her to the human world, nothing is as she expected…

Don't Call Me a Grim Reaper! (A Slice of Life Fantasy) | Royal Road

379. Meeting Royalty

Defeated [Savage Agarat of the Earth - Lvl 146]!

More experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 137] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 138]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Draconic Apprentice] Level Up!

[Draconic Apprentice - Lvl. 102] -> [Draconic Apprentice - Lvl. 103]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

“Ugh, my head…”

I rubbed at my temples as the notifications resounded in my mind. It caused a bit of a headache to swell, but the worst of it was gone. After an hour, I no longer had my heightened senses— no more super hearing, no more super vision, and no more super scent. It was incredibly relieving.

[Manifestation of the Old Gods] was an incredibly good Skill. I was certain that, under the right circumstances, it would aid greatly in battle and in other situations. However, I wasn’t acclimated to it yet. It drove me insane. Once I’d defeated the [Savage Agarat], I collapsed and lay there until someone picked me up and put me in a carriage with a bubble of [Silent Darkness] around it.

Even then, I could still see. I could still hear. It was like my senses weren’t determined by what was physically there. I just… saw, heard, and smelled far too many things to handle. It was so overwhelming, but fortunately, it was gone now.

I was better and I opened the carriage door and leapt outside. There was a hammering in my head as I heard the clopping of horse hooves and the sound of whispered conversations. But it wasn’t a blare any longer. I spread my wings wide as I flew up, blinking away my blurred vision until I could see clearly.

I spotted my companions riding on horseback and descended on them.

“Daniel, Edithe!”

I glanced between them as they greeted me.

“Salvos. You’re awake.”

Daniel smiled at me, and Edithe nodded.

“So it only lasts an hour, huh? Glad to see you’re doing better.”

“Yep— ouch. I mean, it still kind of hurts. But I’m no longer dying from sensory overdose or whatever.”

I flexed an arm at them before casting my gaze over the caravan. A few armed guards were looking my way, exchanging whispers as they pointed at me. I recognized Willow— who I waved to— and Gavyn, both of whom were part of Elutra’s Resistance. Neither Zane nor Garland Monsterthorn were present. Either that, or I’d arrived too late and they were eaten by the [Savage Agarat].

Honestly, I should’ve known that the [Savage Agarat] couldn’t be reasoned with when I saw him eat that annoying Human’s arm. Seriously, that was gross!

I tried to ignore the fact that I was genuinely upset that I couldn’t make a new Demon companion. It had been so long since I had spoken to another Demon who I wasn’t utterly hostile against. But… it seemed like I forgot that that was how it worked for most of the time I spent in the Netherworld.

There was only Haec. Haec and the others. But the others were dead, and Haec was, possibly, serving under the Demon King. He could be dead now, for all I knew. The Netherworld was a tumultuous place, and I was going to get back there soon. I just hoped he was safe.

I turned back to my companions as the caravan came to a stop. I used [Identification] on them and gave them approving looks.

“Edithe! You leveled three times! Although, Daniel only leveled once…”

“I know.”

The Human man sighed dejectedly.

“It seems that I didn’t actually do as much damage against that Demon as I thought I did. Even though I used a bunch of my [Hero] Skills.”

“Then why did Edithe level three times?”

I blinked. The [Mage] shrugged.

“I think it was thanks to our combination casting. We both killed the [Savage Agarat] together by teleporting it to… where did you teleport it to again?”

“The fold between planes. It’s kind of like a void, but not really. There’s still things there. It just gets frozen into nothingness.”

I explained. Both Edithe and Daniel stared at me.

“How does that work?”

They asked, and I gave them my biggest smirk.

“I… have absolutely no idea!”

Daniel and Edithe facepalmed at the same time.

“Should’ve expected that.”

The redhead muttered. I patted her on the shoulder, and she looked up at me.

“Anyway, your three level ups were well deserved. I couldn’t have defeated that [Savage Agarat] without your help. Without you, it would’ve broken through my [Fragmented Pocket DImension] and probably stabbed me after shouting really, really loud.”

I gave her a thumbs-up, and Edithe returned with a small smile.

“Thank you, Salvos.”

I glanced over at the caravan as one of the doors opened.

“So, where are we going?”

I asked, and for a response, both my companions eyed the carriage.

“We’re, uh, escorting princess…”

Daniel started, only for my eyes to grow round as a figure dressed in glamorous clothing stepped out. They sparkled as my wings beat faster and faster in excitement.

“Princess Faith!”

I yelled over the Human man as I flew forward. Princess Faith blinked, and I crashed into her. Her escorts— the bodyguards I didn’t recognize— shouted in a panic. But Gavyn and Willow stopped them from rushing at me with their weapons.

“H-hello to you as well, Salvos.”

Faith pulled herself to her feet I stepped back. I beamed at her.

“Hey. What’cha doing here?”

I spotted her while I was using [Manifestation of the Old Gods], and I even saw her from my peripheral vision— which was basically my entire vision— while fighting against the [Savage Agarat], but I didn’t have chance to say hi or anything.

I spoke excitedly as she dusted herself off.

“I met another princess the other day, you know? She was so cool!”

“Did you? That’s very nice to hear.”

“Yep. Her name is princess Rana Alyras! Do you know her?”

“I have heard of her, indeed. The sole heiress of king Artik Alyras.”

“Aw, but do you know her know her?”

I peered at princess Faith. She shook her head, giving me an apologetic look.

“Unfortunately, I am not acquainted with her. Perhaps I could be soon though, as we are currently headed to the city of Alyras.”

Her gaze turned towards the horizon. I blinked as I saw the moon high up in the sky.

“Isn’t it late? Don’t you guys need to sleep or something? We’re still pretty far away from Alyras, aren’t we?”

I raised a brow. I’d have thought they’d set up camp or something at this point. Faith shook her head.

“These horses are bred specifically by [Beastmasters] so that they can travel faster and for longer periods of time. Furthermore, the carriage itself is enchanted to aid maneuverability and speed.”

I used [Identification] on the horses here. The highest-leveled amongst them was actually Gold Ranked in level. Level 45. I was surprised. I remembered meeting a Level 12 horse before, but I rarely met animals that actually leveled up in a Class to Gold Rank.

“Huh. How’d you do that?”

I cocked my head at the horse, asking the question. The Level 45 horse huffed.

“Jennifer.”

“Jennifer?”

“Train.”

“I see.”

I nodded sagely as Faith eyed with a puzzled look. Willow sputtered from the side.

“Were you… talking to the horse?”

“Yep. Why?”

I glanced at her, replying offhandedly. Willow tried to work her jaw. She turned to Gavyn who just shrugged at her.

“She spoke to that Demon, now she’s speaking to a horse. Is she some sort of [Druid]?”

“A [Beastmaster], perhaps? Or maybe a [Priest of Fauna]?”

Gavyn suggested unhelpfully as Willow stared at me. Faith waved a hand dismissively.

“Salvos has some quirks. You should not pry into her personal information.”

The princess nodded at me before turning to the horizon.

“We’ll likely arrive in Alyras by daybreak. Unless there are further interruptions. So it is best for us to press on.”

“Huh. Why the rush, though?”

I gave her a curious look. Faith faced me again.

“There will be a meeting there held in a few days’ time. And not only would I prefer to be there early to make the necessary preparations, I would rather not stray too far from the safety of a large city for too long.”

“Oh, Saffron told me about that!”

I snapped my fingers, remembering there being a whole ordeal about that. But I didn’t really pay attention to the full details either.

“What’s it going to be about, anyway?”

Faith inhaled deeply as she closed her eyes.

“It’s going to be one of the most important conferences in history. One that could decide on the fate of the entire world.”

She pivoted around, facing the direction she came from. And where she looked, she saw past the trees. Past Daniel and Edithe standing idly in the way. Beyond the hills or mountains. Even without [Manifestation of the Old Gods], she saw what she was searching for. But this was not magic. It was memory.

“We will be deciding the fate of the Inoria Empire.”

Levithus stood in the heart of the Inoria Empire. At the palace where a Human emperor used to live. It was empty now, devoid of Human life. Even the throne room that was so vast and wide— that could fit a thousand soldiers or hold the largest balls— was completely emptied out. Except for the expansive ritual circle that lay before the Primeval Demon’s tail.

He eyed the glowing symbols burned into the marble floor. They shimmered faintly as the rotting corpses piled up at the very center of the pentagram began to exude a crimson aura. The great double doors behind Levithus creaked open, and he faced the figure standing right at the entrance.

“Custolor has returned, Lord Levithus.”

“Let him in.”

Levithus replied simply to the [Greater Demon]. He placed his arms behind his back, although they barely reached around his serpentine body, as he waited for Custolor to enter. A few moments later, a Human appeared before him. A level 67 [Changeling].

“Lord Levithus.”

“Custolor, what news do you bring for me this time?”

“Belzu is dead, Lord Levithus.”

That made the Lord of Chaos pause. He hadn’t been expecting that. Of all the news he heard that day, he wasn’t expecting that. His eyes flickered down towards the ritual. Perhaps he had been too hasty in his decision. But no— first he had to ask more questions before making a decision.

“Are you certain this was not another of Belzu’s tricks?”

“I believe so. The Humans have even provided a corpse as proof..”

“Unfortunate.”

“Without him, this means that all of the Human lands’ attention is now on us, Lord Levithus. Should we begin the ritual now before they direct their armies towards us?”

Custolor bowed deeply, but Levithus replied curtly.

“No.”

“But Lord Levithus— the Humans will be gathering in Alyras in three days’ time! If they work together, even we will not be able to stop them!”

Levithus didn’t care. He turned back as the ritual circle shone brightly.

“I said: no.”

It flashed, and with a plume of smoke, seven figures appeared before him. Seven Demons. One with three tails. Another with a single horn. One that stood over thirty feet tall. All of them— they looked incredibly distinct. Nor did they hide their appearances. They weren’t afraid. Not of anything this world had to offer.

Levithus faced the seven Demons as he spoke to Custolor.

“It won’t be long until the ritual is complete. We cannot afford to risk failure. Our King’s plans will not be ruined because we panicked in the face of mere mortals.”

The seven Demons bowed to him as he spun back around.

“What do you need of us, Lord Levithus?”

“You who are the Dukes and Duchesses of the Netherworld. You who are on the precipice of evolving to Primeval Demons. Heed my word. Go to the city of Alyras. Foil the plan of the Humans. Distract them. Sow discord. Confusion. Do everything that is necessary to ensure that the ritual is seen to its completion. For our King.”

“Yes, Lord Levithus.”

The Demons replied in unison. Levithus levitated forward, facing a massive map pinned to the wall. One that showed both the combined lands of both the Inoria Empire and Elutra. And overlaid on it was the drawing of a ritual circle. Identical to the one on the ground below him. And it crossed through every major and minor city of the country.

Levithus faced it, whispering as the silhouette of the seven Demons passed him.

“Rejoice, rejoice, for his kingdom shall come.”

A note from MelasD

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

380. Arrival in Alyras

A note from MelasD

Check out my good friend's fic, System Error!

[You are not the hero. You are the System that will enable him.]

Parker wakes up with the ability to control magic, a conspicuous lack of a body, and a whole lot of blue boxes. After being informed that a new hero--[Godkiller] Jerome Smith--is set on a path to fight the opposing System's Eternal King, Parker is forced to attach to the hero's body as his brand new System.

With status screens being the only way to communicate as they navigate this perplexing Continent, Parker and Jerome will have to learn to level, progress, and ultimately triumph.

Now, if only Parker can get Jerome to stop treating this like a video game...

System Error (LitRPG Reincarnation ft. Copious Amounts of Blue Boxes) | Royal Road

380. Arrival in Alyras

Princess Rana Alyras wore white as the delegations from the Helbir Plains rode into the city. They’d arrived at daybreak, three days ahead of the scheduled meeting. This was for two reasons: firstly, the Helbir League was going to have their own conference to decide on their stance for the upcoming meeting between world powers; and secondly, it was for their standing— after all, the Helbir League wanted to impress themselves and their might upon the other nations and alliances that would be arriving in Alyras.

The palace was brimming with excitement. There was so much to do, and everyone had their own part to play. And Rana herself had one of the most important roles to play. As the princess and sole heiress to the king, her father, Artik Alyras, she had to maintain the appearance of nobility and dignity.

And that only made her more nervous!

Why was there so much pressure on her? The princess sighed as her shoulders sagged. She stood at the courtyard of the palace with a large gathering of the nobility of Alyras and the guests that had already arrived to greet the delegations from the Helbir League. Fortunately, there was a large crowd and no one paid attention to the princess at the very back. Their focus was fixed on the delegations— all except for one.

Sevika, Rana’s personal maid, snorted.

“That is not the kind of sound a princess should make, princess Rana.”

The princess bit her lower lip as her maid continued.

“And please stand with a proper posture. Back straight, arms loose. We don’t want our guests to think that our princess is uncouth.”

“Who are you calling uncouth?”

Rana sputtered. Sevika just gave her a flat stare. The princess hesitated, checking herself. She straightened and cleared her throat as her maid spoke simply.

“You need to behave at all times, princess Rana. Just look— you’re drawing attention to yourself.”

Sure enough, a few heads had turned at Rana’s outburst. The princess flushed and pretended like nothing had happened. She looked past the staring and ignored the whispers.

“This is your fault, Sevika.”

“Sure it is.”

“I—”

Rana was about to defend herself when she heard a susurration run through the crowd.

“Look—”

She heard the beating of drums. A group of [War Elephants] parted the crowd as trumpets played. Rows and rows of soldiers marched down the street as a war tune played. Rana blinked, and a man emerged from atop a glamorous carriage.

The crowd gasped, pointing at him.

“That’s Peris Dolonia— the Crown Prince of Dolonia!”

“Seriously? I knew Dolonia was sending a representative, but to think they’d send him!”

Peris Dolonia wore a charming smile as he faced the crowd. Waving a hand, he ostentatiously greeted the crowd as he threw pink flowers— solace orchids— in the air to mark his own arrival. He laughed cheerfully, spinning around.

“Yes, I am here! It has been a while since I last paid this city a visit, has it not?”

Then he caught sight of Rana. The princess froze. His eyes narrowed, even from a distance. A wide smile spread across his face as he waved.

“Princess Rana!”

He stood atop the carriage, shouting as the crowd turned their attention to him them the princess. Rana flushed and buried her face in her hands. Sevika spoke with a still expression.

“Princess Rana, your posture is slackening again.”

“I know, Sevika.”

“Haven’t you been mentally preparing for this for a week now?”

“I have. I just…”

She looked up. Peris Dolonia was grinning, excitedly leaning over the edge of the carriage as he waited for her to return the gesture. She did not.

Rana just turned around and left.

There were only four individuals in all of the Helbir Plains that were currently over Level 150. One was an [Architect]— the highest-leveled in the Human lands who had no affiliation to any state. Two of them were adventurers who had left for the Beastmen Plains a decade ago. And the last was calling out to Rana as she flushed furiously and rushed to escape the scene.

“Princess Rana— my beloved! I’ll see you inside, alright?”

Oh, he was also princess Rana’s betrothed.

“We’re here!”

I spread my arms wide as we reached the city of Alyras. It was just past daybreak— the sun had already fully risen from the horizon, and from what I could see, the city was already bustling with life. So it took slightly longer than Faith estimated for us to arrive.

But we were finally here. I beamed excitedly, turning to my companions. Daniel just rolled his eyes.

“...yes, we’re here. We can see that, Salvos.”

“What’s got you so excited, anyway? We literally just came from Alyras.”

Edithe raised a brow at me. I smiled at her and turned to Faith.

“That’s because princess Faith and princess Rana are finally going to meet!”

The two just sighed in exasperation. Princess Faith made it a point to pretend she didn’t hear that as she sat in her carriage. I looked back to my companions and hesitated.

I scratched my cheeks.

“Also, we took way too long to get here. Seriously! I could’ve just teleported us back— but no! We had to ride with the caravan for some reason.”

I harrumphed, turning to face the city. Edithe and Daniel exchanged a glance.

“It did take a while to get here— compared to your usual fast travel, at least. But it’s good to sometimes relax and enjoy the scenery. Plus, we were escorting Faith. You don’t want a princess to come into harm's way, do you?”

“No…”

I trailed off as I averted my gaze. My lips twisted, and I scowled.

“I wouldn’t have mind this long trip so much if I got to speak with princess Faith, though…”

“Well, princess Faith has other things to worry about.”

Daniel eyed the woman sitting in the carriage, sifting through sheets of documents and paper as she muttered to herself. I crossed my arms.

“She should be more worried about meeting princess Rana! She needs to leave a good impression! Rana’s very shy, you see?”

I explained Rana’s reticent attitude to my companions as we headed for the city up ahead. We rode past the various encampments set outside of Alyras. There had been two before I left yesterday morning— one for the adventurers and one for the Vampire families. But now there were three encampments.

I didn’t recognize the third one. It had a myriad of flags hanging from the tents— and there was a parade of people entering the city’s streets. They were flashy and gaudy and people cheered. I blinked.

“Who are those people—”

I started, only to be interrupted by a bright flash of light. An angry ball of flame whizzed over me. I barely ducked in time, but it came back around and stopped right before my head. I had thought it was an attack for a moment. My companions reached for their weapons as Faith’s bodyguards shouted in alarm.

But I blinked as I stared at a [Will O’ Wisp].

“...Willy?”

Willy floated right before my head, his flames burning a bright crimson. He flitted back and forth as fiery embers burned off him like teardrops falling to the ground. He spoke angrily.

“Left!”

“Left?”

I looked to my left and just saw a puzzled Daniel. I cocked my head, but Willy just yelled again.

“No! You!”

“Me?”

“Left!”

“Right. I see. Well, I’m sorry about that, alright?”

I nodded sagely. Edithe and Daniel stared at me. The redhead turned to the Human man.

“The fuck did I just witness?”

“I have no idea, Edithe. Absolutely no idea.”

I scoffed and explained the situation to them.

“Willy’s upset cause I left him— but I didn’t know he wanted to come with us!”

“What?”

Willy sputtered. He flew between me and the two Humans before they could even parse what was happening.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“You didn’t ask!”

“No you—”

I argued with Willy as a cloaked figure appeared before Daniel. The Human man jerked back, but a woman’s voice just snorted.

“Did that seriously scare you, oh great [Hero]?”

“Amanda. What do you want?”

He glared at her. She folded her arms at him, then glanced over at the princess.

“Did you seriously leave Alyras quietly in the morning to go save a princess? How typical.”

“Ugh, I can’t deal with you right now. I’m tired and I haven’t gotten any sleep.”

“Too fucking bad.”

Amanda grinned at him, and he just scowled. But she wasn’t the last of the guests who’d come out of the city just to greet us. As I triumphantly defeated Willy in a battle of wits and Amanda continued to pester Daniel while we walked into the city, a man emerged from the gates.

I caught a flash of the blond hair— the charming smile. Hadrian, the leader of the Valiant Dreamers Company, waited there. He looked glad to see us, but there was also a hint of a soft and worried expression on his face.

“Edithe. Salvos. Daniel.”

He actually greeted each of us, even though I didn’t know him that well. He turned back to Edithe and she frowned at him.

“Hadrian. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with the company—”

And she paused. He hugged her before she could continue. The redhead blinked a few times.

“...Hadrian?”

“I was so worried.”

He drew back and smiled. Edithe eyed him, perplexed. But he explained.

“I heard about what happened. You fought not just one Primeval Demon, but two of them in the Motharis Mountain Range. Helena Warshade told me everything.”

“Oh… that.”

She shifted uncomfortably.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it earlier. But I didn’t know what Salvos was going to do, and I didn’t think we’d fight a [Hellabomination]—”

“It’s fine.”

He spoke over her, looking the redhead up and down in relief.

“I’m just glad you’re safe.”

I stared at the two of them just looking each other over for a good minute. Neither one said a word. Willy giggled at the scene, and I faced the [Will O’ Wisp].

“What’s so funny?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Why not? Why are they acting so weird!”

Hadrian finally balled a hand into a fist..

“If anything, I wish I could’ve been there to help you. To think that you were there fighting against a Primeval Demon… and I didn’t even know…”

He trailed off as Edithe reached out, hugging him back. She smiled kindly at him as he stiffened.

“Thank you for worrying, Hadrian. Honestly, I should make it up to you.”

Hadrian quickly tried to protest.

“No, I—”

“How about some lunch tomorrow? My treat.”

She suggested casually. He stared at her for a moment. Then he laughed.

“Sure. But only because you went ahead and surpassed my level behind my back…”

They chatted casually, holding hands as we continued walking, staying far away from the rambunctious procession entering the city. We made a quieter entrance, returning to the palace.

It was not just Edithe, Daniel, and I. But Willy was there. And so was Hadrian and amanda. Princess Faith and all her bodyguards followed behind too. Waiting for us at the palace was princess Rana, Orgaf, and Saffron. Helena Warshade was there too, as well as all the Vampires and some other adventurers. And somewhere a hundred or so miles away was Jaakko, Zack, and Helen and a small army of adventurers made their way here.

So many people I knew were gathering here in Alyras. And that only made sense— after all, a super important meeting was going to happen— one that was supposed to decide the fate of the Human lands or whatever— and we were arriving just in time for it!

Honestly, I’d probably just skip it. Because it wasn’t like anything interesting was going to happen in it, right? It was just going to be another boring discussion… right?

A note from MelasD

START OF THE NEW MONTH! BEST TIME TO PATRON! Read up to 20 Salvos chapters ahead on my patreon.

Join my discord or subreddit.

Follow me on twitter or instagram.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Art Gallery

0. Advent

1. Rocks

2. The Others

3. Learning Experience

4. Magic Attack

5. Not Like Me

6. Red Fire

7. Rest

8. Lesser Demon

Poll: Which blurb is the best?

9. Evolution

10. Gratitude

11. My Companion

12. Two of Us

13. Awesome!

14.1. Wolves?

14.2. Wolves?

15.1. An Attack

15.2. An Attack

16. Not Rocks

17.1. ???

17.2. ???

18. Hazelbury

19.1. Adventurers Guild

19.2. Adventurers Guild

20. Temple

21.1. Ashes. Lots of Ashes.

21.2. Ashes. Lots of Ashes.

22. Recognition

23. Unwarranted Attack

24.1. Divvying Loot

24.2. Divvying Loot

25. Dialogue and Preparation

26.1. Spirits

26.2. Spirits

27. Are You Evil?

28.1. Liar Liar, I Make Fire

28.2. Liar Liar, I Make Fire

29. Silkfall's Crevice

30.1. Screech

30.2. Screech

Poll: Volume 1 Title

Poll: LAST TITLE POLL

31.1. Grinding and Learning

31.2. Grinding and Learning

32. Monster Lair

"Salvos: Vol. 1, Curious Beginnings" NOW LIVE ON AMAZON KINDLE! (Read up to Chapter 40 for $2.99!)

33. Led into a Trap

34. Centinels

35.1. Blame

35.2. Blame

36.1. City Under Attack

36.2. City Under Attack

37. Race to Silvergrove

38. Reunion

Poll: Cover Art

39. Lament of Lucerna

40. Survivor (End of Volume 1)

41. Daniel's Dilemma (Start of Volume 2)

42. Journey Back

43.1. Adventurer

43.2. Adventurer

44. Weird Human Things

45.1. Emotions and Stuff

45.2. Emotions and Stuff

46. Gold Rank

47.1. New and Familiar

47.2. New and Familiar

48. Testing Out Skills

49. Ignition

50. Hardest Hurdle

51. Centinels Camp

52. Expanding Vocab— Uh... Inventory?

53.1. Escort

53.2. Escort

54.1. Noble

54.2. Noble

Important Patreon Poll (Please Respond Honestly)

55.1. Crest

55.2. Crest

Announcement: Patreon Update (Follow up to the poll)

56. Human

57. Breaking In

58. Cultists

59. Ignavare

60.1. Rachel

60.2. Rachel

61. Double Battle

62. Bounty Hunters

63. Revealing Secrets

64. Harrowed Vindicators

65. Eye for an Eye

66. Princess

67. Road Trip

68. Viechester

69. Cringe

70. Summoning Ritual

Side Story 1: Survival of the Fittest

71. Minor Harassments

72. Caught!

73. Going on a Trip

74. Trial of Fire

75. Giant Ape

76. Refinement

77. Finally!

78. Drakes

79. Sleep Sucks!

80. Nightmare

81. Brilsum Ruins

82. Return

83. Observations

84. Doing Bad Things

85. Stampede

86. The Inner City

87.1. Cultist Scheme

87.2. Cultist Scheme

88. Minotaurs Found!

89.1. Seeing the Light

89.2. Seeing the Light

90. Burning with Excitement

91. Company War

92.1. A Nice Feeling

92.2. A Nice Feeling

93. Stand and Fight

94. Declaration and Introduction

95.1. Faith

95.2. Faith

96. Siege

A Demon's Pride: Salvos Volume 2 is now live on Amazon!

97. Found

98. Escape

99. Prejudice

100. Contract (End of Volume 2)

101. Consequences (Start of Volume 3)

102. An Offer

103. Compromising!

Announcement

104. Fancy Disguise

105. Heathens

106. Vampires

107. Apologies

108. Crossing Borders

???. A Witch and a Demon walk into a...

109. Big and Scary Demon

110. Blight

111. Spooky Skeletons

112. Plaguelands

113. Experiments

114. Ghostlight

115. Depth

116. Lost...

117. Xidra the [Herbalist]

118. The Scale Guard

Reminder for this week

119. Unarith

120. Shopping!

121. Diviner

122. Helping Hand

123. Alex Cromerth, Member of the Vaun Qiuer Empire’s Elite Swordsguard Forces

124. Combination

125. Edithe's Enterprise

Announcement: Salvos Vol. 1 now available as an audiobook! Also, graduating today!

126. Interloot

127. SPEED

128. Catching Up

129. Reckless

130. Blanket

131. Zombie Horde

132. Seeking Help

133. Blessing

134. Overzealous

135. Northeast... or Southwest?

136. Growth

137. Straight Down

138. Haunt

139. The Hero

140. Skills and Stuff

141. Pricks

142. Myths

143. Chains

144. The Truth

145. Revelations

146. Apocalypse

147. Trial of the Scales

148. Darkening Horizons

149. Dragonet

150. What an Idiot

151. The Next Step

152. A Dime a Dozen

153.1. Partial Mortality

153.2. Partial Mortality

154.1. Blaze of Glory

154.2. Blaze of Glory

155.1. Wishful Thinking

155.2. Wishful Thinking

Salvos Volume 3 now available on Amazon!

156. Weak Hero

157. Frozen

158. Mad

159. A Heroic Act

160. Lilian, My Lilian

161. Self-Destructive

162. It's Coming Home!

163. Proudly Awake

164. Cathartic

165. Companion Construction

166. Knock Knock

167.1. Who's There?

167.2. Who's There?

168.1. Nobody

168.2. Nobody (End of V3)

169. The Return (Start of Volume 4)

170. Lily the Fairy

171. Fairing Well

172. Cosmic Compression

173. Remembrance

174. Attacked Again

175. Mavos Academy

176. Facade

177. Interlude - Daniel's Debate

178. Surprise

179. Mountain Island

180. Centinels are Crap

181. Friendship!

182.1. Personal Statement

182.2. Personal Statement

183.1. Orientation

183.2. Orientation

184. First Day!

185. Aspiring Elites

186. Alchemy

187. Tiring Learning

188.1. Interlude - Edithe's Emancipation

188.2. Interlude - Edithe's Emancipation

189. Office and Library

190. A Mistake

191.1. Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings

191.2. Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings

192. And Pride

193. Empathy? Or...?

194. Missive

195. Pot and Kettle

196. Naive?

197.1. Failure

197.2. Failure

198. Forgetting

199. Class

200. Surprise Present!

200 Special: Side Character Popularity Poll!

201. Elf Attack

202. Interlude - Daniel's Demand

203. Stupid Stuff

204. Fancily Dressed

205. Date

206. Cleaning Up

207. Break Time!

208. Rainforest of Monsters

209. Raining

210. Commune

211. Monster Mindset

212. Stonefort Labyrinth Dungeon

213. Wild

214. Enigmatic Heart

215. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 1

216. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 2

217. Back to Studying

218. Smart Salvos

219. Tutor

220. Reputation

221. Saffron's Sanity

222. Lair Tour

223. Portals!

224. He's Back

225. Trickery

226. Deal with the Devil

227. Mentor

228. Sal

229. Father

230. Oneself

231. Interlude - Daniel's Devices Part 1

232. Interlude - Daniel's Devices Part 2

233. Tournament

234. Potion of Regeneration

235. Time for the Finale

236. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 3

237. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 4

238. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 5

Double Announcement

239. Interlude - Edithe's Evolution Part 6

240. Promises Kept

241. Nightsveil Part 1

Another Announcement

242. Nightsveil Part 2

243. Nightsveil Part 3

244. Nightsveil Part 4

Commenting Rules and Etiquette

245. Nightsveil Part 5 (End of Volume 4)

246. Begin (Start of Volume 5)

247. Accretion

Have art

248. Savior

Quick little COVID update

249. Beastmen

250. ---- Boulder

251. Distortion

252. Pebbles

253. Height of Hubris

254. Law of the Netherworld

255. Interlude - Saffron's Scripture

256. Don't Die

257. Bloodied Gulf

258. Evolved

259. Dissected Paths

260. Advancing

261. The Devil's Apprentice

262. Warped Time

263. Potential

264. Cornucopia

265. Changing

266. It Leveled Up

267. Interlude - Edithe's Explanation Part 1

268. Interlude - Edithe's Explanation Part 2

269. Titan

Quick update + HERE IS THE SURPRISE

270. Hidden Haven

271. Trapped? Wait...

New cover + very quick update

272. Neat Trick

273. Willy

274. Risk and Reward

275. Interlude - Daniel's Desire Part One

276. Interlude - Daniel's Desire Part Two

277. Centina

278. Planning an Escape

279. Calm

280. Storm

281. Cleansing

Salvos Volume 3's audiobook is now available on audible!

282. Protector of the Haven

283. The Fittest

Official Salvos Merchandise!

284. Invincible

285. Remembrance

286. Rematch

287. Despair Part One

288. Despair Part Two

289. Despair Part Three (End of Volume 5 Part 1)

290. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part One (Start of Volume 5 Part 2)

291. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part Two

Salvos Volume 5 Part 1: Corruption and Centinels is now available on Amazon!

292. Interlude - Saffron's Savior Part Three

293. Father and Daughter

294. Pink

295. Sentinel

296. A Demon, Two Monsters, and a Spirit Walk into a Town

297. A Demon, Two Monsters, and a Spirit Walk into the Adventurers Guild...

298. Edithe's Elaboration Part One

299. Interlude - Edithe's Elaboration Part Two

300. Return to Mavos Academy

Chapter 300 Special: Salvos Side Character Popularity Poll 2

301. Divine

302. First Impressions

303. Repair

304. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part One

305. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Two

306. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Three

307. Interlude - Daniel's Destiny Part Four

308. Aftermath

309. Save the Princess

310. The Emperor

311. Emperor's Explanation

312. Saving the [Hero]

313. Vanity

314. Grace

315. Catching Up

316. Interlude - Belzu's Blessing

317. Back to Shedos

318. Time for a Talk

319. Faith's Formidability

320. Daniel's Depth

321. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part One

322. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Two

323. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Three

324. Interlude - Saffron's Struggle Part Four

325. Payment

326. Given

Salvos GERMAN Translation is OFFICIALLY Available!

327. Misplaced Confidence

328. Triple Confrontation

329. Hasty Preparation

330. Likes and Dislikes

331. Weirdo

332. Aerial Battle, Ground Zero

333. Battlefield

334. Wyverns Dead

335. Interlude - Edithe's Embarrassment

336. Get Good

337. Weird Woman

338. Lonely Princess

339. Clone Convalescence

340. Clone Combat

341. Champion Part One

342. Champion Part Two

343. Champion Part Three

344. Champion Part Four

345. Champion Part Five (End of Volume 5 Part Two)

346. Willy's Will (Start of Volume 5 Part 3)

347. Edithe's Elation

348. Companion Reunion

349. Feast

350. City Destruction

351. Rematch of Pride

352. Being Saved

353. Succumbing to Corruption

354. Explaining Stuff and Other Boring Stuff

355. Difficult Choices

356. Interlude - Belzu's Bane

Grand Skill: Book 6 is now available on Amazon! Give it a buy and a review to support me!

357. Grudge

358. The Scheme

New fic announcement: Violet (Not a chapter)

359. Sickleshade Valley

360. Oddities

361. Afraid

362. Last Resort

363. Purpose Served

364. Ripples

365. Vain

366. Insect

367. Weaknesses and Strengths

368. Portal

369. Back in Time

370. Intuition

371. Hunch

372. The Search

373. Empathy, Probably

374. Predator

375. Not So Wild

376. Wisdom

377. Manifestation of the Old Gods

Not A Chapter: Some Introspection After A Year of Full-time Writing

378. Overly Sensitive

379. Meeting Royalty

380. Arrival in Alyras